THE SCOTTISH BANNER SCOT POURRI Send us your inquiries on life’s little Stone Mountain Highland St. Andrew’s First Aid slow and he knew absolutely everything. I question marks. Ever wanted to know what Games in Atlanta thought a visit to Pearl Harbour-which was happened to your old pal from home, how very moving and interesting-might calm to make your favourite Scottish meal, or him down a bit, but it was not to be and on wondered about a certain bit of Scottish history? Pose your questions on Scottish our way back we had a repeat performance, related topics to our knowledgeable much to the dismay of the other passengers. readership who just may be able to help. Our Driving into Honolulu we went onto the coast letters page is a very popular and active one road , turned a corner and lo and behold and many readers have been assisted across there she was-QE2-right in front of us and the world by fellow passionate Scots. Please looking every bit a Queen. What a sight. keep letters under 200 words and we reserve Eileen and Eddie Lyon with Clan Well the man from the back seat yells the right to edit content and length. Letters, Chief, Robin Neill Lochneil Malcolm. “Wow look at that, wow!” I had great Enclosed is a photo of one of our first photos and any other items posted to the pleasure in standing up and saying “That Scottish Banner cannot be returned. We My husband and I recently made the long aid event teams prepared for a day’s is the QE2 which was proudly built in prefer letters to be emailed to your nearest haul from Sydney, Australia to attend volunteering at the Kilsyth Chelodina Clydebank, and this afternoon office or please visit our online Scotpourri the Stone Mountain Highland Games Festival. Three of our first aiders are we will be embarking on it to sail to form at www.scottishbanner.com, in Atlanta, USA as the Clan Chief of in their clan kilts adding the Scottish Auckland.” There was silence from the alternatively you may post your letters to us. MacCallum/Malcolm was the Chief of the flavour to the event. Pictured are Max Please ensure you include your full contact back seat and the only sound to be heard Gathering and had come from Scotland. Sheehy, Chief Operations Officer Marcus details, when emailing it is best to include was the tittering from the other passengers It was a wonderful Gathering in a lovely Byron and Jay Mackley. They are joined your post address for those without internet trying desperately to repress their laughter. access. This page belongs to our readers so setting with the Clan and Societies’ tents by the Chief Commissioner David What a wonderful trip that was. In please feel free to take part! Thanks to all our and entertainment stages set amongst Fleming, JP who was thrilled to see the 2001 and 2003 we did different ‘legs’ and readers from around the world who have the tall forest trees. The sight of 104 Clan Scottish variation to the uniform. enjoyed them so much too. We have been made this such a special page. and 21 Pipe Bands on the meadow for the David Alexander-Fleming, JP on a few cruises since then including the Tartan Parade was amazing. There were Chief Commissioner Queen Mary on her first voyage to Sydney so many activities going on over the two St. Andrew’s First Aid John Cairney and sailed to Dubai, but I must say I loved days it was not possible to visit them all, Australian Headquarters Hello Sean, the QE2 the best-I felt I was home. but the atmosphere was very Scottish. We enjoyed reading your Ed note: Thank you David for the great work Anne Koomen The North American MacCallum/ article about your uncle St. Andrew’s First Aid do for the community. The Patch, Victoria Malcolm Society members as well as John Cairney (the Scottish Australia others were so friendly and made us two Piper recognition Banner. January, 2018). Aussies feel very welcome - of course it is Ed note: Thanks Ann for sharing this We have been a great memory with us and you are so lucky probably the little bit of Scottish in them! I fan of your uncle since to have experienced such a fine ship. the 1960’s when we first recommend that every Aussie Scot should heard him do his concert. attend at least one of these Gatherings We had it on an old audio tape which in USA to have a great experience. FROM OUR was played so much it finally unravelled Thank you Stone Mountain SOCIAL MEDIA on us but you were kind enough to get Gathering Committee for an