Book launch - A successful book launch ceilidh took place in the Rogart Hall on Friday.

The occasion was to make known that there was now a new publication in the form of a book written by local man John Macdonald, chairman of the Rogart Heritage Society.

The entertainment got underway with music from the learners group Buttons and Bows, led by Monica Maclean and Trish Andrew.

This was followed by the author saying a few words of welcome and explaining about the new book "The Poems and Times of David John Henderson 1914-1978" who is the composer of the poem "The Waters of Kylesku."

While this was his best known composition there were other poems and letters which lay unrecognised and it was thought that they were worthy of being made into a book and that a story lay therein, especially as, over the years, there were various theories circulating as to who composed "The Waters of Kylesku".

The book is essentially a biography of his life and times. It is a story of farming, when the horse was giving way to the tractor. It makes mention of the people and neighbours who would have been familiar to him and picks up on a few stories and anecdotes in the process, keeping alive the memory of the people and where they lived.

Mairi Munro then sang a beautiful rendition of another of David's poems, "Bonnie Linside," a place familiar to her when she was growing up.

After stovies and trifle, the remainder of the evening was given over to dancing. The music being provided first by Heather McRae, Betty Macpherson and Lauchie Campbell, and then by Monica, Trish and Iain Bain who also played for the dancers.

Both bands were accompanied on the piano by Diana Mackay.

Happy birthday - Last Friday was rather a special day for Rogart crofter Colin Murray, as he celebrated his 80th birthday.

Friends and neighbours called round in the evening to give their congratulations.

Colin's house in Morness became very full indeed but a jolly time was had by all with music on the pipes from Colin's grand nephew Stuart Corbett, keeping alive the family tradition of piping.

A friend took along his concertina, there not being much room in the house to play anything bigger, while a neighbour was persuaded to give a rendition of "Inversnecky Stores," a song that his grandfather used to sing when there were concerts in Culdrain library - and that was not yesterday! The true Highland ceilidh continues in Rogart and Colin`s was just the place for it.