Final call for Royal National Mòd competition entries
15 May 2025
Organisers of the Royal National Mòd are urging individuals and groups to submit
their entries to compete in this year’s prestigious Gaelic language and cultural
celebration before the approaching deadline on the last day of May.
Taking place this October in Fort William and surrounding areas, this marks the ninth
time the 133-year-old event will be hosted in the Lochaber region. Known as Scotland's
premier Gaelic festival, the Mòd celebrates the rich heritage and future of the Gaelic
language, arts and culture.
Competitors of all ages and abilities are invited to participate in over 200 categories,
including choral singing, accordion, fiddle, drama, poetry, and the crowd-favourite
Battle of the Bands.
Organisers An Comunn Gàidhealach hope to match entry levels reached at last year’s
event in Oban, which recorded 2,700 participants across the event’s nine days.
Hundreds of children in the Lochaber area are being encouraged to participate in
the Mòd thanks to the Mòd Academy. Six tutors are visiting around 40 classes across
18 schools in the area to give them a taste of Gaelic song, traditional music and
poetry, get them in the Mòd spirit and encourage them to take part in the prestigious
event.
James Graham, chief executive of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “The Lochaber Mòd is
shaping up to be another milestone celebration of Gaelic – an indigenous language
that is thriving.
“We are looking to maintain the fantastic number of participants and visitors that
we saw in Oban last year and would warmly encourage Gaelic enthusiasts, musicians,
singers, and performers to submit their applications before the upcoming deadline.
The next generation is a central focus of the Mòd and it’s fantastic to see the work
being done in local schools to get Lochaber children involved in this historic event
on their doorstep.”
The Royal National Mòd, hosted in a different Scottish town each year, extends beyond
the competitions themselves, with a lively fringe programme including concerts, workshops,
talks, and community sessions taking over venues across its host location. The 2024
edition in Oban welcomed over 9,000 attendees.
