Congratulations to Caithream Ciùil – 30 bliadhna de Cheòl Traidiseanta aig Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba who has / have been nominated in Production Award: Trad Music in the Media sponsored by Paul McGeechan in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2026. Vote for Caithream Ciùil – 30 bliadhna de Cheòl Traidiseanta aig Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba now! It’s going to be another great night at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 5th December in Paisley Arena, Lagoon Centre. Why not join us for a brilliant night of music and awards. Buy a ticket here.
We asked Mairead / Seonag of Caithream Ciùil – 30 bliadhna de Cheòl Traidiseanta aig Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
Caithream Ciùil is a daily music show presented by Mairead MacLennan and Seonag Monk on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and has been championing Gaelic and Celtic music since 1998.
This special programme marked the 30th anniversary of the Traditional Music degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, shining a spotlight on three decades of artistic achievement, innovation, and influence within Scotland's traditional music community.
Hosted by Seonag and Mairead, the programme brought together an outstanding range of former students and tutors whose careers have helped shape and strengthen the traditional music landscape. Contributors included renowned musicians Ceitlin LR Smith, Ian Smith, Deirdre Graham, and Màiri MacInnes, who shared personal reflections on the course's impact and legacy.
The programme also featured insightful contributions from Kenna Campbell, Dr Jo Miller, and Professor Joshua Dickson, offering a broader perspective on the degree's significance as a catalyst for musical excellence, cultural preservation, and creative evolution.
Through compelling interviews, rich storytelling, and a celebration of the people behind one of Scotland's most influential traditional music programmes, this broadcast captured the enduring legacy of the Royal Conservatoire's Traditional Music degree and its profound contribution to Scotland's cultural life. More than an anniversary programme, it served as a powerful tribute to the generations of musicians, educators, and innovators who continue to shape the future of traditional music.
Any particular career highlights?
Highlights include:
Live OBs as part of the Hebridean Celtic Festival in Stornoway featuring live sessions and interviews with artists appearing there.
Live OBs with audiences in Glasgow whilst Celtic Connections was happening.
Numerous interviews with bands and singers launching new albums that Caithream Ciùil featured as their Album of the Week including Kathleen MacInnes, Skipinnish, Mànran & Sian.
What are your plans for the future?
After more than 25 years on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, Seonag will step away from presenting at the end of this year, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy in Gaelic broadcasting.
A much-loved voice on Caithream Ciùil, she has delighted listeners with her warmth, humour and gift for storytelling, playing a vital role in the programme’s success. An award-winning writer as well as a broadcaster, Seonag has made a lasting contribution to Gaelic culture and will be greatly missed by colleagues and audiences alike.
Mairead MacLennan has been at the heart of Caithream Ciùil since day one, becoming the programme’s very first presenter when it launched in 1998. Nearly three decades later, her passion for traditional music remains as strong as ever, and she continues to be one of the programme’s driving forces.
A true champion of music, Mairead’s enthusiasm extends far beyond the studio. She lives and breathes music, spending her days discovering, listening to, and celebrating new and established artists alike. Her warmth, deep knowledge, and infectious love of the genre have made her a trusted and familiar voice for audiences across the country.
Away from the microphone, Mairead channels her creativity through painting and photography, pursuits that reflect the same artistic curiosity and eye for storytelling that she brings to Caithream Ciùil. Her unwavering commitment, authenticity, and enduring passion have helped shape the programme’s success and ensure its place at the heart of Scotland’s traditional music community.
Caithream Ciùil – 30 bliadhna de Cheòl Traidiseanta aig Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba Social Media
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jdfl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/radionangaidheal
Instagram: @bbcrng
Listen to music: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b007jdfl
The 2026 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are on the 5th December 2026 in Paisley Arena, Lagoon Centre! You will be able to watch it live in person (buy a ticket here).
Hosted by Scottish personalities Alistair Heather and Mary Ann Kennedy, the night will welcome live performances from some of the brightest lights on the thriving trad scene today including Valtos, Gnoss, Sian, Fèis Phàislig, Spodo Komodo and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Rachel Groves and many more!
If you would like to support Hands Up for Trad in their work with Scottish trad music and musicians why not become a friend of Hands Up for Trad. In addition to our high profile events like the Scots Trad Music Awards, we also deliver a less well known, education programme for young people from 8yrs right through to young adults at the start of their careers. Read more here.