Homecoming Scotland 2009 Finale - Dumfries and Edinburgh

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Next a series of shots from my St. Andrews Day march up the Royal Mile, from Holyrood Park to the Castle Esplanade





I'd promised myself I would march up the Royal Mile for free on St. Andrews day rather than pay an exorbitant price to march as a clan alba person at the Edinburgh gathering. I chose to wear Wilson tartan, honouring the great grandmother whom I share with my Canadian relatives. I reflected that next time there is an Edinburgh gathering there is likely to be much more enthusiasm and participation by the Scots. It is all very well to have a Homecoming Gathering but you need to have someone at home to welcome you. The preference of the Edinburgh gathering organisers to allocate "clan" tents to overseas clan and family societies left many of us from Scottish lowland families feeling excluded at the time, but as with my own clan, several lowland family societies are now, as a consequence of this year's events, working with their overseas counterparts towards re-establishing their clan structures with an identified hereditary head of family.

There could be no Homecoming event without Homecomers coming to explore their Scottish roots, here is a lovely lass who was visiting Edinburgh from Johannesburg, South Africa, over the Homecoming Scotland 2009 finale.

Homecoming Scotland 2009 came to a close with spectacular ten minute fireworks display from Edinburgh Castle.
That's all folks.