Great Scottish heroes

[bobbybingo]

Who is the greatest Scottish hero? I would like to know peoples opinions and whythey think them.
bob.

[McBeaty]

I think the main problem with this topic is: Do Scots really know who thier heros really are?

The trouble is that Scottish history is so complicated that there is often an real ambiguity to the motives of prominent figures. Take for example the whole Mary Queen of Scots or Bonny Prince Charley thing. Scots have NEVER been able to agree whether they were 'good' or 'bad' - instead they have been transfigured into allegorical symbols.

Next there is the whole 'British Empire' stage in Scottish history - Where famous and admirable Scots were termed/or termed themselves as 'British'...Hard to have a 'Scottish' hero when they might be said to have been duplicitous in such an anti-Scottish establishment? (But not impossible).

And then there's the modern era...Where we, as a people, are so sceptical and synical that the very idea of a thing like a 'hero' is a debatable entity.

So you see, it's a hard thing - add to that political/sectarian ideology and one man's hero becomes another's villain...

However - just to show that I'm not a complete party pooper - for what it's worth here's MY Scottish heros (I put then in no particular order).

x) Patrick Geddes

x) Calgacus (Celtic leader in wars against the Romans)

x) Keir Hardie (First Labour MP and Labour Party Leader)

x) Abbot Bernard of Linton (Author of the Declaration of Arbroath)

x) Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun (Scottish Patriot opposed Union with England 1707)

x) James Connolly (Born In Edinburgh, Irish Republican leader. Executed in 1916 by British for his part in the Easter Rising and other Republican activities)

x) Hugh MacDiarmid (Scottish Modernist Poet, Leader of Scottish Renaissance & Cultural Movement. Member of 1320 Club and dedicated Scottish ultra-nationalist)

x) Vercingetorix (leader of the Gauls in a revolt against Rome that was put down by Julius Caesar - another Celtic hero rather than specifically Scottish)

x) Gavin Hastings (Scottish national Rugby player)

x) Wee Jimmy Johnstone (Scottish national Soccor player - scorer of the greatest goal ever scored, against Holland)

[bobbybingo]

Interesting choice. What about James (the Black) Douglas who took the wars of Independence into England and harried them until they gave us our freedom.
Not Jimmy Johnstone vs Holland- was Archie Gemmill, but a great goal.
bob.

[McBeaty]

Originally posted by bobbybingo:
Not Jimmy Johnstone vs Holland- was Archie Gemmill, but a great goal.
bob.

Bugger...I argued with myself ages over that one too. Cheers bob....

Football AIN'T my biggest thing (rugby fan)- but I thought I couldn't do a famous Scots list and NOt include a footballer!!

[I_Am_Canadian]

What about William Wallace? Did 'Braveheart' misrepresent William Wallace. I loved the film and for the first time in my life I became interested in my ancestors. I do like heroes but I see no one yet identified dear William as one. Interesting. Must be difficult to attain 'hero status'.

[McBeaty]

Originally posted by I Am Canadian:
What about William Wallace? Did 'Braveheart' misrepresent William Wallace. I loved the film and for the first time in my life I became interested in my ancestors. I do like heroes but I see no one yet identified dear William as one. Interesting. Must be difficult to attain 'hero status'.

...Hmmmmm...Yes.

I guess there is a natural reserve among Scots to choose William Wallace, Rob Roy or Robert the Bruce as thier heros either because:

1) They are a little on the 'tartanesque' side, and therefore real Scots would rather choose people a little less 'Hollywood' or brash in reputation!

2) OR....Many Scots take it forgranted that they are thier heros (they are NATURALLY on the list already!)...So naming them is superfluous.

I'll let you decide which...




[This message has been edited by McBeaty (edited 25 August 2000).]

[Rhiannon_Gloaming]

<<I'll let you decide which...

[This message has been edited by McBeaty (edited 25 August 2000).]>>

McBeaty, I'm dying to know what you edited! ;->

Rhiannon
<who's staying out of this one because it's always a good thing to know when one is out of one's depth>