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NEWSLETTER OF THE SCOTTISH SOCIETY OF TIDEWATER Tidewater Scots Volume 21, Issue 4 Sep-Oct 2005
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| A Few Words from the President |
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The SST tent at the Williamsburg Scottish Festival was lively all day. Many of you stopped by the tent to help out. For this I thank you. I put up two tents, one in front of the other. This left plenty of room for chairs and visitors. The games this year seemed to have the largest attendance in many years. I am proud of the society and all who volunteered at the games. I especially want to give special thanks to Wil Phillips, Randy Deidrickson, Rita Hamilton, Larry McCauley and Marcey Hunter for all the hard work they did for the WSF. I know many of the society members worked for their clan tents. It is great to attend WSF and see so many members of SST. Please visit our website www.tidewaterscots.com to see how wonderful it looks. The society has a top-of-the-line site and all of us should thank Scott MacGregor for the many hours he spends keeping the site current. As we swing into Fall I want to encourage all to attend the monthly meetings. The Board is working hard on organizing a Tartan Day program for next April. If asked to help, please give a little of your time to help make the Society a little better. I want to also thank the society members who have helped make a very sick boy’s dream come true. Jose Hernandez has become OUR official "Nessie Ambassador." If you were at the October meeting and listened to the trip report, with slides, that Jose’s father presented you would understand why I am proud of this society. Jose could not make the report because he had just received another chemotherapy treatment. Looking forward to seeing you at the monthly meetings and other events! Yours Aye,
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| Williamsburg Scottish Festival |
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For the second year, the games were held at the Jamestown Beach Campground. What a perfect venue. Though it drizzled on us just a wee bit, no one seemed to notice. The Honored Clan this year was Clan Scott. The Clan Scott chieftain, Charlie Scott from Richmond, and his wife Jackie were thrilled to be officially honored "right in their own back yard."
Our special guest this year was Jose Hernandez. [You can read more about Jose on page four of Thistledown.] He and his family really seemed to enjoy themselves. Having them there made the day even more memorable. Festival goers sampled from a wide variety of vendors, from jewelry to woolen ware. There were several high-quality food vendors to enjoy. A special treat this year was the different offering of beer – definitely out of the ordinary, and much appreciated! As usual the Balmoral reception at the West Park Hotel was "outstanding." The food was delicious and plentiful, and attendees dressed grandly in their finest highland ware.
The SST booth enjoyed a steady stream of "customers" all day. We signed up several new members on the spot. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped man the tent.
This year, the festival was co-sponsored by the Scottish Society of Tidewater, and the St. Andrew’s Societies of Tidewater, Williamsburg and Richmond. The partnership did indeed prove to be very successful. All four societies shared the duties, and did so smashingly.
Larry McCauley did an outstanding job of field layout, and Randy Dedrickson did a great job organizing the volunteers. Marcey Hunter was in charge of publicity, and working to "get the word out." Lynnette Fitch Brash was on hand to help with the Celtic dance demonstrations, which gathered a steady stream of onlookers all day. Rita Hamilton organized the harp competition, which featured the first Clarsach completion in the US. Special thanks to the Newport News Police Pipe band. They provided lots of "man power" in field set up, and served as festival security. Thanks, guys!
If you enjoy camping, there is hardly a better set up than rolling out of your tent in the morning and hearing the sound of pipes tuning. Being so close to the action, yet having the tranquil retreat of your campsite, made for a remarkable weekend for many festival goers. To round out the day, there were heavy athletics, piping competitions, dog herding demonstrations, and children’s activities. The athletes seemed to have a great time, and were so appreciative of the crowd’s enthusiasm. WSF Organizers will be meeting soon to discuss what "went right" at the festival, and to identify areas that need improvement. We encourage you to share some of your ideas or concerns with us, so that next year’s festival will be even better! |
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| A Letter from WSF President Will Phillips |
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First, I would like to thank both the Scottish Society of Tidewater and the Tidewater St. Andrew’s Society for your tremendous support and participation in the Williamsburg Scottish Festival. Without your support and the tireless work of the volunteers, this year’s Festival could not have been held. Those who served on the Board and those who helped in the production did a fantastic job. This year’s Festival was a great success and that will enable the Festival to be held again next year. I hope that the support from both Tidewater societies and from the Richmond St. Andrew’s Society will continue and each society will be permanent sponsors. This year’s Festival was truly a regional event, not just a local game. The day started off cloudy and looking threatening, but it turned out to be a typical fine, soft Scottish day. Of course there were glitches that those who worked on the Festival saw, but no one in the public noticed a thing. One being during the opening ceremonies when I was supposed to give a short speech which I totally forgot and was not missed at all. Besides, who wants to listen to someone drone on about stuff they probably have heard in one form or another before, when you could be listening to the pipe bands?!
