Poetic conclusion to council meeting

The outgoing convener of Orkney Islands Council addressed a final general meeting of the current council yesterday, reading a short poem he had written for the occasion.

The brief special general meeting of the council lasted only around seven minutes.

The only items on the agenda were the draft minutes for other meetings, such as the local review board, the planning committee, and the special policy and resources meeting held last week.

The current convener Harvey Johnston – a councillor for the West Mainland – is not seeking re-election at the council elections on May 5.

He has often addressed significant moments over the five-year council term with his poetry, written in the Orcadian dialect.

At the end of the meeting, he said: “This is the last meeting of this council after five years and I have a short statement here, by way of the final curtain, as it were.”

He then read a piece titled The Chain and the Chair:

We must not be forlorn, as we meet this fine morn

And wur last resolutions declare

As the end quickly nears, O’ five marvellous years

I’ve minded the Chain and the Chair.

As this council wears done, Hid is worth mindan on

Half a decade’s achievements we share

What an honour hid’s been, Members here tae convene

In front o’ the Chain and the Chair.

In the chambers we see, nightly on the TV

The behaviour cheust maks me despair

Here I gladly reflect, at the grace and respect

Shown each other, the Chain and the Chair.

Many fine folk I’ve met: sights I’ll never forget

I’ve been privileged beyond compare

But dear freends I doot, hid is time tae bow oot

And pass on the Chain and the Chair.

Mr Johnston’s address was met with enthusiastic applause from those in the meeting at the Orkney council chamber.

An approximate translation of the poem, to standard English:

We must not be forlorn, as we meet this fine morn

And our last resolutions declare

As the end quickly nears, of five marvellous years

I’ve minded the Chain and the Chair.

As this council wears done, it’s worth remembering

Half a decade’s achievements we share

What an honour it’s been, members here to convene

In front of the Chain and the Chair.

In the chambers we see, nightly on the TV

The behaviour just makes me despair

Here I gladly reflect, at the grace and respect

Shown each other, the Chain and the Chair.

Many fine folk I’ve met: sights I’ll never forget

I’ve been privileged beyond compare

But dear friends, I’m afraid it is time to bow out

And pass on the Chain and the Chair.

HISTORIC: Harvey Johnston, the outgoing convener of Orkney Islands Council, addressed a final general meeting.