Royal National Mòd gold medal winners

19 October 2023

The winners of this year’s An Comunn Gàidhealach gold medals are Emma Macleod and Iain Cormack.

Finals of the Royal National Mòd’s most prestigious competition for solo singers were held in Paisley Town Hall on Wednesday evening.

Just two days ago, Emma Macleod from Scalpay was poised to pull out of the competition but tonight the presenter and digital producer with MG Alba is over the moon with her change of heart.

Achieving the coveted An Comunn gold medal, makes her a double medal winner, after achieving the Traditional gold award two years ago when the Mòd took place in Inverness.

As a young teenager, she she won the solo singing event for her age group when the Mòd was last in Paisley in 2015.

The men’s gold medal was present to Iain Comack of Portree in Skye.

Coming from a long line of Mòd gold medallists, Iain sang the song his father sang 40 years ago when he won the Gold Medal, Welcome to the Isle of Skye.

His father siblings, Ruairidh and Eilidh, have also won the medal.

Iain is studying sport at Strathclyde University and is a member of Ceòlraidh Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu choir.

Emma Macleod said: “Winning the Gold Medal means so much to me. I’ve been involved with the Mòd since I was very young and it was an honour to win the Traditional Gold Medal a couple of years ago. I didn’t know if my style of singing would suit this competition and I couldn’t believe it when I saw the scores come in.

“My family are all here tonight, and everyone at home will be watching too so I just couldn’t be happier.”

Iain Cormack said: “I have a lot of my friends and family in the crowd tonight and it’s been nice to have their support. The song I sang has always meant a lot to us as a family, it’s almost an anthem for Skye. I was happy with how things went tonight, and I’m absolutely delighted to be taking home the medal.”