10 ways Scotland influenced the USA!

10 ways Scotland influenced the United States of America – An infographic with some great facts about how Scotland and her people helped to shape the United States…

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Drumnacoub – A Bloody Battle in the Far North

Battle of Drumnacoub (between 1427 and 1433) This battle was an internal feud among the men of Clan MacKay but also involved some Sutherland men. A disastrous battle, it led to the loss of many senior members of the clan and most of the belligerents on both sides. The origins of the battle begin with […]

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Watching Scotland: A peek at the Scottish Green Party

In the last Watching Scotland blog we took a look at the Scottish Conservative Party, or (from an American point of view) the somewhat unfortunately nicknamed “Tories”. From a right of centre perspective we now swing over and investigate what is going on over on the left with Scotland’s fourth largest political party (out of […]

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A Right Dundee United

Here’s something to keep in mind if you’re ever visiting Nigeria – If someone calls you a ‘Dundee United’, it’s probably not a compliment. The Scottish football club’s name has been appropriated as Nigerien slang for ‘idiot’, and is believed to have originated after Dundee played several friendly matches in Nigeria in the 70s.  The […]

Photographs Reveal Croft Memories

A new photographic exhibition is set to open that will shine a light on abandoned crofts throughout the Western Isles of Scotland. Entitled Leaving Home: An Alternative View of the Outer Hebrides, selected photographs will be accompanied by memoirs from those who grew up in the houses, which reveal what life was like in the […]

Our Vote for Scotland’s National Tree

Canada has the instantly recognisable maple tree, Japan has the whimsical cherry blossom, and England has the mighty royal oak. However Scotland seems to have missed the proverbial national-tree boat, as it was recently discovered that poor old Scotland is without a tree to call its own. After furious campaigning by a Glasgow tree campaigner, […]

Kilt Like an Egyptian

It seems wherever you travel around the globe, you can’t miss signs of Scottish influence. From bagpipes being played in far off antipodean lands to Ceilidhs taking place in South America, the Scots have sure spread themselves far and wide. I recently traveled through Egypt, eyes peeled for any evidence of these great wanderers. Today […]

Council Weighs In On Bobby Rubbing

Edinburgh’s world famous pup Greyfriar’s Bobby got a facelift earlier this week, following a successful Facebook campaign by Bobby enthusiasts. On Tuesday sculpture conservation and bronzework specialists enlisted by Edinburgh Council worked to restore the black on the dog’s snout after years worth of passerbys rubbing his nose for good luck. Bobby campaigners had resorted […]