The heroes of Longhope

A really beautiful tune written by the late Ronnie Aim from Orkney. Because it was composed by a fiddler for a fiddle orchrestra I've tried to give it a full fiddle & accordion orchrestra sound. It's taken me a couple of days so I hope it was worth it. Here's the sad story behind the tune.....

On 17 March 1969 the Longhope Lifeboat, the T.G.B. (thought to be the initials of the anonymous sponsor who funded it), launched into the teeth of a violent storm to assist the Liberian-registered vessel Irene, which had been driven aground off the shore of South Ronaldsay.
The T.G.B. was caught and capsized by a huge wave, estimated to have been 100ft high. The vessel was of a type that did not right itself if capsized, and although the lifeboat was later recovered, the crew of eight were all killed. They included the coxwain and his two sons, and the second coxwain and his two sons.
The disaster is marked by a bronze memorial in the graveyard of the Kirkhope burial ground, set amid the graves of those who died and looking out across the southern end of Scapa Flow towards South Ronaldsay. At the other end of South Walls, overlooking the Ayre on the Hoy side of Aith Hope a Longhope Lifeboat Museum has been created in the lifeboat station from which the T.G.B. was launched (these days the lifeboat is moored in Longhope itself). The T.G.B. was returned to service after the tragedy and spent a further eight years based in Ireland. Today it is preserved in the Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine. That is, of course, of little help to the eight who lost their lives on 17 March 1969 or comfort to those they left behind.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Scottish
• Orcadian
• waltz
• fiddle

[willumrmf]

That is absolutely fantastic

[graham1281]

Thanks very much for that nice comment

[westbankswick]

Great Tune

[graham1281]

thanks

[buttonboxjunkie]

Sorry I took so long to get to this one. What a gorgeous melody, and perfectly played. Thanks

[graham1281]

You're welcome Doug

[69aim68]

wow, your time was well worth it

[croclip]

Ronnie Aim, also had a tragic ending. He died when his van (a VW camper type with no bonnet) hit a stray cow on a straight bit of road.

I believe he was the leader of the Orkney Strathspey & Reel Society for a time.

I have always loved the Strathspey & reel concerts in days of old.

[westbankswick]

Its 40 years ago this month since the TGB was lost in One of Gods Wildest Seas THE PENTLAND FIRTH.

Still they man the Lifeboat in Longhope waiting for that call to give help to these who Peril on the sea ,

God Bless them.

[seanjamescooper]

1969 On 17 March the lifeboat 'T.G.B.'capsized while on service to the 'Irene' and her entire crew lost their lives.

Coxswain Daniel Kirkpatrick

Second Coxswain James Johnston (son of Mechanic)

Bowman Daniel R Kirkpatrick (son of Coxswain)

Mechanic Robert R. Johnston

Assistant Mechanic James Swanson

Crew Member Robert Johnston (son of Mechanic)

Crew Member John T Kirkpatrick (son of Coxswain)

Crew Member Eric McFadyen

They left seven widows, one widowed mother and eight children