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The distinguished academic Sir Tom Devine announced as the Patron of the Scottish Flag Trust at the birthplace of the Saltire. In April Prof Sir Tom Devine was at Athelstaneford the birthplace of Scotland’s national flag the Satire or Saint Andrew’s Cross as he formally took up his new role as Patron of the Scottish Flag Trust. Sir Tom, the Sir William Fraser Professor Emeritus at Edinburgh University, (the world’s oldest professorial chair in the field) takes over the role from the late Winnie Ewing. The Scottish Flag Trust was set up in 1984 to promote the use of the Saltire, one of the oldest national flags in Europe, and is responsible for the establishment and upkeep of the Flag Heritage Centre in Athelstaneford and the national Saltire Memorial.

The announcement comes at a busy time for the charity which maintains the Saltire Memorial and Flag Heritage centre at Athelstaneford. Saint Andrew’s Day, 30 November 2025 will be the 60^th anniversary of the unveiling of the Saltire Memorial in Athelstaneford Parish Church. The Trust are mid-way though fundraising for a series of major projects to transform the visitor attraction with ambitious plans for new historic interpretation and improved accessibility which will opening up the site to wider groups of visitors. The Trust is working to implement a new landscape masterplan and renovation of the Saltire Memorial.

The symbol of Scotland

Commenting Professor Emeritus Sir Tom Devine said: “Everyone in Scotland no matter their political outlook can support Scotland’s Saltire and back the restoration of this important site. With the Euro 2024 a few months away there is no better time to rally behind Scotland’s saltire, it is a symbol which all Scots can be rightly proud. I am honoured to become patron of the Scottish Flag Trust in succession to Dr Ewing and lend my enthusiastic support to the fundraising efforts underway now and in the future.”

Trust Chair, David Williamson added: “The Trust is delighted to have Sir Tom as our new Patron as we continue our ambitious programme of restoration and renewal at the birthplace of Scotland’s national flag. The Scottish Flag Trust promotes the Saltire as a welcoming symbol for all Scots whether they are Scots by birth, by choice or through their family roots.”

The St Andrew’s Cross or Saltire is Scotland’s national flag. Tradition has it that the flag, the white saltire on a blue background, one of the oldest flags in Europe originated in a battle fought in East Lothian, near the village of Athelstaneford in the Dark Ages. Today the flag flies proudly all year round from the Saltire Memorial in Athelstaneford parish churchyard to celebrate this special connection. The history of the battle and the adoption of the Saltire as the symbol of Scotland is told in the Flag Heritage Centre through a unique audio-visual presentation. The Scottish Flag Trust promotes the Saltire as a welcoming symbol for all Scots whether they are Scots by birth, by choice or through their family roots.

The Scottish Flag Trust is a registered Scottish charity which maintains the Saltire Memorial and the Flag Heritage Centre at Athelstaneford and promotes the proper use of the Saltire.  The restoration and renewal project will see a new accessible pathway with interpretive timeline telling the history and adoption of Scotland’s national flag from 834AD to the present. The work is being funded through crowdfunded donations at: www.saltire.scot.

The Sherwood Park Highland Gathering returns to Broadmoor Lake Park in Sherwood Park, Alberta, on July 22 and 23, 2024! More than 12,000 people attended last year’s Sherwood Park Highland Gathering with over 400 competitors participating. Saturday offers an amazing cultural experience with sanctioned events in pipes, drums and massed bands, along with highland dancing and heavy events, also new this year will be a Corporate Tug O War.

Saturday evening from 6 pm – 11 pm, you’ll find a family friendly Ceilidh featuring local Edmonton band, Celtara, with their uniquely identifiable Canadiana Celtic sound along with the North Stratton Pipe Band and Celtic Ceilidh Dance Academy. Sunday you’ll find sheep & duck herding demonstrations, other canine capers and a Viking village.

Bring your lawn chair and enjoy these action-packed, fun-filled days in Sherwood Park.

For more information, to purchase tickets or to volunteer, please visit:  www.sphg.ca.

When John Mackay, the leader of a party of predominately Scottish explorers (and the first white men to visit the area), first saw the Pioneer River, the lifeblood of the tropical North Queensland city that would later bear his name, he described it in his diary as ‘picturesque….and unlike anything we had previously seen’. Over 160 years later, that same river is once again the beautiful blue backdrop to another Scottish party – the annual Mackay Scottish Bluewater Fling.

The Bluewater Fling is a free, outdoor, family-friendly community event that celebrates Mackay’s Scottish heritage. The event showcases local and visiting performers including pipe bands from across Queensland, Celtic rock bands, soloists, and Highland dancers. A number of stalls selling Scottish wares and foods and an on-site licenced venue also helps to keep the crowds entertained on the day.

This year’s Fling will be held on Saturday 31 August, at the Bluewater Quay, the ‘town square on the river’, in Mackay’s central business district. Given the idyllic tropical location and winter date, the only thing more certain than having perfect weather at the Bluewater Fling, is having a good time! The entertainment starts with a massed bands at 1.30pm and performances continue until 4.30pm. From there, performers and supporters move to a local indoor venue for the free ‘Fling Afterparty Ceilidh’, where it has been commented that the party really gets started! Live music and ceilidh dancing continues until late into the evening.

Passion for the pipes and drums

One of the highlights of the Bluewater Fling’s programme, the massed bands parade across the Forgan Smith Bridge, which spans the iconic Pioneer River (purported to be one of the bluest rivers in the country, thanks to its sandy base). The Bluewater Fling is an opportunity for pipe bands from North and Central Queensland to come together and share their passion for the pipes and drums. Bands confirmed to be attending this year’s Fling include Townsville Memorial Pipes and Drums, Townsville and Thuringowa Pipe Band, Veterans and Families Pipe Band, 3RAR Pipes and Drums and the Rockhampton Highlanders Pipe Band…but there is always room for more!

The Bluewater Fling is hosted by the Mackay and District Pipe Band, who have been bringing the rich sound of the pipes and drums to the people of Mackay since 1926. In honour of the previously mentioned founder of their home city, John Mackay, the band wears the crest and ancient tartan of Clan Mackay. The band is made up of fifty musicians, tutors, students and supporters from across the Mackay area, ranging in age from children to nonagenarians.

The event is the brainchild of Deborah Orr, a thirty-year veteran of the band and for many years, the band’s Pipe Major. The first Bluewater Fling was held in 2016 and after its runaway success, the band decided to make it an annual event. It continues to grow every year and has expanded to include other events over the course of the weekend, including a meet-and-greet on the preceding Friday night and said rambunctious ceilidh on the Saturday night.

All pipers, drummers and Scottish enthusiasts are hereby invited to play and/or join in the festivities at this year’s event! Individual pipers and drummers are always welcome to join in the massed bands brackets. Register your interest by email to: [email protected]

For more details on the event, head to www.bluewaterfling.com.  If you need any further convincing on why you should make the trek to come play with us in our beautiful region, watch our video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5eDbKeb-euU

Over 2,500 historic items from the National Trust for Scotland’s (NTS) internationally important collections at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum are now available to explore from anywhere in the world. NTS have launched a new portal that gives unprecedented access to manuscripts, archives and artefacts, including over 1,000 items that are held in store for their long-term preservation and protection. Anyone with an interest in Burns from across the world can now visit our website and engage with Burns artefacts as never before.

With the ability to zoom in on high-resolution images to see full details on manuscripts and objects that would usually be displayed behind glass, the online collection allows users to experience Burns up close and personal – from previously undisplayed handwritten manuscripts by Robert Burns, to sharing the recently acquired items from the Blavatnik Honresfield Library, alongside photographs, letters, objects and wider archival material. Highlights include a fragment of one of only six known manuscripts of Auld Lang Syne dating from 1793; Jean Armour’s wedding ring; a lock of Highland Mary’s hair; and Burns’s blue woollen initialled socks.

Bringing an incredible Robert Burns Collection to people across the world

There are also many manuscripts that have not previously been on display, including Lament of Mary, Queen of Scots, On The Approach of Spring, Scots Wha Hae and an unbound, uncut copy of the Kilmarnock Edition of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. Susie Hillhouse, Head of Collections at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “We are excited to be bringing our incredible Robert Burns Collection to people across the world through this online platform. This project, which has been in the works for over 12 months, will allow people to engage with items in the collections like never before. We’re currently only able to show a proportion of these items at our award-winning Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway. Now, anyone will be able to search the collections, and zoom in to tiny details and experience the full collection of over 2,500 items, 24/7, from anywhere in the world.”

The National Trust for Scotland cares for more than 5,000 Burns-related items at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway. The site includes an award-winning museum experience, as well as the cottage where Burns was born in 1759.

Main photo: A fragment of Auld Lang Syne, handwritten by Robert Burns.

With summer’s approach, West Michigan’s Irish and Scottish (and others) will gather for the annual Celtic Festival in Holland. Sponsored by Guinness, this year’s festival is June 21 & 22 at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds on Ottawa Beach Road in Holland, Michigan. More than 7,000 visited the 2^nd  annual event in 2023 and the 3^rd annual event is expected to attract even more.

“We started in a small park in downtown Holland but outgrew that venue after the first year,” said co-director Pete Grimm of Holland. “The County Fairgrounds work well for us now and give us room to grow for the future as well. Our Highland Games already are among the largest in Michigan.”

“The idea for this festival was hatched during the COVID-19 pandemic”, according to event co-director Craig Rich of Holland. “A bunch of us who regularly celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and other ethnic festivals and events in Holland, thought that we could get together and start something great for the community.”

Great entertainment

The 3^rd annual Holland Waterfront Celtic Festival and Highland Games features 16 Irish and Celtic bands on two stages over two days. Scheduled to appear are Acoustic Vagabondi, Toby Bresnahan, Selkie, Uneven Ground, Belfast Gin, Enda Reilly, The Barley Saints, The Chelsea House Orchestra, Kennedy’s Kitchen, The Conklin Ceili Band, Whorled, The Leprecons, Ironwood, and CrossBow on the Dennis Jones State Farm stage as well as a new second music stage. Headlining Friday night’s “Ceilidh” are Canada’s favorites, The Mudmen. Saturday evening’s grand finale features  The Devil’s Brigade (formerly The American Rogues). Scottish Pipe and Drum bands will perform throughout the event, while area dance companies will perform Irish and Highland dance demonstrations on the United Federal Credit Union Dance Stage. Children will have fun in the kids’ area with games, coloring, temporary tattoos, and more.

A full schedule of Highland Games will begin at 9:30 am on June 22, featuring more than 70 men and women athletes competing in nine events including caber-tossing, hammer-throwing and other feats of strength. A dozen ethnic food tents/trucks will assure no one goes hungry, while 20 vendors of Celtic clothing and other merchandise will please shoppers. A cash bar is available both Friday and Saturday featuring Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks, Magners and other beers, plus wines, seltzers and more. The all-day festival is Saturday, June 22, 2024, preceded by a Friday evening, 21 & older “Ceilidh” (concert/party) under a huge “Irish Pub” Tent.  Friday tickets are $22.50 and include free return admission on Saturday as a bonus. Saturday tickets are just $12 per person, with those 15 and younger admitted free on Saturday due to the generosity of local sponsors.

The Holland Waterfront Celtic Festival & Highland Games is produced by the Holland Celtic Society, a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization comprised entirely of volunteers.

For more information on the Holland Waterfront Celtic Festival and Highland Games see: www.HollandCelticFestival.org or follow www.Facebook.com/HollandCelticFestival.

Visitors to Rosslyn Chapel, in Midlothian, are still strongly influenced by its role in The Da Vinci Code according to new research undertaken to mark the recent 21^st anniversary of the book, which was first published on 18th March 2003.

Research carried out by Shanks Research Consultancy with 6,677 Chapel visitors between March 2023 and March 2024, reveals that:

• 49% of visitors said that Dan Brown’s novel, and the subsequent film, was a factor influencing their decision to visit the historic site.
• 72% of them had read the book and seen the film.
• 43% of them said that The Da Vinci Code was either a ‘very important or important’ influence.

Ian Gardner, Director of Rosslyn Chapel Trust, said “It is remarkable that The Da Vinci Code continues to have such a strong influence on our visitors, 21 years since it first appeared. It has had a huge impact on the profile of Rosslyn Chapel and has significantly increased levels of visitor numbers, which rose from 38,141 to 79,916 after the book was published and to more than 176,000 when the film was released. This has helped us complete a comprehensive conservation project at the Chapel and undertake a major programme of restoration and repair at Rosslyn Castle, enabling  future generations to appreciate these unique buildings.”

One of Scotland’s iconic attractions

In 2023, the Chapel welcomed 142,211 visitors, as numbers started to increase following the pandemic. In the story of The Da Vinci Code, the main characters, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu, investigate a murder in the Louvre and, in doing so, follow a set of clues to unravel a mystery to find the Holy Grail, taking them to London and then to Rosslyn Chapel. Since publication, the novel has been translated into 44 languages and has sold more than an estimated 80 million copies, making it one of the best-selling novels of all time.

Neil Christison, VisitScotland’s Regional Director, said: “Rosslyn Chapel is one of Scotland’s iconic attractions and a hugely important driver of tourism in Midlothian. The Da Vinci Code was a global phenomenon and it’s wonderful that the book and film are still influencing visitors to this day. This new research chimes with our own visitor surveys which continue to show that film and television productions are still referenced by visitors, sometimes decades, after their initial release.” He continued: “Scotland’s historic sites have been the backdrop to many productions, and this is a great example of the positive impact of screen tourism, which can help support the conservation of our amazing built heritage.”

Rosslyn Chapel was founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair. The beauty of its setting, in rural Midlothian, and the mysterious symbolism of its ornately carved stonework have inspired, attracted an intrigued visitors and artists ever since. The Chapel is open to visitors throughout the year.

