Oban Mòd is a record-breaking success

A new impact report, carried out on behalf of organisers An Comunn Gàidhealach, found the event celebrating Gaelic language and culture welcomed around 9,000 attendees - the largest attendance since 2019.

 

The positive impact on the reputation of and interest in the Gaelic language was found to be significant. Of 464 event attendees surveyed, 78 per cent felt the Mòd led them to believe more strongly in the importance of Gaelic. For 64 per cent it has increased their awareness and 60 per cent their understanding of the arts.
 
The Oban Mòd also stimulated greater use of the language in daily life, with 67 per cent encouraged to improve their Gaelic language skills and 65 per cent inspired to use Gaelic more often.

 

Oban also benefited greatly from hosting the 132-year-old event for the 17th time, with 96 per cent rating the town as ’very good or good’ as a host destination. Almost all those surveyed, 98 per cent, visited local restaurants, cafes and pubs, 90 per cent visited local shops and 78 per cent spent time at local visitor attractions and places of interest.

 

Sheena McLean, owner of The Kelvin Hotel, which joined the Mòd’s pub music circuit, said: "It was just so successful and so lovely to see the support that Oban gave the Mòd and the amount of young people interested in traditional music. We are very proud to have been a part of it.

 

“It was wonderful to see how everyone in Oban pulled it out of the bag. We had the Covid years and limped back to normal and now we’ve had the Mòd it feels like we can put all that behind us.”

 

“It was lovely to see people coming down Shore Street to the hotel. We had a queue out the door at points. It was two in two out.

 

“Oban was a very good place to have the Mòd because people competing stayed at hotels in the town, enjoyed the hospitality on offer, and it is big enough to have all the different venues but small enough to walk around. It was a massive boost to the town."

 

Sheila added: “The Mòd was about promoting the town and Gaelic culture, as well as safeguarding the future of the West Coast and the uniqueness the area has.”

 

“I love the way that the Mòd embraces the traditional but we had so many young people and young musicians coming in. It just gives you so much hope for the future that the Gaelic identity will be kept going.

 

“It wasn’t just about the music. It was about seeing people that you’ve not seen for five years and coming together.”

 

Visitors were impressed by the event’s organisation, with 90 per cent rating this as good or very good, while 94 per cent praised it for its overall buzz and atmosphere, reflecting its strong sense of community spirit.

 

Spanning over 12 venues throughout the west coast town from October 11 to 19, Scotland’s annual celebration of Gaelic language, sports, art, and culture welcomed more than 2,700 participants to compete in around 200 competitions. The annual spectacle now moves to Lochaber in 2025.

 

James Graham, Chief Executive Officer of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “This report firmly demonstrates that both the Mòd and the Gaelic language are crucial economic and cultural assets to Scotland. The Oban Mòd was a hugely successful event and to see the far-reaching benefits that this has brought to our host town, local businesses and Gaelic speakers, learners and supporters alike, fills us with an immense sense of pride. 

 

"It’s fantastic to see Oban so highly thought of in this survey – the town rolled out the red carpet for us and we are incredibly grateful to all those who made the event such a success. We now look towards delivering the same results in Lochaber in 2025 and continuing to showcase our language and all that it has to offer.”

 

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said the event was a tremendous advert for Gaelic.

 

She added: “The success of this year’s Mòd demonstrates how promoting Gaelic goes hand-in-hand with growing the economy. There are thousands of Gaelic speakers around the world, making the language a unique selling point for attracting visitors into Scotland.

 

“To grow the language, we have allocated an extra £5.7 million for Gaelic in next year’s draft budget. We are also progressing the Scottish Languages Bill to strengthen the provision of Gaelic education.”

 

Councillor Jim Lynch, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, said: “This year, 2024, has been a fantastic year for Oban. The town has opened its arms and welcomed people from all over the world. With the Mòd and the Clipper Race, we’ve shown yet again we can host large-scale, quality, high-profile events.

 

"It’s been fantastic for our businesses and the town’s reputation. As Scotland’s Town of the Year, and home of the Mòd, we congratulate the organisers on its success and look forward to welcoming it back many more times to come.”