sep - oct 2009 electronicbrash/sst/thistledown/... · 2009. 10. 28. · dair’s magical fiddle...

The Thistledown

VOLUME 26, ISSUE NUMBER 4 FALL 2009

Scottish Society of Tidewater, Inc.

Continued on page 8

Williamsburg Scottish Festival 2009 Record Attendance, Full Weekend of Celebration

O nce again, the Williamsburg Scot-tish Festival delivered an outstanding day of celebrating Scottish American culture and history in Hampton Roads. The in-credible weather and ideal location helped this year’s WSF break all past attendance records.

For the second year in a row, the festival was held at the Rockahock Campground in Lanexa, a small town nestled between Williamsburg and Richmond. Though a little challenging to get to, there was plenty of parking and the grounds are ideal for a festival.

The Honored Clan this year was Clan Campbell. The Honored Guest was none other than our own John A. Campbell. John is a founding member of the SST, and was also instrumental in establishing the Richmond, Roanoke and Radford High-

land games. John is a charter member of the Clan Campbell Society of North Amer-ica, serving as Vir-ginia Commissioner for several years.

Again this year, we had a large selection of vendors who were very friendly and accommodating, including our own Randy & Carolyn Bruce selling copies of the Robert the Bruce Trilogies, and Jeanne & Bob Rider, selling “Pixie Treas-

ures by Jeanne.” There were few food vendors, however,

and the lines for food were very long. The Friday night Balmoral Reception at

the West Park Hotel was well attended. As usual, the food was of the highest quality, and attendees dressed impressively in their finest Highland attire.

In addition to the Balmoral, there was a Friday night Ceilidh at the campground. The Friday and Saturday night Ceilidhs were lively and crowded. Always a crowd pleaser, Albannach energized the revelers with their eclectic and non-traditional pipes & drums.

The headliner this year was Alasdair Fra-ser and Natalie Haas. They were just fan-tastic, and anyone hearing them for the first time went away awestruck with Alas-dair’s magical fiddle playing, and Natalie’s genius on the cello. Just wow.

Also performing at the Ceilidhs were David Ross, Coyote Run, and the Air Force Heritage Aire Celtic Ensemble.

SST Treasurer Jeanne Rider, proprietor of Pixie Treasures by Jeanne, was steadily busy selling

her wares.

The Honored Clan this year was Clan Camp-bell. SST founder John Campbell was the

Honored Guest, with his wife Donna.

Clan Colquhoun in the Parade of Clans.

T he Scottish Society of Tidewater exists to promote the preservation and study of Scottish cul-ture, including music, language, art, history, folk-lore, dance, literature, athletics, and all other things distinctively Scottish among interested persons in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area and to cooperate with like-minded persons, groups and organizations here and abroad.

A meeting is held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Church of Ascension Community Cen-ter, 4853 Princess Anne Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23462-4446. Social time begins at 7:00pm, and the meeting starts at 7:30pm. Anyone interested in Scottish culture and history is invited to attend.

About the Scottish Society of Tidewater, Inc.

P.O. Box 3733, Norfolk, VA 23514-3733 www.tidewaterscots.org

SST Executive Board President: Rob Lockwood [email protected] Vice President: John McGlynn [email protected] Secretary: Marcey Hunter [email protected] Treasurer: Jeanne Rider [email protected]

Board of Directors: June Lockwood [email protected] Donna Looney [email protected] Linda Lucas [email protected] George Phillips [email protected] Terri Woodward [email protected] Trish Young [email protected]

SST Committees Webmaster: Scott MacGregor [email protected] Membership: Marcey Hunter [email protected] Program:

The SST Board of Directors Sunshine: June Lockwood [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Marcey Hunter [email protected]

PAGE 2 THISTLEDOWN FALL 2009

A Few Words from the President

Samhain math! Happy Celtic New Year! The turning of the Celtic Calendar Wheel

has brought some changes. Some positive; some negative.

First the positive: Changing our meeting venue to The Church of The Ascension seems to be working out very well. We have lots more space and are not limited by need-ing to be out of the building by 9:00. If our program runs long, or folks just want to hang around and chat, there’s no problem. It has been suggested that, since there is no charge attached to our use of the church facility, our members might contribute to the church’s Food Pantry. They donate a large number of food baskets to needy families each month. With the holidays coming soon, it would be nice if we each bring a non-perishable food item to meetings. We Scots have always been known for our hospitality. Thanks!

Baird Scholarship recipient, Charles Murla, gave us a toe-tapping program at our October meeting, showing off the fiddle skills he honed at the Jink and Diddle Fiddle School this summer.

We were well represented at the Williamsburg Scottish Festival at Rockahock. I understand that we enrolled several new members. Welcome! Thanks to Tricia Young for heading the committee to han-dle the Society tent duties.

