VIDEO: Choir on the brink of history

"The new, original song itself - Òran Peigi Aonghais (Song for Peigi Aonghais) - was commissioned in the early days of the first lockdown by Angela MacKinnon, well-known to Mòd-goers and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal listeners as one of the producers the station’s Mòd coverage.

"Angela and her sister were brought up in Eriskay by her aunt, Peigi Aonghais, Peggy MacMillan, following their mother’s early passing. She was one of a family of five, and was unmarried – she had been engaged in the 60s but again, tragedy had struck when her fiancé was killed in a fire in the village. The two girls were brought up by Peigi, along with two (handsome!) bachelors and their seanair. 

"Angela says she was like a mother to them, and her love for them extended to the girls’ friends, all of whom Peigi knew well and who all called her ‘Auntie Peigi’. When Angela’s own boys came along, they too were brought into the circle of love, and Sam especially was very good to Peigi when she became unwell. 

"Angela’s one regret is that she never heard Sam sing – his interest in singing came after Peigi’s passing, almost as a tribute to this remarkable woman. In fact, Gold Medallist Paul MacCallum was Sam’s singing tutor because Paul worked as the cook in the care home where Peigi lived latterly. 

"Angela says that her aunt did so much for the family, and especially in teaching Gaelic to the girls at a time when it was not at all easy, with other folk switching to English. Angela says: ’Tha sinn taingeil airson ’s gun robh i nar beatha agus airson na rinn i dhuinn (We are grateful that she was in our lives and for all she did for us).’"

Mary Ann continued: "Angela had always meant to do something to mark Peigi’s life, but it was only when lockdown hit, that she had time to think and act. She gave me a little memorial card in English and asked if I might use that as an impetus to create a new song in Gaelic. I was so grateful for the chance to do something creative in the vacuum that the pandemic created for so many musicians at first, and the song came together very quickly. 

"Angela and I worked together for many years at the BBC, especially at Mòds, so I was truly honoured to do this for a woman that I love and admire as a friend and colleague. And it’s been even more of a pleasure to know that Sam now sings this song for Peigi. It was written as something that could be sung unaccompanied, but I thought it would work well as a choral piece too, so when I started working with Lochaber, I knew what I wanted to create for them as our first own choice."

Facing Lochaber Gaelic Choir in the Margrat Duncan is Còisir Sgìre Phort Rìgh. Its secretary, Iain Blair, said: "The Portree District Gaelic Choir have been competing in Mòds for about 90 years. The choir won the Rural Choir competition, The Lorn Shield, 14 times in their history. They have been competing in the Margrat Duncan Memorial Trophy for several years and also the area choirs’ Puirt a Beul competition. 

"The choir consists of members who have been born and brought up in Skye but also consists of ladies and gentlemen who have now made their home on the island, coming from all parts of the UK. It is to their credit that as well as coming to live in Skye they also want to be part of the island’s cultural heritage. 

"The choir meets in Portree every Tuesday night and includes members, as well as Portree residents, who travel from as far as Milovaig, Kilmuir, Kensalyre, Edinbane, Dunvegan, Penifiler, Braes, Struan, Glen Bernisdale, Harlosh, Skeabost, Borve, Earlish, Glendale and Kyle. 

"The choir’s Gaelic tutor is Mary Ann MacKenzie, originally from Dunvegan and now living in Edinbane. The choir is led by our musical director Karen MacRae who has been with the choir for over 30 years.

"This year the choir will have singing with them, two former Gold Medalists in Barbara Smith and Iain Cormack, and a Silver Pendant winner Iain Blair. The choir also have members who have formed a folk group known as Uiseag, who have just released their first album SkyeLarks which contains eight Gaelic and four English songs which shows their commitment to the Gaelic language."

The Skye choir’s own choice in the Margrat Duncan is ’Gruagach òg an fhuilt bhàin’ (’A young girl with white hair’). The song, arranged by Kirsteen Grant, is about Morag MacAuley (Mòr Bhàn) of Barra (1911- 1998), and was written by Domhnail Ailean Dòmhnallach (Donald Allan MacDonald) of South Uist. It is a song of unrequited love (on one side anyway) – they never actually went out together. Donald Allan is said to have written it when he met her at the dance, but got drunk and forgot to take her home, whereupon she went in a huff, and this song was supposed to be an attempt to win her back.

