Latest news with #CastleDouglas
The Herald Scotland
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Drill, Mr Swinney, drill, and let's make the most of gas
It is surprising that our Finance Secretary has not listened to her Norwegian counterpart and adopted the Norse advice to drill, baby, drill and extract every last volume of gas from the North Sea. At 6.8p/unit it means that electricity (28p/unit) will never be competitive with gas. Mr Swinney should give the planning approval to the 900MW plant at Peterhead, support the Rosebank project and ask Scottish Power to build similar units at Longannet, Cockenzie, Hunterston and Chapelcross to ensure the lights stay on under dunkelflaute weather conditions. With carbon capture technology it will be a much cheaper option than the hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine project proposed by Nicola Sturgeon. After all, if you start with using renewable electricity at 28p/unit to produce hydrogen just what will be the final cost of energy from utilising such science-based projects? Ian Moir, Castle Douglas. McArthur deserves congratulations Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur should be commended for his hard work in getting the Assisted Dying Bill through the first stage in the Scottish Parliament. It is supported not just by MSPs in Holyrood but by a vast majority of the Scottish electorate. If there were a referendum on the matter the vote in favour would have been voted overwhelming. Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen. Relationship is not so special I am in full agreement with the views expressed in Neil Mackay's excellent interview with author Angus Hanton regarding the mythical special relationship with the USA ("'How the destruction of Scottish jobs exposes how the UK is now America's vassal", May 11). I would add that the practices outlined in the article are not new. At one stage in my career I worked in Edinburgh for a company that was part of a giant San Francisco-based investment management group. When the dotcom bubble burst, they 'closed Europe'. No consultation and no special consideration for the Brits. I have visited the United States many times for business and pleasure. Whilst I am always welcomed and despite the common language, I have never felt I was in a 'special relationship'. On reflection the feeling was one of mild condescension and of superiority over the Old World, though many were obsessive about their European heritage As we Europeans try to find our place in Trumpworld our PM regularly plays the special relationship card. I would urge caution and remind our leaders of the events leading up to July 4, 1776. It's not called Independence Day for nothing. The truth is that despite the common language American and European values are very different. Read more letters Many Americans like to think of the United States as the prototypical Western nation, the culmination of centuries of European experience and wisdom. And many Brits like to think of Americans as their close cousins – albeit loud-mouthed cousins they are embarrassed to talk about at dinner parties. It is easy to forget that the United States was founded primarily by people seeking refuge from the ways of Europe and the British Empire in particular. The Founding Fathers of the republic did not aspire to emulate the Europeans at all – on the contrary the American constitution was largely about ensuring that Americans would not suffer under a European/British style of government. They worked to correct the numerous abuses and excesses they saw as plaguing the monarchies of the Old World. In the intervening 250 years the constitution has changed relatively little, and while many European monarchies have been transformed into republics and parliamentary democracies the core values underlying these societies have remained significantly different from those of Americans. At a superficial level we share many of the same goals: liberty, human rights, rule of law, but it is easy to agree on labels; the devil is in the detail and when it comes to the substance underlying these grand ideals Americans and Europeans are often hopelessly divided. Despite the foregoing, Americans and Europeans probably share more common values than any other two continents on Earth. It is largely for this reason that we have become so mutually frustrated with one another in recent years: we tend believe we are essentially the same, to perceive a common set of values and we are left quite disappointed when we begin to realise how different we truly are. Keith Swinley, Ayr. Propaganda war in Gaza How should we deal with the problem that is Gaza? There is no doubt that Hamas harbours hopes of the destruction of Israel while the Israeli government is intent upon taking control of the territory of Gaza and forcibly removing the Palestinians from that area. Currently the bone of contention centres round the provision of aid for the inhabitants of Gaza to prevent their starvation. The propagandists on the Israeli side claim that there is no shortage of aid going into that territory and that Hamas is hijacking those provisions to their own ends while denying access to the food supply for the ordinary Gazans, the latter half of that statement intimating that the ordinary Gazans are indeed on the verge of a famine. Those same propagandists say that Hamas controls the flow of information which is allowed to be made public to paint the Israelis in a bad light and also contend that Hamas embeds its members in hospitals and schools to make sure that any attack by the Israelis on such targets creates horrific headlines. Just this week a pro-Israeli spokesperson was ready to abandon an interview with a BBC interviewer if the interviewer insisted upon talking about the shortage of provisions entering Gaza, which the pro-Israeli spokesperson claimed was no more than Hamas-manufactured propaganda. That self-same spokesperson also pointed out that the presentation of an emaciated child on TV as a sign of the famine being inflicted upon the territory was just another piece of Hamas propaganda. We must then wonder if that person would dare to suggest that the 22 children killed by a missile attack upon a hospital shown as wrapped up in winding sheets were just another piece of propaganda. It must surely be possible to distinguish between what is being identified as Hamas propaganda and the savage Israeli assaults which inflict so much damage upon innocent Palestinian civilians. Both sides seem determined to eliminate the other in what amounts to a policy of genocide. Their actions speak louder than their words and the hapless Palestinian civilians are trapped in the middle. Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs. Ukraine's fight is our fight Russian governments have always been cruel, corrupt and chaotic. Every so often they break away from this, usually after a military disaster, and experiment with something less brutal but it never lasts, and they quickly revert to form. They are also prone to attack their neighbours with a view to conferring the benefits of Russian government on them which explains the determination of the Poles, the Czechs and the peoples of the Baltic States not to let this happen to them again. Back during the Cold War (that never really ended) the West was haunted by the fear of the armour of the huge Soviet army rolling across the North German plain and adding the rest of Europe to the Soviet Bloc. Perhaps nuclear deterrence was all that saved us from this threat. From the start Ukraine has maintained that its fight is not just for its own freedom but for ours as well. In three brutal years it has all but destroyed the Russian army and, even if Donald Trump forces them to capitulate, the Ukrainians have bought us about five years to prepare for Russia's next big adventure. I am only too happy to see my taxes spent on arms for Ukraine. I prefer the Volga to the Clyde as a frontline. When the history of this grim episode is written I hope that President Zelenskyy will feature as the saviour of his people and not just another tragic hero. Ronald Cameron, Banavie. Volodymr Zelenskyy (Image: PA) More train ticket woes Like Graeme Arnott (Letters, May 4), I've had a problem with the nonsense of not being able to book railway tickets online, by app or even a ticket machine. My Saltire card has never been available from the huge drop-down menu on the National Rail list of concession schemes – eventually getting fed up with this, I queried it with Transport Scotland who told me that the relevant local authority, in my case West Dunbartonshire, insists that Saltire card concession tickets can only be purchased face to face at a ticket office or on the train from a ticket collector. This ludicrous situation is made even more ridiculous by ScotRail's reduction of ticket office opening hours and the fact that there are frequently no ticket staff on trains. Stuart Neville, Clydebank.
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
No room for error as Threave Rovers aim to achieve West of Scotland League promotion dream
The Castle Douglas side need to win their final two games of the season to secure a top three slot in the West of Scotland League's third division. Threave Rovers know there is no margin for error as they aim to achieve their promotion dream. The Castle Douglas side needed to win their final five games of the season to secure a top three slot in the West of Scotland League's third division. Monday's win at Glasgow United means they've won their first three. They face Irvine Victoria on Wednesday night, before Vale of Leven come to Meadow Park on Saturday. Gaffer Danny Dunglinson said: 'I think knowing what we have to do and there's no room for error gets the boys in the right mindset. 'They 100 per cent know what they have to do, there's no ifs and buts any more, they have to win every game, that's maybe helped us in a way. 'Boys are maybe getting nervous anxious but they nothing but a win will do they keep pushing on to try to get a result. On Wednesday, Threave beat Lugar Boswell Thistle 2-1 thanks to first half goals from Lewis Downie and Alex Henderson. They followed that up on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Glasgow Perthshire. Ross Irving scored midway through the first half with Henderson striking again just after the hour mark. Dunglinson said: 'We were in control of both games. 'The first game finished 2-1 but we didn't look like conceding. The goalie made a mistake and it gave them a route back into the game but they never created a chance all game. It was a goal from nothing. 'Saturday was much the same, I think they had one shot on target all game. We were maybe a bit nervous waiting on that first goal but once we got it there was never any doubt we'd win the game.' The run continued on Monday with a 5-0 hammering of Glasgow United. Harry Officer had Threave a goal up at the break before they really took control of things in the second half. Ross Irving soon extended things and sub Tam Coles bagged a brace either side of a second from Officer. With the games coming thick and fast, rotation is proving key for Dunglinson. He said: 'We've done it since we started the midweek games. We try to make three or four changes a game. Me and the rest of the management team are thinking a game or two ahead for personnel. 'We've been rotating for the last few weeks. The boys will think about one game but we're planning ahead at the same time. It's not ideal having all these games in a short space of time. It's different if it's your full-time job but we're finishing work early to jump on a bus to play a game. 'We don't have a big squad - we rotate three or four but that means seven or eight play all the time it's tough. If a situation arises during a game we can get boys off but knowing how competitive the West league is it's very rare you're safe in games.'
