Paisley welcomed Gaels from the length and breadth of Scotland on Saturday for a swathe of cultural and sporting activity, including piping, fiddle and accordion competitions.
Paisley’s Wynd Centre and Town Hall saw pipers young and old impress, with 16-year-old Arran Green from Bannockburn High School scooping a double win. Arran took home the W.G.G. Wilson Trophy for the 16-18 Pìobaireachd, and the Royal Highland Fusiliers Cup for the 16-18 March, Strathspey and Reel.
Kinross High School pupil Lennox Munro, won the Under 16 Roderick Munro Quaich for 2/4 March. The 15-year-old from Glenfarg also took the Under 16 Lighting Electrical Cup for his Strathspey and Reel.
Three bagpipers from Àrd-sgoil an Òbain (Oban High School), Zara McLeod (14), Mark Hewitt (14), and Lily Robertson (14), honoured their town with “very, very good playing”, the judge in the pìobaireachd under 16 class, Jonathan Greenlees, said.
The trio, all taught by multiple gold medal and Glenfiddich championship winner Angus MacColl from Benderloch, are well used to the spotlight, having all marched with Oban High School Pipe Band down Sixth Avenue at New York Tartan Week earlier this year.
Zara and Lily can also often be seen busking on Oban’s George Street, ideally beside the most lucrative spot – a parking meter – where people have lots of spare change in their pockets.
They have all been practising for months and months for this moment at the Royal National Mòd, competing in the under 16 classes for the March, Strathspey & Reel, Jig, and Pìobaireachd, and all their hard work paid off, doing Oban proud.
Skye’s Seonaidh Forrest, from Àrd-sgoil Phort Rìgh (Portree High School), returns home to Isleornsay with a clutch of medals from the under 16 classes.
Seonaidh, 13, came second in the Pìobaireachd following Callan James Erskine from Bertha Park, and third in the March and Jig competitions, both behind Craig Mitchell of Cults Academy, and Lennox Munro of Àrd-sgoil Kinross, who placed first in each.
Seonaidh is taught by his dad, Dr Decker Forrest, programme leader for the BA (Hons) Gaelic and Traditional Music Programme at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Sleat Peninsula. He practices in the car and at the bus stop on his hour-long journey to school in Portree every day.
“He is under a lot of pressure with other events after school, and he is busy helping with sheep on the croft,” Decker said. “The fact he is able to keep the consistency up is a huge challenge. I was delighted by his playing.”
Meanwhile in Paisley North Church nearby, fiddle players in the under-13 class were praised by judge Marie Fielding, fiddle and performance lecturer at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. “I know how much hard work it was,” she said. “It is not really about winning. It is about trying to enjoy what you are doing. But it is a competition!”
The tension grew as she announced the winners: in third place 11 year-old Seonaidh MacLean, a pupil of Sgoil Bhàgh a’ Chaisteil (Castlebay School), from Skallary, Isle of Barra; in second came nine year-old Beth McAlaney from Bun-sgoil Ghaidhlig Bhaile a’ Ghobhainn (Govan Gaelic Primary School); and first place was awarded to Jethro Murray from Corpach, a pupil at Bun-Sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar (Lochaber Gaelic Primary School, Caol), who was 10 on the day of the competition, but very soon turned 11 with the best birthday boost.
Alistair Adamson, 11, from Forth Primary School, won both the Smith Mearns Trophy for under 13 accordion, and the Jenny M. B. Currie Award for under 13 piano.
In the senior competitions, the Pìobaireachd and the March, Strathspey and Reel Premier and A Grade contests were both won by acclaimed Glasgow bagpiper Roddy McLeod MBE, who is the former Director of the National Piping Centre.
The Argyllshire Gathering Quaich, for Bagpipes B Grade Players Ceòl Beag, was won by Bradley Parker of Milngavie, followed in second by Angus MacPhee of Inverness, Cameron May of Lesmahagow in third, and Keith Bowes of Inchinnan in fourth.
Bradley Parker also won the B Grade March, Strathspey and Reel competition, while Angus Macphee won the B Grade Pìobaireachd.