Thousands bask in return of Highlands Games at Idlewild park
Sep. 19—Cy Deitz had left one major Pennsylvania historical site — his hometown of Gettysburg — to experience some of his Scottish culture and heritage in the Highland Games, at another historical area, that of Ligonier.
"It's just a beautiful experience for us to share the camaraderie of our Scottish heritage. I've tried to make it a tradition. I find it ... just a charming experience, an enlightening experience, helps me connect to my family heitage of McPherson," said Cy Deitz, who was sharing the experience of the Highland Games at Idlewild park with his wife, Melissa.
Deitz said they love seeing the different Scottish clans and different tribes gather in such a great setting, not far from where Scottish troops participated in the battle at Fort Ligonier.
"There's no place else like it that I've discovered for the charm and the character, with the history of Idlewild park along with a coming together of Scotch culture," Deitz said.
What those in attendance saw and heard were three bagpipe bands play a rendition of "Scotland the Brave" as they led the large contingent of Scottish clans into a field at Idlewild to the cheers of those sitting in the stands and crowding the perimeter.
There were not as many bands performing this year because of covid, said Ashlea Lee of Hempfield, the drum major who led the Balmoral Pipes & Drums of Pittsburgh, and the Jaffa Highlanders and the Rail City pipes and drums, both of Altoona.
"We're thankful to be able to do something (this year)," said Lee, who plays drums for the Seton Hill University bagpipe band. Her parents, A.G and Debra Lee, play bagpipes for the same band.
"It gives us our fix of bagpipe music until the next time," Deitz said.
The Shaw clan from East Washington were there, said Celeste Shaw, taking a break from the heat in the family's tent that held a large map of Scotland, replete from where the Shaw clan and others clans call their ancestral Scottish home.
Shaw said they were missing the matriarch of the family, Sylvia Shaw, 102, who could not make it because of her advanced age.
The Shaw tent was full of Scottish food, such as scones, and, like a number of the other clans, had a fine bottle of Scotch to partake of on a hot day. Celeste Shaw cautioned a visitor to take just "a wee bit of Scotch," lest more of the top shelf whiskey go to one's head.
Among those portraying Scottish Highlanders who fought at Fort Ligonier were members of Graham's Regiment of the Pittsburgh area. The group of reenactors portray a timeline of Scottish fighters, from the Jacobites who invaded England in 1745, to modern-day army, said Gary Smith of Avella, who portrays a captain in the Highlander regiment.
In addition to the bagpipes and drums, there were the typical Highland games testing the strength of those by tossing cabers (long poles), and dancing to bagpipes. There was Scottish food to taste, such as cottage pie.
Proceeds from the Highland Games will go toward a scholarship fund to help pay expenses of a graduate student who intends to study in Scotland, organizers said.
Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252, jnapsha@triblive.com or via Twitter .
