The Matt Dunnachie Award 2010. Members of Maybole Gents’ Golf Club committee gathered last week to discuss the history of a medal first presented to the club in 1924. They had invited along Sam Coulter who was born in 1922 to see if he could cast any light on the problem. What Sam didn’t know was that was not the only reason for inviting him along.

 

In true Eamonn Andrews style, Alex Meek, convener of Carrick Sports Club, accompanied by Bill McCubbin, club secretary, turned up to surprise Sam and award him The Matt Dunnachie Award for 2010. (For our younger readers, Eamonn Andrews hosted This Is Your Life, a biographical television documentary, from 1955 until 1964, and then from 1969 until his death in 1987 aged 64. Michael Aspel then took up the role of host until the show ended in 2003.)

Alex Meek told the golfers, that In 2007 a trophy had been donated to Carrick Sports Club by the family of the late Matt Dunnachie. He continued, “The Sports Club formed a small committee to decide on a suitable recipient for this very handsome trophy on an annual basis. True to the spirit of Matt it was felt that it would be appropriate to recognise people who have worked away in the background for organisations in the town of Maybole.”

 

He added that when they heard that Sam was going to be helping with the history of the medal it, “presented us with the opportunity to express the appreciation of the community to Sam. “He is a long standing member of Maybole Golf Club over some 60 years and still enjoys a game of golf.

 

“The Sports Club committee, however, felt that his dedication in involving, and mentoring, youngsters over many decades in the game has been an outstanding contribution to the lives of many. “He played a major role in the Ayrshire Junior Golf League for many a year and it would be true to say that people now living in Scotland, the UK and indeed all over the globe owe their love of the game to this man.

 

“He is an Honorary Life Member of the league where his involvement began in 1970 when Maybole won the league at their first attempt and has played a large part in putting Maybole youth on the golfing map. “To Sam Coulter we say thank you on behalf of the whole community and ask you to accept this trophy as this year’s recipient of the Matt Dunnachie Award.”

 

The medal which the golf club had been looking at was gifted to the club in 1924 by Provost Fairlie who had hit the first ball to open the course on May 17, 1924. The club has been in existence for over 100 years. The medal has bee valued at approximately £1,200 and the club is looking for a safe place to put it on display. They would also be keen to hear from anyone who could tell them any more about its history.

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Three members from the Maybole Men’s Health Forum, Michael McDermott, Tom Cuthill and Brian Robertson (left to right in photo) participated in the Great Scottish Run in Glasgow on Sunday September 5. Michael McDermott and Brian Robertson entered the 10k and both completed it. Tom Cuthill entered himself for the half-marathon and has raised money for Kirkoswald Parish Church to help them get a new church organ. Tom completed the half-marathon in under two hours, which was really a remarkable effort. Everyone enjoyed the day and the weather was good for the group all day. Over 23,000 people entered the event overall. Approx 21,000 were present on the day. 10,000 approx doing the 10k and the remainder doing the half-marathon. A very well run event and a few celebrities were present. The group managed to bump into Jenny Falconer and Gold medalist Olympian Sally Gunnell on the day.  The Maybole Men’s Health Forum is always looking for new members to join the group. If you have a desire to get yourself in better shape why not go along. The group meets every Thursday evening at Carrick Academy 7:30pm. Membership is free for the first session. The MHF group website is www.maybolehealthforum.org  for further information.

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Pictured are Carrick Amateurs FC proudly showing off their new strip for season 20010 - 2011. The strip was purchased with donations from Hannah's Taxis - Maybole, Billy White and ex-Maybole hit man Jason Wallace. The Club would like to thank Roberta, Martin, Billy and Jason for their kind generosity. The Carrick men have had a bit of a mixed start to the season. After 7 league matches, they have won 4, drawn 1 and lost 2, and are currently in 5th position in the Ayrshire 1st division. Carrick AFC have the charity shop for the first week in October, any donations would be greatly appreciated. These can be given to Wendy McClure 'Abbot St', Ricky Stevenson 'Crosshill Rd' or even delivered to the shop throughout the week. The Club is also holding a Sportsman's Dinner in the Town Hall on Saturday October 23. Tickets will be £25 which includes a three course dinner and attendees are guaranteed to be well entertained. The main speaker for the evening is none other than Scotland’s professional association football pundit Chick Young. Watch out for posters around the town for further details.

