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CAMPAIGNING FOR SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November
1926)
"Promoting all that is best in Scottish
Nationalism and all that is best in Scotland."
Content of the Flag in the Wind Web Site is the copyright of the Scots
Independent Newspaper.
[
Issue 401 - 8th February 2008] |
Compiled by Peter D Wright |
Lots of great information to
read and enjoy under our
Features Section:
Scots
Language | Scottish Food |
Dates in History |
Scot Wit and lots more
DATES IN
HISTORY
8 February
1894
Death of Robert M Ballantyne, Edinburgh-born author, in Rome. He wrote more
than 90 titles, mostly adventure stories for children, the best known of
which was ‘The Coral Island’ (1857).
 8
February 2000
First Division Inverness Caledonian Thistle caused a major upset in the
Third Round of the Scottish cup with a 3-1 away victory over Celtic at
Parkhead. Their victory signalled the end of John Barnes’ brief reign as
Celtic manager, he was sacked next day. Inverness CT lost 1-0 (after a 1-1
draw) in the next round to that season’s Scottish Cup losing finalists
Aberdeen.
8 February
2007
A move in the Scottish Parliament by the Scottish National Party to abolish
tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges was narrowly defeated. Five Fife
Labour MSPs voted with the Nationalists who lost by 65 votes to 58. Scott
Barrie, Dunfermline West MSP, resigned as Labour Chief Whip to speak out
against keeping the tolls.
10 February
1991
15-year-old schoolgirl Vicky Hamilton went missing after getting off a bus
in Bathgate, Her remains were found in a garden in Margate, Kent, in 2007.
10 February
2007
Irish president Mary McAleese was awarded an honorary degree, Doctor of Law,
at a graduation ceremony held by Edinburgh University to mark the 300th
anniversary of the University’s first chair in law.
 12
February 1624
Death of George Heriot, aged 61, ‘Jingling Geordie’ wealthy Edinburgh
goldsmith to James VI, King of Scots. As banker to the king he moved with
James to London in 1603 where he amassed further wealth and on his death
bequeathed £23,625 to found the Edinburgh school and hospital which
perpetuate his name.
13 February
2007
In the lead-up to the 2007 local government elections, Tom McCabe Labour
public service minister, revealed that more than a third of Scotland’s
councillors had accepted severance payments of up to £20,000 from the
Scottish Executive. The 434 councillors, the majority from the Labour Party,
would receive an average tax-free lump sum of about £16,500.
14 February
1570
Protestant Reformer John Knox conducted the funeral service of the
assassinated Regent of Scotland, James Stewart, Earl of Moray. Known as ‘the
good regent’, Moray was shot by James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh as he rode
through Linlithgow in January 1570 and died within hours.
14 February
2007
The Scottish executive gave the go-ahead for a new Forth crossing, but
didn’t specify the location or whether it would be a tunnel or a bridge.
See Dates in History in our
Features Section
SCOTTISH QUOTATIONS
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 1st 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"
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This week we celebrate three outstanding Scotswomen in their own
words. Special tribute is paid to Dundee-born Alison L Kennedy whose
novel ‘Day’ has won The Saltire Society Book of the Year, the
Austrian State Prize for European Literature award and from America,
a lifetime achievement award from the Lannan Foundation which
includes a cheque for $150,00. Last month she also was awarded the
Costa Book of the Year Award and a cheque for £25,000. She is a real
credit to Dundee High School.
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Dr Winifred M
Ewing
The very
name Culloden stands for sadness beyond words. It ended lives, hopes,
ambitions and a way of life,
(2007)
Alison Fell
Life is as
short as a shoelace, but who knows it.
(Significant
Fevers 1984)
Alison Louisa
(AL) Kennedy
If
something good happens in my life, I tend to get quite suspicious
because empirically, it will always bugger off before I get used to it.
I don’t
think awards make much sense. You could just as easily not be a winner
because the person with the casting vote had indigestion.
