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The Royal National Mòd 2008 (Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail)
10/10/2008
English version
Is e Julie Fowlis, an seinneadair dualchasach agus neach-ciùil ainmeil a' chiad neach a gheibh duais ùr Tosgaire Gàidhlig na Bliadhna a tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba a' toirt seachad.
Chaidh Julie a thogail ann an Uibhist a-Deas, agus bidh i a' faighinn a duais an-diugh (Dihaoine) bho Mhinistear a' Chultar Linda Fabiani, goirid mus tèid Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail na h-Eaglais Bhric 2008 a chur air bhog gu h-oifigeil leis a' Phrìomh Mhinistear Ailig Salmond, san Eaglais Bhric.
Tha an duais ùr seo ga toirt seachad do neach, do chòmhlan, no do bhuidheann sam bith a thathas a' meas a rinn an oidhirp as fheàrr thairis air a' bhliadhna a dh'fhalbh ann a bhith an àrdachadh inbhe agus iomhaigh na Gàidhlig aig an taigh no thall thairis. Is e seo a' chiad uair a thug Riaghaltas na h-Alba taic do dhuais aig a' Mhòd.
Thuirt Ministear a' Chultar Linda Fabiani:
"Tha Julie Fowlis air-leth airidh air an duais againn airson Tosgaire na Gàidhlig. Tha i a' toirt an dòigh seinn òrain mhath Gàidhlig agus sgrìobhadh òrain gu luchd-èisteachd ùr air feadh na h-Alba agus air feadh an t-saoghail.
"Tha a' Ghàidhlig agus Am Mod Nàiseanta Rìoghail a' neartachadh beatha cultarail sònraichte na h-Alba agus a' cumail nar cuimhne cho luachmhor 's cho beartach sa tha ar dualchas cànain is ciùil.
"Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba a' gealltainn gum bi Gàidhlig na h-Alba soirbheachail agus seasmhach san àm ri teachd, agus mar sin tha mi uamhasach toilichte gu bheil sinn a' toirt taic don duais seo aig a' Mhòd - duais a chuireas ris na h-oidhirpean farsaing a tha a' leantainn air adhart gus iomhaigh na Gàidhlig a thogail air feadh na h-Alba.''
Thuirt Iain Macleòid, Ceann-suidhe a' Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich, a bhios a' cur air adhart Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail gach bliadhna:
"Tha sinn air-leth toilichte gu bheil Riaghaltas na h-Alba a' cur an taic ris an duais chliùiteach seo.
"B'e roghainn fìor-mhath a bh'ann Julie a thaghadh mar a' chiad neach don deach an duais seo a thoirt. A bharrachd air a bhith na seinneadair agus na neach-ciùil cho tàlantach, tha pearsantachd blàth agus iomhaigh phoblach aice a tha ga fàgail na tosgaire fìor-mhath airson a cànan dùthchasach agus tha i cuideachd cho tlachdmhor dha ar seinneadairean agus luchd-ciùil òga. Tha na cuirmean aig an robh i sna SA agus sa Ghearmailt air seinn Ghàidhlig a thoirt gu ìrean ùra eadar-nàiseanta. 'Se fìor rionnag a th'innte ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig."
Chaidh Mòd ma bliadhna-sa (air ainmeachadh o seo a-mach mar Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail, no Am Mòd gu goirid), a thoirt don Eaglais Bhric ann an 2005 an-dèidh tagradh soirbheachail bhon chomataidh eagrachaidh ionadail.
Tha Mòd 2008 air ainmeachadh gu cuspaireil mar "Am Mòd a' tighinn dhachaigh" - a' togail air mar a thathas den bheachd gun thòisich Cèilidhean Gàidhealach anns an Eaglais Bhric nuair a bhiodh dròbhairean Gàidhealach agus luchd-ceannachd chruidh a' tighinn còmhla sa bhaile gus a bhith a' ceannach sa reic an cuid stoc.
