Two Mid Argyll Gaelic learner singers showed in Monday that they are among the top in the country at the Royal National Mod in Paisley.
The week-long event began at the weekend, with the first of junior singing competitions on Monday.
After a long day of waiting, a large crowd was in attendance at the venue in Paisley Town hall for the Solo Singing Learner Girls 13-15s.
From a field of brave and talented entrants, who had tackled a tricky song often performed in adult competitions, Aimee MacLeod from Sgoil MhicNealcail (The Nicholson Insitute) in Stornoway was crowned the winner.
However, a superb effort from Feorlin Renton saw the Sgoiltean Ceann Loch Gilp (Lochgilphead Joint Campus) pupil finish second and take home the Music Award.
The judges comments at the end of the day, which included a number of the solo learners singing competitions, with entries from across the west coast, summed up the performances, telling the young performers that “some of you looked like you were telling a story in really expressive performances”.
While only a few of the many young singers from the West Coast could leave Paisley with a gold, silver or bronze medal, as one judge said, every one deserved a prize.
And that includes Sophie Phillips and Joni MacDougall from Ardrishaig Primary School and Carly Cranston of Kilmichael Glassary, who took part in the P6-7 Solo Singing Learner competition.
In the solo singing for girls aged 11-12 in the Wynd Centre, Lochnell Primary School in Benderloch’s Libby Bezuidenhout finished first and Eilidh Catherine MacInnes, of Ardnamurchan second followed by Ella Fyfe of Sgoiltean Ceann Loch Gilp (Lochgilphead Joint Campus) in third place.
A judge of a number of the morning’s learner competitions, John Joe MacNeil, said: “We are looking at this stage at all the words being as perfect as they can be. Expression is what we are looking at closely. It is a really high standard this morning. We were really delighted.”
