Box and Fiddle
Year 39 No 04
December 2015
Price £2.70
44 Page Magazine
12 month subscription £32.40 + p&p £15.75 (UK)
Editor – Pia Walker, Cupar
B&F Treasurer – Willie Johnstone, Inverurie
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time-consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
Tis the season to be jolly!………….
Pia Walker
New Zealand’s Barefoot Fiddler
by Charlie Todd
On Sunday 10th October 2015, well-known accordionist ……………………
Happy 20th Birthday Campsie
by
Campsie celebrated their 20th Anniversary in November. Twenty years ago Duncan Black, Neil McMillan and Billy Thom provided the entertainment on the first night of the Club. Twenty years later, Duncan and Neil cut their celebratory cake which was shared at supper. Alice Clacher provided a lovely dumpling too.
The guest artist, Iain Cathcart turned up with a 5-piece band which grew into a 6-piece in the second half as Duncan joined them.
The Club thanks everyone for the last 20 years. Here’s to a few more!
Tom Hughes (1908 – 1986)
by Peter Shepheard
Tom was born into a farm-working family near St. Boswells in the Scottish Borders in 1908. The whole family were talented musicians. His grandfather Henry Hughes, father Thomas Hughes and two uncles played together in a family band, two or three fiddles, melodeon and tambourine, for the local events, country weddings, harvest home and hiring fair dances. Like his father and grandfather before him, Tom spent his working life as a ploughman on farms in the Border countryside around Jedburgh. Tom was seven years old when he was presented with his first (half size) fiddle made by his grandfather. By the time he left school in 1921, Tom was playing fiddle with his father, traveling by bicycle to play at all the important rural events in the area around Hawick and Jedburgh. Like many traditional musicians in days gone by, Tom learned his music by ear within the family circle and Tom’s style and many of his tunes were learnt from family tradition.
The first time I remember hearing Tom Hughes play the fiddle was in June 1978 at Newcastleton, that gem of a traditional music festival just three miles on the ‘right’ side of the Scottish border. Tom was still playing fiddle on a bench in the cobbled back yard of The Grapes Hotel in the village square. In different quarters of the courtyard several other sessions were going strong. At Tom’s table were a couple of other fiddlers, at times playing together, at times taking turns. I had for a long time been interested in different styles of fiddle playing and Tom’s style immediately impressed me as being distinct from the usual Scottish styles and yet at the same time both Scottish and clearly traditional. My enthusiasm led to a project to record his playing, to explore his repertoire and to gain an understanding of what it was that made his playing so different.
Many hours of recordings were made between 1978 and 1980 and some 20 tunes played by Tom along with other Border fiddlers including Wattie Robson and Bob Hobkirk were issued as an LP by Springthyme Records in 1981 and over the years a new younger generation of fiddle players has taken an interest in Tom’s old Border’s style. The extensive original archive of recordings has now been revisited and digitalized for CD, with detailed transcriptions of 60 tunes included in a new book. The collection includes well-known tunes such as Flouers O’ Edinburgh and East Neuk o’ Fife and old tunes such as Lady Mary Ramsay and Farewell to Whisky – but in distinctive variants. Tom also had many unusual tunes in his repertoire and some that are unique to his family, many hornpipes, some old waltzes and some slow airs including several that have become a classic of the Borders repertoire: Tam’s Old Love Song, Faudenside Polka and Auld Graden Kim.
Tom maintained that he played with his fingers usually on the finger board in chord shapes, lifting his fingers off when they were not needed rather than placing his fingers on the board one at a time, the fiddle cupped in the palm of his left hand, his fingers fairly flat on the finger board, his elbow against his side and the fiddle and the fiddle not always against his chin. His fiddle and bow were set up in a way that suited his style of playing with a less curved bridge facilitating the playing of double stops, ringing strings and chords, using a conventional bow, but with a low tension, held with his thumb below the frog to tension the bow in a Baroque style of the 17th century.
Through Tom’s playing we are able to gain an insight into an old, traditional, fiddle style stretching back through Tom’s family well into the 1800’s – a valuable addition to the better known traditional styles extant in Scotland.
The Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship
by Eilidh Anderson
I was asked to take part in the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship at very short notice (the week before the competition)
The Shetland Festival 2015
by
October is for many the month for a special pilgrimage………..
In Memory
Alexander Currie MacIntyre (20/09/1960 – 12/10/2015)
by Iain Anderson Snr
Ally was born in Glasgow moving to Bunessan with his family when just a few months old. He was educated at the local primary school, and then Oban High School.
It was here he developed his love of Scottish dance music showing a particular interest in thew drums. With the help of Anda Campbell’s dad initially, and a lot of hard work, he went on to become a first class drummer. It was no surprise that following an accident to Gus Millar in 1983, Ally was asked to join The Wallochmor Ceilidh Band. Over the next 10 months he made a number of trips to the mainland to play with the band, until Gus was well enough to rejoin.
Ally moved to the mainland in 1984, firstly to Glasgow, then settling down in Alexandria. He had spells with many top bands including John Renton, Colin Dewar and Allan McIntosh. He would turn up at Accordion Clubs all over the country and have a tune with whoever asked him. He always had words of encouragement for young players starting out on their musical careers with his steady style of drumming suited to many of them.
His other great love was rallying and he traveled the length and breadth of the UK attending events. He was never happier than when in his adopted home of Donegal. Such was the affection he had for the place and the people, he asked that his ashes be scattered there.
In January 2014 Ally was diagnosed with cancer. He fought bravely, however, on the 12th October 2015 passed away peacefully in St Margaret’s Hospice in Clydebank.
The turnout for Ally’s funeral showed the high regard in which he was held with people in attendance not just from Scotland, but England and Ireland also. It was a fitting send off for a genuinely nice man, and a not bad drummer.
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
The Accordion – Gordon Pattullo – Independent GPCD007
The Dark Island – Ness Accordion & Fiddle Club – Independent
DVD Reviews
The Very Best of Leonard Brown & his Band – Independent – LBDVD001
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
5th Dec 2015 – Archive Session – John Ellis & his Highland Country Band
12th Dec 2015 – Craig Paton SDB + Mairi MacInnes
19th Dec 2015 – Alan Crookston SDB
26th Dec 2015 – Stuart Cameron SDB + Special Guests – OB from Kinlochard Village Hall
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 8th Dec 2015 – Dance to Graeme Mitchell SDB
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms)
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 20th Dec 2015 – Dance to Brian Griffin
Arbroath (Artisan Golf Club) - 6th Dec 2015 – Gary Sutherland SDB
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 20th Dec 2015 – Club Night 28th Dec – Christmas Special with Graeme Mitchell SDB
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) –
Beith & District (Beith Bowling Club) – 21st Dec 2015 – Club night
Biggar (Biggar Bowling Club) – 13th Dec 2015 – Club Night
Blairgowrie (Red House Hotel) - 8th Dec 2015 – Ronnie Easton & Friends
Britannia (Arden House Hotel ) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 1st Dec 2015 – Gary Forrest C.B.
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 15th Dec 2015 – Bob Dorrance & Friends
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 17th Dec 2015 – Alan Roy
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 3rd Dec 2015 – Janet Graham Band
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) -
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 2nd Dec 2015 – Elizabeth MacKenzie Trio
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) –
Dunfermline (Civil Service Sports Assoc, Rosyth) – 8th Dec 2015 – Billy Anderson Trio
Duns (Masonic Lodge) 14th Dec 2015 – Ronnie Easton & Friends
Ellon (Station Hotel) –
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) –
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 20th Dec 2015 – Scott Band Trio
Forres (Victoria Hotel) –
Fort William (Railway Club) - 1st Dec 2015 – Iain MacMaster
Galashiels (Clovenfords Hotel) – 3rd Dec 2015 – Bob Liddle & the Blackthorn C.B.
