HOMECOMING SCOTLAND WHISKY MONTH.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND WHISKY MONTH.


HOMECOMING SCOTLAND WHISKY MONTH officially starts on May the 1st 2009. Although May is officially named during Homecoming Scotland year you can enjoy the different flavours of Whisky from the popular blends, malts and liqueurs at anytime. Many of the hotels and hostelry's in Scotland where you can taste the various tipples from your everyday popular blends to some very rare and unique speciality and commemorative brands.
The Homecoming Scotland Whisky month of May has across Scotland the following important Whisky events;

"Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival" May 1st - 10th
Website information;
spiritofspeyside.com

**********
"Spirit of The West" May 16th - 17
Website information;
spiritofthewest.co.uk

***********
"Whisky Galore - A Musical" May 15th - Oct 17
Website information;
pitlochry.org.uk

**********
"Enthusiasm For Scotch" May (every Friday)
Website information
scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND - SPOOKY SCOTLAND THEME.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND - SPOOKY SCOTLAND THEME.

AYRSHIRE AND ARRAN
DUNURE CASTLE
Dunure Castle Near Maybole In the 14th Century, the owner of the castle, Gilbert Kennedy, tortured Allan Stewart in an effort to get him to sign away his land, by roasting him over a huge fire, basting him with oil to prevent him burning. The crackling and roaring of a great fire has been heard in recent years, accompanied by faint, smoke-smothered screams and agonised sighs.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND MUSIC.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND MUSIC.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND MUSIC dropped through my letterbox a couple of days ago from a good friend. In the year of the Homecoming Scotland what could be finer than listening to quality Scottish songs and music?

The name of the CD is called "COMING HOME TO SCOTLAND", - what an ideal name in the year of Homecoming Scotland.
Never has such a collection of Scottish songs been written since the "SONG FOR SCOTLAND" contest in the 80's.
The talents of song writer George Mack have been brought alive with the melody writing skills of one of Scotland's top accordionists Jimmy Cassidy.
"COMING HOME TO SCOTLAND" and "TO SCOTLAND THEY'LL RETURN" are songs that will touch the exiles heart strings.
Not many songs have been written about the County of Angus but "THE ANGUS GLENS" is a cracker.
"GOOD OLD ABERDEEN" is a song which I am sure will add favourably to the many songs written about the "Granite City".
"MORAYS MAGNIFICENT MEN" tells of two of Morays most famous sons. "HIGHLAND HIGHWAY" gives a super mini tour of the highlands in song. "PERTHS FAIR CITY", "MY BEAUTIFUL SCOTLAND", "THE TROSSACHS" AND "EDINBURGH" all tell us about the history and beauty of our Country. Then you have a lovely tribute monologue to one of Scotland's greatest entertainers, the late and great ANDY STEWART.
A bonus song is "CANADA YOU'VE CALLED ME", marking George's recent visit to Canada.
A refreshing collection of 16 brand NEW songs, order this CD you will enjoy listening to it. Yours in Music and Song; Eddie Rose (Scotland's Son of Fun) www.eddierose.co.uk

Details; g.mackmusic@bluyonder.co.uk Website; www.lyrics4u.co.uk All material Copyright Macks Music PO Box 7598 Perth PH2 1FF

Burns National Heritage Park.

Burns National Heritage Park.

Murdoch’s Lone, Alloway, KA7 4PQ Tel: 01292 443700
www.burnsheritagepark.com

Two miles from Ayr is Alloway. It was here on 25th January 1759 that Robert Burns the famous poet was born. As a child, Robert Burns enjoyed tales of supernatural events and local witch stories. He was to draw on these tales in one of his famous poems ‘Tam o’ Shanter’. The poem describes how Tam disturbs a coven of witches dancing in the local Kirk on his way home late at night. With the witches on his heels, he flees over the 13th Century Brig O Doon. He is only just in time and the witches pull the tail from his horse as he crosses the bridge. The old Kirk and the Bridge are situated on the B7024 from Ayr.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND BELTANE FIRE FESTIVAL CALTON HILL EDINBURGH.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND BELTANE FIRE FESTIVAL CALTON HILL EDINBURGH. Celebrating the start of the summer of Homecoming Scotland 2009 at the Beltane Fire Festival; A unique and wild procession of fire, drumming and revelry on Calton Hill. Witness this spectacular revival of the ancient Celtic fertility festival in the heart of the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh. April 30th 2009. Calton Hill Edinburgh Website address; beltane.org
graphic and information courtesy of homecomingscotland.com

