Homecoming Scotland 2009
Encyclopedia
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The campaign, organised by EventScotland and VisitScotland
VisitScotland
VisitScotland is Scotland's national tourism agency. It is a public body, with offices in Edinburgh, Inverness, London as well as other parts of Scotland...
on behalf of the Scottish Government, and part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund
European Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund is a fund allocated by the European Union.-History:During the 1960s, the European Commission occasionally tried to establish a regional fund. Only Italy ever supported this, however, and nothing came of it. Britain made it an issue for their accession in...
, claimed that "for every single Scot in their native land, there are thought to be at least five more overseas who can claim Scottish ancestry."
2009 was the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
, the national poet. In addition to Burns-related events, the other four themes of the Homecoming were Scotland's culture and heritage, great Scottish minds and innovations, and golf and whisky.
Calendar of Events
On 16 June 2008 Scotland's First MinisterFirst Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
, Alex Salmond MSP MP
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
, officially launched Homecoming Scotland 2009 at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
. The Homecoming started on 25 January 2009 (Burns night) and ran until 30 November 2009 (St Andrews Day).
On 24 July 2009 a Clan Convention, composed of the clan chiefs, clan commanders and leading clan representatives of Scottish clan
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
s, met to discuss the "Role of the Clan in the 21st century". The Clan Convention took place within the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
.
The centrepiece event of the year was The Gathering 2009
The Gathering 2009
The Gathering 2009 was a two-day weekend event, celebrating Scottish culture, held between 25–26 July 2009, as part of Homecoming 2009. The event was held at Holyrood Park, Scotland, and attracted around 47,000 people from all over the world. Over 125 Scottish clans were represented in what...
, on 25 and 26 July, centred on Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park is a royal park in central Edinburgh, Scotland about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. It has an array of hills, lochs, glens, ridges, basalt cliffs, and patches of whin providing a remarkably wild piece of highland landscape within its area...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. The clan gathering included highland games
Highland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
over the two days, a parade up the Royal Mile
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
and a 'clan pageant' on the castle esplanade.
Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, the Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay was a title of the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707, of the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and now of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland....
, is to be Patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of The Gathering 2009.
There was a long list of homecoming events, including several well-established events, e.g. (in date order):
- Celtic ConnectionsCeltic ConnectionsThe Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of traditional Scottish music and also features international...
- Burns Night
- Jack Vettriano loans painting to Kirkcaldy Museum, Fife for Homecoming 2009
- Aye Write!Aye Write!Aye Write is a book festival which takes place in Glasgow in late February or early March. As of 2007 it is an annual fixture.-History:The first Aye Write festival was in 2005...
- Glasgow International Comedy FestivalGlasgow International Comedy FestivalGlasgow International Comedy Festival is a comedy festival in Glasgow, Scotland.The comedy festival started in 2002 and is held annually in March....
- Etape Caledonia
- Edinburgh International Science FestivalEdinburgh International Science FestivalThe Edinburgh International Science Festival is a science festival which takes place each April in Edinburgh, Scotland. The festival features hundreds of talks, tours and exhibitions for children, families and adults in locations around the city...
- Cape Wrath Challenge
- Heineken Cup Final2009 Heineken Cup FinalThe 2009 Heineken Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Heineken Cup, the 14th season of Europe's top club rugby union competition. The match was played on 23 May 2009 at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh; this was the second time that the Heineken Cup final had been held at Murrayfield after...
- Edinburgh SevensEdinburgh SevensThe Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens, also known as the Edinburgh 7s and Scotland Sevens, is a rugby union sevens tournament, part of the IRB Sevens World Series, held at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Scotland. It will have the honour of being the last event in each season's IRB Sevens...
- Return to the Ridings
- Royal Highland ShowRoyal Highland ShowThe Royal Highland Show is Scotland's annual farming and countryside showcase.It is held annually at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston over the second-last weekend in June , the event attracts over 1,000 exhibitors, 4,500 head of livestock, and an annual 200,000 visitors - making it Scotland's...
- Homecoming Live
- Edinburgh International Film FestivalEdinburgh International Film FestivalThe Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
- World Fly Fishing Championships
- Open Championship2009 Open ChampionshipThe 2009 Open Championship was the 138th Open Championship, one of the four major golf championships, and was played from 16–19 July at the Turnberry Resort, in Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the fourth time The Open Championship had been played at Turnberry...
