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The Scottish North America Community Conference (SNACC) will take place in person in New York, and online, over the weekend of December 1^st and 2^nd in Alexandria, VA.  Celebrating its 21^st year of this annual conference of leading members of the Scottish American Diaspora, this year the conference will discuss  ‘How our history and community, empowers our future’. Through a series of discussions, we hope to help us all address this important issue. Charles, Lord Bruce, will open the conference speaking of The Scottish Clans Heirs Project, the initiative is led by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs and headed up Lord Bruce. Ethan MacDonald, Regional Commissioner, Council of Scottish Clans & Associations (COSCA); Member of Council, Clan Donald Society, USA – and founder, Scottish-American Scouting Association, Kalamazoo, MI (via Zoom) and Cameron Steer, American Scottish Foundation (ASF) Youth Ambassadors and Youth Sports Empowerment coach will be joined by others in opening up this discussion. As we look to bring on our young leaders of tomorrow, we have to recognize their challenges and COSCA and CASSOC leaders, John Bellassai and William Petrie joining the discussion. Rory Hedderly, Head of Business Development (USA) – Entrepreneurial Scotland and Saltire Foundation will join Gus Noble and Stuart Adam, Scottish Connections Fund, to discuss the importance of experience programs helping in developing our Young Ambassadors and through the Scottish university alumni network strengthen the message of Scots in America. The Friday session will conclude with a whisky tasting and reception.

Following the Alexandria Christmas Walk on the Saturday SNACC invites attendees to join for a light buffet, the afternoon session will begin with greetings from:

Chris Thomson – Scottish Gov’t Counselor for the USA & Head Scottish Gov’t Office, UK Embassy, Washington, DC

Congressman Myer, representing Alexandria, VA (a Scottish-American and member of House Scottish Caucus)

Campbell Lord Provost of Dundee

Madam Pauline Hunter of Hunterston, 30^th Chief of Clan Hunter

It is one year since the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II and a central figure throughout those days and the subsequent Coronation of King Charles III was Dr John Morrow, Lord Lyon, King of Arms.  Lyon will share a unique insight into the past year. Stepping back to Scotland and America in the later part of the 18^th century. James P. Ambuske, PhD, Professor of History, James Mason University, Fairfax, VA (specializes in Scotland & America, 18^th century) will speak of the Scottish experience on the eve of the American Revolution and the loyalist immigration to Canada. We then return to today, to importance of collaboration and a great example of collaboration at work in the Washington Metro Area with:  Gregory Haymon, President, St. Andrew’s Society of Washington, DC

Heather McKenzie Haddock, Co-Chair, Scottish American Women’s Society (SAWS)

Alexandra Duncan, Vice President, Virginia Scottish Games & Festivals Ass’n (VSGA)

James Morrison, Secretary & Past President, National Capital Tartan Day Committee, Inc. (NCTDC)

Camilla Hellman, ASF President will report on upcoming highlights in Scotland 2024 from Dunfermline to Glasgow, to festival highlights and museum plans. The Conference concludes with a mix and mingle reception with light refreshments and cash bar.

Ticket reservations can now be made at: www.scottishleadershipconference.com. For further information email: [email protected] or telephone: 212 729 0127.

Main photo: The Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk.

The Lonach Highland and Friendly Society was formed 200 years ago in 1823- the Society host one of Scotland’s most popular, and friendly, Highland Games. The Lonach Highland Gathering and Games have taken place annually for 180 year each August when all roads lead to Lonach, as Anne-Mary Paterson explains.

It was 26^th August, 2023 and the loudspeaker was telling everyone that there was to be a very special guest arriving before the one o’clock March of the Lonach Men. This year is the two hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society and the one hundred and eightieth gathering of what is probably the most unique and friendly Highland Games. Into the arena to huge cheers and applause, came a dark red Bentley car bearing His Majesty King Charles III. After circling the area, the King alighted at a special tent. Then the sound of bagpipes started getting louder and louder. In marched the Highlanders carrying axes and with banners held high, followed by the Lonach Pipe Band, then Sir James Forbes, Patron and the swirling kilts of the Lonach Men, carrying eight-foot-long pikes followed by Wallace’s and Gordons.

At the tail end of this most unusual procession was the Cairt drawn by Socks, an Irish cob to carry any wear or dare I say it drunken stragglers but empty this year. The march had set off early in the morning for six miles on foot from Bellabeg, home of the gathering, up Donside to toast five houses along the way and then back to Bellabeg for a private lunch in the Lonach Hall. One of the houses they visit is Candacraig which before its sale, was owned by Sir Billy Connolly who was very fond of the Lonach and attended most years.

Preservation of Highland garb

By 1823 Scotland had emerged from the years of occupation by the Hanoverian Army after the Jacobite defeat at the Battle of Culloden. It was time for Scotland to resume its place in the world. That same year King George IV awarded Charles Forbes of Newe and Edinglassie (1774 – 1839) with a baronetcy. On 15^th December of that same year, his son’s coming-of-age was celebrated with a bonfire on Lonach Hill which inspired the people around and in Donside to set up a friendly society as had been done by its neighbour in Braemar. The first gathering was held in 1836, four years after Braemar. Membership for the society is now drawn from the inhabitants of Strathdon, Sir Charles was one of eleven children. He left Edinburgh University when he was sixteen to take up a post in Bombay, India in John Forbes & Co owned by his uncle John Forbes. The firm had originally traded in raw cotton but over the years expanded into ship brokerage, ship building and as bankers to the Government of Bombay. Because of the success of his business, John was able to buy back the family lands of Newe and Bellabeg, which in the past had been lost due to bankruptcy.

The gathering is always on the fourth Saturday in August. Sir James Forbes of the Newe, three times great grandson of Sir Charles said in his message this year, “The Gathering and our unique March represent the public face of our year-round commitment to the ‘preservation of Highland garb and the promotion of social and friendly feelings among the inhabitants of the district’. Encountering the Lonach Highlanders for the first time takes you back to pre-1745 Scotland, but this is no historical re-enactment: we represent an unbroken link with our forefathers.”

Highland Games may date as far back as the 11^th century when King Malcolm III of Scotland needed a personal courier so he organised a hill race to the summit of Creag Choinnich, near Braemar, where the oldest Highland Games were first held in 1832, and since then always on the first Saturday in September. The Braemar Highland Society was founded in 1815, so the Lonach is not far behind its neighbour in Deeside. Like Braemar and many other games, the Lonach carries on the tradition of a hill race and even a shorter one for juniors. Hill races are now a feature of many games and we can imagine that before cars, if a horse was not available and someone was needed to take a message quickly up or down a glen, a race was an easiest way to find and have in hand the fasted of foot. Similarly tossing the caber may have resembled how a tree just felled was pushed away. Tartan and bagpipes are still very important components of the games. One of first ideas was the preservation of the district’s particular dialect of Gaelic but this has not been successful, and it is now extinct. Traditional Highland Games are now held all over the world, particularly in English speaking countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America.

The Lonach Highlanders

The Lonach Highlanders is not an army as it has never been presented with colours like the Atholl Highlanders, its neighbour across the mountain passes. It does carry the society colour and two banners ensigned “LONACH”. On the 150^th anniversary of the Lonach, a new colour and banners were presented at the Lonach Gathering. The following week the pipe band and the Highlanders marched over the hills to Braemar to present the new colours to the late Queen Elizabeth II at the Braemar Gathering. The Highlanders set up camp at Braemar Castle re-enacting an occasion that last happened during the reign of Queen Victoria. At the time of the presentation on 5th July 2023 of the Honours of Scotland (the Crown, Sceptre and Sword) to King Charles in St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, the Lonach Highlanders along with the Atholl Highlanders marched down the Royal Mile.

Carrying on the Royal connections, King Charles, after watching the Lonach Highlanders’ impressive and unique parade, spoke to a number of officials and other folk before progressing on foot across the arena to become the starter of one of the first races. After a private luncheon at Bellabeg House, the King left quietly for Balmoral Castle with the usual events – light and heavy, dancing, races and piping continuing.  A special day to add to the already colourful history of this unique organisation.

For more details see: www.lonach.org

Main image: The Wallace Highlanders at the Lonach Highland Games.

All images courtesy of The Lonach Highland & Friendly Society.

The Aberdeen University scientist pioneered the creation of insulin in the 1920s, which has saved millions of lives of those with diabetes, as Neil Drysdale reports.

It’s a discovery which has saved and enhanced the lives of at least 350 million people during the last 100 years. Prior to its creation, countless children, diagnosed with the condition, were left facing a death sentence as their parents looked on helplessly. They could be made to feel comfortable, but medical staff could do nothing more to ease their plight. And yet, the chances are that few will be aware of the prominent role played by a Perthshire-born, Aberdeen-educated scientist in the development and production of insulin, one of the most significant achievements in the history of medical research. That’s because John Macleod was effectively airbrushed out of history for half a century. He was accused of hogging the limelight, of claiming credit for work carried out by other people when he was actually the catalyst for a remarkable breakthrough. And when he left Toronto, where the insulin breakthrough was made, he is said to have been seen shuffling at the station and explained: “I’m wiping away the dirt of this city.”

But thankfully, if belatedly, his reputation has been restored, and a memorial statue of the great man was recently unveiled in Aberdeen’s Duthie Park. It’s no more than he deserves, because Macleod, a beetle-browed, intellectually brilliant fellow, was at the forefront of the trailblazing work which transformed the battle against diabetes after years of trials and tribulations, disappointments and disputes. Professor Brian Frier, of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and an internationally-recognised specialist in diabetes, said: “The discovery of insulin is frequently and inaccurately attributed to Frederick Banting and Charles Best and, for decades, Macleod was effectively airbrushed out of medical history. The importance of the research of this quiet and self-effacing Scottish scientist cannot be over-estimated and he deserves to be as well-known to the public as Sir Alexander Fleming for his discovery of penicillin.” Soon after his birth in 1876, his clergyman father, Robert, returned to Aberdeen and the youngster, who always adopted the approach that genius was an infinite capacity for taking pains, subsequently attended Aberdeen Grammar School and entered Marischal College at Aberdeen University to study medicine from 1893 to 1898.

Macleod worked until the sma’ hours

Much of the focus of Macleod’s life has centred on his work in Canada, but he was an apprentice physiologist in Leipzig and studied in his home city and in London, learning to teach and write textbooks and amassing the experience which were the catalyst for later partnerships with colleagues which yielded prodigious rewards in the early 1920s. There are different perspectives on Macleod’s personality and how he interacted with others. It’s clear that he didn’t suffer fools gladly and was always the last person out of the laboratory in his early days while he was pouring himself into his work. A serious-minded figure, he continued to pursue an academic career with a dedication which made him a great scientist, but not always the easiest human being to deal with in his day-to-day business. The driven Scot was director of physiology at Toronto University, but there was no Eureka moment as he settled down to his work. This was real life, not a Hollywood biopic, so the building blocks of the new discoveries which changed the world for the better were only created after myriad hours in laboratories. Dr Ken McHardy, a former consultant in diabetes with NHS Grampian and honorary senior lecturer at Aberdeen University, has studied his career in depth and acknowledges that Macleod’s journey towards insulin was long and meticulous. It included both experience with many traditional techniques to study animal physiology and his expertise in the up-and-coming specialty of physiological chemistry.

He told Aberdeen’s Press & Journal: “His research into experimental diabetes, first stimulated by working on a book chapter, led to several advances over 15 years of painstaking study. This put him at the forefront of world knowledge on the subject and with all of the necessary skills and experience to lead a major breakthrough. However, hundreds of researchers had been trying, and so far uniformly failing, to produce a treatment that could save diabetic lives. Despite work suggesting the pancreas gland may be the source of an important internal secretion, even this was unproven.”

Few could have predicted the spectacular results which would materialise when he joined forces with students Banting and Best. Following their collaboration, Macleod received a Nobel Prize along with Banting, although he and the latter fell out over their contrasting claims of who had contributed most to the discovery. It was an acrimonious climax to what had been an often fractious relationship between the pair and Macleod, unaccustomed to having to prove his credentials when he had demonstrated his excellence in Britain, Europe and North America, was understandably aggrieved at the ill-feeling which festered between the group. At the end of 1920, the well-respected Macleod was approached by Banting, a young Canadian physician, who possessed a bull-headed drive and industrious – if often ill-considered – attitude to the research which later brought him fame. He was a persuasive individual and even though Banting had virtually no experience of physiology, convinced Macleod to lend him laboratory space. The Scot also provided experimental animals and the assistance of his summer student, Best.

Banting and Best isolated an internal secretion of the pancreas and reduced the blood sugar level of a dog, whose pancreas had been surgically removed. They were excited, but Macleod expressed doubts about the results, borne from his greater experience. Eventually, Banting accepted his elder’s instruction that further experiments were required before they could reach any definite conclusion, and even convinced Macleod to provide better working conditions and give him and Best a salary. The next stage of their research was successful and the trio started to present their work at scientific meetings, which gradually built up momentum and publicity. Macleod was a far better orator than his associate and Banting came to believe that he wanted to take all the credit for their efforts. But this notion was nonsense, as was demonstrated when the results were published in the February 1922 issue of the Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine.

Tensions ran high in the group

Indeed, the Scot actually declined co-authorship because he considered it was Banting and Best’s work: hardly the attitude of a man who desired to hog the spotlight. And yet, perhaps understandably, he was growing weary of the paranoia in the laboratory when, as he told colleagues privately, the priority surely had to be creating something which would save the lives of millions of people. And there also remained the issue of how to get enough pancreas extract to continue the experiments. This convinced Macleod to extend his insulin research and recruit the biochemist James Collip to help with purifying the extract. Whereupon, significant progress was made after a trip to a local abattoir when they realised that pancreas extracts could be much more simply produced from fresh ox pancreas. It was slow, methodical work, and Banting felt sidelined the longer it advanced. By the winter of 1922, this fragile character was certain that all Macleod’s colleagues were conspiring against him and Collip, who was increasingly frustrated with the tension in the laboratory, and threatened to leave because of the strained atmosphere. Yet, amid these tensions, there was progress. In January 1922, the team performed a clinical trial on 13-year-old Leonard Thompson and it was soon followed by others. As the news spread, so did the publicity about what had been achieved in Toronto. This was no dry scientific experiment; it was a life-changing discovery in the making and the sensationalist nature of the coverage reflected that sense of history being made.

Macleod’s presentation at a meeting of the Association of American Physicians in Washington on May 3 1922 received a standing ovation from the audience, because it appeared to indicate a major breakthrough was imminent, but obstacles still lay ahead. At that time, demonstrations of the method’s efficiency attracted huge public interest, because the effect on patients, especially children with type 1 diabetes, who until then were bound to die, seemed almost miraculous. Macleod was always proud of his part in the process. But, perhaps understandably, he had grown weary of the egos battling for supremacy behind the scenes. He returned to Scotland in 1928 to become Regius Professor of Physiology at Aberdeen University and later became Dean of the University of Aberdeen Medical Faculty, where he continued to show his prowess in collaborative science, producing original research in tandem with colleagues at the Rowett Institute and in support of the Torry Fishery Research Station, while taking an advisory role to the Government’s Privy Council.

He encouraged scores of youngsters

Perhaps, just as importantly, he was renowned for his mentoring of a number of noted young scientists and engaged in prestigious lectureships on both sides of the Atlantic. All this, despite the debilitating impact of rheumatoid arthritis, which had first affected him in Toronto and progressively limited his ability to travel and to work. Dr McHardy, who has been advising the Macleod Memorial Statue Society for the last two years said: “Nothing should detract from the magnificent contributions of Aberdeen’s only homegrown Nobel Prize winner. We should remember and celebrate his reputation as a world-famous physiologist and educator with pride. He should, of course, always be revered for his single greatest contribution as the skilled and experienced impresario who led the Toronto team. Macleod’s leadership not only gave the world its first clinically useful insulin in 1922, but led the way to survival for millions with what is now known as Type 1 diabetes, and indeed existence, itself, for their descendants.”

This towering figure in his field died in 1935, aged just 58, and is buried in Aberdeen’s Allenvale Cemetery, across Great Southern Road from where the new statue will offer a permanent tribute to his feats. The sculpture shows him reading the pages of the Press & Journal and, although he spent years in Canada, he always considered Aberdeen to be his home. Aberdeen University also dedicated the 2023 Carnegie Lecture to the impact of the former medical student on the treatment of diabetes and a blue plaque will be erected to commemorate his legacy. Celebrating 100 Years of the ‘Discovery of Insulin’ Nobel Prize, was held in October, and explored Macleod’s remarkable achievement with international diabetes expert Professor C. Ronald Kahn. At long last, the world is paying him proper attention.

Words by Neil Drysdale.
Main image: University of Aberdeen.

Many ex-pat Scots will have flown from Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire to start new lives in the United States and Canada and for many the airport holds a special place in their heart.  The same will apply to the thousands of US and Canadian servicemen who transited through Prestwick during both World War 2 and the Cold War era as well as those who were actually based at the airfield.  In this short article, local enthusiast, Allan Mackintosh outlines the history of the airfield from the first recorded early aviation activity in 1913 through to the present day.

The first recorded aviation activity at Prestwick was recorded in July 1913 when three Royal Flying Corps BE.2a biplanes who were supporting Territorial Army manoeuvres at Gailes just up the coast, used the Monkton ‘Meadows’ as a landing ground in between sorties.  After this event there is no official recorded activity through the 1920s with most aviation activity being centred at the airstrip at Ayr Racecourse.  However, with the increase in aviation activity in the early 1930s and in particular with pleasure flights from Renfrew to the beaches of Prestwick and Ayr there was the odd occasion that a plane set off from Renfrew only to find the beach at Prestwick had the tide in and as it couldn’t land, used the fields of the Monkton Meadows as a relief landing ground.  It was also during this period that Midland & Scottish Air Ferries started to use Monkton as a diversionary landing ground for Renfrew, when fog and low cloud regularly closed the Glasgow airfield.  This was the start of the realisation that Monkton (soon to be renamed Prestwick) offered a safe haven for passenger and mail aircraft on a regular basis given the excellent weather record of the area.  This resulted in the airfield becoming a fully licensed aerodrome in 1934.

The year before in 1933, two young pilots, David McIntyre, and Douglas Douglas-Hamilton members of No.602 City of Glasgow Auxiliary Air Force Squadron, were one of a pair of aircraft to be the first to successfully fly over Mount Everest. Both men had experience of flying into the Monkton Meadows and David McIntyre, in particular, had a real passion for the airfield to be developed further.  After evaluating several local sites, McIntyre, and Douglas-Hamilton, in conjunction with the De Havilland company, set up Scottish Aviation Ltd, based initially around an ‘Elementary Flying School’ training pilots and navigators for the Royal Air Force.  The ‘new’ airfield was built just beside the Monkton Meadows close to Orangefield House, which was later to become Prestwick’s first true passenger terminal. (The first ‘terminal’ was actually a Midland & Scottish Transport bus which kept diverted passengers dry and warm whilst awaiting their limousine transport back to Renfrew!)

