Published: Wednesday, 2nd July, 2008 12:00
Welcome home to the 'Wee County'
By Nicola Findlay
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Policy officer Jane Adamson, Provost Derek Stewart, Karen Kirkwood and Susan Mills launch Clackmannanshire's role in 'Homecoming Scotland'.
Pic by: David Robertson
CLACKMANNANSHIRE is set to take centre stage in a nationwide event designed to attract visitors with an ancestral connection to the county.
Homecoming Scotland will see a whole host of attractions and events across the country next year from Burns Night until St Andrews Day.
And Clackmannanshire has beaten off stiff competition to be awarded a grant of £10,000 from EventScotland.
This will help to fund a new Historic Kirkyards Trail, a postcard campaign, an art installation and live performances in the kirkyards.
Residents will also be encouraged to bring friends and family to the area and to discover more about their ancestry, using an online resource introducing family history research.
Museum and Heritage Officer Susan Mills said, “Clackmannanshire Council is delighted to be taking part in Homecoming Scotland 2009.
“We’ll be encouraging local people to send postcards to their friends and relatives to ask them to come to Clackmannanshire.
“Everyone will be able to take part in a new Historic Kirkyards Trail to discover some of the county’s built heritage and the fascinating trade gravestones which tell us what people did for a living, while promenade performances will ‘bring to life’ some of the inhabitants who helped to shape Clackmannanshire.
“Art installations in an old kirkyard will help visitors to focus on the importance of family and ancestry and we’ll also show people from near and far how to investigate their family history in the area.
“Clackmannanshire has a remarkable heritage and beautiful countryside and we’ll be proud to invite people back to see this special place.”
Provost Derek Stewart added, “Clackmannanshire’s central location and transport links make it a great base for discovering Scotland, while the Homecoming year will build on our links with places as far afield as Nova Scotia and allow us to introduce yet more fans to our beautiful county.
“As Homecoming in 2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, we’re expecting even more visitors than usual to trace his connection with Clackmannanshire, where Burns was ‘knighted’ and inspired to write his poetry.
“With our stunning hills, famous golf courses and historic connections with the whisky industry, Clackmannanshire really is ‘Scotland in miniature’.”
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