Competitions at the Royal National Mod have drawn to a close with Oban Gaelic Choir winning the prestigious top prize for choral singing.
The group was presented with the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield at Perth Concert Hall on Friday afternoon.
Conductor Sileas Sinclair held the trophy aloft with pride as she accepted the award.
Oban Gaelic Choir won the title in 2015 in their hometown and again in 2019 in Glasgow, their previous appearance on the Royal National Mod stage.
The momentous victory came just one day after the choir won the inaugural accompanied choir competition.
Tough day of competitions
Choirs from across the country took to the stage at Gannochy Auditorium to put on spellbinding performances during the area choirs competition.
Spectators of all ages piled into the city centre venue to see competitors battle it out to win the prestigious award.
As the results were read out, the audience burst into rapturous cheers and applause.
Speaking just moments after coming off stage, the proud Oban conductor got emotional as she commended the choir for their hard work.
She said: “I feel amazing. After Covid and everything and not being together, it’s fantastic.
“The choir has worked so hard to get back to being able to do the kind of songs we were singing before Covid.
“It was hard when we came back and I think all the choirs have found it hard when they came back in person having not really sung properly for two years. It is very special. I’m so, so unbelievably proud of everyone.”
Multi-award winners
Alongside the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield, the west coast group also scooped the Donald Thomson Memorial Quaich, which is given to the Gaelic tutor of the choir who gained the highest marks in Gaelic, as well as the Weekly Scotsman Quaich and the Donald J MacAskill Memorial Trophy for achieving the highest marks in Gaelic.
The Oban Times Silver Salver was also awarded to Oban for achieving the highest scores in music.
Further accolades claimed by the group include the J Norman McConochie Trophy and the Hugh MacCowan Trophy.
The contest brought the curtain down on competitions at the 2022 Mod.
The nine-day festival has had scores of competitors from across the north and north-east crowned champions as they took centre stage in Perth.
As the adjudicators tallied up the scores, the audience was treated to performances by some of the Mod’s winning choirs.
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