See
Scottish Quotations in our Features Section
SONGS
OF ROBERT BURNS
A collection of some of the best known songs by Scotland's greatest
songwriter and National Bard, Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Ae fond kiss and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, and then for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me:
Dark despair around benights me.
I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
Naething could resist my Nancy:
But to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly!
Had we never lov'd sae blindly!
Never met - or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweel, Alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Flagnote: Burns ( Sylvander ) penned this song towards the close of 1791 and enclosed it with a letter from Dumfries, dated 27 December 1791, to Clarinda. The song celebrates their last meeting on 6 December 1791. Mrs Nancy McLehose ( Clarinda ) sailed from Leith in February 1972 to join her husband in Jamaica and although she returned to Scotland she and Burns never met again. She penned a memorandum, dated 6 December 1831, which said, "This day I can never forget. Parted with Burns in the year 1791, never more to meet in this world. Oh, may we meet in heaven!" Both Scott and Byron praised this beautiful song.
See the SONGS OF ROBERT
BURNS in our features section
SING
A SANG AT LEAST
(compiled by Peter D Wright)
"That I for poor auld
Scotland's sake
Some useful plan or book could make
Or sing a sang at least ........"
- Robert Burns
BALLAD OF GLENCOE
Jim McLean
O cruel is the snow that sweeps Glencoe
And covers the grave of Donald
And cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house o' Macdonald.
They came in a blizzard, we offered them heat,
A roof o'er their heads, dry shoes for their feet.
We wined them, dined them, they ate of our meat,
And slept in the house o' Macdonald.
Chorus :
And cruel is the snow that swept Glencoe
And covers the grave of Donald
And cruel was the foe that raped Glencoe
And murdered the house o' Macdonald.
They came from Fort William with murder in mind,
The Campbells had orders, King William had signed.
Put all to the sword, these words underlined,
And leave non alive called Macdonald.
They came in the night when our men were asleep,
This band of Argylls, through snow soft and deep
Like murdering foxes amongst helpless sheep
They murdered the house o' Macdonald.
Some died in their beds at the hands o the foe,
Some fled in the night and were lost in the snow
Some lived to accuse him who struck the first blow
But gone was the house of Macdonald.
Footnote: My thanks to Anne Fowler of Peterhead for
the words of this fine song by Jim McLean which she published in 'The
Blue Toon Song Book' in 2000. Jim McLean composed many
braw Republican/Nationalist songs, which like this song, quickly entered
into the repertoire of many Scottish Folksingers. This week sees the
anniversary of the notorious Massacre of Glencoe which was carried out
on 13 February 1692. Under orders from King William a Royalist force,
under the command of Captain Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, carried out
the Massacre of Glencoe which resulted in the death of 38 MacIan
MacDonalds. King William together with his representative in Scotland,
John Dalrymple, Master of Stair, were determined to make an example of a
clan loyal to the Jacobite cause and the MacIan MacDonalds fitted the
bill. Most of the clan escaped the massacre and the Glencoe MacDonalds
turned out in force in the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite Risings. The 'ethnic
cleasing' caused an uproar in the Scottish Parliament who held an
inquiry into the massacre.
See the
SING A SANG AT LEAST in our
features section
SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS
AND CUSTOMS
 This
week sees two notable anniversaries – one sad, one happy. The sad event took
place on 13 February 1692 when government troops, under orders from King
William carried out the notorious Massacre of Glencoe, the attempted ethnic
cleansing of the MacDonalds of Glencoe. Thanks to a snowstorm, although 38
died, the majority of the clan escaped the government swords, and the
Glencoe MacDonalds were able to supply a healthy number of blades on the
Jacobite side in both the 1715 and 1745 Risings.
The second
date is, of course, far happier and is engraved on the hearts and minds of
romantics world-wide, St Valentines Day on 14 February. Scotland is in a
position to claim a close affinity to the Saint as his remains lie in a
Glasgow church – the Church of Blessed John Duns Scotia in the Gorbals. But
note, the notorious ‘Glasgow Kiss’ has, of course, nothing to do with either
the saint or romance, indeed quite the opposite!
