Cowal Highland Games of Scotland - CruiseGourmet Magazine Home » Feature Story » Cowal Highland Games of Scotland Cowal Highland Games of Scotland pinterest Do you want to witness of the largest most amazing Highland games in the world? Head out to the Cowal Highland Gathering in Dunoon, Scotland. You will not be alone as you join the other 23,000 people who are all excited to experience the intense demonstration of traditional Scottish strength and athleticism. I doesn’t hurt that the games are set in a gorgeous Highland location. At the annual Cowal Highland Games, you will able to see the best of the best battle it out in various sports events such as heavy athletics and traditional Scottish backhold wrestling. Heavy athletics involve several unique sports events such as caber tossing, Cowal Stone shot-putting and Scottish hammer throwing. The brawny athletes are really competitive and never fail to thrill the joyful crowd. The most unique thing about seeing these sports is that the men participating are wearing that iconic Scottish skirts (the kilt). But the Highland Games are not only about watching sports as there are other events that display the richness of Scottish Highland and Celtic heritage, making the Games exude a truly distinct atmosphere.

There will be grand pipe bands and a strong presence of Ceilidh music at the event. In fact, the Cowal Games is where the world’s best pipe bands compete to win the coveted Cowal Pipe Band Championship, first held in the early 20th century. To maximize your experience at the Cowal Games, stay until the end of the Pipe Band Championship, when more than 130 pipe bands gather and play a salute the Chieftain. The bands that are made up of about 3000 drummers and pipers will play “Highland Laddie” in unison, and will march through town. This amazing gathering is the largest of its kind in Europe, and is a highlight not to be missed at the Games. If the pipe playing is not enough, you can also watch other crowd pleasers such as the Drum Major Challenge, which features adult and junior drum majors showing off their impressive skills; and the Scottish and World Highland Dancing Championship. The Cowal Games will also offer entertainment for the kids and a fun run, making the event a highly suitable destination for families. Don’t worry about being hungry while watching the spectacles unfolding around you.

The Cowal Highland Gathering features a food court that offers a wide variety of local and international cuisine. There will also be food vendors catering stalls all around the main stadium. The organizers will also set up a refreshment tents. One of them is the Patron’s tent, which does not only provide great food but also fantastic views of the arena and the games. The tent is only open for sponsors and patrons. However, it is possible to acquire the patron status at a reasonable rate. Usually held the last week of August, the Cowal Highland Gathering is performed at the Scottish town of Dunoon, which is easily accessible from Glasgow via public transport. You can drive to the town following the scenic route called A82. There are regular bus as well as train services that leave Glasgow Central to Gourock ferry terminal. From here, you can take the ferry to Dunoon. Post navigation Cowal Highland Games | Anent Scottish Running Anent Scottish Running Cowal Highland Games Lachie Stewart winning at Cowal in 1970 from Norman Morrison When I came into the sport in the 1950’s most Games were professional but several of the top meetings were amateur and one of the best of those was the Cowal Games at Dunoon.

The club was based in Clydebank and we always took a bus to the meeting – the obligatory stop at Arrochar was always welcome – to stretch the legs, to have a cuppa and to admire the wonderful scenery. Then on to Dunoon. There was always a sprint relay so the sprinters were there with their wives or girlfriends, we almost always had the invitation to the Two Miles team race so the distance men were there for that piece of the action with their better halves in tow. The Two Mile race usually had four or five Scots teams plus one or at most two English teams. Longwood (Derek Ibbotson’s team) and Saltwell (John Anderson and John Hillen’s team) were the usual English representation. There was always a big crowd, the meeting ran over two days (Friday night and Saturday) with the usual events (100, 220, 440, 880 and Mile) on both days with runners running from the same handicap on both. With a good handicap, many runners turned out twice to make the most of it. Another attraction for the Two Miles was the fact that it was an invitation team race where expenses were paid.

