The Scots Independent Newspaper Online

JUST KEEP THOSE COMMENTS COMING!

It is still good to get your comments, although the biting criticisms seem to have dried up a bit recently. Hope I'm not being too diplomatic the older I get.

Anyway, a big thank-you to Robert433, and Terry, and Ellen originally from Banknock. I wonder if she ever knew my friends Bill and Catriona Clarke from those parts.

My own memory of Banknock dates back to the British general election of 1987, when I was the Scottish National Party candidate in Falkirk West against Denis Canavan, then of the Labour Party and now an independent in the Scottish Parliament.

The SNP team, including present leader of Falkirk District Council David Alexander, was out canvassing in Banknock one evening in early May 1986 when the heavens opened. After a couple of hours we were all drookit, soaked to the skin.

It was only a couple of weeks later that we learned of the nuclear disaster on 26 April at Chernobyl in the Ukraine and realised that we had probably been soaked by rain that was a bit more radioactive than usual.

So if these pages glow with a strange light, you now know why.

THE GATHERING PLACE

To take up where Jim Lynch left off last week.

So, just what has gone wrong with The Gathering Place? For those of you who live abroad and may have difficulty following the Scottish political scene, The Gathering Place is a four-part television documentary programme about the history of the new Scottish parliament building opened towards the end of last year.

The Scottish Parliament The man behind the choice of building site at Holyrood at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, the choice of Barcelona-based architect Enric Miralles, and responsible for the original cost estimates of between £10 and £40 million was Scottish Secretary of State, the late Donald Dewar.

Mr Dewar took all theses decisions before the members of the Scottish Parliament were even elected.

I have so far seen only the second episode, and while it was interesting in a journalistic kind of way, there was really no attempt whatsoever to get down and analyse just why so much went wrong with the project.

Another frequently-voiced criticism is that Donald Dewar seems to have been almost completely air-brushed out of the programme. For someone who, because he was so instrumental in the whole project has been called by some - ludicrously - the father of the nation - this seems decidedly bizarre, to put it mildly.

No doubt we shall be able to arrive at a definitive judgment soon, but so far this documentary has been disappointing.

[I had been going to add my impressions of the last of the four programmes at this point, but my elderly aunt Alice - 99 in May - in Aberdeen phoned just as the programme was starting, so I'll have to hold it over for a fortnight until I have had time to watch the video. Such are the demands of family life!]

ARE YOU A REAL SCOT?

On the canvassing trail last weekend I met a very interesting lady in Pathhead in Midlothian.

Like so many in the past, she was a Labour voter but insisted that was a real Scot and proud of her country.

Sean Connery She also objected vehemently to so much of our land being owned by foreigners when many Scots cannot afford to buy a house, and raged against the squandering of our oil resources over the last thirty years by Westminster governments.

So far, so good, But then came the crunch. Proud Scot as she was, she still wanted her country to continue to be run not from its capital Edinburgh, but from London, 300 miles beyond our borders, and not by Scottish MPs, but by MPs from England, who form the vast majority of MPs in the House of Commons.

Is there not something funny here?

If you could find any Norwegian who claimed to be proud of his country but thought it would be better if it were governed from Sweden, his fellow-countrymen would quite simply tell him that such an attitude was inconsistent with being the proud Norwegian he thought he was.

Again, if you could find a proud Canadian who thought Canada should be controlled from Washington, then I believe other proud Canadians would quickly put him right about his political allegiance.

Is it not the case, that to be proud of your country, the first thing you must believe in is your country¹s right to govern itself?

ANTI-ENGLISHNESS

John Bull English people often believe that the Scots are anti-English. There can be no doubt that some Scots like poking fun at their English, but the reverse is also true.

What the Scots really are is anti-colonial. If we were governed from Berlin, say, or Paris, or Madrid, or Washington, then of course many of us would be struggling to free ourselves from those regimes - and once again we would no doubt be accused of being ant-German or anti-French or anti-Spanish or anti-American.

And many would believe it, such is the power of propaganda.

STRANGE ATTITUDES

Most Scottish political parties are not normal. Indeed, they are almost completely abnormal.

What do I mean by making such a sweeping statement?

Unionist politicians Well, just go to any member-country of the European Union (or non-member such as Norway or Switzerland, for that matter) and ask to see a representative of any of their political parties.

