A singer from South Uist has struck gold for a second time as he wins the Traditional Gold Medal at the Royal National Mod.
Ruairidh Gray took to the stage at Perth Concert Hall to receive the prestigious Gold Medal following a nail-biting competition.
The 20-year-old pipped Ruairidh Moireasdan from Edinburgh to first place by just one point, with an overall score of 281.
His victory came just 24 hours after he won the An Comunn Gaidhealach Gold Medal.
Lewis teenager Alice Macmillan meanwhile took home the Traditional Gold Medal in the ladies’ competition.
The Gold Medal winners have now been invited to perform at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland, which take place in April next year.
The pair took to the stage in front of a packed audience at the Gannochy Auditorium to put on a perfect performance.
Each hopeful sang two songs of their choosing in the traditional style with hopes of emerging victorious.
The competition brought the curtain down on day seven of the Mod in Perth.
Securing his place in history
Speaking just moments after the victory, Mr Gray from Daliburgh, South Uist, said the moment was “quite surreal.”
He said: “I really wasn’t expecting this. It is something you prepare for, for so long, and then it happens. I am beyond the crying stage now; it is just white shock.”
The 20-year-old, who is in third-year at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said he “zoned out” as the results were being read aloud.
He added: “I just thought, whatever happens now it has been a wonderful competition and to even have taken part in this thing tonight was the honour in and of itself.”
Alongside the Traditional Gold Medal, he was awarded the Islander Shield and the Scotia Trophy for having the highest marks of the whole competition.
Mr Gray’s victory is the first of its kind at the Royal National Mod for 17 years.
Kenneth Nicholson won both the An Comunn Gaidhealach and Traditional Gold Medals in Stornoway in 2005.
Mr Gray said: “It is a wonderful feeling and I am very proud. It is an honour, it really is.”
Special moment in history
Alice MacMillan meanwhile won the Traditional Gold Medal for the ladies’ contest after fighting off stiff competition from two fellow competitors.
She also walked away with the Islander Shield.
The 18-year-old singer – who studies Primary Education with Gaelic at Edinburgh University – has been competing in the Mod for more than a decade.
Her mum Sine MacMillan and her grandparents Seonaidh and Etta Beag watched on with pride as the young singer sang her way to victory.
Miss MacMillan said having her family there was truly special.
She said: “It means everything but especially because my grandparents were here to watch it with me. That’s why I wanted to do it.
“My grandad and my granny, they were the ones that helped me with my songs, so having them here – alongside my mum – is just really, really special.
“I do get really nervous before I go up to sing but I felt like I was more relaxed than I was in the morning and I enjoyed it, I really enjoyed it.”
Conversation