How an Antrim village could become Ulster's Grandfather Mountain...

Co Antrim historian  Dr David Hume outlines the story of Ballycarry's Broadisland Gathering and urges wider support for the unique Ulster-Scots event.

LAST month, on a hazy and hot summer day, I stood at the top of rugged Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina and was awed by the view. As far as the eye could see stretched wooded mountains and hills, and the road to the top seemed to be climbing to the clouds.

  Grandfather Mountain was just one stop on a family holiday, but aside from a breathtaking tourist attraction, it has another claim to fame.

  Looking down from the top in the direction of MacRae Meadows, I reflected on the famous Highland Games held there on a week-end each July. The banners of over 100 Scottish clans wave in the breeze while the skirl of the pipes echoes around. Thousands travel to be there, all proud of Scottish ancestry.

  Standing on the mountain looking down, I travelled back across the Atlantic in thought to Ballycarry. Back in 1992, two strands of thought helped create what is now one of the major events on the Ulster-Scots calendar.

  Sitting in the somewhat spartan old pre-fab community hall where we used to meet, a small group of people discussed an event which would grow beyond our wildest dreams.

  A member of our Association, Valerie Beattie, had the idea of re-staging the old village fair, last held on the Fairhill in the 1930s. I had the idea of staging something which would highlight Ballycarry's unique Ulster-Scots heritage as one of the prominent early settlements of Scots Presbyterians. The two strands came together as the Association got to work. Larne Borough Council came on board with a grant and the end result was highly successful indeed.

  The Gathering was officially declared open by William Edmonstone, Laird of Duntreagh, who dropped in from the 1600s, courtesy of Larne Drama Circle stalwart Billy Burns, and other pageantry was all around that day.

  Minister of Drymen in Scotland, where the Rev. Edward Brice ministered in the early 1600s - Rev. John Hay - was present to unveil a plaque in honour of the first Presbyterian minister in Ireland. Brice came to Ballycarry in 1613 and is buried inside the Templecorran church ruins.

  That first Gathering attracted large crowds, and the experiences learned over the years have been valuable ones. The second year of the Gathering, for example, saw a downpour throughout the day, leading us to fine-tune wet weather plans for the future.

  After the first Gathering there were some who saw it as an event which had been wonderful in its own right, but would be a one-off.

  The Gathering had brought more visitors into the village than any other event and had created such a feel-good factor that there was no question about its continuance. Over the years the sense of community pride has increased and grown and everyone looks forward to the Gathering. Ballycarry has a buzz about it on that day above all others.

  The second year had tested our mettle, however. It rained from 9am until after 5pm that day and only locals braved the weather. But the parade went ahead and, although we muttered about the weather, we were still determined to carry on the next year. It was a good test of Ulster-Scots resolve.

  As the Gathering continued, unique elements were developed. One was the Riding of the Marches, a re-enactment of the Common Ridings of the Borders of Scotland, held in places such as Kelso and Jedburgh. Each year the Redhall Reivers, led by Ulster-Canadian Danny Silverson emerge onto the Fairhill for a short ceremony, before setting out in single file on a route around the village boundaries. They carry with them a bannerette identifying the Broadisland Common Riding. It is an impressive sight.

  A second unique element is the procession of townland banners, the only event of its kind in the world. The banners reflect the heritage and culture of each townland around the village and a new one is unveiled each year. The first banner was unveiled by Dr. Philip Robinson in 1996 and a new banner has been added to the parade each year since.

  Valerie Beattie, one of those whose suggestions led to the Broadisland Gathering, says that she always has a lump in her throat when she sees the banners come down Hillhead Road into the village each year. The townland banners are unique, living history.

  These events are mingled with pipes, band concerts, vintage vehicles, singing and dancing, exhibitions,  on a day which provides something for all ages.

  This year the Second World War anniversary will figure strongly, with the theme of the event being Victory Complete. In a village which has provided many service personnel in war and peace, the choice is hardly surprising.