International airfield

With the advent of World War 2 in 1939, Prestwick grew from being a small training airfield to a fully functioning international airfield, becoming the preferred landing ground for many aircraft entering the war arena from the US and Canada. Between 1941 and 1945, 37,000 aircraft movements were recorded. Initially RAF Aldergrove (now Belfast International) was the preferred landing ground for the ‘Atlantic Ferry Organisation’ but with Prestwick having a better weather record, the Ayrshire airfield was finally chosen as the preferred airfield.  With the increase in aircraft activity, there was also an increase in aircraft related maintenance, repair, and conversion work so Scottish Aviation’s work grew to the extent that new hangers and buildings had to be erected quickly to cater for the increase in work.  The main hanger (which is still in place today, along with most of the wartime hangers) was affectionally known as ‘The Palace’ (and still is) and this is the Palace of Engineering which took pride of place at the Glasgow Empire Exhibition in Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park in 1938.  The building was moved to Prestwick ‘brick by brick’ over a four-month period between April and September 1940 and still stands proudly overseeing today’s international airport.

Post war airline passenger travel through the airport started once again from 1946. In the post war years, Prestwick was afforded ‘transatlantic’ status and initially was one of only two UK airports (the other being the new London-Heathrow) to be allowed this status.  From Prestwick there were regular flights to and from the US and Canada and the airport proved to be a great staging post for flights from France, Belgium, Holland, and Scandinavia. Prestwick’s Orangefield terminal offered a service second to none and was the first UK Airport to offer duty-free.  At this time London Heathrow was an unsightly mass of temporary huts!

In 1955, the military returned to the airfield in the form of the United States Air Force with a major base at Prestwick and Elvis Presley visited in 1960 for a brief stopover and this made the airport the only place where he set foot in the UK (there are claims that Elvis was also secretly in London but it was obviously so secret that there is no physical evidence of this!)

Scottish Aviation remained a world-leader is aircraft maintenance and aircraft design and manufacturing commences with the Prestwick Pioneer.  This leads to the manufacture of the Twin Pioneer in the late 1950s and in later years (60s through to the early 90s) the company produces the successful Jetstream family of commuter airliners, and the equally successful Bulldog, a military basic trainer.

With the introduction of the jet-age in the late 1950s, Prestwick had to expand to keep pace and the main runway was extended to 9800ft and a new secondary runway was built to the south-west of the airfield.  A new terminal building, freight building, control tower and loop road around the airport was built, with sadly, the old Orangefield terminal being demolished to make way for a new parallel taxiway. The runway extension was actually implemented to serve the US Air Force and it conforms to the standard US military specification of the day. This is one of very few runways in the UK to do so and still to this day one it is of the longest.  This enables Prestwick to be able to handle the world’s largest freighters with full loads and was one of the factors leading to the frequent Concorde training flights in the 70s.

The World O’er

During the late 80s and early 90s, with the expansion of the airports at Glasgow and Edinburgh, Prestwick’s monopoly became under threat and ultimately ‘Open Skies’ was introduced to allow airports to compete. With Glasgow’s and Edinburgh’s airports now able to accommodate the large passenger jets (as well as being on the outskirts of the cities), in time, all transatlantic passenger airlines moved to the city airports.  This left Prestwick in a perilous position and with the owner, the British Airports Authority (BAA), also owning Glasgow and Edinburgh, the airport looked doomed, with property developers lining up to offer to buy the site and redevelop it for housing and industrial units.  However, a dynamic group of investors, led by a Canadian lawyer, Mathew Hudson, supported by the boss of British Aerospace, Alan Macdonald, saved the day by ‘persuading’ BAA to sell them the airport. Whilst BAA were reluctant to sell to a ‘competitor’, there was a clause in the 99-year lease given to Scottish Aviation that stipulated that the airport runways could not be sold unless Scottish Aviation (now British Aerospace) allowed it.  As British Aerospace needed the runways for their flying college and for the demonstration and testing of their Jetstreams, they were not for giving the runways up!

The airport was now under new dynamic ownership and from 2004 went from strength to strength as a result of new investment (including the airport’s own rail station) and also due to the low-cost airline revolution. The airport hit 2.5 million passengers per annum in 2006 although, once again, Glasgow and Edinburgh increased their competition practices, with the result that Prestwick’s main airline, Ryanair moved some services to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Today Prestwick handles close to 800,000 passengers per annum although passenger incomes are now only a fraction of the airport’s main income with property rentals, maintenance, technical stops, cargo, training, and refuelling bring in most revenue. The airport at present has returned to its military roots with the Royal Canadian Air Force maintaining a base there and the Air Forces of the US, Oman, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Kuwait, and Israel using the airport for fuel and overnight stops.  Cargo volumes remain strong, with regular cargo schedules maintained by Cargolux and Air France.

Today, The airport is owned by the Scottish Government, who see the facility as an important infrastructure asset that helps to support in excess of 4,000 jobs in the West of Scotland. It’s the heart of Scotland’s aerospace industry, with over 50% of the country’s aerospace workforce employed at Prestwick, offering a diverse range of aviation services, and providing vital connections to the rest of the world.  Next stop – space!

The motto of Scottish Aviation ‘The World O’er’ remains as strong today as it did in 1935.

Allan Mackintosh has started Prestwick Aviation Tours to bring the amazing and fascinating story of Prestwick to life.  At present, there are short walking tours of a portion of the perimeter of the airfield, where Allan guides the tourists through the story of the airfield from 1913 to the present day.  There are plans for a virtual tour to be up and running in 2024 so that the many ex-pats and service personnel who flew to and from Prestwick can experience the airfield’s story.  Allan can be contacted on +44 (0) 776 416 8989 or via email [email protected]   The website is: https://prestwickaviationtours.com

Main photo: A Trans-Canada Air Lines, DC-8 at Prestwick, 1960s.

Piper Doug McRae, was the oldest member of The Scots School Albury Pipe Band at 66 years old and Saxon Coffey was the youngest of three 12-year-olds from the school band, making him the youngest member of the 29-strong playing group in Scotland. Doug originally played with Scots Pipe Band coordinator Scott Nicolson nearly 30 years ago when the pair was both working in New Zealand. Doug returned to Albury around the same time Nicolson started at The Scots School Albury in 2013 so it was a natural progression that Doug would reunite with his old buddy to bolster the student group.

Doug learned the pipes as a student of Knox Grammar School in Sydney and found it a satisfying way to make social connections whenever he moved to a new city. As a CEO of Private Hospitals, Doug moved around a bit, but has settled in Albury and is now retired. In fact, he retired in 2017, just in time to accompany the Scots band to its inaugural appearance at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. “I love playing in the band with the students,” Doug said. “The kids are a great bunch, and we see an awful lot of each other as we prepare for the Tattoo. It was a real experience to perform at the Tattoo in 2017. It was very busy because we played in a number of other events while we were there, so we had to learn a lot of tunes. We had the contest tunes and the Tattoo tunes to learn, as we did this time around. It’s very rewarding to help these youngsters on the big stage of the Tattoo.”

Saxon is a Year 7 student who has been playing the pipes for three years and is a natural musician, having mastered the trumpet and piano as well. Saxon found the pipes fairly easy to learn initially but admits there is a lot of practise required as the number of tunes they needed to learn for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the band’s other commitments at the Scottish Pipe Band Championships, the World Pipe Band Championships and Piping Live in Glasgow mounted up. “I do a lot of practise at home as well as at school,” Saxon confided. “The neighbours so far haven’t come knocking on my door to ask me to stop so I must be going ok.” Saxon, whose favourite tune is Sweet Maid, said the nurturing nature of the band is one of the best things about the group. “The older students are very supportive, and I’ve learnt a lot from them. It’s fun to be part of the group.”

Scotland, my homeland and the country which I love to paint. There, inspiration greets me at every turn. Highlands, islands, lowlands – every corner of ‘Caledonia’ provides subject matter for my canvases – but I am drawn, time and time again, to the Outer Hebrides. This bejewelled string of islands stretches 130 miles from the Butt of Lewis, south to the uninhabited wildlife haven of Mingulay.  Lewis and Harris (of the eponymous tweed!), Benbecula, the Uists, Eriskay (where Bonnie Prince Charlie landed to lead the ill- fated Jacobite Rebellion) and Barra with its causeway to Vatersay.

An archipelago which forms the last point of civilization between the Scottish mainland and the Americas. Betimes cosseted by the Gulf Stream or relentlessly battered by Atlantic gales, these islands of contrast boast some of the world’s most beautiful beaches – sands of myriad shades and crystalline waters in vivid green and turquoise hues.

This year I was honoured to be asked to stage an exhibition of my paintings on the island of Barra. In June 2023 the island’s Heritage Centre hosted the Centenary Homecoming to mark 100 years since many families on Barra and neighbouring Vatersay left their homes for the promise of a better life in Canada. Post-war, the islands’ herring industry had all but disappeared, work was impossible to find and poverty was rife. Tempted by the lure of rich farmland or well-paid jobs on the Canadian Pacific Railroad, entire households shipped away to the Prairies. Whilst some forged successful new lives others found nothing but disappointment and continuing hardship.

The descendants of these brave emigrants made their pilgrimage to the Homecoming to learn of the life and times of their forebears and where possible to visit the ruins of their ancestors’ humble dwellings. For many, the trip was their first visit to Scotland. For some, it was the very first time they had journeyed from their homes in Canada. For everyone that I met it was an emotional connection with their pasts. Stories tumbled out, family histories were shared – and more than a few tears were shed. The Heritage Centre in Barra’s Castlebay holds a wealth of information about these exiled islanders and an excellent collection of photographs and memorabilia – well worth a visit!

A little part of Scotland in every painting

As I travel, in search of inspiration for my art, I try to collect a tiny pinch of sand and some drops of water from the scene I hope to capture. These elements are incorporated in each canvas, to put a little part of Scotland in every painting. My notebook will record a few paragraphs which, when I return to my studio in France, will bring images back to me in even sharper focus than my camera. Sometimes I will develop these notes into a piece of descriptive prose which accompanies the painting and hopefully enhances the pleasure of ownership for the buyer:

‘Perhaps a little bay, framed by a tumble of rocks dumped by time’s glacial bulldozer – grey, black, brown and shot through with specks of glittering quartz. Or a sweeping ‘Traigh’ – a perfect crescent of pristine sand. There, a scatter of white painted houses gazing towards the sea which, in its giving and taking down the millennia, has shaped these islands and their peoples.

Maybe today, nature’s scene shifters will challenge my canvas by changing the vista a dozen times or more. Once a blue and listless sky, then suddenly a scurry of wispy clouds will enter from stage left in a merry dance. Lowering storm heads might roll in, with only a follow- spot of sunlight to illuminate a squadron of oystercatchers – wings flittering urgently as they head for shelter.

Then, when evening comes, the sun – its day’s work done – will sweep majestically from the scene, scattering tints of rose and peach, purple and orange and a cadmium red so vivid that the horizon seems to smoulder.

Darkness falls, a contented stillness settles and the rippling applause of waves on shore closes another world class performance’.

So, here in France, as winter approaches, the log fire will be lit and my memory will be aglow with recollections of this year’s travels – island visits, exhibitions staged, acquaintances made and old friends revisited. This artist, inspired by Scotland, will pick up his brushes and his pen- and hope to do justice to his beautiful homeland.

For more information and to view Frank’s work see: www.frankmosleyart.com

Text by Frank Mosley.

Robert Burns is at his best when dealing with the supernatural folklore of his native 18^th century Scotland, and nowhere is this more apparent than in his narrative epic Tam o’ Shanter. The 224-line poem is a reimagining of an old tale from Burns’ youth about what happens to a farmer in the early hours riding past haunted Alloway Kirk. “There’s a beautiful wood carving that Thomas Hall Tweedy made in 1860, called Warlocks and Witches in a Dance, that takes its name from a line in Tam o’ Shanter”, says Lauren McKenzie, Functions and Events Manager at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. “It’s one of a set of four lime-wood carvings on display at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum that depicts the central scene in the poem where Tam reaches Kirk Alloway and is stopped in his tracks.” Thomas Hall Tweedy based the piece on a contemporary engraving by artist John Faed. Both artworks capture the humour evident in Tam o’ Shanter, as well as the more gruesome elements of the goings-on in the kirk.

Pumpkins galore

The pumpkins that you will see adorning the battlements of Castle Fraser at this time of year, in the orchard of Leith Hall, or that you’ll find have been made into delicious soup in the cafe at Fyvie Castle, are actually grown on site. “Our properties grow a range of varieties of pumpkins from year to year, from small eating and storing types to large ornamental varieties for pumpkin carving. Some years we have a bumper crop, but every year is different.” says Garden and Designed Landscape Manager Chris Wardle.  Some of the varieties grown include Atlantic Giant which is perfect for carving, Summer Sunburst and Patty Pan Green Tint for ornamental use, and Turks Turban and Uchiki Kuri for soups and storing.

Black cat

Black cats have long been associated with Hallowe’en but one dark feline, named Alfonso, was a friendly family pet at Brodie Castle in the early years of the 20^th century. A black and white photographic print from the collection at Brodie Castle, dating to around 1909, shows a young David Brodie (aged around four years old) with Alfonso. “The cat would have belonged to David’s mother, Violet May Hope, who was a big animal lover, she had lots of cats throughout her life and was particularly fond of cats and dogs”, says Jamie Barron, Visitor Experience Supervisor at Brodie Castle. “We have copies of the albums that Violet kept of her photographs, of which this is one. The albums are on display for visitors to flick through in the castle. It’s rather sad because within a couple of years of the photograph being taken, David died of diphtheria.” On tours of the castle, visitors are taken into is a bedroom where Violet, who married the 24^th laird Ian Brodie, kept a collection of toads. Visitors hear all about Violet and her pets and the walls are adorned with photographs of Brodie pets from over the years.

Ghostly sightings

To protect the original floor tiles in the strongroom at Culross Palace it is cordoned off to visitors, who instead stand behind a rope to see into the place where George Bruce, the richest man in the area, kept his papers and valuables. Dating back to 1597, the narrow room has three-foot thick stone walls and had two heavy iron doors that could be bolted from the inside. It was also designed with a clever slanted entranceway to deter intruders and stop them from pulling out a sword. Not surprisingly it was supposedly cannonball and fire-proof. Visitors might have to stand at the doorway, but that hasn’t stopped some unusual ghostly goings-on being reported in the room over the years. Staff at the property remember a five-year-old girl who went under the rope, stood at the desk and was laughing and joking – with no one. “A guide came in and asked her who she was speaking to. She said, “The man with the hairy face and the funny white thing around his neck.” She was taken to the portrait of George Bruce, and she started waving at him and smiling”  says Linda Whiteford, Visitor Services Supervisor at Culross. “One of our guides went into the strong room to set up battery-operated candles, and the quills in a pewter pot on the desk were whirling round and round. She thought it was the draught from her jacket, so went out and came in again. It didn’t make any difference.”

Hebridean Hallowe’en

Through film and photography, the Hallowe’en traditions of South Uist were documented by Margaret Fay Shaw in the 1930s. Contained in the archive at Canna House, Shaw’s images form a rare record of guisers in sheepskin garb with haystack wigs and rope scarves. It wasn’t just at Hallowe’en when islanders believed there were spirits afoot. For hundreds of years a legend swirled around Canna about Coroghon Castle, also known as Coroghon Prison. “A painting of the castle by Richard Doyle featured in the book Canna: The Story of a Hebridean Island by Shaw’s husband, the renowned Gaelic folklorist John Lorne Campbell. Doyle visited Canna in 1875 on the Viscount Sherbrooke’s yacht,” says Fiona Mackenzie, Canna House archivist and manager. “The story goes that Marion Macleod, the wife of Donald Macdonald of Clanranald, known as Dòmhnall Dubh na Cuthaige (Black Donald of the Cuckoo), had an affair. Macdonald was born in about 1625 and fought in Montrose’s army in the Civil War. He married Marion in 1666. When Macdonald found out about the affair, he locked his wife up in in the castle for the rest of her life. Supposedly on a calm moonlit night you can still hear her wailing and crying to be released. Personally, I think that might be the sound of the seals.”

Text and images are courtesy of the National Trust for Scotland. For more information on the Trust or to help them protect Scotland’s heritage see: www.nts.org.uk.

The annals of Scottish history are filled with high drama, triumphs, tragedies, and countless great stories which echo through the ages. Social revolutions, grand set-piece battles, globe-spanning adventures, acts of heroism against all odds – it’s all there, and we all have favourites we recount and revisit again and again. That said, history is the collective story of humanity, and for every epic event there are a thousand flukes, farces, and oddities which capture the often surreal and baffling nature of our earthly existence. Here, for your amusement, are just a few of the eyebrow-raising incidents I’ve encountered recently in archives and antiquarian sources.

A seismic agitation on Loch Tay

We don’t often think of Scotland as being particularly affected by earthquakes. Floods and snowstorms are more our style. Yet, something strange happened on Loch Tay on 12 September 1784 which observers described as otherwise inexplicable “violent agitations”. A letter from a Mr Fleming details the extent of the disturbance near Kenmore: “…the water was observed to retire about 5 yards within its ordinary boundary, and in 4 or 5 minutes to flow out again. In this manner it ebbed and flowed successively 3 or 4 times during the space of a quarter of an hour, when all at once the water rushed from the east and west in opposite currents … in the form of a great wave.”

The water ebbed and flowed a while longer before settling back into normalcy. Loch Tay sits upon one fault line, the Loch Tay Fault, and very near another, the Highland Boundary Fault, whose murmurings could explain the sudden tides. Intriguingly, a report from 1789 tells how Loch Lomond experienced a similar phenomenon in 1755 at the very same time that a terrible earthquake levelled the Portuguese city of Lisbon.

Roxburgh Castle and the bovine assault force

Roxburgh Castle in the Borders is now nearly vanished, but was once one of the mightiest castles in the realm. During the Wars of Independence, dauntless James ‘the Black’ Douglas was tasked by Robert the Bruce with taking it and knew, having very limited resources, that he’d need to be fiendishly clever to even stand a chance. His plan? Have his sixty gruff warriors do their best cow impressions. A deadly stretch of open ground lay between the Scots and the castle with its English garrison, and a herd of black cattle grazed it. These weren’t the huge heifers we know today, but a much smaller, scrawnier breed. Douglas waited for the cover of night, ordered his men to drop down on all fours with their dark cloaks over their backs, and meander towards the castle gate. Whether they attempted to mimic the cattle’s mooing is not specifically mentioned in the chronicles, to my great dismay.

Perhaps the guards had drank a little too much that night, as the ploy worked without a hitch and Roxburgh was in Scottish hands by sunrise. Barbour’s The Bruce even mentions how one guard, upon seeing the larger-than-usual herd wandering about, remarked that the farmer responsible for them would regret not keeping them penned up if the Douglas made off with them!

