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In Memorandum Andrew D Lowe 1919 - 2000

The greatest asset of the SNP according to the late John McAteer when National Organiser, was "body heat". The death of Andrew D Lowe, on 10th February, has robbed us, of yet another of those Nationalists who provided that "body heat". I first knew Andrew, a stalwart of the Aberdour Branch, when I chaired the then West Fife Constituency Association SNP. He played an enthusiastic and valuable part in the campaign leading up to the 1970 General Election, when James Halliday carried the SNP Banner in West Fife.

Five days before his death. Andrew wrote to me (his last letter) reflecting on his SNP activity —"I look back with real pleasure to events in which I could and did play a useful part — chairing an election meeting, supplying and running a garden stall at sales of work, organising an Aberdour Branch Burns Supper, running a candidate around the constituency, canvassing in many towns on the East Coast — for me they have been thirty glorious years. Now I hope that Scotland and her reconvened Parliament will be found worthy of those generations of happy warriors and foot soldiers. It is up to them now to build on that and carry us forward to Independence".

Andrew Lowe was among the best of those "happy warriors and foot soldiers". No job went undone when Andrew turned his hand to it — if he said he would do something, it was done and always with humour, joy and enthusiam.

He was, as his minister described him at the Thanksgiving Celebration in a packed Warriston  Crematorium, "an artist, poet, gardener, successful businessman, true patriot, loving family man and a real gentleman in the truest sense of the word". That he was.

After moving to Edinburgh in 1985, Andrew kept in touch with his many friends in Fife and was a regular attender at the Alexander III Commemoration at Pettycur, Kinghorn. Indeed he once chided me that he wasn’t coming because I had not invited him in Scots! That year Andrew not only attended but after laying the wreath read his splendid poem "Coronach" in memory of the dead King.

Due to his interest in the Guid Scots Tung, Andrew and his wife Irene were among the supporters of the Scots Poetry events held by "Scots Gladnost" and then "Merchants o Renoun" in Edinburgh.

Andrew’s belief in a Free Scotland never wavered nor did his strong Christian faith, which sustained him through his long illness. He died peacefully in the bosom of his loving family.

Andrew D Lowe will be missed but remembered with affection by all who knew him. Andrew’s life was a shining example of all that is best in Scotland, the Scottish people and Scottish Nationalism.

Scots Independent Newspaper April 2000

Peter D Wright

Andrews at the Alexander III Commemoration at Petticur, listening to guest speaker James Halliday.

Coronach

Ae wild March nicht lang syne 
a storm ragit roun the castle craig.
The north wind, chairgit wi sleet an snaw, 
thunnert owre the lofty pile
wi sic interperate sa vagerie 
as wad gar the bravest fear 
at Juidegment Day wis like tae daw.

On this faroushie nicht a companie 
o fowr weel-mountit chiels 
cam clappering thru Embro toun 
an aen the gait til the Queen ‘s ferrie.

As they cam skelpin doun 
thru the dark o the Hawes Brae 
thir herts froze at the sicht an soun 
o Forth’s jawin waves an fleein spray 
but wadna be hinnrt bi the angry tide 
an laundit unskaithed on tither side.

Nae mune nor fient a stairn 
tae gie them licht 
as they drave on
thru drumlie cleuch an mirky howe, 
bi knarled pine an jimpy birk 
at huddled roun St. Bridget’s kirk 
as tho tae guard it frae the storm.

Straucht thru the Barony o Aberdour 
bi the burn an the strong tower 
they rade wi ne’er a word til tither 
up the stey brae, droukit an forforn.

The waur pairt o thir journie owre 
an scarce twa mile frae Kinghorn ‘s tower, 
Wi promise o the marriage bed, 
ae moment pairted frae his fieres, 
his fair forfechen mount
stoitert owre the scaurs 
an the King o Scots lay deid.

Andrew Lowe

Listen to this poem here in Real Audio

 

 


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