Plans for the Christmas Dinner on December 2 are coming along nicely. Thanks to June Lockwood for her help and input. She brings many years of experience in planning dinners and other events for other organizations. If you are at all interested in helping on the com-mittee please let me or June know. And don’t forget to bring an item, or two, to donate to the Silent Auction, as well as some yummy food for the dinner.

Now the negative: Unfortunately, we have recently lost two mem-bers. Charlotte Irish passed away in September. A private family service was held for her.

I am sure that you all are well aware that our Nessie Ambassador, Jose Andres Hernandez Godoy, transitioned to Tìr nan Òg, the Land of Eternal Youth, after a long and very brave battle with cancer. The Celtic community was well represented at his service by members of the Scottish Society of Tidewater and The Newport News Police Pipes & Drums. In memory of Jose’s interest in robotics and com-puters, a scholarship has been set up in his name in the Department of Physics and Computer Science at Christopher Newport University. If you are interested in making a contribution to the scholarship, please contact Past Society President Dr. Edward Brash at [email protected] for more information.

Yours Aye for Scotland, Rob

Rob Lockwood

THISTLEDOWN PAGE 3 FALL 2009

The SST Finds a New Home for Monthly Meetings 1st Wednesday of the Month at Ascension

Ceud Mile Failte! "One Hundred Thousand Welcomes"

to New SST Members!

Cheryl A. Brown 5609 Anthony Rd.

Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-460-3059

[email protected] Clan Lamont

Matt Hogendobler

2209 N. Lakeside Dr. Virginia Beach, VA 23454

757-481-1144 [email protected]

Clan Kennedy

Carrie McCabe & Brian Gordon 1133 Magnolia Ave.

Norfolk VA 757-332-1692

[email protected] [email protected]

Clan McLeod & Clan Gordon

James E. & Emily McCarson 208 Alberta Dr., Newport News 23602

757-833-3954 [email protected]

Clan MacPherson

A fter many years of meeting monthly at the Virginia Beach Central Library, the SST has se-cured a new meeting place that can better accom-modate our needs. The Church of the Ascension in Virginia Beach has opened its doors to the SST for our monthly meetings, which will once again be held on the 1st Wednesday of the month.

“Our members had become accustomed to get-ting together on the 1st Wednesday,” said Presi-dent Rob Lockwood. “And when we ran into scheduling conflicts at the Central Library, our meeting dates got somewhat jumbled. Sometimes we’d meeting on the 1st Wednesday, sometimes it was other days of the month. I’m afraid our attendance suffered. And when we learned that the library could not accommodate our Christmas Ceilidh this year, we decided it was time to find a new spot.”

The facilities at Ascension are ideal. The space is large enough to accommodate us comfortably, and there is a wonderful and efficiently laid out kitchen, which will help to make our Christmas Ceilidhs extra special.

The Church of the Ascension is located at 4853 Princess Anne Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23462-4446. See you there on the 1st Wednesdays of the month!


Jose Andre MacHernan: Celtic Warrior, Scholar, Friend July 8, 1995 - September 30, 2009

by Lynnette Fitch Brash i n the spring of 2004, Debbie Kurtz from the Make-a-Wish Foundation was planning a send-off party for a boy in our area with cancer. This young man’s name was José Andrés Hernandez Godoy, and his wish was to make a trip to Scotland to search for Nessie. José Andrés had been fascinated with the Loch Ness monster since the age of four, and, in turn, all things Scottish. Make-a-Wish was send-ing José and his father Javier, mother Laura, and sister Ana-Paula to Scotland on the hunt for Nessie.

Debbie wanted to add some Scottish flavor to the send-off party, so she searched online and found the Scottish Society of Tidewater website. On the con-tact page, she saw the name of the daughter of one of her own children’s teachers, so she sent an e-mail to Lyn-nette Fitch Brash. Debbie asked Lyn-nette, through her contacts in the Celtic community, to arrange a bagpiper and Scottish dancers be part of the ceremony that Make-a-Wish was organizing at José’s home in Chesapeake.

Within 24 hours, an entire Caledonian Celebration was in the works! All the branches of the local Scottish community immediately threw their efforts into this worthy cause. Larry McCauley got the SST Nessie float in grand order and brought her out to lead the parade through José’s neighborhood, ending in

his driveway, much to his surprise and delight. The newly-formed Pipes, Drums, and Dancers of the Newport News Police followed behind Nessie, piping her through the streets and up to José. The SST showed up en masse for the event, marching in various kilts and other tartan finery. Mike Lawler brought the weaponry for a Sword Arch for José. Local highland dancers Holly Quaglia and Jane Carlson performed a Highland fling followed by Sarah and Olivia Brash singing “Loch Lomond.” José was presented with a proclamation from the SST naming him their Official Nessie Ambassador. Tom Crouch, President of the NNPPDD, made

José an honorary member of the drum line of the pipe band. TV news crews even showed up to cover the event. It is quite an amazing and impressive thing what our local Celtic Community can do when we work to-gether. In the aftermath of this Scottish Send-Off Party, the Hernandez family had a won-derful and memorable trip to bonnie Scotland. José and his family tried haggis (which

