SEARCH ON FOR FIRST EVER MÒD PROGRAMME
National Library of Scotland launches appeal to add historic programme to its Gaelic collection
An appeal is being launched by the National Library of Scotland to find a copy of the very first programme of the National Mòd held in Oban in 1892 to add to the national collection.
A similar appeal last year resulted in the programmes for the second and third Mòds being donated to the Library by the family of a former President of An Comunn Gaidhealach, Donald Thomson.
These historic programmes can now be seen on the Library’s website here where it is hoped they will be joined by the programme of the very first Mòd.
The Library has one of the richest Gaelic collections anywhere in the world and is always looking to add to the national collection, where material is retained permanently and is available to everyone. The Library was delighted that an appeal last year resulted in the donation of programmes from the early Mòds, part of the collection of Donald Thomson who served as An Comunn President from 1962-65, in addition to other roles promoting the Gaelic language.
These, and many other Mòd and Gaelic pamphlets, programmes and music were gifted by his daughter Mrs Catriona Dairon who encouraged other people to have a look through their attics or cupboards for any material that might help enrich the Library’s collection.
She said she had been looking for a home for some of her father’s books and papers that had been stored for years in her attic. “My daughter heard about the appeal by the National Library and we got in touch. It is really pleasing that they are now part of the National Library’s collection.”
With this year’s Mòd in Lochaber due to start on Friday, the Library is again appealing to everyone involved in the event to consider contributing any publications or material they may have at home, and especially other early Mòd programmes.
General Collections Curator Jennifer Giles said: “It’s very possible that descendants of former Mòd office bearers or competitors have programmes or other material that has been handed down to them and which they are no longer able to look after. They may well fill gaps in the national collection, and I would be very pleased to hear from them.” Jennifer can be contacted at j.giles@nls.uk
The Library has already digitised many of An Comunn's publications, including Mòd programmes, and their journals An Deo-greine, An Gaidheal and Sruth. Now that they are on the Library website, people can search for names of competitors in years gone by while also discovering more about the development of the Mòd and An Comunn’s work to support Gaelic over the last 125 years. The material is available here [An Comunn Gàidhealach].
The National Library will be taking part in this year’s Mòd as part of its continuing commitment to the Gaelic language. It is the third year running that it has had an information stand and has also run events at the Mòd fringe. This year it is offering two workshops run by Dr Susan Ross, who will be explaining how to edit Uicipeid, (the Gaelic Wikipedia), as well as two illustrated talks by Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan, the Library’s Sportswriter in Residence, one on “Colm Cille, Camanachd and the Mod Cup” and the other reflecting his life “From Lochaber to the National Library of Scotland”.
Information on National Library of Scotland events at this year's Mòd
Lochaber and Wikipedia. Saturday 14 October 10:30 am - 4 pm, Alexandra Hotel, The Parade, Fort William PH33 6AZ. Come to find out about the Scottish Gaelic Wikipedia and how to edit it. Open to all levels of Gaelic. Light lunch provided. Bring a laptop. Clàradh / Sign-up - Web: www.tinyurl.com/UiciLochAbar or Email: susan.ross@nls.uk
Colm Cille, Camanachd and the Mod Cup. Saturday 14 October 11:30 am - 12:15 pm , Fort William Shinty clubhouse, An Aird, Camanachd Crescent, Fort William, PH33 6AN. Free drop-in event - No booking required
Gaelic Song and Mòd History on Wikipedia. Wednesday 18 October 10:30 am - 4 pm, Alexandra Hotel, The Parade, Fort William PH33 6AZ. Come to find out about the Scottish Gaelic Wikipedia and how to edit it. Open to all levels of Gaelic. Light lunch provided. Bring a laptop. Clàradh / Sign-up - Web: www.tinyurl.com/Uici-OrainGhaidhlig or Email: susan.ross@nls.uk
From Lochaber to the National Library of Scotland. Wednesday 18 October, 4 pm - 5 pm. Lime Tree Gallery, Lime Tree An Ealdhain, Achintore Road, Fort William, PH33 6RQ. Free drop-in event - No booking required
Contact Information
Notes to editors
About the National Library of Scotland
The National Library of Scotland is a major European research library and one of the world’s leading centres for the study of Scotland and the Scots - an information treasure trove for Scotland’s knowledge, history and culture. The Library’s collections are of world-class importance. Key areas include digital material, rare books, manuscripts, maps, music, moving images, official publications, business information, science and technology, and modern and foreign collections. The Library holds more than 26 million physical items dating back over 1000 years in addition to a growing library of e-books, e-journals and other digital material. The collection includes over four million books, eight million manuscripts, two million maps and over 45,000 films and videos. Every week the Library collects around 3,000 new items. Most of these are received free of charge in terms of Legal Deposit legislation. Further information is available at www.nls.uk