A week of culture, community and growth at the Royal National Mòd

The Royal National Mòd’s return to Fort William showcased the powerful connection between Gaelic culture and economic growth. Here, HIE’s Clare Maclellan shares her highlights from an unforgettable week of music, language and community.

I’ve been working as a Graduate Development manager at HIE in Fort William for a year and I see firsthand how Gaelic culture and economy are connected. The Royal National Mòd is a perfect example of this as a driver of economic activity, community engagement, and cultural resilience.

In October this year, the Mòd returned to Fort William after eight years, bringing over 10,000 visitors to the area. Events like this boost local businesses, create networking opportunities, and reinforce the Highlands and Islands as a vibrant place to live, work, and invest.

As a Gaelic speaker from the local area, the Mòd has always been a highlight of the year. Seeing Gaelic celebrated throughout Fort William was an inspiring experience and reminded me how fortunate I am to have grown up in a Gaelic-speaking home. From an early age, I attended Gaelic Medium Education before continuing studying Gaelic through high school and into the first two years of university.

Earlier in the year, I attended one of the Mòd planning meetings where the committee showcased a fringe programme alongside the traditional competitions. The programme featured concerts, street ceilidhs, book readings, and creative media days scattered throughout the town. This fresh approach promised something for everyone, and it delivered.

One of my personal highlights was the Mòd tent outside the Nevis Centre. Hosting live music all week, it quickly became the main social hub for everyone during, between and after busy competitions and acted as a great transitionary venue before heading into the town each night for more live music.

With the event so close to home, I set myself the goal of attending as much as possible. Highlights included the torchlit procession through the High Street to the Nevis Centre, the vibrant Ar Canan ’s ar Ceol concert, and a reflective evening of Celtic Praise at Duncansburgh Church.

Midweek, I volunteered with my HIE colleague, Jaynie Ireland to sign in competitors and work the door for the solo singing and silver pendant final, before attending the prestigious gold medal finals, broadcast live on BBC Alba.

On Thursday, my HIE colleague Elaine Jones and I joined the Gaelic business event and Cruinn Còmhla networking lunch, where winners from HIE’s Cruthachadh Chothroman programme were celebrated and we heard powerful insights on Gaelic’s economic impact and resilience from excellent speakers including Dougie Hunter who spoke about Gaelic’s present and future economic impact and resilience within our region.

The week closed with a lively An Dannsa Mòr ceilidh featuring Uist trad band Beinn Lee (and a visit from Fergie, the Mòd mascot!), followed by the historic Massed Choirs in Cameron Square before the Mòd flag was passed to next year’s hosts, Glasgow.

There had been much planning and anticipation around what this year’s Mòd would bring and I have to say it truly exceeded my expectations. Watching Fort William transform into a vibrant hub of culture and music was exciting. It created a real sense of optimism within myself and those around me that, Gaelic in its more traditional sense can still be widely used and celebrated within our communities. I hope this momentum continues long after the banners come down.

As for me, I’m already counting down to Glasgow 2026!

agus sa Ghàidhlig gu h-ìosal

Thaisbean turas a’ Mhòid Nàiseanta Rìoghail don Ghearastan an ceangal cumhachdach eadar cultar na Gàidhlig agus fàs eaconamach. An seo tha Clare NicGillFhialain bho HIE a’ togail air na tachartasan a b’ fheàrr leatha bho sheachdain nach tèid à cuimhne de cheòl, cànan agus coimhearsnachd.

Tha mi air a bhith ag obair airson bliadhna mar Mhanaidsear Leasachaidh Ceuma aig HIE sa Ghearastan agus tha mi a’ faicinn ann an da-rìribh mar a tha cultar na Gàidhlig agus an eaconamaidh co-cheangailte. Tha am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail na eisimpleir foirfe den seo mar stiùiriche air gnìomhachd eaconamach, com-pàirt coimhearsnachd, agus seasmhachd chultarach.

San Dàmhair am-bliadhna, thill am Mòd don Ghearastan an dèidh ochd bliadhna, a’ tàladh còrr air 10,000 neach-tadhail don sgìre. Tha tachartasan den leithid seo a’ toirt spionnadh do ghnothachasan ionadail, a’ cruthachadh chothroman lìonraidhidh, agus ag ath-dhaingneachadh na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean mar àite beòthail airson còmhnaidh, obair agus inbheisteadh.

