PRINCE CHARLES ROYAL PATRON.

Royal patron for clan gathering Prince Charles is to be patron of the biggest clan gathering in Edinburgh for almost 190 years.

More than 8,000 clansmen and clanswomen from around the globe will come together in Edinburgh for The Gathering in the Holyrood Park in July 2009.

It will be the first time since Sir Walter Scott's Royal Pageant in 1822 that so many clans have assembled in the city.

The event will be held as part of the Homecoming Scotland celebrations.

The programme will feature the 2009 World Highland Games Heavy Events Championship and an International Gathering of Scottish Clans and Families.

A parade of the clans up the Royal Mile will culminate in a spectacular pageant on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.

There will also be a strong focus on traditional Highland Games, with solo piping and Highland dancing competitions, and there will be opportunities for people to research clan histories and genealogy.

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HUNTLY AND DISTRICT PIPE BAND 60th ANNIVERSARY.

HUNTLY AND DISTRICT PIPE BAND 60th ANNIVERSARY.

HUNTLY AND DISTRICT PIPE BAND 60th ANNIVERSARY reminds those in Aberdeenshire and beyond the great debt we all owe to the Gordon Highlanders who have helped to preserve our way of life for many years. The brave and courageous Gordon Highlanders who lost 2,500 comrade's in Burma. The proud company who have won many VC's throughout the world.
Huntly and District Pipe Band formed in 1948 on the return home after the Second World War of the Gordon Highlanders.
The existing Pipe Band has two uniforms, namely a number one ceremonial dress used for special occasions such as Armistice Parades and at the Lonach Gathering ( view graphic ) and the regularly worn number two outfit.
The Huntly and District Pipe Band has a very strong and supportive following who play a big part in Local Huntly and District social events, and when you hear their stirring music it fills the breast with Scottish pride.
Thank you to Huntly WatsOn for this information.
For those visiting or returning home to Scotland for the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations will already know the warm welcome awaits you in the Huntly and District area of Aberdeenshire.
Is it news to you ? then you read it here first!

TO A MOUNTAIN DAISY.

TO A MOUNTAIN DAISY.

Wee, modest, crimson-tipped flow'r,
Thou's met me in an evil hour ;
For I maun crush amang the stour
Thy slender stem ;
To spare thee now is past my pow'r,
Thou bonnie gem.

Alas ! it's no thy neebor sweet,
The bonnie Lark, companion meet !
Bending thee 'mang the dewy weet !
Wi' spreckl'd breast,
When upward-springing, blithe, to greet
The purpling east.

Cauld blew the bitter-biting north
Upon thy early, humble birth ;
Yet cheerfully thou glinted forth
Amid the storm,
Scarce rear'd above the parent earth
Thy tender form.

The flaunting flow'rs our gardens yield,
High shelt'ring woods and wa's maun shield ;
But thou beneath the random bield
O' clod or stane,
Adorns the histie stibble-field,
Unseen alane.

There, in thy scanty mantle clad,
Thy snawie bosom sun-ward spread,
Thou lifts thy unassuming head
In humble guise ;
But now the share uptears thy bed,
And low thou lies !

Such is the fate of artless Maid,
Sweet flow'ret of the rural shade !
By love's simplicity betray'd,
And guileless trust,
Till she, like thee, all soil'd, is laid
Low i' the dust.

Such is the fate of simple Bard,
On life's rough ocean luckless starr'd !
Unskilful he to note the card
Of prudent lore,
Till billows rage, and gales blow hard,
And whelm him o'er !

Such fate to suffering worth is giv'n,
Who long with wants and woes has striv'n,
By human pride or cunning driv'n
To mis'ry's brink,
Till wrench'd of ev'ry stay but heaven,
He ruin'd, sink !

Ev'n thou who mourn'st the Daisy's fate,
That fate is thine - no distant date ;
Stern Ruin's plough-share drives,elate
Full on thy bloom,
Till crush'd beneath the furrow's weight,
Shall be thy doom !

