Hard to believe it has been three years since I last arrived in Gourock to help my sister, Morag. Now after three operations on my left hip (and several dislocations), today I celebrate the third consecutive Christmas with her. And this evening, we both enjoyed a nice chateau briand and mini Christmas puddings plus other trimmings. Hope my readers had as delicious a meal.
I offer no comment on the state of our world other than to say that I feel great sorrow for the generations following us that undoubtedly they will face challenges of a more dangerous character and magnitude than we ever encountered.
Having regained some of my strength, I hope to continue the MACCORMICK family pieces next week. In the meantime, for those of you who missed the event, here is a report from The University of Edinburgh Law School.
“Commemorative bust of Professor Sir Neil MacCormick unveiled
“First of four portraits created by sculptor Kenny Hunter revealed on Friday, 25th November 2016
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The late Professor Sir Neil MacCormick was a leading legal theorist, public intellectual, and a central figure in the modern history of Edinburgh Law School. The Law School’s main meeting room bears his name as an acknowledgement of his legacy as a scholar, jurist and politician.
“To honour this memory, sculptor Kenny Hunter was commissioned to create a number of busts of Professor MacCormick. The first of these was unveiled by MacCormick’s widow, Flora, on Friday 25th November. Neil’s sister Marion and his daughters, Morag and Sheena, were also present. A large group of colleagues, ex-colleagues, friends, family and members of the Edinburgh Law School community came together to celebrate the occasion.
“Professor Neil Walker, friend and colleague of MacCormick and his successor as Regius Professor of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations, spoke in Neil’s honour and Kenny Hunter spoke about the process of developing the portraits.
“The MacCormick commemorative project was enabled by the generosity of friends and alumni of the Law School and we are grateful for their support. Two of the busts will be displayed at the Old College reception [in 2018] following its refurbishment One of the two remaining sculptures will be shown at the Royal Society of Edinburgh and it is intended that the other will reside at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
“You can learn more about the life of Professor MacCormick and his memorial fund here.”