Daily Record
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Thrilling match between Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie schools went to a penalty shoot out
Two Stewartry teams competed in the D&GSFA Small Schools Final at Queen of the South Arena in Dumfries recently. Dalbeattie High School Under 16s took on local rivals, Castle Douglas High School Under 16s on Queens 4G pitch, with both teams showcasing their talents in what turned out to be a thrilling contest. Both sets of players adapted well to the quick and large playing surface and the first half saw chances created by both teams but excellent goalkeeping and stout defending kept the match scoreless at half-time. The two coaches, Mr Mein and McNay, asked for more directness in the second half, and it was not long before David Perez latched on to a long ball from defence, nipping in and around the Dalbeattie goalkeeper, slotting the ball home for Castle Douglas' opening goal. For the remainder of the match, play and chances were fairly even, but the last five minutes saw Dalbeattie throw everything forward, and with 25 seconds to go, a fine build up put through Robbie Wykes, who composed himself, to equalise in the dying seconds. It has been agreed with Mr McGuffie, the official, that the match would proceed straight to penalties. Castle Douglas converted all of their efforts, whilst Dalbeattie found the Castle Douglas netminder in fine form. Castle Douglas edged the drama 4-2 and lifted the trophy in a thrilling affair. Well done to all players, coaches and fans for participating in a great final. Many thanks to QOS for their hospitality.
Daily Record
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Threave Rovers hold their nerve to stay in West of Scotland League promotion race
The Castle Douglas side held off a comeback from Lugar Boswell Thistle to close to within four points of the promotion places. Threave Rovers held their nerve on Saturday to ensure they stayed in the thick of the promotion race. The Castle Douglas side were 3-0 up against Lugar Boswell Thistle and appeared to be cruising to victory – only for their rivals to score two quick goals. But with nerves jangling, Liam Douglas scored a crucial fourth to keep Threave fourth in the West of Scotland League third division. They are now four points behind Greenock Juniors, who hold the final promotion place but have played four games more. Threave boss Danny Dunglinson said: 'When we got the third goal, we thought we were comfortable but we gave away a penalty. 'Ross Thomson had a rush of blood for a split second. Our goalie has the ball in his hands but he's had a kick out at the boy. He said the boy has giving him a niggle and he's reacted, which he knows he can't do. 'We were 3-0 up and comfortable and probably felt we were going to win four or five nil. They've got a penalty, it gives them a lift and then a couple of minutes later they get another goal. 'Luckily we got the fourth and it killed the game. The reaction was pleasing because I think a couple of weeks ago we might have crumbled and let them take a point.' A tremendous Dylan Cairnie free-kick gave Threave an early lead which was soon extended by Harry Officer. Dylan Cairnie scored a fine free-kick to give Threave an early lead, Harry Officer soon extending the advantage. And when Cairnie got his second and Threave's third just after the break that appeared to be game over. However, Lugar were then awarded a penalty and although Louis McLachlan saved the initial effort, Jackson Stevenson forced home the rebound. A free-kick from Stevenson then gave the visitors real hope of salvaging something from the game. But late on Liam Douglas headed home to settle the nerves and seal the points. Dunglinson said: 'We needed to get the win and the three points. Luckily the teams above us slipped up so it moves us a wee bit closer. 'We're clinging on in there – we've a big run coming up with a lot of games in a short space of time.' Threave now have a series of midweek games coming up, which starts with a double header against Glasgow Uni. They head to the central belt on Saturday before welcoming the students to Meadow Park on Wednesday. The gaffer added: 'It's always hard when you play a team twice consecutively or close together. "I always think if you win the first game it makes the second game harder because it's fresh in their memory, they know how you play. 'We've four boys missing on Saturday so if we can manage to get a result come the Wednesday we'll have four key players back so that could work in our favour, but we're focusing on getting a result first. 'We're going to need everybody over the next few weeks. We're not naive, we know boys can't play 90 minutes every Wednesday and Saturday. 'We'll need to manage boys' minutes, nobody will play 90 minutes in every game from now on. 'If we manage to get ahead in a game we'll get boys off or we'll just need to rotate. 'That's what we've got the squad for, they're all good enough, it'll just be picking the best team for each game.'
