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A sensational, dynamic and inclusive programme of concerts, events, exhibitions and workshops has been unveiled for the Royal National Mòd which returns to Paisley between 13 – 21 October 2023.
Scotland’s premier Gaelic cultural event will celebrate the language and Scottish traditional music, song, drama, literature, art and sport.
Hundreds of musicians and artists will take to stages, halls and libraries in over 20 venues across Paisley and its surrounding areas during the nine-day event when it returns to the Renfrewshire town for the first time in ten years.
Mòd Phàislig will get underway with the Cuirm-Fosglaidh a’ Mhòid 2023 (Mòd 2023 Opening Concert) at Paisley Town Hall on Friday 13th October, featuring contemporary folk act, Breabach. The five-piece, who are currently Folk Band of the Year, will be one of the first acts to take to the stage of the newly refurbished Renfrewshire venue.
The hall will also play host to an unforgettable night of traditional music and Gaelic culture showcasing young talent from Renfrewshire and beyond for Ar Cànan ‘s Ar Ceòl (Our Language Our Music) on Saturday 14th October. Fèis Phàislig youngsters and the Renfrewshire Schools Pipe Band will put on a show-stopping performance, whilst The Glasgow Gaelic Choir will be joined by some of Scotland’s finest Gaelic singers including Ainsley Hamill, Deirdre Graham and Joy Dunlop. Kilbarchan Pipe Band and Jenna Reid and Harris Playfair will also make an appearance on the show’s fantastic bill.
A specially created show launching the reworked Gaelic song collection of Frances Tolmie: Gun Sireadh Gun Iarraidh, will also take place at Paisley Town Hall on Tuesday, 17th October.
Tolmie’s iconic collection of songs have been passed down, reimagined and reshaped over many years, and are being brought together in one special collection by Kenna Campbell and Ainsley Hamill. The pair will be joined by others who have used Tolmie with their own repertoire and style, including Ceitlin Lilidh, Mischa Macpherson, Màiri Callan, James Graham, Rachel Walker, Mary Ann Kennedy, Wilma Kennedy and Seumas Campbell. They will be accompanied by a Scottish folk all-star house band.
There will also be an opportunity to connect with Gaelic outdoors – thanks to a Gaelic Nature Walk at Paisley’s Fountain Gardens led by Alasdair Whyte and developed in partnership with local community development organisation STAR Project. On Sunday 15th October, participants will be able to experience Paisley’s oldest public gardens, discover Gaelic folklore and learn Gaelic names for the trees, plants, animals, birds and features in the park.
Workshops are also on the programme, with Gaelic speaker and traditional musician Evie Waddell hosting Fàilte Gu British Sign Language (BSL) (Welcome to BSL) on Friday 20th October. Joined by a team of d/Deaf performers, Evie will help participants learn some Gaelic signed song and rhythmic traditional step dance in what is set to be a joyful cultural exchange that will be open to all. A vibrant show will follow at Paisley Town Hall that evening, using traditional songs and stories, sign and dance, to explore the relationships between Scottish culture, Gaelic and BSL.
There will be a varied and extensive programme for families across the week with activity taking place in venues right across Renfrewshire. Struth will return on the Monday and Tuesday, giving young people the opportunity to chat with some of Gaeldom’s best-known stars, while week-long Mòd Kids Clubs and day sessions led by Fèis Phàislig, and local partners such as Lochwinnoch Arts Festival and Erskine Arts, will fill the October school holidays with a raft of activity.
Gaelic Bookbug will run at libraries in Linwood, Foxbar, Ralston, Johnstone and Glenburn, while children’s ceilidhs will take place at the UWS Students’ Union on Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th October.
Later in the week, The Tannahill Centre will stage the Fàilte Cèilidh – a warm welcoming multi-cultural ceilidh for communities from all cultures to share stories in their native languages, mixed with Gaelic. The event on Thursday 19th October will be hosted by School of African Cultures in partnership with local community groups Pachedu and Inspiring Families.
As Halloween nears and the Mòd draws to a close, Saturday 21st October will see a Spooky Samhain Family Cèilidh at UWS Students’ Union. This Halloween themed cèilidh for all the family, led by Fèis Phàislig, will celebrate Halloween and the Samhain festival in Paisley’s famous fashion.
The coveted sport events will also bring the Mòd’s programme of activity to the King George V Playing Fields on Saturday 14th October. The sport of the Gaels, shinty, will be played by men’s, women’s and youth teams in hotly contested finals, while the Football Mòd Cup will see two teams with Gaelic roots battle it out. While Sunday 15th October sees Paisley Abbey welcome the Mòd Church Service.
