Stromness girl cuts a dash dancing at Edinburgh Tattoo
(Story dated September 2, 2004)

Deirdre MacDonald (front) in action at the Edinburgh Tattoo as part of an Australian Highland dance group.

Having just realised a Highland dance dream at the Edinburgh Tattoo, a former Stromness woman is visiting Orkney this week to come back down to earth.

Deirdre MacDonald, who lives in Australia with her husband, has spent the last month dancing with the Oz Scot highland dancers, in the world famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Having impressed a judge who selects dancers for the tattoo at a workshop back in Australia, Deirdre was asked to join the team on a trip to Edinburgh.

Deirdre, 29, and her husband, Barry, 31, live in Beaconsfield, near Melbourne, but didn’t think twice about making the trip.

Deirdre said: “I did a competition about a year ago with the judge who selects for the tattoo. Then I did a workshop with her the day after, and she asked if I’d come along. I was really shocked. I couldn’t believe it!”

Deirdre, who is a nurse, arranged time off from her work, and her employers were completely understanding: “My work knew that it was the Edinburgh Tattoo, and they were fine about it.”

Packing their bags for the long journey, Deirdre and Barry jetted off to Edinburgh. For Deirdre, it was her second time back in the UK since moving, but it was Barry’s first in five years.

The couple decided to go travelling for a year after they married in Orkney in 1999. They went to Australia, and Deirdre managed to find sponsorship to stay there through her work.

She said: “We were originally just travelling for a year. We got married a week before we left! I am a nurse, and the hospital where I was working in Australia sponsored me to stay there permanently.”

Delighted with their new life in Oz, the couple have stayed there ever since. It wasn’t long before Deirdre renewed a passion for Highland dancing — something she had started when she was little.

She explained: “There was a Highland gathering out there (in Australia) and I asked one of the dancers if she did teaching. It was quite funny! She asked me how old my daughter was! I had to tell her it was for me.”

“I have been competing out there, maybe every three weeks, and I practice at my lessons three times a week. My dance teacher is Michelle Stokes.

“I have won a few premierships, but I’ve not won a championship yet. That’s one of my goals.”

Deirdre’s experiences of performing in the tattoo were very rewarding.

She said: “The feeling when you went out on that esplanade in front of 9,000 people was amazing. It was the most unbelievable, fantastic experience you could ever wish for as a dancer.

“I wasn’t one bit nervous. Once you get out there you just do it. We were told to smile all the time, but you couldn’t help it.”

The couple leave for Australia again on Monday, but not before catching up with family and old friends.

Deirdre said: “I came back two years ago for my sister’s wedding. This is the first time Barry’s been back in five years.”

Barry, who works as an electrician in a glass manufacturing company, added: “Our day to day life in Australia has completely changed. It’s a bit of a shock. Everything’s totally different to you.”

Barry’s kept his plans to visit Orkney a secret, to surprise family and friends:

“Nobody knew I was coming back. I just wanted to surprise them.”

As far as Deirdre’s latest achievements go, Barry couldn’t be happier. He said: “I’m just extremely proud.”