Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy, best known for playing the seventh Doctor in the popular BBC series Dr Who, has been confirmed as this year’s Chieftain at Cowal Highland Gathering in Dunoon.

The well known Dunoon born actor, who now resides in London, was delighted to accept the invitation to what is Scotland’s biggest highland games on Saturday 28th August. The event, which hosts a string of family entertainment, attracts up to 23,000 spectators and over 3500 competitors from all corners of the globe. More than 500 highland dancers and 3000 pipers from across the world compete to win championship titles, including the World Highland Dancing Championship Final and the Cowal Pipe Band Championships.

The role of the Chieftain is very much a ceremonial one where his main duties include presenting prizes to the winners of the Cowal Pipe Band Championships & the World Highland Dancing Championship. An emotional three days for both competitors and visitors comes to a spine tingling climax on the Saturday evening, normally around 6pm, when the Chieftain takes salute during the pipe band ‘march past’. The massed bands, which make up 3000 pipers & drummers, form and play the “salute to the Chieftain”.

Since his legendary role as the seventh carnation of Doctor in Dr Who between 1987 and 1989, Sylvester McCoy, 67, later revived the role in a 1993 charity special ‘Dimensions in Time’ and again in 1996, appearing in the Doctor Who television movie with Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor.

Since playing The Doctor Sylvester has appeared in many TV and Theatre roles as well as TV presenting and recording Audio Books. Presenting credits include the classic shows. Tiswas, Vision On and Jigsaw.

Sylvester McCoy said: “”I am absolutely delighted to be attending Cowal Highland Gathering at the end of August especially considering that as a child I grew up for 18 years watching the pipers marching up Argyll Street. I so look forward to revisiting the location and the happy memories. I am thrilled and honoured to have been asked.”

Malcolm Barclay, Event Manager for Cowal Highland Gathering said: “I would like to thank Mr McCoy for accepting our invitation to be our honorary Chieftain at this year’s event. It is a privilege and honour to welcome Mr McCoy into this role and both myself and the team at Cowal Highland Gathering look forward to bringing him home to Dunoon this year.”

I am pleased to announce that the dancing entry forms will go live on the Gathering website (www.cowalgathering.com) on Tuesday 6th April at 12.00 noon (UK time).

We apologise for the delay which was outwith our control and appreciate your patience.

I am also delighted to confirm that we will not be using the “first to enter last to dance principle” again this year. The dancing order for all events on all days will be decided by a random, automated draw which will take place after the closing date in July.

If you require any more information please visit the website or contact the Gathering offie on 01369 703206

The live date for the dancing entry forms has had to be postponed and will now not take place on the 24th March 2010.

Unfortunately we have experienced a serious technical problem which is going to take some time to rectify before we can launch the dancing forms.

We are currently doing everything in our power to resolve the issue and hope to have the forms online before Wednesday 31st March 2010.

I am sorry for any inconveniance this may have caused and i will issue an update as soon as we have the problem fixed.

Kind regards

Malcolm

Dancing Entries will go live on our website (www.cowalgathering.com) at 12 noon (uk time) on Wednesday 24th March.

I am pleased to confirm that once again we will not be using the 1st to enter last to dance principle to decide the order of dance.

We will be performing an automated and completely random draw after the closing date for entries and this draw will allocated the competitor numbers and dictate the order of dance.

We used this system last year and it was well received with many dancers, parents and teachers making positive comments about it. We believe it is fairer than the old system as those who cannot be online when the entries start do not feel they have been disadvantaged. Also our competitors from overseas do not need to get up in the middle of the night to enter.  Most importantly it takes the stress out of the entry process for the dancer/mother/ teacher whoever is completing the form.

We hope you agree and will see you here in August

Best Wishes

Malcolm Barclay

The Gathering is over now for another year and we are already beginning to plan for 2010. However i would first of all like to thank all of our competitors and spectators for travelling to Cowal and making it the event it is.

I also want to thank our event conveners, judges, stewards and scrutineers for their hard work in helping to making the event a success.

Another big thank you goes to our sponsors, patrons, partner agencies and suppliers for supporting and assisiting in staging the Gathering.

To all of you and Kate and Kirsten in the office………THANK YOU!!