The 99th Royal National Mod is expected to attract up to 20,000 people from as far afield as Austraila and North America to Largs over the course of the week.

The event was launched at an opening ceremony on Friday evening.

The profile of Gaelic in Scotland has been raised considerably in the past year

Mike Watson Tourism Minister

Saturday's events included a fiddlers' rally and piping recital, while the week will also feature a range of competitions including solo singing, ceilidhs, choral and instrumental music, poetry, art, story-telling and drama.

Tourism Minister Mike Watson opened the event with a promise of �450,000 in extra funding for teaching Gaelic in schools.

He said the money would be spent on teacher training and education in the Western Isles and on teaching materials.

"The profile of Gaelic in Scotland has been raised considerably in the past year by the work of the ministerial advisory group on Gaelic," he said.

"I am convinced these measures, together with other executive initiatives already under way, will contribute to our overall aim of securing the future of Gaelic language and culture."

Gaelic culture

A spokesman for the Mod's parent body, An Comunn Gaidhealach, said: "There is great goodwill throughout Scotland for Gaelic and many towns compete to stage this event.

"We are hearing much more Gaelic spoken during the week but it is important that our politicians both locally and nationally also support our cause.

"Many people recognise that the nation is greatly enriched by Gaelic culture and would be diminished if Gaelic were to die."

The Skye-born poet and writer Myles Campbell was crowned Bard at the opening ceremony.

The event has previously been staged in Largs in 1956 and 1965.

Next year's Mod is due to be held in Oban.