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CHECK THIS OUT!!
Radical Bike Man Danny MacAskill Rides On In Scotland (no kidding - watch this)
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Danny MacAskill - "Way Back Home"
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Join Our List
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Great Scottish Podcasts Thanks to BBC Scotland
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Looking for more things Scottish? Want to hear more from and about your ancestral homeland? You know folks still live there today, amazing but true. Check in to Scotland today by listening to a few great podcasts from Auld Scotia brought to us all by BBC Scotland.
Highly recommended is Digging Up Your Roots, where you will find Episode 7, originally broadcast February 19, 2012, and featuring COSCA's great friend Malcolm MacGregor, Chief of Clan Gregor and Convener of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, speaking about use of DNA to help trace your roots. Enjoy!
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COSCA's Cèilidh Corner
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Part of COSCA'S mission is to promote the heritage and culture of the Scottish people. In many ways, music is an ideal reflection of that culture. Our Cèilidh Corner hopes to help connect you to the wide variety of Scottish music; both live and recorded, that's available today. Here are a few ideas: ____________ Albannach: Not Your Father's Pipes and Drums I first saw the phenomena called Albannach at the 2010 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. There I was, happily working at the COSCA Tent, quietly connecting folks with their Scots heritage, when the entire crowd began to move - to jog, then run - in a collective energetic frenzy straight away to the Celtic Groves. Why? The answer was simple and somebody yelled it to me as they ran by: "ALBANNACH is playing! Come on!"  | | Albannach at GMHG! |
Make sure you see these Scots at a games near you. Like we said, it's not your father's pipes and drums, now. _____________ Alan Lomax Online: Massive Folk Music Archive Now Available! During a good part of the middle of the 20th Century, a fellow named Alan Lomax travelled the globe collecting extraordinary folk music recordings by both amateurs and professional performers. Mr. Lomax spent a great deal of time in Scotland recording music and spoken word. You can access these original folkways recordings now for the first time online for free. Click Here and select your nation of interest (ahem ... Scotland) and you'll be listening to some very sweet sounds. For some good background beta, also check out the RobertReport. Click Here to visit TheRobertReport. Thanks to Randy Gregory of Ridgway, Colorado for turning us on to this Alan Lomax business. Enjoy! |
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COSCA Store
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Available Now!
Get In The Spirit For 2014!!!
Very Limited Quantities Remain
 The official DVD documentary of the historic Gathering in Edinburgh - July 2009. Click Here to purchase!
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COSCA Dues 411
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COSCA has moved to a calendar year billing cycle (Jan - Dec). Dues are still only $25 per year and should be paid by January 1st annually.
You can always find out if your membership is current by visiting the " Members" page of our website.
Want To Join or Renew? You can pay for your membership one of three ways:
1. Pay online using PayPal. PayPal accepts credit cards or checks.
2. Mail a check. Send checks to: COSCA, P. O. Box 427, Pinehurst, NC 28370. If you're paying for a clan or organization, make sure the name is on your check.
Regardless of the payment method used, please make sure that you complete an online membership form and submit it with your payment.
If you prefer, you can fax the form to us at 980-229-4699 or email it to coscainfo@gmail.com
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Meet the Scottish North American Counsellor:
Scotland's Man In America
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Have you ever wondered who the Scottish Government's go-to man in America is? If you haven't, you should. Senior British civil servant Robin Naysmith has occupied that role since November 2007.
Were Scotland an independent nation, Robin Naysmith would be something like Scotland's Ambassador to the United States and Canada. In Scotland's role as part of the United Kingdom, Robin carries the formal title of Scottish Government Counsellor in North America - a very impressive title indeed. He also happens to be a very nice guy, he tells a fine joke and is pretty popular on the American games circuit.
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Tres Amigos (L to R): British Ambassador Peter Westmacott, Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-North Carolina) and Scottish North American Government Counsellor Robin Naysmith at the National Capital Tartan Day Reception in Washington DC. This was the first face to face meeting of Westmacott and Naysmith. Photo: Judith Clark
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Even more impressive than the title is the fact that the Scottish devolved government maintains only three foreign offices worldwide - Washington DC, Beijing and Brussels (EU). Clearly, North America figures highly in today's Scottish affairs.
Based out of the British Embassy in Washington DC, Robin's role is to provide a North American hub for the Scottish Government that ensures that when people in America and Canada engage with the Scottish Government they see Scotland and not a collection of different agencies.