Scotland’s
most romantic poet, Robert Burns, wrote of St valentine’s Day in his poem
‘Tam Glen’ –
“Yestreen
at the valentines’ dealing
My heart to my mou’ gied a sten’;
For thrice I drew ane without failing,
And thrice it was written – Tam Glen!”
And our most
famous novelist, Sir Walter Scott, wrote of St Valentine’s Day in ‘The Fair
Maid of Perth’ –
“Tomorrow
is St Valentine’s Day, when every bird chooses her mate. I will plague
you no longer now, providing you will let me see from your window
tomorrow when the sun first peeps over the eastern hill, and give me
right to be your Valentine for the year.”
A romantic
time of year as reflected by romantic writers surely requires a romantic
recipe – love and chocolate traditionally go together so why not treat your
Valentine to some delicious handmade Chocolate Truffles.
Chocolate
Truffles
Ingredients:
4oz plain chocolate; 4floz milk; 4oz icing sugar; 3tbsp evaporated milk;
1tsp vanilla essence
Method:
Melt chocolate and add other ingredients. Leave to cool and firm (1/2 hour)
and then form into small balls.
A KIST
O FERLIES
A Keek
at the Guid Scots Tung
By Peter & Marilyn Wright
(Note: All words
underlined in this section are RealAudio links)
"Scotland, my auld, respected mither
!
Tho whiles ye moistify your leather,
Till whare ye sit on craps o
heather,
Ye tine your dam ;
Freedom and whisky gang thegither !
Tak aff your dram."
COMPLETE POEM
A Man's A Man
by Robert Burns
Is there for honest poverty
That hings his head, and a' that?
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We daur be poor for a' that!
For a' that, and a' that,
Our toils obscure, and a' that,
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The Man's the gowd for a' that!
What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, and a' that;
Gie fools their silks and knaves their wine,
A Man's a Man for a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show, and a' that;
The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,
Is king o' men for a' that!
Ye see yon birkie ca'd a lord,
Wha struts, and stares, and a' that,
Though hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a coof for a' that:
For a' that, and a' that,
His ribband, star and a' that;
The man of independent mind
He looks and laughs at a' that.
A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke and a' that;
But an honest man's abune his might
Gude faith, he maunna fa' that!
For a' that, and a' that,
Their dignities, and a' that;
The pith o' sense and pride o' worth
Are higher rank than a' that!
Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a' that
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,
May bear the gree, and a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
It's comin yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that!
See Scots Language in
our Features Section
for other poems, stories, songs, sayings, jokes and words in the Scots language
SCOT WIT
Enjoy a Scottish Joke every week and
listen to it as well
Saying Sorry!
On one of the old Clyde steamers, the man at
the wheel was being pestered by the stupid questions of a pompous,
English lady tourist. He answered all her questions briefly but
patiently for a long time, indicating quite clearly by the curtness of
his manner that she was seriously hindering him in his responsible work.
The passenger refused, however, to desist
and haughtily continued with her cross-examination until, losing his
temper, the sailor turned on her and - in language coloured by the
warmth of his feelings - told her exactly where she (and all her
kindred) could go.
In great indignation she immediately
reported the matter to the Captain, who did all he could to conciliate
her, promising that he would see that his subordinate offered her an
ample apology for his conduct and the violence of his language.
Somewhat mollified, the tourist thereupon
retired to the Saloon and proceeded with some agitation to recount her
experience to her fellow passengers. Just as she was finishing the
narrative, a burly figure in dripping oilskins appeared at the Saloon
door and called over to his former tormentor to make his apology.
"Are ye the leddy A telt ti gang ti
blazes?"
The lady nodded, and awaited the promised
apology.
"Weill" continued the sailor " the
Captain says ye neidna bother!"
Click here to listen to this joke Read and listen to Jokes in our
Scot Wit section
Gordon & Carmen Wright
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Scottish Books.
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Gordon.Wright11@btopenworld.com
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Wright’s Scottish Photo
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Spanning forty-five years
and featuring a wide variety
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from Orkney to the Border
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