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In Memorandum Andrew
D Lowe 1919 - 2000
The greatest asset of
the SNP according to the late John McAteer when National Organiser,
was "body heat". The death of Andrew D Lowe, on 10th
February, has robbed us, of yet another of those Nationalists who
provided that "body heat". I first knew Andrew, a stalwart
of the Aberdour Branch, when I chaired the then West Fife Constituency
Association SNP. He played an enthusiastic and valuable part in the
campaign leading up to the 1970 General Election, when James Halliday
carried the SNP Banner in West Fife.
Five days before his
death. Andrew wrote to me (his last letter) reflecting on his SNP
activity —"I look back with real pleasure to events in which I
could and did play a useful part — chairing an election meeting,
supplying and running a garden stall at sales of work, organising an
Aberdour Branch Burns Supper, running a candidate around the
constituency, canvassing in many towns on the East Coast — for me
they have been thirty glorious years. Now I hope that Scotland and her
reconvened Parliament will be found worthy of those generations of
happy warriors and foot soldiers. It is up to them now to build on
that and carry us forward to Independence".
Andrew Lowe was among
the best of those "happy warriors and foot soldiers". No job
went undone when Andrew turned his hand to it — if he said he would
do something, it was done and always with humour, joy and enthusiam.
He was, as his minister described
him at the Thanksgiving Celebration in a packed Warriston
Crematorium, "an artist, poet, gardener, successful businessman,
true patriot, loving family man and a real gentleman in the truest
sense of the word". That he was.
After moving to
Edinburgh in 1985, Andrew kept in touch with his many friends in Fife
and was a regular attender at the Alexander III Commemoration at
Pettycur, Kinghorn. Indeed he once chided me that he wasn’t coming
because I had not invited him in Scots! That year Andrew not only
attended but after laying the wreath read his splendid poem
"Coronach" in memory of the dead King.
Due to his interest in the Guid
Scots Tung, Andrew and his wife Irene were among the supporters of the
Scots Poetry events held by "Scots Gladnost" and then
"Merchants o Renoun" in Edinburgh.
Andrew’s belief in a Free Scotland
never wavered nor did his strong Christian faith, which sustained him
through his long illness. He died peacefully in the bosom of his
loving family.
Andrew D Lowe will be missed but
remembered with affection by all who knew him. Andrew’s life was a
shining example of all that is best in Scotland, the Scottish people
and Scottish Nationalism.
Scots Independent Newspaper April
2000
Peter D Wright
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Coronach
Ae wild March nicht lang syne
a
storm ragit roun the castle craig.
The north wind, chairgit wi sleet an snaw,
thunnert owre the lofty
pile
wi sic interperate sa vagerie
as wad gar the bravest fear
at
Juidegment Day wis like tae daw.
On this faroushie nicht a companie
o fowr weel-mountit chiels
cam
clappering thru Embro toun
an aen the gait til the Queen ‘s ferrie.
As they cam skelpin doun
thru the dark o the Hawes Brae
thir herts
froze at the sicht an soun
o Forth’s jawin waves an fleein spray
but
wadna be hinnrt bi the angry tide
an laundit unskaithed on tither
side.
Nae mune nor fient a stairn
tae gie them licht
as they drave on
thru drumlie cleuch an mirky howe,
bi knarled pine an jimpy birk
at huddled roun St. Bridget’s
kirk
as tho tae guard it frae the storm.
Straucht thru the Barony o Aberdour
bi the burn an the strong tower
they rade wi ne’er a word til tither
up the stey brae, droukit an forforn.
The waur pairt o thir journie
owre
an scarce twa mile frae Kinghorn ‘s tower,
Wi promise o the marriage bed,
ae
moment pairted frae his fieres,
his fair forfechen mount
stoitert owre the scaurs
an the King o Scots lay deid.
Andrew Lowe
Listen
to this poem here in Real Audio
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