The Scottish North American Government Counsellor has the overall responsibility for delivering the Scottish Government's strategic objectives in the US and Canada. Robin's duties include managing diplomatic relationships and coordinating the work of Scottish Development International (SDI), VisitScotland and other Scottish Government agencies operating in North America.
North America continues to be one of Scotland's most important export markets and the Scottish Government is determined to strengthen economic, educational and cultural relations and ensure that Scotland's interests are represented as effectively as possible.
Keep an eye peeled for Robin at this season's Scottish games and festivals and if he is coming to a games near you, go and visit with him. As the representative of the Scottish Government in America, he is a highly sought after speaker and honored guest. You will enjoy a chat with Robin Naysmith if you find the chance.
Click here to visit the Scottish Affairs Office, Washington D.C. website. Good stuff there.
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Clan Leader Boot Camp 2012:
Join us in June for our first online workshop
| |  SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, June 9, 2012
COSCA's Clan Leader Boot Camp Webinar:
Join us for a fun and informative (not necessarily in that order) webinar on Saturday June 9th from 1:00 - 2:30 pm EST . We will :
- bring you all the great Scottish American news of the day
- cover some basics of critical non-profit organizational issues
- collect your feedback on what you need and expect from COSCA in the future as well as what future webinar topics you would like COSCA to offer
We may even throw in a very special treat on the fun and games side. You can join in for some or all of the workshop - your choice.
Stay tuned to COSCA for details and send us an email at coscainfo@gmail.com to pre-register. Space is limited!
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COSCA Sends HUGE GOOD LUCK To Edinburgh Rugby In The (Latest)
BIGGEST GAME OF THEIR HISTORY: April 28th
Semi Finals of the Heineken Cup!!
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On April 7, 2012 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Rugby team slammed their challengers from Toulouse, France to become the first Scottish team ever to reach the semi-finals of the tough European rugby competition known as the Heineken Cup. The match against Toulouse was already billed as the biggest game of Edinburgh's history as that was the first appearance of a Scottish team in the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup.
We fully expect to see Edinburgh emerge triumphant in Dublin on April 28th when they play their semi-final match against Ulster at Aviva Stadium.
Give 'em what for Edinburgh and we'll watch you in the first ever finals for a Scottish team!
Click here to follow the fun: EdinburghRugby.org
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GATHERING AGAIN:
Scotland 2014
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With each newsletter, we like to bring you a bit of the latest news from Stirling Council, the Scottish Government, the National Trust For Scotland, Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs - basically all of Scotland - brought right here to you via the world wide web. Today's selection: Dates.
Common sense tells you to start planning your 2014 trip to Scotland now. Here are a few dates to help you figure out where you want to be and when you want to be there:
June 23 - 24, 2014: Opening of the new Bannockburn centre by the National Trust For Scotland (NTS).
June 28 - 29, 2014: Reenactment of the battle of Bannockburn at Bannockburn itself (NTS).
July 11 - 13, 2014: Clans 2014 - International Clan Gathering and Highland Games in Stirling, Scotland.
July 23 - August 3, 2014: Commonwealth Games, Glasgow/Stirling
September 26 - 28, 2014: Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, Scotland
Stirling Council, the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs and other stakeholders are meeting regularly at Stirling to discuss 2014 clan activities. The group is led by an energetic and able Provost, Fergus Wood, and his staff. At present, the logistics of accomodating large numbers of visitors in and around Stirling is paramount on the working group's agenda. With more than two years to plan, we are anticipating a great experience in 2014.
Stay tuned for more information and details as we hear them.
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"BRAVE" Scottish Lass Will Take Hollywood By Storm
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Disney/Pixar Animated Film "Brave" Opens June 21st
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A storm of Scottishness is about to be unleashed in America. We all recall the notoriety and interest that the film "Braveheart" created in Scottish history and heritage (and aren't we all quite glad that the movie now usually includes some historical corrections embedded into the film). It may well be that a similar phenomenon is about to explode in American theaters. This time, however, it will be the wee bairns that compel dads and moms to haul van-loads of little ones to local highland games and festivals. That, in our opinion, is a vast Hollywood improvement and we all anxiously look forward to what looks and sounds to be a cracking good film and all the great fun that will follow. Good choice, Disney!
Click here to go directly to "Brave".
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