Discussions are already in progress on how to improve the Festival for next year, so I invite you to become a part of the Festival. There is always a need for volunteers. It can be a lot of work, but the enjoyment derived from it far outweighs the effort. Thanks again for your support. Yours Aye,
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| The Harp Competition |
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The Williamsburg Highland Games hosted the first Clarsach and harp competition. (The Clarsach is the wire strung harp.) You might have seen Rita Hamilton carrying her Clarsach (named "Baby") around at previous festivals. The judge was one of the top two Clarsers in the country, Cynthia Cathcart. We had the promise of two competitors coming down from the Washington area, but the perceived threat of rain showers kept them away, even though the $200 scholarship for the "Most Promising Harper" was tantalizing. We had Mae Maloney competing in two events. In one she sang Christ Child's Lullaby and played her wire strung Clarsach. That was a great experience. The other competitor was Ann Robinson, a local harper who competed on the lever harp. In the end, the Scholarship was divided between the two. A very worthy end to the first competition for the Clarsach in the United States.
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| Welcome to our Newest Members |
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Ed & Jane Cart - Clan: Baird, McKnight
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| Member News |
If so, please send it to Marcey at marcey9@cox.net.
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| Flowers of the Forest |
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Anna McCauley Ralph
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| Baird Scholarship Funds Put to Good Use |
| by Edward Brash |
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As some of you may be aware, this year I was very fortunate to receive the SST Baird Scholarship. The goal outlined in my application was to attend, with my family, a session of the Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts, which is based in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Now, for those of you who know my wife, Lynnette, it will come as no surprise that she started planning our trip months in advance, and not a single minute was to be wasted! Furthermore, she had the brilliant plan to not only attend the Gaelic College with our daughters, Sarah and Olivia, but also to expose them to all manner of Celtic culture. This included Irish dance, singing, and baking competitions, as well as a trip to their first Scottish Highland Games, for good measure. Oh, and just to top the whole thing off, why not throw in a trip to New York City with a genealogy lesson at Ellis Island? So, in late July, we headed out on our "ROAD TRIP" - 12 absolutely packed days in DC, Vermont, and NYC. In DC, we all competed in the Nation's Capitol Feis. A 'feis' is a celebration of Celtic culture, in this case the Irish flavour, and includes competitions in dance, singing, baking, arts and crafts, and music. Lynnette is the competitive dancer among us, and she continued to amaze us with her skill and grace. The girls and I entered the Irish song competition, and all four of us entered the baking competition. While in the area, we also attended a Scottish Highland Games (in Alexandria, VA). This was the first opportunity for the girls to attend such an event, and they enjoyed the dancing, music, Scottish arts and crafts, and athletic competitions. Lynnette also introduced them to the joys of shopping at the Games! However, the "highlight" of the day was that they were courageous enough to try HAGGIS for the first time - and they enjoyed it thoroughly! Following our fun in DC, we headed to Shelburne, VT, a small town just south of Burlington, on the shores of Lake Champlain. For the next five days, we attended a session that was being offered by the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts. The Gaelic College is based in Cape Breton, but each year they also hold a week-long session in Vermont, which is somewhat easier to get to for many U.S. residents. They offer classes in Gaelic language, Gaelic song, Cape Breton step dancing, Highland Dancing, Scottish fiddle, Cape Breton piano accompaniment, piping, and harp. This year, all four of us took a full slate of classes - Sarah