Dan Brown has previously said:  “When I decided to write The Da Vinci Code, I knew that its finale would have to take place at the most mysterious and magical Chapel on earth – Rosslyn.”

The annual Aberdeen Highland Games are on the 1^st Saturday in July each year. This year will be the weekend of the 6^th July, 2024. The day will begin with a parade of pipe bands, clan representatives and others. This leads into the Massed Band Salute and Chieftain’s Address that officially open the day. Pipe bands are what make a Scottish event so special. The unique sounds of the massed pipes and drums fill the air, as bands converge from all around New South Wales at the Aberdeen Highland Games. Nothing encompasses such enthusiasm and colour as Highland Dancing.

And what better sight and sound can there be, that encapsulates the very essence of Scotland, than the bagpipes accompanying a Highland dancer, kilt swaying and feet moving to traditional airs! The young and old can take part in the novelty events, whether it be the three-legged races or the famed Kilted Dash. Everyone is encouraged to dress up in their best Scottish attire, with prizes awarded to the best dressed laddie, lassie, bairn and even dog! The Kilted Warriors are a great part of the event, with a traditional Celtic strongman competition. There is tremendous strength and determination on display when the athletes compete in three events – the lifting of the Stones of Destiny, the Sheaf Toss and the Caber Toss.

Further, the Games anticipate that the Australian Defence Force/ADF Federation Guard Drill Team will be with us again this year and they are a great spectacle not to be missed. A multitude of stores and stands will surround the arena, selling all manner of Scottish heirlooms and souvenirs, clothing and garb, and food and drink to complete your day. There will be a good roll up of Clan Societies, and these are of great help to those chasing family circles. In the evening, the NSW Pipe Band Association have organised a Pipe Band Quintet competition at the Aberdeen RSL Club and hosted by the Tamworth Pipe Band.

For details go to the web site www.aberdeenhighlandgames.com or visit the Facebook page. All bookings are on line via this web site. For further detail go to [email protected].

After calling Cobourg home since 1963, the Cobourg Highland Games Society are moving to a new location in Port Hope for their 60^th anniversary on June 14 & 15^th, 2024. To coincide with the move, they are changing the event name to the Northumberland Scottish Festival and Highland Games.  Everything else stays the same. You will still be entertained by Celtic music, see competitions in solo Piping and Drumming, Pipe Bands, Highland Dancing and Heavy events, learn about your Clan heritage and visit food and merchandise vendors. There’s fun for the little ones too, in the Wee Highlanders area.  The Games are thrilled to announce that Bruce Fummey will be the Honourary Chieftain this year. Bruce is taking time out of his Stories of Scotland Canadian Tour to take on the role of Honourary Chieftain for our Northumberland Highland Games.

Why the move to Port Hope?

The decision was not made lightly, nor in haste, however there are several reasons for the move to Port Hope. While Victoria Park in Cobourg is a beautiful setting beside Lake Ontario, the event is outgrowing the park and in need of a larger space for competitors, vendors and attendees. The Port Hope site offers that additional space, dedicated spots for all events, as well as a large outbuilding where Highland Dancing can take place.

​It’s not only Northumberland residents who attend the Games, with approximately 1,000 competitors from all over Ontario and the USA, who bring family and friends, bringing lots of out-of-town visitors. A big bonus for the new site is the Games can now offer free parking for all guests. As a non-profit organization, comprised solely of volunteers, the Cobourg Highland Games Society are very aware of their financial health.  Operating costs in Port Hope will be reduced and that allows them to pass the savings to guests. As a result, one of the first things they have done, is to lower the entry fee for 2024. But best of all? Parking is free!

Where will the 2024 Games take place?

The new location is at the Port Hope Agricultural Park, which Northumberland residents will know as the site for the Port Hope Fair. If you are not familiar with the site it’s in the east end of town at 62 McCaul St. Port Hope, ON, L1A 1A2. There is easy access to the park from both Highway 2 and Highway 401. Free parking is available at the park.  The Games will always cherish its connection with Cobourg – being able to host an event for 60 years in the town is a remarkable achievement. The committee feel the new title Northumberland Scottish Festival and Highland Games better reflects our ties with Northumberland County and the communities within.  The committee is working hard to make this 60^th anniversary memorable, so there’s lots of planning and behind the scenes activities happening right now.

The Northumberland Scottish Festival & Highland Games will take place June 14 & 15, 2024 for full information see: www.northumberlandhighlandgames.ca or follow them on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news. You can also email the Games at: [email protected].

ScottishPower Pipe Band brought Scotland’s busiest train station to a standstill when it stunned commuters with a surprise live performance at Glasgow Central Station.  The spell-binding performance from one of the world’s leading Grade 1 pipe bands – which has been sponsored by ScottishPower since 1989 –   stopped passengers, staff and passersby at the major transport hub in their tracks. Dressed in their trademark ScottishPower tartan, the Pipe Band raised the roof with a captivating rendition of Dougie MacLean’s Caledonia, followed by their take on Journey’s popular hit, Don’t Stop Believin’.

A real stand-out moment

The Pipe Band, which has played across the globe and regularly places in the World Pipe Band Championships, is led by Pipe Major Chris Armstrong and Drum Sergeant Jake Jørgensen. ScottishPower Pipe Major Chris Armstrong said: “We’ve been lucky enough to perform in some amazing locations across the world, but it was really special to play in Glasgow Central Station. As home to ScottishPower’s HQ and the host city for the World Championships, Glasgow holds a very special place in our hearts, and it was amazing to see the reaction of the audience. We could have played all afternoon! It was definitely one of our more unusual practice sessions and sets us up brilliantly for forthcoming competitions including the UK Pipe Band Championship on 18 May in Bangor and the British Pipe Band Championships on 8 June in Forres. Thanks to everyone who took the time to watch – and hopefully no one missed their train!”

SP Energy Networks’ Scott Mathieson, who is also Chairman of the Pipe Band, said: “The ScottishPower Pipe Band always blow audiences away with their performances, but the added element of surprise at Glasgow Central Station was a real stand-out moment. We’re so proud to sponsor such a talented team of pipers and drummers and loved seeing them showcase their skills in such a fun and different way. There are lots more exciting performances to come this year and we can’t wait to follow them on their musical journey.”

One of the world’s leading Grade 1 pipe bands

The Pipe Band are one of the world’s leading Grade 1 pipe bands having featured as a regular prize winner in all major competitions over several decades. Twice Cowal Champions, Scottish Champions, All-Ireland and British Champions and runners-up in the World Championships are just some of their awards.

They are in demand throughout the world. They have previously performed in the US, Canada, Japan and China. The band have appeared before the late Queen at Braemar, for the Pope at St Peter’s in Rome, with Sir Paul McCartney at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, at the Lord Mayor’s Show in London, at the Official Opening of the Scottish Parliament and at the 75^th Royal Variety Performance.

You can watch the magical moment the ScottishPower Pipe Band took Glasgow Central Station by surprise on the Pipe Band’s social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok.

One of America’s most beloved Scottish brands wowed New Yorkers, on Saturday 6 April 2024 at the annual Tartan Week celebrations in New York City, with a miniature shortbread replica of the Empire State Building.   Every April, a wave of tartan sweeps through New York, as the city that never sleeps celebrates Tartan Day and its cultural ties to Scotland. To celebrate the culmination of this year’s event Walker’s Shortbread recreated the iconic 102-storey Empire State Building using 527 pieces of its famous shortbread fingers.   The replica, which was built by UK food artist, Prudence Staite, and was transported to the heart of Tartan Day celebrations. The wee Empire State Building was available to visit at Pre-Parade Registration, at the Algonquin Hotel in Times Square.

The miniature Empire State Building is a fitting tribute from Walker’s, which has long-standing ties with the USA.  The USA was the brand’s first export market in 1976 and home to Walker’s first international office, and the family-owned business has now been sharing the joy of shortbread with Americans for almost 50 years.   The country is still Walker’s biggest export market, with record sales recorded in 2023 and over 50 million pieces of Walker’s best-selling Shortbread Fingers are enjoyed across all 50 states every year.

A proud Scottish brand

Alastair Walker, Head of International Sales at Walker’s Shortbread said: “Walker’s is a proud Scottish brand, however we always try to create a sense of place through our products in the close to 100 international markets that we export to. What is so important to us is that we celebrate our own heritage while also nodding to the cultures and traditions of the markets in which we’re sold. Our shortbread Empire State Building is a great example of this and the ideal way for us to mark the celebrations. We first started exporting to the US, with so many ex-pats living in country it was an opportunity to provide many of them with a taste of Scotland. For almost 50 years we’ve experienced increased demand for our all-butter shortbread, as people want to indulge in a quality product which is made with care, from only four natural ingredients, in the Scottish Highlands.”

Walker’s Shortbread Ltd was established 125 years ago in Aberlour, Speyside, Scotland. Still an independent family concern to this day, the company is headed by the founder’s great- grandchildren, who faithfully maintain the tradition of producing the finest shortbread, biscuits, cakes and oatcakes to original recipes using only the finest ingredients – a policy that has earned Walker’s a global reputation for quality and excellence.

Main photo: Pipers celebrating Tartan Week with Sir Jimn Walker. Images courtesy of Walker’s Shortbread.

While modern day Highland Games have changed significantly over the years, there are still three pillar competitions that are consistent throughout the world; Highland Dancing; Scottish Athletic Heavy Events; and Piping, Drumming & Pipe Bands. Since its return in 2019, the Kingsville-Essex Highland Games has always proudly presented all three of these events and 2024 will be no exception. The Committee is beyond excited to announce that the prestigious 78^th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band will be competing in Kingsville on June 22^nd. The 78^th Fraser Highlanders are a top-tier pipe band, one of eighteen Grade 1 pipe bands in the world, only three of which are in Canada.

Since its inception in 1982, The 78^th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band has been an international leader in bagpiping and drumming, boldly presenting innovative music with subtle hints of Celtic tradition. The band travels to Glasgow, Scotland every year to compete on the international stage at the most advanced level (Grade 1), in the World Pipe Band Championships. The 78^th holds 14 Canadian Championship titles, 14 North American Championship titles, a ranking position as one of the top 12 bands in the world over twenty times, as well as a very prestigious and historic title: that of being the first non-Scottish pipe band to win the World Pipe Band Championships in Grade 1 (1987).

The ancient sounds of the bagpipe and drum

Also, the Toronto Police Pipe Band has now registered to return for the Kingsville-Essex Highland Games competition. As ambassadors of both the Toronto Police Service and the City of Toronto, the band is dedicated to playing good music well and to help bring the ancient sounds of the bagpipe and drum to the people. The Toronto Police Pipe Band are currently a Grade 2 Pipe Band and have competed on the national and world stage over decades. There are 5 grade levels for competing pipers, drummers, and pipe bands, with 1 being the highest.

“We are truly honoured to have these bands choose to compete in Kingsville as they don’t attend all Highland Games. This year is shaping up to be a real treat for everyone who comes to the Kingsville-Essex Games on June 22^nd, it’s not every day you have the chance to hear bands of this calibre” said founder and chairman, Doug Plumb. And it doesn’t end there, check the website regularly for updates on the bands that will be joining these two Canadian icons in June.

The Kingsville-Essex Highland Games takes place on Saturday June 22^nd, 2024. This year there is a new venue at the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village, 6155 Arner Townline, Kingsville, Ontario. For more details see: www.kingsvillehighlandgames.com.

Main photo: The 78^th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band.

Culzean Castle is famous, perhaps world famous, and deservedly so. Less widely-known is the country park of which it is the heart. The park is a magical gem in itself. Together, both in the care of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), they comprise one of Scotland’s greatest treasures, a must-see whether you’re a local or have travelled from the other side of the world.

There can be few country parks that include such a wide variety of landscapes; there’s sea and shore and crag; gardens and woodland; ponds and burns and glens. While there is no moor or mountain, there is some farmland as well as the former estate buildings; and, of course, the castle itself.

Coif Castle

We don’t know exactly when the first castle on the site was built but there was definitely something here by the 1400s: it went by the name of Coif (or Cove) Castle. The lands were the property of the Kennedy family from the 12^th century onwards. The beginnings of the castle structure as we know it began to appear in the late 1500s when Sir Thomas Kennedy ordered a simple and rather austere L-plan tower house. However, the castle was massively rebuilt in the period 1777-1792 (it was a big project, so it took a while!) on the orders of the 9^th and 10^th Earls of Cassillis, as the Kennedy’s had become. The architect they employed was the renowned Robert Adam. Essentially, what emerged was a new-build though the old tower house was incorporated into the new structure. The new castle is widely regarded, inside and out, as an Adam masterpiece. As we’ll see, some further changes were made in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, but the substance of Adam’s achievement remained.

The castle came into the care of the National Trust for Scotland in 1945. The one thing everyone knows about Culzean is that a self-contained apartment within the castle was made available to Dwight D Eisenhower for the term of his life, as a thank-you from the United Kingdom for his service during the Second World War. You can see some Eisenhower memorabilia in the Castle, but his apartment is now part of an exclusive hotel that helps to fund NTS conservation work at the site.

The first thing you notice as you approach the castle is that it’s huge. If you’ve ever seen the 1973 film, The Wicker Man you might have wondered how Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) could inhabit such an enormous property on what was supposed to be a small island; his home was played by Culzean Castle.

Your first view of the castle is framed by The Ruined Arch: this was built as a ruin, part of Adam’s design for a dramatic introduction to the castle, though the idea of a historic ruin pays tribute to the lengthy history of the Kennedy’s. The arch leads to a viaduct which crosses the Walled Garden – picturesque on the left, kitchen garden on the right – and up to the castle itself. It’s a breathtaking way to approach the building. The porch by which you enter the building is a Victorian addition; apparently, Adam’s design didn’t cope well with keeping out the westerly gales, so the porch was included in order to provide an airlock. It leads to the armoury, with, as you’d expect, patterns traced in old pistols and swords. More surprisingly, there’s a First World War aeroplane propeller in the ceiling, presented to the castle by a wartime aerodrome at nearby Turnberry.

