Issue #229 | Tain & District Picture Post | December 2019

TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST

ISSUE NO. 229

DECEMBER 2019

PRICE £1.95

THIS MONTH: Local news and announcements Margaret Urquhart on Tain’s Mercat Cross Tain Museum: Clan Ross and the Thistle Through the Lens with Mark Janes Stories from Patrick Vickery and Alex Graham Updates from: Gizzen Briggs, Tain Field Club, Rotary Club of Tain & Easter Ross, Tain Youth Cafe, Cat Protection, Tain & District Development Trust Sports news covering: Football, Tennis, Golf, Swimming, Boxing and more...

info@tainpost.co.uk

WELCOME TO

THE GLENMORANGIE DISTILLERY EXPERIENCE

GLENMORANGIE HOUSE

By the tranquil shores of the Dornoch Firth, amidst the golden barley fields that border the Royal Burgh of Tain, lies the Glenmorangie Distillery. Here you will find a warm Highland welcome from our select craftsmen, the Men of Tain. With skills passed down the generations, they have dedicated themselves to creating our exceptional single malt whisky for the last 175 years.

Set amongst the rolling barley fields of Easter Ross, our beloved Highland hideaway, Glenmorangie House, is more of a country house than a hotel. For over 25 years it has welcomed the world to its door, developing an international reputation for Highland hospitality along the way. The house is a magnificent reflection of everything that the word ‘Glenmorangie’ stands for – a retreat to peace and calm, a place for cherished moments.

Our tours offer an unparalleled insight into the Glenmorangie Distillery. Accompanied by our expert guides, you will journey through all stages of our award-winning whisky creation.

Tain, Ross-shire IV19 1PZ, Scotland t: 01862 892477 | e: tain-shop@glenmorangie.co.uk www.glenmorangie.com

Come and see for yourself what we mean by ‘Tranquillity Restored’….we guarantee you a warm Highland welcome!

Fearn, by Tain, Ross-shire IV20 1XP, Scotland t: 01862 871671 | e: relax@glenmorangie.co.uk www.theglenmorangiehouse.com

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking. Please savour our whiskies in moderation.

EDITORIAL

WITH the festive season now upon us, there is no doubting

the cold snap in the air - and with that we bring you our final issue of 2019. In just two months, the Tain & District Picture Post will celebrate it’s 20th year in print. We have been lucky enough to have played our part in the magazine’s history for the past 18 months now -- even if it does seem like just a heartbeat since we took the reigns. We hope we have managed to preserve the magazine’s important place in the community.

But with this impending anniversary in mind, we would very much like to invite readers - and contributors past and present - to consider making a submission of some kind for our February issue, which promises to be a big issue which shall take a look at some of the most memorable moments to be covered by the magazine over the past decade.

Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, we were unable to produce a calendar for the coming year. However, if anyone is still on the lookout for a locally produced calendar - we would recommend taking a look at the 2020 edition currently being sold

by Tain Museum which looks an excellent buy full of fascinating content.

In closing, we would like to thank each of our readers and subscribers for their support this year. Thank you also to the many local businesses who continue to make the magazine possible by advertising in Tain’s “local rag” - in particular this Christmas issue in which we welcome a few more than usual. We wish you all a Merry Christmas when it arrives and the very best for the new year.

Tain & District Branch Cats Protection Telephone: (0345) 371 2737 Email: taincats@aol.com www.tain.cats.org.uk

Best wishes, Niall Harkiss & Lucy Veals Co-editors -------------------

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Frank Martin, known to many for his years as a barber on Market Street. I had the pleasure of getting to know Frank while writing my first book on the origins of football in the local area. As well as being as a fan of local football himself, Frank was a tremendous help when it came to the finer details of some of Tain’s notable “characters” - most notably the post-war team of 1947 - of which a picture hung for a long time on the wall of his shop. I will always be indebted to him for that. It was a real pleasure to be able to hand him a signed complimentary copy of the book when it was finally put to print.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE

TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST £40 PER YEAR(DELIVERED) Please visit www.tainpost.co.uk for

Niall Harkiss Co-editor

more information

Front cover photo credit: David Walker

3

ANOTHER TAIN BANK FACES CLOSURE Tain faces yet another bank closure as the TSB’s High Street branch confirmed that it will close its doors in June 2020.

The plan to shut the Tain branch follows a nationwide spending review which will see 17 TSB branches close across Scotland, resulting in the loss of several jobs -- and the further loss of vital banking services in some of the more remote areas of the country.

The Tain TSB branch is the latest in a line of closures in recent years, most significantly the Clydesdale Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland.

Tain is so far the only Highland branch to face the axe as a result of the TSB review. After June, the nearest TSB bank to Tain will be Dingwall’s Tulloch Street branch which itself is only open three days a week.

TSB customer banking director

Robin Bulloch said: “We have made the difficult decision to close some of our quieter branches and will fully support customers through this transition.

“We realise this is difficult news for our branch partners and will do everything to support those affected to redeploy as many people as we can to other roles and keep compulsory redundancies to a minimum.”

But the decision has not been well received in Tain, and local figures have already voiced their displeasure at the outcome of the review.

Speaking to the Press & Journal, Alasdair Rhind cllr said; “It’s very disturbing to hear that the branch is to close. All these national organisations in the banking world are thinking so much about themselves but have

TAIN TASK FORCE The Task Force depends on local support to carry out its work around the town. In these difficult financial times we depend on assistance from individuals and businesses.

Thank you to the shops and Service Point where we have donation cans.

Especial thanks to the businesses without whose financial help we would be unable to continue. In the past year we have received donations from: Alternatives Ankerville Nursery Bannermans Seafood Blue Print Architecture Harry Gow Johnston & Farrell Evelix Computers Forbes Jewellers E.Forrest, Insurance Services Linda Finlayson Foot

total disregard for the remoteness of Highland communities and the number of people that come into towns to do their banking and business.”

Jamie Stone took to Facebook to express his disappointment.

“This closure is another in a long list in the Highlands and highlights the banking crisis we face.”

The MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross has been campaigning for the introduction of a multi-branch hub to be explored in remote areas, in a bid to improve access to banking and postal services.

“We need banks and the Post Office to work together to provide joint branches which would give customers face-to-face advice and the ability to accept cash and cheques, regardless of which bank you are actually with.”

TAIN WHIST Care McKenzie & Cormack R Macleod & Son Metalwork UK J.Moore & Co. Morangie Hotel John Munro North Coast Glass Pete Berry Antiques Royal Hotel Stepping Stones Nursery Tain Youth Café Tain Golf Club Tranquility T.S.B Bank

We would also like to thank our volunteers who give their time to set up and maintain the floral displays. If you would like to help us in the coming year contact:

A whist drive in Tain on 14th November raised £47 for Alzheimers. The winners in the Gents were 1st Graham Ross, 2nd Marie Forbes and consolation Ann Raffan,. For the Ladies, 1st Margaret Nic, 2nd Jean Lockhart, consolation Isobel Bain. The next whist is set to take place on 12th December, all welcome.

David McAllister Membership Secretary TTF: 01862 892302 david@davidmcallister.co.uk

4

TAIN COMMUNITY COUNCIL MINUTES OCTOBER 2019 MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF THE ROYAL BURGH OF TAIN MEETING HELD ON 28th OCTOBER 2019 AT 7.30 PM IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, TAIN

POLICE REPORT Mr Munro read out a report from the Police in that that there was 1 case of vandalism, 1 drug offence, 2 disorderly/assaults, 2 domestic offences, 3 shoplifting, and 12 road traffic offences. Sergeant Cameron is the new Police liaison for the Community Council. It was agreed it was for the new Community Council to ask the Police to attend the meetings regarding park cars on both sides of the High Street and about the cameras.

HIGHLAND COUNCILLOR’S REPORT Mr Louden reported that the

consultation had finished for the 3-18 campus, and no objections were put in so the site picked is the Craighill one. There is an initial meeting with parents soon and a copy of the letter sent out from the school was circulated to the meeting. It was noted there may be a lack of clarity what the funding can be used for, but hope this will be resolved by the next meeting. Off street car-parking there is a blanket ban imposed, and each area can argue it’s case – it will come back to the Area Committee for choices. Mr Rhind reported that Mr McAllister was going to switch on the Christmas Lights this year. There was an issue with travelling people but has been resolved.