and Olivia studied Gaelic song, step dancing, and Highland dancing, Lynnette took FOUR HOURS of step dancing classes per day (yikes!) and studied Gaelic language for another hour, and I concentrated on Gaelic language and Gaelic song. All of our instructors were tremendously talented, and we learned a great deal. We were incredibly lucky to have Mairi MacInnes, from the Hebridean island of South Uist as our Gaelic song instructor. A native Gaelic speaker, a recording artist, and a several- time national mod winner, Mairi is as gracious and helpful as she is talented. Lynnette and the girls greatly enjoyed Bonnie Jean MacDonald-Cutcliffe and Betty Matheson’s step dancing classes. Our family was even invited to demonstrate the Scottish Ceilidh dance, "Strip the Willow," at the Friday night square dance. Amazingly, we were the only ones there besides Mairi who knew it! In addition to the classes in the day, there is some kind of activity going on almost every evening - we were treated to an instructor's "Ceilidh" on the Wednesday night, we had our own student Ceilidh on Thursday (the Brash family all performed something there), and Friday night we had a great time at the finale of the week - the square dance! One of the common threads that runs through the Scottish community of Tidewater, and bonds us together, is our appreciation and love of family. Of course, this is not surprising, considering the importance of the clan in Scottish history and culture. Because of the generosity of the Baird family, and the Scottish Society of Tidewater, our family was able to share a unique experience this summer, and one which we will all treasure for many years to come. This experience helped nurture the seeds of appreciation for our Celtic heritage that we have tried to sow in our daughters. Since our return, we have had occasion to share our new skills with family and friends on multiple occasions, including our Gaelic song presentation for the SST in August. On behalf of our family, I wish to thank you for your generous contributions. Tapadh leibh!
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Local Scottish Community Helps to Make a Boy’s Wish Come True |
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The Make-a-Wish Foundation was making Jose's dream of tracking the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland a reality. Since the age of four, Jose has been fascinated by Nessie, the famed inhabitant of the Loch Ness. His interest quickly expounded to include not only Nessie, but all things Scottish. He is even trying his hand at learning the bagpipes! Jose and his family are originally from Mexico, so his parents aren’t really sure where his Scottish obsession originated!
So how did the collaboration between Make-a-Wish and the local Scottish community come about? Debbie Chapel of Make-a-Wish wanted to add some Scottish flavor when she presented Jose with his wish packet. She got online and did a wee bit of research, and found the Scottish Society of Tidewater Web Site! On the Scottish Services page, she found Lynnette Fitch Brash's name and e-mail address for Scottish dance. Debbie then wrote to Lynnette to ask about getting a dancer for Jose's wish presentation. It was less than a week away, but Lynnette immediately agreed to provide Highland dancing and also said she'd try to get a piper as well.
The response was immediate and overwhelming; everyone was most willing to support such a worthy cause. After all, Jose is as brave as any warrior Gael, and his love of Scottish culture is truly heartwarming to those of us of Scottish descent. When all was said and done, the local Scots did Jose proud - a Scottish parade & Ceilidh ready for him in about three days notice!
As part of the Ceilidh, Sarah & Olivia Brash performed a beautiful rendition of "Loch Lomond" for Jose. This was followed by Holly Quaglia & Jayne Carlson performing the Highland Fling, while the pipe band played "Scotland the Brave." All four are such beautiful and talented young ladies – our community is truly blessed! Tom Crouch, President of the Newport News Police Pipes and Drums Corps, made Jose, Ana Paula, Laura, and Javier all official members of the pipe band. They were each presented with band t-shirts, and Jose received a special drum and drum sticks from the band. One of the great moments of this special occasion was watching Jose play the drum along with the pipe band – he had a smile from ear to ear!
