FROM OUR FILES
TEN YEARS AGO Friday May 16, 2008 Get ready for some great pipe bands and a ceilidh
MEMBERS of the Kintyre Pipe Band became models to promote the Mull of Kintyre Pipe Band Championship taking place on Kinloch Green, Campbeltown, on Saturday.
To raise funds for the event and promote it around the world, a series of postcards has been created with scenes from favourite movies such as Blues Brothers, Titanic, Reservoir Dogs and Casablanca, not to mention a very kilted version of that iconic girl-playing-tennis poster from the 1970s all given a distinct piping or Kintyre twist.
Ten bands from across Scotland are travelling to Kintyre to take part in the festival, which also features a primary school football tournament, chanter contest and display by drum majors.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO Friday May 21, 1993 Pupils clinch promotion
THE PUPILS finally clinched promotion to the Premier Division, but champions Rolls Royce did their very best to spoil the celebrations, inflicting their first home league defeat of the season on the local heroes.
The first half, however, belonged very much to the home side, setting out to rubberstamp their runners-up slot.
The game was only 15 minutes old when Kevan Gilchrist was given an opportunity as the Rolls Royce defence poured out to employ the offside tactic.
The Pupils forward was too quick thinking for the back four as he raced 30 yards to chip the advancing goalkeeper, giving the Pupils the ideal start.
The home side were giving Rolls Royce all sorts of problems, continually beating the offside trap, but a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping denied the Pupils the lead their pressure merited.
FIFTY YEARS AGO Thursday May, 1968 Five Labour men refuse key positions – only one accepts a convenership
LABOUR have retained convenership of only one committee on Campbeltown Town Council.
At the statutory meeting on Friday evening, the now Progressive-controlled council offered the Labour group no fewer than five convenerships. Only one labour man, Councillor Alastair McKinlay as convener of public health, accepted the position.
Despite personal pleas from Provost Dan McKinven, the Labour group were adamant in declining to accept convenership nominations.
Hissing and laughter from Labour town councillors greeted the appointment of the new provost. He had resigned from the Labour Party only the night before because they had decided to nominate retiring provost Duncan L McMillan for a second three-year term of office.
Bailie McKinven, who now sits as an Independent Socialist, received nine votes to Mr McMillan’s eight.
When Bailie McKinven was about to be sworn in, ex-colleague Councillor William Campbell said: ‘I hope you’re satisfied now, Dan.’
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Saturday May 18, 1918 The retirement of Sheriff McClure
A SITTING of the Argyll Appeal Tribunal was held on Tuesday afternoon within the County Buildings, Campbeltown, when Sheriff Macmaster Campbell presided for the first time since his appointment as chairman in succession to Sheriff-Principal McClure.
The court having assembled, Sheriff Macmaster said: ‘This is the first meeting since the appointment of the chairman, Sheriff-Principal McClure, to the position of Deputy Director of Labour, and his consequent resignation as a member of the tribunal.
‘The appeal tribunal is gratified that Sheriff McClure’s high administrative gifts should be directed to an office of such national importance, but they regret that his new appointment involves his retirement from the chairmanship of the tribunal.
‘Sheriff McClure has acted as chairman since its institution in 1916, and has so successfully fulfilled the duties of chair as to ensure complete confidence.’