The castle’s Oval Staircase is perhaps its most striking feature, an Adam innovation that gave access not only to the new-build parts of the castle but also the older elements that he retained. Some rooms, such as the Library, are actually housed in older parts of the castle, in this case the old tower house. The Dining Room, something of a favourite with visitors – we all like to imagine ourselves dining in state, Downton-style – was remodelled in Victorian times, but in a way that harmonised with the original Adam design.

Culzean’s coastal setting

The art displayed in the various rooms is a highlight of the castle for me. Watch out especially for specially-commissioned paintings of the castle itself, and of the surrounding area, by the famous Scottish painter Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840). As was normal in the landscape painting of the time, Nasmyth tended to exaggerate the height and ruggedness of Culzean’s coastal setting but they still capture the spirit of the place.

After you’ve seen round the house there is still plenty to explore. In fact, a day is hardly long enough to see everything. The Walled Garden is a must, especially on a warm day; the beach is also worth a visit, though be warned, it is not a sandy paradise and can be slippery. Look out for a small, circular, domed building; this is the Round House, actually a grand ancestor of the changing cubicles at your local swimming pool! It was built in the early 1800s as a changing facility when there was a new fashion for sea bathing. In the estate offices – actually some walking distance from the castle itself – there’s a shop and café. Another outbuilding has been repurposed as a second-hand book and CD shop, something I like very much. And, of course, there are the wide-open spaces of the Country Park, Scotland’s first to be so designated back in 1969.

The site of Culzean Castle has a long history of occupation, even if the Adam building and its Victorian accretions are not really that old. As such, inevitably, there are ghost stories attached to the location. A ghostly piper is said to play on stormy nights (doubters would say it’s easy to imagine pipe music when there is a strong wind hammering into the crags) and also to foretell a Kennedy wedding. There are also tales of a young woman in a ball gown being seen in the castle and a ‘white lady’ – a traditional type of ghost but here said to be the spirit of a maltreated servant girl. I’m a sceptic about ghosts but do let us know if you see (or hear) anything!

Few Scottish historic buildings have anything like the impact on the senses that Culzean Castle does. You often hear about ‘must-sees’; this one really is.

Text and images by: David McVey.

Dressed to Kilt, the renowned annual celebration of Scottish fashion and culture, made its highly anticipated Canadian debut on April 6, 2024, at the Liberty Grand in Toronto, Ontario. The event reconfirmed Dressed to Kilt’s status as the largest, most prestigious, and exciting Scottish fashion show in the world. This show now also ranks as one of the highest-profile fashion shows in Toronto in terms of press and media generation. For the first time ever, the show generated in excess of two million media impressions and counting.

The show was yet another sold-out evening. More than 400 guests attended this standing-room-only show for an evening of glamour, entertainment, and philanthropy, all in support of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Fund. The Royal Canadian Legion is the largest veteran’s organization in Canada.

The finest in Scottish fashion

The runway came alive with elegance and grace showcasing the finest in Scottish fashion. The energy was palpable as guests enjoyed a mesmerizing display of custom-made tartans, including the new tartan created for the Canadian Special Forces Veterans through the Blackstone Association.

“We are thrilled by the overwhelming success and reception of Dressed to Kilt 2024,” said Dr. Geoffrey Scott Carroll, Co-Founder of Dressed to Kilt. “It was an honour to bring this iconic event to Toronto and to witness the outpouring of support from the community. From the stunning runway show to the incredible music, to the sold-out venue, the evening truly exceeded all expectations.”

One of the new additions to this year’s show was the collaboration with George Brown College School of Fashion, the leading university fashion program in Canada. Scotland’s Strathmore Woollen Company donated Tartan fabric to the school and upwards of nine students created bespoke designs for the runway. Their designs were wild, colourful and creative and the audience gave them a standing ovation. This collaboration with a leading university fashion program will likely be a permanent feature of the show going forward.

Celebrating Scottish fashion and culture

The success of Dressed to Kilt 2024 would not have been possible without the support of sponsors, partners, and volunteers. Their dedication and commitment played a crucial role in making this event a resounding success. As the event reflects on the unforgettable moments shared at Dressed to Kilt 2024, they extend their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to its success. Dressed to Kilt look forward to continuing the tradition of celebrating Scottish fashion and culture and watch this space as Dressed to Kilt will be returning to New York City for the 2025 show for the first time since before the pandemic.

Dressed to Kilt is a global fashion phenomenon that transcends the boundaries of style and culture. Founded by Sir Sean Connery and Dr. Geoffrey Scott Carroll, this iconic event has redefined the fashion landscape, merging the elegance of black-tie attire with the rich history of Scotland. As the world’s most prestigious Scottish fashion show, Dressed to Kilt celebrates the fusion of heritage and haute couture. With a legacy of celebrity-filled shows and a commitment to promoting Scottish heritage, Dressed to Kilt has become synonymous with fashion excellence and creativity.

For more information about Dressed to Kilt and future events, please visit: www.dressedtokilt.com.

Sandy Ritchie wrote his first book at 93. He’s a champion of history and heritage, loves Doric and even booked Dame Evelyn Glennie to perform in New Deer. Aberdeenshire councillor, Anne Simpson, thinks Sandy is “an amazing man” and the pride of Buchan, as Neil Drysdale explains.

Sandy Ritchie has released his first book at the age of 93. He was recently awarded a British Empire Medal for voluntary services to cultural heritage and the community in north-east Scotland and champions the local Buchan community.

He’s the man who his first book, New Deer and Roon Aboot, at the age of 93, and has gained a reputation as one of north-east Scotland’s most remarkable community champions. And Sandy Ritchie, who is now 94, has been accorded recognition at local and national level after being presented with the British Empire Medal and a Pride of Buchan award on the same day at his home in Aberdeenshire. He was privileged to receive the honour, but upset that Atholene, his wife of nearly 70 years, was not there to witness the ceremony, following her death last year.

Bertie Forbes

Mr Ritchie worked as a funeral director for many years, but has never lost his zest for life and has met everybody from renowned musician Dame Evelyn Glennie to international businessman Bertie Forbes and Flora Garry – the Buchan Poetess. He was also among the audience who thrilled at the sight of the Book of Deer – which is more than 1,000 years old – when it was brought back to Aberdeen two years ago and later marvelled at the news that archaeologists had discovered proof of a lost monastery close to his roots. Mr Ritchie, who has been instrumental for decades in the activities of such organisations as the Buchan Heritage Society, the Book of Deer Project and the New Deer Public Hall and Community Association, was presented with his BEM by Aberdeenshire’s Lord Lieutenant Sandy Manson.

For decades, he has chronicled those he has met or families with whom he has had dealings. These included the kith and kin of Mr Forbes, who founded the eponymous business magazine in the United States, and was another who emerged from the little Scottish community. As a young lad, he took down – in shorthand – the minister’s sermon on a Sunday at the Auld Kirk and subsequently read it to his grandfather when he returned home. The bond was strong.

And, as Sandy relates: “Bertie died in 1954 and was buried in New York. But in 1988, his son, Malcolm, arranged for his coffin to be disinterred and taken home and I myself had the great honour of acting as undertaker when Bertie’s remains were re-interred beside his grandfather, James Moir, in the Auld Kirkyard at New Deer.” So, in death, they were back together again.

Dame Evelyn Glennie

By 1989, Evelyn Glennie had established a formidable musical reputation, just 24 years after her birth in Ellon Maternity Hospital. Despite her hearing loss as a young woman, which led to her travelling to London to meet Ann Rachlin, the founder of the Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children, she emerged as a massively gifted percussionist. In which light, Mr Ritchie must have imagined he was whistling in the dark when he attempted to coax Evelyn back to the place where her mother had played the organ for the 150^th anniversary of St Kane’s Church in New Deer. But, once again, the close ties ensured that he managed to bring the idea to fruition.

He explains: “I had quite a bit of negotiating to do with her people to persuade her to come – and at a reduced fee – and I was successful, I am sure, with the help of mam Isobel. A great evening ensued. I had to lay a wooden plywood covering on the church altar because Evelyn performed her repertoire in her bare feet, getting vibrations up from the floor. It was a never-to-be-forgotten evening that was enjoyed by around 800 people.”

As he noted, the now “Dame Evelyn” has achieved global fame. But that didn’t stop her from maintaining her links to the place where she and her family grew up. And Mr Ritchie will keep encouraging others to remember their roots and their heritage.

Main photo: Sandy and his book.

The 2024 Ellis Island celebration of Tartan Day featured a Celebration of Highland Dance through interpretive exhibits, dance costumes, performance videos and live performances. On Sunday, April 7, over 60 dancers representing the US, Scotland, Canada, and Australia performing traditional dances and a majestic mass Highland Fling in front of the New York City skyline. Performers included members of Shot of Scotch (New York City), the OzScot Dancers (Australia), the Fling Together troupe (US and Canada), the Maloney School of Dance (New Jersey) and Scotland’s Lindsay School of Dancing. Emily Ritter of Shot of Scotch served as Dance Director and piping was provided by John Loiacono.

Commenting on the experience, Debra Henry of the Lindsay School of Dance from Stonehaven, Scotland said, “Dancing on Ellis Island has been an amazing experience for our dancers with the most iconic backdrop of the New York City skyscape behind the Mass Fling. We all have memories to last a lifetime.”

Opening on March 27 to kick off Scottish heritage celebrations in New York, the exhibit has been extended until April 18. The program was dedicated to the memory of beloved Scottish dance teacher Mary Stewart. Stewart (1918-2001) came to America from Glasgow in 1951 and became a renowned teacher of champion Highland Dancers.

Producer Robert Currie, Commander of the Name and Arms of Currie expressed his gratitude to the entire event team, especially the incredible dancers, the US National Park Service and the Scottish Government. Additional support and coordination was provided by ScotDance USA.

Rich cultural heritage

Scottish dancing in North America can be traced back to the migration of Scottish immigrants who brought their cultural traditions, including dance, to the continent. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries, Scottish settlers and their descendants continued to practice traditional dances, adapting them to the new surroundings. These dances were often performed at social gatherings, celebrations, and events within Scottish communities, helping to preserve and pass on the rich cultural heritage. Over time, Scottish dance evolved and diversified in North America, with various styles and regional influences contributing to its vibrant presence today.

Highland dancer Mariah Rust who took part added, “Since I first participated in 2018, the Tartan Day on Ellis Island performance has become one of my favorites, not only because it’s in a beautiful spot with views of the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan, but also for the significance dancing on Ellis Island holds. It was amazing to be able to share this experience with so many friends from Shot of Scotch, Fling Together, OzScot Australia and more. Thank you to the Learned Kindred of Currie/Clan Currie Society for organizing this performance year after year and for including me for a third time.”

Part of the North American celebration of Tartan Week, Tartan Day on Ellis Island is one of the United States’ major annual Scottish heritage events. Each year is highlighted by an exhibit exploring a specific aspect of Scottish-American history and culture. The celebration also features performances by a host of Scottish artists, including pipers and drummers, Highland dancers, fiddlers, jugglers and harpists. Attendance regularly exceeds 8 thousand visitors per day.

Past exhibitions have included, Scotland’s Gift’s to the World, Captain Kidd and the Hangman’s Noose, A Celebration of Tartan, and Golf – Scotland’s Gift to the World. The Society also produced the award-winning documentary film The Crafter’s Song – Tartan Day on Ellis Island in 2003.

The event is produced by the Learned Kindred of Currie, a leading Scottish-American cultural and educational non-profit dedicated to preserving and promoting Scottish and Highland heritage and the arts through a wide variety of programs including special events, scholarships and heritage programs.

For more information on Tartan Day on Ellis Island please see: www.tartandayonellisisland.com

Images courtesy of Tartan Day on Ellis Island and Fling Together Collective.

Latest investigations by National Trust for Scotland archaeologists at Culloden Battlefield have recovered a wide range of artefacts, including a buckle they believe to be the shoe buckle of Donald Cameron of Lochiel, who led the 400-strong Camerons regiment into the battle. The large number of musket balls and grapeshot unearthed by the conservation charity’s archaeologists and volunteers in a small 60 sq m area close to the Government frontline, vividly illustrate the intensity of the fighting on the Jacobite right wing. The charity has revealed the findings, made during test pit excavation and metal detecting, as it recently marked the 278^th anniversary of the battle on 16 April 1746, which saw around 1,600 men killed in less than an hour.

Of particular significance and interest to the Trust’s archaeologists were two items found in close proximity – a single piece of heavy lead grape shot and a broken copper alloy buckle. Derek Alexander, the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Archaeology, explained, “The grape shot has obviously hit something with great force as one side of the lead ball has been completely flattened. The ball would have been around 2-3cm in diameter and, at 102g, weighed about four times a standard musket ball. The flattened side of the impacted ball has a striped impression, with part of the surface gouged and rolled back and an angular cut on one of its edges. It looks like it hit something angular with enough force to flatten the ball but also at an angle to cause the gouge across it.“

The Gentle Lochiel

The other item found in the same hole was a flat copper alloy object. This appears to be part of a broken rectangular framed buckle for a strap measuring 26mm wide. The buckle is decorated on the outside with cast beaded dots, plain lines and a central twisted-rope pattern, with a shape reminiscent of the flat, slightly-curved shoe buckles often shown in contemporary illustrations.

