THE Royal National Mod is to receive £35,000 for Gaelic education as the annual festival opened in Fort William.

A further £20,000 of core funding has also been announced by the Scottish Government annually from 2018. Deputy First Minister John Swinney spoke at the opening of the 2017 festival which celebrates Gaelic language, music and heritage. He said: “This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Royal National Mod. It is a much-valued part of Scottish cultural life and has made an immense contribution to Gaelic language throughout the country.

“The Scottish Government is a strong supporter of our indigenous languages and we want to see all bodies working together to support and promote their use.”