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Neigh Joke: Horse Trains For Highland Games

Aberdeenshire, Featured, News 1 Response »

Aug 132015

Socks, the new Lonach horse

With thanks to Ian McLaren, PR account manager, Innes Associates

A horse is in its final stages of training ahead of its debut performance later this month at one of Scotland’s leading highland games.

Across the country, musicians, dancers and athletes have been fine tuning their performances and training in order to be at the peak of their discipline for the highland games season.

However, in rural Aberdeenshire a horse has been undergoing a rigorous training regime to participate at the annual Lonach Highland Gathering and Games on Saturday, 22 August.

Socks, a six-year-old gelding, hasn’t been practicing his sword dance or fine-tuning his sprinting ability for the light athletics, but getting used to the skirl of the pipes and the beat of drums.

The young Irish Heavy Cob is making his first appearance at the popular traditional event where he will parade throughout the day with the Lonach Highlanders, and numerous pipe bands.

Having never encountered the sound and motions of the pipes and drums before, Socks has been attending the Lonach Pipe Band practice sessions over the last three months in order to become comfortable with the distinctive sounds ahead of his debut at the gathering.

A horse and cart has traditionally followed the Lonach Highlanders on their marches in order to convey their weapons when they became too heavy for the men to carry on long marches, particularly over uneven hill roads. Socks will follow in the hoof prints of a long line of horses to provide this supporting role to the Lonach Highlanders.

Socks is owned by Kildrummy resident and Lonach Highlander Derek Gray, who has looked after the Lonach horse on marches since 2013. Mr Gray bought Socks as a yearling and hopes he will become a long-standing part of the Lonach marches.

In addition to featuring in the Lonach marches, Mr Gray has set up Odd Socks Enterprises to offer horse-drawn carriage services, which will see Socks available to hire along with a restored four-wheeled wagon.

Organised by the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games is held annually on the fourth Saturday in August. Staged in the small, picturesque Aberdeenshire village of Bellabeg, this year marks the 174th time the gathering has been held. One of north-east Scotland’s best known and most popular traditional summer events, it attracts up to 10,000 visitors, including many from overseas.

Socks with his owner Derek Gray

A major feature of the gathering are the Lonach Highlanders.

First established in 1823, they are believed to be the largest body of non-military men to carry ceremonial weapons in Britain.

Dressed in full highland dress and armed with traditional Loachaber axes and pikes, which are over eight-feet in length and weigh up to 3 kg (7 lbs), the Highlanders form an impressive sight on their three marches on games day.

Membership of the Lonach Highlanders is drawn from residents of the local area who descend from the Forbes, Wallace and Gordon clans, and currently numbers 220 men.

Jennifer Stewart, secretary of the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, said:

“A horse has long been a feature of the Lonach Highlanders marches and usually gets as a warm a reception on the games field as the Highlanders themselves. Our last long-term horse, Mac, filled the role for over five years but retired along with Willie Gray, who looked after the horse at Lonach previously. Last year Derek felt Socks was too young, so we had a temporary pony, Mhairi, who did a great job.

“The debut of a new horse is always special and we hope Socks will have a long association with the Lonach Gathering. A horse is an important part of the unique experience that is the Lonach Gathering. The sight of 220 Lonach Highlanders and the massed pipe bands leading the Lonach horse and cart onto the games field in such a stunning setting is a sight to behold.”

Socks’ owner Derek Gray said:

“Until a few weeks ago Socks had never encountered the sound of the bagpipes or the beat of a drum, so we’ve spent the last few months getting him used to them. Horses have very sensitive hearing so it is important to expose Socks to these unique sounds so that he is comfortable with them. He has a great temperament and has taken the training in his stride.

“I’ve been looking after the horse on the Lonach march for the last two years, taking over the role from my father who had done it for over 40 years before that. Having reared Socks since he was a yearling, I will be extremely proud to march alongside him on games day. There’ll be a few carrots close at hand to keep him sweet and ensure he behaves himself and doesn’t end up in the beer tent with all the other Highlanders.”

This year’s gathering, on Saturday, 22 August, will once again feature a full programme of traditional highland events. This will include individual and massed piping, highland dancing and light and heavy athletics, with some of the country’s leading pipers, dancers and athletes competing. The 300th anniversaries of the 1715 Jacobite uprising and opening of the Poldullie Bridge, a local landmark, will also be marked at the event.

