There will be a Ceilidh at the Glasgow University Union ( http://www.theguu.com ) on 22 May.
Ticket information coming soon - hope to cost them ~£25 for buffet and dance.

Contact webchief for more specific details if you need it now, otherwise keep an eye out for details on how to get your ticket.

PS Comments are no longer allowed on the site due to ridiculous amount of spam I’m getting, but if you send an email I’ll gladly publish for you.

Following the sale of the school and grounds in December 2004, the proceeds were invested through Cazenove Capital Management of London.

The Trustees decide to use the income to award scholarships to young people about to begin a University/College career. Scholars would require to live in / be connected to, the areas of benefit of the west coast and islands of Scotland, be intending to read subjects most closely aligned to the original Deed and to be deserving of financial help. Applications would also be welcomed from young people with a connection to Keil School. It was further decided that any award would be made annually for each of the successfully completed course years.

The first scholarships were awarded in the summer 2006 and the Trust will witness its first group of honours graduates in 2010. Many of these young people have received £2,000 for each of the 4 years although a number of £1,000 awards for Merit were also given.

The Trustees continued to offer scholarships in the following 3 years and at present the Trust is assisting 53 students with a projected 2009/10 outlay of £84,500.This is likely to increase in the future as more students are embarking on 5 year courses but will stabilise at perhaps £100,000 pa.

In the summer of 2009 the Mackinnon Macneill Trust agreed to link with the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation to offer a prestigious scholarship to a gifted scientist. The first recipient was a young lady from Lochgilphead High School who was accepted to read Physics at Cambridge University.

The Trustees receive many Christmas cards and emails throughout the year from grateful students and they are delighted to be able again to offer financial support to ‘deserving highland lads ( and lasses)’.

Tom Smith (Clerk)

There has been plenty of interest in attending the 1872 Cup.  The first leg is at Firhill on Sunday 27th December 2009.  Current plan is to meet at the Aitken Lounge at Firhill Stadium at 2pm.    The game kicks off at 03:05 pm.

Old Boys attending the either the Firhill or Murrayfield legs of the 1872 cup (Glasgow vs Edinburgh), take note - ANYGAME VOUCHERS are NOT VALID for this event.  Tickets on the day priced at £20.00 however you can pre-order tickets for the 1872 cup for £15.00 or purchase them from Greaves Sports stores.  I would advocate pre-ordering tickets as this is usually a popular event.

Website for booking tickets:  https://www.eticketing.co.uk/scottishrugby/default.aspx

Keil School Old Boys Scott Thomson (97) and David Dailly (98) are playing a gig at the Liquid Ship Bar on Great Western Road (near St Georges Cross Underground Station) on Tuesday 15th December 2009 at 9pm.  Free entry to the gig - which usually takes place downstairs.  They will be playing a mix of original music and cover songs.  The band comprise 3 vocals, 2 guitars and a cello.

This should be an excellent evening.  If any Old Boys pop along please introduce yourself to Scott or Dave.

Dear Old Boys, Old Girls, former masters and friends of Keil

Seasons greetings to you all from myself and the ‘newly’ re-appointed committee.

Following the recent agm at the Pond hotel, which was a thoroughly enjoyable do, I was appointed president of the Old Boys club, as well as managing to retain my position as web chief - fighting off stiff opposition in the form of general apathy I might add.

For those of you who don’t know me yet, my name is Jim MacFarlane. I was at Keil from 1982 to 1988 with the privilege of living in Islay Kerr house for my senior years. Originally from Argyll, I consider myself tremendously lucky to have benefitted from the MacKinnon MacNeil bursary and am grateful to the founders of the Kintyre Technical
College for their philanthropic foresight in creating the institution that became Keil School.

It is with the altruistic beginnings of the school in mind that I have decided to challenge the club to shake off the lethargy that has become a hall mark of our activities in recent years and try to bring some new sense of direction to the club.

The first challenge is this: To raise over £1000 for charity this year.
I would like to record all of the charitable activities that any old boys anywhere in the world take part in this year and set the club the target of raising over £1000 for all charities before the next agm.