The day the bay turned orange

The spoils of shipwrecks are a boon to islanders, who have a talent for making thorough use of anything of value which washes ashore. Nineteenth century visitors to Barra, for example, often noted how women there were dressed in a patchwork of international finery thanks to the steady stream of wrecks off its shores. It must have made for quite the sight when, on the morning of 10 February 1900, a ship ran aground off the isle of Bute and spilled its 2,025 tons of Valencia oranges into Dunagoil Bay! The newspaper The Buteman reported that the bay had a layer of oranges several inches thick, and that locals were illegally rounding them up by the cartload. After a few weeks, however, the oranges began to rot, so many farmers – who were more than likely sick of the sight of them by then – began feeding them to their cattle. In the months that followed, milk from the parish of Kingarth in the south of Bute was said to have a citrusy tang.

The price of getting a head in life

At the height of the Viking Age, Sigurd, 1^st Earl of Orkney, brought fire and sword to Scotland’s northern shores. In the course of his wrath, he made a bitter enemy in the form of Maelbrigte, mormaer of Moray. The north would never be big enough for the two of them, so in 892 AD they arranged to fight a decisive battle to the death with forty men on each side. Maelbrigte sported a distinct moniker, ‘the Tusk’, so-called because his bottom incisors sharply protruded from his lips. Let’s just say that Chekhov had his gun, and Maelbrigte had his tusk! Sigurd did not think the Scots could be trusted, so he pre-empted any cheating with a little of his own and mounted two men on each horse.

Even outnumbered two to one Maelbrigte’s men put up a good fight, but the result was inevitable. Maelbrigte fell, Sigurd chopped off his head, and rode off to celebrate his victory with his grim trophy strapped to his horse. There being no true roads, it was a bumpy ride. Along the way, Maelbrigte’s tusk secured its place in history and scratched Sigurd’s leg, so slightly that the Viking didn’t notice until it was too late. An infection set in, and within days the scourge of the north was dead – and, having met such an ignominious end, quite unlikely to enter Valhalla.

Disruptive Doric dogs

The archetype of a Reformation-era kirk as a severely strict, solemn place largely holds true, and one can imagine the consequences for anyone who disrupted the fire and brimstone of a kirk session. Some members of the congregation, however, proved easier to silence than others. An early 17^th century entry in the Records of the Kirk-Session and Presbytery of Aberdeen laments how the inhabitants of the burgh “bring with them their dogges to the paroche kirk on the Lord’s day … whair throw and be the barking and perturbation of these dogges, the people are aftin withdrawn from hearing of God’s word, and often Divine service is interrupted.”

It was therefore issued that “no inhabitant whosoever within the same suffer thair dogges, whether they be mastives (mastiffs), curres (curs), or messens (lap dogs), to follow them heirefter to the paroche kirk of this burgh.”

Apply for funding to set up a project to promote Scotland’s worldwide reputation.

Applications have opened for a new pilot fund to support initiatives that promote Scotland’s international connections. The Scottish Connections Fund is open to bids from individuals and organisations in Scotland’s international diaspora and a total of £15,000 has been allocated for this year’s pilot, which will inform the development of an expanded fund in 2024. The fund follows a commitment in the government’s Scottish Connections Framework, which seeks to expand links and networks with Scottish people living elsewhere in the world, those with Scottish heritage, alumni of Scotland’s educational institutions, and people with professional, business, cultural or other links to Scotland.

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The Scottish Government has long believed that better engaging our diaspora – family and friends of Scotland globally – can not only benefit Scotland economically and enrich our culture, but also improve Scotland’s connections and reputation. We know that millions around the world cherish their connections with Scotland, and we are grateful for the work of people and organisations who do so much to strengthen these links – whether that is through the promotion of our culture and heritage or Scotland’s reputation as a place to live, work, visit, study, and do business. This fund aims to support their work to create more vibrant, visible and connected global Scottish diaspora, and I encourage anyone with an interest to submit an application by 8 November, 2023.”

The Scottish Connections Fund aims to help Scottish diaspora organisations and communities and their individual members further the aims of the Scottish Connections Framework. It promotes increased visibility or connectivity between Scottish diaspora communities outside Scotland, or with Scotland itself. The fund supports innovative initiatives “that bring together those with a connection to Scotland, promote Scotland’s reputation and interests, and build greater connections back to Scotland itself.” These include, but are not limited to:

Community projects

Philanthropic projects

Events

Workshops

Research

 

Applications can be submitted here: www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-connections-fund-how-to-apply

The Mission of the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village (CTMHV) is “To preserve the past of Canada’s South for the education and interpretation of present and future generations”. And what could be more representative of Canada South’s history than a celebration of its Scottish and Celtic Heritage. Les McDonald, Chairman of the Board of Directors at CTMHV, is proud to announce that they will be adding the Kingsville Highland Games to the many events that they host on the Arner Townline. According to Heather Colautti, registrar of the Windsor Community Museum, “Scots have been coming to Windsor and Essex County, in large and in smaller numbers, since the days of the North American fur trade in the late 1600s and 1700s, right through to today and …. are one of the ethnic communities with the longest historic ties to Southwestern Ontario”. Reflecting the history of the county, Kingsville had hosted Highland Games for nearly 20 years until they disappeared in 1987.

A permanent home for this great event

The Highland Games, now to be known as the Kingsville-Essex Highland Games, returned in 2019 and more than 6,500 were in attendance for that occasion. The pandemic put paid to the games for a couple of years, but the committee has been working hard to bring the event back to its former numbers. In 2023 the Board at Jack Miner’s Migratory Bird Sanctuary graciously agreed to host the games at Ty Cobb Field when the Town of Kingsville decided to no longer host the event. The Committee will always be grateful for this gesture and are happy to report that more than 3,000 attendees enjoyed that location and all funds raised went to support programmes at the Sanctuary. However, the space available at Jack Miner’s proved to be too small to house the growth expected given the popularity of this event so, a new home had to be found for the future.  “The Board of Directors at the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village have been overwhelmingly supportive of this initiative” says Doug Plumb, Chairman and Founder of the current Kingsville Highland Games, “Everyone is so enthusiastic about this addition to the portfolio of the CTMHV and we are delighted to finally have a permanent home for this great event”.

The Kingsville-Essex Highland Games will be held at the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village on June 22nd, 2024 at 6155 Arner Townline, Kingsville. For details see: www.facebook.com/kingsvillehighlandgames.

The Pineapple is a little harder to find than most National Trust for Scotland (NTS) properties. The access road isn’t actually that long, less than a kilometre from the A905 near Airth and no further from the nearest bus stop. But the signage is minimal and as you pass fields and woodland you’ll wonder if you’re on the wrong track, until you finally get there. Come to think of it, ‘The Pineapple’ is one of the more playful names for NTS properties. But it’s a straightforward description of one of the most whimsical yet stunning buildings in Scotland.

I suppose most people with any connection to Scotland have seen photographs of The Pineapple (the name is sometimes lengthened to ‘The Dunmore Pineapple’) or perhaps have seen it on TV. Nothing can prepare you, though, for how impressive – or how big – it is in real life. It must surely be the largest representation of a fruit anywhere in Scotland, or perhaps anywhere else. If you were planning to create a giant fruit in stone, you’d generally steer clear of pineapples which are complicated and intricate objects. Some of the stonework on the building is delicate, subtle and takes the breath away. But why is there a giant pineapple in the Scottish countryside near the southern end of the Kincardine Bridge?

Dunmore

Christopher Columbus and his crew are generally assumed to have been the first Europeans to encounter pineapples, on the island of Guadalupe in the Caribbean. That was towards the end of the 15^th century. Pineapples began to be imported to Europe, and became a delicacy, but only for the very wealthy. They couldn’t be grown outdoors in the United Kingdom, for example, and it was expense to import them. Experiments in growing pineapples in the UK began in the 17^th century. I recently visited Oxford Botanic Garden (whose origins are 17^th century) and saw pineapples growing there in a steamy glasshouse. There’s a painting in the Royal Collection, which has been dated to the late 1670s, that shows Charles II being presented with a pineapple. The first pineapples are said to have been grown in Scotland in 1731.

In the 18^th century the area around The Pineapple was the Dunmore Estate; the name ‘Dunmore’ is still common locally, if you check a map. To the west, for example, is the extensive Dunmore Wood. The Pineapple was built on the instructions of John Murray, the 4^th Earl of Dunmore. The building appeared in 1761, without the pineapple, and was intended as a kind of summerhouse in which the Earl could sit and enjoy views of his estate. Murray became Governor of Virginia – the last one before the American War of Independence – from 1771-75. Apparently, it was a custom in Virginia for returning sailors to leave a pineapple (a real one, mind) on their doorstep to indicate that they were at home and able to receive visitors. In 1777 the Earl did the same, in stone, ordering the pineappley bit of the building to be added; he was home, it said, and could receive callers. Incredibly, we don’t know the name of the architect who designed and executed either the original building or The Pineapple.

The detail is stunning – those lifelike stone pineapple leaves each have their own drain to draw away water and prevent damage through a build-up of ice. It’s impressive enough to stand before the structure and examine it from ground level. To be lifted up in a cherrypicker and examine the work at close quarters would be incredible. Perhaps the NTS should consider this…Murray would later become Governor of the Bahamas. Soberingly, his role there involved importing slaves from Africa, so perhaps The Pineapple can also serve as a prompt to reflect on the less savoury aspects of Scotland’s past.

Impressive walled garden

The impressive walled garden that lies to the south is a great place from which to view The Pineapple and is now a green space with flowers, shrubs, trees and even a small orchard. For many years, however, it looked very different. Around the garden were glass-roofed hothouses in which exotic fruit – including, yes, pineapples – were grown for the Earl’s plate. The ghostly outline of those hothouses can still be seen on the walls that survive on either side of The Pineapple. The 4^th Earl lived at Dunmore Tower elsewhere on the estate. In 1820 Dunmore Park, a new mansion, was built nearby for the 5^th Earl. During the 20^th century the estate declined, part of it was bought up by the Countess of Perth and both Dunmore Park and Dunmore Tower became empty and ruinous. The Murrays of Dunmore have lived in Tasmania since the 9th Earl moved there in 1941.  Malcolm, the 12^th Earl, visited The Pineapple in 1998 to plant a memorial tree. He remains active in many Australian Scots heritage organisations. I expect he reads the Scottish Banner!

By the early 1970s, The Pineapple, the hothouses and other remaining buildings were in danger of collapse. The Countess of Perth donated the building and surrounding grounds to the NTS in 1974. The remains of the hothouses were swept away but The Pineapple and its adjacent buildings were restored by the NTS alongside The Landmark Trust who now lease the buildings from the NTS and rent them out as holiday accommodation; yes, you can stay at The Pineapple! Casual visitors can view The Pineapple, enjoy the walled gardens and walk in the surrounding woodland. The former curling pond is said to be a haunt of the rare great crested newt. Around the site are some interpretative boards that outline the history of the building and the wider estate. I found the photographs of the walled garden with the hothouses up and running a fascinating comparison to the present day. 250 years old and perhaps Scotland’s most bonkers building, The Pineapple is something everyone should make an effort to go and see.

Words and images: David McVey.

Scotland’s landscapes are home to an incredible array of wildlife that can be found in all nooks, crannies and corners of the country. This autumn, there is no better time to start planning a feel-good break in the great outdoors.  For those looking for a holiday where it is possible to bask in glorious autumnal colours, go animal-spotting, and experience all that nature has to offer, Scotland is the perfect place.

Autumn nights draw in

Northern Lights and stargazing-Scotland has some of the largest expanses of dark sky in Europe and while the country is famous for its beauty during day, the twilight hours create a new air of mystery. The autumn and winter months in Scotland offer the perfect conditions to watch the night sky so there is no better time to enjoy a stargazing holiday.  Visitors might be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis (or ‘Mirrie Dancers’ as they are known in Scotland). Some options for a break include:

Pennan, Aberdeenshire-Pennan is a tiny seaside village located by a stunning backdrop of Aberdeenshire cliffs (famous for being where a lot of the 1983 film Local Hero was made). When the days get shorter, and the nights get darker – that’s when the magic happens. Millions of lights seem to dance across the sky and the stars illuminate the night in an array of colour.

Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway-Not only Britain’s forest largest park, Galloway Forest Park was also the UK’s first Dark Sky Park. Stretching across the southwest of Scotland, it is home to glens, lochs, hills and only a few buildings which means it has very little light pollution. On clear nights it is possible to observe thousands of stars, making it one of the best places to stargaze in Europe. In nearby Kirkcudbright (which is also home to the Dark Sky Planetarium), head into Galloway Forest Park to see the skies.

North Uist, Outer Hebrides-With little light pollution, the Outer Hebrides is one of the best places to catch the Northern Lights. With the right weather conditions, each island can provide a mesmerising dancing display of the Aurora Borealis at the right time. Many astronomical sights can be seen through the naked eye including the Orion Nebula, the Milky Way and the Great Andromeda galaxy. During the winter it gets dark late afternoon, giving visitors a great opportunity to not only watch out for the Northern Lights but just look up and stargaze.  Each year in February/March, there is a Dark Skies Festival which features theatre, live music, film, visual art, food, astronomy talks, and stargazing.

Orkney & Shetland-Looking for a real adventure?  A stay in the northernmost regions of the British Isles to possibly witness the Aurora Borealis will feel like a world away. Stay at the Keeper’s Cottage at Sumburgh Lighthouse.  The Lighthouse is the oldest in Shetland, and perhaps the most well-known. Rising above the precipitous Sumburgh Head cliffs at the southernmost point of mainland Shetland, the Lighthouse is visible from land and sea for miles around. There’s no doubt that Orkney is one of the best places in the UK to try and catch a glimpse of them, with low levels of light pollution and unobstructed views.

‘Leaf-peeping’

Scotland is quite a special place to visit in the autumn as the beautiful reds and oranges of the season appear. ‘Leaf-peeping’ has become a trend of the last few years, with people travelling to destinations only to see the fall foliage.  Scotland should be at the top of the list for leaf-peepers.  Places to see include:

The Hermitage, Dunkeld

Roslin Glen, Midlothian

Lochgilphead, Argyll & Bute

Glenmore Forest, Cairngorms

Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire

Binning Wood, East Lothian

Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve, Lanarkshire

 

Wildlife spotting 

Red Squirrels-Best spotted in the winter months of December – January when their vibrant reddish coats will stand out against the snow. Much smaller than their grey cousins, the fluffy red squirrel is an elusive addition to Scotland’s forests and woodlands. The UK has around 160,000 red squirrels, and approximately 75% of them live in Scotland’s woodlands, parks and gardens. To find these beautiful little mammals, visitors can keep an eye out for their red coat during a walk in Britain’s largest forest park, Galloway Forest Park. Sightings are also common when following the Devilla Forest Red Squirrel Trail, as the Scots Pine trees are a perfect habitat for red squirrels. The Scottish Wildlife Trust is working with NatureScot, Scottish Forestry, RSPB Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates and the Red Squirrel Survival Trust to protect these adorable creatures by asking people to report sightings.

Red Deer-Red deer are best spotted during the autumn months of September – November. One of the most iconic animals associated with Scotland, the red deer is the UK’s largest land mammal and can be spotted in almost every region in the country.  These stunning animals can be seen in locations including the Isle of Arran, Isle of Jura, Lochaber, Torridon, Cairngorms National Park, and Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. Visitors can stop by Aberfeldy, Perthshire and visit the Red Deer Centre to get up close and personal with these large mammals and learn about their unique traits. If after a more Christmas vibe, did you know the Cairngorms National Park is home to Britain’s only free-ranging herd of reindeer?

Seals-Seals are best spotted during the autumn months of September – November but can also be spotted during the summer. Seals are very common inhabitants off the coastlines of Scotland. Visitors might be lucky enough in the autumn months to spot fluffy grey seal pups too. These adorable creatures can be spotted all across Scotland, but in particular in the Moray Firth, Firth of Tay, Ythan Estuary, and on the Isle of May. Basking Shark Scotland runs Seal and Lagoon tours throughout the year from Oban, Tobermory, or Isle of Mull, where visitors can swim in crystal clear water alongside seals.  Basking Shark Scotland also runs various other tours to allow visitors the chance to enjoy the special wildlife in Scotland, including basking shark tours (of course!), snorkelling experiences, scuba diving trips, and more.

For more holiday inspiration and ideas, visit www.visitscotland.com

The Argyll and Isles Tourism Cooperative has launched a new Whisky Year Zero commemoration to mark this year’s 200^th anniversary of the 1823 Excise Act, which was published on 18 July 1823. The act, which sanctioned the distilling of whisky in return for a licence fee, played a key role in shaping Argyll and the Isles as Scotland’s Whisky Coast – an area which encompasses four of Scotland’s recognised whisky regions – Campbeltown, Islay, Highlands (Oban and Loch Lomond) and Islands (Jura and Tobermory).

‘Whisky Capital of the World’

Recognising the significance of the year, particularly to Argyll’s one-time ‘Whisky Capital of the World’, Whisky Year Zero celebrates the destination’s distinct whisky heritage by showcasing the wide range of sites, festivals and experiences whisky lovers can experience in Argyll and the Isles until June 2024. This includes brand new distillery openings, such as the reopening of the historic Port Ellen Distillery on Islay, more than 35 years after it was closed and almost 200 years since it first opened in 1824 as one of the first distilleries to be licensed after the 1823 Excise Act.

The commemoration is being welcomed by leading historians and whisky aficionados, including Pro Vice Principal at the University of Glasgow Bradley Professor Murray Pittock; Master of the Quaich (the whisky industry’s highest accolade) author Dr Nick Morgan; fellow Master of the Quaich acclaimed whisky writer Charles MacLean; and founder of World Whisky Day consultant Blair Bowman. Launching the commemoration Cathy Craig, CEO of the Argyll and Isles Tourism Cooperative said: “We’re delighted to launch Whisky Year Zero to celebrate the rich whisky, or uisge beatha, heritage that has shaped communities and culture throughout Argyll and the Isles. Known as Scotland’s Whisky Coast due the high volume of world-class distilleries dotted along our coastline, there are so many ways in which visitors to the area can learn more about our significant whisky history and why our destination, with its abundance of fertile landscapes, produces some of Scotland’s finest food and drink.”

Explaining the importance of the commemoration, Professor Murray Pittock, Bradley Professor and Pro Vice Principal at the University of Glasgow said: “Understanding our past gives us confidence in our ability to shape the future, so it is vital that we continue to remember key historical moments. Commemorations like Argyll & the Isles’ Whisky Year Zero, that take the time to bring history to life, can play a central role in addressing this.”

Throughout Whisky Year Zero, Glen Scotia, one of three distilleries remaining in Campbeltown, is offering immersive whisky experiences that take visitors behind the scenes and back in time, to discover more the history of their whisky, including how the Excise Act led to their hometown town being proclaimed the one-time Whisky Capital of the World.