  Saturday, September 3, 2005, will be the date, with events starting from around  noon, and everyone is invited along. The Gathering is open to all and regular visitors from around the Province can testify that it is an entertaining and enjoyable occasion.

  Things have moved on somewhat from the first Gathering in 1993 to the crowds of 3,500 and 4,000 we have seen in recent years, a sign also of the vibrancy of the Ulster-Scots community and increasing awareness of our identity. For Ballycarry this has had an economic impact, with the Gathering benefiting the villageÕs organisations and businesses, as well as the wider Larne borough area.

  A survey, which the Community Association conducted in 2003, provided an overview of visitors and traders. The stallholders survey showed most had enjoyed good trading throughout the day, and this reflected a variety of stalls including clothing, plants, cakes, memorabilia and souvenirs, toys and childrenÕs items, and so on. Everyone made a profit, and one stall did so to the tune of over £500, raising money for a local voluntary organisation.

  Of the visitors who were surveyed, questions were asked as to how they rated the events of the Gathering. The highest score went to the atmosphere of the Gathering, closely followed by the entertainments and then the pageant parade. The exhibitions, children's entertainments and the bands also ranked highly.

  One of the big issues for the village Community Association, has been the growth of the Gathering. While welcoming to see, this has created its own problems in terms of manpower for a small village group, and the Friends of the Broadisland Gathering has been established to encourage others from outside Ballycarry to assist in the event.

  This is an essential element for the future. If the crowds continue to grow, as they have done in recent years, then the Gathering needs active support from the Ulster-Scots community beyond the village. This involves assistance in the planning as well as on the day itself.

  A key element it is hoped to develop in the future will be links to Scotland, and, while we have had and hope to have this year again, a presence at the Gathering from the Irish Republic, connections across the channel in terms of bands or entertainers have proved more difficult, largely due to funding.

  The parade of Townland Banners and the Common Riding are also elements which it is hoped can be further developed, and in addition the Bard of Ballycarry poetry competition, although not as visual, is highly important, developing as it does the tradition of James Orr, Ballycarry's weaver poet, and others who followed in his wake in the 20th century.

  A festival day including Scottish dancing, pipe bands, Scots and Ulster folk music, exhibitions, vintage vehicles and childrenÕs events, the Broadisland Gathering has at its heart its sense of community.

  The Gathering is run by volunteers. The strong sense of village community spirit which permeates the Gathering needs to be augmented by a strong sense of Ulster-Scots community spirit from outside too, if the unique festival is to continue to grow.

  It is no mean boast that the Broadisland Gathering is the largest Ulster-Scots Gathering on the East Coast of Ulster.

  And the truth is that it can be even bigger. Strategic thought and planning can develop the Broadisland Gathering into a showcase for Ulster-Scots culture and identity in Ulster generally.

  Why should the Gathering in Ballycarry not be held over a weekend like that at Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina? Such a format, already in embryonic stages in Ballycarry, could be a boost for a tourist and visitor catchment for both Carrickfergus and Larne as well as the village itself.

  What better location could there be, within sight of the coast of Scotland? During our recent travels in North Carolina, we passed through the Portpatrick district of the city of Charlotte, but the real Portpatrick is clearly visible from Ballycarry.

  What better location could there be, as the site of IrelandÕs first Presbyterian congregation and Ulster's foremost weaver poet? The cultural history of the area is inextricably linked with that of Ulster-Scots people.
And, with a tried and tested template already in existence, what better opportunity to develop a major showcase festival of our Ulster-Scots culture?

  We may not be Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina, but we are set in the hills of Antrim, on a height that overlooks the North Channel. We are located in a natural amphitheatre, which might have been created to amplify the skirl of the pipes.

  No one knows what the future may bring, but helping to shape it is an exciting prospect. In Ballycarry ordinary people have helped create an extraordinary event and a great potential for the entire Ulster-Scots community.
That's why we hope to see yÕall at the Gathering...!

Note: For further details about the Broadisland Gathering, contact Dr. David Hume at Ballycarry Community Association, 41A Main Street, Ballycarry, Carrickfergus, BT38 9HH, telephone 028 93 372819.