The first officially sanctioned Old Boys club event takes place this weekend in Glasgow where the committee inspired and cajoled by Allan Thomson will take part in the Maria Dalglish Santa Dash.
Detail of the event can be found at http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Parks_Outdoors/Activities/santadash.htm
and the opportunity to contribute to the KSOB efforts here http://www.justgiving.com/KSOB-SantaDash2009

Now, I don’t want anyone to think that it’s going to be a year of passing the begging bowl around, there are plans afoot to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the school closing with a Ceilidh in Glasgow and I sincerely hope that the practice instigated by my predecessor, Fergus Allen, of meeting at Firhill to support the Warriors will continue and grow as a regular KSOB meeting.

Seasons greetings to you all and hope to see you shouting on the Warriors soon.

Persevering in Some Hope
Jim MacFarlane

PS Any nominations for fundraising for particular charities is most welcome contact : webchief@keilschoololdboysclub.co.uk

Last year witnesses claim to have seen 2700 people dressed as Santa running through the streets of Glasgow early on a bright Sunday December morning.

The Santa Dash Glasgow returns on Sunday 13th December 2009 and this year a group of Keil School Old Boys will be taking part.  The Santa Dash is a light-hearted 5k run.  The Marina Dalglish Appeal and The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice will benefit from the money raised.

Names so far:  Allan Thomson (95), Fergus Allan (77), Jim McFarlane (88), Fergus MacDonald (95), Colin Thomas (95),

All runners have to register ( to register click here ) .   Let us know if you are a Keil Old Boy and you register for this event.

For this event we have organised a Just Giving page for donations to the Marina Dalgleish Appeal.  Any donations greatfully received.

There have been a few mutterings about the Old Boys club doing something for the 1872 cup.
The dates are announced and we need a plan for venue to meet before the Murrayfield fixture. Any suggestions?

The dates for the eagerly awaited 1872 Cup matches between Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors have now been confirmed as Sunday 27 December at Firhill and Saturday 2 January at Murrayfield (both 3.05pm) with both matches being televised live on STV.

Last season, almost 20,000 Scottish rugby enthusiasts (12,500 at Murrayfield and 6, 665 at Firhill) watched both matches contested over the festive period and another two bumper crowds are expected this time around.

Supporters who have bought tickets to Scotland’s Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Tests will qualify for free admission to the Murrayfield leg of the celebrated double-header.

I know I should do this more often, but lately I’ve heard from Anthony Kalonga (1986), currently living in his native Zambia, Captain Tim Murphy, an American from the Holy Loch Base who spent 1st and 2nd Year at Keil in 1968-69, now living in Paris, and Leslie Obre (1976-1982) who is currently teaching in South Lanarkshire after few years as an Army officer. Leslie currently holds the chair of the Scottish Medieval History Association and is still playing cricket - which gives me an idea… more on that later!

If you’d like to get in direct touch with any of these Old boys, drop me a line at webchief@keilschoololdboysclub.co.uk and I’ll happily forward your details.

On a beautiful Autumn day in Fife, some 22 years after winning it for the first time, Gavin Bruce reclaimed the McCormick medal in emphatic style from Gavin Orr at the Charelton House Golf club. With younger brother Richard Bruce failing miserably at the driving and beer sponsor Jonny Wengel suffering from his efforts at the Caiplie House Open the previous day, it was left to webchief and event host Finlay Kerr to provide some competition for the big hitting Bruce boy. Alas, webchief’s golf game seems as erratic as his web maintenance and despite making the best of his high handicap on the more difficult holes he lived up to Ian Graham’s description of his limited ability to concentrate, putting 2 balls into the water at the 18th meant that Gavin was left needing only a bogie to take the title outright - he did so with a fine par.

The weather in Fife was exceptional and the Saturday golf outing was thoroughly enjoyed by all those who took part in it.

Back at Caiplie House, Finlay provided a fine supper with a delicious Cullen Skink followed by a quality Penman’s (surely the best butcher in Scotland) Steak Pie, topped off by a perfect Apple crumble. All washed down with excellent Houston Ale, supplied by the Wengels.

Many thanks to Finlay for putting together such an excellent package and we look forward to growing the McCormick next year - hopefully earlier in the year with more golfers.

On Sunday, Campbell Savage invited the old boys club to a tour of the R&A clubhouse in St Andrews. A rare treat, the clubhouse was adorned with many beautiful trophies and other memorabilia charting the history of modern golf and Campbell proved to be a knowledgeable and entertaining host. Many thanks to him for facilitating this excellent tour.