UNEXHAUSTED REMITS Trees and Green Environment – it was noted that the regrowth

at the Woody Braes is very good and the landship has vegetated over well. The Critety Steps are being improved soon. Facebook/ Website Development – Mr McAllister will keep updating until a new CC is formed. Senior Citizen’s Party – meeting soon.

LETTERS Nigg Energy Park – an invitation has been received for information on development updates on 11 December. 2 representatives from Tain can attend. It was agreed to put this on the agenda for the next meeting.

COMMON GOOD FUND No update on the solar panels as yet. It was agreed that Mr Munro would contact Jamie Stone MP about this matter.

DEREK LOUDEN will be holding a surgery in

TAIN SERVICE POINT

on Friday 10th January 2020

10:00am to 12:00 noon

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and a Guid New Year!

5

RIP FRANK MARTIN (1927-2019)

The Royal Burgh of Tain lost one of its most beloved residents in November with the sad passing of barber Frank Martin, at the age of 92.

Frank Martin worked as a barber for 75 years, having been devoted to his craft since leaving school in October 1944.

His first shop was located in Manse Street and several locations followed -- including a shed in Fearn -- before he bought a shop in Market Street in 1975, one that would become his premises for the next 44 years, working six days a week until the day before his passing.

Frank’s iconic barber shop has preserved much of its traditional appeal over the years. He created a welcoming environment for each of his customers and for that he was rewarded with years of loyalty from many - and most would

not only visit for a haircut, but for the stories and historical facts that Frank, having lived for so many years in Tain, was happy to share.

Speaking at the time of his 90th birthday, Frank said; “I started on my 17th birthday on an apprenticeship working with Kenny the Barber. I worked for him for five years and then I started working on my own. I do it because of the public and to make my living, make my livelihood and doing as many (haircuts) as I can for as much as I can. Having a large family meant you had to work or you would starve.”

Selma Douglas said of her grandfather; “I learned a lot about career dedication and loyal commitment from my granda, especially when I used to bob

down to pick him up early from work but he used to tell me he can’t leave the shop until the minute of 5pm, in case a customer comes looking for a haircut at the last minute.

Rain, hail or frost, he’s up and down the road to the shop and I’m so proud of all he does for both the community and for his family who love and admire him dearly.”

“He was the best role model of a man, dad, grandad and a legend in the town. Working right up until the day before he died, at 92 years he was as committed to serving the public and taking care of his family as I was committed to loving and caring and looking up to him.”

“OLD FILE” Mr Frank Martin’s step-daughter Doreen Douglas kindly handed us these two photographs which have been hanging proudly on the wall of Frank’s barber shop in Market Street for many years, along with many others of Tain and its townsfolk from bygone days.

The photograph above is most likely of a gathering of the Royal Burgh of Tain Town Council outside the Tolbooth, taken sometime in the 1960s. Only a couple of immediately recognisable faces - perhaps readers could assist in identifying them all? Email us at info@tainpost.co.uk if you can help.

From the male dominated photograph above to one made up entirely of ladies!

This is the Tain Girls Hockey Team from 1936.

As below: Back row: Kathleen Ross, Anne Holmes, Helen Ross, Jessie Johnstone, Ina Macleod Front row: Cissie ?, Nan Maclean, Sheila Watson, Minni Gallie, Cathy Ryan, ?

Just a couple of gaps remain which we would love some help with, if you have the answers!

KNOCKBRECK AND INVER FUNDRAISING The Primary 6 pupils from Inver and Knockbreck presented cheques, of £600 each, to MFR Cash for Kids and Tain Community Bike Track.

The money was raised at the recent Gala Dinner. Well done Inver and Knockbreck!

AMELIA’S ANIMAL AID 7 year old Craighill pupil Amelia Flinn asked her Mum what happens to cats and dogs who don’t have homes and families to live with at Christmas. From then on, she has made it her aim to improve their Christmas by using her pocket money to buy the animals some Christmas presents. This idea turned into a fundraising initiative which has seen her raise funds for Cat Protection and for Munlochy Animal Aid, among other causes, for the past two years -and she has already started her present buying for 2019.

Amelia’s Mum, Emma said: “She has always been a lover of animals and animals seem to have a love for her! She is determined she will be a vet when she is older and that she’ll have a house full of pets.”

8

ANKERVILLE NURSERIES

APPRENTICESHIPS WHERE QUALITY

wishing you a MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

COUNTS IN CHILDCARE

FROM ALL AT AKE MOTORS Booking Saturday MOTs

We Buy & Sell Used Cars

Full Service

Checks Available

MERRY CHRISTMAS & An enthusiasm for working with BEST childrenWISHES and young people. TO EVERYONE IN A commitment to work at SCQF Level 6 and 7.

2020!

A responsibility for their learning and progression.

£50 MOT

FOUNDATION AND MA APPRENTICESHIPS

with FREE retest

Repairs

Brakes & Exhausts

Shore Road Tain IV19 1EH

www.ankervillenurseries.co.uk

A Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check.

01862 892999

01349 886520

Find us on facebook

SERVING THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS

Commercial Refrigeration Heat Pumps and Air Conditioning covering the Highlands and Islands Sales Service and Maintenance

Contact Kathleen Maclennan (Training Manager) at Ankerville Nurseries on 01349 886520 for an Expression of Interest form

Wishing everyone all the very best over Christmas and the New Year!

Network Refrigeration Unit 3, Balintore Industrial Estate Balintore IV20 1XN www.networkrefrigeration.co.uk

Tel: 01862 832682 9

DECEMBER UPDATES The Annual General Meeting The Tain and District Youth Cafe Annual General Meeting was held on Monday 29th October and over 20 people. The young people voted Mrs Sandra Smith and Mrs Evelyn Foley as the Volunteer’s of the Year, and the Volunteers nominated Hannah Munro as the Young person of the Year for 2019.

Tain and District Development Trust The Youth Cafe YMCA would like to thank all those who nominated us in these recent awards. We were shortlisted in three Categories and one of our young people Olivia Macleod won Young person of the Year.

YMCA National Awards We are pleased to say that Tain was shortlisted in three categories Impact Awards for the free schools meals programme called

tain youth cafe

Lunch Club and Young person of the year. Whilst we didn’t win these two we were successful in the Volunteer of the Year category with Mrs Amanda Nutt was the winner of the Volunteer of the Year for YMCA Scotland.

Children in Need Events The Youth Committee would like to thank all those who helped with this year’s Children In Need events.

This included a games night, Pizza Quiz and Cage Football and we raised £60+ towards the Appeal.

Crazy One Hour Disco The next Crazy one Disco will be our Christmas Special and will take place on Friday 13th December. It all starts at 7 pm and finishes at 8.30 pm. The cost is £2.00. The theme is dressed as ‘Christmas Jumpers - a reminder will be sent out in the usual way via the schools.

P7 Club Christmas event This will take place on Monday 9th December and will be open to all those in P7 from 7-8 pm. This will be the last night before the Christmas and the costs for the event will be £1. This includes free Ice Cream and waffles!

Toddlers Christmas Party This will take place on Wednesday 18th December commencing at 9.30 -10 am Christmas Opening Hours We will be closed on Saturday 24th December and re open on Monday 6th January 2020 Lunch Club For the first time we will be having the lunch club for those children in Primary school age range. This will take place on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th December between 12 -1 pm. All meals are free to children and parents are asked for a small to eat as well.

For information on any of these events or about the Tain Youth Café YMCA in general please visit our Facebook page, contact Graham or Karen on 01862 894252 or via e-mail on graham@ tainyouthcafe.co.uk

Mrs Amanda Nutt collected the award for Volunteer of the Year at the 2019 YMCA awards.

The Board of Management, staff, Volunteers and young people of the Tain & District Youth Cafe YMCA would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support throughout 2019 and to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year.

STOCKISTS Where you can buy the TDPP

Co-operative Grants Bakery Tesco (Tain) RS McColl Bannermans Highland Prime S & B Allsorts Alness Newsagents

Lodge St. Duthus host

The Saints’ Big Quiz Night! £5 per person Max 4 persons per team Raffle prize draw!

Big prizes!