This was the famous poem written by Robert Burns when
turning one down with the plough in April 1786.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND EASY TRANSLATIONS.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND EASY TRANSLATIONS.

We start with;;

A's;

A'...all

ABOON or ABUNE...above

AE...one

AFF...off

AFT...often

AGLEY or ASLANT...off the level or straight

AIBLINS...maybe or could be or perhaps

AIN...own

AIRN...iron

AIRT...to direct or direction

AITH...oath

AITS...oats

AIVER...old nag or hold horse

AIZLE...hot cinders or red ember

ALAKE...alas

ALANE...all alone

ALANG...along

AMAIST...nearly or almost

AMANG...amongst

AN...if

AN'...and

ANCE...once or one time

ANE...one

ANEUGH...enough

ANITHER...another

ASE...ashes

ASTEER...astir

AULD...old

AULDFARRAN...prudent

AVA...of all or at all

AWA...away

AWNIE...bearded

AY...always or yes

AYONT...beyond

Many of these and more can be found in the poems of Robert Burns!
The graphic is from my private collection.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS PART 4.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS PART 4.


James the fourth died in Flodden Field date 1513.

founded in 1593 by George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal of Scotland Marischal College in Aberdeen is the second largest granite building in the world, the largest being the El Escorial in Spain.

Scotsman Sir John Macdonald was the first Prime Minister of Canada.

The bright speckles in the Aberdeen granite buildings everywhere is the mineral Mica.

18 letters make up the Gaelic alphabet.

Campbeltown was once known as Kinlochkilkerran.

The 92nd is better known outside the regiment as the Gordon Highlanders.

Loch Linnhe is the loch beneath Ben Nevis.

Alloway is the birthplace of Robert Burns where you will also find the Land O'Burns Centre.

Prince Charles is also the Earl Of Carrick.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS PART3.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS PART3.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS PART3 is all about well known and not so well known facts which some you may know and some you may not, but please enjoy the simple facts.

Alloway close to Ayr is the birthplace of Robert Burns.

1694 is the year the Bank Of England was founded by Scotsman William Paterson.

Mons Meg is a gun housed at Edinburgh Castle.

The Stone Of Destiny is made of red sandstone.

The rare Burnawn pebble comes from the River Burnawn and is highly polished for it's colours and beauty.

Britains highest main road is Cairnwall Pass on the A93.

Famous for it's Salmon fishing beauty spots the River Spey is 110 miles long.

West Mainland in Orkney is the prehistoric Skara Brae settlement.

An iron suspension bridge was especially built for the salmon fishermen over the River Dee in 1924.

Fotheringay Castle is the castle where they executed Mary Queen Of Scots.

The graphic is from the private collection in Scotland my Scotland.
Is it news to you ? then you read it here first!

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS PART2.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS PART2.

Homecoming Scotland information ten of the best.

Robert Burns worked as an excise man in 1791 at Dumfries.

Skye is the home of the Talisker Distillery.

Margaret Tudor was married to the Scottish King James the fourth.

Kismul Castle can be found on the island of Barra.

James the fourth was fifteen when he came to the throne.

Skye Gaelic Mod is held in June.

The battle of Luncarty took place in the year 977.

You will find Loch Veyatie in Sutherland.

Dryburgh Abbey is the mortal resting place of Sir Walter Scott.

Death was the penalty in the 18th century for wearing the kilt.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009 GOLF LINKS COURSES.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009 GOLF LINKS COURSES.

