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Ale tribute to popular Dundee musician Michael Marra

Jim Hughan in production at the MòR Brewery in Kellas.
Jim Hughan in production at the MòR Brewery in Kellas.

Michael Marra’s much loved song Hermless is to be immortalised with the launch of a new ale.

MR Brewing has created a golden ale called Hermless in tribute to the bard of Dundee and will launch it in a fitting ceremony at the Tay Bridge Bar in the city on Thursday night.

The ale will then be available to buy by the pint at the popular Perth Road pub, which was Michael’s favourite local haunt before he sadly died of cancer in 2012.

Money from the sale of the ale will go to the charity set up in Michael’s name, Optimistic Sound, with £10 donated to the charity from every cask sale thereafter.

Peggy Marra, Michael’s widow, said: “It’s quite an original way to raise money and promote the charity.

“It’s something a little bit different that’s caught everyone’s imaginations.

“I think Michael would approve. The fact that Matthew, our son, designed the pump clip is a nice touch. Michael would definitely approve of that.

“He did enjoy a pint in younger days but for the last 10 years of his life he didn’t drink at all.

“The Tay Bridge Bar was where he did go when he did enjoy a pint, so it’s all linked.”

Optimistic Sound was set up to bring the revolutionary Sistema music programme, a project which tackles poverty and raises the hopes of young people, to Dundee.

Peggy added: “The Sistema project is a wonderful thing that has already happened in the Raploch in Stirling and Govanhill in Glasgow and is starting in Aberdeen too.”

The beer clip for Hermless ale has been designed by Michael’s son Matthew using an image of a keyboard originally created by his father.

Ross Niven is one of the directors of the Kellas-based MR Brewery, one of the fastest growing independent breweries in Scotland.

He said: “I’d known Michael Marra since the 1970s when he was playing with the band Skeets Boliver so I’ve always been a fan through the years. With having this little microbrewery business, I thought it would be a great thing to have a beer in memory of him and punted the idea of using it to raise money for Optimistic Sound.

“Of course the Tay Bridge Bar is mentioned in quite a few of Michael’s songs so it seemed a fitting place to launch it.”

Photo by Angus Pictures