Forgandenny Curling Club Dinner
John Stephenson and Charles Lumsden were presented each with a pair of Crawfordjohns with silver mounted handles and a broom at the Curling Club Supper held on 13th December at James McIntyre’s house. The evening was memorable for the formation of an old Curling Court as was the custom after many toasts. Thomas Moffat became My Lord and Alexander Graham acted as his officer. A drinking and fining game followed to raise money and the evening was so fast and furious that it became absolutely necessary to appoint an assistant officer in the person of Brother William Gourlay. The welcoming nature of the curling club members achieved some notoriety but this was not always returned. On one occasion, the members visiting another village were not too pleased with the meal. A poem was published following the event.
O! Ye wha gang to curl and clink
Yer channel stanes aboot the rink,
Come, listen tae me for a blink,
And sadly learn
Boot this new curling fare, just think
Tatties an’ herrin’.
At bonspiels, atween Tay an’ Tweed
There ne’er was heard o’ sic a feed,
O’ humble fare they tak’ the lead,
I wad a groat
Nane humbler in man’s direst need
Cam’ oot a pot.
A curler’s cheer in auld lang syne
Was beef and green and Scottish wine
But thair has been a sair decline
When curlers feast,
An’ for the lack o’ better dine
On sic a beast.
O! surely fallen have the great
What noo must dine on ‘Magistrate’,
Hoo hae we come to siccan a state
In nineteen hunner?
Red herrin’ on a curler’s plate
A perfect scunner.
They’re neither flesh, nor fish, nor fowl,
An’ what a stink, upon my soul,
Eneuch to mak’ a foumart shoul,
An’ cour wi’ shame.
Gin he’d been offered stuff sae fowl
To fill his wame.
Lament wi’ me, a’ curlers keen,
Let saut, saut tears drap frae yer een,
Nae mair we’ll sen’, as ait we’ve seen
Oor stanes abimin’
Sin we hae nocht to treat a frien’
But smeekit herrin’.
St Catharine's Green, 1876