Hannah Young, Visitor Centre Manager at Glen Scotia said: “Our historical distillery still maintains much of its original design dating from the 1830s, including our Dunnage Warehouse, so our celebrated heritage and history still influence the award-winning whisky produced here. The 1823 Excise Act played a key role in our formation and those who come on one of our distillery tours can learn all about the impact it made on our town.”

Explaining the significance of the act on Argyll and the Isles, renowned Whisky Writer and Master of the Quaich Charles Maclean said: “The 1823 Excise Act laid the foundations for the Scotch whisky industry by fixing the method of Scotch whisky distillation as we know it today. The Argyll and Isles Tourism Cooperative is to be congratulated for celebrating this significant piece of legislation, which made it possible for Campbeltown to become ‘the world whisky capital’ in the late 19^th century and for Islay to become the world’s leading pilgrimage destination for whisky lovers today. Before the Act, distilling in the region was mainly illicit; today it is burgeoning.”

Professor Pittock added: “The 1823 Excise or Wash Act led to a boom in the whisky industry. Local businesspeople and landowners saw vast opportunities in the market, and in Campbeltown developments supported by the Duke of Argyll saw the creation of some 30 distilleries in a town of around three thousand people – it was certainly, as it proclaimed, ‘the Whisky Capital of the World’ in per capita terms at least.”

Reinforcing the scale of industry growth at that time, Dr Nick Morgan, Master of the Quaich, whisky aficionado and author of the book Everything You Need to Know About Whisky (but are too afraid to ask) said: “In 1821 there were eleven licensed distilleries in Argyll producing around 40,000 gallons of whisky a year. Only one, owned by John Beith, was in Campbeltown. By 1826, three years after the passing of the 1823 Excise Act, there were thirty-four distilleries in Argyll producing some two-hundred thousand gallons a year.”

Uisge beatha

Though there are less distilleries than there once was in the area, whisky and now gin production is still a significant industry across Argyll and the Isles, as Whisky Year Zero highlights. The commemoration showcases 14 world-class whisky distilleries, a myriad of whisky experiences, festivals and distillery openings across the destination. Welcoming the celebration and explaining why Argyll and the Isles is such an important whisky destination, whisky enthusiast, founder of World Whisky Day and author of The Pocket Guide to Whisky, Blair Bowman said: “Uniquely for a Scottish destination, Argyll and the Isles encompasses four of Scotland’s recognised whisky regions, earning it the title of Scotland’s Whisky Coast. During Whisky Year Zero, I would encourage all visitors to celebrate by going on a distillery-hoping journey of discovery across Argyll and the Isles to explore the real impact Scotland’s iconic uisge beatha or ‘water of life’ has had on culture and communities in the area, and what makes each of the whisky regions different. There is also something quite extraordinary about drinking a whisky in the same places where the whisky was made. It really enhances the experience. Each whisky is very unique, their flavours tell an important part of history too. Whisky is quite literally known in Scottish Gaelic as the Water of Life, uisge beatha, which is very apt. There is something magical about each and every sip. When you pick up a glass from Argyll and the Isles, you’re not just picking up a drink, you’re picking up a story of Scottish life too. It tells you story of history, a story of culture and a story of craftmanship – from the farmers producing barley to the unique distillation processes.”

Emma Clark AITC Vice Chair, official Argyll & the Isles Food & Drink Ambassador and owner of Glenegedale Guesthouse on Islay (where they serve food platters on top of a reclaimed whisky barrel and even give guests the opportunity to enjoy local whisky in their porridge) agreed: “With our rich fertile lands and world-leading producers, we make and supply some of the very best food and drink, including whisky, right here in Argyll and the Isles. Whisky Year Zero provides the perfect excuse for visitors to go on a culinary journey of discovery to responsibly enjoy our sensational local produce, our unique land and waters, tantalising food trails, world class distilleries and vast amount of award-winning eateries to suit all tastes.”

To find out more about Whisky Year Zero visit: www.wildaboutargyll.co.uk/whisky-year-zero

On 19-20 August 2023, Clans gathered at a misty Kryal Castle, Ballarat to the haunting sound of a lone piper calling all to gather within its mighty walls. The call was so strong that around 4,500 people attended over the weekend and enjoyed the event, an outstanding success for an inaugural event. A sizeable proportion of those attending were from the large Scots diaspora residing near Ballarat and in the Central Highlands region of Victoria. On both days the event was opened by the burly lads and lasses from Highland Muscle, who kept the crowd entertained with feats of strength including caber tossing, hammer throw and other expositions of superhuman strength. This was followed on the Saturday by the official opening of the event by our Chief of the Day, Simon Abney-Hastings, the 15^th Earl of Loudoun. Mayor of Ballarat Cr Des Hudson OAM also gave a rousing speech in support of the event. After the opening speeches, the packed arena was filled with the stirring sound of the massed pipes and drums. The massed bands included members from Ballarat Pipe Band, Golden City Pipe Band, Geelong RSL Pipe Band and Ballarat Grammar Pipe Band.

The castle walls were filled with lots of attractions

A very popular main arena performance was the Highland Dancing by the Victorian Scottish Union Highland Dancing with performers from Geelong Scottish Dance. The wee’uns stole everyone’s heart with their amazing dancing. One of the unique aspects of the event were highly entertaining historical displays including, “Who is the real William Wallace?” with the crowd regaled by a hilarious blue woad covered imposter and the real 13^th century knight! Following, was a joust in tribute to the wedding tournament of James the Second of Scotland and his marriage to Mary of Guelders in 1449. Many lances were broken and the crowd was mightily educated and entertained.

The castle walls were filled with lots of other attractions including Highland ponies, Highland cows and the magnificent Scottish Deerhounds and lots of fabulous vendors selling Scottish food and wares.  Clans were represented by tents including; Fraser, Sinclair, Donald, MacDonald of Yarraville, Edmonstone, MacPherson, MacKinnon and MacNicol with Chief John MacNeacail of MacNeacail and Scorrybreac in attendance. As the dusk drew in, the audience enjoyed the individual band performances from all band participating in the massed bands performance. As evening fell the event was brought to a close, with the lone piper again scaling the parapets of castle and filling the air with the haunting sounds of the bagpipes which was signal for all the happy visitors to return home. As part of the action packed program, there were two Highland themed feasts held with haggis and delicious Scottish food served and a whisky tasting narrated by Kinglake Distillery. The hungry attendees were royally entertained by Auld Alliance, a two-piece band playing stirring Scots classics who also called a few enthusiastic patrons up to dance.By any measure the event was a huge success and will be return again next year.

The call has already gone for Clans to gather at Kryal Castle, Ballarat on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 of August 2024 for another Highland Spectacular. Tickets are on sale now at https://checkout.roller.app/kryalcastle/products/highlanderspectacular?date=20240817#/sessions. Feast tickets are also available.

 

Lyon College will once again combine its beloved Arkansas Scottish Festival with the excitement of homecoming for one big weekend-long celebration, ScotsFest, from Oct. 27-29 on the Lyon College campus in Batesville. The Arkansas Scottish Festival began in 1979 as a small fair on the campus’s intramural field as a way to pay homage to the Scottish heritage of the college’s Presbyterian founders. It has grown into one of the premier festivals in Arkansas and one of the most prominent festivals in the United States for honoring Scottish heritage and traditions. This is the 43^rd year of the Arkansas Scottish Festival and the third year the festival will be combined with the Lyon College Homecoming.

Follow the sounds of the bagpipes

Last year, the event drew more than 5,500 festival-goers and generated an estimated $1.2 million in economic impact to Independence County. Presented by Lyon College and lead partner, Experience Independence, ScotsFest will feature several new events this year, including a vintage swap meet, a comedy show featuring “America’s Got Talent” alumnus Cam Bertrand, a free rocket-building workshop, and performances by the Piper Jones Band and Celtic musician Misty Posey. ScotsFest will open at noon on Friday, with a food truck fair, vendors and Scottish clan exhibitions. Featured entertainers in the Ozark Beer Co. entertainment tent on Friday include third-generation Arkansas musician Garrett Duncan and his wife, Ashton, at 4 p.m.; popular central Arkansas country rock band Drasco at 6 p.m.; and award-winning Arkansas bluegrass band The Gravel Yard at 8 p.m. A variety of homecoming events are planned for Friday, including open classes, a Founders’ Day choir reunion, a Founders’ Day convocation, and an alumni and friends awards celebration and social.  For more information on the alumni events, contact Lyon College Executive Director of Alumni Engagement Cindy Barber at [email protected].  “We look forward to welcoming alumni back to campus all year long, but there’s nothing like the reunions and fun during ScotsFest,” Barber said. “Just follow the sounds of the bagpipes.”

On Saturday, Oct. 28, the festival will get underway at 8 a.m. with historical reenactments by MacLachlan’s Jacobite Highlanders and Colonel Munro’s 37^th Regiment of Foot, a Highland heavy athletics competition, Scottish clan reunions, sheep dog demonstrations, rocket demonstrations, pipe band exhibitions, Highland dancing, a British car show, the Li’l Highlanders Fun Zone and entertainment throughout the day featuring Celtic songstress Posey. A vintage swap meet is set from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center in Becknell Gymnasium. The student-led event will showcase the best in vintage toys, sports memorabilia, fashion, crafts, collectibles, jewelry, artwork and culture. Proceeds from a $3 admission to the swap meet benefit Lyon College student organizations. To register a booth, please contact Pam Palermo at [email protected].

The vibrant display of Scottish culture

The Ozark Beer Co. entertainment tent will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with entertainment throughout the day, featuring popular Celtic performers, the Piper Jones Band, a lyrical, high-energy trio that maintains a strong musical base in traditional tunes from Scotland, Ireland and Appalachia. There will be a band and clan march-past followed by opening ceremonies at 12 p.m. with a mass pipe band concert in the Couch Garden. Afternoon and evening special events include a dog show,  sheep dog demonstrations, and a feast and ceilidh.

Homecoming events on Saturday include a tailgate event, pep rally, student organization reunions, alumni ball games, and alumni and friends meet-and-greets. In Saturday’s homecoming match-up, the Lyon College Scots soccer teams will take on Webster University, with the women’s match at 1 p.m. and the men’s match at 3 p.m. on Huser Field on the Lyon College campus. At 9 p.m., there will be a free comedy show featuring popular comedian Cam Bertrand, who became famous for his TikTok account featuring standup comedy videos and his appearance on “America’s Got Talent.”

The festival opens at 8 a.m. on Sunday and includes historical reenactments, sheep dog demonstrations, Highland dancing, and a Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan worship service at 11 a.m. in the entertainment tent. At 1 p.m., there will be a bonniest knees contest followed by the Kilted Fun Run for adults, students and children. Kilted Fun Run registration is $25 for adults and $10 for students and children. Homecoming events on Sunday include a Club 50 celebration for those who have been alumni for over 50 years at noon in the Maxfield Room of Edwards Common, with the class of 1973’s induction into society. The festival closes at 4 p.m. on Sunday. “Lyon College is honored to be a part of the rich tapestry of Arkansas’s cultural heritage, and the Arkansas Scottish Festival stands as a testament to our commitment to preserving and sharing these traditions,” said Dr. David Hutchison, vice president for advancement. “Through music, dance and the vibrant display of Scottish culture, the Arkansas Scottish Festival demonstrates the power of community and the enduring partnership between Lyon College and our surrounding region”

General admission to the festival is free, though some individual and alumni events require a separate registration. The full schedule can be seen at www.arscottishfest.com.

 

It is the spectacular and serene scenery of the Cowal peninsula, just an hour or so from the hustle and bustle of Glasgow, that provided broadcaster and writer Paul Murton with what he describes as his happy childhood. “It was my nursery and playground,” explained Paul who grew up in the east Cowal village of Ardentinny on the banks of Loch Long, “and I had a great degree of freedom to go out and explore the landscapes that enveloped me.

“I was out climbing or messing about on the water from an early age long before the era of health and safety. I still recall hitch hiking up to Arrochar at the age of 13, something you wouldn’t dream of doing these days. It was that innocent spirit of adventure that I still embrace to this day. It feeds into every TV programme and series I’m involved in. I will never cease to be fascinated by the landscapes and the people that make up Scotland. There’s an endless amount of stories to be told. Back in my younger days Dunoon was a very different place with over four thousand US servicemen based at the naval base. I recall playing basketball and softball at school as well as shinty and football. The base has gone now and it’s all a wee bit less frenetic. My parents ran a hotel in Ardentinny and some of the guests they had would fascinate me with their stories of adventure including one larger than life character who had traversed the continent of Antarctica. All of these influences only increased my desire to go explore,” added Paul who spent much of his career directing marque TV dramas including The Bill, Casualty and Holby City.

The enchanting Scottish landscape

The mean streets of Sun Hill and chaotic hospital wards of Holby were swapped a while back for a return to his roots. He describes himself on his Twitter profile as “a wanderer by trade who looks for lost horizons”. That wandering spirit has often got the better of him with countless hitch-hiking adventures across the length and breadth of Europe and numerous summits surmounted. Paul’s adventurousness has been channelled and manifested into an ever-growing list of BBC TV programmes and series about the enchanting Scottish landscape including Scotland’s Clans, Grand Tours of Scotland, Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands, Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs and Grand Tours of Scotland’s Rivers.

In every episode the affable Paul, with his trademark Tilley hat, effortlessly interweaves the Scottish legends, myths, people and landscapes into a rich tapestry that leaves the viewer enthralled. It’s a beguiling mixture of self-deprecation, humour and genuine interest. When it comes to his old stomping ground Paul has profiled Historic Kilmun, often described as the Rosslyn of the West, and the nearby Benmore Botanic Garden on his TV travels as well as the Lauder Monument. These are all landmarks that have a relevance that resonates far beyond their immediate geography.

Both Historic Kilmun and Benmore are popular stopping off points for coach tours with thousands of folk getting a fascinating fix of history and horticulture every year but there are so many other intriguing landmarks and people associated with this wee corner of Argyll including Ardentinny Beach, Kilmun Arboretum, Puck’s Glen and the forested tracks and trails of Glenbranter. These spots and many more are encapsulated within the ECHO (East Cowal Heritage Outdoors) Trails and all have their own stories to tell.

Special place

Paul went on “I recall Historic Kilmun, then known as St Munns church. Every day the school bus that took me to Dunoon Grammar School would stop outside. The daughter of the minister would get on. It was fair to say she was a wee bit less religious than her father! Loch Eck, just a short trek from the stunning Benmore Garden with its golden gates, is a place that will always be special. There are so many myths associated with this body of water. Stories of kelpies and other creatures abound. Loch Eck also had a big part to play in Victorian times with the arrival of the paddle steamers. It is a body of water with a lot of tales to tell as well as incredible views in the watery stillness. The hills and mountains in this part of Cowal might not be the biggest on the west coast but their steep slopes create a feeling of encasement that is rarely matched. Back in the Victorian era there were many paddle steamers shuttling up and down the Clyde towards the Holy Loch and Dunoon. The entrepreneurs of Glasgow could leave their grand villas at 7am and be at their desks by nine. It’s a bit more tricky these days!”

There are effectively two routes into Dunoon and Cowal. There’s the passenger and car ferries from Gourock and then there’s the imposing and, occasionally unpassable, Rest and Be Thankful pass on the A83 between Arrochar and Cairndow.  “This part of the world does feel a bit like an island at times but there are so many reasons to visit and it is not just a gateway to the Highlands but a destination in its own right. It’s moulded and influenced me with its magical landscapes. I’d encourage folk to take in this special place on their own grand tours of Scotland!” concluded Paul. That spirit of wander and wonder that Paul infuses into all of his TV projects found its genesis in the hills of Cowal and Dunoon. No wonder it was a happy childhood!

The Cowal peninsula plays host to two key annual events this Autumn with the Cowalfest (Oct 12-16) walking festival making a welcome return after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic and the recent Cowal Open Studios (COS) artists’ network holding their ‘open studios weekend’ (Sep 22-25). To find out more about these two landmark weekends visit www.cowalopenstudios.co.uk and www.wildaboutargyll.co.uk/cowalfest where you can book your places on any of the scheduled Cowalfest walks and events.

The Scottish Banner speaks to Paula Braiden, Senior Drum Major and founder of The Force.

-Paula, you have a family history in pipe bands and took an interest in Drum Majoring at a very young age.  Can you tell us more and how growing up in your family paved the way for you to make a life in the pipe band movement?

PB: My brother Darrell was a drummer and when my mother Eva and father William were young they were in a pipe band, so it was a very natural progression for us as a family to enter that kind of hobby. We were all very musical, so it was a guided way forward for us. When my brother became a drummer, he would head off for competitions and I would be left with my granny, who I got on with very well, and thought to myself there is something I must do to also get to these competitions. I always loved watching the Drum Majors and I wanted to give that a go. The Pipe Major at the time said I was very talented, and my arms were very flexible in the movements, so I got my very first Mace at aged seven. I used to parade up and down when the Drum Majors were doing their performances, even though I had no notion of what to do, I pretended I did. The audience would have seen this wee kid that would have been so excited and enthusiastic about Drum Majoring. I then joined Alastair Patterson’s Drum Major class and then later was taught by one of the top Drum Majors at that time in Alan McBride, who had approached my parents and told them I had great potential and offered to teach me on a one-to-one basis. I worked hard and people on the circuit began to know who I was at a very young age.

-For those that do not actually know, can you tell us what exactly the role of a Drum Major is?

PB: The role of a Drum Major is essentially the person in command of the band, they would be in charge of marching discipline, giving commands such as where they march off and where the band goes. They will also often name the tunes a band will play. In a military Drum Major role, they are the highest rank in the band, other than the Pipe Major, and work like the conductor of the band. They will give their command and move their Mace to the rhythm of the music, and even command the tempo of how the band plays the tune. Drum Majors really do play an important role, whilst they do not play an instrument, they do hold the rhythm to what is being played. So, the movement of the Mace is what ties the musicality of the performance. A Drum Major’s movements are not to be looked at just from a visual and flamboyant perspective, they are there to keep the band musically correct and in time. A highly functioning Drum Major will be able to keep the band together, even though half of them is at the very back. For example, I am quite small, so my Mace must be high enough in the air for those at the back to see my movements, but I do have a loud voice so there is no fear that those at the back of the band don’t hear that.

-Paula you have won multiple World Championship titles as well as Scottish, British, Irish and European titles. How has competing amongst some of the best in the world shaped your passion and is there a title you are most proud of?