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND WHAT'S ON AND WHERE INFORMATION.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND WHAT'S ON AND WHERE INFORMATION. April 25th 2009. Kings College Old Aberdeen 01224 646323 Scottish Family History Fair and SAFHS Conference. Anyone with an interest in their Scottish ancestry can enjoy a rewarding day meeting fellow enthusiasts. Website address; scothist.org

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND BLOG CONITUES WITH SCOTLANDS GHOST STORIES THEME.

HOMECOMING SCOTLAND BLOG CONITUES WITH SCOTLANDS GHOST STORIES THEME.
CASTLE DOUGLAS, GRETNA GREEN AND SPEDLINS TOWER.

Castle Douglas On the Kelton road there is a little bridge over a stream. A murdered baby was buried in the stream here. Its pitiful crying has often been heard.
Gretna Green
There have been several reports of ghostly couples strolling across the roads at night. Several motorists have been horrified, as they have almost crashed into the pair who would disappear at the last moment. A ghostly car has also been reported several times. Again the vehicle is said to drive straight towards an oncoming car causing several accidents, only to disappear at the last moment.
Spedlins Tower
Situated by the river Annan near Jardine A gruesome tale surrounds the haunting of this 16th Century tower. In the 1650s, Alexander Jardine imprisoned a miller for making bad bread, he then took a trip to Edinburgh and consequently forgot the prisoner. He returned to the tower many months later to a sickening sight. The prisoner, who had obviously starved to death, had literally torn his hands from manacles which bound him to the wall, in a desperate attempt to reach the door of the prison. Several people claim to have felt the ‘presence of an unseen entity’ while visiting the tower and some people claim to have seen a tall white haired man in the region of the original dungeon. He looks distraught and in pain, and it is said that this figure has no hands.

WORLD HERITAGE PLEA FOR ARBROATH ABBEY.

WORLD HERITAGE PLEA FOR ARBROATH ABBEY.

FOUNDATION OF DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE RECOGNISED

FEARS UK REFORMS WILL BLOCK WORLD ENTRY
Calls for Arbroath Abbey to be given World Heritage Status are set to be stepped up amid concerns that reform of UK Government procedures could block the bid.
SNP MP Mike Weir will later this week make the plea at the SNP’s spring conference which coincides with UNESCO World Heritage Day (18th April) as it recognises Scotland’s central place in World Heritage.

Sites already recognised in Scotland include St Kilda, the City of Edinburgh, the Antonine Wall, Neolithic Orkney and New Lanark.

Mr Weir believes Arbroath Abbey should receive World Heritage Status for its role in the Declaration of Arbroath – internationally recognised as one of the foundation stones of modern democracies and constitutional politics.

However, a controversial consultation process by the UK Government could result in no further UK sites being put forward for World Heritage status.
Mr Weir, the MP for Angus, said:
“Scotland’s role in world history is acknowledged in the recognition of sites covering the Neolithic, Roman, Enlightenment and Industrial eras. Arbroath Abbey would be a valuable addition to that list.

”There has been an all-party community campaign pushing for the granting of this status and obviously we all have grave concerns about the implications of the UK Government’s review.
“The Declaration of Arbroath has a special place in the heart of Scottish nationalists but it is also internationally recognised as one of the foundations of the American Declaration of Independence.

“Only this week the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath has seen America celebrating Tartan Day as part of a now week long celebration of Scottish heritage and culture.

“The influence of the events that took place at Arbroath on 6th April 1320 and the words of that declaration is a global one. Democracies around the world can find their founding principles in the Declaration of Arbroath.

“In this year of Homecoming it is only right that Arbroath Abbey has the opportunity to win full international recognition as a World Heritage site.

“It is unacceptable that changes to UK Government procedures could mean Arbroath is denied the opportunity to apply for this status.

“This review could mean that no more UK based sites are put forward for World Heritage status or that significantly fewer UK applications are made. For Arbroath to miss out would leave what is a major site in world history without the international protection and recognition it so richly deserves and would only highlight the need for Scotland to be an independent member of UNESCO.”