José really liked), toured a bagpipe fac-tory, visited Culloden battlefield, and thor-oughly enjoyed themselves. Upon their return, Javier gave a presentation to the SST at one of the monthly meetings, which included some animated Scottish films José had made, and told everyone about their voyage. José Andrés, who could not be there due to his cancer treat-ments, prepared a Nessie PowerPoint presentation nonetheless to fulfill what he felt his responsibilities were as Nessie Ambassador. It is really wonderful with many pictures from their trip. In it, he said, “We took a couple of tours in the Loch and I am positive I saw something moving in the water…I truly believe that Nessie exists!!!” José could not possibly be more Scottish at heart, even if he had been born in Scotland rather than Mexico. You can view the PowerPoint presentations on the SST website, where they are linked on the Homepage under the Meetings section.

It is unclear whether the local Scottish community adopted José and his family, or whether Clan MacHernan, as they be-gan calling themselves, adopted us! But it was mutual admiration that brought joy and inspiration to both sides. That fall, the Williamsburg Scottish Festival honored José with a special presentation on the field during the Opening Ceremonies. José was decked out in Scottish finery, including a kilt made by local kiltmaker Christine Lawler in Black Watch tartan to match the pipe band. Lynnette and Ed-ward Brash gave José his first kilt hose and sporran to complete the outfit. He looked so handsome! After the full VIP treatment for Clan MacHernan, WSF then-President Wil Phillips presented José with a special medal, of which he was extremely proud. They also took up a collection at the WSF Kirkin’ of the Tar-tan to donate in José’s honor to a chil-dren’s cancer research charity with which the Hernandez family was very involved.

This charity is called the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. It was formed by three Irish-

Jose and his dad.

Jose was an honorary member of the NNPP&D.


American businessmen from NYC to raise money for children’s cancer. What started out as an idea in a pub in NYC has since raised over $17 million, in a little under a decade. José’s family and friends formed the “Yes Way, José!” team to raise money for St. Baldrick’s. In March of 2005, two SST members, Stephen Hood and Scott MacGregor, joined team “Yes Way, José!” as shavees, and raised quite a bit of money for the cause. Since that time, Scott MacGregor has been a shavee each year, even being persuaded to sell the mustache “older than his adult children” two years ago! Scott also initiated the “Scottish Clan Challenge” with the SST to help raise more money for “Yes Way, José!” The Newport News Police Pipes Drums & Dancers have also gotten involved with47 St. Baldrick’s. Pipers Joe Delendeck and Tom Crouch and dancer Lynnette Fitch Brash per-formed at the St. Baldrick’s Ball (along with local Celtic singers Edward Brash and Ka-tie Morse) in 2005, and the band piped in team “Yes Way, José!” to be shorn in style in 2006.

Over the past five years, José Andrés and his family kept in contact with the local Scottish community and attended many Scottish events, including the SST picnic in 2005 and the Tartan Day Celebration in 2006. In 2007, Clan MacHernan attended the Tartan Day event at the MacArthur Memorial. José, never one to miss a detail, noted the lack of a Scottish flag flying over the Memorial. Clearly he felt one should be – perhaps this is something we can pursue

in his honor. José’s cancer was Rhabdomyoscar-

coma, which is a fast-growing, highly ma-lignant tumor which accounts for over half of the soft tissue sarcomas in children. According to the Pediatric Oncology Re-source Center website, overall, 50% of the children diagnosed with Rhabdomyosar-coma survive 5 years. José’s Celtic clans-people were so happy when, following a long series of treatments, José’s cancer went into remission. Unfortunately, José was struck earlier this year with another form of cancer - Leukemia. Our fine braw laddie battled valiantly, but it became clear late this summer that he wasn’t going to be able to defeat death another time.

Early this September, members from the SST, TIAS, NNPPDD, and WSF came together to give José a final Highland Games of his own, at Kelly’s Tavern in Chesapeake. TIAS President Mike Brom-ley presented José with a proclamation naming him an Honorary Warrior of the Batallón de San Patricio of the TIAS. WSF board member Tricia Young announced that current WSF President Randy Dedrickson had proclaimed José the Hon-orary Field Marshall for the WSF this year. (José ALWAYS wore his WSF medal when he wore his kilt. Just like any other Scots-man, he loved his accessories!)