The Hernandez family had a truly wonderful time in Scotland. Mr. Hernandez was kind enough to join us at the recent SST meeting, and told us of his family’s adventures. Jose was absolutely positive that he spotted Nessie while touring the Loch! They spent a little over a week traveling all over Scotland. It was a very special trip, and we are so honored to have played a part in it. We look forward to seeing him and all of his family at future Scottish events in the area. Perhaps one day soon Jose will be marching with the rest of the Newport News Police Pipes and Drums Corp; he already has a kilt in the Black Watch tartan custom made for him by local kiltmaker Christine Lawler! |
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| Ancient Celtic Holidays: Samhain |
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In Scotland and Ireland, Halloween is known as Oíche Shamhna, the eve of the winter's calend, or first. With the rise of Christianity, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints' Day, to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead, so the night before became popularly known as Halloween, All Hallows Eve, or Hollantide. November 2nd became All Souls Day, when prayers were to be offered to the souls of all who the departed and those who were waiting in Purgatory for entry into Heaven. Throughout the centuries, pagan and Christian beliefs intertwine in celebrations from Oct 31st through November 5th, all of which appear both to challenge the ascendancy of the dark and to revel in its mystery. In the country year, Samhain marked the first day of winter, when the herders led the cattle and sheep down from their summer hillside pastures to the shelter of stable and byre. The hay that would feed them during the winter must be stored in sturdy thatched ricks, tied down securely against storms. Those destined for the table were slaughtered, after being ritually devoted to the gods in pagan times. All the harvest must be gathered in -- barley, oats, wheat, turnips, and apples -- for come November, the faeries would blast every growing plant with their breath, blighting any nuts and berries remaining on the hedgerows. Peat and wood for winter fires were stacked high by the hearth. It was a joyous time of family reunion, when all members of the household worked together baking, salting meat, and making preserves for the winter feasts to come. The endless horizons of summer gave way to a warm, dim and often smoky room; the symphony of summer sounds was replaced by a counterpoint of voices, young and old, human and animal. |
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SAMS invites you to a special "Samhain" Brunch |
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Come join in some Halloween merry making on Sunday, October 30 at noon, Conklins Irish Rover Pub at 3157 Virginia Beach Blvd, Suite 105. The Brunch is sponsored by the Scottish Military Society (SAMS) Post 76. There will be bangers & mash, rations of bacon, grits, roasted tomato, eggs & biscuits. And there will be "dooking fur aiples," with prizes. Cost of the brunch is $6.50. For more information, contact Larry McCauley at 471-4952, or lmccaule@bellatlantic.net. |
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| Scotland calling its ex-pats back |
| by From the Guelph Mercury - Wednesday, October 12, 2005 |
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Scotland wants its sons and daughters living in Canada to pack up their tartans and return to their homeland. Canadians of Scottish ancestry, particularly those in Toronto, are being targeted in a campaign to stop Scotland's dramatic population decline with appeals to return to the old country. But forget the romantic images of castles, glens and, for some, haggis: the nation's leaders want to lure back Canadian Scots with talk of vibrant financial services sectors and cutting- edge universities. "The traditional image is very important to us, but it is an image that is in the past," said Jack McConnell, first minister of the devolved Scottish parliament. "The image of Scotland today that we want to make sure people are aware of is of a country with increasingly dynamic and attractive cities," he added. McConnell, leader of Scotland's Labour party, will deliver his sales pitch to an estimated 4.5 million Canadians with Scottish backgrounds during a trip to Ottawa and Toronto. He'll also ask expatriates from the business community to invest in Scotland and spread the good word about the country. His quest to lure back Scottish expatriates also takes him to the United States, Australia and South Africa. Emigration and declining birthrates have seen Scotland's population steadily decline over the past 12 years to 5.1 million. It's expected to drop below the 5 million mark by the end of the next decade. Estimates place the Scottish Diaspora as high as 90 million, based on those claiming at least one Scottish great-grandparent. Scots who migrated to England have been so successful there's talk that Britain is being run by a "Tartan Raj." Powerful Scots include Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was born in Edinburgh but raised in England. Scotland is, quite literally, the "sick man of Europe." Heavy smoking and a taste for coating foods in batter have taken their toll. A 2003 study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that from 1991 to 1995, the mortality rate in Scotland was the worst in Western Europe among people of working age. Scotland led in deaths by heart disease and came in second among 17 countries for stroke and lung cancer deaths. In 2000, women had the lowest life expectancy in Europe and men the second lowest. |