You can talk to the equivalent of the Tories or the Labour Party or the Liberal Democrats or any other political parties, and the one thing you will find is that they all agree that the independence of their own country is an integral and vital part of their nationhood.

Come to Scotland, and the reverse is true. All these British political parties believe that Scotland should be run from England.

Mind you, it has not always been the case.

In 1947, Labour thought that independence was right for India and Pakistan. The Tories got shot of colonial Africa, mostly in the 1960s. The Liberals, as they were in those days, seemed to be in complete agreement.

But not for Scotland.

And then we discovered oil, which made it even more difficult to let us go, of course!

WASTED MONEY

Just heard a couple of stories this week that might make you despair.

One fraud trial in London has just come to an inconclusive end - at a cost estimated at between £60 and £80 million.

And did you hear the one about the helicopters - we apparently bought them from the USA at a cost of some £250 million each, but they are not safe to fly unless it is sunny weather!

I kid you not!

THE MCDONALD ROAD GANG

Every week, up until the General Election, we will be profiling a member of SNP Headquarters staff; we will also supply a comprehensive list of who they all are. This will help Party activists know who to contact.

CLAIRE BENNETT

CLAIRE BENNETT Claire Bennett, the SNP’s Campaign Unit Administrator, had an unusual way of celebrating St Andrew’s Day in 2003. She gave birth to her first child, her daughter Amity. The team at SNP HQ were so thrilled at her perfect timing, that they sent out a special SNP Today news bulletin to make the announcement.

Claire, 27, started off as an administrative assistant at Headquarters when she was just 21 and is a familiar face and voice to SNP members as she regularly deals with their telephone queries. Now working three days a week, she takes care of administration for the Campaign Unit which can mean anything from ordering and distributing campaign materials to booking venues for campaign training sessions.

Born and educated in Musselburgh, Claire still lives in Musselburgh with her partner and sixteen month old Amity. A committed nationalist who’s been known to queue up for karaoke, Claire says the only thing that could take her away from SNP Headquarters would be a million pound recording contract.

LORRAINE REID

LORRAINE REID Lorraine Reid, the Party’s Campaign Executive in charge of Training, is considering a career in juggling. Her colleagues believe she has a flair for it as she currently juggles her job at SNP HQ with being mother to her three children (all aged under 5) and studying for her Masters in the Management of Training & Development.

Lorraine, 33, started working with the Party in 1998 having been an activist in her home town of Stirling from an early age, assisting her father Robert (Campbell). Lorraine graduated from Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh with a BA(Hons) Communication Studies and did not seek employment immediately as she was Election Agent in Stirling at the 1997 General Election.

The vacancy for Electoral Database/Call Centre Supervisor at HQ came up almost a year after the General Election and Lorraine was appointed to the position in May 1998. After the retirement of Allison Hunter, Lorraine's remit changed to take in Training. In addition to her training remit Lorraine also works closely with her colleague Scot MacQueen, at the National Call Centre, co-ordinating the work at the call centre and is point of contact at HQ for constituencies wishing to commission work at the call centre.

Lorraine lives in Stirling with husband Steven and children Eilidh (4), Niall (2) and Ruairidh (5 months). In her spare time Lorraine likes to exercise, read and spend quality time with her family but describes her main interest is in “existence, working to make ends meet and keeping body and soul together”!

The Working Life of Linda Fabiani MSP

Click here to read SNP MSP Linda Fabiani's working diary.

SYNOPSIS

A brief snapshot of what some of our Parliamentary representatives have been up to over the last week.

Saturday 19th March 2005

BLAIR AND BUSH THE REAL WMD IRAQ

Speaking in Glasgow at the demonstration on the second anniversary of the war in Iraq, Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon MSP attacked Tony Blair and George Bush for misleading Parliament and the people of Scotland about the reasons for going to war.

Ms Sturgeon spoke following an event in the city which unveiled the two leaders as the only weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Ms Sturgeon said:

The people of Scotland now know the truth about the war in Iraq. They know that Tony Blair and his crony George Bush lied about Iraq¹s Weapons of Mass Destruction and used this as the basis for taking us into an illegal and immoral war.

That is why he has lost the trust of every decent person in the country.

