What's New

• 28 June 2010

  Entries close for 2010 Thistle Awards this week

  

  Created by VisitScotland in 1992, the Scottish Thistle Awards showcase business excellence and quality.  As an important event on the tourism calendar, the media attention it generates helps VisitScotland and the sponsors raise the profile of the tourism industry.  The Scottish Thistle Awards recognise and celebrate excellence in Scottish Tourism.

  EventScotland is supporting the Events and Festivals category again in 2010. Closing date for entries is 30th June so get yours in now!

  For more information and to enter your event, visit the Events and Festivals page on the Thistle Awards website.
  

  Category: Industry News
• 21 June 2010

  Hilary Mantel wins inaugural Walter Scott Prize

  

  Hilary Mantel has won the inaugural Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction, for her much-acclaimed novel Wolf Hall.  The prize, worth £25,000, was awarded on Saturday 19 June at Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford home in the Scottish borders, as part of the Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival. 

  The author was unable to accept the prize in person due to illness, but gave the following statement, which was read out by broadcaster James Naughtie, accepting on her behalf:

  “I am astonished and delighted and gratified to be the first winner of the Walter Scott prize.  Intense involvement in history was what started me writing. And now - although I hope to go on writing contemporary novels - the challenges and perplexities of historical fiction have become my preoccupation. And just in time, because this has been an interesting year for writers and readers of the historical novel - perhaps a turning point year.“

  The Walter Scott Prize is in the top five richest UK literary prizes, and is sponsored by the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch (pictured above), distant kinsmen of Scott. To qualify, novels must be set sixty years ago or more. 

  Wolf Hall was chosen from a shortlist of seven, which included books with settings ranging from ancient Rome to pre-war Czechoslovakia.  The prize was awarded by veteran parliamentarian Tam Dalyell, at Scott’s home Abbotsford.  Five of the seven shortlisted authors had congregated at Abbotsford for the ceremony, including Robert Harris, Adam Foulds, Simon Mawer, Adam Thorpe and Iain Pears.  The sixth shortlistee, Sarah Dunant, was unable to attend because of a long-booked birthday celebration in Italy, the setting for her books.

  The prize has been supported by national events agency EventScotland. Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, said:

  “The Borders Book Festival attracts thousands of people to the Borders each year along with some of the country’s most prestigious authors, making it a real highlight in Scotland’s cultural events calendar.  The Walter Scott Prize adds another dimension to the festival and serves only to strengthen an already stellar event.”

  Category: National Events
• 21 June 2010

  Brecel and Walker handed World Open slots

  

  Belgian prodigy Luca Brecel and Rileys Future Stars Of Snooker champion Joel Walker have been awarded places in the qualifying rounds of the World Open.

  The unique new tournament will see 32 amateur players enter the professional qualifying rounds at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield from August 21-24, when they will be battling to get through to the televised stages at the SECC in Glasgow in September. Two amateur places have been allocated to juniors, with Brecel and Walker selected for those slots.

  Considered one of the most promising talents in snooker, 15-year-old Brecel recently became the youngest ever winner of the European Championship, beating several experienced players including Holland’s Roy Stolk 7-4 in the final. He is also the current Belgian champion and has beaten the likes of Jimmy White and Ken Doherty in invitation events.

  Sheffield’s 16-year-old Walker was selected by Ronnie O’Sullivan as the most promising player in the nationwide ‘Future Stars’ competition run by Rileys, which was entered by over 1,000 juniors. The final stages of the rigorous selection process took place at the Crucible during the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship, when Walker showed off his skills to beat the opposition and earn a year of training and mentoring from O’Sullivan.

  Rileys Chief Executive Maurice Kelly said: “It’s a great break for Joel. Everyone at Rileys is delighted for him. We are particularly pleased with the way Joel is coming along under Ronnie O’Sullivan’s influence. We hope our Future Stars winner is now on the road to becoming a star in his own right.”

  The remaining 30 amateur places in the qualifiers will be made up by two former World Champions, two women, six international players and 20 winners of regional pre-qualifying events staged by Rileys and other snooker clubs.

  Category: International Events