The going rate for many years was £1:05:00 which came to a nice round £5:00 for the team. Two wee stories – when Jim Brown, Ronnie McDonald and the Monkland team were there, I was queueing up with my form nicely filled in when I heard Jim ask for “£5 – each!” and getting it, so it was back out, fill in another form for £20 and that was collected. The problem then was with my conscience and whether the guys got the old rate while I made a bigger profit than usual or not! In the end, I was honest. On another occasion, I had taken two blank forms as I usually did just in case I made a mistake with one. I approached a very merry Dunky Wright for him to countersign the form and he signed the top one, then slipped the second one down just far enough to show the dotted line at the bottom for his signature. As he started signing I stopped him and said that it was just a blank form.

“Oh you missed a great chance there, Brian”, he said, “You could have put anything you liked on there!” The official word on the Games site is as follows: “The Cowal Highland Gathering held in Dunoon, Argyll, is the largest, most spectacular Highland games in the world. Nowhere else will you see world-class pipers, dancers and athletes competing on such a scale. It’s an unbeatable event for all the family. Just ask the 23,000 visitors who come here every year to soak up the unique, friendly atmosphere and stunning Highland location. First held in 1894, the event is steeped in history. We celebrate this rich tradition, but we’ve added lots of new elements too. There really is something for everyone, from watching world championship competitions to running in the 5K fun run. The salute to the Chieftain is one of the highlights. As the sun sets down the Firth of Clyde, 3,000 pipers and drummers play ‘Highland Laddie’ in unison.

It’s an unforgettable experience and a fitting end to this, the most spectacular of Highland games.” The 5K run is a modern addition to the programme taking the place of the whole running programme despite the best efforts of Cammie Spence and others to retain them. The whole day ends with the March of a Thousand Pipers over the hill from behind the last bend down onto the track before lining up en masse in the infield to make a wonderful sight. A most enjoyable event and after the club stopped sending the bus along, we would take the train to Craigendoran at Helensburgh, take the ferry across to Dunoon and enjoy the return trip with a boatload of pipers, some of whom had enjoyed the post event celebrations a bit more than others. We occasionally were entertained by a pie-eyed piper! I remember one year when we were staying overnight at a friend’s cottage at Strone, we were watching the pipers march through the town with drinks being offered by watchers to pipers who were pleased to accept the tribute. It was a wonderful feature of the Highland Games calendar. Alastair Shaw’s ‘ticket for finishing second in the 100.

Learn and talk about Cowal Highland Gathering, Cowal, Dunoon, Festivals established in 1894, Highland games History[ edit ] The first Cowal Games was held in Dunoon in 1894, and attracted fewer than 2,000 spectators. By 1901, attendances reached 5,000, and the first overseas competitor, an American athlete, took part. [1] 1906 saw the introduction of a pipe band competition. In 1929, the first approaches from Scottish societies overseas were received, and this has continued as expatriates the world over have turned to Dunoon for advice and practical assistance in setting up their own Gatherings. [2] Pipe bands filing into the stadium for the salute to the chieftain and the award announcements at the 2008 event. After a break during the years of World War II , the first post-war Gathering, in 1946, attracted attendances of 28,000. However, the record attendance, to date at least, was in 1950 when 30,000 visitors attended,.

[3] one of whom was then- Prime Minister Clement Attlee . [3] In 2000, changes to the Highland dancing format resulted in the Friday becoming a high-profile day, with the top dancers out to qualify for Saturday's finals. The Solo Bagpipe competition introduced a graded system. Shinty was reintroduced, attracting high-calibre competitions. 2003 saw Cowal extended to a three-day event with the introduction of the Scottish National Highland Dancing Championships and the five-kilometre Cowal Run. The 2007 event saw controversy when it was announced that the committee had decided to abandon the track, athletic and shinty competitions. Other changes made in 2007 were the introduction of a Most Entertaining Band competition and the mace -over-the-bar competition. In 2009 a children's entertainment tent was added to the attractions as was an upgraded food court featuring "Food from Argyll" a collection of local producers who bring local produce to the event.

[4] Present times[ edit ] Nowadays, the Cowal Games attracts more than 3,500 competitors, with many coming from overseas countries, including Canada , USA, Australia , New Zealand and South Africa . Dunoon regularly welcomes around 15,000 to 20,000 visitors for the Games, doubling the town's population for the weekend. [5] Pipe bands[ edit ] On the Saturday morning, on average, 150 pipe bands arrive to contest the Cowal Championships. The day starts with bands marching from Dunoon pier, up Argyll Street, Dunoon's main thoroughfare, to the stadium, a distance of approximately one mile. On completion of the day's events, the bands close the Gathering with the march-past [6] and salute to the chieftain of the Games by 3,000 pipes and drums. The bands then march back to the pier, displaying the trophies they have won on the day.