Is ann gu tur ann an Gàidhlig na h-Alba a bhios Seinneadair Ceòl Dùthchail na Bliadhna BBC Reidio 2, Julie Fowlis a seinn agus tha i air a bhith air tursan air feadh an t-saoghail a' toirt seann òrain bho na h-Eileanan Siar gu luchd-èisteachd ùra. Tha i cuideachd na fìor neach-ciùil math, a' cluich a' phìob mhòr, a' phìob bheag, feadanan, oboe, cor anglais, agus bocsa nam putanan. Tha Duaisean Ceòl Dualchasach na h-Alba air a bhòtadh dà uair mar 'Seinneadair Gàidhlig na Bliadhna' (2005 & 2007), agus choisinn an clàr aice Cuilidh 'Clàr na Bliadhna' ann an 2007. Choisinn i Duais BBC Reidio 2 Horizon ann an 2006 airson an Neach-ealain bu Bhrosnachail (a' chiad seinneadair Gàidhlig a chaidh a chur air adhart a-riamh). Bhiodh i a' seinn anns a' chòmhlan 'Dòchas', a chaidh a chruthachadh fhad's a bha i na h-oileanach ciùil aig an RSAMD.
Tha e na phrìomh amas aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba àite na Gàidhlig ann am foghlam àrdachadh, inbhe na Gàidhlig adhartachadh air feadh na h-Alba agus taic a thoirt dha coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig.
Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba a' toirt seachad maoineachadh de £12.4millean dha MG ALBA, a' bhuidheann a bhios a' cur air adhart BBC ALBA ann an com-pàirteachas leis a' BhBC.
ACCLAIMED SINGER AWARDED GAELIC AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR AT MOD 2008 LAUNCH
Julie Fowlis, the acclaimed traditional singer and instrumentalist is the first recipient of the Scottish Government's new Gaelic Ambassador of the Year award (Tosgaire Gàidhlig na Bliadhna).
A native of North Uist, Julie received her award today from Culture Minister Linda Fabiani, ahead of the official launch by First Minister Alex Salmond of The Royal National Mòd 2008 (Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail) in Falkirk.
This new award is for the individual, group or organisation whose efforts are judged to have done most over the year to increase the status and profile of Gaelic at home or abroad. It is the first time the Scottish Government has sponsored an award at The Mòd.
Culture Minister Linda Fabiani said:
"Julie Fowlis is a worthy recipient of our Gaelic Ambassador award. She continues to take her own brand of wonderful Gaelic singing and songwriting to new audiences in Scotland, and all over the world.
"Gaelic and The Royal National Mòd strengthen the distinctive cultural life of Scotland and are a reminder of our country's rich linguistic and musical heritage.
"The Scottish Government is committed to securing a successful, sustainable future for Gaelic in Scotland and I'm therefore delighted we're sponsoring this award at The Mòd - an award which will contribute to the wider, ongoing efforts to increase the profile of Gaelic across the whole of Scotland.''
John Macleod, President of An Comunn Gàidhealach, which organises Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail each year, said:
"We are delighted to have the support of the Scottish Government in sponsoring this prestigious award.
"Julie is a most appropriate choice to be its first recipient. As well as being such a talented singer and musician, her warm personality and public profile make her a great ambassador for her native language and such a popular role-model for our young singers and musicians. Her recent concerts in the US and in Germany have taken Gaelic singing to new international heights. She is a real star in the Gaelic world."
This year's Mòd (now to be referred to as Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail, or Am Mòd for short), was allocated to Falkirk in 2005 following a successful bid to host the event from the local organising committee.
The Mòd 2008 is themed 'The Mod is Coming Home' - a reference to the fact that the concept of the Highland Gathering is considered to have originated in Falkirk when Highland drovers and cattle dealers would converge on the town to buy and sell their livestock.
The current BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year, Julie Fowlis sings only in Scottish Gaelic and has toured the world bringing ancient songs from the Hebridean Islands to new audiences. She is also an accomplished musician, playing Highland bagpipes, small pipes, whistles, oboe, cor anglais, and the button-key accordion. The Scots Trad Music Awards have twice voted her 'Gaelic Singer of the Year' (2005 & 2007), and her album Cuilidh 'Album of the Year' in 2007. She won the BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award in 2006 for Best Emerging Artist (the first Gaelic singer ever to be nominated). She has sung with the group 'Dòchas', formed while she studied music at the RSAMD.
A key commitment of the Scottish Government is to increase the place of Gaelic in education, to improve the status of the Gaelic language throughout Scotland and to support Gaelic speaking communities.
The Scottish Government provides £12.4million funding to MG ALBA, the organisation producing BBC ALBA in partnership with the BBC.