Saturday December 14th 7.30pm at the Masonic Lodge In aid of funds for St. Duthus FC www.facebook.com/stduthusfc www.stduthusfc.co.uk committee@stduthusfc.co.uk 11

Clan Ross and the Thistle The emblem of the Scottish thistle is said to be one of the oldest “national flowers “on record. It is first found on silver coins during the reign of King James III in 1470 although the legend of how this prickly weed became a symbol of Scotland is many hundreds of years older. The story is widely known but what is less so is the part played by the men of Ross under Earl William.

According to the legend, a huge army of Norsemen under the leadership of King Haakon was intent on attacking the Scottish army who were camped on the coast of Ayrshire. To creep up on the sleeping Scots the Norse removed their footwear but unfortunately for one of King Haakon’s men he stood on a prickly thistle and yelled out in pain. This alerted the Scottish guards of the imminent attack. Needless to say, it was the Scots who had won the battle and from that moment the prickly purple Thistle was adopted as the symbol of Scotland.

Wha daur meddle wi' me

Kings of the North The Battle of Largs in 1263 was the last battle in an attempt of the Norse Kings to maintain a hold on the West of Scotland. For over a hundred of years, the Western Isles had looked to Norway for their king rather than Scotland.

By the 13th century, two Scottish kings, Alexander II and his son Alexander III, started making attempts to incorporate the region into their kingdoms. In 1261 Alexander III sent an embassy to the court of King Haakon IV in an attempt to purchase the Hebrides but his offer was rejected and his ambassadors arrested. In 1262 he tried a more forceful approach and is said to have dispatched William, Earl of Ross to capture Skye prompting the Norwegian King to raise a massive army in preparation for an invasion to reassert Norwegian control. The Earl of Rosses attack of Skye is mentioned in the Sagas and emphasises the cruelty of William and his men.

A king from the Isle of Lewis Chessmen

“In the previous summer, letters came east from the Hebrides, from the kings; and brought forward much about the dispeace that the Earl of Ross, and Kiarnak, Makamal’s son, and other Scots, had made in the Hebrides, when they went out to Skye, and burned towns and churches, and slew very many men and women. They said also that the Scottish king intended to lay under himself all the Hebrides.”

12

William’s father Fearchar had previously been an ally of King Olaf, the king of Man and the Isles.

Fearchar had married his daughter, Christina, to King Olaf before helping him in his fight for his kingdom against his half-brother Raghnall. Together they formed an alliance, gathered a force sufficient to defeat Raghnall.

The established explanation of Earl William’s brutal assault on Skye has been that it was a precursor to the tensions between Norway and Scotland that culminated in 1266, but Earl William's actions may stem from an agreement reached by his father and King Olaf.

King Haakon In retaliation to the continued pressure from the Scots and Earl Williams attack of Skye, King Haakon IV of Norway gathered a fleet of over one hundred ships and in July 1263 set sail for Scotland from Bergen. Sailing first to the Orkney’s then on to the Hebridean Islands where he met up with his vassal kings, including Magnus Olafsson, together the allies continued to sail down the coast of Scotland, launching raids on the mainland.

It is likely that if there is any truth to the ‘legend of the thistle’ it occurred during these raids.

The Battle of Largs itself was little more than a skirmish; in October a storm drove several Norwegian vessels aground on the coast, near Largs and while the Norwegians were salvaging their vessels, a Scottish army arrived on the scene. The whole Norse army were never able to form up before they were engaged.

The arrival of Scottish reinforcements, likely led by Earl William, may finally have turned the tide of the action, forcing the outnumbered Norse army to break. It is said that they were then pursued with great slaughter, with most fleeing to their boats.

The Battle of Largs 1263

The saga of Haakon records that some of the vastly outnumbered Norwegian troops used their beached ships as makeshift fortifications, and although they made a valiant stand were eventually cut down. Haakon's bodyguard managed to get him back to the safety of the fleet.

King Haakon then sailed to Orkney where he made plans to avenge himself on Alexander with further military action the following summer, but the fifty nine year old Norwegian king died at the Bishop’s Palace in Kirkwall during the winter

Ross-Shire

The remaining tower of the Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall where King Haakan died in 1263

These events show that the Rosses were central to national events in the 13th century and may even have caused the last Norse invasion of Scotland. William was probably rewarded with Skye and Lewis after the Scottish conquest of the Hebrides, a reward secured when the conquests were ratified by the Treaty of Perth in 1266.

Earl. William Ross died in May 1274 at "Earles Allane", likely the site of modern Meikle Allan at Fearn.

13

CLASSIFIEDS AGRICULTURAL Robertsons of Tain Shore Road Tel 01862 892276 ANIMALS Tain Cat Protection Tel 0345 3712737 Email jardij@aol.com Aileen’s Pet Exercise Pet Carer & Exerciser Tel 01862 892919 ARCHITECTS Blueprint Architecture Tel 01862 892900 info@blueprintarchitecture.com BAKERS Grants Bakery High Street, Tain Tel 01862 892315 BUTCHERS Highland Prime Village Store, Post Office / Butchers Tel 01862 832061 COMPUTER SERVICES Adept Open Source Solutions Ltd Tel 08707 609467 sales@adeptopensource.co.uk www.adeptopensource.co.uk CAFE Dornoch Patisserie & Cafe 1 High Street, Dornoch Tel 01862 811148 CHIMNEY SWEEPING Highland Chimney Sweep Services Tel 07811 237105 CONFECTIONERS S&B Allsorts Tain High Street Newspapers, Ice Cream, Sweets, Hot Food COPY-EDITING, PROOF READING Michael Foster Email mdf66@hotmail.co.uk ESTATE AGENTS Georgeons Property Tel 01862 892555 FILLING STATIONS Gleaner Oils Tel 01862 (Tain) Tel 01862 (Skiach) FITNESS & EXERCISE Boogie Bounce Xtreme Tain Debbie Stainke Tel 07889 630919 FRUIT & VEGETABLES Empire Foods Contact Michael on 0790 095 8665 FUNERAL SERVICES Alasdair Rhind Tel 01862 892521 (Tain) Tel 01349 853322 (Invergordon) Tel 01862 810300 (Dornoch) Mackay & Macaskill Tel 01862 810492 (Dornoch) GARAGES, TYRES & AUTO Bannerman (Tain) Ltd Shore Road, Tain Tel 01862 892480 Evelix Service Station Tall Pines Restaurant, Evelix, Dornoch Tel 01862 811131 / 810968 Mackintosh Motors Auto Services & Bodywork The Garage, Station Road, Tain Tel 01862 894045 Godsman Tyres & Exhausts Ltd Blarliath Industrial Estate, Tain Tel 01862 892448 Fax 01862 893225 GARDEN SERVICES Patrick Vickery (Aldie Burn Plants) Tel 01862 842346 GRAPHIC DESIGN

Gavin Ward Design Associates Tel 07801 190234 www.gwda.co.uk HAIRDRESSERS Hair Design 18 Geanies Street, Tain Tel 01862 892228 HOTELS & RESTAURANTS The Royal Hotel High Street, Tain Tel 01862 892013 royalhoteltain@btconnect.com St Duthus Hotel 2 Tower Street, Tain Tel 01862 894007 Carnegie Lodge Hotel Viewfield Road, Tain Tel 01862 894039 info@carnegiehotel.co.uk The Shandwick Inn Kildary, Invergordon Tel 01862 842250 JEWELLERS Forbes Jewellers / Tain Silver Victoria Buildings, High St, Tain Tel 01862 892343 www.maforbes.co.uk LEISURE SERVICES Tain Royal Academy Community Complex (TRACC) Hartfield Road, Tain Tel 01862 893767 METALWORK Metalwork UK Blarliath Industrial Estate, Tain Tel 01862 894123 Email info@metalworkuk.com MORTGAGE SERVICES Ewan A Forrest Financial, Mortgage & Insurance 19-21 Stafford Street, Tain Tel 01862 893561 PRINTING & REPROGRAPHICS Picture Post Printing Tel 01862 832329 info@tainpost.co.uk PLUMBING & HEATING Highland Heatsave Ltd 2 Port Street, Balintore Tel 01862 832116 Mob 07803 610838 McCue Plumbing & Heating Four Penny Paddock, Skelbo, Dornoch, IV25 3QF Tel 01862 810159 Mob 07990 783097 TAXIS Billy’s Taxis Tel 01862 731081 Tel 07523 125916 DP Taxis Tel 07999 844706 VETS Easter Ross Vets Tel 01862 893142 (Tain) Tel 01349 852204 (Invergordon) Tel 01349 884777 (Alness) WEBSITE DESIGN K & N Concepts Ltd Website & Database Design / Development Tel 07527 134574 Tel 01862 832329 niall.harkiss@kandnconcepts.co.uk

Join a warm and friendly Slimming World group near you today...