Established in 1823, by Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society is a charitable organisation based in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire. The society organises the annual Lonach Gathering at Bellabeg Park, Strathdon, which is held on the fourth Saturday of August – this year’s event takes place on Saturday, 22 August. The main attraction at the gathering is the march of the Lonach Highlanders, a unique body of non-military men.

Further information on the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society, the Lonach Highlanders and the annual Lonach Highland Gathering can be found at www.lonach.org.

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Northern Lights To Appear At Edinburgh Fringe

Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Jul 242015

Through August, at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, ‘Myrtle Throgmorton, Ancient Heckler’ is being staged by a cast and crew all from rural Aberdeenshire. With thanks to Kieran Booth.

More sit-down than stand –up, enthusiast for all things Scottish and certified old trout, Myrtle Throgmorton is taking to the stage to ruminate on many splendid things: long life, comedy, gussets, Burns, decrepitude, pimping your Zimmer and so much more.

Created by former BBC Comedy producer Jennie Campbell / Chalmers, Myrtle insists she has been gently heckling at the Edinburgh Fringe since “before it began”.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, so long as it is hers. Jennie has developed the character over many years and admits that the game old bird is now, worryingly, more ‘ego’ than ‘alter’.

Post- election, Myrtle has unwittingly become slightly more satirical, taking Jennie back to her comedy beginnings.

Myrtle’s accumulated years are off-set by the youthful vigour of contemporary dancer, Gordon Raeburn (“not proper dancing” MT ) and pianist, Sam Williams (“pianissimo, dear!” MT). The production could be unique on the 2015 Fringe as the cast and crew all come from rural Aberdeenshire; Gordon from Huntly and Jennie, Sam and technician Kieran from Barthol Chapel. Only the director, David Jackson Young, breaks the mould with his Borders roots.

The show is a mix of Myrtle’s musings and her comedy ABC ( Audience, Banter, Crudités ), Dance – a thankfully brief Pas de Zimmer salvaged by Gordon’s skills, live and original music from Sam and every show ends with a ‘surprise’ guest joining Myrtle for cheery chat over the tea trolley. The audience is completely unaware who the guest will be – indeed Myrtle herself may not be entirely up to speed until just before the off.

It could be a TV celebrity, an acclaimed author, a well-kent radio voice, a rising star ( that ‘I saw them first…’ moment ), an unknown character with a story to tell, someone with a great show and no audience or the joker from the café on the corner… A truly potluck surprise, in the spirit of the Fringe. And every one a guaranteed delight!

After a brief career as a London lawyer, and a briefer one cleaning houses, Jennie Campbell joined BBC Radio Comedy as a producer of such programmes as Week Ending, the News Quiz and the Edinburgh Festival compilations, scouting the Fringe in the 80s for hungry new young talent – Rory Bremner, Paul Merton, Arnold Brown, Helen Lederer, the Bodgers, Merry MacFun Co and many, many others.

On moving to Scotland, she switched from satirical news to the real thing and has been variously a radio presenter on Newsweek Scotland, news and current affairs producer, director of theatre, opera and musicals, drama teacher, arts organizer, serial committee member and session clerk. With Myrtle Throgmorton, Jennie makes a long overdue return to her ( now blue-rinsed ) comedy roots.

Venue: Greenside@Infirmary St. ( Venue 236 )
Dates; 7th – 29th August ( except 16th and 23rd )
Time: 17.15 ( Duration 55 mins )
Tickets: £10/£9/£5 ( SUCD )

Available from:
Box Office: ( open from 7th August ) 0131 618 6968
or Edinburgh Fringe website at: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/myrtle-throgmorton-ancient-heckler

Myrtle is also making an appearance during the Haddo Arts Festival, a six-day festival of arts for all at Haddo, including classical concerts, Scottish Opera, exhibitions, schools workshops and Myrtle Throgmorton, Game Bird.

Wednesday October 7th, 7.30 pm at Haddo House Hall. Full details and tickets are available here: http://www.haddoartsfestival.org.uk

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/myrtlethrog
twitter @myrtlethrog
Website: www.myrtleproductions.com

VisitAberdeen Wins Awards In Scotland And … China

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

May 012015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

The organisation which markets Aberdeen as a leisure and business destination – VisitAberdeen – has scooped two major awards for its performance.

VisitAberdeen won a marketing award from the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) for its Chinese language website, social media presence and attendance at trade fairs both in person and via its partner CBN.