The celebrations are set to go into the wee hours and spill out into businesses across the town, with the Mòd Festival Club being held at The Sneddon. The Paisley pub will welcome a variety of pop-up live music sessions and entertainment each day of the festival and give event goers a chance to catch up after the day’s festivities.
The much-loved Bungalow will host the Mòd Late & Live which will let visitors experience live traditional and Gaelic music from some of the best names on the scene. The Swan and The Keg will also be home to lively pub sessions throughout the week of the event.
The wealth of events and activities on offer sits alongside the Mòd’s prestigious competition schedule, which will see the usual array of talent vying for the most coveted titles in Gaeldom. The Gold Medal, Traditional Gold Medal Final and Silver Pendant competitions, choirs competitions and Drama Final will all take place throughout the week, alongside children’s and music competitions, which will all welcome competitors from across Scotland and the wider world to Paisley.
Battle of the Bands will also be back for 2023 as young Scottish traditional and Gaelic acts perform for an esteemed panel of judges and lively audience at the The Wynd Centre for the final on Tuesday 17th October and the Literature Prize Giving will be held on Wednesday 18th October.
Following last year’s addition of art into the Mòd programme for the first time, artworks championing Gaelic culture and Scottish life from across Scotland will also be celebrated at the Mòd Phàislig with a digital display. The entrants for the Highland Art Prize will then be showcased at Glasgow’s Briggait from Friday 20th October. Visitors can also enjoy a guided tour of the ten longlist finalists.
A fitting finale to the Paisley Mòd will come in the form of the much-loved Massed Choirs. Hundreds of singers in choirs across Scotland will join in solidarity when they congregate in Paisley town centre on Saturday 21st October.
That night, folk-electronica powerhouse Niteworks will play Paisley Town Hall to round off a spectacular nine-day celebration of Gaelic. The concert presented by The Reeling, which was announced last month and marks the band’s only Scottish venue gig of the year, has seen fans snap up tickets.
Tha prògram do-chreidsinneach, fiùghantach agus in-ghabhalach de chuirmean-ciùil, tachartasan, taisbeanaidhean agus bùithtean-obrach air fhoillseachadh leis a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail ’s e a’ tilleadh a Phàislig eadar 13 – 21 Dàmhair 2023.
Bidh prìomh thachartas cultarach Gàidhlig na h-Alba a’ comharrachadh a’ chànain còmhla ri ceòl traidiseanta, òrain, dràma, litreachas, ealain agus spòrs na h-Alba.
Bidh na ceudan de luchd-ciùil agus luchd-ealain a’ gabhail chun an àrd-ùrlair, tallachan agus leabharlannan ann an còrr air 20 ionad-cruinneachaidh ann am Pàislig agus san sgìre mun cuairt rè an tachartais naoi làithean seo, nuair a thilleas e don bhaile ann an Siorrachd Rinn Friù airson a’ chiad uair ann an deich bliadhna.
Thèid Mòd Phàislig a chur fo sheòl le Cuirm Fosglaidh a’ Mhòid 2023 ann an Talla Baile Phàislig air Dihaoine 13 Dàmhair, a’ nochdadh a’ bhuidhinn cho-aimsireil tuath-cheòl, Breabach. Bidh an còmhlan de chòignear, a tha gu làithreach ainmichte mar Còmhlan Tuath-cheòl na Bliadhna, mar aon de na ciad thachartasan a ghabhas gu àrd-ùrlar an ionad-chruinneachaidh seo a tha air a dhèanamh suas às ùr, ann an Siorrachd Rinn Friù.
Bidh an talla a’ toirt aoigheachd cuideachd do dh’oidhche nach tèid à cuimhne de cheòl traidiseanta agus de chultar na Gàidhlig, a’ taisbeanadh tàlant òg à Siorrachd Rinn Friù agus nas fhaide a-muigh airson Ar Cànan ’s Ar Ceòl air Disathairne 14 Dàmhair. Bidh òigridh Fèis Phàislig agus Còmhlan Pìobaireachd Sgoiltean Siorrachd Rinn Friù a’ cur gnìomhadh iongantach air àrd-ùrlar, fhad ’s a bhios cuid de na seinneadairean Gàidhlig as grinne ann an Alba, a’ gabhail a-steach Ainsley Hamill, Deirdre Ghreumach agus Joy Dunlop, a’ gabhail pàirt còmhla ri Còisir Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu. Còmhla riutha air àrd-ùrlar bidh Còmhlan Pìobaireachd Chill Bhearchain agus Jenna Reid is Harris Playfair a’ nochdadh air prògram na h-oidhche.
Thèid taisbeanadh air ùr-chruthachadh, a’ cur air bhog cruinneachadh às ùr de dh’òrain Ghàidhlig Frances Tolmie: Gun Sireadh Gun Iarraidh, a chur air àrd-ùrlar ann an Talla Baile Phàislig air Dimàirt 17 Dàmhair.