As a result of the changes that the Gathering introduced for the 2007 event, and the positive feedback from competitors and spectators alike, discussions involving the RSPBA resulted in a new three-year deal being agreed commencing with the 2008 Gathering.[ citation needed ] Loss of 'major' status[ edit ] In January 2013, following a meeting between the Gathering Committee and the RSPBA , it was announced that, from 2014, Cowal would lose its status as a 'major' Pipe Band competition, a status enjoyed by the event since 1906. [7] The Gathering chairman admitted that the major competition had outgrown the limited facilities at Dunoon Stadium. As a result, only 24 pipe bands registered to compete at the 2014 gathering, although most competed in several events when they would have only competed once previously. A panorama of the stadium at the 2014 Games, the first as a non-major event. Highland dancing[ edit ] The Cowal Gathering is host to some of the most prestigious Highland dancing competitions in the world, including the World Championships.

Around 750 dancers compete over the three days with many travelling from Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand.[ citation needed ] The finals of the Championships takes place on the Saturday of the event. Highland Gathering - Sullivans List Photos successfully uploaded and now visible. Thank you! Highland Gathering The Cowal Highland Gathering is an annual Highland games event held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, Argyll, over the final weekend in August. More The Cowal Highland Gathering is an annual Highland games event held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, Argyll, over the final weekend in August. Also known as the Cowal Games, it is the largest Highland Gathering in the world. Nowadays, the Cowal Games attracts more than 3,500 competitors, with many coming from overseas countries, including Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Dunoon regularly welcomes around 15,000 to 20,000 visitors for the Games, doubling the town's population for the weekend. On the Saturday morning, on average, 150 pipe bands arrive to contest the Cowal Championships.

The day starts with all the bands marching from Dunoon pier, up Argyll Street, Dunoon's main thoroughfare, to the stadium, a distance of approximately one mile. On completion of the day's events, the bands close the Gathering with the landmark ceremony which is unique to Cowal: the march-past and salute to the chieftain of the Games by 3,000 pipes and drums. The bands then march back to the pier, displaying the trophies they have won on the day. As a result of the changes that the Gathering introduced for the 2007 event, and the positive feedback from competitors and spectators alike, discussions involving the RSPBA have resulted in a new three-year deal being agreed commencing with the 2008 Gathering. The Cowal Gathering is host to some of the most prestigious highland dancing competitions in the world, including the World Championships. Around 750 dancers compete over the three days with many travelling from Canada the USA, Australia and New Zealand. The Highlight is undoubtably the finals of the World Highland Dancing Championships which takes place on the Saturday of the event.

Show Less Cowal Highland Gathering 2014 - TripBucket.com Cowal Highland Gathering 2014 Your local time: Aug 28, 2014 - Aug 30, 2014 Dunoon, Scotland, UK local time: Aug 28, 2014 - Aug 28, 2014 Date Aug. 28, 2014 TO Aug. 30, 2014 Dream:  Dream description: The Cowal Highland Gathering (also known as the Cowal Games) is an annual Highland games event held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, Argyll, over the final weekend in August. The first Cowal Games was held in Dunoon in 1894, and attracted fewer than 2,000 spectators. Nowadays, the Cowal Games attracts more than 3,500 competitors, with many coming from overseas countries, including Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Dunoon regularly welcomes around 15,000 to 20,000 visitors for the Games, doubling the town's population for the weekend.

On the Saturday morning, on average, 150 pipe bands arrive to contest the Cowal Championships. The day starts with all the bands marching from Dunoon pier, up Argyll Street, Dunoon's main thoroughfare, to the stadium, a distance of approximately one mile. On completion of the day's events, the bands close the Gathering with the landmark ceremony which is unique to Cowal: the march-past and salute to the chieftain of the Games by 3,000 pipes and drums. The bands then march back to the pier, displaying the trophies they have won on the day. The Cowal Gathering is host to some of the most prestigious highland dancing competitions in the world, including the World Championships. Around 750 dancers compete over the three days with many travelling from Canada the USA, Australia and New Zealand. The finals of the Championships takes place on the Saturday of the event. The Cowal Highland Gathering (also known as the Cowal Games) is an annual Highland games event held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, Argyll, over the final weekend in August.