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 17th Dec 2015 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Glenfarg (Glenfarg Village Hall) - 2nd Dec 2015 – David Vernon
Gretna (The Gables Hotel) - 6th Dec 2015 – Marian Anderson Trio
Haddington (Railway Inn) - 6th Dec 2015 – Duncan Black SDB
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 21st Dec 2015 – David Vernon
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) -
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 3rd Dec 2015 – Alan Gardiner Trio
Islesteps (Locharbriggs Social Club) – 1st Dec 2015 – Marian Anderson Trio
Kelso (Cross Rugby Club) –
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) -
Langholm (British Legion) –
Lewis & Harris (Sea Angling Club) - 3rd Dec 2015 – Local Players
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 15th Dec 2015 – James Wiseman
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 2nd Dec 2015 – Ewan Galloway SDB
Newburgh (Adbie Hall) -
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Buccleugh Bowling Club) 16th Dec 2015 – Bob Liddle & the Blackthorne C.B.
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 1st Dec 2015 – Derek & Lorraine McBain
Northern (Hilton Hotel & Country Club , Templepatrick, N.I.) -
Oban (The Royal Hotel) – 3rd Dec 2015 – Leonard Brown
Orkney (The Reel, Kirkwall) – 2nd Dec 2015 – AGM + Club Night 16th 23rd Dec – Club night
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 15th Dec 2015 – Jack Delaney SDB
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 8th Dec 2015 – Alastair MacLeod Trio
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) -
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) - 22nd Dec 2015 – Christmas Dinner + Leonard Brown
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 10th Dec 2015 – Local Night
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 10th Dec 2015 – Stuart McKeown Trio
Sutherland (Rogart Village Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 8th Dec 2015 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 3rd Dec 2015 – Garioch Blend
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) –
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) -
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn)
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 1st Dec 2015 – Jocky Campbell Dance Band
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Alnwick
2. Annan
3. Arbroath
4. Banchory
5. Banff
6. Blairgowrie
7. Button Key
8. Campsie
9. Castle Douglas
10. Coalburn
11. Dingwall
12. Dunblane
13. Dunfermline
14. Duns
15. Fintry
16. Forfar
17. Forres
18. Glendale
19. Gretna
20. Highland
21. Inveraray
22. Isle of Skye
23. Islesteps
24. Kelso
25. Livingston
26. Lockerbie
27. Mauchline
28. Montrose
29. Newburgh
30. Newtongrange
31. North East
32. Peebles
33. Renfrew
34. Rothbury
35. Seghill
36. Stonehouse
37. Turriff
38. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2014
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
9. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
10. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
11. Button Key A&F Club (
12. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
13. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
14. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
15. Coalburn A&F Club (
16. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
17. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
18. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
19. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
20. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
21. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
22. Ellon A&F Club (
23. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
24. Forfar A&F Club (
25. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
26. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
27. Glendale A&F Club (Jan 1973 – present)
28. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
29. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
30. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 – 6th December 2015)
31. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
32. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
33. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
34. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
35. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
36. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
37. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
38. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 – present)
39. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
40 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
41 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
42 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
43 Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
44 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
45. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
46. Northern A&F Club (Sept 2011 -
47. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
48. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
49. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
50. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
51. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
52. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
53. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
54 Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
55 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
56 Turriff A&F Club (1st April 1982 - present)
57 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
58 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
59 West Barnes ( - present)
60 Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
61. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
62. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Last meeting May 2010
63. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
64. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
65. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
66. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
67. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
68. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
69. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
70. Buchan A&F Club
71. Callander A&F Club (
72. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
73. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
74. Club Accord
75. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 – cFeb 2014)
76 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
77. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
78. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
79. Cults A & F Club (
80. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
81. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
82. Derwentside A&F Club
83. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
84. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
85. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
86. Dundee & District A&F Club (January 1971 – 1995?)
87. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
88. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
89. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
90. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
91. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
92. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
93. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93? – left the Assoc c2013)
94. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
95. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
96. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
97. Kintore A&F Club (
98. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
99. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
100. Lauder A&F Club (May 2010 -
101. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
102. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
103. Maine Valley A&F Club (
104. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
105. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
106. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
107. Mull A&F Club
108. Newcastleton Accordion Club
109. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded much earlier – closed April 2011 when venue closed)
110. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
111. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
112. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
113. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
114. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
115. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
116. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
117. Selkirk A&F Club (
118. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
119. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
120. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
121 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
122 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
123. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
124. Tranent A&F Club
125. Vancouver
126. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
127. Wellbank A&F Club
128. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
Advertising rates
Back Page (colour) - £300
Full Page (colour) - £220
Full Page (b&w) - £140
Half Page (colour) - £110
Half Page (b&w) - £70
Quarter Page (colour) - £55
Quarter Page (b&w) - £35
Eighth Page - £18
Small Boxed £12
B&F Treasurer – Willie Johnstone, Inverurie
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time-consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
Tis the season to be jolly!………….