Tony Blair can run but he cannot hide from the truth. The fact is that the only weapons of mass destruction in Iraq are Blair and Bush.

I welcome today¹s event in Glasgow where people from every cross section of Scottish society have come together to stand up for justice and the truth. Iraq is a millstone around the neck of this failing Prime Minister, and the General Election gives the people of Scotland the chance to deliver their own verdict on the evidence available.

Tuesday 22nd March 2005

LABOUR ADMITS SCOTLAND'S POORER PERFORMANCE

SALMOND: CHANCELLOR'S BRITISH BOAST OF 50 QUARTERS OF GROWTH TRANSLATES INTO THREE DOWNTURNS AND A PUNY 10 QUARTERS FOR SCOTLAND.

Parliamentary questions initially asked to Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, but ducked and passed on for answer to Scottish Secretary Alastair Darling, have revealed Scotland¹s poor economic growth record compared to the UK.

The answers confirm Scotland has experienced three economic downturns under Gordon Brown and only 10 quarters of consecutive growth, compared to 50 for Britain.

Commenting, SNP Leader, Alex Salmond MP said:

The Chancellor has tried to dodge the truth about Scotland's low growth record. He was caught passing the buck to Alastair Darling and we now know why his British boasts don¹t hold true for Scotland.

On his watch, Scotland has not enjoyed the longest period of economic growth for 200 years. Instead Scotland's economy has experienced downturn three times while Brown has been in charge. For the Chancellor to try and downplay Labour's poor Scottish record by hiding behind British figures is no longer good enough. Scotland deserves better.

The Chancellor knows that most of what he says about Britain does not apply for voters in Scotland. He has been caught out pushing a British agenda that is failing to meet the economic needs of his own country.

As a result we have the highest unemployment in the UK, the lowest long-term growth in the EU and on average earn £2000 per person less.

Gordon Brown should know by now that low growth compared to Britain is one of the reasons we are facing a population crisis and are losing too many young Scots to opportunities elsewhere.

He has presided over a British blueprint, which is bad for Scotland, with lower wages, fewer opportunities, and dislocation to families and communities as thousands of Scots are forced to move south.

Gordon Brown may be a Scottish MP, but he is no Scottish Chancellor. He should spend less time plotting to be PM and more on the folk back home.

Note: The Chancellor launched Labour’s general election campaign with a poster which claimed we have enjoyed the longest period of economic growth for 200 years. He began his Budget by claiming 50 consecutive quarters of economic growth.

But as the following answers confirm, these are boasts that don¹t hold true for Scotland.

Hansard, 17 March 2005, col. 409W:

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the longest period of continuous quarterly economic growth in Scotland was in the last 30 years; and if he will make a statement. [221493]

Mr. Darling: Quarterly GDP data from the Scottish Executive show that the Scottish economy has been expanding for 10 consecutive quarters. Quarterly statistics for Scotland are only available from 1995; however, there were also 10 quarters of consecutive growth recorded between 1999 Q3 and 2001 Q4. Looking ahead, the prospects for the Scottish economy are strong. Business surveys now report continuing growth into 2005 and independent forecasters anticipate above or at trend growth for this year.

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in which quarters Scotland has been in negative growth since 1997. [221492]

Mr. Darling: Of the 31 quarters since (and including) 1997 Ql, 26 were periods of expansion, four were contractionary and there was only one instance of no movement. The four separate quarters of negative growth were 1997 Ql, 1998 Q3, 1999 Q2 and 2002 Ql. There have been no consecutive
periods of quarterly negative growth.

Tuesday 22nd March 2005

SNP FORCE VOTE ON TOO HIGH UK CORPORATION TAX RATE

SCOTLAND NEEDS A CORPORATION TAX CUT TO BOOST COMPETITIVENESS

Speaking from the House of Commons after forcing a vote on UK corporation tax rates during the final day of the Budget debate, SNP Leader, Alex Salmond MP, said:

Scotland needs measures to help us break free of our low economic growth as part of Britain and to boost our competitiveness. The Scottish MPs who failed to back the SNP tonight, have once again let Scotland down.

We need policies to give Scotland an edge - lower taxes and fewer burdens on business; Scottish control over Scotland's oil and an enterprise policy that markets Scotland to the world.

Under our plans, corporation tax at 20% would be pitched substantially below UK levels, giving us a crucial advantage. Ireland does it to Britain, Portugal to Spain and Denmark to Germany because it works.

