BORN REDDY
River City star hails event that is going nuts for ginger hair
It is the ginger Oscar and the redheads’ Emmy. And River City star Gary Lamont could not have been prouder to collect his music award at the Irish Redhead Convention.
The actor charmed the flame-haired fans at the event held in the beautiful village of Crosshaven, home to the world’s oldest yacht club in County Cork.
He received the MOGO (Music of Ginger Origin) award from another redhead, Englishman Barry Singleton, who came up with the idea of awarding redheads who had distinguished musical careers.
Gary said: “I can’t believe it. I won best newcomer. After 10 years in the business I am a newcomer. How funny is that?
“It was such a great feeling and I now know how Adele feels when she gets her music awards. Maybe she’ll get one eventually.”
He was well ahead of other performers in the online vote, including Red Rae, Kezia Gill and Devon Mayson.
Gary arrived in the village, with its scenic views of Cork harbour and the woodlands of Curabinny across the water, last weekend fresh from his successful one-man show “What a Riddy” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. To his delight he found himself surrounded by redheads, young and old, male and female, along with a few red furry animals including dogs and cats.
He said: “I am blown away by all of this. Crosshaven is beautiful and to see so many redheads in one place is just wonderful.
“I have only ever been in Dublin, so seeing another part of Ireland like this is delightful. “I love the idea of a redhead convention but one that doesn’t take itself seriously. This one is full of fun, variety and oddities.”
Before receiving his award, Gary gave a shortened version of his one-man show and belted out his favourite songs, composed by or sung by famous redheads.
He was delighted with the enthusiastic reception his performance received.
He said “It’s great. When I heard I was performing at 11.30 am, I thought there would only be a man and his dog listening but the audience were smashing.
“I am hoping to take the show on tour and hope Ireland will be one of the locations along with Scotland and Britain for starters.”
Gary wandered through the crowds mingling in familiar territory with other redheads, many of them from abroad including America, Canada and Europe.
He was fascinated by the red curly mop of hair on Vancouver Island student Willen Kuum, 21, who just happened to be in Crosshaven after a visit to relatives in Scotland.
Willen said: “I can’t wait to let them know I met Gary in Ireland.
“I love these redhead conventions. I have been to
It was such a great feeling. Now I know how Adele feels
Holland and just three months ago, I was in Milan. I love my red hair and I have been growing it long like this for many years.
“The last time I got it cut was for a charity event in my high school.
“This convention is great and it makes me proud to be a redhead. I was never bullied about my hair and I was always happy with it.
“Everywhere I go it draws stares and attention and I love it.”
Gary, who has played gay hairdresser Robbie Fraser in Scotland’s favourite soap for the past seven years, said he was never bullied about his hair when growing up.
He added: “I was reared in the Castlemilk housing estate, which was quite a tough place, so I learned to take care of myself from an early age.
“I love my red hair because it is my defining feature and it makes me stand out from thousands of other actors, so it is part of my success.”
The 31-year-old admitted he loved being part of a festival where red rules. As he stood with the lovely Terrins family from Galway, holding seven-monthold Philomena in his arms, he said: “This event is such a positive thing for all redheads. There was a time when there was a stigma attached to being foxy but no more.
“Seeing so many families here with red-headed children sends out such a positive message to everyone. It teaches wee kiddies from a very young age to be proud of their red hair.”