TAIN

Now at 9 Geanies Street

Wednesdays 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm

Tel: Evelyn 07511 133 108

Highland Heatsave Limited BOILER SERVICING AND COMMISSIONING PLUMBING AND HEATING INSTALLATION

EMPIRE FOODS TAIN WHOLESALE

FRUIT VEGETABLES POTATOES AND FREE RANGE EGGS CONTACT MICHAEL ON

Jim Oman, 2 Port Street, Balintore, IV20 1UH TEL 01862 832116 | MOBILE 07803 610838

0790 095 8665

GRANTS BAKERY Sandwiches & Hot Snacks

Winners of the Silver Award for Scotch Pie Competition High Street Tain (01862) 892315

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING WITH YOUR LOCAL FOOTBALL CLUB? St. Duthus FC are looking for weekend volunteers to help with matchday duties such as: Raffle sales Matchday set up Pitch care If interested, please get in touch with the committee of St. Duthus FC via email at niall@stduthusfc.co.uk or call Niall on 01862 894123 / 01862 832329 16

TAIN & EASTER ROSS ROTARY CLUB

Looking back, Tain and Easter Ross Rotary have had a truly wonderful year. Thanks to creative friends and supporters and sleeves-rolled-up Rotarians we have been able to make positive differences to communities near and far.

One highlight was hosting award-winning folk group FARA at the Duthac Centre, the proceeds of which continue to enable us to support many local groups and charities including Tain Pipe Band, St. Duthus U17s and

the Made in Tain Garden Project at Edderton.

Another highlight was the inter-schools quiz, a tight competition from which Hill of Fearn emerged as deserving winners and will go on to represent the district in area finals in the spring.

A new and exciting development for us this year was the formation of our very first Rotakids club in Hilton of Cadboll Primary. Rotakids, like Rotary itself, is about having fun while helping others and the club, though only just chartered, is already making a difference and have planned a bake sale at school to raise money to buy a Christmas meal for a homeless person, a Christmas jumper swapshop, a winter jacket clothing bank, a reverse Advent Calendar food hamper for Blythswood and a window competition to bring light to the Seaboard villages - phew! We hope, in 2020, to see another Rotakids club or two underway. Wherever the doors open we’ll be walking through them!

Continuing to look forward, as it’s our tenth birthday year, we hope to celebrate by creating many more opportunities to support communities here and around the world and to continue to attract new members. If you have a heart for community and want to make a difference we’d love to meet you. Please follow us on Facebook @rotarycluboftainandeasterross and, of course, keep an eye on the Picture Post for details of future meetings and events.

Carol Anne, 07400 313303

A message from the Tain & District Branch of Cats Protection We would like to thank the local Vet Practices, namely Johnston & Farrell, Easter Ross and Rogart for their help and advice over the past year. It’s with their help and advice which has enabled us to care and rehome the many cats who come into our care. It is important for us to also include, in this thanks, the many vet nurses and front of house staff who are our first point of contact.

Another group we would like to thank are the lovely ladies who are called the Knit Wits, who meet in Tain Library two Saturdays a month and who keep us supplied with a fabulous amount of blankets.

Another lady who knits beautiful blankets for us is Mrs Romey Mackay from Ardgay. We use these blankets in the cat beds of the cats in our care and when a new home is found for them, their blanket goes with them, to give them a familiar scent to help them settle in their new home.

Another thank you we would like to make is to the many people who purchase goods from our fundraising table at the different events we attend during the year. The money raised from these sales go quite a way to enabling us to run our Neutering Campaigns twice a year in March and November.

We would like to wish them all a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Happy 2020.

Jean Jardine Coordinator 17

Putting Tain & District on The Map: We are delighted to be agents for Visit Scotland. We are working on street signage to alert visitors

to the HUB and we are also developing an information document signposting visitors and local people to events and places of interest in our community.

Volunteer of the Year Erica Skyrme Carer of the Year Yvonne Patterson

On Friday the 1st Nov 2019 the finalists -of ten categories - their families, friends and colleagues gathered in the Duthac Centre, Tain for a celebration of dedication, passion and commitment to their cause and community. With over four hundred nominations the voice of the community was loud and clear, nominating worthy individuals, groups and businesses across the district. Our independent panel of judges felt inspired by the quality of feedback given on the nomination forms and it was no mean feat for the judging panel to select the winners, however choose they did. The awards nights was a thank you and recognition for all of the hard work, which all too often goes unnoticed. Congratulations to all of the finalists and the 2019 winners.

Local Business of the Year Stepping Stones Community Group of the Year Seaboard Memorial Hall Young Person of the Year Olivia MacLeod Best Musician / Local Band Gizzen Briggs Teacher of the Year Catriona MacRae Local Hero Diane Hawksey Outstanding Contribution Tain Gala Association Contribution to Sport Tain Amateur Swimming Club

an online clothing brand based in Wick successfully held their first pop up shop in the HUB during October.

We welcome any business who would like to use the Hub as a shop as a stand alone or with partners.

Please call us on 01862 857185 to discuss options.

What's Coming Up? Dates for your Diary Nov 30th - Christmas Market - Rose Gardens Dec 5 - 7th - Tain Panto - Duthac Centre Dec 9th - Santa visits 1st Time for Everything Dec 20th - Jan 6th - HUB Closed Dec 31st Hogmanay Street Party - High Street

Go Nuts for LocalDevelopment Artist Trust are delighted to finish off our year with a collaboration with the Tain Gala The Tain & District Local artist and proprietor the Art Light RoomSwitch in Tain Jennifer Houliston Association, bringing theofChristmas On -and Christmas Market to Tain for our entire community to had theenjoy. honour of being ofall theofHighland Hospice Goand Nuts campaign, We would likeatopart thank the individuals, groups businesses that have worked with us and supported us which for those unaware resulted in fantastic array lessMerry thanChristmas twenty and a Happy New Year. throughout 2019 year and we wish you of all no a very three bespoke, 5ft tall, weatherproof squirrels, which formed a trail across the Highlands.

18

TAIN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH-ON AND MARKET DAY A selection of photographs from the switching on of the Christmas lights and the Christmas Community Market on November 30th. Credit: Mark Janes

19

HOLLY AND IVY

TAIN & DISTRICT FIELD CLUB

Coming up to Christmas is a relatively quiet time for a naturalist.

In the natural world things have calmed down. Many of the migrants have arrived and settled into the countryside; geese in the fields, redwings and fieldfare after berries in the hedges and bushes and the occasional group of waxwings from the far north-east on top of hawthorns eating the few remaining berries.

Most of the trees have lost their leaves, but venture into shops or supermarkets and you are greeted by a mass of green and red: poinsettias, originally from Mexico; mistletoe, native to southern and central Europe; various conifers from the north and east and last but not least holly and ivy. The latter two differ from the rest in that they are native to Scotland. They were widely used in the past in many parts of Europe, including Scotland, and formed the traditional wreaths and decorations for many celebrations. This was for the simple reason that in the days before people had gardens holly and ivy were the only easily available greenery in winter.

Even if you don’t make your own decorations it is worth having these two shrubs in your garden as they provide excellent habitats for many forms of wildlife.

Both produce dense evergreen growth pattern which provides shelter for birds and insects. Ladybirds which are great greenfly consumers in the garden will overwinter in the shelter especially in ivy. They also provide food. Birds, especially blackbirds and thrushes love red holly berries. However ivy also produces green-yellow berries which birds will eat in late winter.

Those ivy berries come from green inconspicuous flowers which are a

Adults £2.00 Children £1.00 Annual Membership: Family £15.00 ; Adults £8.00; Children £5.00

ABOVE: TDFC members watching salmon in the spawning pools at Amat. great source of nectar and pollen for bees, especially bumblebees in the autumn after most other nectar sources have finished.