Britain's corporation tax rate is too high, fails Scotland's business community and holds back wealth creation. With a real Scottish Chancellor we could equip Scotland with a competitive tax policy to attract business headquarters to Scotland and stem the outflow of precious talent.

Lower corporation tax is just one part of the SNP's plan to let Scotland flourish and help us match the best international growth rates.

If Scotland matches the success of similar European nations, instead of slipping behind as a neglected corner of the UK, it will mean 200,000 more jobs, £8bn more to spend on public services and a boost to the economy worth £4000 per person. This is the independence bonus and is what we can start to achieve with SNP victories in May.

25 March 1746
The sloop of war Hazard, which had been captured by the Jacobites at Montrose and renamed Prince Charles, ran ashore on the Melness Sands, on the west side of Tongue Bay, to escape the guns of the Hanovarian man-of-war Sheerness. The Prince Charles was returning from France to Scotland with about £13,000 and other valuable supplies for the Jacobite army. Thirty-six men of the Prince Charles were killed during the chase.

26 March 1746
Hanovarian forces comprising fifty Mackays, under Lord Reay's steward, and a similar number of Lord Louden's troops captured the French money and supplies landed from the Prince Charles as they were being carried to Inverness, under the conduct of Mackay, Younger of Melness. The Hanovarians killed a number of the French before the force surrendered; the prisoners consisted of twenty officers and one hundred and twenty soldiers and sailors.

26 March 1834
Death of Jean Armour, 'relict of the poet Burns', at Dumfries. She had been the widow of Robert Burns for thirty-eight years.

Of a’ the airts the wind can blaw,
I dearly like the west,
For there the bonie lassie lives,
The lassie I lo’e best:
Though wild-woods grow, and rivers row,
And mony a hill between:
Baith day and night my fancys’ flight
Is ever wi’ my Jean

Written by her husband on their honeymoon.

28 March 1642
The Scots Guards were commissioned.

"Whereas the Lords of our Privvy Councill of Scotland, enabled by an Act of Parliament to that purpose out of the speciall trust and confidence of the approved wisdome valour and abilities of Archibald Marquis of Argyle, have chosen and appointed the said Marquis to be chiefe comander of one Regiment of our Scottish subjects consisting of the number of fifteene hundred men more or fewer to be forthwith raysed in our Kingdome of Scotland..."

From the Letters Patent under the Great Seal.

28 March 1960
Nineteen Glasgow firemen and salvage workers died when the walls of Cheapside Whisky Bond blew out soon after they started fighting a huge blaze which later spread to a tobacco warehouse, an ice-cream factory and Harland & Wolff's engine works.

See Dates in History in our Features Section

SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

A few weeks ago we referred to a splendid interview with the doyen broadcaster, mountaineer and conservationist Tom Weir by Dr Jenny Taggart in the February 2005 issue of the Scots Independent. Our thank to Dr Taggart for her assistance in making the interview available for Flag visitors. Tom Weir was the first winner of the SI's Oliver Brown Award and the interview has been added to the Tom Weir section of the Oliver Brown feature.

Tom Weir in conversation with Dr Jenny Taggart.

A few days after his ninetieth birthday ceilidh I have the pleasure to meet the diminutive Tom Weir, resplendent in his trade mark woolly bunnet, fair-isle jumper and nicky-tams. He is sprightly and energetic, keen for conversation and eager to enjoy birthday cake and tea made by his wife, Rhone.

His earliest recollection is of his grandmother who would give him a penny to sing ‘Rowan Tree’. “I can still sing it today” he laughs. He remembers as a child wanting to climb - anything, anywhere. His mother loved mountains and together the pair would escape Glasgow. A short bus journey would take them from their home in Springburn to the Campsite Hills, a place that is still a favourite of Tom’s today. A commemorative cairn now marks the start of ‘Weir’s Walk’ from Clachan of Campsie through the hills. From his earliest days, he also remembers wanting to be a writer. Here he was helped by another member of his strongly matriarchal family. His elder, and equally weel-kent sister, Mollie, taught him to touch-type, charging him two shillings and sixpence a lesson. “It was money well spent”, he says.