The destination marketing organisation also won the accolade of “The Most Effective Stand For Doing Business” at VisitScotland’s recent Expo.

VisitAberdeen’s Tourism Executive Jenni Fraser was on hand in Bejing to pick up the Chinese Tourist Welcome Award in marketing at the COTRI awards, which coincided with the China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market (COTTM) Fair.

COTRI is the world’s leading independent research institute for information, training, quality assessment, research, and consultancy relating to the Chinese outbound tourism market.

VisitAberdeen’s chief executive Steve Harris (pictured) says,

“We launched a Chinese version of our website earlier this year in a bid to attract a share of the $128 billion China spends every year on overseas leisure and business tourism. We wanted to be ahead of the curve on targeting this highly lucrative market. The Chinese are the biggest overseas spenders in the world, spending on average 50% more than Americans when they are on vacation.

“With a total population of 1.357 billion, only 10m of China’s residents can speak English. With forecasts suggesting 500 million Chinese people will travel overseas in the next 15 years, we believe that it is critical to promote the city as a leisure and business destination to the Chinese in their native language. Receiving this award when we’ve only been working on this project for such a relatively short space of time is especially pleasing.”

The award for “The Most Effective Stand For Doing Business” was presented to VisitAberdeen at the recent VisitScotland Expo held in Aberdeen.

Expo provides a platform for companies and organisations with a Scottish tourism product to showcase products and services to potential global buyers from all sectors.

The Visit Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Pavilion which was created in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council hosted over 525 prearranged business meetings with buyers from across the UK and abroad. The stand was made up of several local partners including Ardoe House Hotel, Banffshire Coast Tourism Partnership, Visit Royal Deeside, Thistle Hotels and Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire.

Steve Harris continues,

“Expo gave us a collective opportunity to create personal relationships with genuine buyers and decision makers, many of whom had a low level of knowledge of our area prior to Expo. Personal interaction and the chance to convey the passion of our partners for the beautiful area we live in leads to long lasting business connections, leading to positive business outcomes for all.

“The on stand meetings were just the start, we now need to follow up on these leads to bring more groups of travellers to Visit Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Picking up this award shows we’re leading the way in maximising the business opportunities these types of trade shows bring for the area.”

VisitAberdeen is a partnership between Aberdeen City Council and the industry including Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association and Aberdeen Inspired. For further information contact VisitAberdeen on 01224 900490 or visit www.visitaberdeen.com.

Bob Smith The Poetry Mannie – A Lost Voice

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Featured 3 Responses »

Apr 012015

By Duncan Harley and Fred Wilkinson on behalf of the Aberdeen Voice team.

Aberdeen Voice’s ‘poetry mannie in residence’ Bob Smith, who passed away on March 5.

Bob Smith has passed away at age 74. He signed himself “Bob Smith © – The Poetry Mannie” and told us all that Doric wirds are mair expressive, than onything else ye micht hear.

In true Bob style he kept his last illness very quiet saying only that he was unable to write at the present.

His daughter Kerry later got in touch regarding his passing. He died at home.

To the best of our knowledge, his last published piece, The Wireless appeared in the February 2015 edition Leopard Magazine. A fitting tribute to the man’s talent, the poem reflects on past times when he was a loon.

Jimmy Shand, Sports Report and that Prince Charles favourite the Goon Show all get a mention.

This extract tells of Dick Barton Special Agent plus ace detective Paul Temple, famous sleuth and amateur private detective:

“The Wireless ah the memories
O listenin fin I wis a loon
On dark winters nichts roon the fire
Oor Ecko radio it sure wis a boon

There wis Dick Barton Special Agent
Fa took on aa the baddies
It fair sharpened the imagination
O fowk like us as laddies

Paul Temple an ace dectective
As weel as yon PC49
Solvin aa the nations crimes
Their adventures I likit fine ……… “

Robert Smith was born and brought up on a farm in Skene, Aberdeenshire and educated at Garlogie Primary School and at Skene School. He only took up writing poetry after he retired.

Married to Linda, Bob’s daughter Kerry lives in Dubai. His son Steven sadly pre-deceased him in early 2014.

Bob worked for many years at Aberdeen Journals before taking early retirement to pursue his other interests which included the buying and selling of antiques, playing golf and passionately following the Dons. He proclaimed himself as their number one fan.

