Each month we will be featuring a guest writer and this month is Christine Beveridge. She grew up in the Town of Thurso Caithness leaving in 1955 when I married a young doctor from Aberdeen. For most of her married life she lived on small Islands surrounded by turbulent seas, starting over the Minch with Stornaway in Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and ending on the beautiful Island of Tasmania in Australia's notorious Bass Strait.

" The fiddler swayed and bowed rhythmically in perfect tune with the beautiful melody. The tune being played was "The Flowers o' the Forest". You could have heard a pin drop. Well, that fiddler (and I am proud to say it) was my late father, Robert Mackay. A poet and musician still well remembered in the north of Scotland as "The Caithness Violinist." The year was 1943, the place the old picture house theatre in Thurso and I was eight years old. It was the first time I had ever seen him performing on a stage. As we reach into the new millennium, that music still haunts me. Lovingly played, it had me wide eyed with wonderment. It was obvious to everyone that my father was in his element, doing what he did best. He was a handsome man, a talented entertainer whose music added brightness and pleasure to Caithness gatherings over many years. That night he had the audience enraptured as he played his reels and strathspeys to encore after encore. Feet tapped, hands clapped and voices applauded with delight in appreciation. It was the same on hundreds of other happy nights in the north of Scotland during this passing century. The Caithness Violinist was just one of many unique characters born in the Scottish Highlands at the end of the 19th century; unique, because they lived their lives astride two worlds. Caithness was then an isolated community. Poverty was widespread and common, which often meant that just surviving day by day was an achievement. And yet, although often humble and unassuming, those worldly men and women had a keen understanding of a world outside of their narrow, daily grind. Although in some cases they had attained only a basic education, they developed by their own efforts a remarkable understanding of literature, familiarising themselves with the works of the great poets and writers of their century. They were uniquely talented musicians and composers, often self-taught. Sadly, some of their works have vanished over the years, but their considerable contribution to our Scottish Highland heritage should not be forgotten. The enrichment their talents gave to the lives of those in the Highland communities, and their patriotism and love of country was all the more outstanding considering the impoverished environment of the times in which they lived. My father was strongly patriotic, and wrote many poems about his "Immortal Scotia". He would have beamed with pride that Scotland had regained her national, independent identity. "But Ah! Culloden's field displayed The might and power that lowly laid The finest Highland stock e'er born That ne'er again saw light of morn. But still our hearts are true as steel, To Scottish hearts so kind and leal, Raise up the Scottish Standard high, For her we live, for her we'll die." Much of the poet's writings have sadly been lost over the years, and it was not until February 1998 that a serious search was carried out in the Thurso and Wick Library Archives. This search instigated by my daughter Lorna, and carried out on our behalf by Mr. Sandy Gunn - a well-known local enthusiastic amateur Caithness historian - uncovered almost 100 poems together with other articles and letters published in the local Caithness newspapers between 1930 and 1952. The search continues, as I feel sure there are still discoveries to be made. The songs and ballads that he composed, most of which were given away to friends and associates, and some written at a moment's notice on whatever paper was at hand. He never refused anyone who requested a verse or ode, to impress a sweetheart or thank a friend. To Be Continued

With the help of the Internet Kristy now communicate with expatriate Scots worldwide and has retraced much of her father's family history. She is keen to make contact with any Caithnessians of my generation or older who may have personally known my father and have memories to impart. She can be reached at here

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