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Presented to P/M I M Downie
in appreciation for 26 years as Pipe Major, August 14 1975, Edinburgh Scotland.
The Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew Pipe Band
This Dirk was presented to Ivan Downie in Edinburgh Scotland, shortly after the Band had been awarded the Shield for Best Overseas Band in Grade 3 during the World Pipe Band Championships at Corby England. They were attending a competition in Grangemouth, Sterlingshire, Scotland.
The dirk occupies a unique niche in Scottish culture and history. During the 18th century many Highland Scots were too cash-poor to own a sword, but almost every male carried a dirk, and carried it everywhere. Binding oaths—which if broken would result in dire supernatural conseqences—were sworn on one's dirk.
Following the British Disarming Acts of 1716 and 1745, and after the Battle of Culloden, Highlanders were required to give up their arms, including their dirks. Scots who could not read or sign the disarmement pledge were required to swear a verbal oath "upon the holy iron of their dirks." They so promised not to possess any guns or swords, or to wear their tartans—for to do so would bring a curse upon them, their family, and all their possessions. They were also required to pledge that if the oath was broken they would be "killed in battle as a coward, and lie without burial in a strange land, far from the graves of forefathers and kindred..."
Each year Ivan Downie's dirk is used during the "Address to the Haggis" ceremony to cut open the haggis after it has been piped in on the ceremonial saltire:
"His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!"