Games Week
INTRODUCTION
St. Ronan’s Games and Cleikum Ceremonies is the Border Festival unique to Innerleithen. Instituted in 1827 there has been a summer gathering in Innerleithen every year since the inception of St. Ronan’s Border Games in 1827 (with the exception of periods of global conflict). Originally encompassing two days of competitive sport and evening entertainment “Games Week”, always culminates on the third Saturday in July, now spreads over ten days. Games Week is organised and conducted by an elected committee of townspeople, some of them past festival principals, assisted by other volunteers. Although a grant is received from the local authority the festival is mainly funded by sponsorship, donations, the patronage scheme and collections from the public.
GAMES WEEK EVENTS
Thursday: A social event is held for the senior citizens of the district in the Memorial Hall. This free event comprises entertainment, a light super and dancing.
Friday: The Ex-Standard Bearers' Association holds a dinner-dance for members and invited guests
Saturday (afternoon): A football fives tournament is held in the Victoria Park (Public Park).
Saturday (evening): The Saturday immediately preceding Games Saturday is the date of the Standard Bearer’s Ball. This event gives the Standard Bearer Elect and his supporters the opportunity to entertain visiting principals from other Borders festivals in return for hospitality they themselves have received and is also attended by many townsfolk and visitors. The Ball is held in a specially erected marquee at St. Ronan's Community School.
Sunday: At 11am St. Ronan’s Silver Band leads the parade of principals along the High Street and on to the Parish Church for the “Kirkin’”, a special church service held to inaugurate Games Week. In the afternoon Innerleithen Pipe Band and St. Ronan’s Silver Band entertain the public in the High Street.
Monday: A Car Treasure Hunt is held in the evening. Starting from the forecourt of the Memorial Hall at 5.30pm and open to all, with cash prizes and food and refreshments served afterwards.
Tuesday: The Children’s Sports and Treat take place in Victoria Park starting at 6.30pm. Following the sports at 8.15pm the younger children (4 – 7 years) are entertained by a professional children’s entertainer in the Vale Club. A disco is held in the Memorial Hall for the older children (8 – 13 years).
Wednesday: This is traditionally a night off for Games committee members. There is, however, a Quiz Night held in and organised by Lodge St. Ronan’s No. 856 Social Club which is open to all.
Thursday: Judging for the Fancy Dress takes place at 7pm in Victoria Park. The Fancy Dress Parade assembles in Hall Street before proceeding along the High Street at 7.30pm accompanied by pipe and brass bands. This parade is always large and impressive, a spectacle not to be missed.
Friday: The Cleikum Ceremonies are held in the Memorial Hall, starting at 7pm, when the Dux Boy is installed as the representative of the Patron Saint, the Dux Girl is invested and the Standard Bearer installed and the banner entrusted to his keeping. At 7.45pm the service “For the Fallen” takes place outside at the War Memorial and this is followed by another short outdoor ceremony at 8.30pm at St. Ronan’s Wells. There is an interval until 10.15pm when a Torchlight Procession departs Hall Street for Masonic Ceremony performed before the Runic Cross at the front of the Parish Church. At the conclusion of this event the festival principals, townsfolk and visitors, led by St. Ronan’s Silver Band, escort first the Dux Girl and then the Dux Boy to their respective homes.
Saturday: The Children’s Flower Parade, led by the festival principals and accompanied by several brass and pipe bands, parades through the streets of the town, leaving from Hall Street at 11 o’clock in the morning. The next event is the “Race Round the Town” at 1.30pm and this is followed by a massed bands parade which leaves from the Vale Club. From 2 – 5pm St. Ronan’s Border Games are held in Victoria Park. As well as professional running on the track there are hill races and entertainment for children. In the evening at 7pm Innerleithen Pipe Band and St. Ronan’s Silver Band perform “Beating the Retreat” in the High Street. At 10pm a Torchlight Procession of principals and members of the public departs from outside the Vale Club. About half an hour later the procession reaches the top of Caerlee Hill (beside TV mast) where, by putting a torch to the prepared bonfire, the Dux Boy (St. Ronan) enacts the culminating ceremony of Games Week – “Burning the De’il”.