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Maybole twinners were hosts to visitors from Germany and France recently. The occasion was to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of signing the official twinning agreement between Maybole and the German town of Schotten. This had been signed in the Town Hall during July, 2000 by Andy Hill, Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Margaret Davidson, of Maybole Town Twinning Association, Hans Otto Zimmerman, Burgermeister of Schotten, and Klaue Appel, Chairman of Schotten Town Twinning Association. That ceremony had been attended by local twinners, friends and over 100 visitors from France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and the CzechRepublic who had taken part in a cycle tour to mark the start of the new millennium.

Klaus Appel had returned for the 10^th anniversary celebrations and was accompanied by Robert Pitz and Julian Zimmer, both of the twinning committee. The group from Crosne, Maybole’s French twin town, was led by Daniel Robin, Chairman of the Twinning Committee, and Marylène Laug, Deputy Mayor. The visitors had arrived on Friday, September 3 when they were welcomed by Margaret Davidson, current Chairman of Maybole Town Twinning Association, and the next day set off with their hosts on their own version of the Burns trail.

They started at Maybole Town Hall where they were told the association of the town with the story of Robert Burns. His mother, Agnes Broun and William Burness, had met at a market fair held in Maybole in 1756, had courted and then became engaged. They were married in Maybole on December 15, 1757 by Rev. James MacKnight. After the marriage they moved to Alloway where Robert, was born on 25^th January, 1757.

The group then headed for Alloway for a drive past the cottage where the poet was born. When he was 29, in the prime of his life and at the peak of his powers, Burns took up residence at Ellisland Farm, and that was the next place to drive past on the way to Dumfries where the poet is buried.

They visited the graveyard at St Michael's Church and the Burns Mausoleum, erected by public subscription eighteen years after his death. Burns’ remains were taken from the original grave in the opposite corner of the cemetery and reinterred with great ceremony in the Mausoleum. At Burns House there was time for Alex Davidson and Alan Murray to sing “My luve is like a red, red rose” in the nearby garden. Burns died in this house in 1796 aged just 37.

Then it was on to the Globe Inn for lunch which Burns called it his favourite ‘howff’, it was a public house Burns knew well. The Globe is the oldest tavern in Scotland dating as it does from 1610, 500 years old, and much as it was in Burns' day.  Twinners enjoyed sitting in the poet's favourite seat and hearing of his time there. In the evening, after returning to Maybole, there was dinner at Soutar Johnnie’s in Kirkoswald.

On Sunday, there was a buffet in Carrick Sports Club where gifts were exchanged to mark the 10^th anniversary. Mrs Davidson said that Provost Winifred Sloan had been unable to attend but offered her apologies. Mrs Davidson mentioned that people from Maybole had first met people from Schotten in 1981 although they had not twinned for another 19 years.

She recounted memories of various twinning events over the years and the special first links with Crosne. She concluded, “We look forward to a long and happy association together. Just as all families grow older we who are now grandparents look to the young folk of our towns to continue the relationships started so many years ago. We hope that through the schools our young people can come to truly know the meaning of being Europeans. “Long live the Twinning!”

She then presented a beautiful glass bowl engraved with Maybole’s coat of arms to Robert Pitz. He responded, “We are pleased to be here today for the 10^th anniversary and to remember all the events and meetings. “I hope we will meet up again and again and again.” He passed on the best wishes of Hans Otto Zimmermann, Burgermeister Susanne Schaab and then presented Mrs Davidson with an aerial view of Schotten and a DVD of the town.

Daniel Robin and Marylène Laug said a few words of congratulations and Mrs Davidson paid tribute to Maybole Pipe Band who had been represented at many twinning events right from 1981. The pipe band provided the musical entertainment before everyone joined in an emotional “Auld Lang Syne”