The first Cowal Games was held in Dunoon in 1894, and attracted fewer than 2,000 spectators. Nowadays, the Cowal Games attracts more than 3,500 competitors, with many coming from overseas countries, including Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Dunoon regularly welcomes around 15,000 to 20,000 visitors for the Games, doubling the town's population for the weekend. On the Saturday morning, on average, 150 pipe bands arrive to contest the Cowal Championships. The day starts with all the bands marching from Dunoon pier, up Argyll Street, Dunoon's main thoroughfare, to the stadium, a distance of approximately one mile. On completion of the day's events, the bands close the Gathering with the landmark ceremony which is unique to Cowal: the march-past and salute to the chieftain of the Games by 3,000 pipes and drums. The bands then march back to the pier, displaying the trophies they have won on the day. The Cowal Gathering is host to some of the most prestigious highland dancing competitions in the world, including the World Championships.

Around 750 dancers compete over the three days with many travelling from Canada the USA, Australia and New Zealand. The finals of the Championships takes place on the Saturday of the event. Show more The Highland Games - A Must See When In Scotland 3 June, 2013 By John Celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture, Highland Games are held not only in Scotland, but in many other countries throughout the world. Visitors love these events. The Games developed in Victorian times after the Highland clearances, when many highlanders came south to Glasgow and other parts, and many more made their way to America and Canada. In their original form the Games revolved around sport and athletic competitions, which remain an integral part of the events, symbolised by the caber toss, designed to build the muscle. The massing of the pipe bands is probably what people remember most, but pipes and drums are not the only music to be heard. Nearly all the games feature a range of piping and drumming competitions, caber tossing, highland dancing, athletic events, and individual pipers and drummers.

With great fun and the great food (and drink) that’s usually on offer, combined with the grandeur of the Scottish scenery, the Games are a ‘must-see’ visitor attraction. Highland Dancing This is a very technical dance form, requiring a lot of practice and training over a period of several years in order to perfect. The introduction of the Highland Fling was originally an imitation of a courting stag, so historically, Highland dances were danced only by men. But a woman named Jenny Douglas entered a Highland dance competition in the late 19th century, and there have been several female World Highland Dance Champions at the Cowal Gathering since 1948. Some of the other Highland dance competitions will include the Flora MacDonald, the Scottish Lilt, the Earl of Erroll, Highland Laddie, and the Blue Bonnets. Tossing The Caber Tossing the caber is the most popular of the athletic events. The caber is a large wooden pole, like a telegraph pole, which is usually between 5 and 6 metres long and can weigh anything up to 60 kg.

A combination of strength and skill is involved in this event, as the competitor has to lift the caber, then balance it, and then toss it. I’ve watched them do this many a time, and I think the key is in the balance before the throw. The timing of the throw is crucial, because the object of the exercise is to flip the caber over, not to see who can toss it the furthest. If the thrower doesn’t achieve the flip, then he is scored as if he were viewing the hour hand on a clock, i.e. if the caber lands like 10:00 on a clockface, it would score higher than one landing at 9:00. The largest Games in Scotland is the Cowal Highland Gathering, known as the Cowal Games, which take place in Dunoon every August. These Games are the most popular, attracting around 3,500 competitors each year and are watched by about 20,000 spectators from all over the world. Throwing The Hammer Throwing the hammer is also very popular at the Highland Games.

The hammer is a metal ball of 16 or 22lbs in weight, attached to a four feet shaft and thrown in a similar manner to the Olympic hammer throw. The winner of is decided by who throws the hammer the furthest distance, and the ladies take part in the hammer throwing. In summer, Scotland has a packed calendar of traditional Highland Gatherings and the finale of the season is the Braemar Gathering, which is always graced with a member of the Royal Family. Perth Highland Games have grown over the years and are now one the most popular venues, and the Isle of Skye features the Games as one of the main events on the calendar, attracting thousands of visitors from far and wide. The Games have grown in popularity worldwide, with many Scots emigrating, and taking the old traditions with them. Today, they’re immensely popular throughout the United States and Canada. Gatherings worldwide recognize the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (SOBHD) as the world governing body of Highland dancing. If you are planning a trip to Scotland during the summer months, then you simply must have a visit to one of the Highland Games events, it’s a great day out.