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| Confessions of a Plunker |
| Part four of a Series |
| by Skip Doot |
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What to do? Where to go? Such were the challenges of beginning plunkers. Francie and I began by quickly exploring the unknown parts of Dumbarton we were unfamiliar with. Other than becoming acquainted with the pigeons, the most exciting part of these early antics was trying to catch a ride on the big red double-decker without paying. Here we brass-necked it, proffering the conductress our train passes in lieu of the bus fare. Most of the time she was having none of it, and threw us off at the next stop; still it was a bit of free ride. We enjoyed the challenge of this cheeky scheme until one day we jumped on a bus and the Big Yin nearly fainted when he recognized one of the passengers: we were off at the next stop, bringing that lark to a screeching halt. Woolworth’s came in for the grand tour, but again after a few days of browsing with no purchase our faces were as familiar as the goods being sold: we soon wore out our welcome. Within a fortnight we were getting the exit-pointing index finger immediately as we walked through the entrance doors. On occasion we have a few extra pennies to spend and our forays took us into the local billiards parlor. Part of the problem here was that the owners of the Carlton had the same surname as me. While I knew they were not related, I was somewhat skeptical. They had to know we were plunkers, but they didn’t seem to bother us: hey they were getting early day customers. Curiosity got the better of them and finally one morning they asked our names. There was no way I was going to say Doot, so I immediately dropped wee Harry Mc Callion under the bus. Francie gave me a sly grin, then told the man his name was Doot, quickly adding he was no relation to the proprietors. "Unless," I quickly chimed in, "it gets us a discount." "Fat chance," came the reply. Our days of misspent youth didn’t come to fruition as billiard champions. Being the smallest guy in the school, me playing on a championship billiard table was a giggle and a half. With the rule being that one foot had to be on the floor at all times, it seemed every time it was my turn to shoot, I always had one foot off the floor. Heck, I was lucky to see the table let alone hit a ball. That was my excuse for such unclaimed rise to fame. Francie’s? He was just rubbish! My aunt in Dumbarton came in for some surprise visits, but our drop-ins were more selfish than social in that we knew we would be offered a sandwich, even though it may only contain butter and jam. Unfortunately, Francie had no relatives in Dumbarton or the neighboring towns – at least none that he was comfortable introducing me to. At times we nerved it by traveling up near Glasgow. The train ride back was a freebie as British Rail seldom checked tickets going on the train, only coming off. I guess they figured nobody would be as stupid as we were. The trick was to catch the school train that would pass through Dumbarton at the scheduled time for student pick up. No problem: hey we were B students. Eventually Francie gave up on me. Enough was enough for him. Lo and behold he became a reformed student, well at least a reformed plunker. I wasn’t quite ready to accede. I had other plans for plunking, which, I knew, wouldn’t have fit into the Big Yin’s regime. If my "normal" school days were a bit abnormal, they weren’t quite as strange as the last two months I had during that second year of high school. Stay tuned. |
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| Royal Navy News Flash |
| From the Pacific Maritime Magazine, Oct. 2005 |
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The Commanding Officer of HMCS Edinburgh may be English, but he wants his ship to properly represent the Scottish nation's capital so the ship's officers will wear Royal Scots tartan trews for mess dress, and a musically gifted seaman has been sent off the Royal Scots regiment to learn how to play the pipes. He will be the Royal Navy's first official bagpiper. |
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| Wet and Not So Wild at the Anne Arundel Games |
| by Marcey Hunter |
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Luckily for us, however, the scarcity of festival goers allowed us to get up close to our favorite fiddler, Bonnie Rideout. In fact, just a dozen or so people were there to enjoy her incredible music. (Those of you who are familiar know that she usually performs to sell-out audiences.) But ever the classy performer, Bonnie played with her usual passion and energy. |