PB: Growing up I was taught by the best and had every best possible opportunity to succeed. For me starting at the age of seven through to my first World title at the age of fourteen, that was my steppingstone to making it. I was very young and around many top senior Drum Majors and could not wait to be that person. Because my first World title was at fourteen it was phenomenal for me, I then went on for two seasons undefeated in every championship and local contest and by the age of 18 I had a total of four World Championship titles. At that young age it was a lot of pressure, though I did not feel it at the time. The win that stands out the most for me was when I won the senior World title in 2012, prior to that for five years running I placed second at the World Championships (to a different winner every time). By then I was competing as an adult in a senior grade and all I wanted was a senior title. In 2012 I really dug deep and put in my best performance possible. Prior to that my last World title was 2001 so that eleven-year period was probably the toughest time in my career. So, the 2012 win was the most memorable for me because I remember how high I jumped and the tears coming, and though I tried to remain professional, the tears kept coming. When I collected my trophy even the officials were crying as they were all overwhelmed at the fact, I had finally done it. It really was the most triumphant I have ever felt with a win.

-Being a female Drum Major on the international circuit surely must break some glass ceilings. How important has it been for you to be recognised in quite a male dominated network and what are your hopes for young girls coming up in the pipe band movement around the world?

PB: If I look back at the young girl I was, watching those senior Drum Majors there was probably only ever one female.  So, my aim in my head was to be that one female as I grew up and be an example to future generations. For me being a female, it used to be predominately a male that has held the role, I am quite fortunate to have been so successful and the opportunity to lead massed pipes and drums. Leading a massed band onto a tattoo arena I really have to use my voice and you can hear the audiences surprise and cheers when they hear a female leading them. That inspires me more to hear that excitement, that a woman is leading the bands and the bands make me feel very welcome.

Over time I was invited to do an event in Switzerland and eventually a tour of Germany, at the time I did not understand the importance of being a woman in that position. I was so proud to lead the bands and that my younger self was doing what she had dreamed of. For me its about working hard, being patient and knowing what you want out of your passion. I am very passionate about what I do and everything I do I do to the highest of standard. For any young girl that wants to Drum Major competitively know that you have the talent and ability by putting in the hard work. It is now so accepted to be in that position and people get excited to see a female march out a huge band and give those commands, it really does get a huge amount of respect. Putting in that hard work can get you to a level where you are full of confidence to lead a band and perform in front of thousands of people. I have also taught several female champions who have gone on to win titles so there are definitely females coming up in the ranks behind me.

-You have been a Drum Major teacher for over 20 years and helped produce five World Champion Drum Majors. What is the average age of your students and how important is it for you to pass on your knowledge to others around the world?

PB: I used to have my own teaching class called the PB Class of Drum Majors and taught from a beginner level right through to experienced level. My average age of pupils would of likely been around the fifteen to sixteen mark. The younger children would have come in at around seven, when they have the capacity to follow instructions and maintain that concentration. I have had adults and older people who want to explore it as they never had a chance earlier in life and may be looking to lead street parades or perform at band functions. I have had a seventy-year-old pupil so the ages can really differ. Predominately though I taught at a beginner level through to early twenties. To be the best competitor myself I always found that teaching was one of the best tools for me to stay at my best.

-You are now involved with The Force, a display team of champion Drum Majors. Can you tell us more?

PB: The Force has been in the making for several years now and been operating at various international military tattoos and events around the World, such as Switzerland’s Avenches Tattoo and Moscow’s Spasskaya Tower Tattoo. However, it is only now that I have launched this talented group of champion Drum Majors as The Force. We are all multiple championship title holders including World champions so whenever I offer mine and The Force’s services to an event it is an elite team of World champions, I bring with me. I produce and choreograph performances to any Tattoo/event theme which can be so synchronised you may think it is just one person. We build the structure of the performance around the event we attend and try and create something to give the audience a real spectacle. To see a standing ovation at the end of a performance is something I strive for every time. It could be choreography, production or even designing a flash mob style performance, which is a unique piece and involves multiple musical accompaniments as part of our choreographed performance, such as Pipers, Drummers, Guitarists, Vocalists, Flutists, Dancers etc. We try to create something very special and I get huge satisfaction seeing what was in my head all come together and enjoyed by thousands of people on the World stage. We have been involved with many collaborations over the years with various artists at music festivals to military tattoos, workshops or even working alongside some of the members from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, we really do bring a wealth of experience, creativity and innovation to an event or Military Tattoo. The Force is a very unique offering to any event or Tattoo as there is nothing else quite like it on the international scene.

And finally, the pipe band movement offers an incredible fraternity and comradery to those at any age. Can you tell us what you feel is so special about it and what message do you have for someone who may be considering joining a band?

PB:  It sounds really cliché, but it really is a global community and a place where everyone knows your name. I grew up in the pipe band world and it really is a big family that looks out and supports one another. For me, pipe band people have literally watched me grow up from the age of seven, now I am an RSPBA Drum Major adjudicator. People I thought were old when I was young, are actually old now, and have watched me through my career. Everyone looks out for one another, and the older ones become your uncles and your aunts. My best friends in life are the ones I have met as a Drum Major at the age of eight, so they have been with me now for thirty years. I have lifelong friends who are now family members because we met through the pipe bands, I met my husband Craig through the pipe bands as he is a piper. We are now instilling that onto our children, my son Finlay loves to pipe like his daddy and my daughter Pippa loves to Drum Major like her mummy.  If we go to a pipe band event Finlay asks why we stop every two minutes to talk to people on the field and I have to explain this is what life is like in the pipe band world, everybody knows everyone and you meet lots of friends. Being part of the pipe band scene has taught me self-belief, self-discipline and a passion for life and those fundamentals I feel are vital in being the best you can be as a person, not just a Drum Major.

The Force is a champion Drum Major Display Team who perform at various international musical military tattoos and events around the world. For more details see: www.theforce.events.

Hundreds of volunteers and media participated in the largest surface area search of Loch Ness in 50 years in late August, with numerous potential sightings and strange noises heard from the depths of Loch Ness. Wild weather (nicknamed ‘Nessie’s revenge’) did not put off hardy hunters who flocked along both sides of the 23-mile long loch to volunteer in the surface watch, alongside hundreds who participated online via webcams.

Highlights from the weekend included:

• Four mysterious and previously unheard loud noises from the depths of the loch.
• Possible video footage of the monster with mysterious ‘humps’ filmed on the loch moving, before disappearing.
• An online volunteer captured a giant shadow just under the surface, moving, dipping out of sight, then returning and swimming across again.
• Multiple submissions of potential sightings via sighting form submissions including streaks in the water.

The mysterious monster

Nessie is clearly still capturing people’s imagination and interest as much today as it did 90 years ago. The mysterious monster has become so popular worldwide that Continuum Attractions (which runs award winning visitor attractions across the UK) has recently invested into the new Loch Ness Centre, giving visitors and enthusiasts the chance to take a tour and learn more about the history, view real artefacts, and see the scientific evidence. At the end of the experience guests are given the chance to debate the existence of Nessie.

Christie McLeod, who travelled to take part from Toronto, Canada, said, “I’ve been hunting the monster for nine years, but this is my first official hunt. I’ve previously hired my own boat, so this is great as it’s organised by Loch Ness Exploration with support from the Loch Ness Centre. I’ve heard lots of stories from the locals, which all contradict each other. There are two types of people in the world, Nessie believers and non-believers, and I’m not interested in the latter. I have a spiritual connection to the Loch Ness monster and think there is a portal to another dimension in the loch.”

Paul Nixon, General Manager of the Loch Ness Centre, said, “This excitement this weekend has proven that the ongoing hunt for the Loch Ness Monster is still very much alive and continues to draw and attract a global audience, from America, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and more. We all want the same thing, to see and find out what the Loch Ness monster is. We’ve been delighted to welcome so many people into the Loch Ness Centre for visitor centre tours and Deepscan boat trips across the weekend.”

Alan McKenna, of Loch Ness Exploration, said, “I’d like to thank all the volunteers who have supported us over the weekend, both in person and online. It’s been an exceptional weekend, with lots of potential sightings and huge interest from across the globe. We know the monster is elusive, so it is not surprising we don’t have a concrete sighting, but we’ve all had lots of fun and proven the mystery lives on. As for what happens next, watch this space…”

To book your trip to The Loch Ness Centre or a cruise tour, please visit: lochness.com.

The Williamstown Highland Celtic Gathering , supported by Hobsons Bay City Council and Melbourne Highland Games & Celtic Festival, will return for a second season of fun and excitement on Saturday, October 28th, 2023. The Gathering is a celebration of all things Scottish/Celtic at the Seaworks Maritime precinct in Williamstown, featuring five hours of non-stop entertainment., including dancers, pipers, folk bands, martial arts, re-enactments and much much more.

The Gathering will also showcase the rich and diverse heritage of the Scottish and Celtic people, with Scottish Clans and Celtic community groups displaying their history and traditions. Those attending will have the opportunity to meet and interact with them and learn about their culture and customs. The day will include some demonstrations by Glen Lachlan Martial Arts, Roman Re -enactors and various activities for younger children. Popular Folk music including Blairdardie on the stage and with the Newport Bush Orchestra in the Pirates bar to
entertain in a comfortable social environment.

The Gathering will also offer a variety of vendors selling Celtic products such as apparel, jewellery, and food. Those attending can sample some delicious Scottish delicacies such as haggis, neeps, and tatties, or try some other cuisines from around thew world.

The festival will commence with an opening ceremony at 10:00am, and conclude at 3:00pm.
This event is a family-friendly activity that is suitable for all ages. Tickets are $25. For adults, $20 for concession holders and free for children under 16.
You can buy you tickets online or at the gate on the day.

This is an opportunity for all to connect with their inner Scottish/Celt and have a blast at Williamstown Highland Celtic Gathering.

GetTickets:
www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1086458

Website:
https://melbournehighlandgames.org.au/location/seaworks/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MelbourneHighlandGames

 

The Sons of Scotland Pipe Band from Ottawa has enjoyed some very exciting travel opportunities this summer, and they are proud to share them with you here.  The band took its annual trip to Scotland in August, and they were joined by three Highland dancing schools, and players from six countries – with two more added in for 2024, and they visited Perth, Glasgow, and played throughout Edinburgh.  They had a wonderful 10-day trip, and plans are afoot for a special journey in 2024.

And as soon as they were home, a small group with guest players from the Princess of Wales Own Regiment Foundation Pipes and Drums from Kingston, Ontario, joined them to take a special trip to perform at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany.  They also visited Berlin, Cologne, Ypres and Amsterdam, and had a terrific time visiting all these cities.  With so many other great performance opportunities to come, the band welcomes you to visit their website at www.sospb.com to see how you can take part as a piper, drummer, or guest.

Billed as one of Scotland’s best days out the finale of the 2023 Cowal Gathering lived up to its reputation. Thousands of people from across the world gathered in Dunoon for one of the world’s most spectacular Highland Gathering with competitors, entertainers and spectators joining forces to make sure it was an event to remember. Crowds watched as over a thousand competitors fought to secure some Cowal silverware. Dancers, pipers, heavy athletes and wrestlers were joined by entertainers including cyclists, axe throwers and musicians to ensure the Gathering’s crowds were wowed from early morning until the end of the day. The standard of competition was world class, with every athlete and competitor giving their all to leave the Stadium as a Cowal Gathering winner.

One of the highlights of the Gathering’s final day was, as always, the Cowal Pipe Band Championship.  Section and grade winners in the Cowal Pipe Band champions were:

Novice Juvenile B – Renfrewshire Schools

Novice Juvenile A – Kilbarchan Pipe Band

Grade 3 – Coalburn IOR

Grade 3 MSR – Coalburn IOR

Grade 2 – Coalburn IOR

The champion Drum Major was Campbell Gillies of Rothesay and District Pipe Band.

World Highland Dancing Championships

Then came the biggest Highland Dancing competition in the world – the World Championship finals – with dancers from Australia, Canada and the USA pitting their skills against the best the UK has to offer. In the end, it was Eilidh Gammons from Helensburgh who emerged victorious in the World Juvenile finals, followed by Maria Monk of Bearsden and Alice Gill of Melbourne, Australia.   The trophy for best Scottish Juvenile Dancer went to Eilidh Gammons and the best Overseas Juvenile Dancer was Alice Gill from Melbourne, Australia.  In the World Junior championship, Olivia Burke of Nova Scotia held off the challenge of Lily Kelman from Inverness and Lauren Abrahart of Alberta.  The best Scottish Junior Dancer was Lily Kelman of Inverness, and the trophy for the best Overseas Junior Dancer went to Oliva Burke from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.  The Adult World champion was Rebecca Thow from Belhelvie, followed by Michelle Gordon from Huntly, with Cameron Walker from Denny in third.  Fiona Tolley from Ontario took home the Mary McHarg Quaich for best Overseas Adult Dancer.  The cup for best Scottish Adult Dancer went to Rebecca Thow.

In the International Heavy Athletics Team competition, Team Scotland were victorious with Team Germany coming runners up. In the overall individual heavy athletics, Craig Winslow from Scotland triumphed in the men’s competition, with Daniel Carlin from Scotland in second and Martin Kuhne from Germany third. In the women’s event, Mhairi Porterfield from Scotland beat off the challenge of Christina Scheffaur from Austria (2^nd) and Rachel Hunter from Scotland (3^rd).

Speaking on behalf of the Cowal Gathering Board Fraser McCowan said this year’s event will go down as the best in recent times and thanked the people of Dunoon and Cowal for their continued support, as well as the Gathering’s sponsors, “On behalf of the Board of Cowal Gathering, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this year’s event. Your hard work over, not only the last months, but years has helped ensure Cowal Gathering continue to grow and develop to be an event fit for the 21^st century.  We’ve welcomed spectators not just from Argyll and Scotland, but from all corners of the UK and, of course our international visitors who have travelled many thousands of miles, just to be with us.  As well as our visitors here in the Stadium I’d like to also thank the thousands of people who joined us online through our livestream. We hope you enjoyed the competitions from wherever part of the world you were watching from. To our wonderful competitors, Cowal Gathering could not be what it is without you. This year’s levels of performance have been simply breathtaking.  I look forward to welcoming you back to the 2024 Cowal Gathering.”

A full list of the results from the 2023 Cowal Gathering can be found at: www.cowalgathering.com

Main photo: World Juvenile Champion Eilidh Gammons from Helensburgh, World Junior Champion Olivia Burke from Nova Scotia and World Adult Champion Rebecca Thow from Belhelvie.

Following a very successful sold-out 20^th anniversary Dressed to Kilt (DTK) fashion show in Washington DC, DTK has been invited to hold its 2024 show in Toronto, Canada. This will be a very important show as it will be the first time that the Dressed to Kilt show has been held outside the United States. The next show is now confirmed for Saturday evening, April 6, 2024 – Tartan Day.  This day is a celebration of Scottish heritage and the cultural contributions of Scottish and Scottish-diaspora figures of history. It is not well known that Tartan Day was actually created in Canada. Founded in Nova Scotia in 1986 and then passed by the Ontario Legislature in 1991. The US Congress followed in 1998.

For those of you being introduced to Dressed to Kilt for the first time, it is the most prestigious and largest Scottish fashion show in the world. It is also one of the highest profile fashion shows in the United States in terms of press and media generation. It was co-founded in 2003 by the late Sir Sean Connery and Dr. Geoffrey Scott Carroll. Though the fashion runways of New York City are the home of Dressed to Kilt, this annual celebrity show has also performed to sold-out audiences in Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas; and most recently Washington DC.

Dress for Adventure – From Caledonia to Canada

It is a celebrity filled evening of fashion and incredible excitement where previous runway models have included Sir Sean and Lady Connery, Brian Cox, Gerard Butler, Billy Connolly, Kiefer Sutherland, Mike Myers, Kyle McLachlan, Chris Noth (Mr. Big) , Alan Cumming, Matthew Modine, Robbie Coltrane, Rod Stewart. Joan Jett, the Victoria Secret Models, numerous Canadian and American Gold Medal Winning Olympic stars, President Trump (Scottish mother) and many more.

Scotland has had an extraordinary role in the settlement and development of Canada since its inception and Scots have been involved in every aspect of Canada’s development. Scots-Canadians have been at the forefront of the Canadian state, its government, its commerce and its public affairs. Many of Canada’s great universities bear the names of influential Scots who shaped their founding.

The theme of the Toronto fashion show will be “Dress for Adventure – From Caledonia to Canada”. This is a tribute to the fashion of the countryside and the great outdoors. The runway becomes a stage for outdoor lifestyle fashion that encompasses hunting, shooting, riding, fishing and with the Toronto show this will include skating, skiing and winter sports in general. Creativity meets innovation on the DTK platform. There is a Country Chic look that is emerging, and this movement is bringing nature back into urban environments. The influence of the countryside in urban style (tweeds, tailoring, plaid, cashmere, leather and suede) is adding warmth and softness to the city silhouettes and attitudes.

All models will walk to Scottish music, either traditional or current and there are always live Scottish performers and musicians. The show is as much a Scottish musical concert including everything from AC/DC and the Bay City Rollers to Calvin Harris and Lewis Capaldi. The attendees at the show always seem to move and rock to the beat of the runway music.

The Royal Canadian Legion

Canadian designers will also be invited to submit their designs for inclusion in the runway show. While the show highlights a number of Scotland’s premier designers, it will also invite local designers that follow the theme of the “Dress for Adventure” show or designers that showcase the quality and versatility of Scottish fabrics like Harris Tweed, tartan and cashmere. The Toronto show will also honour the late Sir Sean Connery and the late Dame Vivienne Westwood, a huge supporter of Dressed to Kilt and of tartan.

The pulsating rhythm of fashion runways usually reverberates with cutthroat competition, rapid trend evolution and insatiable hunger for novelty. Amidst this dazzling, ever-changing spectacle, Dressed to Kilt has etched a distinctive identity that goes beyond merely showcasing celebrity models in traditional kilts or stunning professional models in the latest fashion-forward attire. At the heart of this show is charity and philanthropy. The charity facet of the fashion show is well-recognized within industry corridors. Dressed to Kilt has raised millions for Veteran’s causes throughout the years, earning acclaim and extensive recognition.  The DTK Board of Directors agrees to raise funds for the Royal Canadian Legion with the Toronto show. The Royal Canadian Legion is the largest Veterans charity in Canada and it was founded by Veterans for the benefit of Veterans. They advocate for all who served Canada, regardless of where and when they served. They also provide assistance to their families at no cost. The Legion helps thousands of Veterans each year and makes positive changes in their lives.

For more details see: www.dressedtokilt.com

Live Nation are excited to announce additional shows on the forthcoming Deacon Blue tour which sees the band in Australia and New Zealand for the first time since their highly successful shows in 2019.  With 2 shows already sold out in Perth, the band have added a new show on Friday November 24 at the Regal Theatre, and an additional show on Sunday December 10 at Auckland’s Powerstation.