See the Scotland Travel Information page for all the information you need for travelling to and within Scotland. helful advice on passports and visas, currency, weather, holiday extras, useful travel links and more. Major Events in Scotland : Highland games - 必应 Sign in Highland games Highland games are events held in spring and summer in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain aspects of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the heavy events, especially the caber toss. While centred on competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Ga ... (展开) elic culture. The Cowal Highland Gathering, better known as the Cowal Games, held in Dunoon, Scotland, every August, is the largest Highland games in the world, attracting around 3,500 competitors and somewhere in the region of 23,000 spectators from around the globe.

Worldwide, however, it is exceeded in terms of spectators by two gatherings in the United States: the estimated 30,000 that attend Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina and the even larger gathering—the largest in the Northern Hemisphere—that has taken place every year since 1866 hosted by the Caledonian Club of San Francisco. This event is currently held on Labor Day weekend in Pleasanton, California, and their Sesquicentennial Games held on September 5–6, 2015, attracted record crowds close to 50,000. The games are claimed to have influenced Baron Pierre de Coubertin when he was planning the revival of the Olympic Games. De Coubertin saw a display of Highland games at the Paris Exhibition of 1889. Hawaiian Scottish Festival & Highland Games at Kapiolani Park in ... 答 The 26th Annual Hawaiian Scottish Festival & Highland Games at Kapiolani Park in Honolulu Hawaii will continue Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM, April 1, 2007, Kapiola Highland games History The origin of human games and sports predates recorded history.

An example of a possible early games venue is at Fetteresso, although that location is technically a few miles south of the Scottish Highlands. It is reported in numerous Highland games programs, that King Malcolm III of Scotland, in the 11th century, summoned contestants to a foot race to the summit of Craig Choinnich (overlooking Braemar). King Malcolm created this foot race in order to find the fastest runner in the land to be his royal messenger. Some have seen this apocryphal event to be the origin of today's modern Highland games. There is a document from 1703 summoning the clan of the Laird of Grant, Clan Grant. They were to arrive wearing Highland coats and "also with gun, sword, pistol and dirk". From this letter, it is believed that the competitions would have included feats of arms. However, the modern Highland games are largely a Victorian invention, developed after the Highland Clearances. Heavy events In their original form many centuries ago, Highland games revolved around athletic and sports competitions.

Though other activities were always a part of the festivities, many today still consider Highland athletics to be what the games are all about—in short, that the athletics are the Games, and all the other activities are just entertainment. Regardless, it remains true today that the athletic competitions are at least an integral part of the events and one—the caber toss—has come to almost symbolize the Highland games. Although quite a range of events can be a part of the Highland athletics competition, a few have become standard. Caber toss: A long tapered pine pole or log is stood upright and hoisted by the competitor who balances it vertically holding the smaller end in his hands (see photo). Then the competitor runs forward attempting to toss it in such a way that it turns end over end with the upper (larger) end striking the ground first. The smaller end that was originally held by the athlete then hits the ground in the 12 o'clock position measured relative to the direction of the run. If successful, the athlete is said to have turned the caber. Cabers vary greatly in length, weight, taper, and balance, all of which affect the degree of difficulty in making a successful toss.

Competitors are judged on how closely their throws approximate the ideal 12 o'clock toss on an imaginary clock. Stone put: This event is similar to the modern-day shot put as seen in the Olympic Games. Instead of a steel shot, a large stone of variable weight is often used. There are also some differences from the Olympic shot put in allowable techniques. There are two versions of the stone toss events, differing in allowable technique. The "Braemar Stone" uses a 20–26 lb stone for men (13–18 lb for women) and does not allow any run up to the toeboard or "trig" to deliver the stone, i.e., it is a standing put. In the "Open Stone" using a 16–22 lb stone for men (or 8–12 lb for women), the thrower is allowed to use any throwing style so long as the stone is put with one hand with the stone resting cradled in the neck until the moment of release. Most athletes in the open stone event use either the "glide" or the "spin" techniques.