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A Must See: The Black Watch and the Band of Welsh Guards |
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JANUARY 17, 2006 - 8:00 PM Columbia Artists presents The Black Watch (1st Battalion: The Pipes, Drums and Highland Dancers) and the Band of Welsh Guards in concert at the Constant Center, Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 8pm. Black Watch, or the 42nd Highland Regiment, is the British army’s premier Scottish infantry that has been in existence for over 250 years. Their melodic sounds, famous dark colored uniform, and pipes and drums ensembles are recognized across the globe and they have been known to play classic pieces ranging from "Amazing Grace" to "The 79th’s Farewell to Gibraltar." Amazingly, the Black Watch is fully operational and all the performers are on active duty for the British Army. The soldiers have served in almost every British campaign and have received over 160 Battle Honors. The Black Watch has always been connected with the British Royal Family. While making history in Europe for its performances, the Black Watch made it to mainstream America with the album “Scotch on the Rocks” (1976). The most recent album from Black Watch was “The Black Watch in Majestic Scotland” (2000) The concert will feature over 90 performers in a celebration of the music and culture of Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland using pageantry, dance, and song. TICKET INFORMATION Tickets are on sale now and available at the Constant Center Box Office. www.constantcenter.com or charge by phone at 888-411-4TED. Tickets are $43.50, $30.50, and $22.50. |
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| SST Member John Wallace Elevated to Baronet |
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This honor, with Noble title, was granted to John and his immediate family for his many acts and deeds in support of the Imperial Solomonic Crown, for his proven loyalty and faithfulness to the people of Ethiopia and to the Crown, for his exemplary and enduring service to the Knightly Order of Saint Mary of Zion, and for his chivalric bearing and leadership. Lord John is very active in humanitarian activities in Ethiopia in support of the education of orphaned children and with projects of aide to the people of his assigned region of Negele in that country. Slainte, Lord John! |
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| Tidewater Pipes & Drums Celebrates Two Milestones |
| By Jim Roberts, Pipe Major |
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Tidewater Pipes & Drums celebrated two milestones in August: its 30th anniversary and a merger with Trad Na Trad Pipes & Drums. The anniversary was marked with a dinner at G.F. Keagan’s in the Virginia Beach Town Center. Bigger news came a week later, when Rick Perkins, director of Trad Na Trad, attended a Tidewater practice and expressed his desire to merge bands. The idea was met with unanimous support, and the bands began practicing together almost immediately.
"We’ve attained a certain ‘center of gravity’ in our part of Virginia for piping and drumming, and this union of our bands reflects that," said Jeff Christman, Tidewater’s president. "I’m excited, not only about the concept, but also the way it is coming together in application. This opportunity reflects well on all of us in the Hampton Roads piping and drumming community." The bands will perform as a single unit under the name Tidewater Pipes & Drums, but they retain their separate names for purpose of competition. Tidewater placed first out of two Grade 4 bands at the Williamsburg Scottish Festival and third out of five bands at the Anne Arundel Scottish Festival. Trad placed second out of two Grade 5 bands at Williamsburg and eighth out of 10 bands at Anne Arundel. Tidewater was ranked 10th overall out of 53 Grade 4 bands going into the Richmond Highland Games and Celtic Festival. For more information about the band, contact Jim Roberts at 623-4262 or jim.roberts@cavtel.net. |
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You Can Party Hardy at the 2nd Annual Fitch-Brash Ceilidh |
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Don’t miss the social event of the season! Lynnette & Edward Brash are throwing their 2nd Annual December Ceilidh on Saturday, December 10th at Conklin’s Irish Rover Pub. Partying begins at 8:00 p.m. and will last until midnight or so. Tickets are $10 per person and will go on sale soon. Edward will have them available at the SST meeting in November. There will be live music from Celtic band Poisoned Dwarf, as well as fiddle, pipes, banjo, tin whistle, etc. There will also be Celtic door prizes, Scottish & Irish Ceilidh dancing, TIAS versus SST participation contests, a midnight snack of Irish & Scottish baked goods, Gaelic & Celtic singing, bagpipes, fiddles, Highland dancers, Irish princesses, Irish step dancing performances, etc! This will be fun for all, and all ages are welcome. For more information, contact Lynnette at lefitch@cox.net |