The next meeting of TDFC is: 10th December Loch Fleet NNR with Adam Rose (Scottish Natural Heritage) All lecture meetings: Tain Parish Church Hall at 7.30pm Admissions to lectures: Members free ; Non-members –

Tain & District Gardeners’ Club hold their 6th Christmas Tree Festival on Saturday 7th December 1:00 – 4:00 pm in Tain Parish Church Hall (behind Tain Parish Church).

Free admission and donations in aid of the Highland Hospice.

Teas with home baking £2.00 (1:00-3:30 pm).

Lots of trees decorated by local children, organisations and businesses.

Festive music by Knockbreck Primary School and Tain Choral.

20

You can keep up to date with TDFC events on our website and Facebook pages: http://tainfieldclub.org.uk https://www.facebook.com/ tain.fieldclub

On 16th November we had a most enjoyable day visiting Amat. A walk along the river took us to the salmon pools where there were lots of fish showing in the shallow spawning beds.

Walking further along the river took us to the waterfalls surrounded by trees in their full autumn colour. As we came back through the woods we had good views of red squirrels in the conifer trees.

Thanks to Sara and Jonny Shaw for hosting an excellent field trip.

GIZZEN BRIGGS DO TAIN PROUD IN EDINBURGH On the 16th of November, Gizzen Briggs were invited to open the Saturday session of the prestigious Scots Fiddle Festival in Edinburgh. This is an annual event which attracts fiddle players from all over the world and so it was a great honour for the group to be invited to perform.

We travelled down on Friday 15th to the Premier Inn in Dunfermline which was to be our base for the evening.

The highlight of the evening’s entertainment was a crazy golf competition held at the nearby enormous course.

The competition was won by Donal-Lachlan Beaton (“DL” to those in the know!) with an unrivalled winning score.

After a good night’s sleep (when did groups of three or four teenagers in rooms together ever sleep well?) we were up early and ready for breakfast and off to the Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh. Catlin Jupp and Norma Swanson didn’t have a good night’s sleep however as poor Caitlin suffered an asthma attack during the night and had to go to A&E in Kirkcaldy and neither of them got to bed. As it was Caitlin had a big part to play in the day’s performance and to her credit despite not feeling well she performed wonderfully well and managed to keep her eyes open for the 45 minutes of our recital.

The theatre is just off the Cow Gate in Edinburgh and is one of the main venues used during the Fringe Festival.

We arrived and promptly set up ready for the off. A lot of hard work has been put in by the group in recent months to be ready for this occasion and the player’s made the very most of it. Their performance was faultless and people in the audience who didn’t know us previously, just could not believe that this was a school group. The ensemble playing was so tight and for a group of over thirty players to hold everything together so well was most impressive.

Ruaridh MacKay, Caitlin Jupp, Isla MacKenzie, Eilidh

MacKenzie and Iona Ferries have been working on their own wee party piece and just for good measure they asked their teacher Debbie Ross to join in which she was delighted to do. They absolutely stormed it with very powerful, confident playing, exciting improvisation and harmonies in abundance!

Recently the group have been playing a waltz, called “Mary K’s Waltz” which was written by renowned RunRig guitarist, Malcolm Jones, for his mum. It was therefore a great thrill for us to have Malcolm jones him-self sitting in the audience to see what we had done with his tune.

Malcolm had anticipated that two or three players might play the tune as it is in the key of E which is difficult on the fiddle. We did start in E with a smaller group but Debbie had produced a smashing joining piece which moved the tune to D and allowed the whole group to join in.

Malcolm was delighted with what had been achieved and asked for a recording. Not bad eh!

We finished with our theme tune, Dougie MacLean’s “The Gael” which as always went down very well with the audience and following very warm applause and invites to come back again, we were left with a feeling of “Job well done” which it most certainly was and the group deserve much credit for their hard work and thrilling performance.

Gizzen Briggs would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supports us throughout the year and to a community who we know are proud of us and who wish us well in so many ways.

26th Fiddlers’ Rally, Saturday 29th of February 2020 in the Duthac Centre as always. See you there!

Jimmy Maclean

Gizzen Briggs pictured at their last rehearsal before they played at the Scots Fiddle Festival in Edinburgh.

21

NOSTALGIA

with Alex Graham

22

NOSTALGIA

with Alex Graham

23

Sweets & Confectionery,

Ice Cream, Hot Dogs Snacks, Kids Toys

Newspapers & Magazines

Stationery, Hardware, Electricals, DIY

31-35 High Street - Tain (01862) 893007

Available from

Dornoch Bookshop or www.carnegiepublishing.com 01524 840111

“A fascinating story well told, one that will appeal to all to those who have associations with Morrison Construction, past and present”

SUPERB BOOK TELLS THE STORY OF MUCH-LOVED LOCAL COMPANY

24

ALBERT ROUX DINNER AT KNOCKBRECK A couple of snaps from this year’s successful Albert Roux Gala dinner held at Knockbreck Primary School

by P6 pupils from Inver and Knockbreck.

Website www.pawshpetsdoggrooming.com Email pawshpetsdg@yahoo.co.uk Phone 07462 341661 / 01862 863149

Pawsh Pets Dog Grooming

would like to thank all of their valued customers for their continued support and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

25

“THE MUFFIN MAN”

BY PATRICK VICKERY

I was in Dornoch when it rained in a drenched and crazy fashion, so I popped into the Grocery shop for shelter and an artificial apple pie laden with sugary additives and a reflective sparkly glaze. Not as healthy as a non-reflective organic apple pie, I know, but quite delicious all the same. Then suddenly, out of the blue, a lady sporting a ‘Fat Face’ bag and a marinated umbrella screeched “carbon footprint” in my ear. A bit of a shock, that, and hardly the sort of behaviour you expect in Dornoch, is it? Most disconcerting.

On this carbon footprint/global warming theme, I must mention something unusual that happened recently, just across the firth and around the bend from Dornoch in the eastern seaboard villages at Janet’s place where I am often to be found on a Thursday afternoon. In all the years that I have tended to her lusty blooms and quenched my thirst with her horticultural cordials, not a single hailstone has fallen from the sky, then suddenly, just the other week, it hailed in a torrential fashion. Extraordinary.

Perhaps a meteorological warning of things to come as we stumble blinkered into the future?

I discussed this torrential event with Janet in her possum-lined slippers and alpaca socks over a blueberry muffin and a lightly chilled cordial next to the bushy fig tree under the rambling roses beside the tousled lavender beds during a brief respite in low flying jet activity as the RAF took a well-deserved break from bombing the surrounding district.

“Could such a torrential down-pour be a consequence of Global Warming,” I asked.

Janet flickered for a moment, her glassy blue eyes twinkling, juniper body aglow, then in true Gilbert and Sullivan fashion, for she is a bit of a Gilbert and Sullivan operatic buff, trilled “Aye, aye, aye, have another muffin, man, muffin, man, muffin, man, have another muffin, man.”

Of course I hesitated at this suggestion - tasty though her muffins are - as they leave a hole the size of a baseball in the ozone layer. It’s a consequential thing, you know. I eat them, she bakes more. Only it’s the way that she bakes them that causes trouble, all that operatic singing in the kitchen unsettles the cows next door, encouraging them to produce excess quantities of methane gas which consequentially results in more ozone damage, not to mention the effects of two tasty muffins on my digestive system which further compounds the ecological situation.

Who would have thought that a tasty Highland muffin baked by an operatic Gilbert and Sullivan buff could have such a profound effect on the planet, let 26

alone my stomach?

Extraordinary.

But I had another one anyway, a temporary loss of self-control on my part and yet another gaping hole soon to appear above the eastern seaboard villages to complement the other gaping holes further exacerbated by low flying jet activity. Of course, if a muffin ‘a la Janet’ produces a hole the size of a baseball, then how many muffin equivalents does a jet produce? Should we consider measuring ozone damage in ‘muffin units’, I wonder? It’s certainly worth thinking about.

Now back to the Dornoch Grocery shop incident.

As well as an artificial apple pie, I also bought a local pasty in preference to a seven hundred and forty mile well-travelled Cornish one (tasty though a Cornish one is) to reduce my ‘muffin footprint’ and counter global warming. We should be doing more of this ‘pasty offset’ sort of thing, don’t you think? I do.

