Highland Games in England 2016

[OC Richard]

Isn't is surprising, though, that a country the size of England, which must have a very large number of Scots and those of Scots ancestry, only has two Games?

Hmmm it makes me want to look up the percentage of Scots in England, and in the USA.

EDIT: Good ol' Wiki.

They say it's impossible to say how many people in England are of Scots descent. I couldn't find a list of surname percentages, which would be on the low side, if we restrict ourselves to uniquely Scottish names and throw out names common to both countries.

In the USA it's difficult due to the confusion/conflation of the notions of Scots and our so-called "Scotch-Irish" or Ulster Scots. One could, again, simply look at surnames and get a guesstimate.

[Jock Scot]

Isn't is surprising, though, that a country the size of England, which must have a very large number of Scots and those of Scots ancestry, only has two Games?

Hmmm it makes me want to look up the percentage of Scots in England, and in the USA.

I think its more a case of when in England you do English things and when in Scotland you do Scottish things thats all.

[The Q]

Remember the Highland games are exactly that, mostly held on the edges of the Highlands with links to the Gaels past .
Most of the lowland Scots and Scots in England don't now nor ever have had anything to do with the Gael or the Gaels Highland games.

By the time you have gone a couple of generations in the UK few remember or have any interest in where their ancestors come from, even if all grandparents were born in Scotland most grandchildren brought up in England would not have any thought of associating themselves with Scotland.

[Jock Scot]

Yes Q, I agree. I think quite often when Scots move to England, after a couple of generations all connection to Scotland is lost for many. I wonder if that will still happen now that Scotland seems to have found rather more pride in itself recently?

[Reiver]

Remember the Highland games are exactly that, mostly held on the edges of the Highlands with links to the Gaels past .
Most of the lowland Scots and Scots in England don't now nor ever have had anything to do with the Gael or the Gaels Highland games.

By the time you have gone a couple of generations in the UK few remember or have any interest in where their ancestors come from, even if all grandparents were born in Scotland most grandchildren brought up in England would not have any thought of associating themselves with Scotland.

In the Borders you have Clan gathers at the 'Common Ridings' and, at one time Gaelic was rather universal I understand and the immigration routes being rethought rather support that.

True, Border folk had no relationship with the Highland familes/Clans as they do today thru different organizations....some Borderer started this regeneration of interest in the Clans etc....what was his name again?

Jock, I hope your intuition is correct about a renewal of youthful Scots pride.

[Jock Scot]

In the Borders you have Clan gathers at the 'Common Ridings' and, at one time Gaelic was rather universal I understand and the immigration routes being rethought rather support that.

True, Border folk had no relationship with the Highland familes/Clans as they do today thru different organizations....some Borderer started this regeneration of interest in the Clans etc....what was his name again?

Jock, I hope your intuition is correct about a renewal of youthful Scots pride.

Perhaps you are thinking of Sir Walter Scott?

[neloon]

I believe that many games organisations, even in Scotland, are running into financial difficulties due to the increasing cost of policing in and around the venue.
Alan

[OC Richard]

Some interesting things brought up about self-identification as "Scots" and the desire to do "Scottish things".

Interesting that Scots in England lose their self-identification as Scots after a couple generations. Perhaps the idea of an overall identity of British-ness has something to do with it?

Here in the USA there are people whose ancestors came from Scotland in the 18th century yet still self-identify as Scots. They give their kids Scottish first names and attend Highland Games and Burns Suppers and play bagpipes and do Highland dancing and all the rest. Some regularly visit Scotland and know the current Scotland fairly well, while others have Brigadoonish ideas.

But the vast majority don't know or care anything about their ancestry, and when asked about their ethnic ancestry will say "I'm an American" or "I'm a mutt" (many people's ancestry is so mixed that the question of ethnicity becomes pointless).