Scottish hammer throw: This event is similar to the hammer throw as seen in modern-day track and field competitions, though with some differences. In the Scottish event, a round metal ball (weighing 16 or 22 lb for men or 12 or 16 lb for women) is attached to the end of a shaft about 4 feet in length and made out of wood, bamboo, rattan, or plastic. With the feet in a fixed position, the hammer is whirled about one's head and thrown for distance over the shoulder. Hammer throwers sometimes employ specially designed footwear with flat blades to dig into the turf to maintain their balance and resist the centrifugal forces of the implement as it is whirled about the head. This substantially increases the distance attainable in the throw. Weight throw, also known as the weight for distance event. There are actually two separate events, one using a light (28 lb for men and 14 lb for women) and the other a heavy (56 lb for men, 42 lb for masters men, and 28 lb for women) weight. The weights are made of metal and have a handle attached either directly or by means of a chain.

The implement is thrown using one hand only, but otherwise using any technique. Usually a spinning technique is employed. The longest throw wins. Weight over the bar, also known as weight for height. The athletes attempt to toss a 56-pound (4-stone) weight with an attached handle over a horizontal bar using only one hand. Each athlete is allowed three attempts at each height. Successful clearance of the height allows the athlete to advance into the next round at a greater height. The competition is determined by the highest successful toss with fewest misses being used to break tie scores. Sheaf toss: A bundle of straw (the sheaf) weighing 20 pounds (9 kg) for the men and 10 pounds (4.5 kg) for the women and wrapped in a burlap bag is tossed vertically with a pitchfork over a raised bar much like that used in pole vaulting. The progression and scoring of this event is similar to the Weight Over The Bar. There is significant debate among athletes as to whether the sheaf toss is in fact an authentic Highland event.

Some argue it is actually a country fair event, but all agree that it is a great crowd pleaser.[citation needed] Maide Leisg (Scots Gaelic meaning 'Lazy Stick'): Trial of strength performed by two men sitting on the ground with the soles of their feet pressing against each other. Thus seated, they held a stick between their hands which they pulled against each other until one of them was raised from the ground. The oldest 'Maide Leisg' competition in the world takes place at the Carloway show and Highland Games on the Isle of Lewis. Many of the Heavy Events competitors in Scottish highland athletics are former high school and college track and field athletes who find the Scottish games are a good way to continue their competitive careers. Increasingly in the USA, the Heavy Events are attracting women and master class athletes which has led to a proliferation of additional classes in Heavy Events competitions. Lighter implements are used in the classes. Music For many Highland games festival attendees, the most memorable of all the events at the games is the massing of the pipe bands. Normally held in conjunction with the opening and closing ceremonies of the games, as many as 20 or more pipe bands will march and play together.

The result is a thunderous rendition of Scotland the Brave or Amazing Grace, and other crowd-pleasing favourites. It is, in fact, the music of the bagpipe which has come to symbolize music at the Games and, indeed, in Scotland itself. In addition to the massed bands, nearly all Highland games gatherings feature a wide range of piping and drumming competition, including solo piping and drumming, small group ensembles and, of course, the pipe bands themselves. Music at Highland games gatherings also includes other forms, such as fiddling, harp circles and Celtic bands, usually spiced with a large amount of bagpipe music. Highland games Notes ^ Cowal Highland Gathering can be verified as the world's largest highland games on the Official Scottish Tourist Board Website at VisitScotland.com ^ For a modern-day fictional account of this event, see The origins of the Braemar Games Hill Race, by Les Wheeler ^ Many Highland games web sites contain a brief sketch on the history of the Highland games. Most will mention this hill climb, some referring to it as a story or legend, others as if it were an established fact. Webster, in Scottish Highland Games recounts the story, labelling it as story, or legend only.

