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Latest news 2010 |
09-06-2010 Well the Culloden commemoration was as cold as I can remember it ever being but there's something poignant about feeling exposed and very uncomfortable in that place. Lets face it we were out there for about an hour to pay our respects. We are well fed and well clothed and each of us had a warm bed to return to.That bears no comparison to being ravaged with hunger, exhausted, wet and frozen and still having the determination and belief to hopelessly charge across that moor to death. Whatever the weather throws at us we'll be back next year to share Drumossie, just for a short time, with the ghosts of Culloden . The other recent commemoration I attended was the North Rising at Avoch on The Black Isle. It commemorates where Andrew de Moray raised his standard during the wars of independence. A much under recognised hero, he regained from the English all of the castles north of the Forth before being mortally wounded fighting at Wallace's side at Stirling Bridge. Avoch is a beautiful place and the views from the site of the old castle are stunning. I really enjoyed the gig at night even though, the day I visited, 20,000 people left the Black Isle to go and support Ross County in the Scottish Cup Final. I spent a great couple of days up at Glencoe at the end of May. Had a stormer of a gig in the Clachaig on the Friday then got dragged out onto Loch Leven in a canoe by Ian Graham on the Saturday afternoon. We landed on Eilean Munde which is the site of a seventh century chapel and the ancient burial ground of the MacDonalds of Glencoe, Camerons, MacInnis and Stewarts. Found the resting place of MacIain, the chief of the MacDonalds massacred in 1692. A really peaceful place and well worth the effort to get there. Ian and Linda then treated me to a fine barbeque before spending a really enjoyable night playing in the Loch Leven Hotel. Just finished tidying up after this years Scribblers Picnic. It's an annual musical fun day in Stirling which raises money for five cancer charities. This was our ninth year and It features five stages of music with everything from an oompah band to punk metal. Huge crowd,brilliant day and raised loadsa money."the Scribbler" was a fine musician called Graham Whitelaw who died from throat cancer. I wrote "The Lion Roars" with Graham back in 1990 and we played in a band together called "Yetanothertonto". At Sunday's Picnic I dedicated our set to Graham and we did half an hour of old "Tonto" songs. It was a hoot. It was also the biggest Bannockburn line up to date (see photo) |
25th April 2010 Hard to believe that a third of a year has passed already. Certainly Big Davie's passing threw the beginning of the year into turmoil .His funeral was very emotional and the huge turnout was confirmation of the respect and admiration in which he was held. I was honoured to be asked to sing at it. It was difficult but I managed to hold it together (just). We gave him a rerr send off. He deserved it. -------------------------------- |
 Being presented with "The Order of The Good Time" by the Minister for Tourism in Halifax NS |
On the road Kenny Donalson and I headed out to Estonia in January for a Burns supper. Going for a walk to see the sights of Tallinn wearing kilts in -30c temperature wasn't one of our better ideas. Paddy's night in Amsterdam gave Ziggy and I the chance to meet all our friends in The Tara again. Great staff, great food,great crowd, great craic. So, the snows gone, the suns out, Scotland is turning green again. It's just braw and I've got another summer of travelling her highways and byways coming up.It's a hard life! |
2nd January 2010
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 David R Ross |
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