Seminar and concert to mark Scotland’s day

Nov 17 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

ST Andrew's Day has for many years been a major day of celebration on the calendar of the ex-patriot Scot but, to a large extent, Scotland itself has not made a similar show in celebrating its patron saint.

There have been occasional cries for a Scottish public holiday on November 30 but, in truth, St Andrew's Day has never achieved national importance on the same level as the January celebrations of Robert Burns.

Over the past six years, on the Saturday nearest to St Andrew's Day, Perth Burns Club has taken the initiative to encourage people to take an in-depth look at Scotland by holding a Day of Scottish Life and Culture.

This year's event will be held in The Soutar Theatre at the AK Bell Library, York Place, Perth on Saturday, November 28.

The seminar is being opened at 1pm with an address by MSP Mike Russell, Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, and he will be followed by an exciting line-up of notable writers, each giving a 40-minute lecture.

Those booked to appear are: Harry Reid, Edinburgh (former editor of The Herald) on The Legacy of The Reformation; Jess Smith, Crieff, on Scotland's Travelling People; Kenneth Steven, Dunkeld, on “The Poetry of Perthshire; Angus Whitson, Edzell (The Man with Two Dogs) on Tales of the Scottish Countryside.

Tea and coffee will served during the

afternoon.

The afternoon programme will be followed at 7.30pm by a traditional

Scottish concert featuring Joe Aitken, Lauri Malloch, George MacDiarmid and John Napier's fiddle group.

Perth Burns Club secretary Donald Paton said: “St Andrew"s Day should be a time for Scots to take a closer look at their country and at themselves and we feel that this event is an ideal opportunity for people to come along and hear about various aspects of Scotland and its heritage.

“We are delighted to have such an exciting array of leading personalities taking part and we hope that there will be a full attendance to hear them and also to ask questions.

“As a federated Burns Club, our remit is to promote an interest in all Scottish literature and culture and we feel that this celebration of St Andrew's Day goes a long way towards achieving these objectives.”

Tickets, costing £6 for the afternoon seminar and £6 for the evening concert, are now available from The Concorde Music Shop, Scott Street, Perth, and from Elliott Boyle (tel. 01738 643963.)

Tickets will also be available at the door, subject to availability.