The Royal National Mod is kicking off in Oban – for nine days of singing, dance, music and craic with old friends.
The biggest Gaelic festival in the world will see thousands descend on Oban for the annual event for the first time since 2015.
It is the 17th time it has been held in Oban, often considered as the home of the Royal National Mod.
It runs from Friday October 11 to 19.
Members of the public will be able to join in with fringe events and grab tickets for all the competitions, as well as the late-night craic in local pubs.
This year, entrants are finally back to pre-Covid numbers with musicians and participants expected to take to the stage at more than 12 local venues.
There’s one new venue at Sadie Hall which is the old Salvation Army Hall on Stevenson Street.
With the town gearing up for what promises to be a great nine days, we’ve put together a list of the various things you can expect to see during the nine-day event.
Torchlight procession
The start of the 2024 Royal National Mod will be marked with a traditional torchlight, or in Gaelic, the Caismeachd Lochranach procession through Oban.
The march will take place between Station Square and the Corran Halls beginning at 6.30pm.
Everyone is invited to attend to show support for the Royal National Mod in Oban.
There will be great vantage points at The View, Cuan Mor, Coasters on the Esplanade and Markie Dans.
Opening concert
The torchlight procession will be followed by a gig by multi-award-winning Manran playing at The Corran Halls
Organisers An Comunn Gaidhealach say Manran will “wow audiences with an electrifying concert”.
Full week of competitions and events
Throughout the nine-day festival, musicians and participants of all ages will compete for some of the Mod’s most coveted awards.
Competitions will commence on Saturday, and then continue Monday to Friday.
Here’s the programme for each day:
Saturday
Competitions
Accordion competitions in the Corran Halls, bagpipes in Oban High School, and the Argyllshire Gathering Halls will host fiddle competitions, while St John’s Cathedral will host piano competitions.
Fringe
Both live-streamed and in person Ar Canan ‘s Ar Ceol/ Our Language Our Music will be a showcase of talent from Argyll and beyond. The line up includes singer Alasdair Whyte, and musicians from Oban High School Trad Group joining Fèis Latharna Sunday Sessions.
Oban High School pipers will be performing as well as Makaton Gaelic Choir ‘Aon Ghuth’.
Sunday
Fringe
As part of the Royal National Mod, charity Hope2Oban are hosting Celtic Praise – an evening of soloists, choirs and community singing led by special guests Celtic Worship.
Taking place in the main hall of the Corran Halls on Sunday October 13 at 7.30pm.
Monday
Competitions
Children’s action song, junior choral, walking song and solo singing in the Corran Halls, traditional and solo singing in St John’s Cathedral, Battle of the Bands under 13s in the Argyllshire Gathering Halls, storytelling in The Rockfield Centre.
Among the cutest events will be poetry recitation from school pupils taking place in the Great Western Hotel.
Fringe
Want to learn to fly a drone, in Gaelic? Well the A’ Sgeith Dron session at the Argyllshire Gathering Halls at 10am and 12pm is for you.
Tuesday
Competitions
Choral competitions and junior solo singing are taking place in the Corran Halls.
If you have not seen the Psalm precenting competitions, they are worth a look – they are being held in the studio theatre at the Corran Halls.
St John’s Church and Sadie Hall is hosting solo singing competitions for fluent and traditional singers.
Argyllshire Gathering is the place to be for the open drama competition, and in the afternoon and evening the Battle of the Bands for under 19s. The final is not one to miss!
Oban Parish Church will hear solo singing for primary school boys and girls and duet competitions for high school pupils.
Oban Congregational Church, the Parish Church Centre, the Royal Hotel and the Great Western Hotel is hosting poetry recitations for primary pupils, while high school poetry is in The Rockfield Centre with solo singing for fluent primary pupils.
Fringe
The second of the family ceilidhs will take place in the Corran Halls from 6.30pm, lots of fun learning dancing and music.
Wednesday
Competitions
Corran Halls is hosting a number of premier competitions including the Mull and Iona, the Skye and Sutherland, the Calmac competition and the event of the day the Silver Pendant.
Qualifiers for the Silver Pendant take place in St John’s Cathedral for both men and women.
Duet competitions will also be held in St John’s.
The event of the evening is the Gold Medal final. Heats are taking place during the day in the Argyllshire Gathering Halls.
A senior competition is being held from 7pm in The Argyllshire Gathering Halls.
