#like I am wondering if derek from year 4 went on to study engineering

[theforgottenfreefaller]

Do you ever just think about random people you went to school with, or played sports with, or worked with and wondering what they are doing these days?

[euroman1945-blog]

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Friday 29th June 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. News from the present about the past fills the page today, from a  Faithful Dog to Spain’s battle on Scottish soil.. but first let me fill my cup with coffee, before I regale you with the mystery’s and discoveries that I have managed to dig up for you… it’s hot and sultry this morning, I’m not in the best of health today, the antibiotics they gave me for my bronchitis are kicking my @#$& so I put the fan on and Bella is luxuriating in its breeze as I am…..

NEW ARTWORK RECALLS INVERNESS MARKET'S GUARD DOG…. A new plaque has been made to honour a guard dog that died in a fire almost 130 years ago. The dog had been trained to protect its master's stall in Inverness' indoor Victorian Market, and could not be persuaded to leave its post. The blaze almost completed destroyed the site, which was later rebuilt and continues to be used today. The plaque is the first of a series of seven artworks to be installed across the city recalling some of its legends. The piece dedicated to the dog has been placed in the market.

HISTORIC SWORD STOLEN FROM ISLE OF CANNA MUSEUM…. A mystery theft on a small Scottish island reads like the plot of a long-lost Agatha Christie novel. The whodunnit has all the ingredients typically faced by the fictional sleuth: an idyllic setting, an isolated, close-knit community, and a sudden disappearance. Police have appealed for help from the public after a two-handed historic broadsword was stolen from a museum on the Isle of Canna in the Inner Hebrides. Canna, situated in the Small Isles, has just 18 residents. The 17th century weapon boasts a double-edged blade, a wooden grip and a stamped fleur de lys design. The 7ft long claymore was taken from Canna House some time between 6-9 June. Read more at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LandCalledScotland/

REMAINS OF “ANCIENT WOLF” FOUND IN HIGHLAND PEAT BOG…. The remains of an animal believed to be a young wolf that roamed the Highlands up to 2,000 years ago have been discovered in a Highland peat bog. The find was made on a croft at Rogart, Sutherland with the animal remains well preserved by the acidic ground. Skulls, bones, teeth, claws and golden fur have been removed from the site with the animal now dubbed the ‘Rogart Bog Beast’. The find has been described as a “once in a lifetime chance discovery” by Brora Heritage with the remains due to be sent to the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh for further analysis. The beast was found by a digger operator extracting peat from the croft of Duncan MacKay, 67, who has lived his entire life on the land.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS SEARCH FOR ‘LOST’ CASTLE AT FORMER ROYAL RETREAT…. Archaeologists are to search for a “lost” castle in South Ayrshire after possible evidence of a mysterious structure was discovered on the site of a former royal residence. Work will get underway this summer at Dundonald Castle, around which was the preferred retreat of Robert II, the first of the Stuart kings, during the 14th century. Archaeologists will move onto the site in August after a geophysical survey showed a “high chance” of previously unknown structural remains at the site of the castle, which sits high on a hill overlooking Dundonald village. It is believed these remains could be linked to a grand 13th century stronghold which was deliberately destroyed during the Wars of Independence in an attempt to stop English forces gaining a foothold in the area. Experts hope the excavation will fill in some of the missing links of the castle’s long history. Lauren Welsh, archaeology co-ordinator at Dundonald Castle, said: “There are a lot of questions that remain unanswered about Dundonald. There are big gaps in the history of the castle so the archaeology will help us investigate those. “We know that the castle was built for Robert II as a hunting lodge and that he lived and died here but a lot of the history of Dundonald is supposition. “We think the excavation work gives us a good chance to understand more about what happened at Dundonald and give us some of the answers we are looking for.”

STUDY AT BATTLEFIELD GLEN WHERE SPANISH JOINED THE JACOBITES…. Archaeologists have been surveying for the first time the site of the sole battle of the 1719 Jacobite rising when around 300 Spanish soldiers fought alongside the rebels in the Highlands. Experts from National Trust for Scotland hope their work will gain further understanding of the Battle of Glen Shiel, which ended in victory for British Government forces, ahead of its 300th anniversary on June 10 next year. Around 1,150 Highlanders fought on the Jacobite side at Glen Shiel, including Rob Roy MacGregor, Donald Cameron of Lochiel - head of Clan Cameron - and William MacKenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth. They were supplemented by up to 300 Spanish soldiers sent to support the Jacobites in a bid to put further pressure on Britain, which was at war with Spain at the time. Derek Alexander, head of archaeological services at NTS, said the battlefield in Kintail in the north west Highlands remained almost complete with rare field fortifications found at the site. He said: “Next year is the 300th anniversary of the Battle of Glen Shiel so it would be good to get a better understanding of what actually happened there. Archaeology is good at drawing out the finer details from the historical accounts that we have. “Glen Shiel is one of the few battlefields in Scotland that has physical archaeological built remains still in place.” He said “wonderful” documents relating to the battle still existed, which were drawn up by John-Henri Bastide, a soldier with the British Army who went on to become a military engineer. The early 18th Century documents have been the lead guide for excavations at the site with work focused around Spanish Hill where the Jacobites and their Iberian counterparts positioned themselves.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of ‘Rogart Bog Beast’ the ancient wolf beast .....

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Friday 29th June 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus