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This year’s
standard-bearer was Sammy Keith raising the flag |
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| Chairman Andrew Sutherland welcomes
everyone to the Games, especially the overseas visitors and
those who returned to the ’Dale year after year to give
their support. It was good to see so many familiar faces, he
said. Andy extended a special welcome to all the holidaymakers
present. The Helmsdale Gathering is, after all, known as the
“friendly games”. He went on to thank all the helpers and supporters for all their hard work, and the patrons and sponsors for their continued support. He particularly thanked the games committee and others who had worked so hard to set up the games, particularly the youngsters. “At times I felt like the Pied Piper, with my army of small helpers following me around!” |
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| Andrew then welcomed the new Chieftain, Tommy Traill, and his family. Tommy had always been a loyal supporter and contributor to the games, particularly if the whisky ran low on games night, when he would oblige the committee by opening up his shop to replenish supplies! It was an honour to have Tommy as Chieftain for the 23rd Games, despite his allegiance to a certain football club, and Andrew looked forward to seeing him in chieftains’ corner in the Bannockburn Inn on a Monday night. |
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| Tommy Traill. this years Cheftain, giving his address with Hector MacPherson last years Chieftain looking on. |
| Chloe Rose, six-year-old granddaughter of Mike and Allison Jamieson, then presented a silver quaich to Tommy and a Celtic brooch to his wife Margaret and, as is customary, the Pipe-Major of the Wick British Legion Pipe Band, on behalf of the massed bands, sought permission from the Chieftain to leave the field before leading off the bands. |
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| Another crowd-puller was a 10ft high replica of the 30ft bronze statue that is to be the centrepiece of the proposed memorial to the Clearances to be mounted on a 90ft plinth on top of Creag Bun-Ullidh. The statue of the mother holding a baby, which will be mounted looking back up the Strath of Kildonan, forms part of a family group which will include a father holding a small boy’s hand looking out towards the sea, the creation of internationally acclaimed sculptor Gerald Laing. |