Tha an cruinneachadh suaicheanta de dh’òrain Tolmie air an sìneadh sìos, air an ath-obrachadh ’s air an ath-chumadh thar mòran bhliadhnaichean, agus air an toirt còmhla ann an aon chruinneachadh speisealta le Kenna Chaimbeul agus Ainsley Hamill. Còmhla ris an dithis sin, bidh feadhainn eile a tha air Tolmie a chleachdadh nan cruinneachadh agus na stoidhle fhèin, a’ gabhail a-steach Ceitlin Lilidh, Mischa Nic a’ Phearsain, Màiri Callan, Seumas Greumach, Raonaid Walker, Màiri Anna NicUalraig, Wilma NicUalraig agus Seumas Caimbeul. Gheibh iad taic-ciùil bho chòmhlan taighe de rionnagan tuath-cheòl Albannach.
Bidh cothrom ann cuideachd ceangal a dhèanamh le Gàidhlig air an taobh a-muigh le taing do Chuairt Nàdair Ghàidhlig ann an Gàrraidhean Fuarain Phàislig, air a stiùireadh le Alasdair Whyte agus air a leasachadh ann an com-pàirteachas leis a’ bhuidheann leasachaidh coimhearsnachd ionadail, Pròiseact STAR. Air Didòmhnaich 15 Dàmhair, bidh cothrom aig com-pàirtichean eòlas a chur air na gàrraidhean poblach as sine ann am Pàislig, faighinn a-mach mu bheul-aithris Gàidhlig agus ainmean Gàidhlig do chraobhan, planntrais, beathaichean, eòin agus àiteachan cudromach sa phàirc, ionnsachadh.
Tha bùithtean-obrach air a’ phrògram cuideachd, leis an neach-labhairt Gàidhlig agus an neach-ciùil traidiseanta, Evie Waddell a’ toirt aoigheachd do Fàilte Gu Cànan Soidhnidh Bhreatainn (BSL) air Dihaoine 20 Dàmhair. Le sgioba de luchd-gnìomhaidh a tha bodhar, bidh Evie a’ cuideachadh chom-pàirtichean le beagan Gàidhlig ionnsachadh, agus òrain is dannsa-ceum traidiseanta ruitheamach soidhnichte, ann an suidheachadh a tha gu bhith na iomlaid chultarach thoilichte agus fosgailte do na h-uile. Leanaidh taisbeanadh beòthail ann an Talla Baile Phàislig air an fheasgar sin, a’ cleachdadh òrain agus sgeulachdan traidiseanta, soidhneadh agus dannsa, gus na dàimhean eadar cultar na h-Alba, Gàidhlig agus BSL a rannsachadh.
Bidh prògram farsaing agus measgaichte ann do theaghlaichean fad na seachdaine le gnìomhachdan a’ gabhail àite ann an ionadan-cruinneachaidh air feadh sgìre Siorrachd Rinn Friù. Tillidh Struth air Diluain agus Dimàirt, a’ toirt cothrom do dhaoine òga còmhradh ri cuid de na rionnagan as aithnichte ann an saoghal nan Gàidheal, fhad ’s a bhios Clubaichean Clann a’ Mhòid a’ dol fad na seachdaine agus seiseanan gach latha air an stiùireadh le Fèis Phàislig, agus com-pàirtichean ionadail leithid Fèis Ealain Loch Uinneach a’ lìonadh seachdain nan saor-làithean sgoile san Dàmhair le sreath de ghnìomhachd.
Ann an leabharlannan Linwood, Foxbar, Baile Raghnaill, Baile Iain agus Glenburn, bidh Bookbug Gàidhlig a’ ruith fhad ’s a bhios cèilidhean chloinne a’ gabhail àite ann an Aonadh Oileanaich UWS air Diluain 16 agus Dimàirt 17 Dàmhair.
Nas fhaide air adhart san t-seachdain, bidh Ionad Tannahill ga chleachdadh airson Cèilidh Fàilte – cèilidh ioma-chultarach fàilteach do choimhearsnachdan bho gach cultar gus sgeulachdan a roinn nan cànan dùthchasach, measgaichte le Gàidhlig. Gheibh an tachartas air Diardaoin 19 Dàmhair aoigheachd bho Sgoil nan Cultaran Afraganach ann an com-pàirteachas leis na buidhnean coimhearsnachd ionadail, Pachedu agus Inspiring Families.
