St Andrew's Day events offer an explosive ending to Homecoming

Published on Monday 30 November 2009 21:54

IT WAS a day that saw the most significant festivities yet in honour of Scotland's patron saint come to an end – and a swansong for the biggest-ever celebration of the nation's culture and heritage.

• A firework display above Edinburgh Castle marked the grand finale of the St Andrew's Day festivities. Pictures: Dan Phillips

About 200,000 people were said to have taken part in five days of St Andrew's Day events, ending with a blue-and-white firework display over Edinburgh Castle, watched by hundreds of people in Princes Street Gardens.

The capital took centre stage during the last of 40 special events which also marked the finale of the Year of Homecoming, staged to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.

Crowds braved freezing temperatures throughout yesterday to take in events across the country. Street theatre, live music, ceilidhs, fire and light spectaculars, debates and film screenings were staged in town squares, village halls and at some of the nation's most famous landmarks.

Organisers of the initiatives yesterday hailed them a "tremendous success", despite evidence showing Homecoming had failed to attract more overseas visitors than came to Scotland last year.

More than 400 events were staged after the official anniversary of Burns' birth on 25 January. Officials insist the initiative is "well on track" to pass its target of generating an extra 40 million for Scotland's economy this year.

The 840,000 programme of St Andrew's Day events – staged under the joint banners of "Homecoming Finale" and "St Andrew's Do" – were funded by EventScotland and the Scottish Government.

The National Library of Scotland, Scottish Parliament building and Edinburgh University all hosted major events. Historic Scotland, which had offered free entry to all 47 of its sites over the weekend, repeated the move at Edinburgh Castle yesterday.

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy paid a visit to the shrine of St Andrew at St Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral in Edinburgh.

He said: "St Andrew's Day is a holy day for many, which has become a holiday for some. At its heart, it has been a religious day for many years, but there are too few Scots who know about St Andrew and what he stood for."

At the parliament, ten finalists of Burnsong, an international songwriting contest, including Marie Claire Lee, played a showcase concert. Edinburgh University's McEwan Hall later hosted a gala featuring staff and leading students in Celtic and Scottish Studies paying tribute to the work of the Bard, as well as other leading writers and musicians.

Last night, students and staff from the University of Glasgow gathered for a massive rendition of Auld Lang Syne, breaking a world record in the process. Nearly 200 people gathered at the university to create a world record for the largest number of different languages singing the same song simultaneously.

At The Stand comedy club in the city, there was a special St Andrew's Day stand-up event.

Elsewhere, children in Renfrewshire took part in an alternative Highland Games at Paisley's Lagoon leisure centre.

Other events included concerts in Dumfries and Stirling, a torchlight procession and fire show in St Andrews and a gala dance at Aberdeen's Beach Ballroom.

Marie Christie, project director of Homecoming, said: "Every part of Scotland has celebrated Homecoming by creating inspirational events."