Pia Walker
New Zealand’s Barefoot Fiddler
by Charlie Todd
On Sunday 10th October 2015, well-known accordionist ……………………
Happy 20th Birthday Campsie
by
Campsie celebrated their 20th Anniversary in November. Twenty years ago Duncan Black, Neil McMillan and Billy Thom provided the entertainment on the first night of the Club. Twenty years later, Duncan and Neil cut their celebratory cake which was shared at supper. Alice Clacher provided a lovely dumpling too.
The guest artist, Iain Cathcart turned up with a 5-piece band which grew into a 6-piece in the second half as Duncan joined them.
The Club thanks everyone for the last 20 years. Here’s to a few more!
Tom Hughes (1908 – 1986)
by Peter Shepheard
Tom was born into a farm-working family near St. Boswells in the Scottish Borders in 1908. The whole family were talented musicians. His grandfather Henry Hughes, father Thomas Hughes and two uncles played together in a family band, two or three fiddles, melodeon and tambourine, for the local events, country weddings, harvest home and hiring fair dances. Like his father and grandfather before him, Tom spent his working life as a ploughman on farms in the Border countryside around Jedburgh. Tom was seven years old when he was presented with his first (half size) fiddle made by his grandfather. By the time he left school in 1921, Tom was playing fiddle with his father, traveling by bicycle to play at all the important rural events in the area around Hawick and Jedburgh. Like many traditional musicians in days gone by, Tom learned his music by ear within the family circle and Tom’s style and many of his tunes were learnt from family tradition.
The first time I remember hearing Tom Hughes play the fiddle was in June 1978 at Newcastleton, that gem of a traditional music festival just three miles on the ‘right’ side of the Scottish border. Tom was still playing fiddle on a bench in the cobbled back yard of The Grapes Hotel in the village square. In different quarters of the courtyard several other sessions were going strong. At Tom’s table were a couple of other fiddlers, at times playing together, at times taking turns. I had for a long time been interested in different styles of fiddle playing and Tom’s style immediately impressed me as being distinct from the usual Scottish styles and yet at the same time both Scottish and clearly traditional. My enthusiasm led to a project to record his playing, to explore his repertoire and to gain an understanding of what it was that made his playing so different.
Many hours of recordings were made between 1978 and 1980 and some 20 tunes played by Tom along with other Border fiddlers including Wattie Robson and Bob Hobkirk were issued as an LP by Springthyme Records in 1981 and over the years a new younger generation of fiddle players has taken an interest in Tom’s old Border’s style. The extensive original archive of recordings has now been revisited and digitalized for CD, with detailed transcriptions of 60 tunes included in a new book. The collection includes well-known tunes such as Flouers O’ Edinburgh and East Neuk o’ Fife and old tunes such as Lady Mary Ramsay and Farewell to Whisky – but in distinctive variants. Tom also had many unusual tunes in his repertoire and some that are unique to his family, many hornpipes, some old waltzes and some slow airs including several that have become a classic of the Borders repertoire: Tam’s Old Love Song, Faudenside Polka and Auld Graden Kim.
Tom maintained that he played with his fingers usually on the finger board in chord shapes, lifting his fingers off when they were not needed rather than placing his fingers on the board one at a time, the fiddle cupped in the palm of his left hand, his fingers fairly flat on the finger board, his elbow against his side and the fiddle and the fiddle not always against his chin. His fiddle and bow were set up in a way that suited his style of playing with a less curved bridge facilitating the playing of double stops, ringing strings and chords, using a conventional bow, but with a low tension, held with his thumb below the frog to tension the bow in a Baroque style of the 17th century.
Through Tom’s playing we are able to gain an insight into an old, traditional, fiddle style stretching back through Tom’s family well into the 1800’s – a valuable addition to the better known traditional styles extant in Scotland.
The Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship
by Eilidh Anderson
I was asked to take part in the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship at very short notice (the week before the competition)
The Shetland Festival 2015
by
October is for many the month for a special pilgrimage………..
In Memory
Alexander Currie MacIntyre (20/09/1960 – 12/10/2015)
by Iain Anderson Snr
Ally was born in Glasgow moving to Bunessan with his family when just a few months old. He was educated at the local primary school, and then Oban High School.
It was here he developed his love of Scottish dance music showing a particular interest in thew drums. With the help of Anda Campbell’s dad initially, and a lot of hard work, he went on to become a first class drummer. It was no surprise that following an accident to Gus Millar in 1983, Ally was asked to join The Wallochmor Ceilidh Band. Over the next 10 months he made a number of trips to the mainland to play with the band, until Gus was well enough to rejoin.
Ally moved to the mainland in 1984, firstly to Glasgow, then settling down in Alexandria. He had spells with many top bands including John Renton, Colin Dewar and Allan McIntosh. He would turn up at Accordion Clubs all over the country and have a tune with whoever asked him. He always had words of encouragement for young players starting out on their musical careers with his steady style of drumming suited to many of them.
His other great love was rallying and he traveled the length and breadth of the UK attending events. He was never happier than when in his adopted home of Donegal. Such was the affection he had for the place and the people, he asked that his ashes be scattered there.
In January 2014 Ally was diagnosed with cancer. He fought bravely, however, on the 12th October 2015 passed away peacefully in St Margaret’s Hospice in Clydebank.
The turnout for Ally’s funeral showed the high regard in which he was held with people in attendance not just from Scotland, but England and Ireland also. It was a fitting send off for a genuinely nice man, and a not bad drummer.
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
The Accordion – Gordon Pattullo – Independent GPCD007
The Dark Island – Ness Accordion & Fiddle Club – Independent
DVD Reviews
The Very Best of Leonard Brown & his Band – Independent – LBDVD001
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
5th Dec 2015 – Archive Session – John Ellis & his Highland Country Band
12th Dec 2015 – Craig Paton SDB + Mairi MacInnes
19th Dec 2015 – Alan Crookston SDB
26th Dec 2015 – Stuart Cameron SDB + Special Guests – OB from Kinlochard Village Hall
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 8th Dec 2015 – Dance to Graeme Mitchell SDB
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms)
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 20th Dec 2015 – Dance to Brian Griffin
Arbroath (Artisan Golf Club) - 6th Dec 2015 – Gary Sutherland SDB
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 20th Dec 2015 – Club Night 28th Dec – Christmas Special with Graeme Mitchell SDB
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) –
Beith & District (Beith Bowling Club) – 21st Dec 2015 – Club night
Biggar (Biggar Bowling Club) – 13th Dec 2015 – Club Night
Blairgowrie (Red House Hotel) - 8th Dec 2015 – Ronnie Easton & Friends
Britannia (Arden House Hotel ) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 1st Dec 2015 – Gary Forrest C.B.
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 15th Dec 2015 – Bob Dorrance & Friends
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 17th Dec 2015 – Alan Roy
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 3rd Dec 2015 – Janet Graham Band
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) -
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 2nd Dec 2015 – Elizabeth MacKenzie Trio
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) –
Dunfermline (Civil Service Sports Assoc, Rosyth) – 8th Dec 2015 – Billy Anderson Trio
Duns (Masonic Lodge) 14th Dec 2015 – Ronnie Easton & Friends
Ellon (Station Hotel) –
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) –
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 20th Dec 2015 – Scott Band Trio
Forres (Victoria Hotel) –
Fort William (Railway Club) - 1st Dec 2015 – Iain MacMaster
Galashiels (Clovenfords Hotel) – 3rd Dec 2015 – Bob Liddle & the Blackthorn C.B.
