Editing Mòd

{{short description|Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture festival}}
{{Other uses|Mod (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2017}}
{{Culture of Scotland}}A '''mòd''' is a festival of [[Scottish Gaelic language|Scottish Gaelic]] song, arts and culture.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f899xH_quaMC&pg=PA472&dq=mod+gaelic+scotland+-ministry#q=mod%20gaelic%20scotland%20-ministry|title=Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia. Vol. 1-|last=Koch|first=John T.|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2006|isbn=9781851094400|pages=472|language=en|quote=The Mod retains a flagship status and is recognized throughout Scotland as a manifestation of Gaelic culture.}}</ref> Historically, the Gaelic word ''mòd'' ({{IPA|gd|mɔːt̪|lang}}), which came from [[Old Norse]] ''mót'', refers to a [[Viking Age]] ''[[Thing (assembly)|Thing]]'' or a similar kind of assembly.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=65A-KFw1GU8C&pg=PA425&dq=mod+gaelic+scotland+assembly+-ministry#q=mod%20gaelic%20scotland%20assembly%20-ministry|title=The Oxford Companion to Scottish History|last=Lynch|first=Michael|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0199234820|pages=425|language=en}}</ref> There are both local mòds, and an annual national mòd, the [[Royal National Mòd]]. Mòds are run under the auspices of [[An Comunn Gàidhealach]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f899xH_quaMC&pg=PA471&dq=mod+An+Comunn+G%C3%A0idhealach+-ministry#q=mod%20An%20Comunn%20G%C3%A0idhealach%20-ministry|title=Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia. Vol. 1-|last=Koch|first=John T.|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2006|isbn=9781851094400|pages=471|language=en}}</ref> The term comes from a Gaelic word for a parliament or congress in common use during the [[Lord of the Isles|Lordship of the Isles]].
A mòd largely takes the form of formal competitions. Choral events (in Gaelic, both solo and [[choir]]s), and traditional music including [[fiddle]], [[bagpipe]] and folk groups dominate. Spoken word events include children's and adults' poetry reading, storytelling and Bible reading, and categories such as Ancient Folk Tale or Humorous [[Monologue]]. Children can also present an original drama, and there are competitions in written [[Scottish Gaelic literature]].  Unlike the National Mòd, local mòds usually only last a day or two. They attract a much smaller crowd and the only notable social event is the winners' [[ceilidh]]. As there are fewer competitions than in the National Mòd, this ceilidh is often more like a traditional ceilidh with dancing and guest singers between the winners' performances.

Culturally, mòds are comparable to an Irish [[feis]] or the [[Seachtain na Gaeilge]], or the [[Welsh language|Welsh]] [[eisteddfod]].

In [[British Columbia]], the Gaelic Society of [[Vancouver]] held a local Mòd biannually from 1990 to 2007.<ref>[https://vancouvergaelic.com/wp/history/ Ar n-eachdraidh:  A History of the Gaelic Society of Vancouver]</ref>

The first [[US National Mòd]] was organized by Donald F. MacDonald, the founder of the [[Grandfather Mountain]] [[Highland games]] in [[North Carolina]], and held at [[Alexandria, Virginia]] in 1988. The US National Mòd is now held as part of the annual [[Highland games]] at [[Ligonier, Pennsylvania]] and sponsored by ''An Comunn Gàidhealach Ameireaganach'' ("The American Scottish Gaelic Society").<ref>[https://apkama.com/ History of the U.S. National Mòd]</ref>

==List of mòds==
*[[Royal National Mòd]]
*[[Aberdeen]] Mòd
*[[Caithness]] and [[Sutherland]] Mòd
*[[Dalriada]] Mòd ([[Lochgilphead]] area)
*[[Easter Ross]] Mòd
*[[East Kilbride]] Mòd
*[[Edinburgh]] Mòd
*[[Glasgow]] Mòd
*[[Harris, Outer Hebrides|Harris]] Mòd
*[[Inverness]] Mòd
*[[Islay]] Mòd
*[[Kyle of Lochalsh|Kyle]] Mòd
*[[Isle of Lewis|Lewis]] Mòd
*[[Lochaber]] Mòd, based in [[Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar]]
*[[Oban]] Mòd
*[[Isle of Mull|Mull]] Mòd
*[[Perthshire]] and [[Angus, Scotland|Angus]] Mòd
*[[Skye]] Mòd
*[[Stirling]] Mòd
*[[Uist]] Mòd
*[[Wester Ross]] Mòd
*[[Ardnamurchan]] Mòd<ref>[https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-oban-times/20180621/282505774320033 Ardnamurchan Mòd Remembers Stalwart] by Neil Bo Finlayson, ''[[The Oban Times]]'', 21 June 2018.</ref>

===Scottish diaspora===
*[[Nova Scotia Gaelic Mod]]
*[[Vancouver]] Mòd (see [[Canadian Gaelic]])<ref>[https://vancouvergaelic.com/wp/history/ Ar n-eachdraidh:  A History of the Gaelic Society of Vancouver]</ref>
*[[U.S. National Mòd]], held annually as part of the [[Highland games]] at [[Ligonier, Pennsylvania]] and sponsored by ''An Comunn Gàidhealach Ameireaganach'' ("The American Scottish Gaelic Society").<ref>[https://apkama.com/ History of the U.S. National Mòd]</ref>

==In popular culture==
* 1955 ''The Mòd at [[Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia|Grand Pré]]: A [[Nova Scotia]]n [[Light Opera]] in Two Acts'', [[Libretto]] by [[Watson Kirkconnell]], music by E.A. Collins. [[Wolfville, Nova Scotia]].

==See also==
{{Commons category|Mod (Scotland)}}
* [[Celtic festivals]]
* [[List of Celtic choirs#Scotland]]
* [[List of Celtic festivals]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ancomunn.co.uk/ An Comunn Gàidhealach] ''with information about the Royal National Mòd and provincial Mòds''
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040608040005/http://www.hebrides.com/religion/piper_minister.htm Picture]

{{Scottishfestivals}}

[[Category:Cultural festivals in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Scottish Gaelic language]]
[[Category:Music festivals in Scotland]]
[[Category:Scotland-related lists]]
[[Category:Folk festivals in Scotland]]
[[Category:Arts festivals in Scotland]]
[[Category:Literary festivals in Scotland]]
[[Category:Cultural festivals in Scotland]]
[[Category:Celtic music festivals]]
[[Category:Verse contests]]