Curling Bonspiel Comrie 1965

With this amazing frozen weather we are having and lots of talk going on about Curling Bonspiels taking place, I thought I'd share a couple of pictures from 1965. My grandfather Mr George Goodwin is in the centre pouring the whisky. The poem coming up soon was prompted as a result of the BBC wishing to film a real 'live' bonspiel on a New Year's Day. It was held at Sir Robert Dundas's Pond, near the Laggan Park Comrie, which had frozen over. A few of Comrie's 'finest' would try a few 'ends' and then finish up with a traditional toast - there was some trepidation associated with the project. Whenever someone set foot on the ice a loud crack or twang was heard and a line of raised, ridged rather thin ice spread away from the point of contact, and to add to the excitement no one knew the actual depth of the pond. Undeterred the party played a few ends. However, because the ice was soon covered in puddles and appeared to have become 'ower thin' it was decided to hurry the closure of the session and the party lined up in front of the camera to record the toast. A bottle of Scotch was produced and a dram poured into a glass which was then hoisted in salutation to the television viewers. Just as the glass was being raised to the lips the ice underneath gave way. The person raising the glass must have realised that his time on earth had come and was filmed swallowing the contents of the glass before following the party into the depths of the pond. Thereafter everyone rescued each other and discovered that the pond was about six inches deep!!

The Meeting of the Waters

Keith Macpherson

(Lednock and Usquebae)

Ta' 'Pherson swore a feud against that Goodwin fellow

Says he, 'My fine big chap I think that you are yellow',

'No this will never do insults I won't be hurling

Come doon to Comrie Hoose, and meet me at the curling'.

Chorus: Come a ree come a ra come a roo

Come a ree come a ra come a rous

Come a ree come a ra come a roo

Tat's a Gaelic Chorus

Says Goodwin, 'My fine chap I do not like your manner

I've heard about your clan and also their green banner,

But bring your clansmen down, my curlers I will muster

I soon will prove to you I do not fear your bluster'

They met down at the pond says Goodwin 'My fine chappie

I think we'll star the game by handing round the drappie',

The camera man was there to photograph the slaughter

When crash the ice went down and left them in the water.

MacPherson's Chief went down I think they were the losers

A puddock in the pond cried 'Donald, where's yer troosers'

Says Donald, 'Haud yer wheesht yer knowledge just be quelling

What's underneath the kilt ye never should be telling'.

However this sad tale it had a happy ending,

'Tis said the night was spent in muckle elbow bending,

And 'tis a well known fact, while round the fire you're sipping

The finest shots are played when Johnnie Dewar is skipping.

And furthermore besides this most unique position

Was shown around the world on BBC television.

But what they did not show a point that's well worth noting

Is what the puddock saw when Donald's kilt was floating!