RUNRIG’S Last Dance gigs will bring around 47,000 visitors to Stirling tonight and tomorrow, 4000 of them camping at City Park, where 1000 staff will be working over the weekend.

Fans have travelled from as far as Australia, New Zealand, the US and Japan and the concerts are expected to generate around £8 million for the Stirling economy.

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Deputy First Minister John Swinney – who listens to the band while out on his morning run – praised their contribution to Scotland over 45 years.

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He told The National: “It has been my privilege to express the Scottish Government’s thanks to Runrig for 45 years of exceptional contribution to the life of Scotland.

“They led the modernisation of Scottish traditional music and brought it alive for generations in the 20th and 21st centuries.”

Swinney added: “They made a huge contribution to taking the Gaelic language to a much wider audience and investing significantly in the future of the Gaelic language.

“And they’ve contributed enormously to creating a more self-confident culture within Scotland which I think helped to bring about the confidence in the population that was required to establish a Scottish Parliament.

“So Scotland has a great deal to thank Runrig for – an exceptional contribution to civic and national life and cultural life in Scotland.”