IRA Playing Fields RIP.

[Charles Bannerman]

Have any other former pupils of the Royal Academy (or Millburn for that matter) journeyed up Victoria Drive over the last couple of weeks? "The Field" is now in the process of being dug up! - I understand to build a new Millburn.

It's the passing of an era. Since as long ago as the 1930s Royal Academy pupils had their games periods on that field which from the early 60s was shared with Millburn Junior Secondary who then took it over exclusively after the IRA moved out in 1979.(As an aside, before the 1930s the Academy Field was on Glenurquhart Road where the newer part of the Highland Council Offices - aka County Buildings - now are. The older part of these buildings used to the the IRA girls' hostel.)

Football over beside the Distillery in an era when you could be half drunk by half time with the fumes when there was an east wind. The big rugby pitch parallel with what used to be the Highland Printers building. The small rugby pitch beside it and the hockey pitch in the remaining corner beside the old tin shed where the hurdles and other equipment were kept.

In the summer it was all replaced by the running track where I have so many memories of painful training sessions and winning the 1970 and 71 school sports championships amid the smell of creosote from a newly marked track. In that very hot summer of 1976 the back straight became incredibly undulating when the grass dried out completely.

And the changing rooms - a War Memorial for 39-45. I was at school from 65-71 but I went back into these changing rooms in about 1996 when my son was playing in a primary tournament there and they smelled just the same - that sort of foosty aroma with just a hint of mature leather and a whiff of disinfectant from the toilets. I also found the sink in which I used regularly to be sick if I had overdone that afternoon's interval training session.... probably in that case taken by Baillie.

In 1967 we all got injected thanks to Dodo Sinclair. Poor Dodo (who was a contemporary of mine at Millburn and whose dad Butch was the last person I remember who played for Citadel) fell and cut himself and became very ill with tetanus. The field had previously been part of a farm and the bug had hung around for a very long time. The upshot was that both schools in entirety got the tetanus jag.

So many memories of that playing field which is fast becoming a battlefield now that the bulldozers have taken over.

[gerx13]

Only real memory of the playing fields was, in 70/71, when we (Millburn) were playing the Academy. I scored a try and was kicked in the face for my efforts only to find out when I regained my senses that Baillie, who was refereeing the match, had chalked it off for a forward pass! No favouritism there.

Scored another against Invergordon at the canal, got kicked in the face again but this one stood! Fortunate for my looks I rarely scored tries.  :001:

[Kingsmills]

The end of an era indeed.

[Charles Bannerman]

Gerx.. so Baillie kicked you in the face TWICE!?

[gerx13]

I know Colin Baillie was a hard task master but even he didn't reward his players with a celebratory doing. Though it wouldn't look out of place in his legend.  :001:

[Moomkin]

Are we talking about the same Colin Baillie? I was on the receiving end of a few celebratory doeings whether it be a blow to the midrift or the top of the forehead!

I wish I had a panoramic picture of the old pitch before they dug it up.  Anyone know if anyone had the foresight?

To the other CB....I do object; I think the IRA gave up claim to those pitches a long time ago. It is RIP to MILLBURN pitches....IRA sold their sole to Culduthel a long time ago!

[Charles Bannerman]

Moomkin... I would have provisionally to disagree with you on what's quite an interesting legal question regarding a number of Royal Academy assets.

I'm quite sure the changing rooms at the playing fields are Royal Academy property although used exclusively by Millburn since 1979. This is because they are War Memorial changing rooms funded through various post 1st and 2nd World War subscriptions organised by the Royal Academy. What I'm not entirely sure of is whether the ground itself was actually IRA property or belonged to the Council when the IRA moved out.

The War Memorial fund started after World War 1 when the IRA bought as a Girls Hostel the former Boys' College on the corner of Ardross St and Glenurquhart Road as well as the ground behind it which became the IRA playing field.

During the 1930s the County Council took the place over to become County Buildings and the War Memorial girls' hostel shifted to Hedgefield on Culduthel Road while the playing field moved to Victoria Drive.

Then when schools in Inverness stopped live-in pupils in the 80s, Hedgefield was miraculously taken over by the Teckie College and not a word about ownership of premises whose financial origins lie in a private fund at Inverness Royal Academy.