I ask about his experience as a Battery Officer in the Royal Artillery in the Second World War. “I was in action in Italy. They don’t let you off, you know. We were called out anytime, day or night. One time the men had really suffered. We were supposed to have an inspection each day, and I said to the men ‘never mind that, you’ve done your bit’. I was back to a private again by the next day because I didn’t get it right. One thing I will never forget, I was in the cinema in Germany and there was an explosion and the whole screen blew right out covering everyone with debris. We fought our way out again. There was the time too when I was in a top bunk and another chap was on the lower. We were bombed and the bomb went straight through the two bunks between us.”

He came back to Glasgow after the war, and began work as a surveyor. But he was soon able to support himself by his writing, and in1950 took part in the first post-war Himalayan expedition. In 1952, he was one of the first to explore the mountains of Nepal and Katmandu. Some of his most difficult ascents were there. He also climbed in Greenland above the Arctic Circle, in Morocco, Iran, Syria and Kurdistan, as well as in Scotland. He says he likes the challenge of the climb and the achievement of reaching the summit.

Despite being one of Scotland’s foremost mountaineers, he was never a Munro-bagger. He has been to the top of most Munros, but preferred to climb only those he liked best, enjoying the whole experience of the sky, the lochs, trees, birds, flowers, animals – the spiritual as well as the physical. For example, the tiny 142-metre Duncryne, known locally where he lives in Gartocharn as ‘The Dumpling’, has been important always to him. “I used to climb Duncryne every day, sometimes even at midnight.” I ask him if this is his favourite place in Scotland. “No”, he replies, “That honour goes to Glen Lyon. It is a beautiful place. I call it ‘the three Ls’: the loveliest, the longest and the loneliest. I like to walk there because of the loneliness.”

He believes climbing should be safer today than fifty years ago because of better clothing and equipment. But this has had the contrary effect that climbers may now extend themselves beyond their ability to prove how good they are. Consequently, they can be in greater danger. He says, “For me, it was never what I did, but what I saw, that was important”. Tom was injured only once in his life, rock climbing on Ben A’an in the Trossachs. Recalling the incident, he said, “It is a difficult climb. We were just starting and I hadn’t got the feel of the mountain. I missed a vital hold and fell forty feet. I nearly lost my life, but it was my own fault. I was climbing without a belay. I never did that again”.

Tom Weir has been given many awards. He has received the Scots Independent Oliver Award in 1983 for advancing the cause of Scotland’s self-respect. He has an MBE. He was awarded STV’s personality of the year in 1978 for Weir’s Way, a programme that introduced the Scottish countryside to many Scots whose lives had given them no prior knowledge or experience of it. He is most proud of The John Muir Trust Award given him in 2000. The award, proudly displayed in his home, is inscribed “Presented to Tom Weir in recognition of his contribution to the wider understanding of the value of Scotland’s wild places”. The John Muir Award is not given annually, and has only been given twice in the twenty-one years of the organisation’s existence in this country. Tom was the first recipient. All of their married life he and Rhona have lived on the shores of Loch Lomond. Concerned that the area should be protected, Tom campaigned to see the setting up of the National Park. He is proud that this has come to pass and believes that the Park is necessary for management of the land, the flora and the fauna. He also campaigned to safeguard the Cairngorms and Glen Nevis.

I ask Tom if he believes in Scottish Independence. He replies “Scotland could easily do it. It has everything. There is no reason why we can’t look after ourselves. I believe we should, but I have never been actively involved in politics”.

“Do you believe in God?” I ask. He is sure of his answer: “No. Everyone has one life. That’s all it is. No spirit looks after you beyond death. I was lucky not to have been killed in the war. I was lucky not to have been killed on Ben A’an. I don’t believe the world will be in existence in another one hundred years. Man is outliving himself. The atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima were terrible. Now climate change is destroying the world. I have lived long enough to see the difference from when I was young. Life was more free then.”

What is the secret of a long life, I wonder? “Good health, good friends, and enough money to live at your own level. Always be doing something you enjoy doing. Good and happy memories”. Has Tom Weir, legend in his own lifetime, enjoyed his life? “I enjoy it still. Every morning I wake up and there is something else to do”.

The secret of long life is always be doing something you enjoy.

