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Call for St Andrew's Day holiday stirs up the national debate
LOUISE GRAY
THE call by The Scotsman for St Andrew's Day to be turned into a proper celebration provoked a passionate debate yesterday.
Television and radio stations launched into discussions on how to achieve a more coherent approach to our national day. Academics, politicians, church leaders and well-known Scots added their voices, asking for a multicultural celebration of Scotland every year.
Professor Stewart Brown, an American who teaches Scottish history at the University of Edinburgh, said his adopted country should do more to celebrate Scottishness and Scotland.
He said: "Scotland is a great country with great traditions, and that should be celebrated.
"I suppose there may be some concern about the religious connotation as we move towards a more inclusive society, but it is not something that could be exclusively celebrated by Christians; it could be multicultural."
Morag Mylne, the convener of the Church and Society Council, said it was not just a job for government, but churches and communities to celebrate St Andrew. "I would want any celebration to include other cultures and other faiths," she said.
Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish National Party's justice spokesman, said it was time to take St Andrew's Day seriously.
"I think we should be doing more. This will take long-term planning and looking at Scotland in its entirety," he said.
Across the world last night, there were ceilidhs, Highland games and haggis, but Mr MacAskill said it was time for the Scottish Executive to bring the diaspora together on St Andrew's night.
"It is a celebration of Scotland in its many facets and the opportunity to link with our kinfolk in their many homes abroad. It is an opportunity to open our doors, sell our wares and show what we have to offer."
In Scotland, Jack McConnell, the First Minister, praised Scots achievements, while Nationalists used the day to make a fresh call for independence, backed by the Scottish Socialist Party and the Greens.
Malcolm Chisholm, the communities minister, was at a primary school in Edinburgh, watching children make posters of what they were most proud of in Scotland, including the Highland landscape, mosques and the Scottish football team.
Peter Irvine, the head of Unique Events, organised a free party to celebrate St Andrew's Day. Last night's events in Edinburgh included a concert featuring Scottish acts and a ceilidh. It is hoped that the event will start a trend of St Andrew's night celebrations across Scotland.
"If the public have an appetite for St Andrew's night festivities, this will hopefully be the start of something much larger," said Mr Irvine.
Speaking from Dubai where St Andrew's Day celebrations were in full swing, the former Scotland rugby captain Gavin Hastings said there should be more celebrations back home.
"I think it will come and I think that will be good. People deserve it and they do care."
But Lesley Riddoch, the broadcaster, said it was too close to Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night. She called for a national holiday in the summer.
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