A Lewis man has secured his place in history at the Royal National Mod after winning the Silver Pendant.
Jonathan Fairgrieve, 23, won the prestigious award following the men’s final at Perth Theatre.
The nail-biting final marked his first solo appearance in the festival’s adult competitions following a six-year break from competing.
Meanwhile, in the ladies competition, Rena Gertz from Prestonpans took first place securing her own Silver Pendant.
Each competitor performed prescribed songs and one of their own choosing, before being given their scores in music and Gaelic.
United love for Gaelic music
Alongside the silver pendant, Mr Fairgrieve scooped a host of awards including the Alasdair MacInnes Memorial Trophy and the Cameron MacKichan Prize.
He also earned the Morag Robb Memorial Salver for achieving the highest marks in Gaelic and the John A MacRae Quaich for having the highest marks in music.
He said: “It just doesn’t feel real to be honest. We have been working towards this for so long and it has been so long since there has been a Mod.
“It has been a bit daunting to be back on stage as well. The last time I sang solo was in 2016, it’s been six years.”
He admits entering the competition was a spur of the moment decision.
Mr Fairgrieve, who works for the local housing association, said: “I entered it after one too many drinks in the Hebridean Celtic Festival thinking I would put in my entry and then thought the following day ‘What have I done?’
“I just thought I might as well go for it.”
“I’m so grateful for the help that I had from my Gaelic advisor Margaret Stuart and Avril Allan I wouldn’t have been able to make it anywhere near the stage. It’s a team effort really.”
Staring his adult career at the Mod with a bang
Mr Fairgrieve was 17 when he performed his last solo. He said he took a break from competing to get more experience under his belt.
“I didn’t want to go straight into the adult competitions, I wanted to get a little more singing experience under my belt,” he added.
His love for the Gaelic language evolved following a visit to Back Gaelic Choir.
He said: “I have been singing since I was three years old and I remember, mum sings in Back Gaelic choir, and she took me along to a practice.
“I was sitting there saying, ‘I want to go to sing’ so I got up and I sang and since then on I have been earmarked for the Mod and it has just been one of my biggest passions.”
A dream come true for Rena
For Ms Gertz, winning the Silver Pendant came as a complete surprise.
She said: “I still can’t quite believe it, it is just incredible. I never thought I would get this.
“It is so special and so lovely. Winning the Pendant is just unbelievable.”
During the qualifiers stage, she chose to sing Mo Mhathar in honour of her mother who died of cancer in 2020.
Ms Gertz was at her mother’s bedside singing to her final moments at the hospice and has been competing at the Royal National Mod for around 15 years.
Last year, Ms Gertz – who works as a data protection officer for Aberdeen University – came second in the competition, narrowly missing out on the prize.
In 2013, in Paisley, she won the learners traditional competition.
Learning the Gaelic language
The 54-year-old said she first learned Gaelic whilst studying at university.
She added: “When I first came to Scotland to do my master’s degree in Law and I wrote my thesis in the summer and la my friends had gone home and I was bored. I saw that there was a Gaelic choir practicing on Tuesday nights and I went along and I was hooked.
“I went onto do my PhD at the university and I wanted to know what on earth I was actually singing so I got to sit in on the Gaelic classes.”
She thanked her tutor for his incredible support.
Ms Gertz said: “In Aberdeen, in the choir, I met my tutor Donald Murdo Macleod who is an amazing, amazing man and without him I would never have achieved this.”
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