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Clan Currie Documentary Film to be Featured in Cities Across the USA for National Tartan Day “The Crafter’s Song” to be Screened in New York, Washington, and Williamsburg Clan Currie continues to extend its reach in helping organizations create and/or expand their Tartan Day and Scottish heritage programs. Next month, the Society’s award-winning film, “The Crafter’s Song” will be screened in multiple cities as part of the observance of National Tartan Day. The film will be screened on Tartan Day, April 6, 2005 in the Special Collections wing of the Swem Library at the College of William and Mary. The screenings are part of the annual Tartan Day observance conducted by the St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg, Virginia. The program will also include a talk by Collections Curator, Stacy Gould. The Library will also have on display the original copy of Senate Resolution 155 which established National Tartan Day. The program runs from 6:00 to 7:00 PM.
Formed in 1968, the St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg provides a social venue for celebration, education, and understanding of Scottish-American tradition and heritage. The Society is blessed to be situated within the beauty of the first Colonial Capital of our young developing nation. Members come from the entire Tidewater region of Virginia from the Atlantic Ocean to the fall line. The Society works within the Tidewater Region to promote a wide range of activities and events which serve to showcase the rich heritage of the Highland clans. For further information, visit their website at: http://www.scotsofwmbg.org/. The film will also be screened as part of the National Tartan Day Reception at Ft. McNair on Wednesday, April 6, 2005 in the Ft. McNair Officers’ Club. Organized by the National Capital Tartan Day Committee and sponsored by the Washington St. Andrew's Society, the evening will also feature Scottish vocalist, Lesley Craigie, a young Scottish fiddler, Andrew Dodds, and the Society’s pipe band, which will perform on the parade ground directly outside the Officers' Club. Admission is $25.00 and advance reservations are required. For further information, e-mail: readandlois@cox.net As previously announced, the film will also be shown as part of the Opening Ceremonies for the new exhibit, “The Life and Legacy of John Muir” at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum on Friday, April 1, 2005. The program, which is free to the public, begins at 11:00 AM. About The Crafter’s Song “The Crafter’s Song” is the first documentary film produced in America about National Tartan Day. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Cliff Robertson, the film was produced by the Clan Currie Society in collaboration with Metaphor Pictures of New York. The film explores Tartan Day through the eyes of four of Scotland’s premiere crafters during their exhibition on Ellis Island in 2003 as part of Clan Currie’s annual Tartan Day program. Each craft represents part of Scotland’s “portable culture” that was brought with Scottish immigrants to North America from Colonial times to the present. Featured in the film are Hamish Moore - a celebrated bagpipe maker, teacher and international performer, Wilma Couper - a knitter with the Shetland Working Textile Museum, Robert McBain – a master tailor and kilt maker, and Colin Adamson – a producer of violins, violas and cellos for world class musicians. In addition, the crafters are joined by New York violinist, Lisa Gutkin - a performer with the contemporary Celtic band, Whirligig. The film is the recipient of the 2005 Telly Award for video production excellence. Clan Currie has previously received three additional awards of excellence for their television programming. The film is available for loan to Scottish groups and other organizations for use in their regular meetings, special events, or to augment their own Tartan Day programs.
About National Tartan Day National Tartan Day is an American celebration that recognizes the contributions of Scots and Scottish-Americans to the development of the United States. In 1998 the U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing April 6 as National Tartan Day in recognition of "the outstanding contribution of millions of Scots-Americans to our great nation." The date commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, which was an influence on the American Declaration of Independence. Almost half of the signatories on the Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent, while three-quarters of U.S. presidents have been of Scottish ancestry. About The Clan Currie Society The Clan Currie Society, an American-based, international, non-profit cultural and educational organization, is active in preserving and promoting highland heritage at Scottish Games, ethnic festivals, as well as community groups and classrooms. One of the Society’s key events is the annual observance of National Tartan Day at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The organization started as a family name society in Glasgow, Scotland in 1959 to further the knowledge and appreciation of the MacMhuirich bardic dynasty. The MacMhuirichs (the Gaelic name for Currie) served for over 700 years as professional poets to the Lords of the Isles and later to the MacDonalds of Clanranald. The Red Book of Clanranald, one of Gaelic Scotland’s literary treasures, was penned by successive generations of the MacMhuirich family. Today, the organization is a leading American-based foundation that focuses on celebrating the Scots-Gaelic origins of the Currie name as well as producing outstanding programs and events to honor Scotland’s rich culture and ancestry. The Society has over 2,000 members worldwide that gather via the Society’s website (www.clancurrie.com). The Society actively supports Scots organizations and events around the world. Some of the many events that Clan Currie has supported over the years include the 1993 commissioning of the USS John Paul Jones, the 2001 National Capital Tartan Day celebrations, the 2003 fundraiser for Dunkeld Cathedral and this year’s Dressed To Kilt fashion extravaganza. For additional information about the Clan Currie Society or to inquire about loan arrangements for the film, phone (908) 273-3509, e-mail them at clancurrie@mail.com or visit their Web site at www.clancurrie.com.
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