, Turnberry - Inverness Highland GamesInverness Highland GamesThe Inverness Highland Games , is a Highland games event in the city of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. The modern Games at Inverness have their origin in 1821...
- Wickerman FestivalWickerman FestivalThe Wickerman Festival is an annual music festival held near to Dundrennan in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Dubbed 'Scotland's Alternative Music festival', the festival will celebrate its 10th Birthday in 2011 on Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd July....
- Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival
- Johnnie Walker Championship, GleneaglesGleneagles HotelThe Gleneagles Hotel is a luxury hotel near Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland.- History :The hotel was built by the former Caledonian Railway Company and opened in 1924, originally with its own railway station...
- Edinburgh International FestivalEdinburgh International FestivalThe Edinburgh International Festival is a festival of performing arts that takes place in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, over three weeks from around the middle of August. By invitation from the Festival Director, the International Festival brings top class performers of music , theatre, opera...
- Edinburgh Military TattooEdinburgh Military TattooThe Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual series of Military tattoos performed by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth and International military bands and display teams in the Scottish capital Edinburgh...
- World Pipe Band ChampionshipsWorld Pipe Band ChampionshipsThe World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition currently held in Glasgow, Scotland every August. The event has been operating regularly since 1930, when the Scottish Pipe Band Association was formed...
- Piping Live! - Glasgow International Piping Festival
- Cowal Gathering
- Doors Open Days
- Wigtown Book Festival
- Loch Ness MarathonLoch Ness MarathonThe Loch Ness Marathon is an annual marathon race in Scotland, held along the famous loch, Loch Ness, ending in Inverness. The event is part of the Festival of Running, held annually at the beginning of October. This also includes a 10K race and a 5K fun run, and attracts over 8,000 participants...
- Royal National ModRoyal National ModThe Royal National Mod is the annual national mod, a festival of Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture.The Mod is run by An Comunn Gàidhealach , and includes competitions and awards.-History:...
- Scots Trad Music AwardsScots Trad Music AwardsThe Scots Trad Music Awards celebrate Scotland's traditional music in all its forms and create a high profile opportunity to bring the music and music industry into the spotlight of media and public attention.-2010:...
Scottish Cup Sponsorship
In October 2008, it was announced that the Scottish CupScottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
would be re-branded as The Homecoming Scottish Cup for the 2008/09 competition. Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
-based businessman Willie Haughey
Willie Haughey
William Haughey OBE is a Scottish businessman, philanthropist and chairman of City Refrigeration Holdings. He formerly served as a non-executive director for Celtic F.C., and in 1997 signed a deal with Asda to maintain refrigeration equipment in stores throughout the United Kingdom...
signed a two-year sponsorship deal for the cup, handing the branding rights over to the Scottish Government. A new name was applied to the 2009/10 competition.
See also
- 2009 in Scotland2009 in ScotlandEvents in 2009 in Scotland-Incumbents:*Monarch - Queen Elizabeth II *First Minister and Keeper of the Great Seal - Alex Salmond - Events :...
- DiasporaDiasporaA diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
- Golf in ScotlandGolf in ScotlandGolf in Scotland was first recorded in the 15th century, and the modern game of golf was first developed and established in the country. The game plays a key role in the national sporting consciousness....
- HomecomingHomecomingHomecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
- Scotch whiskyScotch whiskyScotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
- Scottish clanScottish clanScottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
- Scottish peopleScottish peopleThe Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
- Tourism in ScotlandTourism in ScotlandScotland is a well-developed tourist destination, with tourism generally being responsible for sustaining 200,000 jobs mainly in the service sector, with tourist spending averaging at £4bn per year. Tourists from the United Kingdom make up the bulk of visitors to Scotland...
- The Gathering 2009The Gathering 2009The Gathering 2009 was a two-day weekend event, celebrating Scottish culture, held between 25–26 July 2009, as part of Homecoming 2009. The event was held at Holyrood Park, Scotland, and attracted around 47,000 people from all over the world. Over 125 Scottish clans were represented in what...