Prepare to wear it!!
According to the Sons of Scotland Pipe
Band, 15%
of Canadians claim Scottish heritage (with the Irish claiming a close
14%). http://www.sospb.com/tartan-day-celebrations.html
April 6th marks Scotland's Declaration of Arbroath in 1320. It was
the great statement sent to the Pope of Scotland's national
independence, signed by the nobility and ranking clergy. The history
around the document is more complicated (and fascinating) than I can
present here, but its significance endures. Echoes of "Flower of
Scotland" at any Scots gathering will never die.
Canada's
150th birthday makes Tartan Day even more special. St Andrews
Societies in various cities feature ceilidhs. Community celebrations
take place across the country; for example, in Fergus, Ontario,
twinned
with Blairgowrie, Scotland. As if their summer Fergus Scottish
Festival and Highland Games isn't enough, each Tartan Day they hold a
downtown celebration worthy of their forefathers. Festivities begin
with a morning kilted kilometer run around the town (kilts
mandatory!); all afternoon Celtic music plays in downtown pubs and
eateries, with wandering storytelling, pipe bands, heavy event
demonstrations ... a little piece of Scotland in the heart of
Ontario!
Personally, I have New York envy ... a
whole week! Tartan Week! With a mega parade! This year the Grand
Marshall is Tommy Flanagan, star of the TV series "Sons of
Anarchy" (last year led by Sam Heughan aka the hunky
Jamie Fraser of "Outlander" fame).
©
2017 Brenda
Dougall Merriman
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