Billy Connolly's World Tour of Scotland
Encyclopedia
World Tour of Scotland is a six-part television series — the first of Billy Connolly
's (thus far) four "world tours" — originally broadcast by the BBC
in the winter of 1994. It involved his touring around his homeland of Scotland
for 54 nights during the spring of 1994, beginning in Greenock
and visiting cities and towns and performing live on stage to audiences. However, this, like all his other tours, involved more than just shows: he visited numerous places of historic and scenic value, as well as some places that resonate with his own upbringing.
The series was dedicated "with much love and thanks to the people of Scotland". It has since been released on VHS and DVD. On the latter format, the six episodes are split across two discs.
(driven by Connolly throughout the series) making its way through various locations and weathers. The camera is mounted atop four metal legs, several feet in length.
The closing titles features an excerpt of Connolly's performing his cover of Van Morrison
's "Irish Heartbeat
", live at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
, over landscape views of the areas visited in the respective episodes.
The series is often repeated on the UKTV channels Dave and Blighty.
ferry sailing down the west coast.
Connolly almost ventured into English
territory at the end of the episode when he cycled past the "Scotland" sign in Roxburgh
. "I've come a bit far here, I believe," he says, after screeching his bike to a halt. "And me out without my passport
. It is a Scottish tour, after all."
"One thing confuses me, however," he continued, as he prepared to retrace his route. "If this is the border with England, and that is the border with Scotland, what happens in here? Maybe it is owned by the Manx
government, or something. I don't know. Perhaps you can build a house here and never pay tax again."
.
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
's (thus far) four "world tours" — originally broadcast by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in the winter of 1994. It involved his touring around his homeland of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
for 54 nights during the spring of 1994, beginning in Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
and visiting cities and towns and performing live on stage to audiences. However, this, like all his other tours, involved more than just shows: he visited numerous places of historic and scenic value, as well as some places that resonate with his own upbringing.
The series was dedicated "with much love and thanks to the people of Scotland". It has since been released on VHS and DVD. On the latter format, the six episodes are split across two discs.
Opening and closing titles
The opening titles features an aerial view of the Range RoverRange Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
(driven by Connolly throughout the series) making its way through various locations and weathers. The camera is mounted atop four metal legs, several feet in length.
The closing titles features an excerpt of Connolly's performing his cover of Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
's "Irish Heartbeat
Irish Heartbeat (song)
"Irish Heartbeat" is a popular song that was first recorded on Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison's 1983 album Inarticulate Speech of the Heart...
", live at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Usher Hall
Usher Hall is a concert hall, situated on Lothian Road, in the west end of Edinburgh, Scotland. It has hosted concerts and events since its construction in 1914 and can hold approximately 2,900 people in its recently restored auditorium, which is well loved by performers due to its acoustics...
, over landscape views of the areas visited in the respective episodes.
The series is often repeated on the UKTV channels Dave and Blighty.
Episode 1
The series began with Connolly aboard a Caledonian MacBrayneCaledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
ferry sailing down the west coast.
- Isle of ArranIsle of ArranArran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
. As Connolly drives off the ferry, his best friend, Danny Kyle, is shown to be in the passenger seat- Brodick Village Hall (concert venue)
- Connolly is shown playing the banjo with his Isle of Arran-based friends
- GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
- Dover Street, the street on which Connolly was born
- Provand's LordshipProvand's LordshipThe Provand's Lordship located in Glasgow, Scotland, today stands as a medieval-period historic house museum located at the top of Castle Street in the shadow of the Glasgow Cathedral and Glasgow Royal Infirmary....
- The tenement building where Connolly lived between the ages of fourteen and twenty
- Glasgow CrossGlasgow CrossGlasgow Cross is a major junction in the city centre of Glasgow, which has, at its centre, five streets running from it: the High Street, Gallowgate, London Road, the Saltmarket and the Trongate ....
- NecropolisGlasgow NecropolisThe Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of Glasgow Cathedral . Fifty thousand individuals have been buried here. Typically for the period only a small percentage are named on monuments and not every grave has a stone...
- King's TheatreKing's Theatre, GlasgowThe King's Theatre is located in Glasgow, Scotland. It was built for Howard & Wyndham Ltd under its chairman Baillie Michael Simons as a sister theatre of their Theatre Royal in the city and was designed by Frank Matcham, opening in 1904. The theatre is primarily a receiving house for touring...
(concert venue) - Auchengillan scout camp (which Connolly, in the 141 Pack, visited as a cub scoutCub ScoutA Cub Scout is a member of the section of the worldwide Scouting movement for young persons, mainly boys normally aged about 7 to 11. In some countries they are known by their original name of Wolf Cubs and are often referred to simply as Cubs. The movement is often referred to simply as Cubbing...
)
- Loch LomondLoch LomondLoch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
Episode 2
- PartickPartickPartick is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch. Partick was a Police burgh from 1852 until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city.-History:...
and GovanGovanGovan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick.... - StirlingStirlingStirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
(including the MacRobert Centre concert venue) and BannockburnBannockburnBannockburn is a village immediately south of the city of Stirling in Scotland. It is named after the Bannock Burn, a burn running through the village before flowing into the River Forth.-History:... - Scone PalaceScone PalaceScone Palace is a Category A listed historic house at Scone, Perthshire, Scotland. It was constructed in 1808 for the Earls of Mansfield by William Atkinson...
("Never to be pronounced SconeScone (bread)The scone is a small Scottish quick bread especially popular in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,Belgium and Ireland, but are also eaten in many other countries. They are usually made of wheat, barley or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent...