Còisir Ghàidhlig an Òbain (Oban Gaelic Choir) is competing this year in the Puirt-à-beul, the Ladies Area Choirs, the Open Men’s Choirs, and the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield. We caught up with its very busy conductor, Sileas Sinclair, at the Corran Halls to ask how it’s all going.

Among the seven choirs competing for the Lovat & Tullibardine Shield, Oban Gaelic Choir will face Còisir Ghàidhlig Ìleach Ghlaschu (Glasgow Islay Gaelic Choir).

Its past president, Gordon Hodge, said: "Singing at the Royal National Mòd is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Glasgow Islay’s year. This year is extra-special though - we’re celebrating 80 years as a choir and 60 years since our much-loved conductor Kirsteen Grant won the Gold Medal - so we’re particularly excited to be competing this year in Oban, the home of the Mòd.

"The Friday is always a pretty intense day of shuttling between venues and trying to remember what we’re singing next but it’s good fun, especially when you know you’re going to keep bumping into folk you’ve not seen ages!

"We’ve really enjoyed working on the repertoire that Kirsteen has put together for Mòd an Obain. The prescribed piece in the Lovat & Tullibardine – A Mhàiri Bhàn Òg – is a love song penned by local legend Duncan Ban MacIntyre and the arrangement is Kirsteen’s, so we really want to do it justice.

"Our own choice in the Lovat & Tullibardine is Oran Mòr MhicLeòid, a beautiful song which both celebrates the joys of Gaelic musical and cultural traditions and laments their disappearance. Those traditions are so important to us as a choir, and we have been working hard with Kirsteen and with our Gaelic Reader Maeve MacKinnon, to ensure that the beauty and meaning of the bards’ poetry comes across in our performance.

"This is not our first trip to Argyll this year – back in March we visited Islay for the first time in many years, and we were delighted to share the stage in Bowmore with the Islay choir. It was such a great evening that we agreed that we should repeat the experience, and we hope that our friends on Islay will be able to join us at our Annual Concert in Glasgow in February. Keep your eyes peeled for more information in the Glasgow Letter in a future edition of The Oban Times!"

The new Mull Waulking Group, Cuigeal, made up of choir members of Còisir Ghàidhlig an Eilein Mhuilich (Mull Gaelic Choir), won first prize in its first competition at last year’s Mòd in Paisley. Can they do the same in their second? 

One of the group’s singers, Mauvis Gore, told us: "We will be competing at the Royal National Mòd this Friday in the Corran Halls Studio Theatre where the competition begins at 12.30pm. Our group formed in 2023 after being inspired by the waulkers at the Perth Mòd, and through a love of Gaelic culture, singing and woven textiles. We are also a part of and sing with Còisir Ghàidhlig an Eilein Mhuilich.

"We sing working songs that accompany fulling (waulking) woven wool lengths. We will be performing several waulking songs, followed by a folding song and then a clapping song to accompany all parts of the waulking process.

"The songs range from traditional to a new song composed and sung by Cuigeal member, Ciorstaidh Blackhall. Ciorstaidh has a BA in Traditional Music from the RCS and is putting her talents and amazing voice to good use with our group. Another member, Deedra Chase, will be performing a Nova Scotian waulking song.

"The songs range from a homesick sailor’s woes, a lovesick girl and her green tartaned love interest, while Ciorstaidh’s new song is about the lack of parking and grocery items in our local Co-op and what she ends up buying to suave her frustration.

"We approach the music with fun and humour, tea and biscuits! Waulking involves not just singing and felting the wool, but is a time to catch up with friends, events and is a traditional part of Gaelic culture.

"Last year was our first competition at the Royal National Mòd and our youngest member, baby Peigi, melted the adjudicator’s heart and won us the trophy.

"It is exciting to compete close to home and against an increased number of waulking groups included this year, showing a growing interest in other aspects of the Gaelic culture."