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Flag Trust Launch "Saltire in the Sky" Photograph
Competition
 Today (6th April 2010)
the Scottish Flag Trust launches a competition, open
to all amateur photographers, to capture an image of
St Andrew's Cross in the skies above Scotland. Full
details of the competition can be found at the Trust's
website scottishflagtrust.com
St
Andrew’s
Day Dinner 2009
The St Andrew Society held its annual
dinner in honour of St Andrew's Day on Saturday evening,
November 28, 2009 in Haldane's Restaurant. Thirty four
members and guests gathered at 7.15 for drinks and
then for a very pleasant meal, with a choice of starters
(salmon or haggis), a choice of main course (sea bass
or guinea fowl) and a choice of dessert (lemon tart
or terrine of dark chocolate), plus coffee.
After a toast to Her Majesty the Queen of Scots, the
guest speaker Dennis Canavan, former MP and MSP gave
a very interesting talk on his story of his bill to
make St Andrew's Day a national holiday. Many other
countries in the world have a day set aside as a national
holiday to emphasize an important event in the country's
history; and a majority of the MSP's were originally
in favour of Scotland's also having a special day.
But business interests proved stronger in the long
run. The bill was indeed passed by the Parliament,
but only in a watered-down form which allows individual
enterprises to decide whether to observe the national
holiday or not. Of course, Mr Canavan was greatly disappointed;
but the fight for an enforceable nationwide holiday
is not yet over. Mr Canavan concluded his talk with
a toast to the memory of St Andrew and Scotland yet.
There followed a mention of and a toast to the patriotic
Societies at home and abroad, and a final toast to
the President by Chair Rina Moore. The dinner evening
ended with a raffle and a general opinon that it had
been a most congenial occasion.
Marybeth Stewart
Visit to Stirling
and Smith Museum
On
Saturday 19th September a group of members and friends
travelled to Stirling for lunch, a brief tour of historic
places and a conducted tour of the Stirling
Smith Art Gallery and Museum.
After a most enjoyable lunch at the Adamo Restaurant,
with many deciding to return on another occasion to
sample more of the menu, Dr Elspeth King, curator of
the Museum arrived to lead us there via significant
buildings and places. It is surprising how little one
notices of the architecture as one walks familiar streets.
Among other interesting features and buildings, Dr
King pointed out the wolf in a cage high up on one
building. The wolf was incorporated into the coat of
arms of Stirling as wolves were credited with alerting
the citizenry to the approach of attackers by their
howling and so saved the town. It was fortunate that
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church was having an open day
and we had the opportunity of seeing round the church.
We were impressed by the number of stained glass windows,
many of which were erected in memory of soldiers who
had been killed in World War 1. It was noticeable that
many had been created by female artists.
On reaching the Museum we were first taken on a tour
of the grounds, in which a biodiversity garden has
been created. There were delightful little seats carved
from wood arranged in two rows for the schoolchildren
to sit and hear of the plants in the garden and the
history of Stirling. Members were also tempted to try
out the ‘musical see-saws’ set in the ground.
It was thought that John Damien, who attempted to fly
from the walls of Stirling Castle in 1507, might have
reached this far.
Dr Elspeth King’s dedication and enthusiasm for
the Museum, the history of Stirling and its significance
in Scottish history was all too apparent. Her knowledge
seemed boundless and she transmitted her enthusiasm
as she described the exhibits. She has obviously done
her very best to acquire important artefacts and pieces
in her time as curator. Wallace obviously figured largely
as did the connection with the Jacobites.
Robert Burns was not forgotten. On a visit to Stirling he was not impressed
by the state of the town and scratched some lines of poetry on the window of
the Golden Lion hotel. These are replicated on a window and in fact the first
line are incorporated in the design of the pavier at the front of the museum.
It was a most enjoyable outing and I am sure members will be tempted to return
for another visit.
Farquhar Macintosh
Gaelic Scholarship Appeal

Following the passing
last year of our former President, Farquhar Macintosh,
the Sabhal Mor Ostaig Development Trust and his family
decided to raise an appeal in his name. The Appeal
is to raise funds for future scholarships to the Gaelic
College on Skye. The Society feels that the Appeal
in the name of one of our former Presidents is for
a genuinely worthy cause very much in line with the
aims of the Society. To this end the Society has made
a substantial contribution to the Appeal and would
encourage likeminded inividuals and Societies to make
a contribution. Further Information can be requested
from and donations sent to: The Farquhar Macintosh
Gaelic Scholarship Fund
Sabhal Mor Ostaig
Development trust
Sabhal Mor Ostaig
Sleat
Isle of Skye
Flag
Trust Site Goes Live
The Scottish
Flag Trust now has its own dedicated website. It is
now live and can be found at http://www.scottishflagtrust.com
Centenary
2007 was
our Centenary year and we marked this
milestone by commissioning a St Andrew Society Centenary
Tartan which is available exclusively through the Society.
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Price List
Tie - £15
Bow Tie - £17
Scarf - £25
Sash - £40
Cloth - £26/m
Cummerbund to order
P&P - £3.50* |
Contact the Secretary to place your orders
*UK
small orders.
For overseas and large orders contact
the Secretary for a quote .
Mouse Mat Initiative
In
recent years The Flag Trust's only promotional
merchandise has been the excellent T-Shirts. Funding
for promotions of this type has always been an
issue, as has the lack of local retail outlets. Thanks
to The St Andrew Society The Trust has produced
The Athelstaneford Mouse Mat.
The cost is £2.50 plus 25p
postage and is available from the society by emailing
flag@st-andrew.org.uk
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