Big Events in 2009\2010
Scottish Clans and Associations Council Inc. Annual Lunch
The annual Scottish Clans and Associations Council Inc. Lunch was held in November at the wonderful Karralyka Centre in sunny downtown Ringwood and as always was a great success.
A breathtaking display of piping was given by a young lad named Lincoln Hilton who has a big future in the world of Scottish music. He is currently on the fundraising trail trying to secure funds for his fourth consecutive visit to Scotland in august this year to compete at the highland games.
See his website here: www.bagpipesaustralia.com
We also had Melbourne based singing duo Mandy Keating and Helen McLachlan who are both talented musicians and songwriters. www.mandyandhelen.com
As a duet, Mandy and Helen have recently finished their first CD titled 'Our Town' which contains both traditional and contemporary music. They haveperformed at the Queenscliff, Maldon and Port Fairy Folk Festivals and
received rave reviews after performing at the National Festival in Canberra, National (Portarlington) Celtic and Kilmore Festivals.
See their website here : www.mandyandhelen.com
Get those legs a moving
Address to the Haggis
And here is Robert Burns 'Ode to a Haggis' (with some translations)
And the day wouldn't be complete without the presence of the McSnooze Clan
KIRKIN O’ THE TARTANS
Tartan Day
Our annual Kirkin O” The Tartans took place at Scots’ Church, Collins Street Melbourne on Sunday 5th April 2009 and as usual was a successful commemorative Tartan Day.
The reason that we Scots commemorate on the nearest Sunday to 1st July is because after the Jacobite Rising in 1745, an Act of Proscription on the 1st August 1746 made wearing or putting on clothes commonly called Highland Clothes, wearing tartan, including tartan kilt, illegal. This Act, brought into force by the English Parliament, was one of a series of measures to crush the Highland and Gaelic culture.
On the 1st July 1782 this act was repealed by an Act of Abolition and Scots could again wear tartan kilts. However, during the intervening years, many Scots were driven from their land and emigrated from Scotland.
In Australia and several other countries, the 1st July is symbolic, and known as Tartan Day, commemorated with various Scottish events, one of which is a church service where different clans present their tartan to the minister.
In keeping with our policy of encouraging young people to embrace Scottish culture, our procession of different clans in colourful Highland Wear, were piped into Scots’ Church by students, Zoe Wyatt & Gabby Sylivris, from the Presbyterian Ladies College, and down the aisle to the front of the church where each clan placed their clan tartan in front of the Font.
Zoe Wyatt & Gabby Sylivris from the Presbyterian Ladies College
During the service, Bill Graham of Clan Graham, read Scriptures from the Old and the New Testament and this was followed by Mrs. Joan Mitchell-Willis reading the same scriptures in Gaelic. In between the Readings, the Scottish Gaelic Choir beautifully sang a psalm in Scottish Gaelic and was conducted by Mrs. Barbara McLaughlin, wife of our President Doug McLaughlin. Megan McLaughlin, their daughter, accompanied the choir on the piano.
Minister on this day was Rev. Neil Urquhart B.D., Dip. Min. Rev. Neil was on Sabbatical leave from Fullarton Parish Church in Scotland. His choice of hymns was a delight; first with Hymn 336, Christ is our Light, sung to the tune of Highland Cathedral which was appropriate for Tartan Day. A surprise to many people is that Highland Cathedral was co-written by two Germans, Uli Roever and Michael Korb in Berlin.
Rev. Neil Urquhart B.D., Dip. Min.
The next hymn, We worship God in Harmony, was sung to the traditional Scottish tune to which Robert Burns set his words for Auld Lang Syne.
The beautiful Scots’ Church in the photograph below was built by David Mitchell, father of Dame Nellie Melba in 1874. Many fine musicians have sung in the Scots’ Church choir and the most famous of them was Dame Nellie who started and finished her singing career in this church choir and her funeral from Scots' Church still ranks as one of the biggest occasions in the history of the Church.
Dr. Robin Batterham AO who is assistant organist to Douglas Lawrence OAM, Director of Music at Scots’ Church, was organist for our Kirkin o’ the Tartans and if you enjoy organ music, then Scots’ Church in Melbourne is the place to go.
The estimated 300 plus congregation, included visitors not only from country Victoria and Interstate; but also overseas visitors from Canada, USA, Pretoria South Africa and Malaysia.