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Scottish Trivia Bagpipes: Scotland does
not claim to have invented the bagpipes, but it does claim to have developed
them into an art. Roman legions once marched to the pipes, and even the Indian
snake-charmer today uses a pipe which, although it has no bag, is basically the
same as the Highland one. Most countries in the world have tried their hand at
the bagpipes (even England, where there was a pipe band at court in 1327), but
only in Scotland have they survived long enough to become a great musical
instrument. Bagpipes in Scotland. In a broad sense, there are two main forms of
pipe music, called in Gaelic ceol mor and ceol beag, literally big music and
little music. Ceol mor, often described as piobaireachd, is the classical form
of pipe music and is a highly sophisticated kind of early post-medieval art
music with its own tonal system, its own intricate metrical forms and its own
characteristically heroic style. It is a type of art form unique to Scotland
and completely uninfluenced by the European music of the last three of four
hundred years. There are over 300 compositions in the ceol mor style, most of
which were written between the 16th and 18th centuries - a time which saw the
flowering of the Highland culture in Scotland. The best-known composers of ceol
mor were the MacCrimmons of Skye, who were the hereditary pipers for some 300
years in unbroken succession to the Clan MacLeod. There were the MacArthurs
(pipers to Clan Donald), the Rankines (pipers to the Macleans of Duart), the
MacKays (pipers to the MacKenzies of Gairloch), and other hereditary pipers,
many of whom studied with the MacCrimmons at their College of Piping at
Boreraig. By contrast to the classical music, there is the light form of pipe
music - ceol beag - which is comprised of marches, strathspeys, reels, jigs,
and hornpipes. This is a fitting test for the finest of pipers and demands not
only a finely tuned instrument but the utmost concentration of memory. Bagpipes-(noun)-I understand the inventor of the bagpipes was inspired when he saw a man carrying an indignant, asthmatic pig under his arm. Unfortunately, the man-made object never equalled the purity of sound achieved by the pig. -Alfred Hitchcock What event inspired the English to widely install public lavatories in Victorian London? The success of public lavatories used at the Great Exhibition, held at Hyde Park in 1851, led to the widespread installation of public toilets in London. For some truly unruly rugby, try the Ba' in Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, which has been held on Christmas Day and New Year's Day for centuries. It consists of two teams and some 400 alcohol-fuelled players, who turn the entire town into a giant rugby pitch for the day. The game starts at the cathedral and the harbour is one of the goals. Up in the Shetland Islands the Up Helly Aa festival, that celebrates the islands Viking heritage by burning a boat they've spent all year building in a dazzling spectacle."World Conker Championships" in tiny Ashton near Peterborough are worth a visit. They are not only fun for children but a hilarious example of weird English culture & everybody can join in if they register early on www.worldconkerchampionships.com About hogmanay in
Scotland Hogmanay and New Year in Scotland is immortalised, needs little
introduction to most, and there is simply no better way to experience it than
to indulge yourselves in one of the great selection of Scottish New Year breaks
and hotel deals on the site. Whether you decide to join in one of the great
street parties, notably the Edinburgh and Glasgow Hogmanay celebrations, or
want to escape to a traditional Scottish highlands Hogmanay retreat –
there’s something for everyone. Hogmanay is a more important festival in
Scotland than Christmas . Perhaps because at one stage in its history, the
celebration of Christmas was banned in Scotland, the Scots have always made New
Year's Eve something special. The traditions associated with this pagan
mid-winter festival are repeated not just in Edinburgh, the capital city, but
in towns and villages throughout the country. Great events, festivals and
celebrations take place every year in Pitlochry, Dundee, Aberdeen Stirling,
Inverness and Perth – to name but just a few. An integral part of the
traditional Hogmanay partying, which still continues very much today, is to
welcome friends and strangers alike, with warm hospitality - and of course a
kiss - to wish everyone a ‘Guid New Year’. The underlying belief is
to clear out the vestiges of the old year, have a clean break and welcome in a
young, New Year on a happy note! The origin of the word is somewhat
‘cloudy’! "It is ordinary among some Plebians in the South of
Scotland, to go about from door to door upon New Year`s Eve, crying
Hagmane." Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 1693. Opinions differ as to
whether it originated from the Gaelic oge maidne ("new morning"),
Anglo-Saxon Haleg Monath ("Holy Month"), or Norman French word
hoguinané, which was derived from the Old French anguillanneuf
("gift at New Year"). It's also been suggested that it came from the
French au gui mener ("lead to the mistletoe") or a Flemish combo hoog
("high" or "great"), min ("love" or
"affection") and dag ("day"). The Thistle Legend But why is it that such a proud people as the Scots should choose a humble weed as its national symbol? In truth, no-one knows. There is a legend which relates how a sleeping party of Scots warriors were almost set upon by an invading band of Vikings and were only saved when one of the attackers trod on a wild thistle with his bare feet. His cries raised the alarm and the roused Scots duly defeated the Danes. In gratitude, the plant became known as the Guardian Thistle and was adopted as the symbol of Scotland. The Saltire Flag of Scotland The Scottish national flag is a white-on-blue saltire (i.e. a diagonal cross on a coloured background) and it derives from the shape of the cross on which Scotland's patron saint, St Andrew, was crucified. St Andrew St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, a task he shares with Greece, Russia and Romania. The brother of St Peter and one of the original Apostles, Andrew was reputedly martyred at Patras in Greece, having petitioned the Roman authorities who had sentenced him to death not to crucify him on the same shape of cross as Christ. His request was granted and Andrew was duly crucified on the x-shaped cross (or saltire) which has subsequently become his symbol. St Andrew and Scotland His association with Scotland traditionally stems from either of two legendary sources. Relics of the saint were reputedly brought from Patras to Kinrymont in Fife in the 4th century by St Regulus, following his shipwrecking off the east coast. The church at Kinrymont subsequently became the cathedral of St Andrews and developed into a major centre of medieval pilgrimage. Another version relates that in the 9th century, the Pictish king, Angus mac Fergus adopted St Andrew as patron following the appearance of a saltire in the sky immediately before his victory at Athelstaneford. Blogs on: Antiques Art - Potteries and more Books Literature Family Travel Film Food and Drink Games Gardens History Holidays in Ireland and Britain Ireland Travel Irish and British Trivia Music Religion Romance Science Scotland Travel Shopping in Ireland and Britain Sports Television Train Travel Travel in England Travel in Wales www.Scotlandtravelexpert.com |
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