Rockfield Centre will host the literature awards, while clarsach is in Oban High School all day from 10am.
Fringe
Join Dublin-born and Skye resident Rody Gorman for readings and conversation about Sa Chnoc, a collection of old and new poetry. Free, 10am Rockfield Centre.
Thursday
Competition
With Highland dancing taking place all day in Atlantis, there are several spectacles you won’t want to miss.
Thursday is known for rural choir events, mainly taking place in the Corran Halls: Puirt-à-beul, The Lorn Shield and The Sheriff MacMaster Campbell Memorial Quaich.
Solo singing with an instrument will be in the Studio Theatre, with St John’s Cathedral playing host to ladies’ rural choirs and the accompanied choir competition.
Oban Congregational Church is where to find the solo singing puirt-à-beul competition and the Oban Times Gold Medal.
While heats for the Traditional Gold Medal final taking place in the Argyllshire Gathering Halls, they will shift to the Corran Halls at 7.30pm for the finals.
Fringe
Want to meet The Hebridean Baker, well there’s an event at the Rockfield Centre especially for you. Coinneach Macleod, Hebridean Baker, will be launching his new book, The Scottish Cookbook, at a special event during the mod. Ticketed, 5pm start.
Friday
Competition
The big day of premier competitions means lots of people rushing to get to the correct venue.
The Corran Halls will be the centre of the major competitions with area choirs singing the puirt-à-beul. before the Lovat and Tullibardine Shield and the Margrat Duncan take to the stage.
In the Studio Theatre, harmony singing in a mixed group and at 12.30pm the waulking group competition will take place.
St John’s Cathedral are hosting the area choir ladies and from 1pm quartet singing, while Oban Congregational church is hosting the men’s choirs.
Fringe
Atomaig Piseag 21st Birthday Party and launch of the choir’s new CD. All welcome for purrfect session with the Argyllshire Ladies and a little fizz. Free, after the Lovat.
Massed Choir finale
Oban will be brought to life by the sound of music on Saturday, October 19 as the Royal National Mod draws to a close.
Choirs from across the country will march from the Corran Halls to Station Square.
One last glorious chorus will mark a vibrant end to the popular Gaelic festival.
Where can I park for free at the mod in Oban?
If you are planning to come to Oban by car for the Royal National Mod you’ll probably be wondering where to park.
With diligent parking officers working in the town centre and around all the major venues, anyone parking without a ticket may be in line for a £100 fine.
But with free parking and a 30-minute grace period for anyone who has forgotten their loose change or card details, there is absolutely no need to get caught out.
Oban High School
Free parking is going to be available at Oban High School during the Royal National Mod for choristers.
The entrance is found on Miller Road, and there is ample parking for competitors.
From the high school, there is a free shuttle bus in the daytime to take people to competitions such as the rural choirs and Lovat and Tullibardine competitions at the other end of the town in the Corran Halls.
Please check local signs for times the car park is open, and when it will be locked up for the night.
Corran Halls
There will be dozens of free parking spaces at the Corran Halls from October.
But, a word to the wise, as it is free people who arrive earlier in the week are likely to park in these spaces for the duration of the mod, and it will be very limited.
The adjacent Corran Esplanade car park is not free and will be charged at the normal rate.
On-street parking and car parks
The cost of pay and display on-street parking in Oban is £1.50 for two hours.
While overnight parking is allowed, parking before 6pm is charged seven days a week.
However, as long as you enter your car registration number, there is free parking in some locations for motorists.
For example in Longsdale Road Car Park and Lochavullin Car Park, the first two hours are free.
The first 30 minutes are free at the following locations: Argyll Square, Queens Park Place, William Street, Corran Esplanade and George Street.
Argyll and Bute Council has said that parking in the outer Oban area is free for four hours except for Gallanach Road and Ganavan Road which have all-day parking charges at 80p for four hours.
At the Rockfield Centre, on Stevenson Street, the charge for parking is 24 hours a day. It costs £2.00 for two hours, £3.50 for four hours, £6 for ten hours and £12 for 24 hours.
Supermarkets Aldi, Lidl, Tesco and Marks and Spencer all offer varying times of free parking, but anyone staying outside the prescribed time will be liable for a fixed penalty notice.
You can book, and pay, for Tesco parking by signing up to Your Parking Space, it costs approximately £6 for 24 hours.
Parking at the train station next to the ferry terminal is now £12 per 24 hours.
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