Golf visitors from all over the world flock to Scotland every year for the outstanding golf courses of which we have an abundance. Scotland loves golf so much we have for example ten within the bounderies of Aberdeen city limits.
Auchmill, Balnagask, Craibstone Golf Centre, Deeside, Hazelhead Public, Kings Links, Murcar, Royal Aberdeen, Westhill, Peterculter...to name but some!
We travel about one hour North from Aberdeen to the stunning and beautifully maintained Cullen Links course which uses different levels with challenging holes at unbelievable heights. The graphic above from my private collection shows a path to the right to the third hole which the player has to traverse from way below from the second. Golfers new and seasoned love Cullen Golf course with the unusual play and spectacular scenery this has got to be one of the most unforgetful game play courses in Scotland.
Our advice to those traveling to Scotland for the Homecoming Scotland 2009 is pencil this in for future play, the memory will stay with you for ever.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND INFORMATION FACTS.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009 promises to be that special year in Scotland so we are starting snippets on the Scotland Homecoming information facts about Scotland. Some you will know but other will surprise.

Bonnie Dundee may refer to the city of Dundee but the name was used to describe; John Graham of Claverhouse who was Viscount Dundee.

Aberdeenshire is where you will find Castle of Fedderate.

The poet William McGonagall was born in Edinburgh in 1830.

David Livingston discovered Victoria Falls.

James Young developed the process of refining oil.

At Prestwick in 1860 Tom Morris won the first Open Golf Championships.

The world famous Gordon Highlanders date from 1794.

Dumbarton was the birthplace of Sir Jackie Stewart.

National Gallery of Scotland first opened its doors in 1859.

Latherton in Caithness is the headquarters of the Clan Gunn Society.

Is it news to you ? then you read it here first!

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009 CLAN GATHERING, EDINBURGH.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009 CLAN GATHERING, EDINBURGH.

The list below shows all Scottish Clans that will be represented at the Edinburgh Gathering during the Homecoming Scotland 2009 Festival Event on July 25-26th 2009.

Clan;
Agnew, Armstrong, Arthur, Baillie, Baird, Barclay, Bell, Blair, Borthwick, Boyd, Brodie, Broun, Bruce, Buchanan, Burnett,Cameron, Campbell, Carmichael, Chattan, Cochrane, Colquhoun, Crawford, Crichton, Cumming, Cunningham, Currie, Davidson, Dewar, Doig, Donald, Donnachaidh, Douglas,Dunbar, Duncan, Durie, Eliott,
Erskine, Farquharson, Fergusson, Forbes, Fraser,Gordon, Graham, Grant, Grewar, Gunn, Hall, Hannay, Hay, Henderson, Herd, Home Hunter, Irvine, Jardine, Keith, Kennedy, Kerr, Kincaid, Lamont, Leslie, Lindsay, Livingstone, Lockhart, Lumsden, Macalister, MacAlpine, Macaulay,Macbain, Macdonald,Macdougall, Macdowall, Macduff, MacEwen, Macfarlane, Macfie, Macgregor, MacInnes,Macintyre, MacIver,Mackay, Mackenzie, Mackinnon, Mackintosh, Maclaine,Maclaren, MacLea, Maclean, Maclennan, Macleod, Macmillan, Macnab, Macnaghten, MacNeil, Macpherson, Macrae, MacTavish, Macthomas, Maitland, Malcolm, Marjoribanks, Matheson, Maxwell, McCallum, McKerrell, McVicar, Moffat, Moncreiffe, Montgomery, Morrison, Napier, Nesbitt,Oliphant, Paisley, Pitcairn, Ramsay, Ranald of Lochbhair, Rollo, Rose, Ross, Scott, Sempill,Sinclair, Skene,St Andrew's Society of Singapore, Stewart, Stewartby, Strachan, Strange, Stuart of Bute, Sutherland,Trotter, Turnbull, Ulster Scots, Urquhart, Wardlaw, Wilson of Kilwinnet, Wood.

If your Clan has confirmed their presence at this event but is not listed above, please reply on this Blogger and once we have confirmed they are indeed joining the celebrations we will add your clan name to this growing list?

Is it news to you? Then you read it here first!

