Singing Polish builder turns Gael

Janusz Joklowic sings bass with the Aberfeldy and District Gaelic Choir

A Polish builder is hoping to wow the crowds at the Royal National Mod - with his Gaelic singing .

Janusz Jolkowic will take to the stage with the Aberfeldy and District Gaelic Choir at the event in Falkirk.

The bass singer will be wearing his first kilt, which is made from Aberfeldy tartan, for the performance.

This is not the first time the Pole has been centre of attention - he also won a Heavenly Builder heat in a Master Builder of the Year competition.

Mr Jolkowic said he felt at home in Perthshire because the mountains were similar to those found where he used to live in Poland.

And learning to sing in Gaelic seemed to be an obvious next step for the Pole.

He said: "Sometimes it's difficult, but the Polish and the Gaelic, many words are similar, the sound is very similar.

"This is my first big Mod, it's very exciting for me.

"This is my first kilt - it's good, it's heavy, but very very warm.

"My Polish friends ask me, 'how are you feeling in the kilt' and I said 'good good'."

Conductor Isobel Rutter said Mr Jolkowic has been practising hard for Friday's performance.

She said: "He's lovely, he's dedicated, he works hard. A good example of this is - we practice from 7.30 'til 9.30 and one night Janusz was delayed at his work and he turned up at 20 past nine to rehearse for 10 minutes - so that's dedication isn't it?

"We have a lot of very hard working, dedicated, very excellent singers in the choir, so it's always good to get new blood and new members and who would've thought that we would've ended up with a Polish builder, and a heavenly one at that."