Paisley is Host to Scotland's Celebration of Gaelic Culture - The Royal National Mod

The historic Scottish city of Paisley is the host to the 2013 Royal National Mod.  The event, sponsored by the Highland Association, will run through 19 October.  At its founding 121 years ago in the late 1800's, the Royal National Mod was modelled after the Welsh Eisteddfod. The 2013 Paisely festival is expected to attract 20,000 visitors and approxiamately 3,000 have registerd to perform. The Festival includes musical performances, dramatic presentations, dance, readings in Gaelic literature and various art exhibitions.    

The official web page of the Royal National Mod gives us the following:

The Royal National Mòd is organised by An Comunn Gàidhealach (The Highland Association) which was founded in Oban in 1891 and has HM The Queen as its Patron. Famous for celebrating our Gaelic linguistic and cultural heritage, Scotland’s premier Gaelic festival provides opportunities for people of all ages to perform across a range of competitive disciplines including Gaelic music and song, highland dancing, instrumental, drama, sport and literature."

The Highland Association (An Comunn Gaidhealach), sponsors of the Festival, describes itself as follows: " We actively encourage teaching, learning, and use of the Gaelic language and the study and cultivation of Gaelic literature, history, music and art." Below are the offical objectives of the Highland Association as posted to their web site:

Objectives of An Comunn Gàidhealach

The aims of the Association are to support and develop all aspects of the Gaelic language, culture, history and heritage at local, national and international levels by:

• Promoting the use of the language in everyday community life.
• Promoting the study and development of Gaelic language, literature, music, drama and all other related art forms.
• Actively seeking official recognition and use of Gaelic as a living language and national asset by local, national and European Governments and other agencies, by co-operating with all other organisations engaged in the provision of Gaelic language and culture
• An Comunn Gàidhealach is non-political and non-sectarian, and membership is open to anyone sharing the above objectives

http://www.ancomunn.co.uk/about/history

http://www.acgmod.org/nationalmod

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/paisley-hosts-gaelics-premier-event-2360400