Tartan Day highlights Scottish heritage
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Liam Hall, 2, enjoys a treat after taking a break from activities, including dancing, during the Tartan Day celebration in Bethel Park.
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Thomas Soergel performs on the bagpipes during Tartan Day celebration in Bethel Park.
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Members of the Balmoral Pipes & Drums band perform during Tartan Day in Bethel Park. The group is open to all ages.
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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.
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Alisa Messner, Cora Peterson and Ramona McCall perform during Tartan Day in Bethel Park while Thomas Soergel (background) takes a break from bagpiping. All are members of the Celtic Spirit Highland Dancers.
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Sydney Regan, 5, and Alisa Messner demonstrate some of the steps used in Scottish dances. They are members of the Celtic Spirit Highland Dancers.
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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.
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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.
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Jim Roberts of Washington demonstrates the Great Kilt and its many uses.
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Sydney Regan performs with the Celtic Spirit Highlander Dancers. At 5, he is one of the youngest members of the group.
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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.
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Melanie Sandrock (guitar) directs the Ringgold Harp & String Ensemble during Tartan Day. The group was one of several performing and entertaining fans of all things Scottish during an event commemorating Scotland’s sovereignty over its lands some 450 years ago.
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Kathy Wells of East Washington demonstrates how to make a rosette out of a tartan scarf for Cindy Giammario during Tartan Day activities.
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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.
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The Pittsburgh Scottish Country Dancers perform at the Tartan Day celebration in Bethel Park. The group demonstrated steps from which square dancing and contra dancing emerged.
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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 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 Tartan Day, an annual celebration 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 the 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 remarked 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.
All were on display during Tartan Day 2022, celebrated April 3 in Bethel Park.
Among the highlights 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, the 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 patrons.
“The event is always well received by the community,” said Fiona McGrath.
The Greentree resident served as the volunteer coordinator for the event.
“The fact that is it free is exciting to people. We have everything that you would want. Food. Exhibits. Workshops. Music. A little bit for everybody and a great location.
“This year’s been amazing because, although we did get a nice response when we went virtual, it’s always great to get together. Scots love to have people over, and this is like that. We are having people over.”
Amber Young of Claysville enjoyed the camaraderie. 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.”
Though she is only 9, Rachel Urso has been influenced by the Scottish culture. Her mother, Emily, performs in the Ringgold Harp and String Ensemble. Urso said she has been attending Tartan Days more times than she can remember.
“The harp music is my favorite part,” she said. “Until my record player broke, I used to listen to it to fall asleep.”
Ursa added that she loves Fern Cakes. Plus, she can’t wait to become as proficient at harp as she is at singing or playing the violin.
“Santa brought me a harpsichord for Christmas,” Ursa said. “So I am excited about learning to play the harp.”
At age 2, Liam Hall is already thrilled with Scottish desserts and music. He spent the morning toe-tapping with the dance performers as well as chowing down on Empire cakes.
Hall’s great grandparents emigrated from Scotland to America. His grandparents, Craig and Elsie, reside in Upper St. Clair, and his dad, Chad, is a USC graduate who played lacrosse and rowed on the crew team.
“This is a fantastic event,” said Hall. “It’s the first time for Liam, but we try to make this every year as well as attend the Highland Games.”