A Greatest Hits show with a difference

Thirty-five years since their debut single, Dignity, and millions of record sales since, Deacon Blue are digging out all their old 45s – the Top 10s, the favourites, the sing-along rarities and touring Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2023. The band have always thrived onstage, but they’ve never played gigs quite like this. They’ll go electric for a raucous trip across their hits and play some of their favourites in an intimate acoustic section of the show. Vocalist and songwriter Ricky Ross is raring to go on this celebration of Deacon Blue’s brilliant and loyal fans, roaring the Caledonian gospel from the South Coast to the Uplands. “We’ve decided to play a Greatest Hits show with a difference,’ he says.  ‘Yes, we intend to play all (or nearly all) the old 45s, but we also want to play some songs acoustically too.  We really can’t wait to come back to Australia and New Zealand, we always love visiting these amazing countries.”

Kicking off in Perth the band then play in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane in Australia before heading to play New Zealand for shows in Auckland and Christchurch, the first time the band have played the South Island. Ross, co-vocalist Lorraine McIntosh, Dougie Vipond (drums), Jim Prime (keyboards), Gregor Philp (guitar) and Lewis Gordon (bass) will breathe new life into well-loved songs like Dignity, Loaded, Wages Day, Real Gone Kid, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, Your Swaying Arms, Twist & Shout, Your Town, The Hipsters and City Of Love. And so many more.

Reader giveaway

The Scottish Banner is pleased to offer 5 lucky readers a chance to see Deacon Blue in their nearest capital city. Courtesy of the Live Nation we have a double pass up for grabs for the following shows: Regal Theatre, Perth-Fri, Nov 24, Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide Tues Nov 28, The Forum, Melbourne, Nov 30, Enmore Theatre, Sydney, Dec 2 and Fortitude Valley Music Hall, Brisbane, Dec 5. To enter simply email: [email protected], enter via our website or post (sorry no telephone entries) our Sydney office.

Please ensure you include your email/phone details and what city you are going in the draw for. Winners will be notified directly, good luck!

Tickets are now on sale. For complete tour, ticket and VIP experience information, visit: livenation.com.au or www.livenation.co.nz.

Ancient rocks from the Isle of Rum are playing an important role in an international space mission to discover more about Mars. A group of scientists have been collecting samples of rock from the NatureScot National Nature Reserve (NNR) as part of the NASA and European Space Agency (ESA)’s Mars Sample Return Campaign. The campaign is assembling a defined set of rock samples from around the world that are comparable to rock samples from the Red Planet that are scheduled to be brought to Earth in 2033. Due to its unique geology, Rum off the west coast of Scotland has been selected as the only UK site for sampling, as some of its igneous rocks have a very similar mineral and chemical content to those that have been collected by NASA’s Perseverance Rover during its exploration of an ancient crater on Mars.

An intensive study of the rocks from Rum and other high-priority sample sites will crucially help scientists understand what methods of testing and analysis will work best in readiness for when the Martian rocks are brought to Earth. As the first samples from another world, the Mars rocks are thought to present the best opportunity to reveal clues about the early evolution of the planet, including the potential for past life. The Rum sampling is being led by Dr Lydia Hallis, a geologist and planetary scientist from the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences at the University of Glasgow, and a member of the campaign’s Science Group. The field team also included Dr Luke Daly from the University of Glasgow, Professor Helen Williams and Dr Simon Matthews from the University of Cambridge, Professor John Bridges from the University of Leicester, and Dr Mariek Schmidt from Brock University in Canada.

Scotland’s world-class geology

Dr Hallis said: “These Rum rocks are an excellent comparison to a specific geologic unit on Mars – the igneous Séítah Formation within the Jezero crater – which is characterized by the mineral olivine, and which the NASA Perseverance Rover explored and sampled. Not only is the mineralogy and chemistry similar, but the two rocks appear to have a similar amount of weathering. This seems strange when we think how wet and warm Rum is compared to present day Mars, but billions of years ago when the Séítah Formation crystallised on Mars the difference in environment would not have been so pronounced. At this time Mars was much wetter and warmer, with a thicker atmosphere that may even have produced rain (though not as much as we get in Scotland!). Over time the Martian atmosphere thinned leaving the surface much dryer and colder, essentially halting any further weathering within Séítah and preserving the rocks at Jezero Crater for us to investigate today. The rocks on Rum are younger geologically than those that have been collected on Mars by Perseverance, but their exposure to the Scottish elements has produced roughly the same amount of weathering as was produced in the Séítah Formation during Mars’ early wet and warm climate. Because of all these similarities, analysis of the Rum rocks should give us a good head start and help the samples from the Red Planet achieve their full potential when they are returned to Earth.”

Lesley Watt, NatureScot’s Rum NNR reserve manager, added: “With its extinct volcanoes and dramatic mountains, Rum has always been one of the best places to discover Scotland’s world-class geology, but we didn’t quite realise that the rocks here were of interplanetary significance as well. It has been fascinating to learn more about the NASA/ESA mission, and really exciting for the island to play a small part in this truly historic endeavour to find out more about Mars. We hope it will add yet another element of interest for visitors to this special place.”

On a 260-acre expanse of land near Kingussie, Highland in the Cairngorms National Park, you’ll find a menagerie of animals ranging from small Japanese snow monkeys to colossal polar bears. Welcome to the Highland Wildlife Park, operated by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) since 1986. Established in 1972, this safari park originally featured native Highland species. But in 2007 the RZSS expanded its scope to include animals from mountainous and tundra regions around the globe. The intent was to not only attract more visitors, but also provide refuge for endangered species which would be protected in the Highlands. In the 1980s the park gained fame by becoming home to Felicity, a puma reportedly captured locally by a farmer, and several of the mysterious Scottish Kellas cats.

Endangered species from places around the world

Visitors can drive through the Safari Park (Main Reserve) to see bison, elk, Bactrian camels and yaks. Then in the walk-round enclosures they’ll find Scottish wildcats, wolves, red pandas (temporarily resident at the Edinburgh Zoo), wolverines, forest reindeer and others. Originally featuring native Highland animals, in 2007 the RZSS began to shift the emphasis of the park’s theme to endangered species from places around the world similar in landscape and climate to the Highlands. This move proved controversial as some locals and regular visitors to the park regarded it as a place to see native animals in their natural habitat. Some native species removed during these alterations were red foxes, Highland cattle, Soay sheep, European polecats and badgers. The park is divided into sectors which include Woodland Walk, Entrance Reserve, Wolf Wood and Drive-Through Reserve.

Scottish wildcats lurk in Woodland Walk, while Bactrian camels and yak roam the Entrance Reserve. A European wolf pack and herd of European reindeer inhabit Wolf Wood, and in the Drive-Through Reserve European bison and elk wander and have the right of way over vehicles. As the most northerly inhabiting primate (excepting humans), the Japanese macaque or snow monkey is ideally suited to the Highland climate. A large troop of macaques is resident at the park. This has been a successful breeding population, with five individuals born in 2020 and another in 2022. Macaques figure prominently in Buddhist folklore, including in the story The Three Wise Monkeys. The European red squirrel is the only squirrel native to Britain. But this animal is very rare now in Britain, with the vast majority of the remaining population inhabiting woodland pockets in Scotland. The red squirrel is critically endangered due to the presence of the imported grey squirrel, which takes over the territory of and spreads disease to red squirrels. Free range red squirrels roam the park’s Wolf Wood and Forest Habitat, and regularly visit the feeding station in the latter location.

Showcase tales of Scottish wildlife

Other species resident at the Highland Wildlife Park includes the Amur tiger, arctic fox, Eurasian elk, Himalayan tahr, northern lynx, red deer, snow leopard, Bukhara deer and Przewalski’s wild horse. Amongst the park’s birds are Himalayan monal, great grey owl, Eurasian eagle owl and Eurasian crane.  Under construction at the park at the time of writing is Scotland’s Wildlife Discovery Centre. Scheduled to open in spring 2024, the centre will comprise three hubs situated around the park. The primary discovery hub will use digital technology to showcase tales of Scottish wildlife from the past (such as legends about ‘Highland tigers’) to the present.

The centre’s learning hub will promote conservation via STEM, outdoor education and science as practised by private citizens. Planned to focus on Scottish wildcat conservation, the hilltop hub will offer views of the park’s Saving Wildcats breeding centre. The work will also encompass the remodelling of the park’s existing visitor centre. Situated seven miles south of Aviemore, visitors can reach the park via a combination of rail and bus. Travellers can catch regular trains from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth or London, detrain at Aviemore, then take Stagecoach bus 39/M39 to the bottom of the park’s entrance road, between Kincraig and Kingussie. There remains a half a mile walk to the park’s ticket kiosks. There are also railway stations in the area at Dalwhinnie, Carrbridge, Kingussie and Newtonmore. Kingussie is four miles away from the park.

More information and live animal cams are accessible on the park’s website: www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk.

Did you know?

The Kellas Cat

Formerly regarded as a myth or hoax until one was caught in a snare in 1984, the Kellas cat is a hybrid of the domestic cat and Scottish wildcat. Discovered in the village of Kellas, Moray, the animal is mostly black, 61-110cm long and weighs up to 7kg. It has long rear legs ideal for swift running, and the coat is commonly flecked with white on the flanks and has a white patch on the chest or under the throat. The appearance of the Kellas cat is similar to the description of the cat-sìth, the fairy cat of Scottish folklore.

Unlike Scottish wildcats, Kellas cats have been observed hunting in pairs. Some of the sightings of reported Kellas cats are possibly of black melanistic Scottish wildcats, though the existence of the latter is disputed by some scientists and researchers. The crew of the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World TV programme succeeded in the first known live capture of a Kellas cat in spring, 1986 near Kellas. This female individual, confirmed by chromosomal analysis to be a hybrid of a wildcat and domestic cat, became an inhabitant of the Highland Wildlife Park. Mounted specimens are in the Zoology Museum of the University of Aberdeen, Elgin Museum, and Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh.

Scottish wildcats

A group of 22 Scottish wildcats born in 2022 at the Saving Wildcats breeding centre at Highland Wildlife Park were released into the Cairngorms Connect territory of the Cairngorms National Park in early June 2023. Each wildcat wears a GPS-radio collar for tracking and monitoring the animals. This programme, intended to replenish the population of this critically endangered species in Scotland, will see some 60 wildcats released over the next few years. Five more kittens were born in April 2023.

Colloquially referred to as the ‘Highland tiger’, the number of Scottish wildcats living in the wild had fallen to just a handful due to persecution, road accidents and breeding with domestic and hybrid cats.  The 22 individuals freed in June 2023 were first introduced into large enclosures where they could develop naturally and practise their survival skills, to prepare them for living in the wild. The release of this first batch of wildcats is considered a trial run. Close monitoring of these 22 individuals will provide data which will assist in subsequent releases of Scottish wildcats. If successful, the Saving Wildcats programme will result in the repopulation of Scotland’s only remaining native feline species.

Main photo: A wolf in pursuit. Photo: Charlie Marshall (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Text by: Eric Bryan.

In the past 66 years, the American Scottish Foundation (ASF) has become a leading voice within our Scottish American community, supporting and amplifying our shared love of Scotland, its heritage and its culture. The Annual dinner allows people to get together, celebrate all things Scottish following the mission set out by their founder Lord Malcolm Douglas Hamilton that the American Scottish Foundation be a bridge between the United States and Scotland. This year the ASF will present the ASF Wallace Awards and the inaugural ASF Young Scots Wallace Awards.

Wallace Award for Philanthropy

This year’s Wallace Award for Philanthropy to Garreth Wood, Scottish philanthropist and advocate. Garreth, a Scottish philanthropist and businessman, founded a property company, The Speratus Group, in 2003. He then expanded into the hospitality business, eventually owning and running 11 venues across Scotland. In 2018, he and his wife Nicola sold the hospitality businesses and co-founded Kids Operating Room, a global health charity dedicated to increasing capacity for paediatric surgery in low- and middle-income countries. The charity has grown rapidly over the past 5 years and become one of Scotland’s leading children’s charities, installing 63 state-of-the-art operating rooms in 24 countries, and creating capacity for up to 100,000 life-saving operations on children.

Young Scot Wallace Award

This year, The American-Scottish Foundation presents its first ever Young Scot Wallace Award to Jamie Douglas-Hamilton, Scottish entrepreneur and adventurer. Jamie is the founder of ACTIPH Alkaline Water, a market leader in Europe and the Middle East. He is a 15x Guinness World Record holder and was the first person in history to row across the Drake Passage from South America to Antarctica. In 2022 Jamie won the Great British Entrepreneur of the year and was included in Sunday Times list of top 100 most disruptive entrepreneurs. Jamie follows in the footsteps of his Grandfather and Uncles all intrepid adventurers – and ASF founder Lord Malcolm Douglas Hamilton – great Uncle to Jamie who will be approving of this award.

The American Scottish Foundation Annual Dinner and Wallce Award’s will take place Friday, November 3, 2023 in New York City. For full details see: www.americanscottishfoundation.com

The employment records of more than one thousand lighthouse keepers are now available to see online for the first time on genealogy website ScotlandsPeople.  Over 2,000 new scanned images of the records of the Northern Lighthouse Board give details of over 1,300 lightkeepers working in 92 lighthouses between 1837 and 1921.

Lightkeepers had hard working lives: long days and nights maintaining light and fog signals, as well as cleaning and ensuring the upkeep of their isolated stations in harsh conditions. Many keepers lived in cramped spaces for long periods, often with only basic washing facilities or toilets. They could be isolated from family and friends while they did their crucial work maintaining the safety of shipping around the Scottish coast.

Shine a light on the working lives

The records cover all of Scotland, from Muckle Flugga near Shetland to the most southerly at Drumore, Mull of Galloway. They also include Bell Rock, the world’s oldest working sea-washed lighthouse, and the three keepers of the Flannan Isles who disappeared following a storm in 1900, presumed drowned.

Jocelyn Grant, NRS Outreach and Learning archivist, said: “The last lighthouse was automated in 1998 and these records shine a light on the working lives of over 1,300 men in a profession that has now mostly passed into history. The Northern Lighthouse Board records are frequently requested by visitors to our buildings. If your ancestor worked in a Scottish lighthouse, there’s a good chance you will find them here. This is the latest in a series of popular record sets added to the National Records of Scotland genealogy service ScotlandsPeople as part of our wider programme making more of our archive holdings accessible to people across the country and around the world.”

ScotlandsPeople is the country’s official family and social history research website. Record indexes are free to search, with charges for viewing some images. For more details see: www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.

Nestled in the Canterbury foothills the tiny Hororata village is again preparing to welcome over 10,000 people to celebrate their Scottish roots. Kilts will swish, bagpipes will cry, cabers will turn and the haggis will be tamed at the 12^th Hororata Highland Games to be held Saturday 11^th November 2023. The Hororata Highland Games sees all the traditional Scottish competitions take place over one massive day at the Hororata Domain. The festival hosts New Zealand’s biggest one day Highland Dancing competition, top level Pipe Bands, Solo pipers and Drummers, Tug O’ War teams and of course the strong men and women competing in the Heavy events.   The Junior Warriors sees primary school aged children competing in light versions of the Heavy events while the Kilted Mile provides an opportunity for the fleet footed to gain a coveted Hororata Highland Games trophy.

Visitors don’t just sit on the side lines they can have a go at tossing cabers, hurling haggis, eating pies, Tug O’ War, running a Kilted Mile or donning on the tartan for the best dressed lad and lassie. New for 2023 there will be a massed Scottish Country Dance where everyone can join in. This dance has been especially choregraphed for Hororata and a video will be released closer to the event so people can learn it.  Once people get through the gates there is heaps of free activities to have a go at, no matter your age. Families often say it is the one event everyone right from grandparents to toddlers and even teenagers can enjoy together. There are also musical performances, Scottish story time and have a go bagpipes in amongst a huge range of quality market stalls as well as over 30 food trucks, don’t miss the haggis burgers or black pudding.

Discounted tickets for the Hororata Highland Games 11^th November are on sale now, there will be no gate sales this year. Kids under 16 years are free. Held in the Hororata Domain, 45 minutes inland from Canterbury. All profits from the event are invested back into the community. www.hororatahighlandgames.org.nz

The arrival of the railway at Brora, Sutherland in June 1871 was a special day especially for the 3^rd Duke of Sutherland who had great plans for Brora. He was interested in engineering, particularly steam engines, and had spent some time at the London & North Western Railway works in England at Wolverton, north of Milton Keynes so that he could learn about railways.

Another project was the coal mine at Brora. How is there a mine so many miles from the Carboniferous coalfields in Fife and Central Scotland? Dorset and Devon are world famous for their Jurassic Coast, but there is another around Brora on the north east coast of Scotland. The Beatrice Oilfield off the coast of Caithness, the only production platform visible from mainland Britain, is part of this geology. What we know about Brora Jurassic coal is that it is not very good quality and contains sulphur so is smelly when burnt. On a still winter day in the 19^th and 20^th  century, Brora might have had an unpleasant odour of bad eggs emitting from its chimneys!

Passion of railways

The 3^rd Duke with his passion of railways, was chairman of the Sutherland Railway which was authorised to go as far as Brora but ran out or money and only reached Golspie. He was so anxious for the railway to go further north that he financed it himself to go to Helmsdale and including a private station for Dunrobin Castle. By November 1870 the line was complete from Dunrobin to Helmsdale, but difficult engineering work meant that there was a gap between Golspie and Dunrobin. Until the line was fully open in June 1871, a twice day service which could be used by the public, ran between Dunrobin and Helmsdale.

In September 1870 the Duke had an inauguration ceremony for his station when Princess Helena, Queen Victoria’s daughter and her husband, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein travelled with the Duke’s locomotive bedecked in flowers, to Helmsdale and back. Once complete the railway from Golspie to Helmsdale opened on 19^th June 1871 and Dunrobin Station became private. Not content with that the Duke had got together funding for the railway to go the far North Coast at Thurso and Wick which opened in 1874. The building on the platform at Dunrobin Station had a somewhat Wild West appearance and the signal box was across the signal line. There was a shed to keep the duke’s railway carriage and a siding to park it when it was going to be used. His engine lived at Golpe where there was a workshop. The building at the station today was built by the duke’s son, the 4^th Duke in 1901.

Steam plough

 

The rather English looking building incorporated the signal box in the lower north facing extension. With the arrival of the railway the 3^rd Duke decided that the time had come to reopen the mine and brickworks which had been set up by the 1^st Duke as their output could be transported to Inverness and the South. Perhaps they would be more profitable than in the past,

He reconstructed the old tramway together with a new branch that went to the station. However, the railway on the approaches to Brora from the south runs along a raised beach so the goods yard and the station were higher than the existing tramway.  The branch line had to climb at a gradient of one in ten and then continue on the level to the station. A further short branch went to the duke’s engineering works which was capable of manufacturing anything from a nut to a steam engine. Horses and sometimes a small 0-4-0 saddle tank steam locomotive called Florence, chugged back and forth drawing the hutches loaded with coal on the journey to the station.

