It was an emotional Black Isle Gaelic Choir who won the Margrat Duncan Memorial Trophy for the second year running.
Ahead of Friday’s competitions, a minute’s silence was held in memory of their late conductor and beloved Mòd community member, Kirsteen Maclennan (nèe Menzies).
Kerrie Kennedy, conductor of Còisir Ghàidhlig an Eilein Dubh (Black Isle Gaelic Choir), said: “It was one of Kirsteen’s last wishes for us to perform today and she asked me to step in if she couldn’t do it, so I did. It doesn’t seem real and to receive the baton, well that’s for her.
“The sound the choir made today was just incredible, I’ve never experienced anything like that before. I just couldn’t have asked any more of them today. They gave it everything, absolutely everything.
“They sang from their heart. That is what I asked for. That is what she asked for. She would be very happy. She was definitely with us in here today.”
That morning at Paisley’s Wynd Centre, five male choirs competed individually for the Mull and Iona Shield and Hector Russell Dirk, singing a song of their own choice plus a prescribed one: ‘An Eala Bhàn’ (‘The White Swan’), composed by Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna, and arranged by Kirsteen Maclennan.
Sileas Sinclair, who conducted the male singers from Oban Gaelic Choir in that contest, said: “I found it was a really poignant song, because it was arranged by Kirsteen. It was so special. I wish she was here.”
Joy Dunlop, conductor of a competing male voice choir from Argyll, Còisir Ceann an Tuirc, said: “It was emotional. We were struggling towards the end. I think it is the most beautiful way to remember somebody and celebrate them. It was an honour.”
The open competition for male choirs, and the Mull and Iona Shield and Hector Russell Dirk, was won by Eadarainn (Dingwall and Inverness Gaelic choirs), followed by Còisir Ceann an Tuirc in second, and Ceòlraidh Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu (Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association) in third.
“They were all very close,” said a judge Christine Primrose. “Beautiful choices of songs. ‘An Eala Bhàn’ was just gorgeous.”
In a special tribute that evening, all five male choirs combined their voices to sing ‘An Eala Bhàn’ once again, in rows four deep spanning the stage, powerfully filling Paisley Town Hall Auditorium.
Kirsteen – described as a “shining light” in the Gaelic choral community – was the daughter of legendary conductor Hamish Menzies, who died two years ago. She followed in his footsteps by conducting the Dingwall Gaelic Choir and later set up the Black Isle Gaelic Choir.
After collecting the Margrat Duncan Memorial Trophy, Kerrie said: “Kirsteen arranged our own choice song, it was her last gift to the choir, so it was lovely to bring that in and the choir did it justice. I think Kirsteen would have been very, very happy with what we did today. She was here, and so was her dad.”