Thomas Owen Clancy and Barbara E. Crawford, in the Bibliographical essay to chapter 2 (The Formation of the Scottish Kingdom) of The New Penguin History of Scotland state: "Little of significance has been written about the eleventh century kingdom otherwise, except on the dispute over the reliability of the early documentary sources. . .". ^ As quoted on the history page of the Aboyne Highland Gathering web site ^ The web site of the International Wrestling Association reports rather more expansively on the role of the 1889 Paris event and its effect on the development of the Olympics, considering it to have had a "huge impact" on world sport. An article published in 2004 in the Christian Science Monitor points to two other events, including that of Much Wenlock, a small English village in Shropshire ^ "Cowal Highland Gatcitationhering". Retrieved 10 July 2012. ^ "Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Fast Facts". ^ a b "Scottish Games Draw Record Crowds". The Independent. Retrieved 2015-09-20. ^ "150th Scottish Highland Gathering & Games". thescottishgames.com.

Retrieved 2015-09-20. ^ Horne, Marc (25 April 2010). "Highland games were the model for modern Olympics". London: The Times. Retrieved 3 May 2010. ^ "Gourock Highland Games". gourockhighlandgames.org.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "The Atholl Gathering". Scottish Castles - Blair Castle - Atholl Estates. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Glenisla Highland Games". glenislahighlandgames.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Canadian Postal Archives Database". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ a b "Calendar of Highland Games and Scottish Events in North America". Clan Campbell Society. Retrieved 25 May 2014. ^ "Calgary Highland Games". calgaryhighlandgames.org. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "CANMORE HIGHLAND GAMES". canmorehighlandgames.ca.

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^ Homefront Studios. "Ceud Mile Failte!". pavilionofscotland.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "New Brunswick Highland Games Festival - Fredericton, 2008::". highlandgames.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Moncton Highland Games". Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Gathering of the Scots - Home". gatheringofthescots.com. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Antigonish Highland Games". antigonishhighlandgames.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Festival of the Tartans & Highland Games". festivalofthetartans.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "North Lanark Highland Games - Home". almontehighlandgames.com. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Cambridge Highland Games". cambridgehighlandgames.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.

^ "The 52nd Annual Cobourg Highland Games Festival". cobourghighlandgames.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Embro Highland Games - Something for everyone". Embro Highland Games. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games - Home". fergusscottishfestival.com. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Georgetown Highland Games". georgetownhighlandgames.com. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Kincardine Scottish Festival and Highland Games - Kincardine Ontario Canada". kincardinescottishfestival.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "The Georgina Gathering June 21, 2014". georginagathering.ca. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "The Highlands of Durham Games". highlandsofdurhamgames.com. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Montreal Highland Games".

montrealhighlandgames.qc.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ Goudy, Lisa (12 September 2014). "No highland games in Moose Jaw in 2015". Moose Jaw Times-Herald. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Saskatchewan Highland Gathering & Festival". saskhighland.ca. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Highland games Sychrov, Czech Rep.". ^ "Felföldi Játékok Kupa Zichyújfaluban" (in Hungarian). Velencei-tó Portál. Retrieved 21 February 2014. ^ "Highland-Games". Retrieved March 20, 2014. ^ "Santa Cruz Scottish Festival". santacruzscottishfestival.org. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "150th Scottish Highland Gathering & Games". thescottishgames.com. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "San Diego Scottish Highland Games". sdhighlandgames.org.

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Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Virginia Scottish Games and Festivals". vascottishgames.org. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "Highlander Festival". City of Kelso. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "North Central West Virginia Scottish Festival & Celtic Gathering". North Central West Virginia Scottish Festival & Celtic Gathering. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ "19th Annual Highlanders Festival - Radford University". Retrieved 25 May 2015. ^ "Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival". Estes Park. Retrieved September 2016. Check date values in: |access-date= (help) Michael Brander, Essential Guide to the Highland Games (1992) ISBN 0-86241-302-8 Emily Ann Donaldson, The Scottish Highland Games in America (Pelican Publishing Company, Gretna, LA, 1986). ISBN 0-88289-474-9. Joan F. Flett and Thomas M.

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Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983, ISBN 0-521-24645-8. David Webster, Scottish Highland Games (Edinburgh, Scotland 1973)

Question: The Cowal Highland Gathering (the Cowal Games) are held every August in which Scottish town?
Answer: Dunoon