Organisers of the Royal National Mòd are calling on competition entries for this year’s event in Lochaber.
Returning to Fort William and surrounding areas in October, this will be the ninth
time the 133-year-old event has been held in the region. It first travelled to Lochaber
in 1922 and 2025 marks eight years since its last visit.
The 2024 Mòd in Oban saw over 2,700 participants compete in over 200 competitions for what was the biggest Mòd in five years, and organisers An Comunn Gàidhealach hope to replicate that success this autumn.
Individuals and groups wishing to compete this year have until midnight on Saturday 31 May to submit their entries. Competitions span a huge range of categories including choral singing, accordion, fiddle, drama, Battle of the Bands, poetry and more.
The full list of competitions can be found at ancomunn.co.uk/nationalmod/syllabus and entries submitted at https://enter.ancomunn.co.uk.
James Graham, An Comunn’s chief executive, said: “We saw thousands of people competing at last year’s Mòd, contributing to the development of Gaelic in Scotland and showcasing the very best of our music and culture. The competitions are the backbone of this event and to see the camaraderie and community between those taking part, and their sense of pride and joy, is always fantastic.
“Whether you are a long-time competitor or someone brand new to Gaelic and looking
to get involved, I would encourage anyone to apply and come be part of this significant
Scottish event. We know Lochaber is always a fantastic host and we look forward to
bringing the Mòd back there once again this October.”
The Mòd is held in a different Scottish town each year and is the country’s foremost festival for Gaelic language, sports, art and culture. Alongside the competitions, a burgeoning fringe programme sees concerts, workshops, talks and sessions take over venues across its host location. The 2024 edition welcomed around 9,000 attendees and generated a £3.6 million economic uplift for Oban.
Royal National Mòd opens for this year’s entries
17 February 2025