Derek Alexander continues, “The juxtaposition of both these artefacts, recovered from the same hole and within 20-30m of the British Army front line, is intriguing and the obvious conclusion would be that the grape shot hit the shoe buckle and broke off one end. This is of particular significance as one of the most recounted stories of the Jacobite charge at Culloden is the wounding of Donald Cameron of Lochiel, known as ‘The Gentle Lochiel’. The late Christopher Duffy, a leading authority on the Battle of Culloden, tells how Lochiel ‘advancing at the head of his regiment [the Camerons], was so near Barrell’s [Government Regiment] that he fired his pistol, and was drawing his sword when he fell, wounded with grapeshot in both ankles. This description shows us that Lochiel was hit in the ankles charging forward and if he had been wearing shoes with buckles, it is possible that these would have been hit and partly absorbed the impact. We can’t prove that this is what happened but both objects combine to tell the story of the terrible events that took place on that day.”

Donald Cameron of Lochiel (1695-1748) was the hereditary chief of Clan Cameron and led their 400-strong regiment at the Battle of Culloden. A staunch Jacobite, he played a key role in the 1745 Rising and marched with his clan regiment to Derby and back. Despite being wounded at Culloden, he managed to escape to France with Bonnie Prince Charlie in September 1746. He died of a stroke in northern France at the age of 53 in 1748. After the Rising, he was give the nickname ‘The Gentle Lochiel’ due to him preventing the Jacobite army from sacking the city of Glasgow in 1746.

Donald Cameron of Lochiel, the current (28th) chief, commented, “This fascinating archaeological discovery adds to the legends surrounding one of my most famous ancestors, the Gentle Lochiel, and certainly tallies with the fact that he was injured by grape shot in that particular location at Culloden. We will of course never know the full picture but it’s intriguing that the battlefield is still producing such interesting artefacts even today.”

Sharing the stories of Culloden

Gail Cleaver, the National Trust for Scotland’s Operations Manager for Culloden, added, “Culloden Moor is a powerfully emotive place, and it’s rare for a landscape of this age to be so relatively intact. The National Trust for Scotland has been acquiring and caring for parts of the battlefield since 1937. But the field of battle and the views that surround it are increasingly under threat from development, and as well as sharing the stories of Culloden, our charity works hard to protect its sense of place. This is why we set up the Culloden Fighting Fund in 2021. The fund helps us care and protect the battlefield in many ways, including setting up our five-year archaeology programme which has transformed our understanding of the battle and strengthened our advocacy against improper development around the battlefield. As we mark the 278^th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden, our charity is grateful to people from all over the world who generously support our work here. Their donations to the Fighting Fund, as well as the encouraging words they send to us, are greatly appreciated and remind us more than ever of how privileged we are to care for Culloden and how important is our work to protect, care for and share it. If you’d like to support us in that, you can donate at nts.org.uk/Culloden-fighting-fund.”

All images courtesy of the National Trust for Scotland.

Thousands of Kiwis descended onto Onewa Domain in Auckland to take in the 2024 New Zealand Pipe Band Championships, the biggest pipe band event outside of the United Kingdom. Fifty-two bands from across Australia and New Zealand competed at the two-day event, culminating with the reigning New Zealand champions, Canterbury Caledonian Society, retaining their premier grade title.

“The strength of the entries and the standard of music right across the grades is testament to how strong the pipe band movement in New Zealand is, and the renaissance we are seeing with young people from all walks of life deciding to take up the bagpipes and drums,” RNZPBA President Iain Blakeley says. “The adjudication panel said this year’s event was the highest standard of competition they had heard in New Zealand in a long time. Having high-quality music across all of the competition grades both helps inspire players to constantly reach for excellence as well as inspire new people to take up the instruments.”

Pipe bands are for everyone

Of note, the 2024 competition played host to the biggest under-18 juvenile event in the world, and for the second time in the history of the national championships a female was awarded Champion Drum Major. Iain continued, “We are proud of the fact we have so many young people from all walks of life wanting to play the bagpipes or drums. It’s an incredible environment for young people to learn new skills, make new friends and have fun. The strength of the public interest in this year’s event shows the unique contribution we can make to communities right across New Zealand. There are strong signs that the event will continue to grow and diversify which is an exciting prospect. No matter your background, pipe bands are for everyone.”

The winners of each grade were:

Grade One: Canterbury Caledonian Society’s Pipe Band (Christchurch, New Zealand)

Grade Two: Celtic Pipe Band (Nelson, New Zealand)

Grade Three: City of Melbourne Pipe Band No. 1 (Melbourne, Australia)

Grade Four ‘A’: Hamilton Caledonian Society (Hamilton, New Zealand)

Grade Four ‘B’: South Canterbury Highland Pipe Band (Timaru, New Zealand)

Juvenile: St. Andrew’s College Pipe Band (Christchurch, New Zealand)

Champion Drum Major: Wendy Chisholm (Canterbury Caledonian Society’s Pipe Band)

The 2025 New Zealand Pipe Band Championships will be held in Invercargill 7-8^th March 2025, at the Cricket Grounds, Queens Park. The event will be livestreamed for piping fans across the world to enjoy.

Main photo: Grade One winners Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band.

Hollywood stars Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn influenced the names of Scottish babies in decades gone by, according to new analysis by National Records of Scotland (NRS). For the first time statisticians have looked back through all the names used since 1935 and charted the top 100 names in each year. NRS Statistician Maria Kaye-Bardgett said: “Over time we see an increase in the variety of names being used, with stars from the silver screen having an impact.

For example, Marilyn rose to popularity in 1946 and peaked in 1953 when Monroe starred in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire. The name Audrey appeared to get a boost from Audrey Hepburn’s career, rising to reach a peak of 36^th in 1963 before dropping out of the top hundred in 1976. This shows pop culture was already influential 70 years ago and continues to have an impact on what parents decide to name their children today.”  Another key finding from this report is the relative stability among boy’s names. A dozen names have stayed in the top 100 for babies born in Scotland over the last 88 years and all of them are for boys. These names are Adam, Alexander, Daniel, David, James, Joseph, Matthew, Michael, Robert, Samuel, Thomas, William.

Long-term favourites

Maria Kaye-Bardgett commented: “These twelve names are long-term favourites that have stood the test of time, interestingly none of them are for girls. The only girls name that came close to this sustained popularity was Elizabeth which was in the top 100 every year except 2018 and 2021, perhaps reflecting the long reign of Elizabeth II.” Many parents seem to choose comeback names, something which was popular in decades gone by. Names like Louis, Finlay and Emily are all popular again having fallen out of the top 100 in previous decades. Maria Kaye-Bardgett added:  “One name which has bounced back recently is Flora which returned to the top 100 after a 78-year absence. It was previously in the top 100 from 1935 to 1943. Its return could be a result of the renewed interest in the Jacobite era with the hugely successful Outlander TV series including the character Flora Macdonald, famous in history for having helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after defeat at Culloden.”

The latest statistics also found some one-offs; names that made it into the top 100 for one year only. This category included the name Jan for boys in 1946. The vast majority of baby boys called Jan had a father who was in the Polish military. Up to 200,000 Polish soldiers, sailors and airmen trained in Scotland between 1940 and 1947. Many Polish people were interned, imprisoned or conscripted during the war but thousands escaped and were sent to Scotland to train Another one-off was Kylie in 1988, when there were 104 baby girls given the name in the year Kyle Minogue left Neighbours to launch her music career.

Since 2016 The Society of John De Graeme has worked in partnership with The Society Of William Wallace (so effectively it would make both Wallace and Graeme proud) to deliver The Battle of Falkirk 1298 Commemoration in Falkirk.  Their aim is to bring history to life with a community-based event that retells the story of The Battle of Falkirk 1298. The Battle of Falkirk 1298 Commemoration pays homage to those who fought and died in defence of their home.

A pivotal event in Scotland’s history

The Society’s feel other than time there is no difference between honouring those at The Bulge or Dunkirk to those at Falkirk, a Scot fighting and dying to protect the freedoms of his homeland is no different and should be remembered. The events aim is also to raise awareness for the Battle which was a pivotal event in Scotland’s history without Falkirk there would be no Bannockburn. Falkirk saw the largest English (in terms of lead by) host brought to Scotland and lead by Edward I himself. Edward I would go on to assemble a large army and on 22 July 1298 defeat William Wallace’s men at Falkirk. And though the Scots were defeated this event celebrates Scotland’s culture and helping to educate people on Scotland’s dramatic history.

The Society of John De Graeme has a crowdfunder to help with running costs of this year’s event, taking place on Saturday July 20^th, which remembers those who fought and died on the fields of Falkirk. The event has not been very successful with grants in previous years and has required help from the community.

If you are able to donate it will help deliver a great event:  https://gofund.me/f8cc3748. To learn more about The Society of John De Graeme see: https://the-society-of-john-de-graeme.weebly.com.

The Knights, all the bands, all the Clans, medieval villagers, singing and dancing will unite Celtic spirits at the 17^th Berry Celtic Festival in Berry, NSW. Visit the Berry Showground on Saturday 25 May to see what medieval life was like in Celtic times. The 2024 Berry Celtic Festival steps off at 9.30am with a grand street parade of pipe bands marching in their distinctive kilts, together with representatives of all the Clans, medieval knights, and Scottish terrier dogs. The Parade proceeds down the main street of Berry and on to the Berry Showground where the rest of the day’s activities are held.

The 2024 Berry Celtic Festival continues the castle keep feel with stalls, Scottish soldiers’ camp, Celtic musicians, spinners and weavers, and artisans forming an avenue around the parade ground where the pipes and drum bands, knights on steeds, dancers and Scottish soldiers feature in the entertainment program. As well as hand to hand combats and strongman competitions, heavily armoured noble knights on horseback joust one another to see who is the last one standing. You’ll hear the thunder of the hooves as horses charge at one another with the jousting knights aiming their lances at each other.

The Berry Celtic Festival is a fundraising activity of the Rotary Club of Berry where proceeds go towards disaster relief projects, youth development programs and community development. The Rotary Club thank the Shoalhaven City Council and all sponsors.

For more information and ticketing visit: berryrotary.org.au. ​

The 46^th Savannah Scottish Games will be held May 4, 2024, at Bethesda Academy. As you enter the beautiful grounds overlooking the Moon River, be prepared to spend the day enjoying entertainment for the entire family. Heavy Athletes who like to throw heavy things compete in seven events, including the famous Caber Toss. Next, take in the ScotDance Southeast Regional Highland Dance Championships at the dance venue in the morning where the Premier U.S. Highland dancers in the southeast compete for slots at the nationals, while demonstrating the strength and beauty of this ancient method of testing warriors’ stamina and agility before and after battle. The afternoon Pre-Premier Highland Dance Competition provides an opportunity to see the younger dancers and those at various levels as they are evaluated on three major criteria: timing, technique and deportment.

Pipe and drum competitions return to Savannah this year. The thrilling and haunting music of the bagpipe is the soul of Scotland. Coupled with the drums, their sounds become even more enthralling.

Phenomenal performances

Music lovers can also enjoy phenomenal performances by bands including North of Argyll, Lochlann, Junkfield and Monkey Stew (Stewart & Winfield, Junkyard Angel, Monkey Man: A Stones Band). North of Argyll plays upbeat Celtic fusion music with great visual delivery and retelling of the history of the stories behind the songs. Lochlann sings and harmonizes Celtic songs accompanied by fiddles, recorders, flutes, guitars, and the bodhran. There are many activities for the wee ones. They may encounter Zephyr, a mythical fairy, and then listen to a wide selection of Scottish tales by a famed storyteller. Children can also participate in golf, hockey, a sheaf toss, caber toss, haggis hurl, stone throw, welly toss, and a sack race. A children’s kilted run is held on the athletic field. Lads and lassies are also offered a Games Passport at the front gate to be redeemed for a prize at the information tent.

The Birds of Prey and the Border Collies are always crowd favorites! The Shire of Fort Castle makes history come alive through medieval activities, such as armed combat, dance, and juggling You can learn ancient arts like calligraphy, armoring, and Metalworking. Visit Clan Non Con & The Highland Independent Company of Darien portraying Scottish Highlanders of the 1736-1746 era who were some of the best soldiers in the world! If you’ve ever wondered if you have a bit of the Scots in you or are interested in a specific clan or clans, visit the many clan tents surrounding the Scottish Games arena. You can also ask the genealogists at the genealogy tent to help trace your family tree. The Savannah Scottish Games also has food and beverage vendors who offer traditional Scottish foods, American foods, sweets, craft beers, and mead. The Scottish Marketplace has 15 or more vendors offering Celtic goods including a T-shirt commemorating the event

Mark your calendar for May 4! The games begin at 8:45 am and culminates with the Closing Ceremony at 4:30 p.m. New this year (from 4:15 until 7 pm) we will gather to enjoy Stewart’s Ceilidh Roots Rock Festival!

For more information: www.SavannahScottishGames.com

By:  Catherine Simpson

Images courtesy of Howard Hackney

Jonny Stableford has only been back from Alaska for a few days, but he’s already hard at work on the Isle of Gigha, just off the west coast of Kintyre. “Gigha was one of the first community buy out islands,” he says, noting that there’s a population of around 150 people there. “Pretty much everything here is owned by the island trust, and this is my third visit in 13 months.”

A wood sculptor and carver, Jonny is working in the public access Achamore Gardens, which has some nationally rare and significant plants, and he and the team are dealing with some of their high-risk trees. “The island, like the rest of Scotland, was hit hard by storms.” Stableford, 41, was born and raised in Linlithgow, and moved to Falkirk four years ago. He first became interested in sculpting at Barony College in Dumfries, when he was pursuing a career in the Ranger Service.

Scottish Working Woods

“There was a two-week block in chainsaws, and one of the instructors had some of us doing exercises like making little chairs, and it wasn’t long before the dark side dragged me under!” he laughs. “When I left college, I became involved in pole climbing. With spikes on your feet and a harness, you climb up the 80 feet as fast as you can. My best time was 12.8 seconds, and between climbs, there was usually a chainsaw carver to watch, and after being given a book on how to carve, the touchpaper had really been lit.” He carved in the evenings and at weekends for nearly 20 years before looking to enter competitions and work for himself.

“I won second place at the Scottish Carving comp last year, which was pretty special on home turf, and I’ve just been granted use of The Scottish Working Woods label, which is a recognized seal of quality assurance.”  Jonny’s small workshop is in the Muiravonside Country Park, and he explains that over the years he has carved everything from a Lego man, Xbox Controller, and an old-fashioned diving bell. His trip to Alaska came about because he wanted to know more about ice carving, something that he often does for corporate clients.

“I’ve carved the Cruachan Dam, known as “the hole in the hill,” twice now. I really like the unusual stuff, as it gets me thinking much more. You can push and shove wood about, and it doesn’t complain too much. But ice doesn’t like that. You also lose perception of depth when working with ice, and getting it to look “right” can be a huge challenge.”

A marathon journey involving 10 flights saw him arrive at the World Ice Art Championships (WIAC) in Fairbanks, Alaska, back in February – with temperatures ranging from -40 to -60 when he arrived.  Jonny has volunteered for the “boot camp”, which he describes as “basically on the job training, teaching everything from reading ice, construction of multi block structures and then putting as much fun and creativity into the park construction as possible.” He also took part in the Ice Harvest, where hundreds of square blocks of ice are cut and lifted from local waterways in preparation for the competitions, and to create the huge children’s park.

Jonny Chainsaw

“The company I work for in Edinburgh manufacturers ice blocks something like 100 x 60 x 30cm, but this is on a very different scale,” he says, adding that he showcased some of his exploits in interior Alaska on his Instagram feed, where he goes under the name Jonny Chainsaw.  “The cold was a phenomenal experience which I loved,” he admits. “Those temperatures slow everything down, and you have to be dressed perfectly for working. Not too hot, not too cold. Tools are much more sensitive when you use them too, and you have to be very aware of the impact on your body when you’re using them.”

Jonny was embraced by the international community of carvers that had assembled, and said that he was thrust into carving the first day on site. “I was quite nervous to be entrusted with other people’s tools and equipment, particularly chisels and cutters that I’d never used before. I loved it though,” he adds, noting that his two-week stay came at a high financial cost, even with accommodation provided and a hectic schedule. “I only had one day off, but on it we managed to go ice fishing. Kaila, a local trapper’s wife and seamstress, provided us with the equipment, and later crafted me a beautiful beaver hat. Fur is a touchy subject in the UK, but the truth is it’s like timber. An excellent natural and sustainable product and in this case, great for keeping out the cold.”

He also managed to visit a famous local attraction and sponsor, the Chena Hot Springs, though he was never finished with his work in time to visit the local Ice Museum, which is located in an old art deco cinema.  Jonny also worked on some ice sculptures of his own, and the first one was “Scotty McMoony,” the first Scottish astronaut, who had a thistle insignia on his chest, carries the Scottish flag, is labelled Made in Scotland, and “and has a half bottle of bucky in his back pocket. I was fairly chuffed with it,” he admitted.

Jonny hopes to return to the six-week long WIAC as a competitor, but right now he’s back at work on the wood in Gigha, and looking to keep himself happy and fit.  “Working a saw can be the cause of many problems, and so to relax I go stand-up paddle boarding as much as I can. I also do a bit of hunting, which ties in with the woodland management theme, as well as putting food in the freezer.” He is also keen to get involved with visual strength grading in timber, which is becoming more in demand, and helps to promote Scottish quality timbers.  “And like most carvers, I dream of a small house with a workshop in the woods. If anyone happens to know of one at a good price, I’d love to hear about it!”

Text by: James Bartlett

Images (unless otherwise noted) courtesy of Rachel Mirth.

Coinneach MacLeod is celebrating his sell-out third North American book tour with the announcement that he has become Scotland’s bestselling cookbook author in the USA. Talking on return from his thirteen city book tour, Coinneach said “I have loved my tour across North America. I’ve been so proud to share the recipes, culture, history and stories of the Outer Hebrides and Scotland, and delighted they have resonated with so many folk across the Atlantic.”

Coinneach’s sixteen-night sell-out tour took him to Vancouver, Calgary, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Asheville, Dallas, Houston, Scottsdale, Jacksonville, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Toronto, which finished with an appearance on primetime Canadian TV show The Social, where he shared his recipes and stories with the celebrity guests and presenters.

Scotland’s best-selling cookbook author

The highlight of the tour was hosting a sell-out Hebridean Baker x Outlander event with international bestselling author Diana Gabaldon. Gabaldon, who has sold over 55 million copies of her Outlander series, took to the stage with Coinneach to share stories and their shared love of Scotland. “I’ve signed over 3,500 copies of my cookbook and have loved meeting many folk with Hebridean and Scottish connections across the country” said Coinneach. “I’m already looking forward to returning to the US in July for Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.”

Coinneach MacLeod, from the Isle of Lewis, the most northerly of the Outer Hebrides recently celebrated the news that he was officially Scotland’s best-selling cookbook author for the past three years.

Vatersay is so often spoken of in the same breath as Barra, its larger and only recently-conjoined sibling to the north. Most visitors to the two islands make a quick foray to the famously beautiful Vatersay Bay before returning to Barra and, often, progressing north to Eriskay and the Uists along the Hebridean Way.

Dwell in Vatersay a while longer, however, and you will find a community and history worth knowing in much greater depth. It is a place I have returned to five times already, and one which – despite being there just two days ago when writing this – I already yearn to see again.           

The Meallaich

Everyone has their own pictorial metaphor for how Vatersay appears on a map. A quartet of peninsulas extend out on an east-west axis from its pinched middle, that glorious central strand of white sands and dunes littered with creels and cattle. I think of it as a butterfly, one wing larger than the other with a brittle middle. The Meallaich, the local name for the sandy tie that binds Vatersay’s two hilly halves, formed 7,000 years ago when sea levels were lower. In the grand scheme of things – and we are talking about a land where the exposed Lewisian gneiss is among the oldest rocks in the world – Vatersay’s status as a single island is a relatively new phenomenon.

When the first people arrived in the Outer Hebrides they beheld two islands, not one. So, it may be again. Some estimates say that by the end of this century, Vatersay will once more be split by the sea. It has not been unknown for particularly harsh storms to wash over the Meallaich to temporarily strand Vatersay from itself again.

Vatersay’s ancient inhabitants left quite a few traces of themselves for us to follow. The island has several brochs and dùns, Iron Age stone towers and stone-walled enclosures, respectively, which may have served as the local headquarters of elite families. Dùn Chaolais in the north and Dùn Vatersay in the south are the two best-preserved examples. There are also a handful of small standing stones located in hill passes, and the ruins of an early medieval Celtic chapel at the very tip of the beach-laden Uidh peninsula accessible only at low tide.

The personalities of the two beaches on either side of the Meallaich can differ wildly from each other. On a calm day Vatersay Bay (Bàgh Bhatarsaigh) is heavenly. Its broad and gentle curve, backed by dunes laden with marram grass, looks out to a sea of turquoise and silver ribbons. Even when the weather turns, which it can in an instant, there is something irrepressibly joyous and calming about it. Cross the band of dunes and make for the West Beach (Tràigh Siar), however, and a different character enters the story. Beautiful it is, certainly, yet the water here is greyer and colder in spirit. The unabated Atlantic crashes onto the sands, channelled by craggy shores to the north and south. It is fearsome where Vatersay Bay is placid, menacing where its counterpart is inviting. Though perhaps that perception has something to do with knowing what happened here.

Shipwrecks were a common feature of life in these isles, but the wreck of the Annie Jane during the night of September 28^th – 29^th, 1853, will be remembered by the people of Vatersay for many years still to come. Sailing out from Liverpool and bound for Quebec, the Annie Jane carried around 500 people including crew and children, many of whom were emigrants from various parts of Scotland, England, and Ireland. Damaged in a storm off St Kilda, the Annie Jane drifted helplessly back towards the Barra Isles and shattered upon the submerged rocks of Tràigh Siar. Only a little more than one hundred survived. The rest were buried among the dunes, and still lay somewhere within them. They are commemorated by a small monument which overlooks the scene of the tragedy. In this resting place they join many others from ages past. A dense concentration of Bronze Age funerary cairns dot the bay’s northern shore at Treasabhaig, dubbed by the archaeologists who surveyed them as the ‘valley of the dead’.

The Vatersay Raiders

Yet tragedy is just one part of Vatersay’s story. Another is people power. In the late 19^th century and early years of the last century, the absentee aristocratic landlord Lady Gordon Cathcart evicted the tenants of Vatersay’s multiple settlements and ran the whole island as one large sheep farm. Several years later, some among the original tenants who had relocated to Barra sailed back to their homelands to reclaim and rebuild their crofts.

These were the Vatersay Raiders, and their resistance to oppression and desolation drew national headlines. Cathcart’s overseer in Vatersay rounded up the Raiders’ cattle and demanded payment for the release of each one, but Duncan Campbell opened the pens and freed them. Cathcart’s rebukes echo the sentiments of modern wealthy landlords, saying that MPs sympathetic to the Raiders were “hostile to business” and that the people of Barra and Vatersay should, in only slightly modified language, simply pick themselves up by their bootstraps instead of clinging to their old, outdated ways.

The Vatersay Raiders faced a trial in Edinburgh, with images of them circulated in newspapers garnering widespread public support for their cause. Ultimately they were released and crofts were re-established in Vatersay, which was bought from Cathcart by the government. The most evocative of the Raiders’ reclaimed settlements is Eòrasdail, located in the southwestern extremity of Vatersay and inhabited until c.1966. There stands a single roofless house and the gable ends of several more, with traces of lazy beds for potatoes, cairns of stones cleared from the surrounding fields, and iron fittings still in place.  Descendants of the Vatersay Raiders still call the island home, and speak with great pride about what they achieved against all material and political odds.

I like to think that the Raiders would have stood alongside modern residents in celebrating the opening of a causeway connecting Vatersay to Barra by land for the first time ever in 1991. Prior to this it was only possible to go between the two by boat, an often perilous journey despite its shortness. Many images in the archives of Dualchas, the heritage centre in Castlebay, Barra, show cattle being precariously swum across the Sound of Vatersay led by men in small boats. Numerous records mention several extended periods where crossings were impossible due to weather. Now, in no small part due to the lifeline of the causeway, Vatersay joins Barra as the only islands in the Outer Hebrides which are not only maintaining but growing their populations.

Episodes of tragedy and promise, of upheaval and resurgence, of hardship and liberty: these are the notes in the millennia-spanning song of Vatersay. The land itself seems aware of this, with idyllic machair beaches – not just Vatersay Bay and West Beach but also the smaller but magnificent Bàgh a’ Deas (South Bay) and Tràigh Bharlais in the northwest – giving way to harsh and bare uplands. If you ever get the chance to be there, do yourself a favour and don’t just pop over to Vatersay Bay for a picnic and photo opp. Stay a while, and dance along the butterfly’s outstretched wings.

Text and photos by: David C. Weinczok.

Perched on the stunning Scottish island of Canna is a restaurant which has been dubbed the remotest in Britain. Gareth Cole gave up life in London to move to an island measuring just two miles across and with only eighteen permanent residents to develop Café Canna. The business opens again for the season this month and Gareth will use his many skills he has had to learn to make a remote island restaurant work, as Judy Vickers explains.

It was one chilly Sunday in early spring when Gareth Cole took a look at the restaurant on Canna with the idea of taking it over. It was pouring with rain, he had no experience as a chef or in the catering trade and the tiny island only has 18 inhabitants as potential diners so it’s perhaps surprising he decided it was a viable business option. “But I’d had all sorts of really bad ideas of how to live and work on the west coast – like almost buying a dilapidated lighthouse – so this was actually quite a good idea,” he says now.

Just a month later, he opened Café Canna’s doors with the simplest of menus (“just fish and chips and the odd lobster”).  That was six years ago – now having weathered storms which swept his picnic benches into the bay, frequent power cuts which mean he’s now adept at cooking by candlelight and sometimes erratic boat deliveries, he has brought out a cookbook featuring the recipes he’s created from the ingredients he can source from the island and its seas.

But perhaps more importantly, he is living the dream he had when working as a website developer in London when sailing trips up the west coast of Scotland became his passion. “I was spending more and more time here to the point of wondering if I could live on the west coast and visit London rather than the other way around,” he says.

Remote island

Now his commute to work is a short stroll down a shoreside track that’s virtually carless – only locals are allowed vehicles – with sea eagles soaring overhead and seals playing in the bay to the whitewashed restaurant which looks out over the water.

Canna is a curiously remote island. The most westerly of the Small Isles – the others being Rum, Eigg and Muck – it is reached by a three-hour ferry from Mallaig, a town on the west coast located on the end of the Road to the Isles, itself around a four-hour drive from Glasgow. Yet on summer nights the restaurant is stowed out. The bay has a natural “double” harbour making it one of the most sheltered spots to drop anchor for the yachties who come from far and wide to enjoy the stunning west coast.

“Canna has an amazing anchorage so it’s a popular sailing spot – they radio us on VHS for a table and row ashore for their meal,” says Gareth. It’s not the only quirky feature of this four and a half mile long by one mile wide island. Visitors staying at the only campsite or the handful of self-catering properties can walk up Compass Hill, composed of volcanic rock with such a high iron content that passing ships’ compasses point to it rather than north.

