Well, it has been a busy time the past month. The Tartan Day Festival was a success and I am still receiving compliments from attendees throughout the area. The piping competition hosted by Tidewater Pipes and Drums was very successful with 36 competitors in five grades.

With this in mind the Board of Directors has requested that a survey of our membership take place in order to determine the wishes of you, the members, for a Tartan Day event in 2004. I hope that each and everyone of you will fill in this anonymous survey and submit it for our use in planning the event for next year. I would like to thank Larry McCauley, Genene and Mark Butler, Randy Thomas and his family, Russell and Pam Darden to name just a few for their hard work on this years Tartan Day Festival. There where many volunteers that made this year’s event a success and they all deserve the society ’s thanks for a job very well done.

The festival season is upon us. I hope each and every one of you will get out and attend the numerous festivals within a few hours driving time. Visit the Tidewater Scots web site event page to find an event that may interest you.

Our program director has scheduled programs through the month of November for our enjoyment. At that time he will be transferred to a ship and will be unable to continue in that position. We will be looking for a new program director then. Please consider volunteering to fill that position. If you are interested in this position and think you would like to fill it, talk to Skip Hunter.

This issue of our newsletter is the debut of our two new newsletter editors, Rita Hamilton and Marcey Burton. Marcey and Rita request that if you have any comments or ideas concerning the newsletter please pass them to either Marcey or Rita.

I would like to give Carolyn Barclay my thanks as well as the entire societies’ thanks for her job editing the Thistledown for these past few years, Carolyn has done more than her fair share in our community and deserves a big thank-you from our entire membership. Good luck in your future endeavors in publishing CB and thank you.

William Lawler, President

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George Bush delivered an unprecedented message of support to Scottish service personnel fighting in Iraq yesterday.

In a signed letter sent to The Scotsman from the White House, the president of the United States said he and his country were "deeply grateful" for their contribution to the liberation of Iraq.

The message was timed to coincide with yesterday’s annual Tartan Day celebration in New York, with parades, marching bands and parties designed to mark Scottish-US relations.

This is the second time Mr Bush has given such public backing to Tartan Day, but he broke from convention to deliberately refer to the war in Iraq and to the efforts being made by Scottish members of the armed forces.

The Black Watch infantry regiment, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards tank regiment and 45 Commando, the Royal Marines, have played key roles in securing the area around Basra, while RAF squadrons 617, 11 and 12 from Lossiemouth and Leuchars have flown daily sorties against Iraqi positions.

Mr Bush said he wanted to send greetings to all those celebrating Tartan Day and to recognise the crucial role that Scottish immigrants had in shaping US society.

"Among the most important of these contributions have been efforts to establish and uphold the cause of freedom," he said, citing the influence the Declaration of Arbroath had on the US Declaration of Independence. "This legacy continues today, as the United States joins with a broad coalition of nations to advance freedom and defend the peace of the world. We are deeply grateful for the contributions of the many brave Scottish men and women who are fighting in this noble cause."

Tartan Day, established in 1998, takes place every year on 6 April - the day in 1320 that the Declaration of Arbroath was signed.

The threat of stormy weather didn’t discourage diehard Scots from celebrating our heritage at the 6th Annual Tidewater Tartan Day Festival on April 5 , 2003. It was a terrific day to be Scottish in Tidewater, indeed!

The Khedive Hall Chesapeake was a large and friendly venue, imaginatively decorated by Committee members with Scottish and military flags and streams of blue and white.

Visitors were welcomed by dozens of pipers competing in the First Annual Tidewater Tartan Day Amateur Solo Piping Competition, sponsored and presented by Tidewater Pipes and Drums, which drew competitors from all over the east coast.

Mark Butler served as the Master of Ceremonies, and what a great job he did! Thanks to Mark for being such a good sport, and for agreeing to be the MC at the "11^th Hour."

John Ickes, Tartan Day Program Coordinator, should be commended for lining up such an interesting and diverse entertainment schedule. Events included musical entertainment by Skellig Michael, and dance demonstrations by the Tidewater’s Scottish Country Dancers, the Scottish Dance Theatre of Virginia , and the British Isle Dancers. The Tidewater Weaver’s Guild provided expert demonstrations on Tartan weaving, and CG and Nancy Miller’s Great Kilt demonstration was a real crowd pleaser. Rob Lockwood gave another of his rousing recitations of Burns’ Ode to the Haggis at mid-day. Jamie Keith, an accomplished Highland Games competitor, provided an overview of Highland athletics.

The children’s athletic competition was a big hit again this year. Russell and Pam Darden coordinated the event, and assisted many enthusiastic young Scots on their first-ever attempt at Highland sports. Wil Phillip's daughter provided face painting for the wee ones, with Scottie dogs and thistles among the most popular offerings.

Mike Lawler, Skip Hunter and James Taylor gave an exciting Scottish Weapons demonstration, transfixing the audience. Many Tartan Day participants enjoyed a one-of-a kind overview of the “Water of Life” as Mike Lawler and the Cuideagh o Corn o Uisghebeatha hosted Whisky tastings throughout the day in the Whisky Tasting room, which was donated by Clan Hunter.

The Hospitality Room, donated by Clan MacCauley, provided a welcome respite to Society members to enjoy good food and drink. Genene Butler did a fantastic job coordinating the Hospitality room, with some valuable help from her son Dean, and Randy, Chris and Casey Thomas.

Information tables were hosted by the Scottish Society of Tidewater, The St. Andrew’s Society of Tidewater, The St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg, and the Irish American Society of Tidewater, as well as Clans MacGregor, MacCauley, and MacDougal.