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009 EUROPEAN VACATIONS HOTSPOTS.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009 EUROPEAN VACATIONS HOTSPOTS.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND 2009 EUROPEAN VACATIONS HOTSPOTS is CULLEN and it is just one of our Homecoming Scotland blogs suggested places to pencil into your vacation and holiday diary.
Cullen is on the North East Coast of Scotland with stunning views with picture postcard scenery.
Click on the above graphic for a closer view of SEATOWN which as the name suggests was originally fishermens houses with all painted by bright and different colours so that they stood out from each other and the returning fishermen could spot their wives on their return from fishing spells away from home.
At the top of the picture you will see the stretch of land which takes in the named "Three Kings" and also "Scaur Nose".
The bay in the graphic comes off the Moray Firth and is called Cullen Bay which is famous for the protected Bottlenose Dolphins.
The Viaduct was built 1886 by the then named GNSR and this Scottish Railways company ran their railway for many years over the Viaduct which must have been very noisy to those living underneath it and around it. The railway is no longer but the Viaduct is a well known local walkway where many tourists and visitors can record some breathtaking photographs.
Cullen is just one of many such beautiful picturesque villages and small towns along the North East of Scotland and ideal for visitors coming for the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations.
Is it news to you ? then you read it here first!

ROSSLYN CHAPEL MYSTERIES.

ROSSLYN CHAPEL MYSTERIES.

ROSSLYN CHAPEL MYSTERIES and myths have fed the imagination of writers and film directors worldwide for some years now.
Rosslyn again made headlines in a recent book (DA VINCI CODE) and film and the mystery of this beautiful and ancient building takes centre stage once again.
Homecoming Scotland 2009 is an excellent excuse to visit Rosslyn Chapel to view the ancient architecture and the amazing carvings. The work involved in building the Chapel becomes apparent on first viewing Rosslyn on approach.
Rosslyn Chapel is situated in Roslin Village which is 3 miles from Penicuik(Peebles) and has many strong ties to Masonic Orders.
The 2008 time schedule;
The Chapel is open:

1st April - 3oth Sept Mon -Sat 9.30am - 6pm

Sunday 12noon -4.45pm

1st Oct - 31st March Mon - Sat 9.30am - 5pm

Sunday 12noon -4.45pm

Adults £7.50 Concessions £6

*Children are FREE up to 16yrs
INFO FOR COACH PARTIES

*Children (who are up to but not over 16) are free accompanied

by an adult, but when there are groups of children there will

be a £4 per head charge
The official Rosslyn Chapel website!

ROBERT BURNS MEMORABLE VISIT TO ROSSLYN CHAPEL.

ROBERT BURNS MEMORABLE VISIT TO ROSSLYN CHAPEL.

On Robert Burns first vist to Rosslyn Chapel he ate at the local Inn.
Robbie scribed a poem to the Inn Keeper Annie Wilson on a pewter plate which read;

Robert Burns
My Blessings on you sonsie wife!
I ne'er was here before;
You've gi'en us walth for horn and Knife,
Nae heart could wish for more.

Heaven keep you free from care and strife,
Til far ayont fourscore;
And while I toddle on through life,
I'll ne'er gang by your door.
***
As you may read he was very appreciative of the food and refreshments;
but if you are still unsure; here is how this Scotsman reads it;
*****
My blessings on you sonsie (pretty) wife!
I ne'er (never) was here before;
You've gi'en (given) us walth ( abundance of good food) for horn (plate) and Knife,
Nae (no) heart could wish for more.

Heaven God bless) keep you free from care (no worries) and strife, (trouble)
Til far ayont fourscore (till your age is far beyond 80);
And while I toddle ( walk on) on through life,
I'll ne'er (never) gang (go) by (past) your door.
(this last line means he will always visit if in the vicinity)

Don't forget to put Mauchline in you diary when you visit on Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations year and follow the Burns trail.
Is it news to you ? then you read it here first!