Scots trio to be honoured on St Andrew’s day

Three top Scots are to be awarded honorary degrees by the University of St Andrews later this month: renowned fiddler Aly Bain, The Right Hon. Lady Cosgrove, Senator of the College of Justice and the Very Reverend Iain MacMillan, Minister of St Giles’, the High Kirk of Edinburgh.

The St Andrew’s Day ceremony will take place at 2.15pm in Younger Hall, North Street, St Andrews on Friday 28th November 2003.

Dr Brian Lang, Principal and Vice- Chancellor of the University said:

“We are delighted to honour three prominent Scots who in their own ways have contributed to public life in Scotland. They cover Scottish music, Scottish law and the Church of Scotland and are highly appropriate for St Andrew’s Day.”

Aly Bain, ‘the doyen of Shetland fiddlers’, is Scotland’s best known and most significant fiddle player in the Celtic tradition. He helped establish Boys of the Lough, a traditional folk band and has recorded two albums with the world famous accordion player and composer Phil Cunningham. In 1994 he was awarded the MBE in recognition of his services to music.

The Right Hon. Lady Cosgrove (Hazel Josephine Aronson) is Senator of the College of Justice, Scotland and sits as a Judge of the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary. In 1996, she was the first woman to be appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court and in 2002 was made a member of the Privy Council. Lady Cosgrove is currently Deputy Chairman of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, which is engaged in the review of the constituency boundaries for both the Westminster and Scottish Parliaments.

The Very Reverend Iain Gilleasbuig MacMillan has been Minister of St Giles’ in Edinburgh since 1973. He has been a Chaplain to the Queen in Scotland since 1979 and is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. St. Giles’ Cathedral is also the High Kirk of Edinburgh and is known as the Mother Church of world Presbyterianism.

Aly Bain will be made a Doctor of Music (Mus D), Lady Cosgrove a Doctor of Laws (LLD) and the Very Reverend MacMillan a Doctor of Letters (D Litt).

Members of the public wishing to attend the ceremony should contact Joyce Scott on telephone 01334 462110 or email – js10@st- andrews.ac.uk.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS

PLEASE CONTACT THE PRESS OFFICE IF YOU WOULD LIKE:

q Biographies of Aly Bain, The Right Honourable Lady Cosgrove and the Very Reverend Iain MacMillan. q To send reporters/photographers to the event. A photocall will also be held after the event – at approximately 3.45/4pm – venue to be confirmed. q Graduation/laureation addresses (normally available approx. one week before the event.)

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews Contact Gayle Cook on 01334 467227, mobile 07900 050103, or email [email protected] Ref: hon degree announcement 121103 View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk