Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
After the success of the Referendum in 1997 the First Minister Donald Dewar announced a competition for the design of Scotland's new parliament building. The winner was the design of Catalan architect, Enric Miralles.
His adventurous design with leaf shaped buildings and upturned boat style skyli...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
In 1997 after nearly 20 years of Conservative rule a labour government swept to power with a landslide victory over largely disorganised opposition. The party had campaigned successfully on the issue of major constitutional reform and among these reforms was devolution for Scotland.
The controver...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
Wednesday 13th March 1996 should have been a normal school day for the children of Dunblane Primary School. Tragically it was not.
On that morning unemployed former shopkeeper Thomas Hamilton walked unchallenged into the school armed with two 9mm Browning HP pistols and two Smith and Wesson .357 ...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
The car ferry making the five minute journey between Kyleakin and Kyle of Lochalsh was finally made redundant in 1995 with the opening of the Skye Bridge.
The reasons for and against a large, modern construction in an area of stunning natural beauty, little changed since King Haakon anchored his ...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
From the Mid 1970's onwards there had been building political pressure towards separate parliaments in both Scotland and Wales. Labour's majority had been whittled down in 1974 and after a series of disastrous by-elections had virtually no majority at all. The Scottish National Party was gaining m...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
On Thursday 25 May 1967 Celtic Football Club became the first ever british side to lift the coveted European Cup after beating Internacionale of Milan 2-1 at the Estadio Nacionale in Lisbon. The feat itself was great but made even more incredible by the fact that this side was made up, not from in...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
Sorley MacLean (Scottish Gaelic: Somhairle MacGill-Eain, sometimes "MacGilleathain" in earlier publications) was born at Osgaig on the island of Raasay on 26 October 1911. At that time on Raasay, which lies between the Isle of Skye and the Scottsih Mainland, Gaelic was the first language.
His gra...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
It is regarded by some as Man’s greatest invention, possibly more life-sustaining than fire and certainly more entertaining than the wheel; it is regarded by others as the Anti-Christ; and it began with Helensburgh-born John Logie Baird.
The very first television picture was transmitted by him in...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
On the 22nd May 1915 Three trains; a special troop train, a local train and the night express coming north from Euston Station, London crashed at Quintinshill Junction near Gretna on the Scottish border causing one of Britain's worst rail disasters.
The troop train was one of two carrying the Lei...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by Donald
Descibed as Scotland’s Eiffel Tower, the breathtaking Forth Railway Bridge stands at Queensferry Narrows, nine miles west of Edinburgh, where it carries trains for a mile and a half over the Firth of Forth.
The cantilever structure, with three 340ft high towers, holding the double railway 150ft a...