COMMUNITY EVENTS TODDLER & BABY GROUPS Seaboard Mother and Toddler Group Seaboard Hall 10-12

THU-SAT DECEMBER 6TH-8TH Ali Baba & The Forty Thieves - Tain Pantomime presents their Christmas panto over three nights at the Duthac Centre. From 7.30. Tickets on sale at Made in Tain.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 7TH TRA Christmas Craft Fair - From 10am-2pm at Tain Royal Academy, raising money for Highland Hospice.

Christmas Tree Festival - Organised by Tain & District Gardeners Club. 1pm to 4pm at Tain Parish Church Hall. Free admission, donations in aid of Highland Hospice. Festive music

by Knockbreck Primary and Tain Choral.

Cup Football - St. Duthus (Tain) vs. Select team from Lewis & Harris in the Football Times Cup. 1pm kick off at Grant Park, Tain, by the Links.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 8TH Nerf Wars at TRACC - Fortnite themed Nerf Wars for ages 5-12. From 10am-11.30am. Sessions are ran by experience, PVG

Gaelic Playgroup Tain Free Church Hall Thursday 10-11.30

Little Rascals Tain Parish Church Tuesday 10-11.30

Portmahomack Toddler Group Carnegie Hall Fridays 9.30-11.30

Inver Toddler Group Inver Community Hall Thursday 10-12

Book Bug Sessions Tain Library Wednesdays 11-11.30

Tain Tiny Tots Tain Youth Cafe Monday 10.30-11.30 £2 per child

Adventure Fridays Facebook - Various Outdoor Locations Fridays 9.45

Portmahomack Toddler Group Carnegie Hall Fridays 9.30-11.30

Baby Stay and Play Tain Youth Cafe (upstairs) Friday 10.30-12

checked coaches.

WANTED: SENIOR PUPIL FOR LEADERSHIP CAMP JULY 2020

FRIDAY DECEMBER 13TH Christmas Fayre - At Edderton Hall. 6pm to 9pm. Over 20 stalls, tea, coffee and cakes. Mulled wine. Raffle. All welcome.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 14TH The Saints’ Big Quiz - Quiz night at the Mason’s Lodge in aid of funds for St. Duthus Football Club. From 7.30pm. Details

Tain and Easter Ross Rotary would like to offer a senior pupil (S5/6) the opportunity to attend a RYLA Camp. RYLA stands for ‘Rotary Youth Leadership Awards’ and is a programme which helps develop leadership skills and confidence in young people.

Rotary hosted a BBQ at Dornoch Firth Caravan Park recently specifically to raise funds to sponsor a young person to attend the camp. Thanks to the generosity of friends, neighbours and other Rotarians we raised more than £600, almost certainly enough to send a young person to RYLA at no cost to themselves or their family.

What are the benefits?

Connect with leaders in your community and around the world to: Build communication and problem-solving skills Discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in your school or community Learn from community leaders, inspirational speakers, and peer mentors Unlock your potential to turn motivation into action Have fun and form lasting friendships Do you know anyone who would benefit from this opportunity? Perhaps you are that young person.

Please get in touch to find out how to apply - you can contact us through our Facebook page or by phoning Will or Carol Anne at Dornoch Firth Caravan Park on 01862 892292.

available via facebook.com/stduthusfc.

Gary Innes & Band - Concert at the Duthac Centre from 7.30pm hosted by Tain Gala Association. Tickets available from S&B Allsorts or Tain Enterprise Hub. MONDAY DECEMBER 16TH TRACC Christmas Concert and Coffee Morning: 10.00am Gaelic Nursery 10.15am Tain Nursery 10.30am Ankerville Nursery 10.45am Stepping Stones 11.00am Refreshments 11.15am Knockbreck Musicians 11.30am Craighill Choir FRIDAY DECEMBER 20TH Carols at Candlelight - At Rosskeen Free Church, from 6.308pm. A night of traditional carols sung in a beautiful, festive setting with a short Christmas message. A great way to get into the Christmas spirit - mulled wine, mince pies, and music. All welcome!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 28TH Rhythmnreel - Fundraising Festive Bash with all proceeds going to Help send Michele Murray to Russia for specialist H.S.C.T treatment for her M.S. Licensed bar by Railway/St Duthus. Over 18’s. Tickets £15 from S&B Allsorts, High Street, Tain Easter Ross Derby Football - Invergordon vs. St. Duthus (Tain) in the North Caledonian League. 1pm kick off at Invergordon Recreation Grounds.

27

TAIN’S MERCAT CROSS ( PART 1 )

The Mercat (Market) Cross that we see today and as shown in the photo above occupying the angle between the County Buildings and the Tower at the junction of the High Street and Tower Street, only dates from 1895 and, although always referred to as a “restoration”, it is more accurately a replica. The block of sandstone (the socket) into which the pillar (or shaft) is placed is, in fact, the only part that survives of the original cross. Nor is this its original site.

Every Medieval burgh had a Mercat Cross placed closed to the tollbooth tower and within the public market area which, in Tain, was in the High Street at the junction with what are now St Duthus and Tower Streets. It was not until the beginning of the 19th Century that it was moved to Market Street. The form varied with very few actually in the shape of a cross but more usually a stone pillar mounted on steps and some kind of crowning edifice. In some cases, it stood on a round tower as shown in the sketch based on the one at Prestonpans (pictured right). This provided the bellman a parapet from which to make his proclamations, gaining access via the door at ground level . It seems that Tain’s Mercat Cross stood on a similar building, although its exact form is not known, as Council minutes dated, 27/7/1778, record that the cross was “by its construction” a nuisance to

BY MARGARET URQUHART

traffic so the walls around it were to be taken down.

The “long stone and lion” were replaced on the same spot.

From a newspaper report at the time of the restoration in 1895, we learn that when the Market was moved from the High Street, the cross was also moved, not to the market place, but to the “west side of the door leading into the old tower”. Over the years it decayed due to weathering and c1840 was “demolished in a drunken lark”.

The remains were dumped somewhere on the links and forgotten about.

However, James Vass, Tain doctor and ex-Provost, although having retired and gone to live in Edinburgh, offered in 1894 to restore the Mercat Cross as a gift to the Town.

Only fragments of the old red lion remained so, according to the newspaper report, a new one was sculpted from Dumfries red sandstone

by Birnie Rhind, ARSA, Edinburgh, and the shaft and two bases (steps) were hewn from Balintore yellow sandstone. The base was inscribed

by John Mackenzie, sculptor “Restored 1895 by James Vass M.B. Edin. M.R.C.S. Eng. Provost of Tain 1876 – 1890.”

No doubt with due ceremony, it was erected by William Fraser, mason, Tain, not on the west side of the then Court-house door as requested by Dr Vass, but, as the reporter complained, “thrust…. into a corner between (and on the east side) of the Court-house door and the County Buildings ……..where it is ….most effectively hidden till one is within three or four feet of it.” This site was chosen by the Town Council as supposedly being nearest the old Mercat Cross.

As to the original position of the old Mercat Cross, William Macgill in his book “Old Ross-shire and Scotland”(published in 1909) from his study of a document dated 1663,

28

concluded “the Cross must have stood in the present High Street near its south side, or even further, and close to ex-Bailie W. Ross’s present property.” The ex-Baillie in question had a baker and grocer shop and his property occupied the corner of the High Street and St Duthus Street, where Grant’s shop is today.

In the photo (on the next page) looking along the High Street from the Royal Hotel taken on the occasion of Tain’s celebration of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887, the fountain erected as part of the celebrations is seen on the spot suggested by Macgill as the site of the cross. A broad circular mark in the road can be seen surrounding the fountain.

Given that the road had yet to acquire a proper surface, it does not seem too far-fetched to suggest this is a “ghost footprint” of the original building on which cross stood. The other interesting thing in this photo is that we can just see the empty space which became the site of the restored cross 8 years later, and where it still stands, almost 125 years on.

The museum has a copy of a formal notice from the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works, Edinburgh, dated 5/11/1962, of the intention to “declare the Tain Market Cross a monument which should be preserved in the national interest”. Incredibly in 2006, the Scottish Court Service put forward a proposal to provide disabled

access to the Court building through the Tower door by constructing a ramp, part of which, in order to get the required angle for wheelchairs, passed across the front of the Mercat Cross. Not surprisingly this caused an outcry from various sections of the community (myself included) and even the Highland Council wrote a letter strongly objecting. Thankfully

the plan was dropped.

