Can someone explain why "Stirling 2014" is being given £3 million of tax payer's money?
It is important to distinguish a Homecoming Year from a Gathering of Clans which takes place during that year.
My understanding of the news item is that the £3 million is to be made available for the whole of Homecoming Scotland 2014, a programme of events designed to attract visitors from the diaspora throughout the year, of which Stirling 2014 will be just one part.
When we had Homecoming Scotland 2009 there were a large number of special events held country wide, opening at Robert Burns' birthday in late January, throughout the year until the grand finale on St. Andrews Day, 30th November. The Edinburgh Gathering in July 2009 was just one event within Homecoming Scotland 2009. Throughout 2009, other towns held events at different times, for example Dumfries held its major events in January and November at the start and finish of the Year of the Homecoming, and also held lesser events in June and August. Our major Homecoming events here in the Scottish Borders took place in September and there was a Highland Homecoming based around Inverness during October.
I would expect much the same will happen in 2014.