The Neil Munro Society was founded in 1996 with the objective of republishing all of Neil Munro's novels. This was achieved in 2009 with the publication of 'Fancy Farm' by Kennedy and Boyd.
This thriving society has around 130 members + their family members and each year organises an Annual Conference which includes an outing to a place of interest with a Munro connection and 2-3 lectures by acknowledged experts in Scottish literary or Munro related topics. There is a Winter meeting, held in Glasgow and two other outings usually to places in Argyllshire with historic, archaeological or literary connections with Munro's novels or his more famous 'Para Handy' humorous stories.
We maintain an archive which is made available to students and other interested people and publish a twice yearly journal, ParaGraphs.
The society has placed commemoratives plaques throughout Inveraray, it has obtained improved access to the Neil Munro Monument in Glenaray and is currently awaiting promised road signage on the outskirts of the town. It has provided a piping trophy which is competed for annually at Inveraray Highland Games and organises a writing competition in the local primary school where, in addition to the main prize, all the participants receive a copy of the Complete Para Handy Tales.
The Society has also endowed the Neil Munro Medal which is presented annually to the top student in Scottish Literature in Glasgow University.
We are creating this blog in order that we can consult members from time to time on various ideas for topics for meetings and society projects and any other suggestions they might like to make.
4 comments:
Kilmalieu
I have bored other people with this suggestion before. But should the Society not try to direct more visitors to Kilmalieu Cemetery? Not only is Neil Munro buried there, but so also are many of his friends and people who appear in his novels – such as the old soldiers in Gilian the Dreamer.
What we would need is a notice at the cemetery entrance with brief comments on the internees and directions to their graves, and plaques beside each grave. I would be surprised if this exercise was expensive, and I would be surprised if there were any objections from local residents or the Cooncil.
In Ayrshire, the auld kirk graveyard in Kirkoswald directs visitors to the graves of Tam o Shanter, Souter Johnnie, Hugh Rodger (Burn’s schoolmaster). Kirkton Jean, and even my remote connections, Burns’s maternal grandparents. In Mauchline, you can stand at the graves of Daddie Auld and (if my memory serves) Holy Willie. Why not something similar in Kilmalieu?
This could well have some appeal to NM fans. What about a map or trail to follow? Would this be considered disrespectful by the other occupants of Kilmalieu and their families?
Would Brass Man's Neck be able to draw a plan showing who's in Kilmalieu and where they can be found?
Comments please on how this would appeal as a Munro place of interest.
I am at the other end of Argyll - not the Inveraray end but that on Island in the South. Anyone else on Bute who is interested in Neil Munro ?
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