News from Isle of Jura for Nov/Dec 04

Air/sea rescue

At the end of October, a large motor yacht ran aground on Eilean Nan Gabhar (Goat Island) in Small Isles Bay. The Islay lifeboat was called to the scene and one crewman was successfully rescued from the island. Unfortunately, while attempting to rescue the second crewman, the lifeboat’s Y-class inflatable boat also ran aground. A Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter was called which airlifted the remaining crewman and the lifeboat men to safety. There were no injuries and the Y-boat was recovered intact, although the yacht itself was destroyed to matchwood.

Isle of Jura 365 update

All the images from the Jura 365 project (see newsletter 1) are now able to be viewed online at www.theisleofjura.co.uk There are several images from around the Crackaig area, where your own Laird of Jura estate is situated.

Isle of Jura Bus fishing competition

There are several fly fishing competitions held on the Isle of Jura throughout the season, predominantly for brown trout. The final competition at Inver, however, gives the anglers the chance of a salmon or sea trout. Held in its customary high winds and blustery showers, this year was no exception with the winning angler, Alec “the bus” himself, landing a fine salmon of almost 6.5 pounds and 5 sea trout over 1 lb. Visiting anglers are welcome to take part in any of the competitions which are held between May and October.

Jura needs a doctor! Can you help?

It’s now a year since Jura’s resident GP retired and the island is still looking for a new doctor. If you know of anyone who may be interested (or are interested yourself) please call the surgery on 01496 820218.

The Isle of Jura gathering

Every November, the annual Jura gathering is held in Glasgow. This is organised by the Glasgow Jura Association and is a chance for Jura expats, residents and anyone with a Jura connection to get together for a good old fashioned ceilidh and dance. Maybe we’ll see some of you Lairds and Ladies there next year? (11th November 2005). All that’s left is for me to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy 2005. Next month I will report on Jura at Christmas and New Year and will hopefully have some new photos of the Laird of Jura Estate.(As long as the weather cooperates!)

 

Slainte David

"Every line of strength in American history is a line coloured with Scottish blood."
 President Woodrow Wilson praising the contribution of the Scottish Nation to the history of the USA

Why have countries set aside a special day called "Tartan Day"?

The effect of Scots moving the new emerging countries such as Canada and USA clearly effected almost every part of its culture and growth. It could even be said that the Scottish immigrants — many who still wore the tartan kilt in the new world — had a greater effect on the development of these new world countries than any other immigrant group from anywhere in the world.

Lets consider the effect of
Scots on the USA.

• Anyone looking at the map of North Carolina will find that there are 130 towns or places beginning with either "Mac" or "Mc".

• Nearly half of the Secretaries of the US Treasury and one third of the the Secretaries of State of United States have been of Scots origin.

• Nine of the thirteen Governors of the newly created United States were Scots or of Scottish descent.

• Of the fifty six signatories of the Declaration of Independence nine were directly or indirectly descended from Scots.

• At least eleven Presidents of the USA have had Scots ancestry

Our Laird of Jura book lists even more achievements but we lack space here to repeat them all.

Some people think of the Tartan Day as being a day to remember! A day to celebrate! Scotsmen and women left their native country to travel to faraway places around the world including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. However as Scots they brought with them elements of their culture not just the tartan kilt and bagpipes but their skills their tenacity and hard work.

National Tartan Day on April 6th is about celebrating their achievements.

There are nearly as many descendants of Scots living in Canada as there are people living in Scotland; almost 5 million. In the US there are more than 12 million people of Scottish descent. 

Many Scottish groups and societies campaigned for recognition of their importance in the development of their country. Central to their campaign was the recognition of the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath (1320) as their national date to celebrate their Scottish roots.

A small part of that Declaration of Arbroath, states "For so long as one hundred men remain alive, we shall never under any conditions submit to the domination of the English. It is not for glory or riches or honours that we fight, but only for liberty, which no good man will consent to lose but with his life."

Canada was the first to recognise April 6th as the special Tartan Day.

America followed suit on March 20th 1998, when Senate Resolution 155 (S.Res. 155), proposed by US Senate Republican majority leader Trent Lott, was passed unanimously.

