April 'Beer and Brats Day'
 Come and join us for a social afternoon – Beer and Brats Day - on April 20th the Brat Haus restaurant, at 3622 North Scottsdale Road.
If all of us who attend wear a piece of tartan then we’ll give the popular German restaurant a distinctly Scottish flavor – at least for one day.
As well as an excellent food menu, Brat Haus offers a wide selection of beers from throughout Europe and across America.
If you are a dog owner, feel free to bring along your pet. The restaurant patio is dog friendly and will welcome your canine companions.
The event starts at 2 pm on Saturday April 20.
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May 2024 Gathering
Several Society members traveled to New York City this month to attend the annual Tartan Day celebrations. On May 23rd we will have their presentation describing the trip and events. Please attend with your fellow Society members at the Irish Cultural Center, 1106 N. Central in Phoenix.
Ian and Anne Warrander, Sue Wallace, and Janet Grant, who was this year’s Grand Chief Daughter of the Daughters of Scotia, joined other Scots from across the US for the Tartan Day Parade through the city. It promises to be an interesting and fun evening.
Doors will be open at 6:30 pm with the proceedings kicking off at 7 pm. A licensed cash bar will be provided. Let’s aim for a good turnout.
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March Lochiel Social Event Success
A gathering of Society members celebrated Tartan Day weekend at Lochiel Bar in the East Valley. Bar owner Ian Cameron has had a presence at the Scottish Games for the past three years and he runs the only Scottish-themed bar in the Valley.
More than 20 members, including at least three ‘new faces’ showed up for what was a hastily-arranged and fun get-together
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Talking about Whisky
Here are a couple of stories that will interest Scotch Whisky aficionados.
From The BBC
At the recent World Whiskies Award held in London, judges awarded the World’s Best Malt Whisky award to a company from Norfolk in England. Quite a shock for us Scots but it would not do no harm to try out the English dram, even if purely for educational purposes.
Read the BBC article
From Whisky Advocate
And a distillery on the Scottish west coast island of Islay – Scotland’s ‘Whisky Isle’ has reopened after closing its doors 40 years ago. The Port Ellen Distillery started operations in 1825 and the drink is known for its smoky profile.
Read the Whisky Advocate article
From Scotish Field
Finally, forget about a trip on the Harry Potter steam train if you’re visiting Scotland soon. The operators of the train, which crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the Fort William-Mallaig line, have refused to comply with an order that they install a central locking door system in all carriages. So, for the time being, Potter fans will be disappointed.
Read the Scottish Field article
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St. Pat's Day Parade
The Society was once again represented at the annual St Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Phoenix last month. Iain, Pat, Jay, Cindy and Ian made mile-long march which culminated at an Irish festival in and around the Irish Cultural Center of Central Avenue.
Afterwards, half-a-dozen weary Scots marchers quenched were happy to relax and quench their thirst. The event is always a favorite in the calendar and the Society has been taking part now for many years.
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Flowers of the Forest
The Society has been deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of two well-known and well-loved members of the Arizona Celtic scene. Both men will be sadly missed and our thoughts are with their families
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 Neil Bacon was a Pipe Major with the Phoenix Pipe Band and was a regular at Scottish events throughout Arizona over the years.
Neil often played at functions held by both the CSA and the Daughters of Scotia.
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Richard Bills – known as Rick – was a well-known figure at the Irish Cultural Center, where he worked.
He was often our bartender, noted as a frequent raffle winner.
Rick was a popular presence for several years.
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March 2024 Gathering Report
A thoroughly enjoyable evening was held in the Irish Cultural Center in March, where Games Convener Pat Schuller provided an update on the success of this year’s Scottish Games at Gilbert Regional Park.
The report was followed by a Scottish trivia quiz which revealed that we have some very knowledgeable CSA members.
A certain quizmaster forgot to give two of the answers so for those who were there, the two ‘missing’ Scottish cities were Stirling and Dunfermline; and the Scottish verb to ‘haver’ means to talk nonsense.
It didn’t really matter. Everyone was a winner anyway.
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