No plans for this weekend? Don’t worry, we will help you out with that!
TradFest Edinburgh • Dùn Èideann - 6, 7 & 8 May
A festival inspired by the traditional arts and culture of Scotland. Expect music, song, story, dance and craft to coincide with the seasonal rites of Beltane and May Day given a contemporary spin.
This year, the Folk Film Gathering’s programme focuses on a central theme of animals: sheep, goats, horses, cows, lions, whales and herring, and the stories that bind them to communities. From Bradford to Sardinia, 2016’s Gathering continues to explore the myriad ways world cinema has engaged with folk culture - as living tradition, as people’s history, and as, working class culture and experience.
Picture Martin Robertson via Flickr Creative Commons
Where fire and an ancient Gaelic ritual meet.
The modern Beltane Fire Festival is inspired by the ancient Gaelic festival of Beltane which traditionally began on the evening before the 1st May and marked the beginning of summer. The modern festival was created in 1988 by a small group of enthusiasts.
Une photo publiée par Beltane Fire Society (@beltanefiresociety) le
In ancient Gaelic times, Beltane marked the beginning of the summer season, when livestock were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were held at that time to protect them from harm, both natural and supernatural, and this mainly involved the “symbolic use of fire”.
Une photo publiée par Beltane Fire Society (@beltanefiresociety) le
In the modern era, the festival takes place on Calton Hill. It involves a procession, which starts at the National Monument (known to Beltaners as the Acropolis) and proceeds anti-clockwise around the path meeting various groups along the way. The procession is driven by the beat of drums which urge it inexorably towards summer. At the procession’s head is the May Queen and the Green Man, followed by a cavalcade of characters who are intrinsically linked to them and their journey.
When people think of Scotland, castles are usually one of the first things that spring to mind. It’s no surprise when over 3000 castles have been built in this country over the centuries. Two of the most impressive and renowned are Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle which are both based in central Scotland and easy to reach by car, bus or train. If you’re thinking of visiting, here are a couple of wee guides on what to expect…
Stirling Castle
Stirling castle is one of the largest and most famous castles in Scotland. It is located in the town of Stirling which is about a 1-hour drive from Edinburgh. The castle itself is located on the top of an extinct volcano, and is surrounded on three sides by cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position. Because of this and its strategic position it became a key military location during the 13th and 14th Wars of Independence. However, Stirling Castle is not only known for its military importance - several Scottish Kings and Queens were crowned here, including Mary, Queen of Scots in 1542.
In the long life of the castle, many changes have been made and other buildings have been built in and around it. The biggest reform was probably in the 16thcentury, when the Royal Palace was built inside the castle itself. It was designed during the reign of James V, to show the world his wealth, education and sophistication, as well as his right to rule. It is considered one of the finest and best preserved pieces of Renaissance buildings in Scotland.
Today the castle and the palace have been transformed into museums. Here, you can take a look at how the Scottish kings and queens lived and admire the building and its Renaissance furniture. The defences of the castle are also worth seeing. And if you’re travelling with kids, you don’t have to worry about them being bored : there are many activities for children so that they will certainly have fun while learning.
For people who don’t have much interest in visiting a castle and just prefer to have great views of the landscape, Stirling Castle also has plenty to offer. There is a walk around the old town walls which takes about 1 to 1.5 hours, from which you can see the whole town of Stirling, Ben Lomond (one of Scotland’s most emblematic mountains) and many others.
In any case, because of its history, the building, the art inside the building and the activities for the children, etc. I fully recommend a visit to Stirling Castle!
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh has been at the heart of Scotland for over 1000 years. During the Medieval era it was an important royal residence, and the city has grown around it ever since.
The history of the castle’s building is complicated, since it has undergone some major alternations - new buildings have been built throughout the centuries and also the many sieges it has been under have caused deterioration. The first building was built in the 12th century and, from the original buildings inside the castle, the only one left is St Margaret’s Chapel. During the First and Second Wars of Scottish Independence (between 1296 and 1341), the castle changed from Scottish to English hands and back from English to Scottish several times. This was because of its strategic position - to rule over Scotland you needed to rule over Edinburgh, and thus, you needed to control the castle. After this period the castle was in need of repairs, and most of them were made during the reign of David II, so David’s Tower was erected in the castle. Sadly this tower was destroyed in 1573 during what is today known as the “long” siege, which lasted for over two years. This time it was attacked by English forces who wanted to capture Mary Queen of Scots.
The castle under siege several more times, but the last time was in 1745, during the Jacobite Risings, when the Scots attempted to take the castle. However, although the city was captured, they couldn’t take the castle, so they were forced to retreat. In the 18th century it was used to keep military prisoners from the many British wars, but after a massive break out in 1914, it was transformed into a museum.
Today it is still used as a museum and it’s a world famous icon for Scotland, having been recently voted the top UK Heritage Attraction in the British Travel Awards. The castle is also home to the crown jewels of Scotland, the One O’ Clock Gun (which was originally used to tell the time when not many people had clocks. It’s is still used today although we’re fairly certain most people have their own timepieces these days!). Inside the castle there is also the National War Museum of Scotland, where you can learn about the military history of Scotland. The Scottish National War Memorial, which was built after the First World War, is also there - books inside the building list the names of all the Scottish soldiers who died in service.
If you are planning a trip to Edinburgh, a visit to this castle is a must!
It only comes once every four years but the 29th of February is here today! In the UK, it was traditionally the only day of the year that a woman could propose to a man (although times have definitely changed now!).
Here are some other traditions and superstitions from around the world:
1. In Denmark, if a man refuses a woman’s proposal on the 29th February, he has to give her 12 pairs of gloves and in Finland, they have to buy her fabric for a skirt.
2. In Greece it’s unlucky for couples to marry during a leap year, especially on the 29th February!
3. Italians are also not fond of Leap Years with one saying being, “anno bisesto, anno funesto” or “leap year, gloomy year”
4. Russians believe leap years are associated with strange weather and a higher risk of death!
5. In Taiwan, it is thought that parents are more likely to die during a leap year. During this time, a married daughter ought to return home in February and bring pig trotter noodles to her parents to encourage good health and fortune.
6. And here in Scotland, a leap year is also supposed to be a bad year for livestock. The saying goes “Leap year was ne’er a good sheep year”
Do you have any Leap Year traditions from your country? Let us know!
St. Andrew’s Day (or in Scottish Gaelic, ‘Là Naomh Anndrais’) is a bank holiday in Scotland, marking the country’s patron saint. It’s the feast day of Saint Andrew and is celebrated on the 30th November each year. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and St. Andrew’s Day is Scotland’s official national day.
Although most commonly associated with Scotland, Saint Andrew is also the patron saint of Greece, Romania and Russia. In Germany, the feast day is celebrated as Andreasnacht (“St. Andrew’s Night“), in Austria with the custom of Andreasgebet (“St. Andrew’s Prayer“), and in Poland as Andrzejki (“Andrews”).
For St. Andrew’s Day you’ll certainly see the national flag everywhere. However, do you know the origin of the Scottish flag? According to legend, in 832 A.D. King Óengus II (or King Angus) led the Picts and Scots in battle against the Angles, King Angus and his men were surrounded and he prayed for deliverance. During the night Saint Andrew, who was martyred on a saltire cross, appeared to Angus and assured him of victory. On the following morning, a white saltire against the background of a blue sky appeared to both sides. The Picts and Scots were heartened by this, but the Angles lost confidence and were defeated. This saltire design has been the Scottish flag ever since.
St Andrew’s Day, the perfect excuse to try all the traditional Scottish meals!
If you want to celebrate this St Andrew’s Day with a traditional dinner using some of the finest seasonal ingredients from Scotland’s natural larder. Scotland.org made a great selection of the best meals you can cook for St Andrews’Day. Check out the selection to recreate delicious recipes from well-known Scottish chefs for your friends and family and enjoy a St Andrew’s Night In.
Don’t miss The Virgin Money Street of Light tonight!
It will give you the opportunity to enjoy a major, new free event for the Edinburgh’s Christmas season with an architectural installation of over 60,000 lights stretching along the historic Royal Mile, from City Chambers to the Tron Kirk, set to music from Edinburgh choirs.
Tickets are free of charge but must be reserved and will be available online from virginmoneystreetoflight.com.
Alongside tartan, the thistle is perhaps the most identifiable symbol of all things Scottish. The thistle was adopted as the Emblem of Scotland during the rein of Alexander III (1249 - 1286). Legend has it that an Army of King Haakon of Norway, intent on conquering the Scots, landed at the Coast of Largs at night to surprise the sleeping Scottish Clansmen. In order to move more stealthily under the cover of darkness, the Norsemen removed their footewear.
But something else was hiding under the cover of darkness. One of Haakon’s men unfortunately stood on one of these spiny little defenders and shrieked out in pain, alerting the Clansmen of the advancing Norsemen. Needless to say, the Scots won the day.
Sadly, there is no historical evidence to back up the tale and, in fact, there’s even confusion as to the type of thistle that we see represented everywhere. There are many species of thistle and the spear thistle, stemless thistle, cotton thistle, Our Lady’s thistle, musk thistle and melancholy thistle have all been suggested as possible candidates.
Whatever its origins, the thistle has been an important Scottish symbol for more than 500 years. Perhaps its first recognisable use was on silver coins issued in 1470 during the reign of James III and from the early 16th century, it was incorporated into the Royal Arms of Scotland. Scotland’s premier Order of Chivalry, established in 1687, is The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle and its members wear a collar chain whose links are made of golden thistles. The Knights and Ladies of the Thistle also wear a breast star which bears the thistle emblem and a motto which is regularly associated with it, Nemo Me Impune Lacessit - ‘no-one provokes me with impunity’.
