A Golden Age
JACK MCCONNELL, SCOTLAND’S FIRST MINISTER, TALKS ABOUT HIS HOPES AND
INTERNATIONAL AMBITIONS FOR SCOTLAND IN A GOLDEN AGE, BY RODDY MARTINE
Walking down Sixth Avenue in New York during Tartan Day, I felt a sense of immense pride. I was proud to be Scottish, proud to be promoting
my country on the world stage and proud that so many Americans wanted to share in this celebration of Scotland.”
Looking back on 6th April 2002, Jack McConnell, Scotland’s First Minister, was simply endorsing what all of us present on that day felt. It was an astonishing sight to witness wave after wave of Scottish bandsmen swarming up that canyon-like Manhattan street in recognition of Scotland’s contribution to the fabric of that great city and that great continent, especially in the aftermath of September 11th, seven months earlier.
For almost 30 blocks, spectators stood fivedeep on the pavement, and through donations and sponsorship, the spectacle raised over half
a million dollars for Marie Curie Cancer Care in Scotland and Gilda’s Club Worldwide in New York. It also raised Scotland’s profile on the world stage immeasurably.
Yet, back home the applause was muted. Somehow, Scotland finds it hard to come to terms with its celebrity abroad, and can only make snide comments about junketing when its politicians are seen networking elsewhere.
This is something that Jack McConnell has had to learn to live with. Since replacing Henry McLeish as Scotland’s First Minister in the first
Scottish parliament for just under 300 years, he has brought a measured toughness to the role. It was never going to be easy. The bear-pit that
was the last.....
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By Roddy Martine
Section : Scottish Politics
Page number : 30
