Plaque unveiled for Gaelic bard

Posted: Thursday Feb 15, 2024

Otago Scottish Heritage Council, Dunedin Public Libraries and Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature were thrilled to celebrate the unveiling of a new Writers’ Walk plaque for Angus Cameron Robertson in the Octagon on St Andrew’s Day, 30 November 2023.

Angus Cameron Robertson was Honorary Bard of the Gaelic Society of New Zealand, which started in Dunedin in 1881. Having spent 20 years at sea, he settled in Dunedin in 1899 at the age of 32. Angus Cameron Robertson wrote many poems in both Gaelic and English including ‘Dunedin: The City Beautiful’ and was a lively and well-known singer, storyteller and piper. In 1927, he published his book Salt Sea Tang, a collection of poems and prose.

Royden Somerville from the Otago Scottish Heritage Council and Alison Thornton addressed the crowd and City of Dunedin Pipe Band piper Oe Hayward played the bagpipes during the unveiling ceremony. The City of Literature team was thrilled that five grandchildren, three great-granddaughters and one great-great-grandson of Angus Cameron Robertson attended the unveiling, some travelling from out of town.

The plaque sits proudly at the foot of the Robert Burns Statue.

Plaque added for Gaelic bard | Otago Daily Times Online News (odt.co.nz)

Enjoy the video of the unveiling: Angus Cameron Robertson Writers' Walk plaque unveiling | Dunedin Public Libraries (recollect.co.nz)