Similarly in the early 60s, Millburn Junior Secondary got partial shared use of the IRA field, use which increased when Millburn lost its own grass area to extra buildings.

When I retire I think, with the help of the Freedon of Information Act, I'll spend time researching the legal ownership of all these premises.

Colin Baillie, despite the hardman image, is a diamond geezer with a heart of gold who has mellowed substantially with age.

I'm afraid there's no chance now of a fresh souvenir picture. The place is blitzed! 

[Moomkin]

CB....'Doeings' from CB were always a pleasure! Both CB's timed me round a track once upon a time but only one CB motivated me to be sick every time I went round for a full lap!

On the subject of 'doeings'; IRA were exposed to a few more of them than they gave on the aforesaid pitches in my time.  On the subject of 'ownership' I hope that right of way is preserved for all CB's in Inverness but I suspect that Morrisons or whoever is in charge of the dozers have the required power of attorney!

[crownjaggie]

I remember being taken by the aforesaid Baillie for an Inverness primary schools rugby lesson on the fields in the mid 60s'.  Having got up last from a scrum, I watched from as distance as play continued only to feel the boot of Baillie up my backside with a polite request for me to rejoin my team.  So Gerx I disagree slightly with your  impression of the immortal Colin. 

Never learnt my lesson, because I voluntarily went to CB's circuit training night classes in the early 70's and yes he made me sick as well.

[gerx13]

I agree with Charles, Colin Baillie has some what mellowed with age and is 'a diamond geezer'. But I will share with you .... eh?....... well non members of the Colin Baillie appreciation society, one of my favourite 'Baillie' anecdote.

The changing rooms at Millburn and CB is strutting about with a very erect brand new belt / tawse. He is asking for a volunteer to try out his new and very stiff belt. The impression we were all having was that it wasn't the only thing stiff about his person at that moment. No one was being foolhardy to take up his offer. To empathise the hardness of his belt he whacks it off a tea chest. As the crack echos around the changing room, he turns back towards the class with a manic grin etched to his face. It was an almost surreal moment as his now broken belt flopped over. CB almost when white then stormed into his office, we all collapsed in laughter, then departed when a very well timed period bell rang. :015:

I got on with him fairly well during my time at Millburn, so maybe my views are somewhat blinkered. I do know that he has done more good for this community than harm.

[Charles Bannerman]

Believe you me... the amount of good that Colin Baillie has done in this community in sport but also in other spheres such as Boys' Brigade over the last 40 odd years is incalculable.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

My memory of the playing fields, going back to the late 50s is being allowed to go down there in free periods to prepare the cricket pitch for home matches.  The groundsman (somebody Fraser ?) would cut the square with the old gang mower behind the tractor, and then and one or two other team members and I would get the old hand mower and hand roller out and get to work on the actual pitch.  All with David Thom's blessing of course.  Sometimes it worked.  I well remember beating the Abbey (Fort Augustus) and Gordonstoun in one memorable summer.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I have had a few bottles of cider and a couple of shegs on the owd Playing Fields.  :014: :021:

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Oh .. and hot pies from Burnetts in the early hours of the morning whilst traversing home from a soiree.  :005: :005:

[Moomkin]

I have had a few bottles of cider and a couple of shegs on the owd Playing Fields.  :014: :021:

....maybe they'll put up a plaque

[Charles Bannerman]

Burnetts pies? Would these be the ones Jimmy Chisholm allegedly played football with on the bakehouse floor before putting them back on the trays?

[latviaman]

I too remember the Old playing fields David Thom telling us we could run faster, and Colin B strutting around telling us we were crap and if we got beaten next game , wait and see!

however my fondest memories were of the girls hostel, those accents did it for me, often came home , well nearly always with grass marks on my knees

[Scarlet Pimple]

Latviaman are you going to reveral exactly what it was that gave you the green knees or how they came about....../ :003:

As for the fields---oh, yes I remember them well enough.

