See Dates in History in our Features Section
 

I like to have quotations ready for every occasions - they give one's ideas so pat and save one the trouble of finding expression adequate to one's feeling.

Robert Burns

Statements in prose and verse which reflect all aspects of Scottish life and outlook from the 1^st century to the present day.  New quotes added every week.  The quotations are not restricted to native Scots but include observations from abroad which help us, in the words of our National Bard, Robert Burns, "To see oursels as others see us"    

Kenneth (Kenny) MacAskill 

There is little recognition in Scotland of the histories, journeys and achievements of the Scots Diaspora.

(2006)

Henry Louis Mencken

Can the United States ever become genuinely civilized? Certainly it is possible. Even Scotland has made enormous progress since the Eighteenth Century, when, according to Macaulay, most of it was on the cultural level of Albania.

(Minority report 1956)

Alexander (Alex) Elliot Anderson Salmond

This statue is not only a reminder of the Highland Clearances, but a great example of the skill and vision of those who remain. This is an impressive work of art that will strike a chord with every Scottish family. This statue is a reminder of the men, women and children who left Scotland and took their skills, their strength and their stories across the seas and shared them around the world. While we deplore the Clearances we can be proud of the contributions that those cleared have made to humanity.

(Unveiling of memorial statue ‘Exiles’ at the mouth of the Strath of Kildonan in memory of those who were evicted during the Highland Clearances 23 July 2007)

General George Washington (1732-1799)

…and if all else fails, I will retreat up the Valley of the Virginia, plant my flag on the Blue Ridge, rally around the Scots and Irish of that region, and make my last stand for liberty amongst a people who will never submit to British tyranny whilst there is a man left to draw a trigger.

(Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 1777)

See Scottish Quotations in our Features Section 

SONGS AND BALLADS
from The Blairgowrie Festival - 1968

Twenty-one Scottish songs, as sung by a variety of traditional singers at the Blairgowrie Festival in August 1968 and published by The Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland, priced 1/- (5p).

 HEY DONAL' HO DONAL'
Written and sung by Mary Brooksbank

As I cam ower Strathmartine mains
Oh wha dae ye think I seen
But a braw young piper laddie come
A-limkin’ ower the green 

   Singin’ hey Donal ho Donal
Dirrum a doo a day

He played a reel an’ he played a jig
An’ he played a sweet strathspey
He roosed ma hert till its best kept time
Tae the tappin’ o’ ma tae

Oh I’ve nae gowd tae offer ye
For I’ve gaithered little gear
But we’ll hae love an’ freedom
Gin ye’ll hae love an’ freedom
Gin ye’ll follow me my dear

Now there’s gowd in the the broom o’ the Sidlaw Hills
Honey frae the heather sweet
There’s a speckled trout in the purlin’ tarn
A velvet carpet ‘neath oor feet

Syne he blew up his chanter
An’ sic a spring he plays
That I chose love an’ freedom
Now and wander a’ my days

   Singin’ hey Donal ho Donal
   Dirrum a doo a day

Flagnote:  Mary Brooksbank (1897-1978) was an Aberdeen-born jute mill worker from Dundee. She is said to have written this song to celebrate the free life of the Travelling People and itinerant workers in Scotland, in whose lives traditional Scots music and song played a large part. I was fortunate to obtain a copy of her poetry ‘Sidlaw Breezes’ in a charity shop in St Andrews – a great buy!

See the SONGS AND BALLADS in our Features section
 

SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS 

When the senior Scottish football season kicks off on Saturday (4 August 2007) you can be certain that unlike a century ago no pigeon fanciers will be turning up with three or four birds in order to get the match results passed to their home town or to the newspapers. In the days of mobile phones, text messaging, the world-wide-web and every kick of the ball on BBC Radio Scotland results are now passed on very quickly indeed. It is 117 years since the very first season of the Scottish Football League (SFL) kicked off with four matches on 16 August 1890.

Only four of the clubs that took part that day are still in existence – Celtic, Dumbarton, Rangers and Hearts. The match outcomes which awaited pigeon delivery were – Rangers 5 Hearts 2 in front of 4,000; Celtic 1 Renton 4 with a crowd of 10,000; Cambuslang 8 Vale of Leven 2; and the only drawn game 1-1 between Dumbarton and Cowlairs. Although there had been a National Trophy to play for in Scotland since 1873, the Scottish Cup (the oldest such trophy in the world) and local cup games were played it was agreed that clubs needed regular fixtures. Therefore on 30 April 1890, eleven clubs agreed to set up the Scottish Football League (SFL) – Abercorn, Celtic, Cowlairs, Cambuslang, Dumbarton, Hearts, Rangers, St Mirren, Renton, Third Lanark and Vale of Leven, It proved to be an exciting first season in all sorts of way. After only five games Renton were expelled by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and had to be thrown out of the league, Celtic and Cowlairs both had four points deducted for infringements and at the end of the season both Dumbarton and Rangers were tied at the top of the league with 29 points apiece. A 2-2 play-off followed and then they were declared joint Champions and each held the league trophy for six months. The first and only time this has happened.  A second division rapidly followed, including Jim Lynch’s team Dundee, and league football was very much launched. Over the 117 years of the League’s existence, clubs have come and gone, indeed the SFL have survived a major loss when the top Scottish clubs broke-away to form their own Scottish Premier League. They also have been threatened with a second break-away to form an SPL 2 but this will probably remain on the back-burner as the SFL has just announced a major new sponsor for its 30 clubs in the form of IRN-Bru, Scotland’s favourite soft drink and according to some the best cure for a hangover! The £3 million sponsorship over three years should prove very welcome to every club treasurer and with every one of the three leagues being hotly contested (unlike the Premier League which at the moment is a toss-up between a Glasgow club in green and one in blue) crowds will hopefully be drawn back to our National game in large numbers. Season 2007/08 could go down as one to remember for the First, Second and Third Divisions and their fans.

We cannot give you the recipe for Barr’s bestselling IRN BRU (that’s a secret!) but hopefully with better weather during August we can offer Old-fashioned Lemonade as a refreshing thirst quencher.  

Old-Fashioned Lemonade

Ingredients:  6 lemons; 1 cup white sugar; 6 cups cold water

Method: Juice the lemons to make 1 cup of juice. In a gallon pitcher 1 cup lemon juice, 1 cup sugar and 6 cups of cold water. Stir. Adjust water to taste. Chill and serve over ice.