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. (Bronze statue on Irvine's harbourside) Modern Irvine (A.K.A. Irvine New Town) is made up of a number of other towns and villages, some of which are Kilwinning, Auld (Old) Irvine itself, Dreghorn, Springside, Dundonald and many more. The Marymass Festival (source Neil Stirrat) Irvine is rich with tradition but none is held more highly than the Marymass Festival. Every year for almost 1000 years the festival has been celebrated on the third Saturday following the first Monday of August On that day Irvine Moor becomes the stage for what is the oldest horse racing event in the world to claim a continuous history stretching throughout the centuries. The history of Marymass has two roads leading from the ancient pasts: on one hand - tradition relates the Festival with pre- Christian rites and with the coming of Christianity the celebrations assumed the early Christian emphasis on the worship of the Virgin Mary. In 1451 a Confirmation of grant in the reign of James II refers to" the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Irvine". On the other hand - the modern relation of Marymass to the past, as associated in the minds of today's citizens of Irvine, is with Mary Queen of Scots, who according to tradition visited the now ruined Seagate Castle in 1563 and took part in the celebrations that year. The association of Carters dates back to this time when some of the men left the Burgh of Irvine to join the battle forces of Mary Queen of Scots to fight at the battle of Langside in 1568. It is from this that comes the historical reason for the introduction of the Annual Ceremony of the crowning of the "Marymass Queen" - an innovation to the Festival made in 1928. The actual proceedings on Marymass day are worthy of note in this account because of the survival of the ancient pageantry still incorporated and will doubtless will be maintained in all future celebrations. In the forenoon of the day brothered Carters, led by their Captain elected by a vote a week earlier ride the marches of the town - according to tradition - the horses in gaily decorated procession being those which in the afternoon participate in the races on the Moor. Following-the crowning of the Queen, Councillors with the Carters proceed to the racecourse, where they join with the townsfolk of Irvine in celebrating 1000 years of tradition. Seagate Castle (Source Neil Stirrat) Irvine's oldest ruin, is situated in Irvine's
oldest thoroughfare, "sea gait" "gait" didn't refer to a
barrier or gate, but meant walk or way. The castle owes it's location to the
port which was situated at the foot of seagate.
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