Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 27 on 09/06/2006.

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A real chance to become part of history

One notable benefit of Tartan Week in New York, so far as I am concerned, is that it provides those of us who tend to be preoccupied with whatever we are doing back home with an opportunity to get to know one another better.

Under such circumstances, I often find out far more about what is happening on my doorstep than I would ever do sitting at my desk. In fact, coming face to face with one of our senior Scottish politicians this year, I could not help myself.

”How lovely to see you,” I said. “Why do we never meet in Scotland?” I jest, of course, but there is an element of truth in this. In the Scottish Village located this year at Grand Central Station were Maureen Barrie of the National Museums of Scotland, now a Tartan Day veteran, and Alexander Bennett and Charles Currie from the National Trust for Scotland.

While Maureen was enthusing about the Museum’s plans for Scotland’s Year of Homecoming in 2009, something until then I knew little about, Alexander and Charles were busy selling personalised flagstones. These were for the walkway at the £8,000,000 Culloden Visitor Centre, scheduled to open next summer during the Scottish Executive’s Highland Year of Culture 2007 project. Again, I found this a revelation.

Three hundred years ago, British Government forces led by the Duke of Cumberland, third son of King George II, defeated the army of his cousin Prince Charles Edward Stuart on Culloden Moor and ended hopes of restoring the Jacobite Stuarts to the British throne. T.....

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By Roddy Martine

Section : Roddy Martine's World

Page number : 7