‘Psalms Of The People’ review: Affectionate portrait of Gaelic psalm singer Rob MacNeacail

Dir: Jack Archer. Scotland. 2026. 85mins

Rob MacNeacail is a beautiful singer, talented musician and inspiring advocate for his great passion – Gaelic psalm singing. Jack Archer’s lyrical observational documentary Psalms Of The People captures the infectious enthusiasm of a man on a mission, as MacNeacail travels across picturesque visions of rural communities in Scotland and Ireland, seeking to maintain traditions and recruit newcomers. His story develops into a poignant tale of cultural heritage and personal connection that is as unassuming as its subject.

A poignant tale of cultural heritage

Archer’s previous work has shown a tender affection for artists and their impact on Scottish cultural life. Bill Douglas – My Best Friend (2023) revealed the personal story of the eponymous filmmaker, whilst Rikki (2024) celebrated the centenary of the birth of beloved Scottish comedy actor Rikki Fulton. MacNeacail, who worked as sound designer on the Bill Douglas film, is no less interesting a central character. A world premiere at Glasgow Film Festival might encourage a theatrical release in Scotland for a film that could also prove of interest to festivals with music and Celtic connections.

MacNeacail is the son of Gaelic poet and writer Aonghas MacNeacail who died in 2022, and who is a significant presence throughout the film. Rob’s home is filled with sketches and portraits of his father, framed family photographs and fragments of his writing. Rob is very much following in his footsteps and honouring his legacy. There are only passing mentions of his mother, actor Gerda Stevenson who starred in Blue Black Permanent (1992). He is based in Carlops, in the Scottish Borders, and Archer establishes the tranquility of alife surrounded by green and pleasant spaces, coral-coloured dawn light and the ever-changing weather.

A gauche, excitable man, MacNeacail is seen at work in Garvald, a care community for adults with learning disabilities where his sister Galina lives. His affectionate interactions with her and other residents further establish him as a kindly, big-hearted figure. He has established a Gaelic-singing group in the local church that is open to all. His role is that of a Precentor; he sings the first line of a psalm and the other singers follow, creating a call-and-response pattern that builds into a richly layered and stirring sound.

MacNeacail is committed to keeping the tradition alive, and Archer follows him on his travels from the islands of Lewis and Skye in Scotland to Belfast and County Cork to the Isle Of Wight’s Festival of Heroes, where his father was honoured in 2018. He is a Pied Piper figure, drawing people in with his enthusiasm and revealing a fascination with sound and what it can add to a psalm. He is forever recording birdsong, the whack of a hollow tree or the thrum of a shop freezer and seeing what they can add to a sung performance.

Psalms Of The People is not a history lesson. There is little context given to the psalm-singing traditions or the place of the Gaelic language in Scottish culture past and present. Instead, Archer’s focus is on the people of the film’s title; those that MacNeacail meets along the way and those who are part of the tradition he champions. MacNeacail comes alive when he leads a community in psalm singing, and the film is filled with the powerful sound of song and performances that help cement a feeling of community among those who participate.