Members of a Perthshire folk club are to give a copy of a song about the Bell Rock Lighthouse off Arbroath to a Brazilian couple who flew 6000 miles just to see the structure.
David Aird of the Glenfarg group contacted The Courier after reading about the journey of bar owners Mozart Iochims and Tatiane Argenta, who love the lighthouse so much they named their pub in Porto Alegre after it.
As a gesture to the South Americans the CD single Scottish Lights by singer/songwriter Gareth Davies-Jones will be posted halfway across the world to be played to the pub’s regulars.
David said, “I read about the Brazilian couple that had travelled all that way just to see the Bell Rock and I immediately thought about the song. I just thought it would be a nice wee gesture to send them a CD.
“We had the singer Gareth down at the club last year and the song is all about the lighthouses built by Robert Stevenson, so I think they will enjoy it.”
Gareth explained that he became fascinated by lighthouses during the composition of the song, and was delighted to hear he would have new listeners from so far afield.
“It was during a trip to the Isle of Mull that I ended up walking out to the lighthouse at Tobermory and becoming really inspired and affected by it.
“I did a bit of research and started to get drawn into it all reading about the Bell Rock and Robert Stevenson and from there I wrote the song Scottish Lights.Affinity”Lighthouses are more than just bricks and mortar there is something about them that people seem to connect to. I think there is a deep affinity there.
“The song is one of those ones that people always come up and ask you about after the gig and it has verses in it that specifically mention the Bell Rock.
“It’s great to hear it will be sent out to Brazil. I hope they enjoy it.”
Members of the Year of the Light committee, which is responsible for planning this year’s Bell Rock bicentenary celebrations, welcomed the couple to Arbroath last week.
“Every time they listen to this song, I’m sure Mozart and Tatiane will be reminded of their trip to the Bell Rock Lighthouse and their time in Arbroath,” said Harry Simpson, chairman of the Year of the Light Steering Committee.
“And I’m sure it will also be very popular with the regulars at their bar in Porto Alegra.”
Glenfarg Folk Club meets every Monday at 8.30pm, in the Terrace Bar of the Glenfarg Hotel. For further information call 01577 830241 or visit www.glenfargfolkclub.com