HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS AT ISLAY MOD
The efforts of local Gaelic learners paid off at Mod Ile 2009 held in the island’s high school on Saturday, 6th June. The overall standard and improvement in the spoken and sung language brought high praise from the Gaelic adjudicators and the music judges were equally impressed by musical progress demonstrated by the resident and visiting competitors.
The top solos singing award in the senior section went to local vocalist Bronwen Currie who was also awarded the Campbell Tray for the highest Gaelic aggregate mark ion the ladies’ section. Her singing neighbour Iain MacPherson also crowned himself with glory winning the top awards in the puirt-a-beul, Gilbert MacPhail and Duncan Ban MacIntyre competitions. Iain also achieved the men’s highest aggregate Gaelic mark and went on to share the highest language and music aggregate award with Andrew McCowan who took the top honours in the Duncan Johnston song section.
Coisir Ghaidhlig Ile, along with its ladies section, showed their mettle and the Ina MacDonald and Family quaich for duet singing went to Lynn Mitchell and Iseabail Mactaggart, the choir’s conductor. Lynn and Iseabail also joined forces with Bronwen and Dave Pomeroy to scoop the Jean Carmichael Rose Bowl for quartet singing.
The large increase in competitors in the adult section was well matched by the participants in the junior classes which included a large and welcome influx from the isle of Mull. Bowmore’s Ryan Johnstone, along with Muileach Scott Thomson, scored the highest music points in the under 10s singing section. Ryan took first place in the 5 to 9 year old singing competition while Scott gained the top honour in the poetry section. Others enjoying bardic success were Elizabeth Aitchison, Eilidh Heads and joint winners Natalie Dunn and Mairi MacGillivray.
Mairi was also awarded the Colmar Cup for the highest Gaelic mark in the under 13s section. She also shared the Joan Campbell trophy for the highest Gaelic marks with Natalie Dunn, Hannah Gillies and Angus MacLennan. Other performers high on the prize list were Shannon MacLean, Lauren MacGregor, Kirsten MacLean and winning duettists Hannah Gillies and Laura Woodrow.
Also enjoying success in the puirt-a-beul, own choice and former winners competition was Port Weymss schoolboy Ruaraidh MacKinnon.
In the junior choral section, the Port Ellen Primary School choir won the unison singing, the psalm singing prize went to Keills Primary School as did the folk group award. Bowmore Primary school shone in the action song, the Coisir Og Ghaidhlig Ile achieved first in the puirt-a-beul and the chanter playing winners were Stacey Baker, Katie MacNiven and Alasdair Currie. The Schroder Cup for the highest Gaelic marks in the 13 to 18 year old group went to Mull courtesy of the singing and poetry speaking abilities of Kirsten MacLean.
The primary schools’ essay competition, based on Greenland’s white-fronted geese, was won by Port Ellen’s Gregor Mitchell who received the quaich from Scottish Natural Heritage who introduced and continues to sponsor the literary prize.
Gaelic adjudicators ‘all ears’ were Mairi MacArthur, Beathag Mhoireasdan, Sheena MacKellar, Mairead MacKechnie, Alan Campbell and Donald MacLeod and the music bench was occupied by finely tuned Barbara Alexander, Kirsteen Grant, Raibeart MacCallum, Donald Feist and Andrew MacEachern.
All ended with the packed-out prize winners’ concert, chaired by Peter Campbell, manager of Diageo’s Lagavulin Distillery, and also featuring guest soloists Kirsteen Grant, Riona Whyte and piper Duncan Beattie.
Mod committee chairman Neil MacLean described the event as ‘ a highly successful and enjoyable day, well supported by both competitors and audience. He also welcomed the increase in the number of participants which he described as ‘auguring well for the future.’
RESULTS:
Junior Section:
Chanter – march- boys and girls, under 12 years: 1 and Annette Sinclair Trophy, Stacey Baker, 2, Katie MacNiven, 3, Joe Lewis McKirdy. Tom Shaw Memorial Cup for competitor showing most promise in above competition: Katie MacNiven.
Chanter: 12 years and over: 1, Alasdair Currie.
Piano – Gaelic air – boys and girls, 5 to 11 years; 1, Bethan Sexton, 2, Olivia Sexton.
Bible Reading – boys and girls, under 13 years: 1 and Willie Christie Trophy, Hannah Gillies, 2 equal, Mairi MacGillvray and Nicole Summers.
Reciting from memory- fluent – 9 to 10 years: Scott Thomson, 2, Murdo MacLennan, 3 equal, Leah MacDermid, Katherine Bowman. 3, Bethan Sexton.
11 to 12 years: 1 and George Carmichael Tray, Lauren MacGregor, 2, Shannon MacLean.
Reciting from memory, ‘Caol Muile’, – fluent – 13 to 15 years: 1, Kirsten MacLean.
