Old Photograph Kirkinner Scotland

Old photograph of houses, cottages and children in Kirkinner village located three miles South West of Wigtown, Scotland. Reverend Andrew Symson was minister and the personal friend and parish clergyman of David Dunbar at Kirkinner. He wrote a poem on the morning of the funeral of Janet Dunbar at Kirkinner in 1669 which may have been read at the funeral. Her strange death on the night of her marriage forms the basis of the plot of Walter Scott's The Bride of Lammermoor. History Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Photograph Interior Gean House Alloa Scotland

Old photograph of the interior of Gean House on Tullibody Road in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. In November 1911, Alexander Forrester Paton, of Inglewood House, Alloa, purchased 30 acres of land from the Earl of Mar and Kellie. Alexander was the managing director of the Alloa based firm of Patons, the family business founded by his grandfather to manufacture woollen yarn. Some 16 years earlier, Alexander had purchased land from the Earl to build his own family home at nearby Inglewood. Alexander also owned large estates in Clackmannanshire, and built several other buildings, such as Cowdenpark, where he lived. Gean House was to be built as a wedding gift for Alexander’s eldest son, also named Alexander, who worked in the family business. Plans were commissioned from William Kerr, born 1866, died 1940, partner in the local firm of John Melvin & Sons, an architect previously engaged to design Patons' headquarters at Kilncraigs in Alloa. Completed in 1912, the design for Gean was greatly influenced by the work of English architect, Edwin Lutyens, born 1869, died 1944. Lutyen’s early work marked the transition from the authoritative and imposing Victorian country house style to the softer, Arts and Crafts style of the Edwardian era, that sought to integrate houses and gardens into the landscape. History Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Old Photograph Queen Elizabeth II High School Kirkcaldy Fife Scotland

Old photograph of Queen Elizabeth II at the High School in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. History Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Video Rocky Road to Dublin Festival Fringe Edinburgh

Tour Scotland video of Matthew Dames singing Rocky Road to Dublin in Hunter Square on ancestry visit to the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland.

While in the merry month of May from me home I started,
Left the girls of Tuam so sad and broken hearted,
Saluted father dear, kissed me darling mother,
Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smother,
Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born,
Cut a stout black thorn to banish ghosts and goblins;
Bought a pair of brogues rattling o'er the bogs
And fright'ning all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three four, five,
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
all the way to Dublin, Whack follol de rah !

In Mullingar that night I rested limbs so weary,
Started by daylight next morning blithe and early,
Took a drop of pure to keep me heartfrom sinking;
Thats a Paddy's cure whenever he's on drinking.
See the lassies smile, laughing all the while
At me curious style, 'twould set your heart a bubblin'
Asked me was I hired, wages I required,
I was almost tired of the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three four, five,
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
all the way to Dublin, Whack follol de rah !

In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity
To be soon deprived a view of that fine city.
So then I took a stroll, all among the quality;
Me bundle it was stole, all in a neat locality.
Something crossed me mind, when I looked behind,
No bundle could I find upon me stick a wobblin'
Enquiring for the rogue, they said me Connaught brogue
Wasn't much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three four, five,
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
all the way to Dublin, Whack follol de rah !

From there I got away, me spirits never falling,
Landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing.
The Captain at me roared, said that no room had he;
When I jumped aboard, a cabin found for Paddy.
Down among the pigs, played some hearty rigs,
Danced some hearty jigs, the water round me bubbling;
When off Holyhead I wished meself was dead,
Or better for instead on the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three four, five,
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
all the way to Dublin, Whack follol de rah !

Well the boys of Liverpool, when we safely landed,
Called meself a fool, I could no longer stand it.
Blood began to boil, temper I was losing;
Poor old Erin's Isle they began abusing.
"Hurrah me soul" says I, me Shillelagh I let fly.
Some Galway boys were nigh and saw I was a hobble in,
With a load " hurray ! " joined in the affray.
We quitely cleared the way for the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three four, five,
Hunt the Hare and turn her down
the rocky road and all the way to Dublin,

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Video Vincent Song Royal Mile Festival Fringe Edinburgh

Tour Scotland video of Matthew Dames singing Vincent in Hunter Square on ancestry visit to the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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