Mar a bhios oidhche Shamhna a’ tarraing nas dlùithe agus am Mòd a’ tighinn gu crìch, air Disathairne 21 Dàmhair chithear Cèilidh Teaghlaich Spooky Samhain a’ gabhail àite aig Aonadh Oileanaich UWS. Bidh an cèilidh cuspaireil Samhna seo don teaghlach air fad, air a stiùireadh le Fèis Phàislig, a’ comharrachadh Oidhche Shamhna agus fèis Shamhna ann an stoidhle ainmeil Phàislig.
Bheir na tachartasan cliùiteach spòrs prògram ghnìomhachdan a’ Mhòid gu Raointean Cluiche Rìgh Seòras V air Disathairne 14 Dàmhair. Thèid iomain, spòrs nan Gàidheal, a chluich le sgiobaidhean nam fear, nam mnathan agus na h-òigridh ann am farpaisean crìochnachaidh a bhios gu math teann, agus chì Cupa Ball-coise a’ Mhòid dà sgioba le freumhan Gàidhlig a’ farpais an aghaidh a chèile. Air Didòmhnaich 15 Dàmhair, bidh Abaid Phàislig a’ cur fàilte air Seirbheis Eaglaiseil a’ Mhòid.
Tha na subhachasan deiseil airson a dhol air adhart gu uairean beaga na maidne air feadh a’ bhaile, agus sgaoileadh a-mach gu gnothachasan air feadh na sgìre, le Club Fèis a’ Mhòid ga chumail anns an Sneddon. Cuiridh an taigh-seinnse seo ann am Pàislig fàilte air measgachadh de sheiseanan ciùil beò sealach agus cur-seachad air gach latha den fhèis, a’ toirt cothrom do luchd-tadhail air fois a ghabhail an dèidh subhachasan an latha.
Bidh am Bungalow a’ toirt aoigheachd don Mòd Anmoch is Beò anns a’ Bhungalow, a bheir cothrom do luchd-tadhail eòlas a chur air ceòl traidiseanta is Gàidhlig bho chuid de na h-ainmean as fheàrr a tha mun cuairt. Bidh an Swan agus an Keg nan dachaigh do sheiseanan taigh-seinnse air feadh na seachadaine.
Tha am beairteas de thachartasan agus ghnìomhachdan a thathar a’ tabhann a’ ruith taobh ri taobh le clàr fharpaisean cliùiteach a’ Mhòid, a chì an sreath àbhaisteach de thàlant a’ farpais airson nan tiotalan as tograiche ann an saoghal nan Gàidheal. Gabhaidh am Bonn Òir, Farpais Crìochnachaidh an t-Seann Nòis, agus farpaisean an Aigeallain Airgid, farpaisean chòisirean agus Farpais Crìochnachaidh an Dràma àite tron t-seachdain, ri taobh farpaisean chloinne is ciùil, a chuireas uile fàilte air farpaisich bho air feadh Alba agus an t-saoghail nas fharsainge, gu Pàislig.
Bidh Cogadh nan Còmhlan air ais ann an 2023 agus còmhlain òga traidiseanta Albannach agus Gàidhlig a’ gnìomhadh mu choinneamh pannal spèiseil de bhritheamhan agus luchd-èisteachd beò aig Ionad Wynd, airson na farpais chrìochnachaidh air Dimàirt 17 Dàmhair agus na Duaisean Litreachais gam buileachadh air Diciadain 18 Dàmhair.
A’ leantainn air farpais ealain na bliadhna an-uiridh ga chur ri prògram a’ Mhòid, bidh obair-ealain ag adhartachadh cultar Gàidhlig agus beatha Alba bho air feadh Alba, ga chomharrachadh aig Mòd Phàislig le taisbeanadh didseatach. Thèid com-pàirtichean Duais Ealain na Gàidhealtachd a thaisbeanadh an uair sin sa Bhriggait ann an Glaschu bho Dihaoine 20mh Dàmhair. Faodaidh luchd-tadhail tlachd a ghabhail cuideachd à cuairt stiùirichte de obair nan deichnear luchd-crìochnachaidh air an liosta fhada.
Thig crìoch fhreagarrach air Mòd Phàislig ann an cruth Caithream nan Còisirean. Thig na ceudan de sheinneadairean bho air feadh Alba còmhla nuair a chruinnicheas iad ann am meadhan Baile Phàislig air Disathairne 21 Dàmhair.
An oidhche sin, bidh còmhlan folk-electronica Niteworks a’ cluich ann an Talla Baile Phàislig gus naoi làithean iongantach de shubhachasan a thoirt gu crìch. Tha a’ chuirm-chiùil a chaidh ainmeachadh air a’ mhìos mu dheireadh air a riochdachadh leis The Reeling, ’s iad a’ comharrachadh an aon chuirm a-mhàin aig a’ chòmhlan ann an Alba am-bliadhna, agus air a bhith a’ faicinn thiogaidean gan ceannach nan sruthan.