It was a poignant event for Dundee Gaelic Choir when they won the John McNicol Memorial Trophy for the highest marks in Gaelic at the Royal National Mod yesterday.
They came third in the large area choirs‘ contest for the Margrat Duncan Trophy which was won by Nairn Gaelic Choir.
Each Dundee singer took a dram of whisky to toast an absent friend. They were saddened to be competing without their most loyal singer, Sandy Mollison who died of cancer aged 75 years after the last Mod. After coming off stage, a bottle of Gelnfiddich was cracked open and every singer took swig in his memory
Mr Mollison was the oldest member of the choir. He was a regular Gold Medal competitor and twice ended up in the finals. The former mountain rescue team member initially became interested in Gaelic to learn the meanings of mountain names.
Meanwhile crowds of people were evacuated from a Mod choir competition after a fire alert this morning (fri).
The alarm bells at Stornoway Town Hall started ringing while one of the choirs were singing their puirt a beul song.
Singers, judges and the audience trooped out into the pedestrian precinct in Stornoway town centre.
But after getting the all-
Dundee Choir toast absent friend 21/10/11