Members of the NNPPDD played pipe tunes and danced in José’s honor. NNPPD&D piper Geoffrey Saur had com-posed a beautiful pipe tune, “José’s La-ment,” which he played; José and his fam-

ily were deeply touched. José played his first gig with the band: a whole set of tunes on the bass drum! Javier requested that Edward Brash sing “Danny Boy” to nary a dry eye in the house. Edward also per-formed a Spanish song from Gaelic Galicia called “La Virgen de Guadalupe” which is much loved in Mexico. Various local Celtic musicians including Glasgow Kiss per-formed, and over $1400 was raised in a little over 24 hours for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

José and his family were beaming the entire afternoon. José was very sick earlier that day and was in pain and could hardly walk, but he was insistent that he go just for 15 minutes. But that 15 minutes turned into 3 hours. José’s parents consider that a miracle, and they want all of us to know how important we were to José and to them. Symbolic of this special relationship, the table decoration with two Scottish flags in it that SST board member Terri Woodard provided for the Clan MacHernan table at José’s Highland Games is now prominently displayed on their fireplace mantel.

José will always be an inspiration to those who knew and loved him. He touched us all with his upbeat personality, his boundless enthusiasm, and his unslak-ing thirst for knowledge. In the movie Bra-veheart about Scotland’s greatest patriot William Wallace, we remember , “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” We can take comfort in the certainty that José made up in quality what his life lacked in quantity.

As SST President Rob Lockwood so perfectly put it, José transitioned to Tir nan Og, The Land of Eternal Youth after a long and very brave battle. Rest in peace José Andrés Hernandez Godoy, beloved son & brother of Clan MacHernan; Official Nessie Ambassador of the Scottish Society of Tidewater; Bass Drummer for the Pipes, Drums, and Dancers of the Newport News Police; Honorary Warrior of the Batallón de San Patricio of the Tidewater Irish Ameri-can Society; and Honorary Field Marshall of the Williamsburg Scottish Festival. "Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

Jose and his family at a St. Baldrick’s fundraiser, surrounded by members of the NNPP&D

THISTLEDOWN FALL 2009 PAGE 6

SST Picnic 2009

Al Cowan, center, with the Crouch family.

Battle of the Burgers - SST president Rob Lockwood, left, and TIAS president, Mike Bromley.

SST Vice President John McGlynn with his grandson Colin.

Dog Day In the Park - some very well behaved pooches shared in the picnic.

Lynnette Brash left, and Betsy Kennedy.

SST Wallace Day


Lynnette Fitch Brash did a fantastic job of organizing this year’s Wallace Day Event, which commemorates the life and death of

Sr. William Wallace.

Laurie McPherson, left, and Lynette Crouch.

Edward Brash, left, and Skip Hunter. Skip was this year’s Key Note

Speaker, and he presented a fascinat-ing and very well received account of

William Wallace.

Don Fraser, left, and Marcey & Skip Hunter.

Connie Smith and Marsha Wallace perform

Betsy & Jack Kennedy

THISTLEDOWN FALL 2009 Continued from Page 1

The SST table, manned by Trish Young, Joyce & Al Cowan, Terri Woodward, Linda Lucas, Donna Looney, Don Fraser, Tina Gutshall and yours truly was quite busy all day handing out applications and newslet-ters. We signed up several members on the spot, and hopefully we will receive many more. Our table was enhanced this year by a display board, featuring many photos of our various activities. Thanks to Terri & George Philips for putting this to-

gether. It really added to the day, and helped to let folks know how much fun we have! Thanks to all the volunteers who helped at this year’s table. It is greatly appreciated.

In addition, we signed up over a dozen students interested in taking the beginner Scottish Gaelic lessons which will start up later this month. Yay!

Historical re-enactors set up camp on the festival grounds, including the Revolu-tionary War re-enactors the 76th McDon-

ald

Highland Regiment of Foot, which includes SST members James Taylor & Skip Hunter. They received permission from the campground to fire off their cannon at regular intervals, which always makes for an interesting event!

There was of course a wonderful piping competition, as well as heavy athletics, sheep herding demonstrations, and a tug of war competition.

A popular attraction was Stacy Apelt’s live demonstration of bladesmithing. Many of you know Stacy’s work - he truly an artisan metal worker. He seemed not to mind the blazing hot fire he sat next to all day!

President of the WSF this year is SST member Randy Dedrickson. Many of you may recall that Randy gave a presentation on the WSF earlier this spring at one of our SST meetings. Thanks for all your hard work, Randy. It really paid off!

Sadly, our hearts were heavy upon hear-ing the news that our Nessie Ambassador, Jose Hernandez, lost his battle with can-cer just days before the festival. Many of you know how badly Jose wanted to be there with us, but I have no doubt her was with us in spirit.

The WSF organizers are already plan-ning next year’s festival. Knowing their hard work and dedication, I’m sure it will be enormously successful. I’m already looking forward to it! Ham Hamilton, left, with a fellow clansman at the Clan Hamilton tent. Clan Hamilton will be the Honored Clan at next year’s WSF.

Carolyn & Randy Bruce, authors of the Bruce Trilogy, enjoyed a steady stream of potential buyers.

Bladesmith Stacy Apelt hard at work.

FALL 2009 THISTLEDOWN PAGE 9

Joyce Cowan, left, and Tina Gutshall at the SST booth.

World-renowned fiddler Alasdair Fraser wowed the crowd.