A deep love of the North East of Scotland, it’s landscape, it’s people, it’s traditions and it’s natural heritage are recurrent themes in Bob’s written work. Such passion would be expressed not only by celebrating such treasures, but also by questioning, satirising and pouring scorn on any figure or process which threatened or detracted from that which he held dear.

Bob reserved his hard hitting political comments for those whom he felt deserved them. Donald Trump, Sir Ian Wood and a good few Aberdeen councillors often got a good bashing both in the form of his letters to the local papers and his poetry, which was usually in the Doric.

Bob was widely published. A search for “Bob Smith” in the Aberdeen Voice search box will return around 100 of Bob’s Doric poems. There are of course many more.

When the man was asked if he knew of a poem in the Doric to use at a friend’s mums funeral, he replied in the negative but said he would immediately pen one. It was duly read out by a grieving grandson last November in an Aberdeen church to an audience of relatives. Bob of course was unrepentantly shy regarding his contribution to the ceremony, only saying that he was glad to help.

It would be comforting to think that this unpublished piece might become a classic. The Catto family have a cherished copy and if asked would no doubt share freely.

Alongside his weekly Aberdeen Voice column his Doric poems featured in Leopard Magazine and his take on the Turra Coo featured in the Scottish Review.

The Bonnie Dunes o Menie, stuff about Fitba and the Spikkin o Doric all came under his wry scrutiny.

Smithy’s Scribblins aboot the naitural warld included lines such as:

“Foo lang afore ess prophecy becomes a reality? And Weel the wye we’re gobblin up the Earth’s resources, maybe seener than ye bliddy think.

“The fowk fa war native tae America lang afore the supposed civilised warld visited their shores kent fine foo tae live alangside naitur.”

His take on Trump was less forgiving. But apart from a ribald comment or ten, Bob was content just to criticise the man thus:

The Donald’s bocht a golf resort
Doon on the Ayrshire coast
A’ll get ti host The Open
Wull noo be his prood boast

Thirty Five million he did spen
He got Turnberry fer a snip
Es o coorse micht mean
Interest in Menie taks a dip

Jist cast yer myn back
Fin winfairms he did detest
The mannie made a vow
In Scotland he’d nae mair invest

Fit ti mak o ess U-turn
As he cums crawlin back
Bein economical wi the truth
The chiel still his the knack

Hud on a wee meenitie tho’
It micht nae be plain sailin
The spectre o affshore winfairms
Cwid yet hae Trumpie wailin

Marine Scotland it his reported
Aboot a site jist oot at sea
Far ye cwid plunk win turbines
They’d be richt in Donald’s ee

Fergus Ewing says ess plans
Fer noo are aff the radar
Yet fair refused ti rule oot
Returnin ti them later

If a winfairm cam ti pass
Wid The Donald then renege?
Or wid he maybe in a rage
Blaw up yon Ailsa Craig

At Doonbeg he’d ti stop some wark
Did he nae hae richt permission?
He can tho’ noo gyaang ahead
Maybe efter a new submission?

Micht Donald hae fresh concerns
A snail in Ireland is protectit
Bi speecial environmental laws
An ess canna be correctit

Trump says he’s gyaan ti wark
Wi environmentalists an sic fowk
If he’d deen aat ower in Menie
He micht nae bin classed a gowk

Noo ere’s nae doot the mannie
Oot the news he winna bide
Wull we next aa be hearin
The bugger’s bocht the River Clyde …

He wrote about many folk and commented wildly according to his well held views. Bob knew how to make those wee moments special.

In not so far off December 2013 he referenced some prophetic words by a Native American tribal leader by the name of Chief Seattle.

“A’ll leave the last wird tae a Native American tribal leader, Chief Seattle, fa said awa back in 1854:-

Humankind has not woven the web of life, We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves, All things are bound together.
All things connect.”

One of his most heartfelt classics is Spikkin Doric published in the Voice some years ago, the piece reflects on the banning of the native tongue of the north east during the difficult days when locals were encouraged to speak the queens English and stand to attention when listening to the national anthem. Bob would have none if it.

A’ve ayewis spak the Doric
Sin a wis jist a loon
A dialect still weel loo’d
Fae the Spey tae Bervie toon

Fin a wis at the local skweel
In classrooms it wis banned
Ye were threatened wi the scud
Fit wid hae wairmed yer hand

Bit eence oot in the playgrun
It flowed oot o yer moo
An wi yer freens an neipers
Doric wisna thocht taboo

We canna lit iss language dee
It’s pairt an paircel o oor lan
The Doric an the North east
They aye gyang han in han

A’m loathe tak in fit a’m hearin
Young fowk canna say “ch” as in loch
Fit’s the warld cumin tae
If ye canna git yer tongue aroon roch?

