Tag: Rosemary McKay

Friends of Innerpeffray Library Talk

By Rita Bradd
Following a visit to Innerpeffrey Library in 2017 to hear a talk on The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry with a friend from Adelaide, I received a request to give an illustrated talk to Friends of Innerpeffray Library, near Crieff, Scotland.
Thanks to Friends Of Innerpeffray Library Programme, I took this from their page of events for 2018 on their website  https://friendsofinnerpeffraylibrary.com/meetings-and-events
“8th August   Rita Bradd:   The Final Voyage of Clipper Ship City of Adelaide (1864)
The remarkable story of one woman’s obsession and how far she was prepared to go to see it through was the subject of the August talk. Poet Rita Bradd’s passion for tall ships led her to HMS Carrick, a dilapidated old wreck of a 19th century clipper ship which was slowly disintegrating at the Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine. However, this particular clipper, the oldest surviving clipper in the world, has a fascinating history having started life as a migrant ship called City of Adelaide. When she was scheduled for demolition, the city of Adelaide in Australia won the bid to save her and arrangements were made for her to be transported across the globe on a massive cargo ship, MV Palanpur.
Panel AU27 of the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry showing the City of Adelaide. This was stitched by Rosemary McKay and was part of the display at Morrison’s Academy in 2017.
Rita had been following the fate of the ship and applied for permission for accompany her on her final voyage. Thus began an intrepid 22,000 km, 10 week journey to see the ship safely delivered to her new home. Thanks to her extensive research, Rita was lucky enough to source a copy of a diary written on the ship’s maiden voyage and she has written a parallel diary of her own to commemorate this momentous trip. Rita’s talk links back to last year’s FOIL talk and exhibition about the Scottish Diaspora tapestry which featured this  panel which depicted The City of Adelaide in her heyday.”
I was given a tour of the library in the early afternoon and saw many books, some hundreds of years old, and interesting items on display. Following the talk, I was granted lifelong membership of the library and was presented with a beautiful floral bouquet.
Check https://www.facebook.com/ClipperShipCoA/ for the continuing story of City of Adelaide

‘Salt & Soil’ Debut Poetry Booklet

By Rita Bradd

 

 

I was so thrilled to have my East Lothian Launch of ‘Salt & Soil’ on 26 October 2017 in Hecla Gallery, Cockenzie House & Gardens, Edinburgh Road, Cockenzie.  Over the last several years I’ve held events there, and attended a few too.  I love the environment, there is so much to see with frequently changing exhibitions and craft items in the shop, and the folk that run it are friendly, welcoming and very helpful.  Yvonne Murphy is involved with the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry which inspired the poem ‘Diaspora’ in the booklet.  I brought 3 panels of the Diaspora Tapestry back from Adelaide when I went back there in May 2014 for clipper ship City of Adelaide‘s 150th birthday party. (see Category ‘City of Adelaide’ on my website.)

L-R Trevor Powell, former Chief of Port Adelaide Caledonian Society, Rosemary McKay who organised the stitchers around Adelaide, me, Hon. Piper for City of Adelaide, Des Ross, Commander of Clan Ross in Australia.

The room was packed to capacity for the launch.  Some friends were there, as well as with new faces.  I was already on my second print run, having sold most, and outsourced the remainder of the first batch.

This beautiful handcrafted desk later became my signing table.

I took along my clarsach and played my composition ‘City of Adelaide : Farewell to Scotland’ to start off the evening.  I ended with accompanying myself on ‘The Herrin Trail’.

 

Edinburgh and Glasgow launches will be announced in the near future.