Charles Murla takes a break with a few fiddle tunes at the SST booth.

At left, a new student signs up for the Scots

Gaelic Class.

At right - ‘tis the sea-son!

The 76th McDonald Highland Regiment of Foot.

THISTLEDOWN FALL 2009 PAGE 10

Membership news ♦ Congratulations to Don Forsyth for his recent induction into the Capital University’s Athletic Hall of

Fame for his four seasons as a star of their basketball team (1951-1955). Don was honored at a Hall of Fame dinner at the in Columbus, Ohio university. Way to go, Don!

♦ By press time Dave and Nancy Montgomery should be making their southerly trek back home to Virginia Beach, just in time to escape the wintery blast in Nova Scotia. Welcome home!

♦ New SST members Carrie McCabe and Brian Gordon got hitched in a wonderful Celtic-inspired ceremony in September. Carrie is a former student in the Scots Gaelic class. We welcome them both

to the SST, and wish them many years of wedded bliss! ♦ Please send good thought to Thelma and Ian Tweed as Thelma is battling cancer. She hopes to be

feeling well enough soon to join us at our monthly meetings. We miss you, Thelma! ♦ SST member Belinda Nash is undergoing radiation treatments for a tumor on her kidney. The treat-

ment is going well, and Belinda is hopeful she will be back to normal soon. We hope so, too! ♦ Skip Hunter has returned home to us after a six-month deployment. He deploys again in March,

which he expects will be his last deployment. Then it’s shore duty for Chief Hunter and then...retirement!

♦ The MacGregor clan welcomed not only one but TWO new members in the family over the summer! Scott MacGregor is the proud grandpa of a new grandson Brennon Christopher Grover, who was

born at July 21st at Ft. Riley, Kansas. Just a few days later, Scott’s first granddaughter Emerald "Emma" Adaline Schauf was born. Before too long, they’ll be able to host the Clan Gregor Gathering

at Scott’s house! ♦ Erin Morrissey is one proud dog owner! Her “Teddy” is a beagle/bluetick hound mix, and was just

registered as a therapy dog with Therapy Dog International. So far, they have visited Sentara Nurs-ing and Rehabilitation Center in Hampton, and hopefully will be visiting CHKD in the near future.

That’s a wonderful accomplishment, Erin & Teddy!

Society member receives "War Service Medal "

On July 15, 2009, in Edenton,

North Carolina, the Northern Albe-marle District Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution ( SAR ) Presi-dent, Scott Perry presented one of its members and Scottish Society mem-ber, Alton E. Cowan (Al) with the National SAR "War Service Medal " for his U.S. Army Service.

The presentation came as a sur-prise to Al, and is part of the North-ern Albemarle District Chapter's on-going program to recognize all of its members who have served honora-bly in the U.S. Armed Forces and specifically those who have served in areas of Armed Conflict and Hostile Action in service to the United States, which is a requirement to receive the " War Service Medal ". The medal was presented to Al along with a Certificate of Recognition.


From left, Carl Cowan, James Taylor and Al Cowan participating in the Yorktown Victory March, which commemorates the British defeat at Yorktown, and the end of the American War of Independence.

Above, Nancy Miller, past SST president, and an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She took part of the York-

town celebration held in mid-October

At left, Skip Hunter at the grave of his 6th grand uncle Maj. Thomas Melvill, at Kings Chapel in Boston. Maj. Melvill participated in the Boston Tea Party and was later appointed by President George

Washington as Naval Officer of the Port of Boston and Charlestown. Major Melvill was the grandfather of author Herman Melville.

SST Pub Nights THISTLEDOWN FALL 2009 PAGE 12

In lieu of the July meeting, SST members met at Finn McCools. The Fraser Family, enjoyed dinner

and fellowship.

From left, Larry McCauley, Ham & Rita Hamilton, and Sandy MacGregor.

June & Rob Lockwood.

Lynnette & Edward Brash.

The gang’s all here! Our August pub night was at Conklins.

Terri Woodward, left, and Linda Lucas.

Ed & Jane Cart

George & Martha Phillips.

Traditional Household and Personal Followers of a Highland Chief

Ard Ghillean an Tighe (Gentleman of the Household - literally High Man of the House) - The number of these varied according to the importance of the Chief.

An Seanachaidh (Genealogist of the Chief’s House) - It was his duty to keep the clan register, its records, genealogies, and family history; to pronounce the addresses of ceremony at clan assemblies, and to deliver the Chief’s inauguration, birthday and fu-neral genealogy orations.

An Clarsair (The Harper) - This was generally a hereditary office. Also, the Gillie Chlarsair, the harper’s attendant, who carried the harp.

Am Fear Sporain (The Treasurer - literally The Man of the Purse) - This was a he-reditary position, and its occupant had a town-land for his service.

Am Piobaire (The Piper). Also, the Gillie Phiobaire, the piper’s servant, who carried the pipes, presented them to the piper when he was about to play, and received them again when the piper had concluded his performance.

