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These records were contributed by Madeleine Slater. MSl29@aol.com. Thanks Madeleine!

Skipness New Year

From a collection of Mrs Higginson's notes about the folklore of Skipness, in Kintyre. This describes the village's New Year celebrations in the early part of the nineteenth century.

"On New Year's Day there would be a shinty match in the Chapel Park, also a long pole well greased. Whoever could put his hand on the top when he had climbed up it received a leg of mutton. A young pig would be let loose with his tail well greased and whoever could catch that pig and hold it by its tail would receive a prize and sometimes the pig itself, but it was no joke to catch it by the tail and hold it. They would come from all parts of the parish to the shinty match and finish off with a great dance in the village public house."

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Copyright 2000 by Sandra McLellan