Southend Highland Games is an evening full of fun

A wee village with a big welcome

Follow the B842 and the signs for Southend at the very end of the Kintyre Peninsula on the evening of Saturday July 20 and you will find yourselves at a wonderful highland games. There are bigger highland games around but you cannot beat a visit to Southend to see what the real spirit of the games is all about, namely the community getting together, everyone joining in and having fun. Even though Southend might be a smaller-sized games it is a force to be reckoned with; the athletics, dancing and piping all have a very high-quality turn out. Kintyre, with its famous MOK half-marathon and running scene, its superb piping heritage and the highly-respected James McCorkindale School of Dancing means that Southend is the local games day for some leading West Highland and national competitors. There is the traditional ‘heavy’ section as well and plenty of fun events like throwing the tyre along with lots of races for tots and younger children. There are also plans to bring back the beat-the-goalie competition. Kintyre Pipe Band will take to the field at about 5.45pm and the games will begin at 6pm. The chieftain will be Neil John McCorkindale. John Galbraith, secretary and treasurer to the games, said that this will be Neil John’s last year as chieftain as he is set to retire, so go along and wish him well. The games field in the centre of the village will have a licensed bar, and food provided by Argyll Bakeries. There is no games day dance as such, but games night at the Argyll Hotel in the village is always a great occasion and the Muneroy Tearoom extends its opening hours but booking is essential. John Galbraith promises that the weather will be fine and the midges will stay at home that evening so what more do you want for an all-round great evening’s entertainment?