.") - Forth Bridge, Forth Road BridgeForth Road BridgeThe Forth Road Bridge is a suspension bridge in east central Scotland. The bridge, opened in 1964, spans the Firth of Forth, connecting the capital city Edinburgh, at South Queensferry, to Fife, at North Queensferry...
, and South QueensferrySouth QueensferrySouth Queensferry , also called Queensferry, is a former Royal Burgh in West Lothian now part of the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located some ten miles to the north west of the city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, approximately 8...
Episode 3
- Blair AthollBlair AthollBlair Atholl is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland, built about the confluence of the Rivers Tilt and Garry in one of the few areas of flat land in the midst of the Grampian Mountains. The Gaelic place-name Blair, from blàr, 'field, plain', refers to this location...
- HighlandsScottish HighlandsThe Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
- InvernessInvernessInverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
- Culloden MoorBattle of CullodenThe Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
Episode 4
- UlbsterUlbsterUlbster is a scattered crofting township, located on the east coast of the former county of Caithness Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland...
, CaithnessCaithnessCaithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is... - WickWick, HighlandWick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...
- Ackergill TowerAckergill TowerAckergill Tower is a Scottish castle located north of Wick, Caithness. It is a category A listed building.-Early history:The Clan Keith, under John Keith, inherited the lands of Ackergill in 1354, from the Cheynes family...
, CaithnessCaithnessCaithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
- Ring of Brogar (referred to by Connolly as the Standing Stones of Brogar)
- KirkwallKirkwallKirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
- Scapa FlowScapa Flowright|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
(to which he travelled on the fishing boat Triton)
- Lerwick, Shetland (including two performances in the same night at the Garrison TheatreGarrison TheatreThe Garrison Theatre is a 280 capacity venue in Lerwick, Shetland with a sprung proscenium stage with fixed raked seating. It has 19 rows, named A to S which either has 8, 12, 13, 15 or 16 seats in each row....
; the latter took him into the next day)
Episode 5
- ArbroathArbroathArbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
(where he sampled a smokieArbroath SmokieArbroath Smokies are a type of smoked haddock – a speciality of the town of Arbroath in Angus, Scotland.-History:The Arbroath Smokie originated in the small fishing village of Auchmithie, three miles northeast of Arbroath. Local legend has it a store caught fire one night, destroying barrels...
) - DundeeDundeeDundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
(including footage from his performance at Caird HallCaird HallThe Caird Hall is the principal concert auditorium in Dundee, Scotland.Built between 1914 and 1923 and named after its benefactor, the jute baron James Key Caird, the Caird Hall regularly hosts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra....
)- Dundee Law (Connolly gave a straight reading of William McGonagallWilliam Topaz McGonagallWilliam Topaz McGonagall was a Scottish weaver, doggerel poet and actor. He won notoriety as an extremely bad poet who exhibited no recognition of or concern for his peers' opinions of his work....
's poem The Tay Bridge DisasterThe Tay Bridge DisasterThe Tay Bridge Disaster is a poem written in 1880 by the Scottish poet William McGonagall, who has been widely acclaimed as the worst poet in British history...
within sight of the Tay Rail BridgeTay Rail BridgeThe Tay Bridge is a railway bridge approximately two and a quarter miles long that spans the Firth of Tay in Scotland, between the city of Dundee and the suburb of Wormit in Fife ....
. During the course of filming, a blizzard happened, and about two inches of snow fell)
- Dundee Law (Connolly gave a straight reading of William McGonagall
- Scottish BordersScottish BordersThe Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, KelsoKelso, ScotlandKelso is a market town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It lies where the rivers Tweed and Teviot have their confluence...
(including footage from his performance at Tait Hall)
Connolly almost ventured into English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
territory at the end of the episode when he cycled past the "Scotland" sign in Roxburgh
Roxburgh
Roxburgh , also known as Rosbroch, is a village, civil parish and now-destroyed royal burgh. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland...
. "I've come a bit far here, I believe," he says, after screeching his bike to a halt. "And me out without my passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
. It is a Scottish tour, after all."
"One thing confuses me, however," he continued, as he prepared to retrace his route. "If this is the border with England, and that is the border with Scotland, what happens in here? Maybe it is owned by the Manx
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
government, or something. I don't know. Perhaps you can build a house here and never pay tax again."
Episode 6
- EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
- Edinburgh CastleEdinburgh CastleEdinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
(including the firing of the one o'clock gun) - Court of SessionCourt of SessionThe Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
- St. Giles' CathedralSt. Giles' CathedralSt Giles' Cathedral, more properly termed the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Its distinctive crown steeple is a prominent feature of the city skyline, at about a third of the way down the Royal Mile which runs from the Castle to...
- Mary King's CloseMary King's CloseMary King's Close is an old Edinburgh Close under buildings in the Old Town area of Edinburgh, Scotland. After being used as a close, partially demolished and buried under the Royal Exchange, and later being closed to the public for many years, the complex became shrouded in myths and urban...
(Annie's room) - Usher HallUsher HallUsher Hall is a concert hall, situated on Lothian Road, in the west end of Edinburgh, Scotland. It has hosted concerts and events since its construction in 1914 and can hold approximately 2,900 people in its recently restored auditorium, which is well loved by performers due to its acoustics...
(concert venue, from where Connolly performs a pre-show piece to cameraPiece to cameraA piece to camera is the television and film term used for when a presenter or a character speaks directly to the viewing audience through the camera....
)
- Edinburgh Castle
Music
The music featured in the series is available on Connolly's 1995 album Musical Tour of ScotlandMusical Tour of Scotland
Musical Tour of Scotland is a collection of traditional and original songs and tunes, which accompanied Billy Connolly's 1994 television series World Tour of Scotland. It was released in 1995....
.