The island is renowned for its wildlife, including puffins, sea eagles, orcas, dolphins and basking sharks, the latter the second biggest fish in the word – 83 were once recorded in a single day off Canna. It is home to the Gaelic archives of John Lorne Campbell, the famous folklorist, Gaelic scholar and “people’s laird”, known as the man who gave away his island – gifting it to the National Trust for Scotland, which still owns it. His extraordinary collection of texts on history, linguistics and folklore are still housed at stone-built mansion Canna House.

The few roads are private so locals don’t pay road tax and the only shop is unmanned – there is an honesty box. Canna is linked to the neighbouring, smaller tidal island of Sanday.  There’s not much in the way of mobile phone reception. “And our Wi-Fi is very unstable, in order to take card payments I have to stand on a particular spot on a picnic bench,” says Gareth.

The picnic benches themselves once got washed into the bay – Gareth says the job comes with “inherent calamity” – and he’s become well used to power cuts, adapting his menu so that everything can be cooked on a gas hob by candlelight. “It does happen reasonably often, at least once a month,” he says. “But there’s always stuff going wrong, there are always deliveries that haven’t come, that’s part of the job, to make the best of things.”

Culinary creativity

The vagaries of the ferry and deliveries have led Gareth to come up with the culinary creativity that appears in the cookbook. When supplies of beer failed to turn up and the restaurant ran dry, Gareth decided to start brewing his own beer. There were regulatory hoops to jump through in order to get beef from the island’s farm on the menu but now the meat comes from the fields that surround the restaurant. Rabbit is provided by a local and seafood, including lobster, crab and langoustine, from the seas around the island via local fisherman.

The biggest “game changer” was seaweed, foraged from the shore. “I thought it might get a bit of a laugh from the dining room but I didn’t expect this amount of enjoyment. It’s our most popular dish. But then by the time you visit Canna, you have probably visited several places coming up from Glasgow, so you’ve probably got haggis bonbons coming out of your eyeballs so it’s nice to try something different. And we have become a bit more resilient by using these ingredients.”

The restaurant opens this month for the season until October. Winter is for “fixing things that have been broken, experimenting with new dishes and time to experience the mainland, the real world – I can’t leave the island from April to October, it’s a full-on season.”

Winter is also a time for a few party nights with the locals, who he says have helped him so much stepping in to help with supplies or staff. “It’s our co­­mmunity space as well as a restaurant,” he says. And on such a small island it’s not just the locals who might have to step up to the mark. “It’s a running joke that anyone who comes to Canna will get a few nights as a dishwasher!”

For more details see: www.cafecanna.co.uk

The romantic Highland spa village of Strathpeffer will be the backdrop for the Clan MacLennan Gathering in July this year. Chief Ruairidh MacLennan of MacLennan says: “I hope MacLennan descendants from all parts of the world will join us at Strathpeffer for six days of fun and fellowship.” The storied origins of the Clan MacLennan focus on the area around the Five Sisters of Kintail – located in the West Coast mountains inland from Skye.

The Clan became loyal supporters of the McKenzie (later “Seaforth”) chiefs from the 1300s – including roles at their strategically located Donan’s island (Eilean Donan), Kintail. By the 1500s, the McKenzies, with McLennans and other supporters, had acquired the main route from west to east – through Strathconon, and, by 1630, controlled Lochalsh, Lochcarron, Applecross, Gairloch, the Isle of Lewis, and parts of the Black Isle. In the 1620s, the powerful Seaforths established their principal castle at Brahan near Strathpeffer. The fort on Eilean Donan was destroyed by English forces in 1719 and would remain in ruin for over 200 years. The parts mentioned above are the main districts where MacLennans were to be found in earlier times.

A highly varied program

Neil McLennan, Chair of the Scotland committee, says: “We’ve developed a highly varied program to suit a range of interests and different ages.” Events will run from Wednesday, July 3 to Tuesday, July 9. He notes: “Due to the success of our 2018 Gathering, this year, we have found a larger venue for the 2024 Gathering – in an attempt to accommodate greater numbers than ever.”  Strathpeffer is half an hour by car west of Inverness. The historic Ben Wyvis Hotel will be the venue for many of the activities. MacLennan descendants from many countries have already committed to attending the Gathering. Usually, visitors plan to stay additional days and explore places where their ancestors lived. To help identify these places, a free eBook can be easily be found on the internet by searching ‘A guide to some MacLennan Places across Scotland’ – this resource includes map co-ordinates that enable directions straight from the book on your phone or tablet. In the past, many MacLennans lived in and around Strathpeffer and the first activity of the Gathering on Wednesday July 3 will be a guided tour to the ancient vitrified fort on Knockfarrel, above the village. From there, a Clan guide will point out places where MacLennans lived and other significant locations.

On Thursday July 4 – the focus will be on Clan Genealogy with a full day activities and a wide range of speakers, including: a Member of the Scottish Parliament, an author of a book about Auldearn, a leading DNA researcher from Strathclyde University, and much more. The Clan has developed an extensive genealogy resource which consists of a database and books collection at www.clanmaclennan-worldwide.com – to be highlighted throughout the day. Many on-line talks about districts that are important to the Clan are available from Finding your Ancestors videos on the Clan Genealogy webpage. The next day – Friday July 5 – will include the key event, the Clan Parliament, to be held in the spectacular Inverness Town House. In the afternoon there’ll be a guided tour of MacLennan places around the village of Strathpeffer. And in the evening, a grand ceilidh will take place in the Strathpeffer Pavilion. The music to be provided by Matthew Maclennan from Edinburgh, an award-winning accordionist, with his professional Scottish Dance and Ceilidh band. The ceilidh is expected to be one of the most popular events.

The heart of the Highlands

Saturday July 6 will offer a tour of a distillery that was started in 1838 by a Donald McLennan (1806-1894). A visit to a nearby water-powered corn mill also as part of this event. Later this day, there’ll be an alternative tour to Castle Leod that might suit younger attendees. In the evening, there will be a formal dinner with a special guest speaker. On Sunday July 7 a church service is available, followed in the evening by lively musical entertainment. A full day of activity on the Monday July 8 – sees an opportunity to “walk in the footsteps of our ancestors” on the “McLennan Way” as described in the free eBook A guide to some MacLennan Places across Scotland. This event will take us through the beautiful Strathconon glen, and finish with lunch at a baronial lodge. En route the attendees will stop at places significant to MacLennans. On the Tuesday July 9 – a “fringe” event gives Clan members a chance to enjoy a day in the famously beautiful Tomnahuirich Cemetery on the edge of Inverness.

Neil McLennan says: “We look forward to warmly welcoming MacLennans descendants from around the world to our 2024 Gathering in the heart of the Highlands.”

Interested parties are advised to book early as some events have limited numbers. Bookings can be made via a link on the Clan MacLennan worldwide website:  www.clanmaclennan-worldwide.com

Main photo: Chief Ruairidh on the shore of Loch Duich.

The Bellingham Scottish Gathering returns to the U.S. Pacific Northwest on June 1, 2024.  The new venue is sure to attract Highland Games enthusiasts, golfers and tourists.  Less that one minute from the Peace Arch border crossing between Washington State and British Columbia, Canada; beautiful Marine Park sits alongside the Salish Sea with amazing views and nature all around.

Bagpipe bands, Scottish athletics, and Highland dancing competitions are highlights.  A featured event is the newly-sanctioned City of Bellingham Open Highland Dancing Championship.  Clan booths, vendors and Scottish breed animals add to the celebration of Scottish Culture.

Semiahmoo Golf Club is a private club opening for the Scotland FOREver Day of Golf on May 30 as part of the Scottish festival.

For more information see:  www.ScottishDanceSociety.org or www.facebook.com/Scottishdance.org

To mark last month’s anniversary of the opening of the Forth Bridge on March 4 (1890), Museums & Galleries Edinburgh have published a book online listing all the accidents that took place during the early phase of construction of the Bridge in the 1880s. The book is an astonishing account not only of the lives of the men, known locally as the ‘Briggers’, working on the iconic bridge and the dangers they faced, but also how they were treated by the earliest ambulance services in Scotland. It records 197 accidents, including nine fatalities, over a 32-month period from 1883 to 1886.

Insight into the construction of the bridge

Collections staff at the City of Edinburgh Museums & Galleries approached a group of Queensferry local historians about the book. Since 2005 The Briggers (taking their name from the nickname of construction workers), have been collecting and researching the history of the Rail Bridge. In 2009 they compiled a list of all known deaths which took place during the bridge’s construction, so it seemed fitting to let them know about the accidents book. The book was recently donated to Queensferry Museum and perfectly complements the existing collections telling the story of the three Forth bridge. The plain cover contains a catalogue of injuries ranging from mild bruising to some of the most gruesome and painful accidents imaginable. It is a unique insight into the construction of the bridge, the conditions of those working on it, and a snapshot of workplace health and safety which is a far cry from today’s high standards.

Consider for instance Matthew Snowden (listed as accident 61), who was lucky enough to get away with just hurting his right hand after falling off a jetty. He was seen by the doctor and soon returned to work. Or poor William Hawkins, a foreman painter who was crushed by a barge, the Tamar, while coming ashore. His left leg was completely smashed above the ankle and had to be amputated at the knee. He was “removed to Infirmary Edinr. by Ambulance”.

Hawkins survived and was paid until he was able to come back to work. Thanks to the tireless efforts of The Briggers, the book has been entirely transcribed. The full text is now available on Capital Collections, the collections portal for the City of Edinburgh Council Libraries, Museums & Galleries. Anyone looking at these pages will be able to search for names of relatives working on the Bridge and find out what happened to them. The Briggers continue to analyse the book and compare it with other existing records. Already, they are aware of one death previously unrecorded and are starting to put together enough information for an emerging picture of how accidents were treated. What’s more, thanks to the book, the team at The Briggers and Museums & Galleries are able to fill in gaps in what is known about the rest of the Forth Bridge collection held at Queensferry Museum. They have tracked a medal in the collection back to its original owner, Patrick Lee, who caught his sleeve on a drilling machine on the February 5, 1886. Thankfully he only sustained a bruised wrist.

Iconic

Alongside the details of accidents, the book also gives information on sick leave, compensation, and any resulting sick pay. It lists the various doctors who attended the injured; among them a certain Dr. Hunter who was one of the Forth Bridge doctors and also the South Queensferry GP.

Many of the injuries listed in this early stage of construction were sustained during the complex operation to build, move and sink the massive caissons in place. These were wrought iron cases lowered into the Forth to give workers access to the seabed to lay the foundations. The caissons were assembled on land and towed by boat to their final positions in the Forth. 2024 is the 140^th anniversary of when the six enormous caissons were first launched.

Culture & Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said: “The Forth Rail Bridge is iconic and recognised around the world. Research has only just started but already the book is unveiling stories of incredible endurance, hardship and resilience, and allowing us to make links with other objects across our collections. Edinburgh has many local communities, each with their own unique history, and it is through partnerships such as the work with The Briggers that the collections really start to reveal their secrets. Publishing the book online is a great way to share the collections and open up the stories for the world to read. We hope this resource will help anyone interested in finding out more about the bridge, or perhaps those doing family history to discover they have relatives who once worked on the bridge. Museums & Galleries Edinburgh have some astounding collections, and it is wonderful to see they continue to grow with such items as this book.”

Revealing important new bridge information

Frank Hay of The Briggers and Queensferry Heritage Trust said: “The Forth Bridge Accidents Book is an important addition to the collections at Museums & Galleries Edinburgh. It is one of the few (or possibly the only) day-to-day working documents to have survived from the construction period. After a talk at the Queensferry Heritage Trust by Nico Tyack, Collections Information Officer at Museums & Galleries Edinburgh, we volunteered to transcribe and research the accidents book – revealing important new bridge information on, for example, industrial insurance and how the Forth Bridge was on the leading edge of the Scottish first aid and ambulance movement of the 1880s.”

The Forth Bridge was officially opened on 4^th March 1890 after an 18-year construction. Various earlier plans were superseded following the catastrophic Tay Bridge Disaster of 1879. The new bridge had to withstand the strong currents of the narrows of the Forth between North and South Queensferry. When completed, the Forth Bridge was the longest bridge of its type, a single cantilever, in the world.

The foundations of the bridge lie on the bed of the Firth of Forth and island of Inchgarvie. One of the earliest stages of construction was to create huge steel blocks, known as caissons, into position to effectively hold back the water and allow the Briggers to the bed to lay the foundations. The six caissons were assembled on land and towed out by barges to be sunk into place. Many of the accidents in the book were sustained in this exceptionally dangerous phase. Caissons were known to burst, flooding the space inside.

The Melbourne Tartan Festival are delighted to announce that Dr Joseph Morrow CVO CBE KStJ KC LLD DL FRSE, the Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms has accepted an invitation from the Victorian Scottish Heritage Cultural Foundation to be Guest of Honour during the last week of the Melbourne Tartan Festival from 20th-28^th July.  The Main Hall of Melbourne Town Hall will be the setting for a grand and ceremonial welcome befitting the Office of the Lord Lyon at the Gala Dinner and Concert on Saturday 20^th July, in what will be the premier event of the Melbourne Tartan Festival.

Guests will be piped in on arrival to enjoy drinks and canapés in the Town Hall foyer before entering the glittering Main Hall for a sumptuous gourmet dinner accompanied by an assortment of fine wines and concert style entertainment.

Showcase the best of Scottish/Australia’s talent

Alan Beck, immediate past President of the Robert Burns World Federation will arrive from Scotland in time to deliver the traditional Address to a Haggis much to the delight of the many fans he acquired following his memorable Address and vocal performance at last year’s event. Alan will lead a stellar line-up of artists, having made his operatic début in 1990 for Scottish Opera and moved on to Opera Ireland. He was a principal tenor with the State Opera, Stuttgart from 1996 to 2002, and has also sung principal tenor roles for Lyric Opera Dublin, the Carl Rosa Opera and English National Opera. In 2003, Alan formed the Scottish three-tenor group, Caledon and since then he has sung all over the world.  Pipe Bands, fiddlers and Scottish Highland Dancing will showcase the best of Scottish/Australia’s talent and to close the night out, guests will dance the night away to the fabulous music of internationally acclaimed Celtic folk rock super group Claymore.