Edward James, the colliery manager from Staffordshire commenced production of coal from early 1874 producing between twenty-five and thirty tons per day. This development cost the duke just over £9,600, quite a sum for those days.  Another project was a steam plough. The duke was concerned that a lot of the land on his estate was so poor, the farms did not produce enough to support the human and animal population. He was impressed when in Egypt by the steam ploughs which had brought into production previously unusable land. In 1871, he arranged for a fifty-acre field at Uppat, near Dunrobin to be ploughed using a special plough from Fowlers of Leeds, presumably transported there by rail. Very satisfied with the results, by 1878 some 28,000 acres had been developed in Sutherland involving work for five hundred men. One large area was by Loch Shin, near Lairg. The duke built a lunch box there so that he could show off his ideas for improving the land.

The industrial town of the Highlands

In 1874, the duke invited a group of mining and mechanical engineers including David Jones, Highland Railway Locomotive Superintendent, to see some of his enterprises including the work at Loch Shin. They travelled north as far as Georgemas, near Thurso on the line from Helmsdale and viewed a machine for converting peat into charcoal. They descended into the coal mine where a four-foot seam was being worked and finally saw a display of dynamite. Finding workers for the mine and brickworks may have been a problem. In the main street of Brora there is a row of very English looking brick terrace houses that the duke built for his staff.  As the coal was not very good quality, it was mixed with better coal from the south which was transported by rail to Brora. The mixture was then sent south by rail to be sold to the public in Inverness and elsewhere. During this period Brora became the industrial town of the Highlands.

The 3^rd Duke died in 1892 aged sixty-three and was succeeded by his son, Cromartie who carried on some of his Father’s enterprises including the replacement of the old station building and driving the railway engine. The coal mine and brickworks continued under different father ownership until 1974. In the 21^st century, a heritage centre explains further about these interesting developments.

By: Anne-Mary Paterson

The inauguration of the Chief of the Clan Mackay took at Strathnaver Museum in Sutherland, on Saturday 19th August. The recently refurbished museum is located in the heart of traditional Mackay territory and is home to the Clan Mackay Centre. During the inauguration, Aeneas Simon Mackay, 15th Lord Reay was officially appointed as the 29th Chief of Clan Mackay. He inherits the title and related responsibilities of Chief of Mackay following the death of his father, Sir Hugh William Mackay (14th Lord Reay) in 2013.  Organised by the Clan Mackay Society, the inauguration ceremony was conducted in accordance with ancient Highland customs and traditions dating back to pre-Christian Scotland. The ceremonial gathering was centred on and incorporate the Farr Stone, which is an ancient standing stone carved with Celtic symbols. It has been a monument in Farr since at least the 9th century. Following a procession of pipers and banner bearers the Chief was officially inaugurated by the clan in a ceremony with centuries-old roots. In assuming the leadership responsibilities of Chief of Mackay, Lord Reay will ensure that the traditions and customs of Clan Mackay which have been passed down for generations are respected and preserved for future generations.

The importance of ancestral history

As Lord Reay (Chief of the Clan Mackay) commented:  “The role of the Clan Chief in modern times, although largely ceremonial, consists of representing the clan and its heritage to the wider world. The Chief, as I see it, is responsible for ensuring that the next generation understands the importance of their ancestral history. As such, the role is somewhat ambassadorial in nature, representing the clan in a positive light whilst preserving and promoting its cultural heritage”. The Chief and his family were joined at the ceremony by hundreds of Clan Mackay members from across the globe, representatives of the local community, invited dignitaries and Clan Chiefs.  A weekend of celebrations in the local area to commemorate the event included a meet and greet reception at Bettyhill Village Hall; traditional ceilidh and music at Strathy Hall; a service in Melness Church; and visits to clan Mackay sites of historical significance.

For more information on the Clan Mackay Society see: www.clanmackaysociety.co.uk

Clans on the Coast is a Celtic festival that has previously been held in Nelson Bay New South Wales.  Started by Ron Swan OAM heading a committee of likeminded people the first Clans on the Coast was held in 2007. COVID 19 forced the festival to go into a long hiatus. The committee is now trialling a new location in 2023, as Raymond Terrace is more centrally located.  Adam Nicholas one of the event organisers has long thought that this would be a logical move to keep the traditions of the Celtic culture alive in a modern era of screen addictions.  Celtic people were amongst the first settlers in the Hunter Region.

Something for everyone

With a fresh outlook on the event, the festival is to be held at Lakeside Sports Complex. Lakeside is a larger venue allowing the festival to be spread out across two football fields. This event provides a family day out, encouraging the involvement of local and regional amateur artists, community groups and service clubs. Opening the day with a massed pipes and drums and the calling of the Clans’ festival goers are encouraged to wear something Celtic to help with the atmosphere of the day.  Schools are being invited to march in the opening and the best dressed Celtic student will win some prize money to be equally split with the school they attend. The long running dog competition will not be on this year unfortunately due to ground restrictions as dogs are not allowed in the complex.  All the crowd favourites will be there with the strong men, the reenactors, dancers, clans and bands.  Pick through the stalls and enjoy the great food.  This event will have something for everyone even rides for the children. Following the close of the day with another massed pipes and drums and the award ceremony is the evening event of the ceilidh.

This year the ceilidh is being held in the Raymond Terrace Bowling Club.  The Oxford Dictionary definition explains a ceilidh as a social event with Scottish or Irish folk music and singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling. There will be marching a pipe and drum band through the bowling club on the night, you can expect a two-course meal, experience the Address to a Haggis by Robert Burns with a bit of pageantry. Haggis will be optional to try with a side helping of bashed neeps (turnip) and The Ukulele Scotsman will also be playing at this event.

Clans on the Coast takes place on Saturday September 23^rd. Tickets are now available online for both the festival and the ceilidh at: www.clansonthecoast.com.au.

Amazing! Awesome! Fantastic! Magical! All these words were heard describing this year’s Glengarry Highland Games. The weather in a season where warnings have become common, was absolutely perfect with warm temperatures and sunny skies. The crowds kept on coming and coming with a forty-five minute wait at noon hour on Main Street to enter the parking areas.  The sporting events like the heavyweights, the tug of war, the kilt run and the rugby tournament all brought out crowds of fans to cheer them on. The Wee Bairns Area was overwhelmed with three thousand children enjoying themselves with bouncy castles, facepainting, magic shows and more. The Scottish fiddle area was wall-to-wall for their events both days and the Clan Buildings saw a steady flow of Scots finding more about their history while also filling the showcase area to listen to fascinating presentations of Celtic songs and dancing the Glengarry two-step. The Harp workshop brought in a record number of harpists from experts to beginners and scores of people just enjoying the music while the Scotch Tasting sessions had to turn people away.

The entertainment areas were jammed as favourite Celtic bands filled the floor with dancers of all ages – fathers and toddlers, grandparents, and everyone in between. Those who weren’t on the dance floor were swaying to the beat in their seats. When the Derina Harvey Band, the Friday night headliner, played their set on Saturday in the Metcalfe Centre, there was standing room only.  Blessed by perfect weather, the Friday night Tattoo was a spectacular show of music, pageantry and tradition showcasing the RCMP’s 150^th anniversary. The fireworks display at the closing of the Tattoo was the perfect end to a magical evening and day.

North American Pipe Band Championship

Of course, the main event at the Games is the piping and the North American Pipe Band Championship™. This year’s solo piping and drumming events brought in a record number of entries so much so that the competitions had to be broken into two groups to facilitate judging. The 78^th Fraser Highlanders won the North American Pipe Band Championship™ over former Games champions, the 78 Highlanders (Citadel) from Halifax who came second and the City of Dunedin from Florida who took third place. It was the last Games for the Fraser Highlanders before leaving to compete at the World Championships in Glasgow. It was their fourteenth win of the title since the band was formed in 1981. The Peel Regional Police completed a perfect Ontario season undefeated in Grade 2 before also making the journey to Scotland to compete at the World’s. Fresh from his win of the Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal (Canada) the day before, Daniel Carr of Collingwood, Ontario, was the Professional Piper of the Day, and Hamilton, Ontario’s Cameron McKail was the Professional Snare Drummer of the Day.  A special moment took place at the massed bands when the Grade 1 and 2 drum corps played the famous Max Rayne salute by the great Alex Duthart, led by his son, Drew, which brought the capacity crowd to its feet.

The Games came to a close as twelve hundred pipers and drummers played the stirring tune, Amazing Grace, and silence fell over the gathered thousands ringing the field followed by a huge cheer as everyone celebrated a memorable closing and another fabulous edition of the Glengarry Highland Games.  Reflecting on the Games, President Eric Metcalfe was overwhelmed and stated,  “Even as Games President, I was amazed and thrilled at the response for this year’s Games. Unbelievable! Thanks to everyone who had any part in this year’s fantastic Games.”

The 2023 Glengarry Highland Games are in the history books now, but work is already underway for next year’s Games when the 75^th  edition of the Games will take place on August 2-3, 2024.

 

Outlander author Diana Gabaldon opened the 1^st international Outlander conference at the University of Glasgow recently and gave a fascinating insight into her creative writing process. Expert scholars and Outlander fans joined Dr Gabaldon to tackle themes such as Jacobite history, screen production, Scottish tourism, Gaelic and Scots, costume design, fandom, Claire Fraser’s medicine, and witchcraft. The Outlander literary series is made up of nine thrilling instalments and tells the tale of a post-Second World War nurse who accidentally time travels to Jacobite Scotland. Outlander has now become one of the bestselling book series of all time and spawned the hugely popular TV series, currently in its seventh season.

The nature of Scottish history

Dr Gabaldon’s talk was entitled, ‘”Why Scotland? Why Not Mexico?” Genes, Borders, Culture and Fiction: Why They Matter and When They Don’t’. The author, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Glasgow last year, revealed that her career as a published author nearly finished before it began. She said her first book almost got cancelled due to the difficulty in how to categorise it, adding: “It took the publishers 18 months to figure out what to do with it. I learned later that they came very close to cancelling the contract and giving me back the book because they couldn’t decide how to sell it. This was before Amazon where a book can be classified as several things at once and people can pick off the web what they want, and they still get the same book. Whereas back in the day it was only bookstores, you had to put a book on a certain shelf, the shelf had to have a label and the book also had to have that label.

“My agent finally called me up and said they had decided to publish it but sell it as a romance. I said, ‘What?’ that isn’t what I wrote. He pointed out that a best seller in fantasy fiction was 50,000 copies in paperback while in romance it is 500,000 copies. So, we sold it as romance. My first editor said to me early on these have to be word of mouths books because they are too weird to describe, which is totally true and that is also true about the word of mouth. So that being the case it made total sense to expose the book to 500,000 people in the romance category who will go out and tell their friends and the word will spread. So, we did that and that is exactly what happened.”

She also explained why she picked Scotland as the location of Outlander. Dr Gabaldon said: “Why Scotland? What I learned from my research and contact with Scots is that Scots are and historically were very literate. They wrote down things. They also have a very strong oral culture; they told their stories. They also have a lot of history available. Then there is the nature of Scottish history, it has a lot of heroes and heroines as well as conflict which is what you need for a good story.”

Vivid and visceral

Professor Willy Maley, Professor of Renaissance Studies (English Literature), at the University of Glasgow’s School of Critical Studies, said: “We are delighted to welcome Diana Gabaldon back to the University of Glasgow. Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series has had a transformative impact on Scottish culture, generating global interest in the history, languages and landscapes of Scotland. Richly researched, the books open up question about eighteenth-century Scotland and pivotal events like Culloden to a world readership, at a time when new scholarship suggests that some of this history has still to be written or is in need of revision. A notable feature of Outlander is its frank treatment of female sexuality and sexual relations on the whole, including sexual violence. Vivid and visceral, Outlander is an otherworldly but never unworldly phenomenon that takes a time-travelling nurse-turned-doctor and propels her from 1946 to 1743, two worlds of war that collide in an elaborate and painstaking reconstruction that make the series much more than historical fiction and more an innovative and pioneering rethinking of how we excavate and examine the narratives of the past. Shot entirely in Scotland Outlander has also been a brilliant boost for the Scottish film industry.”

Visitors to CelticFest Warwick on the October long weekend will be able to immerse themselves in the best of Scottish and Irish music during the festival, which consists of a two-day ticketed event at the Warwick Showgrounds on Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October, and the CelticFringe from Friday 29 September to Monday 2 October.

The craic (fun) at the Warwick Showgrounds will kick off at 2pm on Saturday 30 September, with an outstanding line-up of bands set to entertain and entrance the CelticFest crowd on the Main Stage throughout the afternoon. In the evening, The Gathering Irish band will have the CelticFest audience dancing and singing along to traditional favourites, contemporary tunes, and cover songs.

The Saturday Main Stage afternoon line-up are: Rebecca Wright and Donald McKay, Auld Alliance, Australian Celtic Women, and Highlander. But wait, there’s more! The Scotsman will lead a family ceilidh (like a bush dance) – hosted by the Darling Downs Irish Club – in The Pavilion at the Showgrounds from 5pm, with admission included in your CelticFest Saturday ticket. You don’t even need to have any experience, as The Scotsman will call the dancing and you can learn the steps as you go.

And in case you don’t get the chance to tap your feet enough on the Saturday, there’s more music to come on Sunday 1 October, with the Main Stage again filled with acts from 9am-4pm. You’ll get a second chance to see all the performers from the Saturday afternoon session, plus The Outlanders, Lissa-Kathe Celtic Harp, Munsterbucks and The Scotsman.

It’s The Gathering’s second outing at CelticFest – the band headlined at CelticFest Warwick 2022 – and they are excited to be back, according to Mick McHugh, frontman and award-winning Irish musician. “The Gathering are very excited to be returning to CelticFest Warwick,” McHugh said. “Last year was our first visit to Warwick, we felt so honoured to be celebrating Celtic ancestry with people ten thousand miles from the place of their ancestors. It was a kick-arse Celtic weekend and we can’t wait to be back there again in 2023!”

A wonderful celebration of Celtic culture

The Gathering prides itself on getting their audiences up and having fun with high-energy Irish dancing traditional tunes and well-known rousing Irish sing-a-longs, blended with an array of popular and classic covers. The band has recorded for ABC Music, toured internationally, and entertained at major festivals such as Port Fairy Folk Fest and the Australian Celtic Festival.

The Australian Celtic Women is another act to put high on your list of must-sees at CelticFest – and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to do so! They will be performing short sets on both the Saturday and Sunday at CelticFest at the Warwick Showgrounds, and a full-length feature show at the Club Warwick RSL on Friday 29 September (this show is separately ticketed by the RSL).

Australian Celtic Women was created to showcase women in Celtic music. The all-female ensemble seeks to transport its audiences back to the rolling hills of Ireland and the misty moors of Scotland, with heavenly voices, tantalizing harmonies, dazzling costumes and whirlwind fiddle playing.

“We’re so excited to be going to CelticFest this year!,” said Miranda Starr, Australian Celtic Women director and vocalist. “We are looking forward to performing our full two-hour show on Friday night at the Club Warwick RSL with special guests. Then we’ll be performing on the main stage during the festival on Saturday and Sunday. Looking forward to saying hi to old friends and making new ones – Slainte Mhath!”.

Meanwhile, Brisbane-based duo, Rebecca Wright and Donald McKay, are also looking forward to bringing their authentic Scottish music to CelticFest. “This will be our first time performing in Warwick, and we can’t wait! We love having the opportunity to pop on our kilts and share our songs with an appreciative audience, and we know that CelticFest will be a wonderful celebration of Celtic culture.”

And The Scotsman (aka Graeme McColgan, who is also one half of the Auld Alliance duo) said: “Looking at the lineup for 2023, I cannot contain my excitement to share the stage with such incredible acts. This will be a crackin’ weekend of tunes, dancing and laughs. See you all there!”

CelticFest tickets are available online now from www.celticfestqld.com.au. Pricing for an adult ticket is $20 for Saturday, $25 for Sunday, and $35 for a weekend ticket (Saturday and Sunday). Pensioner pricing is $15 for Saturday, $20 for Sunday and $30 for a weekend ticket. Children’s tickets (for school-aged children between 5-17), are $5 for Saturday, $5 for Sunday and $10 for a weekend ticket. Children under 5 are free.

National Museums Scotland has revealed a new collection of contemporary Highland dress, documenting a vibrant industry in Scotland today. Eight outfits have been added to National Museums Scotland’s world class holdings of tartan and Highland dress, enabling it to tell the story of Scotland’s iconic costume in the 21^st century.  These important acquisitions mark the culmination of a five-year project supported by the William Grant Foundation, which has fostered ground-breaking research into the Museum’s unparalleled collection of historic tartans and Highland dress.

The latest stage of the project offers a snapshot of the variety of approaches to making and wearing Highland dress in the 21^st century. From innovative new makers like Prickly Thistle and Acme Atelier, to long established brands including Kinloch Anderson and Chisholms Highland Dress, these eight outfits celebrate some of the modern craftspeople, designers and outfitters working in Scotland.   A new online hub has launched on nms.ac.uk, offering detailed images and descriptions of the new acquisitions along with three new films featuring interviews with designers and makers. In 2021, kilt-making and sporran-making were added to the Heritage Craft Association’s red list of endangered crafts, and sgian dubh-making was added in 2023. The pieces collected for this project are representative of a specialist but vibrant industry which is attracting new makers, creating jobs and utilising technological advancements whilst preserving the knowledge of traditional techniques. Now held in the National Collection, the outfits document these highly-specialised skills as they continue to evolve and adapt.

A flourishing living tradition

William Grant Foundation Research Fellow, Rosie Waine said: “There is a perception that Highland dress never changes, but through working with contemporary makers, this project highlights a flourishing living tradition that continues to adapt and evolve. These new acquisitions showcase incredibly skilled makers and production from across the country. They join our existing collection to provide a comprehensive timeline of Highland dress from the 17^th century to the modern day, highlighting its role as an icon of an ever-changing Scotland.”

Once considered an emblem of clan society, the more modern tartan fashions reflect contemporary concerns. Lochcarron of Scotland’s ‘Hame’ tartan was designed during the COVID-19 pandemic to capture feelings of homecoming and comfort. These designs highlight a 21^st  century approach to production with most new tartan being created through Computer Assisted Design (CAD) programmes such as ScotWeave.  Sustainability and efficiency throughout the design process is a key concern for modern mills and makers. A tartan t-shirt and kilt by Prickly Thistle Scotland offer a fresh take on Highland dress for women whilst promoting small batch production. National Museums Scotland has also acquired an antique boat shuttle (a tool used in the weaving process) from the firm, laser engraved with the B Corp Certification mark which they were awarded in 2021.  A focus on zero waste design is demonstrated by a sgian dubh acquired from Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers. The traditional knife is made from offcuts of African blackwood left over from the bagpipe-making process.

National Museums Scotland holds objects spanning over five centuries of Highland dress in its collections, some of which are currently on loan to the V&A Dundee for their ground-breaking exhibition Tartan which demonstrates an enduring appetite for the iconic pattern.