Doric wirds are mair expressive
Than onything else ye micht hear
Thunk hivvens fowk still spik it
In kwintra placies like New Deer

The braw wird “dreich” a like
Instead o jist sayin “dull”
Or maybe gyaan “heelster-gowdie”
As ye tummle doon a hull

Robbie Shepherd he still spiks it
An a Doric sang he’ll sing
Sin the days o “The Garlogie Fower”
Iss chiel’s bin the Doric “king”

Lits aa fecht fer the Doric
Hae it taacht in aa the skweels
Instead o aa the lah-de-dahs
Thinkin the Doric is fer feels

© Bob Smith “The Poetry Mannie

Fred, the Voice Team and I could of course go on. Robert is a man well missed by all who knew him. Well met and well written Bob, we miss you.

Comments are of course very welcome.

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Law Student Wins Thomas Blake Glover Scholarship

Aberdeen City, Articles, Featured No Responses »

Feb 202015

With thanks to Esther Green.

Aberdeen Asset Management/Glover Scholarship Winner Bar Soba, 104 Hanover Street, Edinburgh Aberdeen Asset Management has announced that Caroline Marshall (20) is the winner of its prestigious Glover Scholarship scheme whereby a Scottish student is granted the opportunity to maximise their career opportunities by studying in Japan. Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Caroline Marshall, winner of the 2015 Thomas Glover Scholarship. Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk

A student has won a prestigious scholarship to visit Japan to study language and culture, following in the footsteps of the Aberdeenshire-born entrepreneur Thomas Glover.

As the winner of the 2015 Thomas Blake Glover Aberdeen Asset Scholarship, Caroline Marshall (20) has been awarded a six-week fully-funded intensive language study course at the International Christian University, Tokyo.

A former pupil of Trinity High School and Stonelaw High School, both Rutherglen, Glasgow, Caroline is in her third year studying law at the University of Edinburgh and hopes to pursue a career in international commercial law.

She has a long-established love of the Japanese tradition of the Takarazuka Forum Theatre, a distinguished all-female acting school. This spawned her interest and admiration in the wider Japanese culture and way of life.

She attends Japanese classes and when she learned about the Thomas Glover Scholarship last year, she felt it would provide a fantastic chance to visit, and learn more about, a country that inspires her.

Caroline says:

“I feel really honoured to be afforded this amazing opportunity as I have been passionate about Japan for a number of years but I have never had the opportunity to go there.

“I never dreamt I would have the opportunity to go to Japan and work on language skills and this will be a huge help to my future career and my plans to go into international commercial law.”

The annual scholarship was initiated by the Japan Society of Scotland and is sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management. It is open to students from all over Scotland with an interest in business and Japan, with six candidates making it through to final interviews at the Japanese Consulate-General in Edinburgh last month.

The scholarship is named after the Scottish entrepreneur Thomas Blake Glover who was born in Aberdeenshire in 1838. Glover settled in Nagasaki in 1859 and played a critically important role in opening Japan to the west. Known as the Scottish Samurai, he introduced the first railway locomotive, started the Kirin brewery and influenced the industrial development of Mitsubishi.

The scholarship aims to recognise these successes by providing young Scots with the opportunity to learn about business and culture in the hope of further improving Scotland’s historic links with Japan. Aberdeen Asset Management has been investing in Japan since the 1980s, opening an office in Tokyo in 2006.

Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, says:

“We are proud to support initiatives which give committed and enthusiastic Scots an opportunity to advance their career opportunities and with a such keen interest in Japan, both culturally and commercially, Caroline was a clear winner.

“This scholarship offers an exceptional opportunity to experience Japanese education, industries and lifestyle and an opportunity to forge new partnerships with the country, which has one of the world’s largest economies.”

More information about the scholarship can be found at www.facebook.com/GloverScholarship, www.twitter.com/gloverscholar and www.japansocietyofscotland.org.uk/

Shire Student Reaches Shortlist Of Glover Scholarship

Aberdeenshire, Articles No Responses »

Jan 192015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

An Alford graduate has made it through to the final shortlist of a prestigious scholarship offering the opportunity to visit Japan to study the country’s language, culture and tradition.
Angus Forfar (22), a former pupil of Robert Gordon’s College, is one of six young people being interviewed for the 2015 Thomas Blake Glover Aberdeen Asset Scholarship, sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management, next week.