An Luchd-Tighe (The Bodyguard) - These were young men chosen from the finest youths of the clan, and each had one or more attendants of his own. They were well trained in the use of the sword, the targe, and the bow, and were adept in wrestling, swimming leaping and dancing. those of the sea coast and the isles were versed in the sounding and navigation duties of seamanship. The Luchd-tighe always attended the Chief when he went abroad.

An Cupair (The Cup Bearer) - There were several cup bearers, according to the im-portance of the chief. The duty of the principal cup bearer was to taste the con-tents of the cup before it was carried round the board. The office of cup bearer was hereditary.

Am Forsair (the Forrester) - He held by his service a croft and grazing in the for-est, and was entitled to claim the hunting-dress and weapons of the Chief when he returned home from hunting.

An Gille-Cas-Fhliuch (literally the Servant of the Wet Foot) - A servant whose duty it was to carry the Chief over the fords when the chief was traveling by foot.

From The Clans, Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands by Frank Adam (1955)


The Gaelic Corner

ADULT NON-FICTION BOOKS:

Tracing Your Scottish Family History by Anthony Adolph. Buffalo, New York: Firefly Books, 2009.

The Spey: From Source to Sea by Donald Barr and Brian Barr. Edinburgh: Luath Press Limited, 2009.

Being a Scot by Sean Connery and Murray Grigor. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2008.

Robert Louis Stevenson: the Traveling Mind by Eileen Dunlop. Edinburgh: National Museums Scotland, 2008.

American on Purpose: the Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Craig Ferguson. New York: Harper Collins 2009.

A Traveler's History of Scotland by Andrew Fisher. 6th ed. New York: Interlink Books 2009.

St. Andrews Links: Six Centuries of Golf by Tom Jarrett and Peter Mason. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing, 2009.

Through So Many Dangers: the Memoirs and Adventures of Robert Kirk, Late of the Royal Highland Regiment by Ian M. McCulloch and Timothy J. Todish, ed. Fleischmann's, New York: Purple Mountain Press, 2004.

Robert Burns in Your Pocket. New Lanark, Scotland: Waverley Books, 2009.

Visions & Voyages: the Story of Celtic Spirituality by Fay Sampson. Oxford: Lion, 1998.

ADULT FICTION BOOKS

A Wee Christmas Homicide by Kaitlyn Dunnett. New York: Kensington Books, 2009..

The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots by Carolly Erickson. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2009.

The Laird Who Loved Me by Karen Hawkins. New York: Pocket Books, 2009.

Sleepless in Scotland by Karen Hawkins. New York: Pocket Books, 2009.

Highland Beast by Hannah Howell. New York: Kensington Books, 2009.

The Night Side by Melanie Jackson. New York: Love Spell, 2009.

Blind Eye by Stuart MacBride. New York: Minotaur Books, 2009.

To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning. New York: Dell, 2009.

Doors Open by Ian Rankin. Boston: Little Brown, 2010.

To Tempt a Knight by Gerri Russell. New York: Leisure Books, 2009.

Tamed by a Laird by Amanda Scott. New York: Forever, 2009.

The Lost Art of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith. New York: Pantheon, 2009.

NEW SCOTTISH BOOKS AND AUDIOVISUALS At the Virginia Beach Public Library



Beauty and the Duke by Melody Thomas. New York: Avon, 2009.

A Highlander’s Temptation by Sue-Ellen Welfonder. New York: Forever, 2009.

Reheated Cabbage: Tales of Chemical Degeneration by Irvine Welsh. New York: W.W. Norton, 2009.

MUSIC

Celtic Thunder. Take Me Home. Decca, 2009.

Scotland: the Real: Music from Contemporary Caledonia. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2003.

VIDEO & DVD

Celtic Thunder. Take Me Home. Decca, 2009.

- Submitted by Nancy Miller, MSLS, Virginia Beach Public Library

Congratulations to Capt. Donna M. Looney, who recently retired from the United States Navy after 36 years of service. We are so

proud of you, Donna, and so grateful for your service to our country. Enjoy every minute of

your retirement!

New Books, contd.

Robin McDowell Willis retired on July 31 as the Public Affairs Officer from the Naval Facilities

Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic, Naval Station Norfolk, after 36 years of govern-ment service. She was "piped ashore" at her retirement luncheon by Scottish Society Presi-dent Rob Lockhart with Scottish flags flying be-

hind the speaker's podium. Congratulations, Robin! You’ve certainly earned so R&R!


