Royal National Mòd: Western Isles singers win gold medals at Gaelic festival
- Published
Ruairidh Gray and Alice MacMillan took home the men's and women's awards
Two singers from the Western Isles have won the prestigious Traditional gold medals for Gaelic vocalists at the Royal National Mòd.
Ruairidh Gray from South Uist won the men's competition while Alice MacMillan from Lewis took the women's crown.
Scotland's annual festival of Gaelic language and culture is being held in Perth for the first time in 18 years.
It was Mr Gray's second gold medal of the week, after winning the Highland Society gold medal on Wednesday.
It is the first time since 2005 that a singer has claimed both awards in the same year.
"It is a great honour to have won," he said. "To share the stage with people who also care so deeply about our culture and our language is the greatest privilege of all."
Ms MacMillan said it meant "so much" to have won with her grandparents present to watch her perform.
"It's them who have always encouraged me to sing," she added. "I wasn't expecting it at all, I'm so taken aback and so grateful."
The first of the event's choir competitions also took place - for the first time since 2019 - across St John's Kirk and Perth Concert Hall.
Lochs Gaelic Choir from Lewis were awarded the Lorn Shield, while Bùrach Gaelic Choir from Mull won the Sheriff MacMaster Campbell Memorial Quaich for a fourth time.
Oban Gaelic Choir triumphed in the Accompanied Choir competition with an outstanding performance.
Sileas Sinclair, the choir's conductor, said: "It's fantastic to have won, especially as it's the first accompanied choir competition we've ever done."
The festival comes to a close on Saturday with massed choirs making their way down Perth High Street before congregating at Perth Concert Hall Plaza.
The Mòd flag will then be handed to Paisley, hosts of the 2023 event.
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