The following blog post was kindly written for us by our student volunteer, Grace Levine. Growing up in upstate New York, I was surrounded by history from a very young age. With not much to do in my rural town in the Hudson Valley, my parents brought me to local museums, historical societies, and heritage sites. As I got older, …
Crochet at the Heritage Centre
The following blog post was kindly written for us by one of our student volunteers, Julia Kahn. At the North Ayrshire Heritage Centre, I have had the pleasure of inventorying the costume and textile collection over the past several months. The collection holds many treasures, from Harry Kemp’s costumes to beautiful Ayrshire white work. As a crocheter myself, my favourite …
A Double Shift for Meadow’s Cup Winners
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Irvine Meadow have had a lot of success over the years in the West of Scotland Cup, winning the prestigious trophy nine times. But surely the Meadow team that had to work hardest for their West of Scotland success, was the …
Goals Galore … After a Scare in Dreghorn
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. After winning the Scottish Junior Cup in 1963, Irvine Meadow XI were, inevitably, amongst the favourites to win the cup the following season. So, when they were drawn away to their now defunct local rivals, Dreghorn Juniors, in the first round …
1968 -The Case of the Disappearing Players
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. It was just a run-of-the-mill league game, played out at Dreghorn’s Fordside Park in 1967/68. The atrocious weather was spoiling the play, but the players battled through the wind and rain and gave the rain-soaked fans something to occupy their thoughts …
1959 – A Teddy Bear’s Hampden Picnic
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Recalling the 1959 Scottish Cup final triumph over Shettleston conjures up famous names like Ian Prentice, “Hookey” Walker, Johnnie McIntyre and double goalscorer Jackie Morrison. However, one small but important personality from that glorious day has been sadly neglected over the …
Ayrshire Dockyard Company
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Regular readers of my articles will be aware that Irvine has not always been a two-club town as far as Junior football is concerned. If you go back to Queen Victoria’s Reign you’ll come across names like Irvine Caledonia, Irvine Rangers …
1970 Ian’s Cracking Performance
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. I’ve often heard the Ayrshire Regional League Cup being referred to as a competition that “didnae maitter onyway” … usually after the Medda has been unexpectedly knocked out of it. To be fair it was never one of the high prestige …
George Wall: Johnny McIntyre put me to left-back
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. George Wall began his Junior career at Dalry Thistle, playing alongside a young Jim Leighton, who went on to win 91 Scottish international caps during his career with, amongst others, Aberdeen, Manchester United and Hibs. At the other end of his …
Robert Smallwood – Re-united with his Past
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. The wide-eyed 12-year-old Meadow fan reached his hands up as Bobby Carroll held out his trophy for the schoolboy to hold. It was the morning of the 1959 Scottish Junior Cup final and the players were having a pre-match breakfast with …