The scholarship, which was initiated by the Japan Society of Scotland, enables one Scottish student the chance to visit Japan to study the language, culture and tradition – an experience described as a “life changing opportunity” by last year’s winner.

The scholarship is open to young people who are at a post-secondary educational level, with preference to candidates whose interest in Japan has a business focus.

Angus’ interest in Japan stems from a number of visits to the country in his formative years. Having lived in Japan as a child while his father completed a PhD in Japanese Anthropology, Angus developed a connection to the country which was strengthened by further family trips and his gap year in 2010, during which he spent five months in Tokyo and Fukuoka.

Angus graduated from the University of Glasgow with a First Class Joint Honours in History and Classical Civilisation. His undergraduate dissertation was a comparative study of Ancient Greek Tragedy and Japanese Noh Theatre.

Angus and the other shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on Monday (19th January) at the Japanese Consulate-General in Edinburgh with the panel made up of four members of the Council of the Japan Society of Scotland, and chaired by Dr Helen Parker, of the Japanese Studies Department of the University of Edinburgh.

One will be chosen to go on a fully-funded intensive language study course at a university summer school in Japan, an experience described as a “life changing opportunity” by last year’s winner Giancarlo Bell (19).

The student of medicine at the University of Glasgow spent six weeks at the International Christian University in Tokyo on an intensive Japanese language course where he achieved A grades.

Giancarlo says:

“I will remember the trip and the friends I made forever. But, more importantly I developed language skills and an adoration for Japanese culture that I will build on for the rest of my life. I realised that, despite my success in the beginners’ course, I am only scratching the surface of a massive, beautiful, seemingly-impenetrable written and spoken language.”

This is the sixth year that Aberdeen Asset Management has sponsored the Thomas Blake Glover Aberdeen Asset Scholarship and chief executive Martin Gilbert, says:

“We are proud to support initiatives which give committed and enthusiastic Scots an opportunity to advance their career opportunities.

“This scholarship offers an exceptional opportunity for one Scottish student to experience Japanese education, industries and lifestyle and an opportunity to forge new partnerships with the country, which has one of the world’s largest economies.”

Ay Ay Fit Like?

Creative Writing, Opinion No Responses »

Sep 122014

By Bob Smith.

‘Ay ay fit like e day?’
Comes oot o a nor’east mou
They’ll nae ask aboot the FTSE
Jist fits the price o a coo

Es wither his bin affa gweed
The barley’s in fine fettle
If tatties hud their price
The wife’ll git her new kettle

Are yer hennies aye still layin?
An tatties weel set in the dreel?
Man a wis noo jist thinkin
Yer calfies leuk affa weel

Nae funcy spik fae fairmin fowk
Jist stracht an ti the pynt
Incomers micht git offendit
Wi their nose pit oot o jint

Bit tak the fowk as ye fin ‘em
Git used ti their nor’east wyes
It’ll tak a file ti fill their beets
Ye micht struggle ti reach their size

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The Role Of Art And Culture In The Independence Debate

Aberdeen City, Articles, Featured No Responses »

Jul 182014

With thanks to Kirsty Young.

Berliners 3 1978 oil on canvas 119.5 x 188 cm (Private Collection)

Aberdeen’s first exhibition of paintings and other works by major Scottish artist Alexander Moffat opens at Peacock Visual Arts next month (Exhibition opening on Friday 15 August 2014, 6 – 8pm).
Paintings as Arguments: Five Decades of Cultural and Political Change in Scotland, which runs 16 August – 20 September 2014, will question the role of art and culture in the independence debate.

The project opens enquiries into important changes and achievements in cultural expression and education, artistic means of production and dissemination in Scotland and their international contexts.

Moffat, an artist-activist opposed to establishment conventions, played a major role in the cultural changes sweeping Scotland and the world from the 1960s onwards. His main aim as an artist, curator, teacher and writer has been to place Scotland and Scottish art in a relationship with the rest of the world.

As the country prepares to answer the question of whether it wants self-government or not, Peacock Visual Arts asks what contribution have the visual arts made in taking us to the point where a referendum on independence is even thinkable, no matter the outcome.

What has been the role of the “success story” of Scottish art in increasing self-awareness of Scotland’s cultural distinctiveness? What are the cultural arguments for, or against, independence?

