Cowal Highland Gathering
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The Cowal Highland Gathering is a Highland games held in Dunoon, Argyll in Western Scotland. Better known as Cowal Games, it is the largest highland gathering in the World. The date of the games is always the last Friday and Saturday in August.
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[edit] History
The first Cowal Games was held in Dunoon in 1894, and attracted fewer than 2,000 spectators. By 1901 attendances reached 5,000 and the first overseas competitor, an American athlete took part.
1906 saw the introduction of a Pipe Band Competition which was to be the breakthrough that ensured Cowal's place in history and ensure its status as the most spectacular of all the Highland Games worldwide. In 1929 the first approaches from Scottish Societies overseas were received and this has continued as exiles the world over have turned to Dunoon for advice and practical assistance in setting up their own Gatherings.
After a break during the years of World War II, the first Post-War Gathering, in 1946, attracted attendances of 28,000. However, the record attendance, to date at least was in 1950 when 30,000 visitors attended. One of whom was then Prime Minister Clement Attlee.
In 2000, Changes to the Highland dancing format has resulted in the Friday becoming a high profile day for dancing with the top dancers out to qualify for Saturday's finals. The Solo Piping competition introduced a Graded system which has enhanced the competition and increased the enjoyment of officials, competitors and spectators. Shinty was reintroduced with great success, attracting high calibre competitions.
2003 saw Cowal extended to a 3-day event with the introduction of the Scottish National Highland Dancing Championships and the 5k Cowal Run.
The 2007 event saw controversy when it was announced that the committee had decided to abandon the track, athletic and shinty competitions. It was rumoured that this was due to pressure from the pipebands to allow the crowd to come closer. A number of changes were introduced to the layout of the pipe band competition which allowed the spectators to get closer to the bands as they competed. These changes greatly enhanced the event for the bandsmen and spectators alike.
Other changes made in 2007 were the introduction of a Most Entertaining band competition and the Mace over the bar competition. Both of which were light hearted events allowing the bandsmen to let their hair down whilst entertaining the crowds. [1]
[edit] Present Times
Nowadays, Cowal Games attracts more than 3,500 competitors with many coming from Scottish Communities overseas including Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The town of Dunoon regularly welcomes around 15 - 20,000 visitors for the games, doubling the towns population for the weekend!
[edit] Pipe Bands
On the Saturday morning, on average, 150 Pipe bands arrive to contest the Cowal Championships. The day starts with all the bands marching from Dunoon pier, through the main town and up to the Stadium, a distance of approximately 1 mile. On completion of the days events the bands close the Gathering with the landmark ceremony which is unique to Cowal, the March Past[2] and Salute to the Chieftain of the Games by 3,000 Pipes and Drums. The bands then march back to the pier, displaying the trophies they have won on the day.
Changes may be due to take place very soon regarding the position of the Cowal Games as one of the RSPBA's "major" championships. Frustration of band members and supporters due to poor facilities, the small tuning area and the very expensive entry fees (when compared to other majors - out with the World Pipe Band Championships - that are mainly free entry) has led to whispers of the end. If this is to be the case the RSPBA will begin to look elsewhere for locations for their 5th major.
As a result of the changes that the Gathering introduced for the 2007 event and the positive feedback from competitors and spectators alike, discussions involving the RSPBA have resulted in a new three-year deal being agreed commencing with the 2008 Gathering.