Mar neach-labhairt Gàidhlig às an sgìre ionadail, tha am Mòd a-riamh air a bhith na àrd-thachartas den bhliadhna. Bha a bhith a’ faicinn na Gàidhlig ga chomharrachadh air feadh a’ Ghearastain na shuidheachadh brosnachail, a’ cur nam chuimhne cho fortanach ’s a bha mi a bhith a’ fàs suas ann an dachaigh le Gàidhlig. Bho aois òg, bha mi a’ frithealadh Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig mus do lean mi orm ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig tron àrd-sgoil agus sa chiad dà bhliadhna san oilthigh.

Nas tràithe am-bliadhna, fhritheil mi coinneamhan planaidh a’ Mhòid far an do stèidhich a’ chomataidh prògram air an iomall taobh ri taobh leis na farpaisean seann-nòs. Bha am prògram a’ nochdadh chuirmean-ciùil, cèilidhean sràide, leughaidhean leabhraichean, agus làithean do mheadhanan cruthachail air feadh a’ bhaile. Bha am modh-obrach ùr seo a’ gealltainn rudeigin a lìbhrigeadh do gach neach, agus rinn e sin.

B’ e teanta a’ Mhòid taobh a-muigh Ionad Nibheis aon de na nithean pearsanta a b’ fheàrr leam. Le ceòl beò ga lìbhrigeadh ann fad na seachdaine, thàinig e glè luath gu bhith mar am prìomh ionad sòisealta do na h-uile rè, eadar agus às dèidh fharpaisean mòra agus bha e mar ionad-cruinneachaidh eadar-ghluasaid fìor mhath, mus deigheadh luchd-frithealaidh a-steach am baile gach oidhche airson tuilleadh ciùil beò. 

Leis an tachartas cho faisg air làimh, chuir mi romham fhìn na b’ urrainn dhomh de thachartasan a fhrithealadh. Am measg nan àrd-thachartasan, bha a’ chaismeachd sholais tron t-Sràid Àrd gu Ionad Nibheis, cuirm bheòthail Ar Cànan ’s ar Ceòl, agus feasgar meòrachaidh de Mholadh Ceilteach ann an Eaglais Baile Dhonnchaidh.   

Meadhan na seachdaine, thabhainn mi fhìn agus mo cho-obraiche aig HIE, Jaynie Ireland, obair aig an doras agus farpaisich a chlàradh a-steach airson na farpais seinn aon-neach agus farpais-crìochnachaidh an aigeallain airgid, ro fharpaisean crìochnachaidh a’ bhuinn òir a fhrithealadh, a bha gan craoladh beò air BBC Alba.

Diardaoin, chaidh mi fhìn agus mo cho-obraiche aig HIE, Elaine Jones, gu lòn lìonraidhidh an tachartais ghnòthachais Ghàidhlig agus Cruinn Còmhla, far an deach buannaichean bhon phrògram Cruthachadh Chothroman aig HIE a chomharrachadh, agus chuala sinn in-sheallaidhean cumhachdach mu bhuaidh agus seasmhachd eaconamach na Gàidhlig bho luchd-labhairt sàr-mhath, a’ gabhail a-steach Dougie Mac an t-Sealgair a labhair mu dheidhinn buaidh is seasmhachd eaconamach làithreach is teachdail na Gàidhlig taobh a-staigh ar roinne.   

Thàinig an t-seachdain gu crìch leis An Dannsa Mòr, cèilidh beòthail san do nochd an còmhlan traidiseanta à Uibhist, Beinn Lee (agus tadhal bho Fergie, suaichnean a’ Mhòid!), air a leantainn leis na còisirean uile còmhla ann an Ceàrnag a’ Chamshronaich mus deach bratach a’ Mhòid a shìneadh seachad gu aoighean na h-ath-bhliadhna – Glaschu.  

Bha mòran planaidh agus fiughair mu thimcheall na bhiodh Mòd na bliadhna seo a’ tarraing, agus feumaidh mi a ràdh gun deach e ann an da-rìribh fada seachad air na bha mi a’ sùileachadh. Bha e brosnachail a bhith a’ coimhead a’ Ghearastain a’ cruth-atharrachadh gu bhith na mhòr-ionad beòthail de chultar agus de cheòl. Chruthaich e fìor fhaireachdainn de dhòchas annam fhìn agus iadsan mun cuairt orm, gum faod Gàidhlig san dòigh thraidiseanta a bhith air a cleachdadh fada is farsaing agus air a comharrachadh anns na coimhearsnachdan againn. Tha mi an dòchas gun lean an gluasad-air-adhart seo fada an dèidh do na brataichean a bhith air an toirt sìos.  

Ach mise, tha mi mar-thà a’ cunntadh sìos gu Glaschu 2026!