MUSIC

Newport News Police Pipe & Drum Corps Tom Crouch [email protected]

http://newportnewspolicepipe.homestead.com

Pipers For Hire Rob Lockwood [email protected]

http://www.roblockwood.com

Harper Rita Hamilton [email protected]

Folk Music

James West [email protected] http://jameswestmusic.com/

Scottish Gaelic Song Performances

Edward Brash [email protected]

Traditional Celtic Music Celtic Band for hire at an economical price

Third Degree Burn Weddings Parties Dance Music Fund Raisers

1-804-553-9702 1-757-420-1285 [email protected]

Also solo violin/fiddle music Celtic and Old Timey at your request. Affordable $ - Free fiddle lessons

CELTIC DANCE

Scottish Highland Dancing Scottish Ceilidh (Social) Dancing, &

Scottish Step Dancing Lynnette Fitch Brash [email protected]

Southside Ceili(dh) Class & Irish Ceili Dancing

Lisa Hunt [email protected]

MISC.

Kilts, Alterations Christine Lawler [email protected]

Photography - British Isles

Manny Willis [email protected]

Photography - Scotland Linda Lucas [email protected]

Scottish Gaelic Lessons

Scots Gaelic Society of Tidewater Marcey Hunter [email protected]

Travel in Scotland

Highland Ways Arthur & Anne Korff 757-596-6063

Scotch Whisky Tasting

Mike Lawler [email protected]

At Your Service

Charlotte G. Irish Member, Scottish Society of Tidewater

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Terry Anne Baird Jones Member, Scottish Society of Tidewater

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Jose Andre MacHernan Nessie Ambassador

Scottish Society of Tidewater Chesapeake, Virginia

Ross Allen Forbes Cousin of Nancy Montgomery

New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

Flowers of the Forest

FALL 2009 THISTLEDOWN PAGE 17 Seasonal Sundries

Do you know where trick-or-treating comes from? The origin of Halloween lies in the Celtic holiday of Samhain Night, or "Oiche Sam-hain," a celebration of the dead as well as harvest and renewal. The Celts believed that on October 31, the last day of summer, the dead would return to mingle among the living. It was the day the dead transitioned to the underworld. The Dru-ids, Celtic religious leaders, used the presence of spirits to aid in their predictions for the harvest. People lit bonfires to keep the ghosts from possessing them and to comfort the souls of the departed. The Celts doused their own hearth fires be-fore the celebration, and afterwards, relit them from the sacred bonfires. To keep the dead from playing pranks, people gave the Druids food. This is likely part of the origin of trick or treating.

Monthly Full Moons and their Meanings October - Full Hunter's Moon - With the leaves

falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can easily see fox and the animals which have come out to glean.

November - Full Beaver Moon. This was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Bea-ver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

December - The Full Cold Moon; or the Full Long Nights Moon. During this month the winter cold

fastens its grip, and nights are at their longest and darkest. It is also some-times called the Moon be-fore Yule. The term Long Night Moon is a doubly ap-propriate name because the midwinter night is in-deed long, and because the Moon is above the horizon for a long time. The mid-winter full Moon has a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun.

Having a Halloween Party?

Spice things up with Scotch-themed libations

The Tartantula

1 1/2 oz blended Scotch whisky 1 oz sweet vermouth

1/2 oz Benedictine liqueur 1 twist lemon peel

In a shaker with ice, combine Scotch, vermouth, and Benedictine. Shake well. Pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.- 1 tsp lemon juice.

Highland Jack O’Lantern

3 parts blended Scotch whisky 1 part orange juice

Shake and pour over ice in old-fashioned glass.

The Kiltlifter

1 1/2 oz blended Scotch whisky 1 oz Drambuie Scotch whisky 2 1/2 oz Rose’s lime juice


Ghost in the Kirkyard

1 oz blended Scotch whisky 1/2 oz orange liqueur 1/2 oz coffee liqueur 1 oz double cream


Sources FirefoxNews.org

The Farmer’s Almanac PoemHunter.com DrinksMixer.com

Calendar of Upcoming Events November 4 SST Meeting

Church of Ascension Community Center 4853 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach

Social at 7:00PM / Meeting at 7:30PM Program: A Presentation by John McGlynn -

Scottish Cooking and its Tradition Changes in Scottish Cooking over the years

The foods and recipes I grew up with Samples at the meeting – come taste

Scones and other. Please bring a snack to share!

November 13

The Heritage Aire Celtic Ensemble Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library

4100 Virginia Beach Blvd. Virginia Beach, VA FREE CONCERT

7:30 pm

November 15 St. Andrews Day Dinner

Sponsored by the St. Andrews Society of Tidewater

Virginia Beach, VA Guess Speaker Stuart McLean

Office of Scottish Affairs British Embassy, Washington, DC

Reservation required For more information, contact President Charles

Stewart at [email protected]

November 15 Ian Bruce Live

Scottish Folk Musician Conklin’s Irish Rover Pub

The Village Shoppes at Rose Hall 3157 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA

8 pm

November 29 Kirkin of the Tartans

Epworth United Methodist Church at 4158 Seaside Rd. in Exmore, Virginia.

Service starting at 11:00AM A fellowship luncheon will follow and everyone is

welcome to attend. Children in the after school pro-gram will be desigining their own tartans as they

color placemats for the luncheon. The musicians of Glasgow Kiss will be performing

during worship and the chancel choir will be singing a Scottish Christmas selection.