experience Send your photos or letters via social media it for us on a CD a few years ago. We are which will not to be forgotten. glad to say we have now added 3 different Eileen Lyon Winter in the Highlands DVD’s to our collection as well as the book MacCallum/Malcolm Society of called The Man Who Played Burns which Australia & I was given a plaque at our Lodge on was an autobiographical journey of John Maroubra, NSW December 12th for service of 20 years Cairney and was a most interesting read. Australia as a piper. I am also Care Officer, this You also had an article in the Banner Ed note: Thanks Eileen for sharing your involves reporting on the health and well- about how the Russians love the works of story and glad you had a great time at being of members and their families. Robert Burns. Back in the 1960’s we bought Stone Mountain Games and thanks also I hope to get another one a book by Ian Nimmo which was brought for stopping by our tent to say hello! in 20 years from now! A winter capture at Buachaille Etive Mòr. out by the weekly Scotsman and inside Des Ross Carolynn Wilson the back cover was a record of a Russian Serendipity & Diaspora Australia Scotland children’s choir singing A Man’s a man I found myself in Masterton New Zealand for a’ that. You also mention that Russia on November 30th 2017, after a very long The QE2 Happy Hogmanay brought out a stamp of Robert Burns absence, to record my oral history. I was which I thought you might be interested to born there, the last of six, to my mother from see as I have one in my stamp collection. Newburgh, Fife and father from Port-na- Just love reading the Scottish haven, Islay ( arr. NZ early 1900’s). By chance, Banner, keep up the good work. I picked up the November 2017 issue of The Jessie Nicol Banner from a wee newsagent in this small Queensland, Australia town on the other side of the world. Had Ed note: Thanks Jessie for your note and recently visited my son in Victoria, Australia, There were two great firework displays John is still being creative as ever with his near the town of Daylesford, prior to his major I really enjoyed reading the article regarding from Stirling Castle esplanade at 9pm art and writing in his beloved . operation for cancer of the tongue. Back the QE2 (The End of an Era, Live on TV, and 12am. What’s in a name home reading (and relishing) all the news in Scottish Banner, October, 2017) written by Happy Hogmanay! the magazine on Saturday 2nd December Thanks for writing this article in the David McVey as it brought up the memory Robert Gibb November issue. I have struggled and imagine my surprise to find on pg. 13 of my first sighting of the ship. As I lived Scotland the notice advertising the “65thDaylesford with confirming my Scottish ancestry, in Clydebank from 1960-1964, so I knew A view from the Borders because my ancestors came to America Highland Gathering”. They would be meeting quite a few people who worked at John in the 1700’s and the spelling of my last at that very same moment in Australia Brown’s shipyard. I came to live in Australia name has changed from the original. as I was reading the advertisement. My in 1964 and in the year 2000 I finally had I recently received my DNA analysis son would no doubt have been present the chance to sail on a ‘leg’ of her world from ancestry.com: 78% Great Britain, there just as I was reading about it!! tour. My husband and I flew to Hawaii a 7% Iberian Peninsula, 6% Ireland, 3% Thank you to the Scottish Banner for few days before she was due to dock there. such a wealth of information and memories Finland, 3% West Europe, 1% East On our last day in Honolulu we took a Here is an image of the Scottish Borders Europe, 1% Scandinavia, less than 1% of my Scots connections including my minibus tour to Pearl Harbour. One of the hills around my home town of the Italy/Greece - almost a perfect match to wife , married 63 years ago in Edinburgh. passengers, who had commandeered the Royal Burgh of Selkirk was taken just your article. I feel more Scottish now! Scotland Forever!! whole back row for himself, talked incessantly before the end of the year. Donald C McGlohon Peter Angus MacGillivray-aged 87 yrs. in a very loud voice all the way there. He Bryan Johnson Greenville, NC Palmerston North complained the whole way that it was too Scotland USA New Zealand hot or too cold-we were going too fast or too

Page 4 • The Scottish Banner • February 2018