Solo piping results from the Mòd in Lochaber 2025

By
John Slavin
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•Cameron May from Dillarburn in South Lanarkshire took the P/A Grade Pìobaireachd title at the Mòd in Lochaber 2025.

Scotland’s biggest celebration of Gaelic language and culture, the Royal National Mòd, is officially off and running for 2025.

A glittering torchlight procession opened the event in style last night, Friday October 10, with locals and international visitors alike joining forces to illuminate the streets of Fort William in host area Lochaber. The spellbinding scenes continued with Gaelic music powerhouse Dàimh headlining at an exhilarating opening concert at the Nevis Centre Auditorium, supported by Ceilear – a collective of young musicians originally brought together by Dàimh band member Angus MacKenzie.

Close to 200 competitions in language, poetry, dance and music also got underway today. Amongst them were the firm favourite of the Mòd calendar, the piping contests, with the country’s under 16s and 16 to 18 year olds competing in the Junior Piping Competitions, followed by the Senior Piping Competitions featuring Premier A Grade and B Grade categories, each with a Piobaireachd, March and a Strathspey and Reel.

The latest results from today’s competitions are:

P/A Grade Piobaireachd

  1. Cameron May
  2. Darach Urquhart
  3. Angus MacPhee
•Cameron May and Darach Urquhart at the Lochaber Mòd 2025.

P/A Grade MSR

  1. John Dew
  2. Sandy Cameron
  3. Calum Watson

B Grade Piobaireachd

  1. Jonathan Simpson
  2. Ross Conner
  3. Ben Mulhearn
  4. Callum Carn
  5. Andrew Smith

B Grade MSR

  1. Jonathan Simpson
  2. Eireann Ianetta-MacKay
  3. Scott McAskill
  4. Ross Conner
  5. Callum Carn
•14-year-old James Silcock from Falkirk celebrated his first ever win at the Mòd in the under 16s Pìobaireachd competition. James also placed second in both the Under 16s 2/4 March and Under 16s Strathspey & Reel piping competitions.
Oban High School’s Lily Robertson won the W.G.G. Wilson Trophy for the 16-18 Piobaireachd.
•Seonaidh Forrest from Skye won the the Roderick Munro Quaich for Under-16 2/4 March.
In the 16-18 Hornpipe & Jig, Tobermory High School ⁠student Hugh Ronald Anderson lifted the Dugald Campbell Cowan (Oban) Trophy.

Maggie Cunningham, Chair of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “Making any Mòd happen is a huge undertaking by many different parties, not least the local organising committee and volunteers. So to see a response on the scale that we have here at the Lochaber Mòd, from the high turnouts at our opening night celebrations to the number of competition entries and fringe tickets sold, is hugely heartwarming.

“It also speaks volumes about the love, energy and support there is for Gaelic language and culture across different generations and amongst communities near and far.”

This year’s event is supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Highland Council, The Scottish Government, Caledonian MacBrayne, BBC ALBA, Creative Scotland and SQA.

The Royal National Mòd runs in Lochaber until 18 October. Tickets for flagship events at https://buytickets.at/ancomunn.