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Wedding bells soon to ring for two more SST members! |
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Tom is the president of the Newport News Police Pipe and Drum Corps. He is a recent recipient of the SST Baird Scholarship. Lynette is active in the Celtic community, and is the immediate Past Princess of the Tidewater Irish American Society. This grand announcement comes on the heals of the nuptials of SST members Lynnette Fitch and Edward Brash, and Marcey Burton and Skip Hunter. Is it something in the water? (or perhaps in the whisky?) Congratulations to Lynette & Tom! |
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| Clan MacGregor Honored |
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| SST Society Picnic Scenes |
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Tidewater Irish American Society Celebrates 25 Years |
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Members of the TIAS were grateful for our support. It was agreed that more pan-Celtic celebrations would be most welcomed. Perhaps another pub night? A joint Ceilidh? Lots of possibilities to explore! Congratulations, TIAS! |
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| Ceilidh Dance Classes |
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Weekly classes on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00PM at the Knights of Columbus Hall at St. Gregory's School in Virginia Beach. |
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| Matthew Bourne's Highland Fling |
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A romantic wee ballet - Internationally renowned director and currently London's hottest choreographer Matthew Bourne returns with an acclaimed reworking of the classic romantic ballet La Sylphide, entitled Highland Fling. A compelling romance, Highland Fling follows James, a young Glaswegian who is captured and ensnared by an unearthly siren. Intoxicated and infatuated by her wild and exotic ways, the beautiful Sylph taunts and teases, leading him into an enchanting and mysterious world beyond the mean streets and nightclubs of Glasgow. A gossamer, gothic fable of winged fairies and kilted laddies, this mystical and magical adaptation is packed with Bourne's trademark wit, sparkle and humour. Full of exquisite surprises and extraordinary images, this imaginative and spellbinding fairy tale is a unique delight. Reviews are good. "This is one of the funniest, funkiest, most irresistibly infectious ballets I have ever had the delight of sitting through" - Daily Mail. And: "Wicked and compulsively watchable" - Time Out. Catch a performance at the Churchill Theatre in Kent. (Ed. Note: Seriously, I’m not making this up…) |
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| Taste of Whisky |
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Cuideagh O' Corn O' Uisghe Beatha "Tasters of the Waters of Life" |
| by Marcey Hunter, Scribe |
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Bunnahabhain - An Islay Whisky
Not Your Typical Islay Whisky
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old - Tasting Notes
From the distillery, visitors will see a boat, apparently waiting to unload malt. In fact, this boat has been there since 1974 when it was cast on to the rocks. The distillery sits mainly to one side of the pier and climbs the hillside part of the way. Houses on harbor front and hillside take up the other side of the pier and sheep wander everywhere. Sounds like the perfect get-away for any single malt lover! Bunnahabhain 12-year old sells for about $44.95 in the VA ABC system. As with any single malt, it may be special ordered at your local seller of spirits. Slainte! |
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Thank heavens the hot summer is over!
By all accounts, the 2005 Williamsburg Scottish Festival was a hit! Thousands of Scots and near Scots enjoyed an absolutely wonderful day filled with all things Scottish.
Serving as color guard were members of the SAMS Chapter 76. Looking good, troops!
In addition to the Balmoral, there was a Friday night Ceilidh at the campground. The enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the band Poison Dwarf. There was even a "Calling of the Clans" and a merry bonfire. Rest assured hardy partying went on well in to the night. If that wasn’t enough, there was another Ceilidh on Saturday night. The crowd loved Rathkeltair. Hope we can get them back next year!
Historical re-enactors set up camp on the festival grounds, including the Revolutionary War re-enactors the 76th McDonald Highland Regiment of Foot, which includes SST members James Taylor and Skip Hunter. 
President of the WSF this year is SST and St. Andrew’s Society member Wil Phillips. President Wil was "very happy," and reported that attendance at the door exceeded expectations. At one point, there was even a shortage of wrist bands! Thanks, Wil, for your great leadership. Couldn’t have done it without you!