Biographical note

Tom Weir was born in 1914 in Springburn, Glasgow. His father was killed in the Great War later the same year. He was brought up mainly by his grandmother, while his mother painted railway wagons to support Tom, his brother Willie and sister Mollie. After leaving school at 14 years, Tom worked as a grocer’s boy. Later, in the late 1940s he worked for a short while as a surveyor for Ordnance Survey, before becoming a full-time climber, writer and broadcaster. For 56 years he wrote a monthly column for Scots Magazine. He has published 14 books on climbing and on the wildlife and natural history of Scotland, writing his first book, Highland’s Days, while on active duty in the Second World War. In 1976, he made the hugely successful Weir’s Way for STV, a programme that is currently being rerun to record viewing figures despite being broadcast at 3.00 a.m. He has won many awards including the first ever Scots Independent Oliver Award in 1983. He still enjoys a level of fitness today that many half his age would envy.

Anniversary Cake is the appropriate recipe to celebrate the inspiring life of 90-year-young Tom Weir and this week you also get the bonus of a further recipe for Almond Paste!

Anniversary Cake

Ingredients:
350 g (12 oz) butter; 350 g (12 oz) soft brown sugar; 6 eggs, beaten; 350 g (12 oz) flour; pinch of salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon mixed spice; 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 350 g (12 oz) sultanas;350 g (12 oz) currants; 225 g (8 oz) seedless raisons; 100 g (4 oz) mixed candied peel; 175 g (6 oz) glace cherries, finely chopped; 75 g (3 oz) blanched almonds, finely chopped; finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon; 4 tablespoons brandy, rum or sherry

Method:
Grease a 23 cm (9 inch) square cake tin and line with a double layer of grease-proof paper. Brush with oil. Beat the butter until soft and light, add the sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs a little at a time, adding a little of the measured flour if the mixture shows signs of separating. Sieve the flour with the salt, baking powder and spices into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the dried fruit, candied peel, glacé cherries and almonds and mix thoroughly. Fold into the butter and sugar, adding the lemon rind and juice and half the spirits. Mix well together, then spoon into the prepared tin. Spread level.

Bake in a warm oven (170°C, 325°F, Gas Mark 3) for 3½ hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cover the cake with foil if it becomes too brown during cooking. When cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Prick a few holes in the top of the cake with a skewer and spoon over the remaining spirits.

Leave until cold, then turn out of the tin and remove the greaseproof paper. Wrap in aluminium foil and store in an airtight tin for at least a month to improve the flavour, spooning over more spirits from time to time, if wished. Cover with Almond Paste before icing and decorating.

Almond Paste

Ingredients:
350g (12 oz) ground almonds; 175g (6 oz) caster sugar; 175g (6 oz) icing sugar, sieved; 1 egg; 3 egg yolks; 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice; few drops of almond or vanilla essence (optional); about 3 tablespoons sieved apricot jam, warmed

Method:
Put the almonds and sugars in a bowl and mix well. Beat the egg and egg yolks together with half the lemon juice, and the essence if using. Add to the almond mixture and mix carefully until the paste comes together, adding more lemon juice if necessary, but do not overwork. To add to cake work as follows: brush the top of the cake with apricot jam. Halve almond paste and roll out one piece on a board sprinkled with icing sugar, to a round slightly larger than the cake. Lift on to the rolling pin and lay over the cake. Trim. Brush the sides of the cake with the remaining jam. Roll out the remaining paste into a rectangle, long enough to go half round cake and twice as deep; cut into two. Press one piece at a time on to the cake, cutting away any excess along the top. Smooth the joins with a palette knife, smooth the top of the cake with a rolling pin and roll a straight-sided jar round the sides. Leave to dry for at least one week before icing.

See our Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section

CELEBRATE NATIONAL TARTAN DAY IN NEW YORK 2005

APRIL 1 - 24

GREAT PARADE
Saturday, April 2^nd at 2:00pm

6th Avenue, from 44^th Street to 58^thStreet, great music, costumes and photo opportunities, COME MARCH WITH US!

LIVE SCOTTISH VILLAGE by VisitScotland at New York’s Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal during Tartan Week, April 2-10

Calendars of events below and also available online at:

www.TartanWeekNY.com , http://www.tartanweek.com/ , http://www.standrewsny.org/ , http://nycaledonian.org/events.php , http://www.clancurrie.com/

For more information click here