Talk:Highland games/Archives/2017 1

Source question

A statement in the "History" section of this article reads:

There is a document from 1703 summoning the clan of the Laird of Grant. They were to arrive wearing Highland coats and "also with gun, sword, pistill and dirk".

Can somebody cite a source (book, etc) for this quotation? I am trying to add footnote references to this article and the only references which I have been able to locate for this particular quote are sites which are mirroring the Wikpedia article. I can't seem to find where it originated from.

JFPerry 18:57, 27 February 2006 (UTC)

How about this: http://www.aboynegames.com/games.html

Red links

Edited out the red links in the dancing section. If the articles are ever made we can always link them again. Whispering 04:25, 2 March 2006 (UTC)

I know that your intentions were good, Whispering, but that was a bad idea. Red links are the lifeblood of Wikipedia since they show where there is a need for new articles. Removing them makes it less likely that those articles will ever be created. At one time Wikipedia was studded with red links. It's only within the last two years that they have become less common. I suggest that you put the links back. -- Derek Ross | Talk 05:55, 2 March 2006 (UTC)

Right you are, Derek. But I will take care of them within a few days at most. I am going to try to raise this article to the level of a Wikipedia good article and maybe go from there to front page featured article. Both of you are more than welcome to help in this effort. The red links in the dance section ultimately need to direct to articles. That is where I could use some help, especially as I am not a highland dancer! JFPerry 16:12, 2 March 2006 (UTC)

Adendum: three of the four linked dances go elsewhere than articles on the individual dances. Highland Fling goes to Scottish highland dance, Flora MacDonald goes to the person of that name, not the dance, and Blue Bonnets goes to a disambig page which does not include the dance. The Scottish highland dance article has been the recipient of several major contributions from individuals knowledgeable in regards to that art form. JFPerry 18:28, 2 March 2006 (UTC)

External links

Removed several external links. One went to go to a page about how to stage a super bowl party with links to rules of NBA and college sports, not Highland games. The V. Wesley link is more appropriate to the Scottish highland dance article. Putting links to individual games in external links section is very problematical as there are hundreds of such games. The external links section cannot be a listing of events. JFPerry 15:10, 5 March 2006 (UTC)

Feature article

I am working on this article in an attempt to raise it to the status, first, of a good article, then, of a feature article. As of this writing, here is my assessment of the needs of the article.

• There is insufficient weight given to the role of Highland athletics in the 19th century development of Highland games (in the "History" section);

• Some de-mythologizing still needs to be done (in the history section, and note also the opening sentence under Highland atheltics about the caber toss being centuries old);

• Red links in the Highland dance section need to direct to articles (that is, the target articles need to be created);

• The music section needs to be bolstered somehow.

If you are able to help, especially with the creation of dance target articles, your assisstance would be most welcome. Likewise, if you have any comments as to the needs of this article, please let me know of them by posting a reply to this note.

JFPerry 18:15, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

Good idea. Could there be a mention that some of these traditional events are found (and also adapted) in modernday strongman contests such as World's Strongest Man. (The people who organize and choose the World Strongest events are Scots) I think it adds to the importance of the Highland games contribution. For instance the weight over the bar, and caber have been featured in World's Strongest Man through its years.

Is the McGlashen Stones (it's Scottish of course) a common Highland event? It has played a large part in World's Strongest Man as the main event in recent years and listed as a Scottish tradition. > [1]

Also World's Strongest Man competitors/champions including Jon-Pall Sigmarsson, Bill Kazmaier, Geoff Capes, Magnus Ver Magnusson have competed in Highland Games. You can see Jon-Pall in a kilt lifting a McGlashen Stone here. > [2]

There's also World Highland Games - the events have been all over the world in Europe, North America and Asia. There lots of details and history here. > [3]

--Revolt 13:22, 30 March 2006 (UTC)

Masters Class

This phrase is used twice in the article without being defined. From context, I am assuming that it means older athletes, but it would be nice if someone could include a proper definition. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.45.28.143 (talk) 20:32, 4 June 2009 (UTC)

Major events

First off that title SHOULD SAY at least .... Outside Scotland. I can not aspect Major events as good title!

Also WHY IS details about the scottish games removed from the page: I have give a link where full details can be found. Full details can be found here: http://www.visitscotland.com/guide/see-and-do/events3/highlandgames/highland-games2011

I am not quite sure if I understand the unsigned post above but I also think the unqualified use of the term "major" is not appropriate. What does this really mean? Is there some attempt at categorising events according to importance? If so what criteria are being used? and are those criteria really valid globally? Or is this simply an indication that the list is not complete? If the latter is the case then surely something like "Events outside of Scotland include:" would be less misleading and give organisers of events not mentioned the opportunity to add them to the list. AlanBrod (talk) 03:41, 12 June 2013 (UTC)

Main reason it say "major" is because do you know how many Highland games there are around the world? alot. The list is suppose to highlight the main/biggest etc of the games around the world. I get the feeling someone went overbroad with the USA ones --Crazyseiko (talk) 09:41, 12 June 2013 (UTC)

I can appreciate a need to keep the numbers in the list manageable but "major" needs to be defined to inform both readers and those interested in including events they are involved with. If events are being removed someone must be applying criteria for that removal and if the number of events in USA is excessive then it suggests the same criteria are not being applied to those. The words "main" and "biggest" are equally open to interpretation. What exactly are the criteria? I'd suggest a separate page containing an unrestricted list of games would be useful but that does not get around the issue of what should be on this page. (Sorry it's taken me a while to reply, it seems the "watch this page" selection has problems) AlanBrod (talk) 10:33, 19 October 2013 (UTC)

Largest

The second paragraph of the intro largely bore no relation to and, in the only matter actually covered in it, flatly contradicted the citation which supposedly supported it. The citation states unequivocally that "The Cowal Highland Gathering in Argyll is the largest in the world" and links to the gathering's own site which states it is "the biggest, most spectacular Highland games in the world. Around 23,000 people visit every year". The latter also states that "Nowhere else will you see world-class pipers, dancers and athletes competing on such a scale.", so it is presumably in regard to the scale of the competition that it is largest. I haven't found any entirely reliable sources for figures for the two US games mentioned but it seems possible, maybe even likely, that they have a higher number of spectators/visitors so I have reworded accordingly. If someone can find reliable sources (for scale of competitors and of visitors) that would be help matters. The assertion that the games in Pleasanton is "the largest in the Northern Hemisphere" seems to point to there being an even larger one in the southern. Is there, and, if so, which games is it? Mutt Lunker (talk) 15:52, 10 July 2012 (UTC)