The next Yes Dunbar events are as follows. Whilst our events are planned with Yes Dunbar members in mind, we are pleased to welcome other “Yes” supporters, and those who are simply interested in finding out more about the case for an independent Scotland.
WED 17 SEPTEMBER 2025 – AGM AND SPEAKER MEETING WITH TOMMY SHERIDAN
Yes Dunbar usually seeks to welcome a high profile speaker for our AGM each September and for 2025 we are delighted to welcome Tommy Sheridan. He has chosen to speak on the topic: All Hail the Scottish Worker’s Republic (drawing on the political writings of John MacLean). We expect this to be a popular meeting so advance booking is strongly recommended (see below).
Details: The meeting takes place at 7pm on Wed 17 September 2025 at Dunbar Town House in Dunbar High Street, EH42 1ER. The meeting will be chaired by Yes Dunbar Co-Convenor Diarmid Jamieson – it will begin with a brief AGM for Yes Dunbar including a report on the last year’s activities and election of the Committee for the year ahead (only Yes Dunbar members can vote but others are welcome as observers). After this, Tommy Sheridan will speak and respond to questions: the meeting will finish at 8.30pm. All welcome, but please email secretary@yesdunbar.scot to reserve a place as space is limited (if asking for more than one place, please give the names of any guests). There is no set charge but there will be a box for cash donations on the door: please make a donation if you are able to do so (unless you are already giving to Yes Dunbar).
WED 26 NOVEMBER 2025 – HAMISH HENDERSON FILM EVENING
Yes Dunbar is delighted to host a special showing of a new film about the life and work of the the iconic Scottish poet and folklorist, Hamish Henderson, made by Flyting Films. The film entitled Hamish Henderson: An Artist’s Inspiration will be followed by a discussion with experts on Hamish Henderson’s life and the film’s director, Dunbar-based Michael Lloyd. Click here for a trailer and see below for more about the film.
This event is organised in the week leading up to St Andrew’s Day and is hosted at the historic Harbour Chapel Dunbar (now a high quality events space). The ticket price (£15) includes a welcome drink (whisky, prosecco or a non-alcoholic mocktail) to toast the approach of Scotland’s national day as well as the film itself and post-film discussion! Ticket sales are now open: please book via TicketTailor at: https://buytickets.at/ydevents/182165
The event starts at 7 for 7.30pm and expected to finish around 9.30pm (the film itself is 75mins). There will be a short break before the discussion with further drinks available from the bar.
About the film
Artist Charles Nasmyth takes a fresh look at one of Scotland’s literary and musical giants, Hamish Henderson. He explores his inspiration to paint a portrait of Hamish and asks what motivated this complex and sometimes underappreciated character.
Henderson was driven by his experiences in WW2, in which he fought in the desert campaign and later with the Italian partisans. He was respected by officers and troops alike. He was the only British solder fluent enough in Italian to take Italy’s surrender from the head of the Fascist army, General Rodolfo Graziani.
He absorbed the work of socialist intellectuals, such as Antonio Gramsci, whose prison letters he translated. From this he learned to value the culture of ordinary people. Not only the ‘travellers’ of Scotland, as is well known, but also the squaddies he served with, who inspired many of his songs. He was a freedom-fighting internationalist, penning the song, Rivonia, an anthem of the anti-apartheid movement.
He also wrote the ‘Freedom Come All-Ye,’ which has been proposed as a new national anthem for Scotland.
Often celebrated for recording and archiving Scotland’s traditional culture in song, poetry and stories, Hamish was also a poet in his own right. His wartime experiences provided the basis for his Somerset Maugham prize-winning collection, Elegies for the dead in Cyrenaica.
There is music from John Morran and Marc Duff, along with Alison McMorland and Geordie McIntyre. Hamish himself contributes historic recordings of his songs.
The film ranges widely from Hamish’s Perthshire birthplace and Spital o’Glenshee home to his Edinburgh haunts, including the iconic Sandy Bell’s bar.