Organisers of the Royal National Mod have hailed this year’s event a success in helping to improve the wellbeing of Gaels; despite a decline in entrants.
Perth took on the role of host for the first time in 18 years, staging the nine-day event at 14 venues across the city since last Friday.
Competitors from across the Highlands and Islands and Grampian claimed victory in a host of competitions, winning an array of trophies and awards.
Allan Campbell, president of An Comunn Gaidhealach, said the 2022 Mod has been a success for many reasons; particularly in terms of helping attendees “feel better”.
He said: “The Mod has gone fantastically well. I said at various greetings and in writings leading up to the Mod that because of Covid and everything else, this Mod was going to have a hugely significant wellbeing benefit as well as a cultural one.
“One of our key aspirations was that people would go home saying, “I feel better.”
“The number of people that I have meet this week who have said something along the lines of, “I was only here for two hours and I felt better”. That is just wonderful.
“I’m confident that people across Scotland, people who have been here or not been here but have listened on the radio, seen it on the TV or read it in the papers, will feel better.”
Covid leads to decline in Mod entrants
The 2022 Mod saw a return to the traditional Mod format following two years of disruption during the pandemic.
In 2020 and 2021, organisers embraced a hybrid format, hosting competitions both in person and online.
However, Mr Campbell admits that they had noticed a decline in young entrants this year.
He feels that the lingering uncertainty surrounding Covid has played a part.
“He added: “Numbers are still down a wee bit and that is inevitable because of the follow through from Covid. We know that the junior number competitions this year were down but then that is because teachers weren’t able to get into schools. The same applied to choirs. Choirs weren’t able to meet and train.”
The president for An Comunn Gaidhealach, organisers of the Royal National Mod, urges people passionate about the Gaelic language to pick up the baton in the hope of inspiring the younger generation.
Mr Campbell said: “It is not surprising that that has happened but we are going to have to put a lot of emphasis on re-energising local groups because a lot of people might have edged away from being involved and might say, “I’ve done my bit, I’ll let somebody else do it now”. We need these people to pick up the baton again and bring younger members again too. That’s one of our continuing aspirations.”
Congratulating Perth on a job well done
As the Mod drew to a close, Mr Campbell congratulated Perth on a job well done.
He hopes the legacy of Gaelic in the Fair City continues for generations to come.
Mr Campbell said: “Perth has been a great location. It is compact and people have been able to walk easily within the various venues and the weather has been good to us.
“I have been speaking to the chief executive and the leader of Perth Council and congratulating them on their support and commitment to the Mod. They have really bent over backwards to help and make this a success and I hope that the legacy for Perth in terms of Gaelic and Gaelic medium education will continue and be seen at future Mods.”
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