Gaelic Residential Events
At our Gaelic residential events young people get the chance to take part in a variety of workshops including Gaelic song, music, drama and group-work, as well as cooking and outdoor activities.
Our next exciting weekend of creativity, collaboration and Gaelic language will be from 19th – 21st June at Badaguish Outdoor Centre – you can find more info below.
Gaelic music, drama & film-making weekend
Join us for an exciting weekend of creativity, collaboration and Gaelic language at Badaguish Outdoor Centre from 5pm Friday 19th – 5pm Sunday 21st June 2026.
Open to all young people in P7 – S4, this residential weekend offers a unique opportunity to develop skills in music, drama and film-making while spending time with other young people in a Gaelic environment. The weekend is open to fluent speakers in P7 – S4 & Gaelic learners in S3 – 4.
Participants will take part in a range of inspiring workshops, including:
- Gaelic song, music and group work with Rona Wilkie and Eoin Cumming
- Drama and storytelling with Artair Donald
- Camera skills and film-making with Astar Media
- A professional music recording session
Set amongst the stunning surroundings of the Cairngorms National Park, the weekend is a fantastic chance to build confidence, make new friends and learn new creative skills through Gaelic. By the end of the weekend, participants will have recorded and produced their own music video. Previous residential events have created outstanding films, including Òran, which has been nominated for an award at this year’s FilmG Competition.
We are grateful to Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Astar for support towards this event.
Artair Donald
Artair was brought up on the Isle of Tiree and has been acting professionally for over 30 years. He has performed on radio, stage, television and film. He is known for his regular appearances on the Gaelic TV soap Machair (STV) and appearing on Rab C. Nesbitt and Eilbheas (BBC Scotland). Recent credits include Outlander and Mary Queen of Scots. In addition to broadcast, he has also been working in theatre particularly Gaelic theatre development for many years, including with Cartoon Theatre. Artair regularly leads drama workshops with Secondary and Primary schools culminating in public performances and over several years he was the Artistic Director of the Gaelic Drama Summer School run by Fèisean nan Gàidheal. Recently he has returned to making puppet videos for young people as resource material and entertainment.
Rona Wilkie
Rona is a former-attendee of Fèis Rois and a long term fan of the organisation. Originally from Argyll, she grew up in Sutherland. Now based in Edinburgh, Rona works as a researcher, singer and fiddle player. Having grown up in a musical family, she was introduced to traditional music as a baby, and grew up being simultaneously trained in both Highland fiddle style and classical music. She became interested in singing when she attended Gaelic Medium Primary School in Tain.
After becoming the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year, Rona toured internationally, with most of her performance work encompassing the fusion of styles, whether that be melding her tradition with genres within Scotland or with other folk musics internationally. She has also worked regularly as a composer, including for BBC Alba. Most notable commissions include the BAFTA-nominated Sixteen Years Till Summer and a live score for the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival’s showing of the 1929 classic Laila.
Outside of her musical life, Rona leads the Communicative Teaching Programme for Gaelic as a Lecturer at Edinburgh University, where she is also undertaking a PhD looking at the role that song has in the historiographical method, with a particular focus on Gaelic songs of the Land War. Current projects include historical analysis of the poetry of Sorley MacLean.
Eòin Cumming
Born and raised in Laide in Wester Ross, Eòin has been involved in traditional music and Gaelic culture from a young age. He began playing the accordion at 5 and later took up the bagpipes. Eòin attended the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton and later graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in music. As a native Gaelic speaker, accomplished accordionist, guitarist, and singer, he has been immersed in Gaelic and traditional music culture all his life. He is former participant on the Fèis Rois Cèilidh Trail and a member of the six-piece band, Meallan.
We are grateful for the financial support from Bòrd na Gàidhlig which allows us to make this event ‘Pay what you can’, meaning families are able to pay what they can afford.
On the booking site, you will see four payment options, starting with “I can’t pay anything and would like to get a free place.” If you can pay more, then you have options to pay £25, £50, £75, £100 or £125.
£125 represents the cost of accommodation and food (excluding workshops and evening activities). We want every child to be able to take advantage of this opportunity, so please choose the payment option that suits you. The weekend can also be paid for in instalments. If you would like to pay this way, please contact Lorraine.
Essential items are as follows:
• Any medication you need – this may be handed over to your supervisor for safekeeping. (Please notify your supervisor on arrival at your accommodation of any medication you are required to take)
• Re-usable water bottle
• Waterproof jacket
• Shoes for walking
• Enough changes of clothing for the weekend, pyjamas, slippers and a dressing gown or onesie
• Toiletries
• Hairdryer
• Towel
• Voices for singing
• Apron or a spare shirt if you will be cooking
• Your instrument(s) – labelled
• A folder for keeping music sheets tidy
• A notebook and pen or pencil
• Please bring a music stand if you prefer to read music rather than learn by ear.
• If you have spare strings for your guitar/fiddle etc., please take them with you
Please make sure all of personal belongings are clearly labelled with participant’s name.
For any further queries about the weekend, please contact: sophie.stephenson@feisrois.org
