Gaelic funds boost as Mod kicks off

Oct 12 2012

The Government has announced a £60,000 investment in the Gaelic language as the 109th Royal National Mod gets under way.

The Mod, a major festival of Gaelic culture, begins in Dunoon on Friday.

Thousands of visitors and participants are expected to attend the eight-day celebration of music, dance, drama, arts and literature.

The competitive event attracts performers from as far afield as Australia and the US.

Education Secretary Michael Russell will attend the opening ceremony in the Queen's Hall in the Argyll and Bute town on Friday evening.

Mr Russell will detail £60,000 of investment towards early-year support, a Gaelic book scheme and scholarships for Gaelic students based in Nova Scotia, Canada.

He said: "The Mod is a world-famous celebration of the Gaelic language and provides an incentive for speakers to help it develop and thrive.

"We all have a duty to help the Gaelic language to survive. It is not something the Scottish Government or Bord na Gaidhlig (the Gaelic promotion board) can achieve alone.

"It is time for the people in Scotland who have the language skills to take every opportunity to use it in everyday life and encourage others to follow suit. In other words, let's use it or lose it."

At the Mod on Saturday the annual shinty match will see Kyles Athletic play Bute. The fiddlers rally will also take place over the weekend, with hundreds of musicians demonstrating their skills. At the grand finale on October 20, choirs will parade through Dunoon town centre led by local pipe bands.