Royal National Mod Gold Medal winner Kerrie Kennedy gave a stunning performance of a new song written especially for the Celtic Praise event in Oban.
Mrs Kennedy, who conducts Aberdeen Gaelic Choir and Oban and Lorn Youth Gaelic Choir, sang Cuantan (Oceans).
She said her performance was in memory of her friend and fellow chorister Kirsteen Menzies Maclennan.
‘I love this song’
Mrs Maclennan was the conductor of Dingwall and Black Isle Gaelic Choirs and a teacher of music in the Highlands.
She passed away in October 2023.
Mrs Kennedy is a deputy head teacher at Rockfield School at the Oban Primary School campus. She leads the Gaelic medium unit in the town.
She is currently on extended maternity leave.
Mrs Kennedy gave a stunning performance of Cuantan to a full house at the now-annual Royal National Mod event.
She said: “I love this song, and I have sung it in English over the years.
“I asked my friend Marcas Mac an Tuairneir to translate it into Gaelic for me.
“He did that within an hour, and it is wonderful.”
Mrs Kennedy is married to fellow mod Gold Medalist Lyle. He had earlier joined her on the stage to sing a Gaelic hymn.
The couple met when they won the male and female gold medals in the same year.
That was 16 years ago at the Royal National Mod in Falkirk in 2008.
They have a daughter Addi, she is 20 months old.
‘Lippy on’
Mrs Kennedy continued: “Singing this song makes me think about the wonderful times we have had together singing with Kirsteen.
“We were in Soisgeul, the Gaelic Gospel Choir together, and one of my favourite memories is when we sang in Edinburgh.
“Before Kirsteen passed away, and before that when I had a period of ill health it was our faith and singing that allowed us to carry on and gave us hope.
“Kirsteen would love this translation of the song. I only wish she was here to be part of the Celtic Praise night, she would have loved it.
“However ill we were, or how bad we were feeling, it was singing and the mod that helped us carry on.
“I have not been well recently, and I can almost hear her saying ‘lippy on’.”
The celebration of Celtic religious music on Sunday evening saw outstanding performances during a day of Christian fringe events at the Royal National Mod.
Mrs Kennedy’s youth choir opened the Celtic Praise night to rapturous applause.
‘I have wanted to bring Celtic Worship to Oban for many years’
The house band for the evening was Celtic Worship, whose sound is deeply rooted in the sound and traditions of Scottish music.
Celtic Praise was organised by local businessman Neil Matheson on behalf of Hope2Oban.
Charity Hope2Oban – also known as H2O supports youth activities in the West Coast town.
Mr Matheson said: “I have wanted to bring Celtic Worship to Oban for many years.
“We are so delighted to have them here with us for this event.
“It is a pleasure to see so many people come out to support Celtic Praise and to have such a prestigious band with us.”
The Celtic Praise event took place in the Corran Halls at 7.30pm.
It followed a Gaelic church service held in Oban Parish Church earlier in the day, that was broadcast on BBC Alba.
The Gaelic festival got off to a rather wet, but wonderful, start on Friday.
On Saturday evening a star-studded event was the Makaton Gaelic Choir, we captured a video of the event filmed by The Press and Journal.
If you want to know more about what is happening this week, we have an all-you-need-to-know guide.
A full list of competition winners can be found on the Royal National Mod website.
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