The exhibition will contain a number of large-scale oil paintings from both private and national collections. It will also showcase documentary material from the last five decades, including books, magazines and photographs.

An evening of debate, followed by music from the renowned composer, musicologist, and music historian John Purser, will allow audiences to voice their opinions and to learn more about the exhibition and its contents from Moffat and Alan Riach, Professor of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow (Wednesday 17 September 2014, 6:30pm at Peacock Visual Arts).

Peacock is publishing a book, a conversation between Moffat and Riach, which illuminates many of the major cultural changes that have taken place over the past half-century. This will be available to buy once the exhibition has opened its doors on Friday 16 August 2014 at 6pm.

Exhibition Runs: Saturday 16 August – Saturday 20 September 2014.
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:30 – 5:30pm
Free Admission.
www.peacockvisualarts.com

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The 161st Echt Show

Creative Writing, Opinion No Responses »

Jul 172014

By Bob Smith.

We took a wee bit dauner
Oot ti the 161st Echt Show
Far kwintra fowk an toonsers
They war minglin ti an fro’
.
‘Ere wis Charollais an Suffolk sheep
The Texels a fun ugly limmers
‘Ere wis ither yowes an tups
An some war cross bred gimmers
.
The horse section noo wis gran
The Clydesdales stole ma hairt
As a myn fine as a loon
Rosie yokit ti box cairt
.
Lots o coos wi caafs as weel
Gweed bullocks an heifers ti
Heilan coos wi their horns
A richt fine sicht ti see
.
A parade o vintage tractors
The auldest ti bi seen
Wis a post war Fordson
In a livery o dark green
.
The Kintore Pipe Band war on haun
Roon the ring they did parade
Mony fowk they war whistlin
As weel kent tunes they played
.
Heilan duncin throwoot the day
Sword Dunce weel ti the fore
Wi young eens o aa ages
‘Ere wis tartans bi the score

In the Industrial tint ‘ere wis
Toffees, jams an gweed bakes
Clootie dumplin an oatmeal breid
An lots o WRI wifies’ cakes
.
A fair enjoyed the birds o prey
Wi the display o falconry
In fact a hiv ti say
It fair did mak the day
.
A great faavrit fer mony ‘ears
The young loons an quines races
A buddin Jessica Ennis or Usain Bolt
Micht hae bin amang the faces
.
An efterneen o fine hivvy events
Compered by Leuchar loon Jim Taylor
Haimmer throwin an caber tossin
Wi me es fun great faavour
.
‘Ere wis the Tug-o-War competition
Strappin loons an quines took pairt
In the hans o Jim’s brither Bob
Ti Echt they cam fae ilka airt
.
The wither it played its pairt
A braw day wi nae rain
At only eicht poonds ti git in
Es pilgrimage we’ll mak again
.
.
.
.
©Bob Smith “The Poetry Mannie” 2014

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Local MP Opens New Peterhead Art Gallery

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Jun 132014

Local artist Elinor Grieve, gallery owner Melissa Arcaro and local MP Eilidh Whiteford.

Eilidh Whiteford, MP for Banff and Buchan, joined Melissa Arcaro at the weekend to cut the ribbon on Arcaro’s expanded Peterhead arts project. With thanks to Paul Robertson.

Arcaro Arts, which previously stood on Kirk Street, has expanded into enlarged premises opposite Morrison’s on Queen Street.

The gallery is set to continue its work in providing an artistic space for local groups, as well as hosting exhibitions and other arts events.

Cutting the ribbon on the new gallery, which hosted an exhibition from self-taught wildlife artist Elinor Grieve on its opening day, MP Eilidh Whiteford commented:

“I am delighted to be able to declare Arcaro Arts’ expanded premises open for business. The new gallery is a fantastic venue in a great location. It will breathe new life into the town centre of Peterhead and offers great opportunities to local artists to exhibit their work and my congratulations and best wishes for the future go to Melissa and the team.”

Melissa Arcaro, who heads the gallery, commented:

“The fact that we have had to expand into larger premises shows what a real appetite there is for this kind of amenity in Peterhead. The stunning new venue is also well-placed to benefit from increased footfall. As well as continuing our arts work with local groups, the new venue will act as a showcase for talented local artists.”

The gallery, on Balmoor Terrace, is open 10am-4pm from Monday to Saturday and 12pm-3pm on Sundays.

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