St. Ronan’s Games and Cleikum Ceremonies is the Border Festival unique to Innerleithen. Instituted in 1827 there has been a summer gathering in Innerleithen every year since the inception of St. Ronan’s Border Games in 1827 (with the exception of periods of global conflict). Originally encompassing two days of competitive sport and evening entertainment “Games Week”, always culminates on the third Saturday in July, now spreads over ten days. Games Week is organised and conducted by an elected committee of townspeople, some of them past festival principals, assisted by other volunteers. Although a grant is received from the local authority the festival is mainly funded by sponsorship, donations, the patronage scheme and collections from the public.
GAMES WEEK EVENTS
Thursday: A social event is held for the senior citizens of the district in the Memorial Hall. This free event comprises entertainment, a light super and dancing.
Friday: The Ex-Standard Bearers' Association holds a dinner-dance for members and invited guests
Saturday (afternoon): A football fives tournament is held in the Victoria Park (Public Park).
Saturday (evening): The Saturday immediately preceding Games Saturday is the date of the Standard Bearer’s Ball. This event gives the Standard Bearer Elect and his supporters the opportunity to entertain visiting principals from other Borders festivals in return for hospitality they themselves have received and is also attended by many townsfolk and visitors. The Ball is held in a specially erected marquee at St. Ronan's Community School.
Sunday: At 11am St. Ronan’s Silver Band leads the parade of principals along the High Street and on to the Parish Church for the “Kirkin’”, a special church service held to inaugurate Games Week. In the afternoon Innerleithen Pipe Band and St. Ronan’s Silver Band entertain the public in the High Street.
Monday: A Car Treasure Hunt is held in the evening. Starting from the forecourt of the Memorial Hall at 5.30pm and open to all, with cash prizes and food and refreshments served afterwards.
Tuesday: The Children’s Sports and Treat take place in Victoria Park starting at 6.30pm. Following the sports at 8.15pm the younger children (4 – 7 years) are entertained by a professional children’s entertainer in the Vale Club. A disco is held in the Memorial Hall for the older children (8 – 13 years).
Wednesday: This is traditionally a night off for Games committee members. There is, however, a Quiz Night held in and organised by Lodge St. Ronan’s No. 856 Social Club which is open to all.
Thursday: Judging for the Fancy Dress takes place at 7pm in Victoria Park. The Fancy Dress Parade assembles in Hall Street before proceeding along the High Street at 7.30pm accompanied by pipe and brass bands. This parade is always large and impressive, a spectacle not to be missed.
Friday: The Cleikum Ceremonies are held in the Memorial Hall, starting at 7pm, when the Dux Boy is installed as the representative of the Patron Saint, the Dux Girl is invested and the Standard Bearer installed and the banner entrusted to his keeping. At 7.45pm the service “For the Fallen” takes place outside at the War Memorial and this is followed by another short outdoor ceremony at 8.30pm at St. Ronan’s Wells. There is an interval until 10.15pm when a Torchlight Procession departs Hall Street for Masonic Ceremony performed before the Runic Cross at the front of the Parish Church. At the conclusion of this event the festival principals, townsfolk and visitors, led by St. Ronan’s Silver Band, escort first the Dux Girl and then the Dux Boy to their respective homes.
Saturday: The Children’s Flower Parade, led by the festival principals and accompanied by several brass and pipe bands, parades through the streets of the town, leaving from Hall Street at 11 o’clock in the morning. The next event is the “Race Round the Town” at 1.30pm and this is followed by a massed bands parade which leaves from the Vale Club. From 2 – 5pm St. Ronan’s Border Games are held in Victoria Park. As well as professional running on the track there are hill races and entertainment for children. In the evening at 7pm Innerleithen Pipe Band and St. Ronan’s Silver Band perform “Beating the Retreat” in the High Street. At 10pm a Torchlight Procession of principals and members of the public departs from outside the Vale Club. About half an hour later the procession reaches the top of Caerlee Hill (beside TV mast) where, by putting a torch to the prepared bonfire, the Dux Boy (St. Ronan) enacts the culminating ceremony of Games Week – “Burning the De’il”.