This will be a night to remember as Melbourne welcomes the Lord Lyon King of Arms to Australia. More information about the Court of the Lord Lyon can be found at: www.lordlyonsociety.org.uk.

The Melbourne Tartan Festival program runs from 30^th June – 30^th July 2024.

Save the Date:

-Sunday 30^th June at 11.00am –  Kirkin’ ‘O The Tartan Service, The Scots’ Church

-Sunday 7^th July at 2.00pm – Melbourne Tartan Day Parade on Collins Street

-Friday 12^th July at 7.30pm – Ceilidh Dance with Melbourne Scottish Fiddle Club

-Friday 26^th July – Victorian Pipers Association recital

-Saturday 27^th July – Victorian Pipers Association Solo Championships

For further updates and details visit the Melbourne Tartan Festival website wwwmelbournetartanfestival.com.au or Facebook page.. Book Melbourne Tartan Festival Gala Dinner & Concert tickets via the website or Trybooking: www.trybooking.com/COAUQ.

If anyone outside Scotland has heard of Drumlanrig Castle, it’s likely to be in the context of the audacious art theft that took place there in 2003, when the Madonna of the Yarnwinder, a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, was removed from the castle. It was recovered in 2007 and is now on display in the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh, on loan from Drumlanrig’s owner, the Duke of Buccleuch. The heist was the subject of the 2023 BBC podcast series The Missing Madonna.

Drumlanrig is about three miles from Thornhill in Dumfriesshire, in the valley of the Nith. A castle of some description has existed here from around the 14^th century. The Douglases owned the land, later supporters of Mary Queen of Scots. In 1575 the house was destroyed as a punishment for their support. Almost every ancient building in Scotland claims that Mary slept there, but here it’s true. She overnighted in old Drumlanrig in 1563.

A baronial mansion

The ruined house was restored and another monarch, James VI, slept there on his last visit to Scotland in 1617. In the second half of the 17^th century the present building – a baronial mansion rather than a castle – was constructed for William Douglas, the 3^rd Earl of Queensberry, incorporating some elements of its predecessor including the cellars. It was built on a grand scale, with four ranges around a courtyard and sizeable square towers at each corner. Each of the four towers is topped by four pepperpot turrets. And yet the Third Earl didn’t like it, and moved back to his older home at Sanquhar Castle. It was his son James, the 2nd Duke, who eventually shifted his main residence to Drumlanrig, and Sanquhar was left to decay. The building sustained some damage in 1745 when Charles Edward Stewart stayed there during the Jacobite retreat from Derby. Some of the army sacked parts of the castle – and allegedly slashed a painting of King William of Orange!

The castle passed to the Scott’s, the Dukes of Buccleuch, in 1810. It was restored and added to during the 1820s. Today, it remains the home of the Duke of Buccleuch, whose family now bears the rather complicated family name of Montagu-Douglas-Scott. The castle is open for guided tours during certain dates in the summer. The art collection in particular is well worth the effort to see, with works by Holbein and Rembrandt. The supposed Leonardo shows the infant Christ grasping a cruciform yarnwinder, prefiguring his death on the cross. Experts disagree, but it seems probably that Leonardo didn’t paint all of it. In any case, of course, it’s now in Edinburgh.

Ghosts

There are three ghosts said to haunt Drumlanrig, if that’s the sort of thing that appeals to you. One of them is a bit out of the ordinary; the ghost of a monkey, which appears, appropriately enough, in the Yellow Monkey Room. More traditional and even old-school is the ghost of a Lady Douglas who apparently carries her head under her arm. A third alleged ghost is of a young woman in a diaphanous dress. It doesn’t sound too unpleasant to me, but it’s supposed only to appear to you if you are taken ill in the castle.

The grounds around Drumlanrig Castle form a country park that’s open all year. There’s broadleaved woodland, pine plantations and open moorland as well as gardens closer to the castle. The woods and moors are crisscrossed by footpaths, cycle routes and mountain bike trails, all signposted from the visitors’ car park. Nearby, in the castle’s outbuildings, you’ll find a café and shop which are open in the summer.

The castle’s setting is a particular joy, and its woodlands are great natural green cathedrals of peace. Walking, cycling or riding a horse (my wife has done the last of these!) on the grand avenue leading to the castle is awe-inspiring too. Your first approach to the castle is by this long, straight, woodland-bordered drive that is impressive enough in itself, even without the view ahead to Drumlanrig’s most imposing frontage.

Once you’ve arrived, I recommend that you pop over to a viewpoint just to the east of the car park. It looks out over an open area of meadowland pasture broken by some trees. One of them, described on the information panel at the viewpoint, is the Drumlanrig Sycamore. This superstar was already one of Scotland’s heritage trees. It’s believed to be around 300 years old and was described in detail in a book called Old and Remarkable Trees of Scotland as long ago as 1887. As part of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 it was named as one element of the Queen’s Green Canopy, 70 ancient trees throughout the UK recognised for their grandeur. Talking of ‘canopy’, the sycamore’s has been measured as covering around 800 square metres! It’s believed to be the largest sycamore in the United Kingdom.

Roman remains

However, the sycamore is not the only Drumlanrig heritage tree, as you’d perhaps expect in such a wooded environment. The Drumlanrig Douglas Fir can be found in woodland to the north of the castle. It was grown from one of the original seeds sent by David Douglas (who gave his name to the species) to Scotland, and was planted in 1827. At the time, the Clerk of Works at Drumlanrig was John Douglas, David’s brother.

There are three known Roman forts in the Drumlanrig area, a reminder that the invaders forged north in some numbers through what is now Dumfries and Galloway. The area is dotted with Roman remains, notably at Durisdeer just off the A702 road that threads the Dalveen Pass to Elvanfoot. The Romans actually built an early predecessor of the A702 and near Durisdeer you can visit the visible remains of one of their fortlets. This area’s history did not begin with the Douglases of Drumlanrig.

Drumlanrig is a stunning building in a green and welcoming setting. For most visitors to Scotland, it is perhaps a little of the beaten track – but that’s perhaps not a bad thing.

Text and images courtesy of David McVey.

Bagpiper Jim Roberts reflects on over 25 years of the Virginia International Tattoo.

I’ve played the bagpipes for more than 30 years. My piping has taken me all over the United States and to Canada and Scotland. My band, Tidewater Pipes & Drums, has opened for Rod Stewart—twice—and we’ve played on stage with the Chieftains, the Piano Guys and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. In spite of all these experiences, I can honestly say there is no feeling in the world like performing in the Virginia International Tattoo.   When I think about the Tattoo, I think of the nervous excitement I feel 10 to 15 minutes into the show—when the pipers and drummers are hiding under the elevated stage in Scope Arena, waiting in the pitch black for our dramatic entrance.

Bagpiping journey

Once our eyes adjust to the darkness, there are silent glances between musicians, fist bumps and whispered words of encouragement—maybe even an inside joke or two. Then the curtains open, we strike in the pipes and play onto the floor and into a flood of light, music and might.  It’s a thrill—whether it’s the Wednesday night dress rehearsal, an educational performance on Thursday or Friday morning, or one of the four shows for paying customers. And when it’s over on Sunday afternoon, we can’t wait to do it all over again the next year.

The Tattoo also makes me think about more lasting things—like the tremendous sense of patriotism that’s now synonymous with the Virginia International Tattoo brand, the strong bonds that develop between the performers every year, and the friendships I’ve formed with the Virginia Arts Festival staff and volunteers over the last 20 years.  My bagpiping journey started when I was 8 or 9 years old. My recollection is that I wanted to play the drums, but my mother’s father was from Scotland, and my guess is that he made the decision for me. His brother, my great uncle, played the bagpipes, and I had the good fortune to inherit his instrument, which I still play.  While I’ve also had stints with MacMillan Pipe Band, Greater Richmond Pipes & Drums and the Cameron Highlanders of San Diego, Tidewater Pipes & Drums has always been my home band. We played in the Virginia International Tattoo for the first time in 1999, and we’ve been in nearly every show since. Over the years, we’ve forged a strong partnership with the Virginia Arts Festival. We now have the honor of wearing the Virginia International Tattoo Hixon tartan and helping to promote the show throughout the year.

The overwhelming thrill of playing

Even in the years when I’m not performing in the show, “Tattoo Week” is special to me. I spend as much time as possible backstage with my bandmates and with old and new friends from around the world. On Saturday morning, I watch the Norfolk NATO Festival Parade of Nations with my kids, and that afternoon, I volunteer at the Virginia International Tattoo American Pipe Band Championship, a world-class competition that takes place on the Scope Plaza. It is free and open to the public.  I have a tradition of taking my kids to the Tattoo’s final performance on Sunday afternoon, and we always arrive early to experience the “Hullaballoo” activities on the Scope Plaza.

My kids love the Tattoo. In fact, my son, who is now realizing my dream of playing drums, isn’t quite ready to perform in the Tattoo, but he will be in the next few years. I know he will love the nervous excitement of waiting under the stage and then the overwhelming thrill of playing for thousands of people. And when he’s older and wiser, I hope he will feel the gratitude I feel now—for the many doors music has unlocked for me over the course of my life.  My Tattoo experience isn’t unique. Hundreds of musicians from all over the world converge in Norfolk every spring to put on this incredible show, and they all have their own stories to share. Thanks to the Virginia Arts Festival and the Virginia International Tattoo for bringing all of us together—and all of our stories to life.

The Virginia International Tattoo will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, Friday, April 19, and Saturday, April 20 and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 21 at Norfolk Scope. Ticket prices start at $20; discounts are available for children (under 18), students (under 25), military and seniors (over 60). For tickets or more information, visit vafest.org.

As you would have read in the Scottish Banner’s December edition, Tasmania has a new Celtic festival based in the Highlands of Tasmania and its inaugural launch in February was a resounding success. Called the Tasmanian Highlands Gathering (THG), kinfolk travelled from many parts of Australia to be treated to a weekend of Celtic music, Tasmanian whisky, Scottish inspired food and highland hospitality. Friday night was a phenomenal start to the gathering at the Great Lake Hotel where guests were entertained by a myriad of musicians playing Irish and Scottish folk songs, some with instruments I’d never seen before. I don’t know if it was the lively music or the convivial atmosphere of so many like-minded people in attendance but I can assure you, many new friendships were made.

Tasmania’s rich whisky heritage

The choices of things to do on Saturday was longer than Rob Roy MacGregor’s arm. Beginning with an unforgettable journey through the world of Tasmanian whisky and held at the quaint Steppes Hall which is nestled in the heart of nowhere, this expo was an absolute delight. We had the pleasure of experiencing the best company and the finest spirits from Callington Mill Distillery, Metcalf Distilleries, Bogan Road Distillery, McHenry Distillery, Derwent Distillery and Belgrove Distillery – each sip a testament to Tasmania’s rich whisky heritage. From there, folks were in the mood for some great music and they got this in spades at the THG Community concert.

Others went to participate in the sessioner’s music program to try their luck in playing Celtic music with other musicians, while the rest of us enjoyed a performance by the St Andrews Caledonian Pipe Band on the lawns of the Great Lake Hotel. The sun was shining and the kilts were swinging.

But let’s talk about the Gala Dinner on the Saturday night, which was the main event for the Scots to shine.

Embrace your inner Highlander

Guests dressed in their finest highland attire were piped in to the dining room then treated to a magnificent rendition of the Ode to the Haggis by David Vernon, our guest musician from Edinburgh.  From there, world class Tasmanian whisky flowed, enough Scottish fare to feed Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army plus music by David Vernon and Iain Macleod kept guests competing for space on the dance floor. Guests were also astonished at the magnificent full moon rising over Australia’s highest lake near the edge of the hotel, reminiscent of Sir Walter Scott’s poem MacGregor’s Gathering. The moon’s on the lake and the mist’s on the brae. So gather, gather, gather, Grigalach! And gather we did as a third of the guests at the Gala dinner were MacGregors.

Those who did not attend the gala dinner were still able to enjoy a relaxing evening at another venue nearby playing and listening to Celtic music. What better way to wind down for the journey home was with a recovery breakfast on Sunday in the style of those huge English/Scottish breakfasts? I can’t imagine having this sheer volume of food more than once a year.  The success of this event could not be achieved without the support of all the musicians including the pipe band, distillers, Central Highlands Council and the generous hosts James and Andrea Johns. They are the owners of the Great Lake Hotel which has just taken out the Grey Nomads Gold Award for Best Pub Stay in Australia. So, if you want to embrace your inner Highlander, save the date of 21-23 February 2025 and come join us at next year’s Tasmanian Highlands Gathering.

For more information, please follow the THG Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tasmanianhighlandsgathering or email [email protected].

Text by: Frank McGregor.

One of Scotland’s top visitor attractions, The Helix, Home of The Kelpies, together with Falkirk Council and Scottish Canals, has announced plans for a special one-of-a-kind event to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the iconic sculptures, Kelpies 10, which will take place on Saturday 27 April 2024. The world-renowned equine structures, which stand at 100ft tall and weigh more than 300 tonnes each and are situated between Falkirk and Grangemouth, were unveiled in 2014 at The Helix Park.

The Kelpies 10 anniversary event is set to be an incredible celebration of Falkirk’s heritage, with the involvement of many Clydesdale horses from across the country, to mark the breed’s significant contribution to Scotland’s agricultural and industrial heritage and the inspiration behind sculptor Andy Scott’s creation. Scottish Canals commissioned Andy Scott to create The Kelpies, where they now stand in the Helix Park, on the canal link between the Forth & Clyde Canal and the River Carron. Since their launch, Helix Park has welcomed over seven million visitors from all over the world; The Kelpies play a huge role in contributing to a £85 million tourism spend in the Falkirk region annually.