Reciting from memory – learners – 7 to 8 years: 1 and Islay Lions Cup, Elizabeth Aitchison, 2, Kayla Woodrow, 3 equal, Iona Scott, Ryan Johnstone, Kimberley Rae. 9 to 10 years 1 and Islay Lions Cup, Eilidh Heads, 2, Laura Woodrow, 3 equal, Eilidh Hughes and Rhianna Hays. 11 to 12 years: 1 equal, Mairi MacGillivray and Natalie Dunn, 2 equal, Hannah Gillies and Andrew MacNeill, 3, Scott Thomson.
Gaelic conversation – primary schools – fluent: 1 and Diageo Shield, Angus MacLennan, 2, Laura MacGregor, 3, Murdo Maclennan.
Gaelic conversation – secondary schools – fluent: 1, Kirsten MacLean.
Solo singing – boys and girls, 5 to 9 years: 1, and Lily MacLean Trophy, Ryan Johnstone, 2, Scott Thomson, 3, Bethan Sexton.
Solo singing – boys – 10 to 12 years: 1 and MacDougall Goldie Trophy, Angus MacLennan. Girls – 10 to 12 years: 1 and Committee Quaich, 1 Shannon MacLean, 2, Hannah Gillies, 3 equal Mairi MacGillivray and Laura Woodrow.
Boys – 13 to 15 years: 1 and An Comunn Badge, Ruaraidh MacKinnon. Girls, 13 to 15 years: 1, Kirsten MacLean.
Puirt-a-beul, boys and girls, 13 and under 18 years: 1 and An Comunn Badge, Ruaraidh MacKinnon.
Duet singing – boys and girls, under 18 years: 1, Hannah Gillies and Laura Woodrow, 2, Natalie Dunn and Zoe Wells, 3, Shannon MacLean and Angus MacLennan.
Former winners solos singing – boys and girls inder 18 years: 1 and Jubilee Cup, Ruaraidh MacKinnon.
Folk groups, primary schools: 1 and Flora MacDonald Cup, Keills Primary School, 2, Bowmore Primary School.
Choral:
Unison singing, prescribed psalm, under 18 years: 1 and Alastair MacEachern Cup, Keills Primary School Gaelic Choir, 2, Port Ellen Primary Gaelic Choir.
Unison singing, primary schools: 1 and Glasgow Islay Association Cup, Port Ellen Primary Gaelic Choir, 2, Bowmore Primary School Gaelic Choir.
Unison singing of Puirt-a-beul, open – 1 and Tom Crawford Memorial Cup, Coisir Og Ghaidhlig Ile, 2, Comunn Gaidhealach Mhuile, 3, Bowmore Primary School Gaelic Choir.
Action song – own choice: 1 and Peggy Earl Memorial Cup, Bowmore Primary School, 2, Comunn Gaidhealach Mhuile.
Essay competition – primary schools – 1 and Scottish Natural Heritage Quaich, Gregor Mitchell.
Highest mark in music – under 10s – Ryan Johnstone and Scott Thomson.
Highest Mark in Gaelic – Joan Campbell Trophy – Hannah Gillies, Mairi MacGillivray, Natalie Dunn and Angus MacLennan.
Highest aggregate in Gaelic – under 13s- John Colmar Cup – Mairi MacGillivray.
Highest aggregate in Gaelic – 13 to 18 – Schroder Cup – Kirsten MacLean.
SENIORS:
Recitation of [poem –own choice – 1 and Plaque, Mairead Stiubhart.
Solo singing – male and female: 1 and CWS Prize, Bronwen Currie, 2, Stuart A Jackson, 3, Iain MacPherson.
Singing Duncan Johnston song: 1 and Iain Johnston Memorial Cup and Glasgow Islay association Prize, Andrew McCowan, 2, Stuart A Jackson, 3, Iain MacPherson.
Singing of prescribed Gilbert MacPhail song –‘Caite an Caidil an Ribhinn an Nochd’ – 1 and Gilbert MacPhail Memorial Trophy, Iain MacPherson, 2, Stuart A Jackson.
Singing of Duncan Ban MacIntyre song: 1 and MacIntyre Memorial Trophy, Iain MacPherson.
Puirt-a-beul: 1 and Ina MacDonald Quaich, Iain MacPherson, 2, Graeme Allison.
Duet singing: 1 and Ina MacDonald and Family Quaich, Lynn Mitchell and Iseabail Nic an t-Sagairt.
Quartet singing: 1 and Jean Carmichael Rose Bowl, Lynn Mitchell, Iseabail Nic an t-Sagairt, Bronwen Currie, Dave Pomeroy; 2, Dorothy Dennis, Bronwen Currie, Philip Maxwell, Fergus Muir.
Choral three part harmony (females), four part harmony and puirt-a-beul, all won by Coisir Ghaidhlig Ile.
Highest aggregate in Gaelic – ladies – Campbell Tray – Bronwen Currie.
Highest aggregate in Gaelic – men- Woodrow Cup – Iain MacPherson.
Highest aggregate in Gaelic and Music – District Council Cup – Iain MacPherson and Andrew McCowan.
