It’s 30 years since the band Runrig, then at the very peak of their powers, played an open-air gig outside the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall, Orkney. Thousands attended from throughout the isles, and the concert has become legendary, both for its musical quality and...for the fact that nine months later there was a major leap in the Orkney birthrate. Twenty-eight babies were born within a few weeks.
According to the Daily Record:
“It came exactly nine months after Gaelic rockers Runrig had played to 5000 fans in a one-night concert.”
This year, Orkney newspaper The Orcadian celebrated the event - or events - with a double-page spread. The singer-songwriter Gill Bowman told me she had thought of writing a song about the whole affair, but hadn’t got round to it. I decided to try and help. The lyrics follow but you can hear a recording of the song for free on Soundcloud here.
The Ballad of Runrig at Pickaquoy
I said I didn't like them and I wouldn't go
She said she had always fancied Donnie Munro
She told me if I loved her then I would surely be
Wearing her Heartland T-shirt, standing by the Peedie Sea
I had a Mohican and some piercings at the time
I liked the Ramones, the UK Subs Sham 69
I wore that T shirt but my badge said A for anarchy
Then we ordered Tennent's lager in the rugby club marquee
Oh Iain, Donnie and Calum
Peter, Rory and Malcolm
30 years, six bairns six bundles of joy
All thanks to Runrig at Pickaquoy
We dreamed of going to Skye, we took a Rocket to the Moon
I hummed along to several other unknown Gaelic tunes
During Loch Lomond we embraced each other tight
And for the first time later on together spent the night
Nine months later he arrived
He wasn't very bonnie
Despite the name thank God he didn't look a bit like Donnie
Now we've been married 30 years
Six bairns our pride and glory
Donnie, Iain, Calum, Malcolm, Peter and peedie Rory
Oh Iain, Donnie and Calum
Peter, Rory and Malcolm
30 years, six bairns six bundles of joy
All thanks to Runrig at Pickaquoy
It was the only time we'd heard a word of Gaelic spoken
But in the Balfour nine months on my wife's waters had broken
The language of the Gaels seemed to cast a secret spell
The county birthrate soared, and sales of stonewashed jeans as well.
Truthfully I thought support act Rock the Tribe were stars
But punk rock can't compete with anthemic bagpipe guitars
I took out my piercings, sold my Doc Marten 10 eyelet boots
And happily got married in a Freeman's club book suit
Oh Iain, Donnie and Calum
Peter, Rory and Malcolm
30 years, six bairns six bundles of joy
All thanks to Runrig at Pickaquoy
More about Runrig in Orkney here