There were Scottish and Celtic vendors from Virginia and beyond, and each enjoyed a steady crowd of buyers and browsers. Delicious and authentic food was provided by the Will o’ the Wisp Caterers, and ice-cold micro-beer was provided by St. George’s Brewery of Hampton.

Thanks to John Wallace for donating the Scottish Claymore for auction. We raised a considerable amount from it, and are grateful for John’s generosity. Thanks also to Renee Bernier and Nancy Weller for doing such a great job selling tickets.

And finally, many thanks to Larry McCauley for serving as Chair of the Tartan Day Festival Committee. His dedication, hard work and enthusiasm were invaluable in making Tartan Day a reality. There were also many, many volunteers who spent long hours to make the 2003 Tartan Day Festival our most successful event so far.

Mark your calendars for next year’s 7^th Annual Tartan Day Celebration on Saturday, April 3^rd, 2004. You won’t want to miss it!

The Tidewater Pipes & Drums and the Scottish Society of Tidewater co-hosted the first-ever Tidewater Tartan Day Festival Amateur Solo Piping Competition on April 5 .

Thirty-three pipers from as far away as Florida and New York competed on the picnic grounds of the Khedive Temple in Chesapeake. Judges were David Bailiff of Oxford, Pa.; June Hanley of Peekskill, N.Y., and Patrick Regan of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Medals were awarded to the top three pipers in each event, and trophies were awarded to the overall winner in each grade. Winners are:

Amateur 1 Piping	Amateur 2 Piping	Amateur 3 Piping	Amateur 4 Sr Piping	Amateur 4 Jr Piping
Piobaireachd Judge: David Bailiff (1 competitor) 1. Joseph P. McGonigal	Piobaireachd Judge: June Hanley (5 competitors) 1. John Duff 2. Jim Roberts 3. Thompson McConnell	Piobaireachd Judge: Patrick Regan (8 competitors) 1. Marsha Bell 2. Douglas Dauson 3. Brian Smith	Piobaireachd (Ground Only) Judge: David Bailiff (9 competitors) 1. W.G. Trevarthen 2. D. Scott Fisher 3. Glenn Kelso	Piobaireachd (Ground Only) Judge: June Hanley (7 competitors) 1. Sharon Dauson 2. Patrick Crawford 3. Andrew Graham
March/Strathspey/Reel Judge: Patrick Regan (1 competitor) 1. Joseph P. McGonigal	2/4 March Judge: David Bailiff (5 competitors) 1. Mary Wallace 2. Thompson McConnell 3. Jim Roberts	2/4 March Judge: June Hanley (8 competitors) 1. Heather Minter 2. Thomas Cook 3. Brian Smith	2/4 March Judge: Patrick Regan (9 competitors) 1. Glenn Kelso 2. W.G. Trevarthen 3. D. Scott Fisher	2/4 March Judge: David Bailiff (7 competitors) 1. Patrick Crawford 2. Blake Sage 3. Erin Dauson
6/8 March Judge: David Bailiff (1 competitor) 1. Joseph P. McGonigal	Strathspey/Reel Judge: David Bailiff (5 competitors) 1. Mary Wallace 2. John Duff 3. Jim Roberts	Strathspey/Reel Judge: June Hanley (8 competitors) 1. Thomas Cook 2. Douglas Dauson 3. Marsha Bell	6/8 March Judge: June Hanley (6 competitors) 1. Glenn Kelso 2. D. Scott Fisher 3. Jay Wells	6/8 March Judge: Patrick Regan (4 competitors) 1. Patrick Crawford 2. Sharon Dauson 3. Evan Koepke
Hornpipe/Jig Judge: June Hanley (1 competitor) 1. Joseph P. McGonigal	6/8 March Judge: Patrick Regan (5 competitors) 1. Mary Wallace 2. Jim Roberts 3. Thompson McConnell	6/8 March Judge: David Bailiff (8 competitors) 1. Marsha Bell 2. James Hicks 3. Thomas Cook	Aggregate winner: Glenn Kelso	Aggregate winner: Patrick Crawford
Aggregate winner: James P. McGonigal	Aggregate winner: Mary Wallace	Aggregate winner: Marsha Bell		Grade 5 Practice Chanter Judge: David Bailiff (2 competitors) 1. Karen Owens 2. Mark Johnson

The piping competition would not have been possible without the generous financial support of many individuals and the following businesses: BB&T, Norfolk; James G. Cartier, Attorney and Counselor at Law, Portsmouth; G.F. Keagan’s, Virginia Beach; Mo & O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Norfolk; The Scotland House, Ltd., Williamsburg; and Tone Czar, Sykesville, Md.

Band Update: The Tidewater Pipes & Drums has fared very well in its first two competitions of the 2003 season. They placed first out of nine Grade 4 bands at Loch Norman and second out of six Grade 4 bands at the Celtic Festival of Southern Maryland. Other competitions on the band’s 2003 schedule include the: Colonial Highland Gathering (May 17); Virginia Scottish Games (July 26); Charleston Scottish Games (Sept. 20); Anne Arundel Scottish Festival (Oct. 11); and the Richmond Highland Games (Oct. 25).

The band also will appear in concert with Martin Marron & Charlie Austin and the Scottish Dance Theatre of Virginia at 8 p.m . June 26 in Tidewater Community College’s Roper Performing Arts Center in Norfolk. Tickets are $10 for adults; $7.50 for children, seniors and military. For more information, visit tpandd.exis.net or contact Jim Roberts at jamrob98@yahoo.com.

Bowmore 12 year old Darkest