Visit the online hub at www.nms.ac.uk/TartanToday    

Main photo: William Grant Foundation Research Fellow, Rosie Waine with a skirt and top by Prickly Thistle. Photo: Duncan McGlynn.

Join the City of Armadale to celebrate all things Scottish at the largest Highland Gathering event held in Western Australia that has people saying things like…

“Don’t miss it. It’s an incredibly unique experience that is all about community.”

“It was a sensory feast of the sights and sounds of Scotland.”

“Omg everything was so well planned! And the diversity of things to see and do is amazing.”

Perth Kilt Run

The morning of Sunday October 8 begins with the fun and quirky Perth Kilt Run, the biggest and only fun run in Australia that’s done in a kilt! Register for the 2.5km Classic or the 5km Warrior challenge, BYO kilts or purchase one with registration. It’s a charity fun run with a difference and you’re guaranteed to have a good time! Both courses are open to walkers and runners, and the 2.5km Classic is accessible for prams and wheelchairs.

As you’d expect… the excitement doesn’t stop there. Following the Perth Kilt Run, we roll straight into the Highland Gathering where you’ll have the rest of the day to experience Highland dancing, pipe bands and heavy event competitions, meet and greet Scottish dogs, explore Clan histories, friendly battles between the medieval groups in the arena, live music and test your taste buds with the variety of Scottish delights, and lots more!

This is a family friendly and smoke/vape free event hosted by the City of Armadale.

The Armadale Highland Gathering and Perth Kilt Run will take place on Sunday October 8th at Minnawarra Park in Armadale, Western Australia. Further details are available at www.perthkiltrun.com.au.

He is one of Scotland’s most famous historical figures but more than 200 years after he died, Bonnie Prince Charlie has been given a new lease of life by experts at the University of Dundee. A team at the University’s Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID) has recreated the face of the Prince as he would have looked at the time of the Jacobite rising, his unsuccessful attempt to restore his father, James Francis Edward Stuart, to the British throne. Aged just 24 at this time, this new recreation has been produced using death masks of the Prince, which have been painstakingly photographed and mapped by Dundee researchers. Subsequently, 3D models were produced with state-of-the-art software allowing experts to “de-age” the Prince to create a representation of him from the period he is best remembered.

Jacobite rising

“I have looked at previous reconstructions of historical figures and was interested as to how these could be done differently,” said Barbora Veselá, a Masters student who initiated the project and whose work featured as part of the University of Dundee’s annual Masters Show, which opened to the public in August. “I wanted to create an image of what he would have looked like during the Jacobite rising. There are death masks of Bonnie Prince Charlie that are accessible, while some are in private collections. We also know that he suffered a stroke before he died, so that made the process of age regression even more interesting to me.” Born to the exiled Stuart King James III of England and Ireland and VIII of Scotland, Prince Charles Edward Stuart sought to regain the Great British throne for his father in the Jacobite rising of 1745.

Despite some initial successes on the battlefield, his army was defeated by government forces at the Battle of Culloden, near Inverness, in April 1746 and he spent the next five months as a hunted man before eventually fleeing to France. He spent the rest of his life on the continent and died in Palazzo Muti, Rome, at the age of 67. Since his death, Bonnie Prince Charlie has continued to inspire writers and historians and has come to the attention of a new generation of admirers through depictions in modern media, including television shows such as Outlander.

Following his death, a cast of the Prince’s face was taken, as was common for notable figures at the time. The Dundee team examined copies of two these masks – located at Highlife Highland’s Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, and The Hunterian, University of Glasgow, creating a composite over several months. Barbora took photographs from all around the masks and then utilised photogrammetry software to establish a 3D model. In total, she estimates that almost 500 images have been taken of both masks as part of the recreation process.

New insight into European history

“It has been a pleasure to work with these artefacts,” she continued. “The access I have been given has been incredible. There are moments, when you are working with the masks, that it suddenly strikes you that this was once a living person. We don’t tend to think about the age of people when we study history, but Prince Charlie was just 24 years-old when he landed in Scotland and to visualise how young he was at this pivotal moment in history is fascinating. He has some interesting features. Beauty is a very subjective thing, but Bonnie Prince Charlie does have distinctive features, such as his nose and his eyes, that encourage you to study him. Hopefully this recreation encourages people to think about him as a person, instead of just a legend. At the same time, it is important not to romanticise him or the era of history. There are many accounts of him but having a face to look at helps us to view him as a human and not just a name from history.”

CAHID’s Dr Tobias Houlton, who specialises in craniofacial identification and forensic imaging, said that this new image would bring new interest in the life of the famous Prince. “This has been a hugely exciting project,” he said. “Through many hours of hard work, Barbora has given us an exciting new insight into European history. This recreation will undoubtedly fascinate the public and the added dynamic of using artificial age-regression to bring him back to the Jacobite era, when he was most famous, showcases the range of expertise we have here at the University of Dundee.”

It’s a case of mistaken identity. For 35 years, thought he was as Irish as they come. Inspired by his enthusiastic grandfather, he spent his life studying Irish history, reading Irish stories and, just generally, embracing his Irish heritage. The whole family celebrated it almost exclusively. And then he took a DNA test and it came back 63% Scottish. “It came as a surprise. I knew I had some Scottish heritage, of course, but I could never have guessed it’d be that much,” says Eamon. “I can’t walk around acting like the second coming of Liam Neeson.”

After getting over the initial shock and surprise of his new-found heritage, he began to wonder what he could do to understand and celebrate his Scottish side. He checked out books about Scotland, listened to podcasts and began to develop an interest in whisky. It was a start, but he wanted more. “You can find out what Scotland is like, but it’s harder to find out what it’s like to be Scottish. I realized that I needed to talk to real, live Scottish people,” he says.

What it means to be Scottish

Podcasts – free online radio programs, essentially – provide the opportunity to discuss topics at length and can be created by anyone with a little technical know-how. An experienced podcaster with an existing show about music, Eamon was familiar with the medium and its potential for informing and entertaining. Not only could it provide him with a unique window into what it means to be Scottish, but he’d be able to share this experience with others, too. “I have a podcast and I work in communications, so I’m comfortable with this sort of thing. I also have degrees in history and political science that give me some confidence in terms of discussing things like Culloden or Independence,” says Eamon. “But I also have a level of ignorance – having not studied Scotland – that positions me well to ask questions that most non-Scots might like to have answered.”

The new podcast, called “63 Percent Scottish,” launched on August 22. The earliest episodes tackled subjects like William Wallace, the Isle of Lewis and whisky. Future episodes will discuss Scottish football, independence, women in Scottish history and more. The interviewees include award-winning journalists like The Scotsman’s Rosalind Erskine, best-selling authors like Coinneach MacLeod and prominent podcasters like Owen Innes. “I can’t believe the calibre of guest we’ve attracted to the show – and they’re all absolutely lovely people” says Eamon. “We also have incredible partners in sharing it with the world. The Scottish Banner has been very supportive, of course. St. Andrew’s Societies and Scottish Societies all around the world – Toronto, Ottawa, New York, Los Angeles and Singapore – are sharing episodes with their memberships. The sense of community just from creating this show is simply overwhelming.”

63 Percent Scottish is free on the Scottish Banner website scottishbanner.com and at 63percentscottish.com. It’s also available on all major platforms – Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music. New episodes are available each week.

Listen now

EP1 “Where to begin?” with Kevin James

63 Percent Scottish: A Scotland Appreciation Podcast, EP 1: “Where to begin?” with Dr. Kevin James from the University of Guelph.

“https://www.buzzsprout.com/2218810/13402991-ep-1-where-to-begin-with-dr-kevin-james-from-the-university-of-guelph?client_source=small_player&iframe=true” 

EP2 “Why William Wallace?” with Owen Innes

63 Percent Scottish: A Scotland Appreciation Podcast, EP 2: “Why William Wallace?” with Owen Innes from the Scottish History Podcast.

“https://www.buzzsprout.com/2218810/13403016-ep-2-why-william-wallace-with-owen-innes-from-the-scottish-history-podcast?client_source=small_player&iframe=true” 

The spectacular finale of The World Pipe Band Championships saw Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band crowned the winners of the renowned international contest. It is the long-established Scottish pipe band’s first-ever World Champions title. Based in Bathgate, West Lothian, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia fought off stiff competition from runners-up, and 2022 champions, Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band of Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

Last year’s runners up, Inveraray and District Pipe Band, finished in third place.This year’s ‘ultimate battle of the bands’, which took place on Glasgow Green yesterday and today, attracted around 35,000 spectators. The highly anticipated championships represent the pinnacle of the competitive pipe band calendar.  The event always attracts thousands of pipers and drummers to Scotland, reflecting the level of worldwide interest in our national instrument.  Glasgow, a UNESCO City of Music, first hosted the World Pipe Band Championships 75 years ago in 1948, and has hosted the event every year since 1986.

Incredible display of talent and skill

The 2023 championships saw 15 countries represented. With 190 bands taking part in this year’s Worlds, just under 9,000 pipers and drummers took to the field to play over the two days. The nations featuring in this year’s line-up of contenders included Australia, Canada, USA, England, Northern Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe.  The largest contingent of bands, a total of 116,  came from Scotland.

Glasgow’s Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren, Chieftain of The World Pipe Band Championships, said: “It has been wonderful for the city to host the Worlds once again, bringing together the planet’s finest and most talented pipers and drummers. It’s a contest of huge importance to the global pipe band community and a firm cultural favourite here. Our thanks go to all the musicians and, of course, congratulations to Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band on bringing the World Champions title back home to Scotland.”

Kevin Reilly, Chairman of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, added: “All of the pipers and drummers who gathered in Glasgow for this year’s championships did their bands and their countries proud. They treated our audiences to an incredible display of talent and skill, making the event a huge success and unforgettable experience. Huge congratulations go to our 2023 World Champions Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band – they are very deserving winners.”

The planet’s flagship pipe band contest

As the planet’s flagship pipe band contest, the annual event brings together thousands of pipers and drummers from all over the world for the ultimate ‘battle of the bands’. It attracts thousands of supporters and spectators to experience the contest live. Around 35,000 spectators descended on Glasgow Green to watch 190 bands compete for the world champions title in August. The event – which is filmed by BBC Scotland and streamed over the internet – also attracts huge virtual international audiences, reflecting the level of global interest in Scotland’s national music. Competition for the 2023 Worlds were more fiercely contested than last year as the number of bands and nations taking part increased.

 

2023 World Pipe Band Championships results

 

Grade 1

1st Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)

2nd Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)

3rd Inveraray & District (Scotland)

4th Simon Fraser University (Canada)

5th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)

6th St. Laurence O’Toole (Republic of Ireland)

7th Police Scotland Fife (Scotland)

8th ScottishPower (Scotland)

9th Manawatu (New Zealand)

10th Canterbury Caledonian Society (New Zealand)

11th Johnstone (Scotland)

12th Police Scotland & Federation (Scotland)

13th 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada)

14th St. Thomas Alumni (USA)

15th Auckland & District (New Zealand)

16th Closkelt (Northern Ireland)

Drumming: Simon Fraser University (Canada)

 

Grade 2

1st Royal Burgh of Annan (Scotland)

2nd Buchan Peterson (Scotland)

3rd Manorcunningham (Republic of Ireland)

4th Portlethen & District (Scotland)

5th Ravara (Northern Ireland)

6th Uddingston (Scotland)

7th North Stratton (Canada)

8th City of Edinburgh (Scotland)

9th Peel Regional Police (Canada)

10th Ulster Scottish (USA)

11th Glasgow Skye Association (Scotland)

12th St. Joseph’s (Republic of Ireland)

13th Brieg (Brittany)

14th MacMillan (USA)

15th Los Angeles Scots (USA)

16th Kilchoman Distillery Isle of Islay (Scotland)

17th Highland Granite (Scotland)

18th Oban (Scotland)

19th Worcester Kiltie (USA)

20th City of Discovery (Scotland)

 

Grade 3A

1st Tullylagan (Northern Ireland)

2nd Robert Malcolm Memorial (Canada)

3rd Vale of Atholl (Scotland)

4th Coalburn IOR (Scotland)

5th McNeillstown (Northern Ireland)

6th Clogher & District (Northern Ireland)

7th Major Sinclair Memorial (Northern Ireland)

8th Deeside Caledonia (Scotland)

9th Kildoag (Northern Ireland)

10th City of Newcastle (England)

11th College of Piping (Canada)

12th City of London (England)

 

Grade 3B

1st Haileybury (Australia)

2nd Cullybackey (Northern Ireland)

3rd Macanta (England)

4th Ross & Cromarty (Scotland)

5th Methil & District (Scotland)

6th Lower Clyde (Scotland)

7th Aven & District (France)

8th Ayr Society (Scotland)

9th Mid-Argyll (Scotland)

10th Arbroath (Scotland)

11th Niagara Regional Police (Canada)

12th Belgian Blend (Belgium)

13th Tweedvale (Scotland)

14th Scottish Borders (Scotland)

 

Grade 4A

1st Burntisland & District (Scotland)

2nd Syerla & District (Northern Ireland)

3rd Cape Breton Island (Canada)

4th Cloughfin (Northern Ireland)

5th Gransha (Northern Ireland)

6th Rothesay & District (Scotland)

7th Raphoe Ulster Scots (Republic of Ireland)

8th Kintyre Schools (Scotland)

9th Sri Dasmesh (Malaysia)

10th Ballyboley (Northern Ireland)

11th Kilbarchan (Scotland)

12th Uddingston Strathclyde (Scotland)

 

Grade 4B

1st Scots School Albury (Australia)

2nd Royal Army of Oman (Oman)

3rd Letterkenny & District (Ireland)

4th Govan Community (Scotland)

5th City of Aberdeen (Scotland)

6th City of Discovery (Scotland)

7th Altnaveigh Memorial (Northern Ireland)

8th Irvine Memorial (Scotland)

9th Bready Ulster Scots (Northern Ireland)

10th Barrhead & District (Scotland)

11th Dunoon Argyll (Scotland)

12th Fraserburgh Royal British Legion (Scotland)

 

2023 World Pipe Band Championships facts:

• 190 bands, representing 15 countries, taking part. The A to Z line-up of nations competing, from Australia to Zimbabwe, features: Australia (5 bands), Belgium (2 bands), Canada (12 bands), Eire (8 bands), England (6 bands), France (2 bands), Israel (1 band), Malaysia (1 band), Netherlands (1 band), New Zealand (4 bands), Northern Ireland (21 bands), Oman (2 bands), Scotland (116 bands), USA (8 bands) Zimbabwe (1 band).
• Around 8,850 pipers and drummers amassing on Glasgow Green (based on average number of band members) – all resplendent in their band uniforms of kilts in a variety of vibrant tartans, worn with sporrans and Glengarry bonnets
• Just under 40,000 metres/40 km/25 miles of tartan kilt fabric. (Based on premium, traditional length. The length of material used in a kilt can vary from between 5 metres to around 7.5 metres)
• Competitors ranging from juveniles and novice juveniles to experienced seniors.  Around 40% of the competitors are under 21; the youngest are in their early teens and the oldest are in their 70s.
• Bands playing a wealth of traditional Scottish musical pieces. Playing requirements differ according to the band’s grade, from march time signatures at lower levels to MSRs (a set of tunes consisting of a march, a strathspey and a reel; three different simple time metres) or musical medleys of varying durations, at higher levels. Grade 1 bands play MSRs and a medley.
• 103 trophies awarded across the 9 contest grades – plus the ultimate World Champions title.

 

All images courtesy Alan Harvey/SNS Group and Glasgow Life.

The vast majority of the world’s population are aware that it was the brainchild of Scots engineer and inventor James Watt (1736-1819), while watching the action of steam from a boiling kettle of water, that eventually led to the steam engine which would, in turn, spark the Industrial Revolution. But to his aunt, the young James Watt appeared like similar idle teenagers wasting his time as he silently stared at her kettle and toyed with the condensed water drops. Although, as she continually reprimanded him for what to her was a wasteful habit, little did she realise her nephew was paving the way for his invention of the steam engine. And just to verify the foundation of his genius a first-hand account of the kettle incident of 1751 came to light in a letter from the inventor’s cousin Marion Campbell, who had witnessed her mother, Jane Muirhead, lecturing the fifteen-year-old Watt.

In her historical report Mrs Campbell relates how she and her mother sat at the tea table in their home in Greenock observing a young Watt seemingly wasting his time gazing at the actions of a boiling kettle. She relates how her mother remarked, “Jamie Watt, I never saw such an idle boy, take a book or employ yourself usefully. For the last hour you haven’t spoken one word, but taken the lid off that kettle and put it on again, holding now a cup, and now a silver spoon over the steam watching how it rises from the spout and catching and counting the drops of hot water it falls into.” She added, “It appears that when thus blamed for idleness, his mind was employed in investigating the properties of steam.” The letters eventually went to auction in 2022 following the passing of Watt’s great-great-great-grandson Lord Gibson-Watt.

Scots mastermind

James Watt was born in Greenock, Renfrewshire, in 1736, the son of a ship’s chandler and town councillor. In 1754 he moved to Glasgow to learn the skills of a mathematical-instrument maker and after moving to London he set up business. What many people don’t realise is that he was employed on surveys for the Forth and Clyde Canal as well as the Caledonian and other prominent canals. He was also accountable in the upgrading of many harbours and in the deepening of the Forth, the Clyde and several other rivers. But his main fascination was always his desire to put steam to use as a motive force and, in 1763/4 a working model of the Newcomen engine was sent to him for hopeful inspection and repair. He restored it to perfection and, utilising the imperfections of the machine, he hit upon the probabilities of the separate condenser. Soon to follow were revolutionary advancements to the air pump, the cylinder and the double-acting engine. After settling in Birmingham in 1774 he soon superseded Newcomen’s machine and went on to create the expansion principle, the double engine, the parallel motion, the smokeless furnace and the governor.

The watt, a unit of power, was named after him, while the term horsepower, another unit, was first used by him. Watt was key in also developing the rotary engine which mechanised weaving, spinning and transport. James Watt passed away in Birmingham in 1819 at aged 83 and during 1899 his belongings, including his library and papers, were moved to Doldowlod House in Radnorshire, the Welsh estate of his descendant Lord Gibson-Watt.

When the Scots mastermind’s papers went on sale a spokesperson for the London auction house maintained that people associate Newton with the apple, Bruce with the spider, and Watt with the kettle. He nominated Watt’s discovery as the most illustrious and, but for him, and his visions, the Industrial Revolution might never have taken place. James Watt was not only the most prolific innovator imaginable, but he also possessed one of the greatest minds of his time.

As a matter of interest, Watt’s marine-engineer son, also named James (1769-1848), fitted the engine to the first English steamer to leave port in 1817 — its name was the Caledonia.

Main photo: A statue of James Watt at Glasgow Green. Photo: dun_deagh/Wikimedia cc-by-sa-2.0.