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CALEDONIA - Is the offical Homecoming Scotland 2009 anthem, you may have heard it on their recent advert. Here you can hear the original song sung live by the man who wrote it, legendary Scottish singer songwriter Dougie MacLean. This was recorded as part of a special broadcast which was made at the famous Amber Festival, and which will soon be featured here by Dougies’ kind permission.

The Scottish Government has designated 2009 the year of the Homecoming in celebration of the 250th Birthday of our National Bard Robert Burns. His birth was at the time of the large immigration of people from Scotland right across the world. So they are encouraging people to return to their roots and celebrate some of the great contributions Scotland and its people have made to the world.

As part of this we would love to hear your stories of how you remember Dunoon, whether you have emigrated, heard about it from your relations, come on holiday here or have lived here all your life.

People have been coming to and leaving Dunoon for many generations, from the time it was a small costal hamlet, to when it became a popular holiday resort for Glaswegians, to the arrival of the American Navy in the Sixties. It is actually very hard to go anywhere in the world and not bump into somebody who has been to Dunoon many joining the influx of people for Cowal Games.

We will not be forgetting Rabbie who had his own links to Dunoon with his true love Highland Mary.

So if you have any memories, stories or photographs you would like to share please send them to us either via the comments option or email them to fiatdunoonradio@aol.com.

We also invite ideas for events and activities that we could help organise within the community to celebrate the homecoming. Anything Rabbie Burns or local history related, to gala events, theme nights even reunions. We will be publishing a list of events related to the Homecoming so let us know about any events you are organising.

Pictures reproduced from the Community Councils Guide to Dunoon from the 1950’s, showing Highland Mary’s Statue and holiday makers arriving on the ferry at the pier.