Thanks to Mike Lawler for hosting the Whisky Tasting tent. As you can imagine, it was a busy venue!
Dear Tidewater Scots:
A real high point in the ceremonies for me was the introduction of Jose Hernandez and the presentation to him making him an honorary Scot. What a great kid. I think he had a super time. When I turned and looked both his parents were smiling with tears in their eyes.
On Friday, August 12, 2005, the local Scottish community came together in honor of a wee braw laddie named Jose Hernandez, who has been ill with something called Rhabdomyosarcoma.
Because of Jose’s love of Scottish culture, the Make-a-Wish Foundation decided to send him and his sister (Ana Paula), their mom (Laura), and their dad (Javier), on a very special family trip to Scotland!
But why stop there? If Jose can dream big, so can others! Why not several dancers? Why not an entire pipe band? Why not Nessie herself? Lynnette solicited the help of local Scottish community and asked if they would be willing to help. 
At the front of the parade there was Nessie, the Scottish Society of Tidewater’s beautiful parade float. She was escorted by kilted ghillies on either side carrying claymores. Following Nessie was the Newport News Police Pipes and Drums Corps in full regalia skirling and drumming away. In their wake was an assortment of Scottish singers, Highland dancers, and other clanspeople in tartan, kilts and arasaids. It really did make for quite a colorful and impressive sight! Jose was then piped through a claymore arch to enjoy the Ceilidh.
Jose was also presented with a special certificate proclaiming him the Scottish Community of Tidewater Virginia’s OFFICIAL NESSIE AMBASSADOR! This certificate was signed by representatives from eight of our local Scottish organizations. 
Samhain (Gaelic: Samhuinn—pronounced ‘Sow-in’) literally means "summer's end." Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground. Whereas Beltane welcomes in the summer with joyous celebrations at dawn, the most magically potent time of this festival is November Eve, the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Halloween.
Skip and I recently made the trek to the Anne Arundel Scottish Festival in Maryland. To put it nicely - it was a total washout! While it WAS good Scottish weather, the heavy rains created quite a mud fest. Not surprisingly, the majority of vendors did not show, many of the entertainment venues were simply washed out, and only the hardiest of Scots stayed the whole day.
Last Spring, the Crown Prince of Ethiopia, His Imperial Highness Zere Yacobe Wossen, of the House of Haile Selassie, granted and bestowed upon John Robert Wallace the title and bearing of Baronet of the Solomonic Crown.
The merger creates one of the biggest pipe bands on the East Coast, with more than 50 pipers and drummers on the roster.
SST members Lynette Gilmour and Tom Crouch recently announced their engagement! They plan to marry in April ‘06.
Clan MacGregor was welcomed as the Honored Clan at the Gatlinburg, Tennessee Scottish Festival in May. That’s our own Sandy MacGregor, at left, Chieftain of the American Clan Gregor Society. Above, Clan MacGregor members pretend they don’t know the bloke at the far left, who we know and love as Scott MacGregor, SST webmaster.
Members of the SST relax poolside at the recent society picnic in September while members of the Newport News Police Pipe and Drum Corps played for the picnickers. It was a great party!
Members of the SST helped to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Tidewater Irish American Society in June at Conklin’s Irish Rover Pub. It was a grand Celtic affair! The food was delicious, and there were no lack of spirits to enjoy. 
Yup, that's Jeanne Rider (right) trying out her new knees during Ceilidh Dance lessons. Instructor Mary Fein is in the foreground. The students are learning both Irish and Scottish Ceilidh dances.
Bunnahabhain (pronounced "bunna-hah-ven") is Gaelic for "mouth of the river". The distillery was built by William and James Greenlees in 1883 at the confluence of the Margadale river with the Sound of Islay, chosen for the abundant supplies of peat and clear water and its accessibility to the sea. The buildings are of local stone and it was once a traditional distillery community with workers' cottages and a schoolhouse.
Distilling Process
The Distillery