Big Yin is a 50ft star for 75th birthday

From our archives

5 years ago

THE Big Yin is to become the Very Big Yin. As a tribute to Billy Connolly, three new 50ft images of the comedian, actor and musician will be displayed on walls across Glasgow city centre. The displays, in honour of the star’s 75th birthday, include works by John Byrne, Jack Vettriano and Rachel Maclean. The works will be displayed at the end of this month, and on display in their original form at the People’s Palace museum from June 15. Byrne has created a portrait of Connolly as he is now, which will go on a wall end in Osborne Street.

10 years ago

SCOTLAND has been beaten to the first official world record for massed bagpipe playing – by Bulgaria. A group of 333 Bulgarian folk musicians gathered in the capital Sofia with their kaba gaidas – bagpipes from the Rhodope mountains in the south of the country – to set the Guinness world record. Many performers were children in traditional Bulgarian dress. Ian Embleton, of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, said there were “no sour grapes” about Bulgaria being recognised for the typically Scottish pursuit. Mr Embleton said: “Anything that brings piping to the masses or new parts of the world is something that can only be a good thing in my eyes.”

25 years ago

RANGERS’ Ally Mccoist is set to see out the remaining year of his contract at Ibrox. It has been suggested Mccoist, who will be 35 in September, might follow Richard Gough’s example by leaving Rangers with a year of his contract to run. Clubs in Japan and America were keen to lure the Scotland striker, but he has confirmed he will stay after talks with manager Walter Smith. Mccoist is even to take the first steps towards a long-term future at Ibrox by working with Rangers commercial manager Bob Reilly.

50 years ago

DETAILS of a plan that could give authors and publishers up to £3.5 million a year in public royalties on books in public libraries has been published by the Department of Education and Science. Under the scheme an author would get about the same amount for the lending of a book by a library as from a single sale. “In other words, he would get what amounts to a double royalty on United Kingdom library sales,” the Department said. The money – £4m before £500,000 is deducted for administration – would come from a system of library licences.

100 years ago

IT has been decided to wind up the Glasgow Pen And Pencil Club. This organisation has been in existence since 1887, and has, in the opinion of the members, served the purpose for which it was instituted. On occasions many prominent artists, literateurs, and actors were guests of the club while on a visit to the city. The club erected a number of tablets marking the birthplaces of citizens who rose to eminence as soldiers or poets, others recording the sites of houses occupied by prominent philosophers and artists; also where stood the old College of Glasgow and Shawfield Mansion, which Prince Charlie occupied in 1745.