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50th Anniversary
On the 18th October 1952, the Cecilian Society, University of Glasgow was founded by a group of like-minded individuals in the home of one Hugh Gould, then a music student at the University of Glasgow.
50 years later, to the very day, members of the society from throughout the last half century gathered to celebrate the fun that they'd had, and marvel at the fact that, contrary to all expectations, the committee
didn't ever cause the society to descend into insolvency.
Friday 18th OctoberAfter a year of hard planning (and dinners in Hubbards - the pub on Gt. Western Road without whom none of this would have been possible) by the subcommittee whose task was to "organise something special", the reunion weekend had finally arrived. The souvenir brochure ("a nice little memento") had finally arrived from the printers. The giant birthday cake had been bought. (It had not, however, been brought to the hotel, prompting a last minute dash to the president's flat - hopefully unnoticed by the revellers.) The ceilidh band had been booked and the buffet was ready to go. Miraculously, some people had even bought tickets. But the organisers had one pressing thought on their mind. And after they'd found out where the bar was, they started to wonder if people would actually turn up. Even if they did, would they enjoy it? Would the conversation dry up after 10 minutes when people realised they didn't have anything in common any more.But they did have something in common. They had all been Cecilians. And wherever two Cecilians are gathered, there shall be much partying, drinking and "it was much better in our day when..." until the wee, small hours of the morning. They came in their droves. Over 100 people set about making merry, remembering the good old days, and having the occasional ceilidh dance too. The organisers delighted to meet the people they been corresponding with for months - the familiar voices on the end of the phone finally developed faces. But fifty years on, we were all there because of one man, who we were all delighted was able to join us. At a suitable break in the proceedings, the president made a short speech, thanking Hugh Gould for his efforts in getting the society off the ground. Since he was this year made our honorary president, "the lovely Hugh" was presented with a quaich by members past and present. And then the candles on the birthday cake were lit. Well, almost lit, prompting an erstwhile member of the stage crew at the back of the room to make some injudicious comment about fireproofing... But candles or no, (if you ever need someone to pretend to be a candle, give the vice-president a match) the cake tasted jolly fine. The festivities resumed until late in the day, broken only by a small intermission to allow for a performance by the society's concert party - after which more than one former musical director was heard to remark surprisedly that for once the singing sounded quite good. The ceilidh came to an end, but not so the party, as the piano became a focal point for those who hadn't trod the boards in a while and the obligatory rendition of "Hail Poetry" sprang forth - shortly to be followed by a selection of society favourites. Some well known, some less so... What time the last reveller revelled off to bed, only the staff at the residents' bar of the Kelvin Park Lorne could say.
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