S4M-08831 St Ninian Ways

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott): The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-08831, in the name of Aileen McLeod, on the St Ninian ways, a proposed European cultural route. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament recognises what it considers the significance of Whithorn as an important historical and archaeological site in the establishment and development of Christianity in Scotland; considers that Whithorn has a strong association with St Ninian, leading to the burgh’s status as a major centre of pilgrimage over 16 centuries of Scottish history; notes that Paisley Abbey and Crossraguel Abbey are already part of the Cluniac European Cultural Route, and considers that the creation of The St Ninian Ways as a new European Cultural Route with Whithorn as its destination would stimulate economic regeneration along the routes and help to increase the profile of Whithorn as a site of major significance both to Scottish history and to the development of Christianity in western Europe.

17:02
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17:35

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): I congratulate Aileen McLeod on bringing the debate to the chamber.

Members’ business debates are often occasions on which we get drawn to something about which we knew almost nothing. Of course, it is quite appropriate that Aileen McLeod should be the member who brings this debate to the chamber, since it was George MacLeod who reinstated Iona as a place of pilgrimage for St Columba.

Various members—most recently Patricia Ferguson—have talked about connections with St Ninian across Scotland. My ancestry is from St Ninian’s parish, which is, essentially, the parish of Bannockburn, so I claim that connection. The cabinet secretary will be able to claim a connection because of St Ninian’s kirk in Linlithgow, where my late mother-in-law used to worship. Right across Scotland we see the cultural and historical imprint of St Ninian. For my part—I suspect the same is true of many others—I have never questioned who this person is. If this debate has done anything for me, it has caused me to find out a bit about this person of whom I had no knowledge whatever.

In establishing the cultural routes across Europe, the Council of Europe seeks to reflect the complexity of our cultures and societies. The cultural routes website says that there are 29 such trails. I look forward in particular to visiting the iter vitaes—the ways of the vineyards of Europe. I think that I might be able to persuade my wife that one of our holidays could be anchored on that. As someone who is interested in family history, the European cemeteries route looks remarkably attractive, as does the thermal heritage and thermal towns route, especially if I decide that I need to address the increasing pain in my elderly bones.

With such great diversity in the routes, there is surely space for something that touches so many countries, that brings a new dimension to our understanding of early Christianity—not simply in Scotland or Pictland, but in all the places that St Ninian was involved with.

I must confess that I have not spent very much time in the south of Scotland. My family connections are to the north and the west, and I have never had family living there. I have been there, like many others, to catch a ferry to Ireland. If we can create a little magnet to deflect a few people from just driving straight to the ferry and instead get them to go to a place of interest at Whithorn, that would be well worth doing.

We have been able to make the island of Iona a place of cultural and spiritual heritage—when I have been there, it has been fair buzzing—even though it is actually quite difficult to get to. People have to take a ferry to Mull and then take a ferry from the other side of Mull to Iona. The Isle of Whithorn is a bit easier to get to, because the ferry there is free, as people can drive all the way.

This is a success story that is waiting for just a little bit of encouragement. I hope that the minister can tell us about some of the early steps that will turn it into a future success for Scotland, and for Whithorn and the south-west.

17:39