Plans are quickly taking shape for ACGA’s first Virtual US National Mòd on Saturday, Nov. 7. Two of Scotland’s leading Gaelic singers and educators, Rachel Walker and Gillebrìde MacMillan, will judge competitions in Gaelic storytelling, poetry, and song, and each will offer workshops as well.

The entire event will be conducted through the Zoom video conferencing app, just like ACGA’s Grandfather Mountain Song and Language Week and the North Carolina Provincial Mòd in July.

Rachel Walker is a Gaelic singer, songwriter and tutor living in the Scottish Highlands. A member of the quartet Cruinn and the group Skippinish, Rachel was voted Gaelic Singer of the Year at the Scottish traditional Music Awards in 2013.

She became involved with Gaelic song from a very young age, competing at local Mòd’s and performing at local cèilidhs. She studied Gaelic song with renowned tutor Kenna Campbell at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She has adjudicated at regional Mòds in the United States.

Gillebrìde MacMillan hails from South Uist in the Outer Hebrides. He is a lecturer at the University of Glasgow teaching Gaelic language, literature, and song. He also is the winner of the men’s gold medal at the Royal National Mòd in Scotland, and a former adjudicator at the ACGA Mòd.

Gillebride also is a translator, a piper, and an actor, playing Gwyllyn the Bard in Starz Outlander.

We expect the online US Mòd, untethered by a physical location, to draw people from all over North America. We hope you will join us, either as a competitor or an attendee to learn more about Scottish Gaelic culture and the “vocal arts” of song, poetry and storytelling.

Registration information will be available shortly.