Tain owes a debt of gratitude to James Vass that it has this physical manifestation of its market town heritage. A Mercat Cross was not only important as representing a burgh’s right to hold markets but also became a natural focus for public events - for public announcements by the bellman; public gatherings; the

29

starting point for riding of marches; public punishments were often meted out there; burgh stocks were usually nearby.

The next article will deal with these aspects in more detail.

Written by Margaret Urquhart

SWIMMING SUCCESS FOR TAIN’S SCHOOLS

Pupils from Tain Royal Academy were very successful competing at the Ross-Sutherland Swimming Gala held last month at Sutherland Swimming Pool in Golspie.

Winning 7 of the 11 shields on offer, they collected awards for S1 Girls, S2 Girls, S2 Boys, S3 Boys, Girls Mixed Relay and the Boys Mixed Relay - and capped it all off by winning the overall secondary schools shield - a feat that has not been achieved by the Tain school in many years.

Tain Amateur Swimming Club’s Swimmer of the Month for September was awarded to Abigail Wilson for improvements made in all her strokes, mastering her tumbleturns and gaining confidence overall.

So lovely to see that lovely smile of yours Abigail when you come poolside! Keep up the good work - from all at TASC.

Well done to Tain Amateur Swimming Club swimmers who competed at the Highland Schools Swimming Championships held in Inverness on Wednesday 8th November.

The competition, which is open to all ages included entries from Tain Royal Academy and Knockbreck Primary School.

Some fantastic swimming resulted in the TASC team achieving 18 personal bests across 25 swims.

In total, they amassed nine gold medals. Well done to all!

30

ANNUAL PRIZE GIVING

TAIN GOLF CLUB

Tain Golf Club held their Annual Prize Giving on Saturday 19th November.

A large audience gathered to applaud all the winners for their achievements in the 2019 season.

Prizes for the Ladies were presented by the incoming and outgoing Captain’s; Anne Ryan and Audrey Duncan, and for the Gents

by Club President Tony Watson and Club Captain Gus Gurney.

Most notable of the awards were the presentations to the 2019 Club Champion; these were awarded to Claire Bannerman and Munro Ferries for the Scratch and Cynthia Stewart and Billy Duff for the Handicap.

The evening concluded with music provided by The Impact.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Warm congratulations are sent to all the players who contested our 8 & under and 14 & Under Highland Tour events last month. Scott, Kiera and John kept play on the boil as Brodie and Marcus carried off the top silverware against visiting players. This success is of course hard earned and a welcome product of all the coaching opportunities offered by Scott, John and their assistants. Our traditional Saturday morning junior sessions at the club have been augmented with a weekly 4 until 6 indoor session at TRACC ensuring regular play for all those juniors who wish to participate.

Our ladies enjoy a regular Friday afternoon session and the start time has been pulled forward to 1.30pm to catch the best of any midday sun.

Our social and community engagement programme is integral to our club so I am pleased to report that John and Eveline organised their annual Juniors Christmas party on 30th November. This will be followed on Saturday 7th December by the Christmas Tree charity event in the Parish Church hall with proceeds

TAIN TENNIS CLUB

going to the Highland Hospice. There is set up from 10am to 12pm and the event opens to the public from 1pm to 4pm. If any of our members fancy helping or just visiting, John and Eveline would be delighted to see you. The adults then have until 18th January to practice exercising their grey matter in readiness for our popular annual quiz held in the golf clubhouse. Put it in your diary now as it will be on us before we know it.

Our AGM is scheduled for 7pm on 4th December in our clubhouse.

All members are very welcome to attend and provide feedback, encouragement or say whatever is on your mind so we can make our club the best it can be.

Wimbledon 2020 is a long way off but you need to be sharp off the blocks if you fancy going. The easiest way is to go online and opt in to the LTA ballot which will cost you nothing.

Would you want to risk missing Andy Murray make a successful return to the courts he has graced so well in recent years? Simply follow the link below and follow the instructions.

31

https://www.lta.org.uk/majortennis-events/grand-slams/ wimbledon/ballots/btm-ballotshome/ We have discussed and formulated an innovative corporate membership programme prompted by an enquiry.

I am pleased to confirm we are able to offer individually tailored packages if your workplace wishes to apply.

A healthy workforce is a happy workforce and what a great perk it would be to offer your staff. Get in touch if you wish further details.

Roy Munro, President

General Club Times Adults: Tuesdays 7.30

Thursdays 7.30

Sundays 10.30 Ladies: Fridays 1.30 Diary Dates 4th December 7th December

18th January

AGM 7pm Clubhouse Christmas Tree charity event 10 – 12 and 1 - 4 Quiz

NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER FOR ST. DUTHUS F.C. November was an eventful month for St. Duthus Football Club in more ways than one.

Sadly, it began with disappoinment, with Saints losing out to Orkney in the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup Final. The performance on the day was not up to the standard that St. Duthus had set in the majority of their games this season and matters were made worse by the absence of several of the team’s key players. Ross Tokely, Jon Campbell and John Allan were all missing from the side, and adding to their woes, top striker Ben Bruce called off with a knee injury on the morning before the game.

Stand-in goalkeeper Ali Matheson was caught on the hop for the Orcadian’s opener in the 44th minute, unable to collect a cross before the ball cannoned off John Skinner and into the net. Two quick fire goals in the second put the game beyond Saints before in-form striker Liam Rostock pulled one back. Robbie Murray did hit the post in the dying stages, but it was all too late by then.

Only a week later though, they bounced back in spectacular fashion with a 12-0 win over struggling Bonar Bridge. The Sutherland side didn’t make things easy for themselves by only having 10 players on the day, but as the old addage goes - you can only beat what’s put in front of you - and St. Duthus did just that. Six goals were scored in each half by a number of players but 19 year Finn As-Chainey stole the headlines with five goals - setting a post-revival “goals in one game” record for the club. The scoreline itself was also a record for a competitive win.

The win sent Saints to the top of the Macleod & MacCallum North Caledonian League, jumping above Invergordon and Thurso by a clear three points, albeit

Pl

W

D

L

GD

Pts

ST. DUTHUS

8

7

0

1

+31

21

Invergordon

7

6

0

1

+31

18

Thurso

6

5

0

1

+10

15

Orkney

5

4

1

0

+20

13

Halkirk Utd

10

4

1

5

-5

13

Golspie Suth.

6

3

2

1

+22

11

Inverness Ath.

9

3

0

6

+4

9

Bunillidh Thistle

9

0

0

9

-52

0

Bonar Bridge

8

0

0

8

-61

0

Former Wick Academy and Brora Rangers goalkeeper Danny McCarthy made a surprise return for St. Duthus against Invergordon in the Football Times Cup. having played a game more.

The highlight of the month though came a week later with a 2-1 win away to Invergordon in the first week of the new Football Times Cup regional grouping format. Saints and their Easter Ross neighbours competed in the South section of the competition, which has been revamped to create two regional groups (North and South) with the winners from each set to meet in a playoff final next year.

Saints went into the game already possessing the bragging rights having beaten their local rivals in the league in September, and it took them just eighteen minutes to opening the scoring with a well taken goal from Liam Rostock.

New signing Dean Allison was played in on goal by Jon Campbell and the striker showed great reactionary skill to backheel to Rostock for the goal.

Club captain Cammy Mackintosh made it 2-0 midway through the second half with a stunning dipping shot which flew over the Invergordon keeper, leaving him with no chance. The home side did pull a goal back a few minutes later, but dogged defending and some inspired goalkeeping from Danny McCarthy in the Saints nets made sure of victory.

The club’s next Football Times cup tie will be at home to the Lewis & Harris select side on Saturday December 7th.

On November 30th, Saints further

32

added to their league tally to hold their first place position in the table with a 3-1 home win against Inverness. 1-1 at the break thanks to a Stefan MacRitchie opener and a Will Ross own goal at the other end, Ross headed home at the right end in the second half to retake the lead before the returning Ben Bruce rounded off the win.

On player news, Jake Lockett has left the club in what is hoped to be a temporary move to Bonar Bridge. He joins their player-manager Miller Mackay at Migdale, who is also a former Saint.