The full resolution as passed in the US Senate, with its preamble, is as follows:

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S. Res. 155
Whereas April 6 has a special significance for all Americans, and especially those Americans of Scottish descent, because the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish Declaration of Independence, was signed on April 6, 1320 and the American Declaration of Independence was modelled on that inspirational document;

Whereas this resolution honors the major role that Scottish Americans played in the founding of this Nation, such as the fact that almost half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent, the Governors in 9 of the original 13 States were of Scottish ancestry, Scottish Americans successfully helped shape this country in its formative years and guide this Nation through its most troubled times;

Whereas this resolution recognizes the monumental achievements and invaluable contributions made by Scottish Americans that have led to America’s preeminence in the fields of science, technology, medicine, government, politics, economics, architecture, literature, media, and visual and performing arts;

Whereas this resolution commends the more than 200 organizations throughout the United States that honor Scottish heritage, tradition, and culture, representing the hundreds of thousands of Americans of Scottish descent, residing in every State, who already have made the observance of Tartan Day on April 6 a success;

Whereas these numerous individuals, clans, societies, clubs, and fraternal organizations do not let the great contributions of the Scottish people go unnoticed:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate designates April 6 of each year as "National Tartan Day."

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Scotland has tried to establish a similar celebration Tartan Day over the last couple of years but it has yet to take off in any major way.   Arbroath of course taking the lead followed by other large towns.

The third largest city in Scotland Aberdeen has just just decided to launch its own Tartan day celebration but going against the international consensus of going for April 6th — the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath — but choosing a day in August.  WHY?

See our pages on the Tartan and The Kilt here

Scottish humour (or humor if you are from the USA) is said to a very dry humour and often seen as putting down our nation and our own people.

For example one of the most common jokes in Scottish humour is about the meanness or frugality of Scots people. For example we still love to joke that we are tight fisted.

Advert in local newspaper.  For Sale Used Gravestone ideal for family named McDonald.

After a rather poor collection was gathered in, the church minister prayed, "We thank you , dear Lord, that the collection plate has been returned safely"

In reality research figures over many years have consistently shown that per head of population we give far more to charity than our English counterparts.

Many of us — including myself — love to hear the bagpipes when they are played well but with our Scottish humor we can joke about the sound they make to untrained ears that have no taste.

Wee Sandy had just moved to London.  Visited by a friend from Scotland he was asked how he was doing.

"Weel",he said, "its jist grand, apart from the English Neighbours. The lot next door scream and shout and doonstairs is forever knocking up wi a broom".

"For goodness sake, Sandy, How do you stand all this commotion?"asked his friend.

"Och,ah jist keep quietly practicing on ma pipes!"

A lot of Scottish humour includes jokes about our national drink (Scotch Whisky) often with a well deserved put down for other drinks that pretend to be our whisky.

For example three CEO’s of large whisky companies went into a hotel bar.

"Okay barman ", said the first one, "give me a Japanese Whisky, the finest whisky in the world." The Barman gives him his drink.

"Right barman," said the second CEO, Give me a large American Whiskey, the finest whisky in the world."  The Barman gives him his drink.

"Right barman," said the Scottish CEO. "Give me a coke"

The other two Whisky CEOs were astonished and asked " Why aren’t you drinking Scotch whisky?"

"Well", said the Scot, " I reckoned if you guys aren’t drinking whisky, neither would I"

 

We also love to to use our particular brand of Scottish humor to have a go at our politicians.

99.9% of Scots are decent, hardworking, law abiding and and honest citizens.  But we still have to learn to accept the blame for electing the other 0.1% to govern us.

But maybe more than anything the Scottish Humor tends to love to have a joke about our English neighbours south of the border.

When God created Scotland, He looked down on it with great satisfaction. Finally He called the Archangel Gabriel to have a look.

“Just see,” said God. “This is the best yet. Splendid mountains, beautiful scenery, brave men, the very finest of all women, nice cool weather. And I’ve given them beautiful music and a special drink called whisky. Try some.”

Gabriel took an appreciative sip.

“Excellent,” he said. “But haven’t you perhaps been too kind to them? Won’t they be spoiled by all these things? Should there not be some drawback?”

“Just wait till you see the neighbours they’re getting,” said God.

We will be adding large numbers of pages of Scottish humor jokes to this website over the next few months. Come back and see them regularly.

Alternatively contribute your own Scottish Humour to our pages below