About 1950-1954 the IRA gym teacher ( I can't remember his name for the life of me  n--help us out here Charles, you probably have access to the records of the day) was refeeing a rugby match there. I got a great pass and bee-lined it for the rugby posts and scored. Turning in glee I noticed something in the demeanour of the ref who blandly said no goal and tuerned hios back on me . So I ran up to him and in disbelief I said --"sir, if it was a knock-on why did you not stop me by blowing the whistle before I  hjad even started to run. ?" With a certain thinly-veiled complacency he retorted .." I just wanted to see what you would do....". Boy, was I ever mad at him. And to this day it remains  a long cherished memory of  disappointment and frustration remembering the lung-bursting run I had made seeking glory.... :002: :016:

[Charles Bannerman]

Most likely Bill Murray or maybe Calum MacLeay.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Bill Murray was definitely gym teacher during my time at the IRA, 53 to 59.

[Charles Bannerman]

Bill came to the school in 1951 as Principal Teacher of PE, was promoted to Assistant Rector in 1973 and retired in 1977. He died in 1999. Calum MacLeay was assistant teacher of PE for a number of years before, for some reason, changing to Tecky in various outlying schools. Colin Baillie did part time in the early-mid 60s before moving to Millburn Junior Secondary School and was succeeded at the Royal Academy by Alastair "Chunky" Hamilton.

God knows what Bill would have thought about his playing field being ripped up if he'd still been alive.

[RednBlackComeback]

As the playing fields were once the home of the Jags, I wonder if there has been any archaelogical finds unearthed durning the construction works.......

Rumour has it that a great many caley teams were buried there on a Saturday afternoon !!! :003:

My favourite memory of the playing fields is (after opting for extra PE when we reached 4th year) on a wednesday afternoon.....Johnstone, Patience or Baillie would ask us what we wanted to do, the answer was always "game o' football sir". The craic was always good then !

And my worst memory.......... Cricket !!!!! WTF.....why did we have to partake of that activity. It's not even a sport !!!!!!!

[Scarlet Pimple]

Charles--it wasn't Bill Murray--remember him with (as I recall) a bunch of fair hair and not too tall. and nice mild fellow?

Maybe Calum McCreay--last name sounds familiar. but whoever it was had a sadistic streak in him.  :012:  Fairly tall thin guy with greying hair./...eh?  SOB- :016:

[latviaman]

Moomkin... I would have provisionally to disagree with you on what's quite an interesting legal question regarding a number of Royal Academy assets.

I'm quite sure the changing rooms at the playing fields are Royal Academy property although used exclusively by Millburn since 1979. This is because they are War Memorial changing rooms funded through various post 1st and 2nd World War subscriptions organised by the Royal Academy. What I'm not entirely sure of is whether the ground itself was actually IRA property or belonged to the Council when the IRA moved out.

The War Memorial fund started after World War 1 when the IRA bought as a Girls Hostel the former Boys' College on the corner of Ardross St and Glenurquhart Road as well as the ground behind it which became the IRA playing field.

During the 1930s the County Council took the place over to become County Buildings and the War Memorial girls' hostel shifted to Hedgefield on Culduthel Road while the playing field moved to Victoria Drive.

Then when schools in Inverness stopped live-in pupils in the 80s, Hedgefield was miraculously taken over by the Teckie College and not a word about ownership of premises whose financial origins lie in a private fund at Inverness Royal Academy.

Similarly in the early 60s, Millburn Junior Secondary got partial shared use of the IRA field, use which increased when Millburn lost its own grass area to extra buildings.

When I retire I think, with the help of the Freedon of Information Act, I'll spend time researching the legal ownership of all these premises.

Colin Baillie, despite the hardman image, is a diamond geezer with a heart of gold who has mellowed substantially with age.

I'm afraid there's no chance now of a fresh souvenir picture. The place is blitzed!?

Question for the oracle from Invss, did Colin marry a hairdresser called Lillian, she worked with my Mother, and when I wa shome last, she said yes he played Rugby and kicked your Brother in the eye

[Charles Bannerman]

Question for the oracle from Invss, did Colin marry a hairdresser called Lillian, she worked with my Mother, and when I wa shome last, she said yes he played Rugby and kicked your Brother in the eye

Yes indeed... Colin's wife is called Lily but I don't know if she was previously a hairdresser.