Majestic sculptures

The Kelpies 10 celebrations will begin at 10am with a host of free events suitable for all the family to enjoy and will be followed by the very first evening concert to take place on the site, headlined by up-and-coming Scottish singer-songwriter Callum Beattie and the world’s most famous bagpipe band, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, who will be performing a set of their groundbreaking ‘Bagrock’, a fusion of traditional Scottish music and rock/pop anthems. Throughout the day, visitors can expect street theatre, circus performers, artists, face painting, community stalls, a local producers’ market, Folk tales and songs from renowned Scottish storyteller James MacDonald Reid, a Clydesdale demo ring where the horses will demonstrate traditional skills, and a Unicorn Dance Party.

Local community groups, such as Sing Forth Choir and pipe bands, will provide additional entertainment and the day will culminate in a huge family ceilidh under The Kelpies, with chart-topping ceilidh band, Whisky Kiss, complete with Oscar winning piper. Gates open at 5pm for the evening event, which will be ticketed. After a screening of Walid Salhab’s ‘The Kelpies’ and a short anniversary film, the live music will kick off from 7pm, featuring award winning Scottish artists, a set from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and a fire show from Pyroceltica, inspired by Falkirk’s industrial past. The evening will culminate in a 60-minute set from the fast-rising Scottish star, Callum Beattie.

Falkirk Council Leader Cecil Meiklejohn said: “No one could have predicted the impact these majestic sculptures would have attracting almost seven million visitors to the Helix Park since 2014. The Kelpies continue to attract visitors from all corners of the globe who come to marvel at and stand in the shadow of the largest equine sculptures in the world. It also brings a real sense of pride with our communities and the wider Helix Park provides an outstanding local place for our people to enjoy.  I’m sure many more will come to take part in and celebrate the 10^th anniversary of these iconic landmarks with a programme of events that will have something for everyone to enjoy with activities for all the family culminating in the first live music concert to be held at the Helix Park.”

Global waterways icons

Scottish Canals’ Chief Executive Officer John Paterson said: “Scottish Canals had a vision to create a piece of art at the eastern gateway to Scotland’s historic Forth & Clyde Canal. The Kelpies pay homage to the working horses of Scotland which used to pull barges along Scotland’s canals and worked in fields in the area where they now stand. Now almost a decade on and these magnificent works of art are global waterways icons attracting thousands of visitors to Scotland each year. We look forward to celebrating 10 years of The Kelpies, a true celebration of collaborative working. Our magnificent Kelpies will be the big attraction on Saturday, 27 April, with events going on throughout the day for all ages to enjoy. Please join us in celebrating our remarkable structures as we look forward to the next 10 years as we continue to make better lives by water.”

Andy Scott, who is originally from Glasgow but now based in Los Angeles, America, said:  “The Kelpies stand testament to the incredible skills of a whole team of expert engineers, fabricators, lighting designers, landscape architects and many other disciplines from across the UK who were involved in the full-scale artworks’ creation.  I feel immensely proud of what we achieved with The Kelpies – how they’ve been taken to heart by the local people and how they’ve become cultural landmarks for Scotland.”

The Helix, originally created as a space for the communities in the Falkirk area to come together, was awarded five-star visitor attraction status by Visit Scotland and won the ‘Best Visitor Attraction Experience’ at the 2023 Visit Scotland National Thistle Awards. Helix Park, which has a Green Tourism Gold award, is free for visitors, and offers significant amounts of green space and a wealth of things to do, including 27km of traffic free, wheelchair friendly, paths for walking, running, or cycling, an adventure zone playpark, splash play area and sensory play area.

To find out more about the Kelpies 10 event and to book tickets for the evening event, please visit: www.thehelix.co.uk.

A celebration of Scottish-American history and culture.

Hosted as part of the global celebration of Tartan Week, Tartan Day on Ellis Island is one of the United States’ major annual Scottish heritage events. Each year is highlighted by an exhibit exploring a specific aspect of Scottish-American history and culture. The celebration also features performances by a host of Scottish artists, including pipers and drummers, Highland dancers, fiddlers, jugglers and harpists.

This year is a celebration of Highland Dance. The Highland Dance is one of Scotland’s most iconic cultural legacies, combining rich history with a vibrant modern presence.  Come to Ellis Island to discover the centuries-old story behind the dance and witness live performances.

The event is produced by the Learned Kindred of Currie, a leading Scottish-American cultural and educational non-profit dedicated to preserving and promoting Scottish and Highland heritage and the arts through a wide variety of programs. pipers and drummers, Highland dancers, fiddlers, jugglers and harpists.

The Tartan Day on Ellis Island exhibit is hosted in the Special Exhibits area on the 3^rd floor of the Ellis Island Museum. Admission to the Museum and the Tartan Day exhibit is free; however, you will need to purchase a ferry ticket. Advance booking is highly recommended.

Program extended to April 23rd! For full details on Tartan Day on Ellis Island see: www.tartandayonellisisland.com

Dundee Heritage Trust has received £1.4million from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) to help save the Royal Research Ship Discovery. The Trust has announced that urgent conservation works began on the Royal Research Ship in February 2024. These urgent works come as the ship approaches its centenary of being officially designated a Royal Research Ship in 1925, and are crucial for the future of the UK’s first purpose-built Antarctic research ship.

Built in Dundee in 1901, Discovery carries an extraordinary legacy including its famous 1901-1904 voyage to Antarctica – with Antarctic pioneers Captain Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Tom Crean and more – to oceanographic research that is now used as a benchmark for modern climate science, a history with the sea scouts in London, and its return to its home of Dundee in 1986. Since being moored at Discovery Point, the ship has seen millions of visitors climb aboard its decks, with more than 300,000 visitors in the last five years alone.

The ship’s wooden structure is beginning to decay. Undertaken by JPS Restoration, the programme of major works to Discovery will include vital restoration to various areas of the ship’s ageing wooden structure. Initially, priority will be given to the deck and supporting the stern. Work will commence in the internal hull, bow and propeller shaft including decay in the stern timbers. Work to the portside bulwarks will be addressed in a later phase. The works are estimated to continue throughout 2024 and into 2025.

Dundee Heritage Trust was successful in acquiring two antique teak logs from Robbins Timber, enabling the best quality wood to be used for the deck of the ship. The logs were salvaged from the SS Pegu and give the Trust a unique opportunity to use high quality wood without damaging the priceless resource of teak forests.

A ship of national importance in Scotland

Dundee Heritage Trust are custodians of the Royal Research Ship Discovery, alongside Verdant Works Museum and the associated polar and jute collections, both Recognised as being of National Significance. An independent charity, the Trust generates 98% of its income through admissions, hospitality and fundraising to enable the care of its remarkable collections and to operate its two award-winning visitor attractions.

Emma Halford-Forbes, Heritage & Exhibitions Director at Dundee Heritage Trust said: “These funds from the National Heritage Memorial Fund are crucial in efforts to save the ship for future generations. The ability to bring forward these urgent works will be pivotal in securing the ship’s future, while we work on plans for further conservation works in the coming years. We can’t thank NHMF enough for this critical funding.”

Dr Simon Thurley CBE, Chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, said: “We are delighted to support this essential preservation work to RRS Discovery, a ship of national importance in Scotland and the UK.  The National Heritage Memorial Fund exists to safeguard some of our finest heritage at risk of loss, and thanks to our support of £1.4m, RRS Discovery will continue to be an important draw to visitors to Dundee’s historic waterfront. The ship joins the many hundreds of important and much-loved treasures that can be seen and enjoyed across the UK thanks to the National Heritage Memorial Fund.”

The public can follow updates of the works and this important piece of Discovery’s ongoing story online and on social media.  The Royal Research Ship Discovery has been a key part of Dundee’s history since its launch in 1901 and its subsequent return to the city skyline in the 1980s. It is hoped that these crucial works will ensure that this incredible ship will continue to be part of the City of Discovery’s and the nations legacy for many generations to come.

Images courtesy of Dundee Heritage Trust.

New research by Scottish Mediaevalist experts is helping to build up a picture of everyday life in the rural Borders community of the Rule Valley, much of which was devastated in 1545 during the ‘Rough Wooing’ instigated by Henry VIII – to build on work already carried out by Archaeology Scotland with help from local schoolchildren and volunteers. As little is known about life in the valley pre mid-16^th century, Stirling University’s Professor Richard Oram and Tom Turpie were tasked with delving into the dispersed archival records of the development and everyday life of this part of the rural Borders.

Their research has provided a greater understanding of the area’s economy, society and culture, and fills a critical gap in the interpretation of the mainly archaeological evidence already collected as part of the Twelve Towers of Rule initiative, a project managed by the Campaign for a Scottish Borders National Park (CSBNP).

Medieval Borders community

Although the archaeological remains in the valley and its uplands, from pre-Roman up to early medieval times, it reveals a long history of human settlement. However, there is scant understanding of these settlement’s chronology, patterns and hierarchies. Even the history of this district during the centuries of Anglian Northumbrian domination after c.600 AD is a blank, despite it lying so close to both the early monastic centre at Old Melrose and the minster church at Jedburgh, where an Augustinian priory was founded by Bishop John of Glasgow.  As Professor Oram explains: “The valley of the Rule Water is a clearly-defined territorial block containing all of the environmental elements needed to support an agricultural population. It is likely to have formed the estate of a man of rank from as far back as the Late Antique Little Ice Age, right through the 6^th century plague pandemic (and resulting decimation of the population), to the build-up of human settlement again in the 11^th century, as glimpsed in the shadowy figures who emerge in a fragmentary parchment record soon after 1100.”

Said Professor Jane Bower, CSBNP chair: “This review of the Rulewater Valley’s archival records complements recent archaeological findings with help, from local schoolchildren and volunteers, that provide a vital piece of the jigsaw needed to build up a picture of this late medieval Borders community. We are very grateful to have had the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland come on board alongside the local community and so many of our other supporters.”

Scotland’s west coast seas are a vitally important area for minke whales – with some of these spectacular but vulnerable marine mammals notching up Europe’s longest sighting histories of almost 30 years, research by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust shows. A newly published digital catalogue – bringing together photographic identification records submitted by members of the public over three decades – shows that more than 300 individual minke whales have been identified in the Hebrides since 1990.

A third (33%) have been seen more than once – some over many years and others numerous times.  A minke whale named Snowy has visited the region over an astonishing 27-year period – the longest known history of sightings for this species in Europe. A whale known as Knobble holds the title for the most frequently recorded minke whale in the Hebrides, having been spotted more than 60 times since 2002, mostly in waters around the Isle of Mull.

Whale Track

Minke whales migrate to western Scotland’s seas each summer to feed in the exceptionally rich waters. The substantial timespan of the research is shedding new light on their lives, and is building a long-term picture about their numbers, range and behaviour, and how best to protect them. “Photographs are a powerful tool for strengthening our understanding of whale movements and the threats they face – providing vital evidence for effective conservation,” said Dr Lauren Hartny-Mills, the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s Science and Conservation Manager. “This catalogue of identifiable whales is testament to the dedicated community of citizen scientists who diligently submit their sightings and photographs to us. Thanks to so many people over 30 years, we know our seas are world-class habitats which need to be better protected and restored.”

Thousands of photographs a year are shared with the Trust by the public and wildlife watching crews through a community sightings website and smartphone app called Whale Track. Photographs are also collected by volunteers during the Trust’s research expeditions on its research yacht Silurian. Researchers then use photo-identification to look for specific markings or features to identify and catalogue individual whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks seen in the region. While some minke whales have only been recorded once so far, more photographs – whether past or present – from the public will help researchers establish if these individuals have also been making return visits or were just passing through Scottish waters.

Effective conservation

Sea Life Mull’s wildlife guide Andy Tait, who has submitted thousands of images over the past 30 years, said: “By using the new online catalogue, anyone can match their sightings with known individual whales. They might even discover a new whale that can be added to the catalogue, which is really exciting. This is citizen science in action, and the great thing is that anyone can get involved.”

The new online catalogue is helping the Trust’s scientists assess the health of the whales, and threats facing them. Marine ecosystems are under threat from human activities including warming seas due to climate change, pollution, and habitat degradation. Scars and injuries have revealed that 22% of minke whales have at some point been entangled in marine litter and fishing gear, which can cause mobility problems, injury and even death.  Minke whales are also a target species for commercial whaling in Iceland and Norway.

Whales hunted there are believed to be from the same population as those identified in the Hebrides, but their movement patterns are not fully understood. The Trust hopes its catalogue will help strengthen international understanding of whale movements through collaboration with researchers in other countries, and contribute to wide-scale conservation action to protect these animals throughout their range.

The Trust’s marine scientists are carrying out further in-depth analysis of the photo-identification findings, to better understand how faithful minke whales are to the Hebrides and to identify any specific areas of importance. This is crucial for effective conservation and management strategies. The Trust, based in Tobermory on Mull, says there is still much to be discovered. Although record-breaking Knobble has become a local celebrity – starring in a children’s book, Facebook page and song on YouTube – Knobble’s sex, or where the whale goes in winter, are still unknown.

The Trust is asking people to submit photographs of whales and dolphins through its Whale Track website www.whaletrack.hwdt.org or free smartphone app, or by emailing [email protected]. The charity is also recruiting paying volunteers for its annual research expeditions onboard Silurian.

The Minke Whale Photo-Identification Catalogue for the West Coast of Scotland 1990-2020 is available on the Trust’s website at www.hwdt.org.

All images courtesy of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust.