Flickering Flags! It’s the St Louis Scottish Games and Cultural Festival
I think we’ve established what I think of Scottish Festivals but hey, we’re talking the Tannahill Weavers in Missouri! By my estimation the Weavers are in their early eighties, however being gods of traditional music they get to live and play for eternity. Or even longer.
There are two people I’m aware of in the Kansas City metro area who are from the town of Paisley in Scotland, which is either a community or a coincidence. Will they be drawn to see the Scottish legends - who also hail from Paisely - when they play in St Louis?
And what does that name mean? Well Scottish poet, and Robbie Burns contemporary, Robert Tannahill was a weaver from Paisley who lived in the eighteenth century, but much more importantly - he died:
Whilst delighting all classes of his country men with his native songs, the poet fell into a state of morbid despondency…and his melancholy became deep and habitual. His lamentable death arose from no want of irregularity, but was solely caused by that morbid disease of the mind which at last overthrew his reason
Fantastic stuff. Anyway, get a load of these fabulous music samples if you’re unfamiliar with the Tannies. Honestly, Farewell to Fiunary will have you painting your face blue AND crying, even though you’ve no idea what the words mean. And yes, they’re in English.
Oh, and another thing, the Weavers are the ones to blame for a lot of what you hear today on the Celtic Rock circuit, as they were the first professional Scottish folk group to successfully add the full-sized highland bagpipes to on-stage presentations.
A mere four hours drive, if you start from four hours drive away, the St Louis Scottish Games & Cultural Festival takes place Friday, October 6th and Saturday October 7th, 2006.
Anything else apart from the Tannahill Weavers? Oh come on, it’s a Scottish Festival! There’s ceremonies, athletics, dancing, pipebands, sheepdog demonstrations, history, storytelling, a British car show, kid’s stuff, Scottish dogs, genealogy, birds of prey, Duddybreeks, horses, Peat Fire Flame, Highland cows, and a ceilidh.
The festival is located near the History Museum in Forest Park
See Also:
• Heart & History of Irish Traditional Music
• MVFS presents The Cathie Ryan Band in Kansas City
• Flogging Molly in Lawrence, Kansas - ya know, for kids
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