For more information please contact Rev. L. Raymond McGarr

E-mail: [email protected]

November 30 St. Andrews Day

Scotland’s Patron Saint

December 2 SST Christmas Ceilidh & Silent Auction

Pot Luck Christmas Dinner Church of Ascension Community Center

4853 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach 7 pm

December 5

39th Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Alexandria, Virginia

December 31

12th Annual Olde Towne Scottish Walk & Hogmanay Celebration Old Towne Portsmouth

11:00 AM Kirking of the Tartans Monumental United Methodist Church.

Line up at 10:45 to process. 3:30 PM Gathering Corner of Queen

and Washington Streets. 4:30 PM Step off Behind the St. Paul’s Catholic and Monumental United Methodist Churches.

PAGE 18 THISTLEDOWN FALL 2009

St. Andrew Scotland’s Patron Saint


A Taste of Whisky Enjoying the Uisege Beatha, the “Water of Life”

Various & Sundry Whisky News

THE GLENDRONACH SINGLE MALT RETURNS TO THE U.S.

by Jared Paul Stern Oct 1st 2009 After being absent from the U.S.

market for the past few years, The GlenDronach, one of Scotland's first licensed distilleries, is return-ing with its luscious line of single malts.

The Highland distillery was re-cently acquired by the independ-ently owned BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd. from Pernod Ri-card, allowing it to stay focused on producing some of the world's best Scotch without compromise.

GlenDronach was founded by the legendary James Allardice in 1826, just three years after the Excise Act was passed in 1823. Arguably one of the most un-spoiled distilleries in Scotland, they are proudly using the same

production processes today as they did in 1826. Many of the distillery's unique at-tributes of-fer a distinc-tive charac-ter that you will not find anywhere else, and they are still producing the original, richly sher-ried style of single malt

Scotch whisky associated with the distillery in its early days.

Preiss Imports will handle the U.S. distribution for this historical distillery, alongside the existing distribution for BenRiach. Initially, the 12, 15, and 18 year old (right) expressions will be available in the U.S. this fall, and a 33 year old expression will be available in early 2010.

ENGLISH WHISKY TO DEBUT IN NO-

VEMBER By Robyn Lewis Oct 23rd 2009 The first English single malt

whisky for 100 years will be re-leased at the end of November.

St George’s Distillery started dis-tilling in November 2006 but by European Law whisky must be matured in oak casks for three years before the word “whisky” can be used. The end of Novem-ber 2009 will see the end of this three-year period of waiting for parent company the English Whisky Company.

The distillery produces two differ-ent whiskies. The first to be ready will be its non-peated whisky, available in mid-December this year, and then its peated variant will be launched in summer 2010, though pre-orders are already be-ing taken. The spirit has reportedly been well-received by whisky crit-ics. A half-matured spirit (“not yet whisky”) has been selling well in more than 10 countries around the world already.

“The launch of our first whisky is extremely important to the English

Whisky Co and very exciting to the Nelstop family,” said MD Andrew Nelstop. “While the whisky being released could still be considered young, we believe it to be a very well-presented whisky and various tastings of the upcoming whisky have been encouraging.”

The English Whisky Co is the result of a lifetime ambition of its founder James Nelstop. His pro-ject was given the green light in November 2005, following which the building design was agreed and planning permission granted for a new distillery, warehousing, conference and visitor centres.

“The first distiller at St George’s was the world renowned Iain Hen-derson of Laphroaig fame,” said Nelstrop. “He got the distillery up and running and trained his suc-cessor David Fitt, who has contin-ued the tradition of quality first — regardless!”

The Nelstrop family are the sole owners of the business with no outside investors

ATTENTION Local Laphroaig

Lovers… The package store at the Norfolk

Naval Station continues to stock Laphroaig for $25 a bottle. Better stock up before they wise up!

Slainte!

Sources Luxist.com

MorningAdvertiser.com

Scottish Society of Tidewater, Inc. c/o Marcey Hunter 301 E. Randall Ave. Norfolk, VA 23503 www.tidewaterscots.org

SST Christmas Ceilidh and Silent Auction Set for Wednesday, Dec. 2

G et ready for a wee bit of Christmas cheer, Scottish style. Don’t miss the SST Christmas Ceilidh and Silent Auction on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at the Church of Ascension Community Center, 4853 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach.

This is a pot-luck supper, so please bring something tasty to share. Perhaps you can do a little early Christmas shopping at the Silent

Auction. There are always treasurers! Should you choose to donate something for the Silent Auction, please try to make it Scottish and/or Christmas in nature. Remember that proceeds of the Silent Auction go toward the Baird Scholarship Fund.

So be sure to come out, and bring your appetite and your checkbook!

sep - oct 2009 electronicbrash/sst/thistledown/... · 2009. 10. 28. · dair’s magical fiddle...

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