Tartan Day highlights Scottish heritage
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Thomas Soergel performs on the bagpipes during Tartan Day celebration in Bethel Park.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Members of the Balmoral Pipes & Drums band perform during Tartan Day in Bethel Park. The group is open to all ages.
Kathy Wells of East Washington demonstrates how wool from a sheep goes from fabric to fashion during the Tartan Day celebration held recently in Bethel Park. Wells designed the Pittsburgh Tartan and the pattern is replicated in the westkit she is wearing. The black and gold are representative of William Pitt's coat of arms. The red, yellow and blue indicate the steel industry. In each set there are also three blue stripes, which Wells dubbed the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio for the rivers running through the city.
A display depicts how wool from sheep is transformed into a tartan. On display is the Pittsburgh Tartan designed by Kathy Wells from East Washington. The black and gold are representative of William Pitt's coat of arms. The red, yellow and blue indicate the steel industry. In each set there are also three blue stripes, which Wells dubbed the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio for the rivers running through the city.
In addition to meat pies, shepherd's pie and sausage rolls, visitors to Tartan Day in Bethel Park enjoyed traditional Scottish pastries such as scones, Empire biscuits and Fern Cake.
Jim Roberts of Washington demonstrates the Great Kilt and its many uses.
Sarah Middlemiss of Monongahela was the recipient of one of the St. Andrew's Society of Pittsburgh's scholarships promoting the teachings of the Scottish arts. A Ringgold graduate, she is studying business at California University of Pennsylvania. This summer, she will attend the Ohio Scottish Arts School to further her harp studies.
Kathy Wells of East Washington demonstrates how to make a rosette out of a tartan scarf for Cindy Giammario during Tartan Day activities.
Jim Roberts of Washington (right) and his grandson, Allen Stefanski, (center) explain to visitors on Tartan Day the weapons used during key battles as Scotland endeavored to seek independence.
Paul Thompson and Pam Maniet welcomed visitors to Tartan Day, held April 3 at Bethel Presbyterian Church. Thompson is the president of the St. Andrew's Society of Pittsburgh while Maniet served as chairperson for the event.
Pam Maniet’s Western Pennsylvania roots run deep.
The North Strabane Township resident grew up in Bethel Park and participated in the high school band as a majorette. She attended Duquesne University but earned her degree from St. Francis Nursing School. Maniet and her husband, Matt, raised their two children, daughter Brittany and son Ben, in Mt. Lebanon.
Maniet’s Scottish heritage runs deeper. In fact, her culinary skills earned her the chairmanship for Sunday’s Tartan Day celebration in Bethel Park commemorating all things Scotland.
“My grandmother was a good baker. So it’s in my blood,” she said. “After I made scones and Empire biscuits, they asked me if I wanted to do Tartan Day.”
Maniet also played a role in the event’s location. A member of Bethel Presbyterian Church, she asked the minister if her group could use the facility, which has two stages, an auditorium and congregation rooms where displays and demonstrations could be performed in addition to a magnificent sanctuary.
Again, her group was accommodating.
“They told me, ‘If your church will do it, then we’ll let you run it,'” Maniet said.
Maniet also said the location was perfect because the church’s first minister was Scottish. Plus, the adjacent cemetery boasts many graves indicating descendants from Scotland.
“There is a lot of history here,” Maniet said.
Since 1998 when the U.S. Senate passed a resolution, April 6 is recognized as National Tartan Day. It recognizes the major role Scottish Americans played in the founding of the nation.
April 6 is also an important date in Scottish history because it celebrates the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, which asserted Scotland’s sovereignty over its land. On that date in 1320, eight earls and 45 barons put their seals on the document. Nearly 400 years later England and Scotland both gave up their independence to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
Today, particularly in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Scottish heritage thrives. Pittsburgh boasts 10 pipe bands, harps, fiddles, Highland and country dancing and Scottish folk singers.
Among the highlights at Sunday’s Tartan Day event were musical performances by the Ringgold Harp and String Ensemble, Balmoral Pipes and Drums, Sean Patrick Regan Bagpiping and MacDonald Pipe Band. The Pittsburgh Scottish Country Dancers, Celtic Spirit Highland Dancers and West Virginia Highland Dancers demonstrated traditional choreography.
Attendees could also learn Gaelic, hear Celtic tales by Barra The Bard or listen to ballads by Mike Flaherty or traditional and modern music by the duos of Abbots Cross or RichPatrick.
Paul Thompson, president of the St. Andrew’s Society of Pittsburgh, also narrated Scotland – Country, Clans & Culture. The slideshow highlighted ancient origins, customs and traditions from the country as well as provided knowledge about Scotland today.
“Our mission is to preserve and promote Scottish heritage in Western Pennsylvania,” Maniet said.
“Our program and the society is generally for Scots and preserving history and tradition,” Thompson agreed. He noted though, “We’ve opened (this event) to everyone interested in Scotland. All are welcome. You do not have to have Scottish ancestry.”
After a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic, Tartan Day returned to an in-person activity.
That thrilled volunteers as well as visitors like Amber Young of Claysville. Her husband, Kirk, is of Scottish descent and the family has traced ancestors beyond the Revolutionary War. The couple have two daughters, Isabella, 17, and Evie, 13. Isabella is a bagpiper in the Balmoral Pipe Band.
“Of course, she is the reason why we are here, but I do love these events,” Young said. “It’s fun. It’s a great way to appreciate our heritage, enjoy the food and the people as well as the different interest groups.
At Tartan Day, Young learned of the Society of Scottish Ladies. She said her daughters and she will join the organization to continue their heritage.
“What a fantastic event,” she said. “It’s exciting and nice for my children to be exposed to this.”