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 17th Dec 2015 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Glenfarg (Glenfarg Village Hall) - 2nd Dec 2015 – David Vernon
Gretna (The Gables Hotel) - 6th Dec 2015 – Marian Anderson Trio
Haddington (Railway Inn) - 6th Dec 2015 – Duncan Black SDB
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 21st Dec 2015 – David Vernon
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) -
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 3rd Dec 2015 – Alan Gardiner Trio
Islesteps (Locharbriggs Social Club) – 1st Dec 2015 – Marian Anderson Trio
Kelso (Cross Rugby Club) –
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) -
Langholm (British Legion) –
Lewis & Harris (Sea Angling Club) - 3rd Dec 2015 – Local Players
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 15th Dec 2015 – James Wiseman
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 2nd Dec 2015 – Ewan Galloway SDB
Newburgh (Adbie Hall) -
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Buccleugh Bowling Club) 16th Dec 2015 – Bob Liddle & the Blackthorne C.B.
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 1st Dec 2015 – Derek & Lorraine McBain
Northern (Hilton Hotel & Country Club , Templepatrick, N.I.) -
Oban (The Royal Hotel) – 3rd Dec 2015 – Leonard Brown
Orkney (The Reel, Kirkwall) – 2nd Dec 2015 – AGM + Club Night 16th 23rd Dec – Club night
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 15th Dec 2015 – Jack Delaney SDB
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 8th Dec 2015 – Alastair MacLeod Trio
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) -
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) - 22nd Dec 2015 – Christmas Dinner + Leonard Brown
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 10th Dec 2015 – Local Night
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 10th Dec 2015 – Stuart McKeown Trio
Sutherland (Rogart Village Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 8th Dec 2015 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 3rd Dec 2015 – Garioch Blend
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) –
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) -
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn)
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 1st Dec 2015 – Jocky Campbell Dance Band
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Alnwick
2. Annan
3. Arbroath
4. Banchory
5. Banff
6. Blairgowrie
7. Button Key
8. Campsie
9. Castle Douglas
10. Coalburn
11. Dingwall
12. Dunblane
13. Dunfermline
14. Duns
15. Fintry
16. Forfar
17. Forres
18. Glendale
19. Gretna
20. Highland
21. Inveraray
22. Isle of Skye
23. Islesteps
24. Kelso
25. Livingston
26. Lockerbie
27. Mauchline
28. Montrose
29. Newburgh
30. Newtongrange
31. North East
32. Peebles
33. Renfrew
34. Rothbury
35. Seghill
36. Stonehouse
37. Turriff
38. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2014
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
9. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
10. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
11. Button Key A&F Club (
12. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
13. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
14. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
15. Coalburn A&F Club (
16. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
17. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
18. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
19. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
20. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
21. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
22. Ellon A&F Club (
23. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
24. Forfar A&F Club (
25. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
26. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
27. Glendale A&F Club (Jan 1973 – present)
28. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
29. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
30. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 – 6th December 2015)
31. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
32. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
33. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
34. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
35. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
36. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
37. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
38. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 – present)
39. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
40 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
41 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
42 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
43 Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
44 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
45. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
46. Northern A&F Club (Sept 2011 -
47. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
48. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
49. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
50. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
51. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
52. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
53. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
54 Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
55 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
56 Turriff A&F Club (1st April 1982 - present)
57 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
58 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
59 West Barnes ( - present)
60 Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
61. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
62. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Last meeting May 2010
63. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
64. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
65. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
66. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
67. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
68. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
69. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
70. Buchan A&F Club
71. Callander A&F Club (
72. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
73. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
74. Club Accord
75. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 – cFeb 2014)
76 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
77. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
78. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
79. Cults A & F Club (
80. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
81. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
82. Derwentside A&F Club
83. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
84. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
85. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
86. Dundee & District A&F Club (January 1971 – 1995?)
87. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
88. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
89. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
90. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
91. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
92. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
93. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93? – left the Assoc c2013)
94. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
95. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
96. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
97. Kintore A&F Club (
98. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
99. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
100. Lauder A&F Club (May 2010 -
101. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
102. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
103. Maine Valley A&F Club (
104. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
105. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
106. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
107. Mull A&F Club
108. Newcastleton Accordion Club
109. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded much earlier – closed April 2011 when venue closed)
110. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
111. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
112. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
113. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
114. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
115. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
116. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
117. Selkirk A&F Club (
118. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
119. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
120. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
121 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
122 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
123. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
124. Tranent A&F Club
125. Vancouver
126. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
127. Wellbank A&F Club
128. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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