Caithness And Sutherland Provincial MÒD 2012

27th May 2012

MÒD IONADAIL GHALLAIBH AGUS CHATAIBH 2012 - INBHIR ÙIGE, GALLAIBH.

Wick busy for the weekend of the Caithness and Sutherland Provincial Mòd.

"Wick must be very busy on the Jubilee weekend" - that was the opinion of members of the local organising committee for the Caithness and Sutherland Provincial Mòd in Wick on Saturday 2nd June. Accommodation in local hotels in the town was at a premium for late enquiries made to committee members from visitors to the county from all over Scotland.

Visitors are looking to compete in competitions as well as simply return to the county for the festival atmosphere following the successful national event in October 2010.

Events begin with one of Gaeldom's top bands - the Iain Angus MacLeod Ceilidh Band performing at the Old Smiddy Inn in Thrumster on Friday evening 1st June. The Old Smiddy Inn has been hosting ceilidhs for touring coaches with visitors from USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand amongst countries, each summer for the past 13 years and provides a perfect atmosphere for the event. The event kicks off at 9pm until late and will also feature local and national artistes visiting the county for the following day's competitions.

The main events start on Saturday 2nd June at 9am with the premier competitions being held in the town's Assembly Rooms. Piping competitions are being held in the Pipe Band Hall. Solo, instrumental, folk group and junior choral competitions are being held in the morning with the afternoon set aside for visiting senior choirs competing in the adult choral competitions including the renowned Melvich Gaelic Choir, a considerable number of whose choristers come from Caithness and who are current National Mòd champions. The festival will also see the newly formed Coilich a' Chinn a Tuath (Cocks of the North) male voice choir taking part. Other choirs are visiting from Lairg and Nairn with one of the folk groups coming all the way from Glasgow and featuring musicians from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig - the Gaelic College on the Isle of Skye.

Adjudicators from all over Scotland have been invited to the county to judge the competitions and will be guests at the festival evening's main event, a Gala Concert and Ceilidh Dance in the Assembly Rooms, starting at 7.30pm and hosted by Murdo Morrison, who was involved in the National Mòd coming to Caithness in 2010.

Raymond Bremner, Chairman of the Local Branch for the Provincial Mòd said "It is great to see Murdo Morrison visiting us once more. Murdo visited the county when he was Mòd Marketing Manager with An Comunn Gàidhealach in 2007 and has become a very good friend of many in the county - we are delighted that he is chairing the main choir competitions and also hosting the main event in the evening."

Christine Stone, Vice Chairman of the Local Branch Committee for the Provincial Mòd said "We have been making final preparations to ensure that the county provides a special weekend for all our visitors - both local and
visiting from outside the county. We have been assisting visitors in finding accommodation as well as the other tasks like ensuring the return of the considerable amounts of trophies; assisting in providing meals for all the visiting groups, preparation for the evening events and final festival programme preparation. We are delighted that the local festival is back in the county so soon after the national event."

Graham Cameron, Secretary of the Local Branch, who was Convenor of the Stewards Committee for the National Mòd in Caithness in 2010, will be happy to hear from anyone who still wishes to help out on the day although the
committee has a number of volunteers who have made themselves available. Anyone who wishes to help can make contact on 07765 420 971 or emailing cameronatcroick[AT]tiscali.co.uk

The main event in the Assembly Rooms on Saturday evening will feature guest artiste Alasdair Whyte, Royal National Mòd Gold Medallist from the Isle of Mull as well as winning artistes from the day's competitions. The Iain Angus MacLeod Ceilidh Band will be providing the music at the Gala event and the trophy ceremony will see Viscountess Margaret Thurso presenting the awards to the festivals winners.