Dean Allison, mentioned earlier, has signed for St. Duthus from Inverness Athletic, having spent eighteen months at the city club. Originally from Beauly, the 25 year old Allison had been playing for Inverness City before coming to the North Caledonian League, having previously played amateur football in the Inverness & District leagues.

Fixtures for December: 7th Dec - St. Duthus v Lewis & Harris in the Football Times Cup South Section.

1pm kick off at Grant Park, by Tain Links 14th Dec - Inverness Athletic v St. Duthus in the Football Times Cup South Section. 1pm kick off at Inverness Royal Academy.

28th Dec - Invergordon v St. Duthus in the North Caledonian League. 1pm kick off at Invergordon Recreation Grounds.

JOANNA OVERCOMES BROKEN ARM TO TAKE GOLD You would scarcely imagine that a one-armed boxer would have much of a chance in a boxing match - let alone a fighter’s chance - but Tain’s Joanna Wróblewska-Grudzina defied all the odds when she defeated Glasgow City’s Lauren Jones in the final of the Women’s Lightweight National Novice Championship last month - all with a broken arm!

Originally from Gostycyn, in the North of Poland near Gdańsk, Joanna Wróblewska-Grudzina travelled to Scotland seven years ago along with her husband and daughter. From day one, she always wanted to compete.

“It was my dream to become a boxer.

Kids my age watched cartoons and I watched boxing. I was hooked after I first saw Andrew Golota fighting on TV and I knew that boxing was for me. But I never had any opportunity to start boxing in Poland. When I moved to Scotland, my husband and I changed our diet and I began to take private lessons at the Highland Boxing Academy in Inverness.

After a few months, my coach Laura Mackay allowed me to spar and the head coach Liam Foy saw I had potential.”

Joanna, 34, can certainly be commended for her commitment to the sport, balancing her training with a hectic life schedule, as a mother of a young baby studying for a degree in psychology, all while holding down a full time job.

She made her amateur boxing debut on May 4th and got off to a winning start, claiming the Fight of the Night award into the bargain. It was no surprise then when she claimed the Gavin MacDonald

Joanna Wróblewska-Grudzina (right) competing at the Highland Boxing Academy’s event at the British Legion in May this year in her first amateur fight.

Flooring Trophy for Most Improved Boxer soon after. Her preparations for the Scottish Novice Boxing Championships began during the summer holidays.

“With the support of my husband, my sister and everyone at the club, I was able to spend almost all of my spare time boxing, sparring and getting ready for the competition.”

The November event, held at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell, featured four days of junior and amateur boxing between over 200 competitors from across Scotland.

Joanna was entered in the Elite Female category, competing at the 60kg lightweight class having had just one previous contest on her record.

But on the eve of the finals, Joanna suffered a recurrence of a persistant pain

Joanna Wróblewska-Grudzina, pictured with former IBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight champion Gary Cornish, when she was awarded the Gavin MacDonald Flooring award for Most Improved Boxer.

33

in her right arm, which had been causing her discomfort for months.

“I just thought the pain was the result of a physical job and my training, and the pain usually disappeared after a while. But just a few minutes before the match at the finals, I could feel it becoming sore again. In the first round, after hitting a few punches it became so painful that I knew something must be wrong.”

But Joanna bravely continued, lasted the full three rounds and remarkably claimed victory over her Glasgow opponent by unanimous decision.

“Due to the increase in adrenaline while competing, I never felt the real pain until after the fight when I was presented with the gold medal.”

A quick trip to A & E at the University Hospital Wishaw followed immediately after the fight, and an X-ray soon revealed that Joanna had suffered a radial fracture in her right arm. She had surgery once she was back home, which included the permanent placement of a metal plate in the arm.

The Highland Boxing Academy shared its praise and astonishment at Joanna’s brave achievement on Facebook; “Joanna Wróblewska put on a warrior like performance winning the Scottish Novice title after sustaining a break in her right arm. Not enough can be said for the strength of character shown and the determination from this young lady. A truly legendary and unique achievement that will unlikely be matched ever again.”

Once she has recovered, Joanna hopes to compete in the Lonsdale MTK Global Amateur Box Cup next April just imagine what she could do with two working arms!

THROUGH THE LENS

with Mark Janes LRPS Issue #24 - Christmas is coming The list is endless; just use your imagination!

3.

Make a mini-documentary. Plan to tell the story of Christmas in your home as a series of pictures. Start with a wide, opening shot; maybe the living room with the tree and the family gathering around, then get in close again and tell mini-stories as the day unfolds

Christmas is coming and, as family and friends gather round the turkey, we’ll be taking plenty of photos. But what makes a great picture? As the festive season approaches, we’ll look at a couple of simple tips to make your Christmas pictures more memorable.

When I run my evening classes I often ask; “What makes a great picture?”. We get a lot of different answers, but one that comes out time and again is; “A great picture tells a story”. So, how do we turn our Christmas snaps into great story-telling pictures?

4.

Look out for candid moments. Some of the most natural shots come when people don’t know they’re being photographed. Look out for great expressions, interactions or even someone reading a book in a quiet moment. Try to make people look good though; nobody is going to thank you for grabbing a picture of them with a daft look on their face and posting it on Facebook!

1.

Get in close. Stories are about peoples’ reactions, emotions and interactions. Try filling the frame with a child’s face as delight spreads across it, or with their hands as they tear the wrapping off the “big” present! Zoom in on the craic between those two uncles who haven’t seen each other for years!

Cameras are getting better all the time, and even a phone can take great pictures. But remember; ‘‘it’s the person behind the camera that really makes the photograph. So, time to take that lens cap off and get shooting!

2.

Aim to capture action, and the “decisive moment”. Pictures of action tell more interesting stories than pictures of people just sitting around. Take the camera on that after-dinner walk. Get in the kitchen and capture the action there. (Just don’t get in the way!)

Capture key moments; opening a bottle, clinking of glasses, pulling crackers, putting the star on the tree, etc.

Did you like this article? Why not email me and let me know what you’d like to see covered in future issues. If you’ve got any questions about photography, email me those too and we’ll see if we can put them together into a “Q&A” section. markjanesphotographer@gmail.com.

Merry Christmas to all our Readers!

34

SVQ2 Performing Engineering Operations and NC Fabrication and Welding

SVQ2 Engineering 16 week full-time course Operations SVQ2 Performing Performing Engineering Operations SVQ2 Course commences Monday and 15th January 2018 and NC Fabrication Welding and NC Fabrication and Welding and NC Fabrication and Welding Limited places available 16 weekcall full-time course on If interested, Irene Donaldson 16 week full-time course 16 01862 week852440 full-time course Course commences Monday 20th January 2020 / 852436 16 week full-time course Course commences Monday 15th January 2018 Limitedanplaces available or to request application form e-mail Course commences commences Monday 15th January 2018 Course Monday 15th January 2018 info@niggskillsacademy.com Limited places available If interested, Irene Donaldson Limitedcall places available on Limited places available 01862 852440 / 852436 IV191QY Nigg Energy Park, Nigg Ross-shire, If interested, call Irene Donaldson on interested, call Irene Donaldson Donaldson on IfIf or interested, call Irene to request an application form e-mailon 01862 852440 852436 info@niggskillsacademy.com 01862 852440 852440 /// 852436 852436 01862

or to request an application form e-mail info@niggskillsacademy.com info@niggskillsacademy.com info@niggskillsacademy.com

or to to request request anNigg application formIV191QY e-mail or an application form e-mail Nigg Energy Park, Ross-shire, 35

Nigg IV191QY Nigg Energy Energy Park, Park, Nigg Nigg Ross-shire, Ross-shire, IV191QY

TDPP PRINTING Business Cards | Tickets | Programmes | Posters | Leaflets | Bespoke printing phone: (01862) 832329 | email: info@tainpost.co.uk

WE ARE PEOPLE OF ACTION Making a difference in our communities TAIN AND EASTER ROSS ROTARY WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR www.highlandprime.co.uk @HighlandPrime

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN 2019

01862832061

There will be no Highland Prime Van visits to Tain High Street in December.

Come and try some free tasty festive treats instore, on Saturday 7th December.

FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CALL CAROL ANNE ON 07400 313303 To subscribe, or to advertise, please get in touch with Lucy or Niall on info@tainpost.co.uk.

TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST

(01862) 832329

Message us on Facebook if you want to place an order.

Please send contributions to: info@tainpost.co.uk