Band handed reel honour with ceilidh

A CEILIDH has been held at Newbattle Abbey College in Dalkeith in honour of a visiting US folk musician and his band.

Bob McGill and the The Possum Holler Fiddlers, a folk group from Missouri made up primarily of young fiddle players, performed at a special event in the college’s crypt.

The band formed in 2008 to preserve Ozark music – a folk genre which can be traced back to the first Scottish settlers to arrive in the United States.

The evening included performances from local acts including The Linties, The Scotus Ceilidh Band, The Pathhead Fiddle Group and Newbattle’s Rough and Ready Choir.

Depute principal Marian Docherty said: “We were delighted to welcome so many friends of the college to share our traditions of Celtic music, song and dance with our visitors from Missouri.”

The event was a continuation of the college’s dedication to Midlothian’s Celtic heritage.