aug-09 - Lochwinnoch Online

L o c h w i n n o c h r e s i d e n t s -
Can I help
If so, please don’t
h e s i t a t e t o g e t i n t o u c h .
Douglas Alexander, Lochwinnoch’s MP
Write to: 2014 Mile End Mill, 12 Seedhill Road, Paisley, PA1 1JS
Tel: 0141 561 0333. E-mail: dalexandermp@talk21.com
or come to one of my advice surgeries.
Hi everyone
HAPPY 200th BIRTHDAY
TO THE BROWN BULL !
(official birthday - 17th July 2009)
I just want to tell everyone how much
it meant to me to see as many people
at our wee bash on Saturday 18th July.
I was overwhelmed. In such a short
space of time of advertising to see all
of you come and have a good time is
amazing support. This truly is a
smashing wee place to dwell.
Thanks for all the kind comments on
the village website and in person, in
the pub. It made it all worthwhile.
Thanks to Sean Middleton & John Dobie
for all their help and to Graeme
and Chris with the charity buckets...oh,
which reminds me. There was
a typo on the labels of the buckets...St
Josephs instead of St Vincents I'm not
naming any names.
To Sandra Fowles for the painting
of the Bull which was up for raffle.
Thanks to the Community Council
for their full support and backing of
this event and big thanks also to
Renfrewshire Council, who backed
our event and did not charge for the
closure of the street. Wonderful support
all round from the councils.
To family and all friends that offered
support and spurred me on to do
this and huge thanks to our team of
staff here at the Brown Bull for their
hard work and service with a smile
throughout.
Oh, sounds like I'm getting all gushy
now so, thanks to everyone. Lochwinnoch
should be proud of its community.
I'll let you know the final amount
raised when all the sponsor money
comes in from Frazer Gamble shaving
his hair off. Well done sir !
There is one more special thanks to
an old friend...Betty McKellar, who
composed and gave us a poem for
our 200th. Betty has given Chatterbox
permission to reproduce her
poem and here it is to mark the occasion
and for all to enjoy.
Laura x
THE BROWN BULL
Oor Inn in Lochwinnoch keeps singing
its ain sang;
clear as a lintie it sings
ringin an swingin a Brigadoon tune
frae the sign o the Bull
at its door.
It sings aboot freends wi a drouth
gaithered in for a dram,
it sings by the fire
it sings quate in its corners
it sings lood
wi the Monday nicht Choir
at the line o the bar
roon the big barrel hert o it -
twa hunner year sin the stert o it -
fermers an keepers aye cam
an the cabes an the jiners
the men that worked wud
an miners an poachers an sodjers
cairters an herds.
The reg'lar chiels o Lochwinnoch
aye kent that the Brown Bull was guid
it's in the bluid;
a strange musty trace o them
lingers
like ghaists
deep doon
in the broon
o the Brown Bull wa'
an the Brown Bull sings o them a'.
But maistly it croons
tae the tune o the oor
its day an daily.
It hums wi Laura an Fergus
brichtsome in their duet
servin battered cod
frae the kitchenette,
it croons at the line o coathanger bulls
whaur ye hing yer claes
an the new fangled cast iron stove
wi its orange blaze,
it sings o the wine in yer gless
the pint ye maun quaff
it keeps beat tae the thump
on yer shouther
the belly launch.
Time tae cheer,
time tae toast
oor Lochwinnoch Brown Bull
in its twa hunnerth year.
It gaes strang as a bull
its got smeddum
an guts
at its core.
It's tae the fore.
May it aye Flourish!
Betty McKellar
17th July 2009