The Royal National Mòd will make its highly anticipated return to Paisley on Friday, returning to the town for the first time in 10 years.
An opening concert at Paisley Town Hall will kick of proceedings on Friday at 7pm, with the first competitions starting at 9am on Saturday.
This Mòd 2023 will run until Saturday October 21 and is set to bring fans of Gaelic music and culture together again to celebrate the language, history and future of the Gaels.
Around 7,000 visitors are expected to descend on the Renfrewshire town over the next nine days to soak up the vast range of performances, competitions, recitals and cultural activities on offer.
They will be joined by about 2,000 participants, taking part in 200 competitions in stages, halls and libraries in over 20 venues across Paisley and its surrounding areas.
These venues will burst to life for the event, which is expected to generate more than £2 million to Paisley’s economy and to mark the opening of this year’s event, organisers An Comunn Gàidhealach have announced the Gaelic Ambassador of the Year.
The annual Scottish Government honour will be awarded to celebrated Gaelic singer, researcher and broadcaster Linda MacLeod.
Originally from North Uist and now based in Glasgow, Gaelic was Ms Macleod’s first language and she graduated with a first class honours degree from the University of Glasgow in 2010
Since then, Gaelic language has been at the centre of her professional life and she has worked with the University of Glasgow’s Celtic and Gaelic Department, Glasgow’s Gaelic arts organisation An Lòchran, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, The Gaelic Books Council and freelanced on Gaelic media, teaching, singing and community projects.
Over the years she has also presented and voiced many BBC ALBA programmes and now works as a part-time presenter on CBeebies ALBA.
Ms MacLeod said: “It is a huge honour and a lovely surprise to be named Gaelic Ambassador of the Year. The Gaelic language has been a constant in my life and is very important to me, without it I don’t know where I’d be or what I’d be up to today.
“I have been very fortunate to have worked on various Gaelic projects and with every age in the community. I have learnt so much from kind, encouraging people who have helped me over the years and from my own family too, and I am so grateful for all their help.
“This award has encouraged me to learn more from these people and to be involved in other projects in the future. The Gaelic language is very dear to me and I’m proud and thankful that it is such a big part of my life.”
The Mòd’s opening night concert will feature the MG Alba Folk Band of the Year, Breabach and will be the first full-scale concert to take place at Paisley Town Hall since it reopened.
It will see the joyous programme of performances and competition kick off with an opening concert headlined by the multi-award-winning Lochaber five-piece.
The first ever Mòd Festival Club will also burst into life on Friday evening at The Sneddon, with relaxed sessions providing a place for attendees and musicians to socialise and soak up the festival atmosphere throughout the week.
The town’s pubs will also play host to some lively trad music from artists around the world over the nine days for the Mòd Phàislig 2023 Late and Live programme.
This kicks off on Friday evening with Canadian folk duo Pierre Schryer & Adam Dobres playing in The Bungalow, Celtic folk fusion band Reely Jiggered getting a ceilidh going at The Old Swan and Irish-Scottish folk duo Fuaim getting toes tapping at The Keg.
Across the nine days, the festival will also showcase a diverse programme of exciting live competitions and fringe concerts.
Competition highlights include the An Comunn Gàidhealach Gold Medal final on Wednesday October 18 and the Traditional Gold Medal final on Thursday October 19.
The Combined Rural Choirs’ Competitions and Combined Area Choirs’ Competitions will also return on Thursday and Friday next week, bringing choral singers from across Scotland together.
Meanwhile, the event’s Fringe programme will see everything from history-making sporting clashes to late-night pub sessions and concerts from the brightest Gaelic talent.
Saturday will see the competition get underway for pipers, fiddle players, accordionists and more, with shinty marking its return to Renfrewshire.
The Mòd Football Cup will see two fluent Gaelic-speaking teams, Gàidheil Ghlaschu and Na Gàidheil, play off against one another for the first time since the annual match launched in Perth in 2004.
Chief executive officer of An Comunn Gàidhealach, James Graham said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome faces old and new to The Royal National Mòd in Paisley.
“It’s wonderful to officially get this year’s event underway with the incredible sounds of Breabach at such a special venue like Paisley Town Hall.
“It’s been a decade since we brought the Mòd to Paisley and the town has already shown such warmth and enthusiasm for hosting this event once again.
“We appreciate locals welcoming us honorary ‘buddies’ for the next nine days as we bring our music, culture, friendship and hospitality to the streets, pubs, libraries, venues and concert halls of Renfrewshire.”
This will also be the first year Maggie Cunningham will oversee the Mòd as An Comunn Gàidhealach’s new president, having taken the role earlier this year.
The association is responsible for the preservation and promotion of the Gaelic language earlier this year.
Ms Cunningham said: “I’m very much looking forward to my Mòd as president. Once again the event will showcase the national and international importance and profile of the Gaelic language, provide an important opportunity for Gaels and Gaelic supporters to come together in celebration.
The Scottish Government’s education secretary, Jenny Gilruth added: “I’d like to pay tribute to everyone who worked so hard to make this possible. I’m looking forward to what I’m sure will be a lively and memorable Mòd that celebrates the very best of our rich Gaelic culture.
“I would also like to congratulate An Comunn Gàidhealach for its excellent choice of Linda MacLeod as Gaelic ambassador for 2023.”
Renfrewshire Provost, Lorraine Cameron said: “The banners and bunting are up across town and we’re all excited and ready to get Mòd Phàislig underway.
“There’s a fantastic programme of events and performances for everyone to enjoy – whether they have a passion for Gaelic culture or if they’ve never engaged with the language and music before.
“The whole community has been involved in preparations from our local businesses and volunteers to our school pupils and I can’t wait to see the town full of buzz and excitement with visitors and locals enjoying everything this jam-packed festival has to offer.”
The Royal National Mòd is supported by EventScotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Renfrewshire Council, EventScotland, The Scottish Government, HIE, Creative Scotland, CalMac, BBC ALBA, The Reeling and SQA.
Ceannard, Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Ealasaid MacDonald said: “We are delighted to be a major supporter of this event and the wide range of cultural and community opportunities available is testament to the hard work of An Comunn Gàidhealach and the local Mòd team.
“A special congratulations to Linda MacLeod as she is named Gaelic Ambassador of the Year – well deserved recognition of all her hard work in supporting, entertaining, and encouraging young Gaelic speakers.”
For more information about Mòd Phàislig events or to book tickets visit www.modphaislig.com.