By GAGE WILSON
Glasgow News 1
For 33 years the Glasgow Highland Games were a staple of Barren County, giving residents the opportunity to experience and enjoy Scottish culture. The games would offer competitions, usually shows of strength, as well as vendors and family activities. Unfortunately, due to a variety of reasons, the 2019 games was the last time the event was held.
However, sitting in the Grand Victorian Inn, a group of four plan on reviving the much beloved event. Karin and Gary Carroll, owners of the inn, have for weeks made great strides on giving the games a new home. They were joined by Colin Grant-Adams, a native to Glasgow, Scotland, and a folk singer and songwriter who recently was awarded the “Entertainer of the Year” in the Bluegrass category for his song “Simple Folk” and his partner Dr. Julia Schooler. The quartet were brought together by their shared love of their Scottish ancestry and their passion to see the games come back.
“Since the games ended, no one has really wanted to take on the responsibilities of bringing them back,” said Grant-Adams. “So Gary and Karin here said, ‘Why don’t we host them here.’ They brought it to the mayor [and] he supports it and everyone in the community has really gotten behind it.”
One of the main focuses was making the games “new” with more festival like activities planned.
“To run a Celtic festival there is a lot that goes into it, and it can get a bit complicated,” he explained. “You’ve got Highland dancers doing demonstrations. We’re currently trying to book a couple of bagpipers, you’ve also got to organize athletes for the competitions, like the pole throwing and lifting stones.”
Grant-Adams also pointed that getting representatives from the various Scottish Clans is intrinsically linked to the spirit of the games. These clans would set up booths to educate attendees on the histories of their families and the impact their clans had on shaping their decedents’ futures.
“It’s culture, it’s history and it’s very family oriented, we plan on having diverse activities just for children,” he said.”So that’s what we’re aiming for, a celebration of our Celtic culture.”
The games are for everyone, not just those with a Celtic heritage. Grant-Adams used the example of Greek festivals across the country, “Well you don’t have to be Greek to go to them, we want everybody to come out to learn, have fun and to be together.”
The games’ other main focus is education. The group plans to have workshops and forums for the public to engage with musicians and craftsmen. Grant-Adams explained that other festivals across the U.S. offer remedial weaving lessons or bagpipe lectures, activities they hope to bring to the new games. These exhibitions not only immerse attendees, but can also benefit the games themselves.
Highland Game groups are non-profit entities, and funding can be a dire issue for many smaller communities hoping to have games of their own considering some of the larger games can run $100,000 to $200,000 according to Grant-Adams. Fortunately, grants are available for just that reason, particularly with the Kentucky Arts Council, which supports art and cultural resources across the state. Educational activities that Grant-Adams mentioned are heavily funded by the council, with one of the council’s values involving the understanding of heritage being key to help build the future.
While the games have an obvious impact on the public, local businesses are also excited to see them return. As the Highland Game events take place nationally, those living outside the county and even state are drawn to the camaraderie and history they represent. Theses tourists often will then increase traffic in the surrounding areas giving a much welcome bump to revenue with local stores.
Gary and Karin Carroll have operated several businesses around Barren County for years and looked forward to the games while they were ongoing.
“We loved the Highland Games, the culture of the games are very welcoming,” Karin Carroll said.
Their love of the games is not just from a business point of view though.
“Four years after they started, I actually learned that my great-great grandmother was a Meek,” she said. “They were a part of Clan MacDuff, so we go to the MacDuff booth and they have records with my grandmothers name in it and Gary looks down and says ‘well there’s my grandma, Wilburn.’ So our families have been in the same clan for generations.”
The group will be making regular meetings before the games launch Summer of 2024, with Gary Carroll acting as the president over the event. Grant-Adams and his wife are co-vice presidents, and Karin Carroll is the acting treasurer.
Comments