THE Saltire will be projected onto the country’s most famous castle today – one year after The National revealed how Holyrood officials had ruled the move too “political”.
Edinburgh Castle will bear the blue and white cross to mark St Andrew’s Day today.
The symbol will shine onto the world famous site as the conclusion of a short film including a series of messages aimed at inspiring the public to #BeLikeStAndrew as part of a national campaign. The clip has already been projected onto landmark buildings in several locations.
The move comes one year after this newspaper told how civil servants at the Scottish Government had rejected plans to project the cross onto historic monuments, branding it too “political”.
The St Andrew’s Day Campaign Committee, which advises ministers on how to encourage participation in the national date, had suggested using floodlighting to achieve the effect at Edinburgh and Stirling Castles.
However, chairperson Dennis Canavan revealed how that was downgraded to the use of blue bulbs instead. At the time, he said: “I asked if there was any technical difficulty in projecting a Saltire rather than all-blue floodlight.
“I was told that the problem was more ‘political’ than technical.”
Canavan went on: “There seems to be a misconception among some people, possibly even among some Scottish Government officials, that the Saltire is some kind of SNP symbol and therefore divisive.
“The Saltire is not the flag of the SNP, it is the flag of all the people of Scotland.”
Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop subsequently told Canavan time had run out to put the plan in action, but confirmed that the Saltire may be used this year, pending talks with Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which runs the castles.
Today officials have confirmed that the flag will be screened on the castle following its use at key sites including the Town House in Aberdeen and Eden Court Theatre in Inverness.
The specially made film aims to encourage Scots to perform an act of kindness in the spirit of the patron saint.
As well as marking the national day, the #BeLikeStAndrew campaign marks the start of Scotland’s winter festivals period, which takes in Hogmanay and runs into 2018 with Burns Night.
Mike Griffiths, interim chief executive of Eden Court Theatre, said: “We were delighted to get involved in the #BeLikeStAndrew campaign and for the message of kindness to be beamed on to the theatre. As a charity offering access to the arts for all, we are only too aware of the kind and generous nature of the people of the Highlands. It is fitting that this message of goodwill should be projected on to our iconic building in Inverness.”
Launching the campaign earlier this month, International Development Minister Dr Alasdair Allan said: “St Andrew was known for being strong, sociable and fair, encouraging people to share what they had with those in need. Celebrating St Andrew’s Day presents a powerful opportunity for people across Scotland to keep the spirit of St Andrew alive, by coming together and helping others within their community.”
The news comes as ex-Labour MP Canavan, who introduced the bill which led to the adoption of St Andrew’s Day as a bank holiday, continues his bid to upgrade its status to an official national holiday.
Writing in this newspaper today, he compares the “patchy” adoption of the bank holiday by councils and employers to the widespread celebration of Bastille Day in France and St Patrick’s Day in Ireland. He argues: “If St Andrew’s Day were widely recognised as a holiday, it would give all the people of Scotland the opportunity to celebrate our national identity, our cultural diversity and our membership of the international community.”
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