Published: Thursday, 9th April, 2009 12:30 from http://www.dunfermlinepress.com
East End Tribute to Stuart By Gary Fitzpatrick
original article from the Dunfermline Press
http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/articles/1/38265
A MURAL celebrating the achievements of late singer Stuart Adamson will be unveiled at his beloved East End Park on Saturday, which would have been his 51st birthday.
The colourful work, capturing the life and loves of Stuart, has been created by art students from the city’s high schools.
The Skids and Big Country star was a fervent Pars fan and liked nothing better than to spend Saturday afternoons on the terracing cheering on the team.
In fact, he enjoyed the East End banter so much that he turned down the chance to become a club director much preferring to be remain beside the fans he had known for years.
In the years since his death in 2001, music fans have proposed a memorial to Stuart and his family believed such a tribute should be in beside the East End fans.
Art students from Dunfermline High and Queen Anne, who are themselves too young to remember the hey-day of Big Country, studied photographs and spoke to his family to find out about Stuart and his interests.
They have produced a highly impressive colourful montage of images of Stuart, which has delighted the singer’s family.
Daughter Kirsten, herself a singer with the group The Gillyflowers, said, “The artists have done a great job and this was definitely the right place for my dad to be remembered.
“He loved coming here and would come back home hoarse after all the shouting. It’s great that he is being remembered in this way in Dunfermline.”
Stuart’s image will now look out on East End near to depictions of the club’s greatest heroes such as Norrie McCathie, Jock Stein, Istvan Kozma and, of course, Jim Leishman.
Stuart marched through the city in support of big Leish when his first spell as manager came to a controversial end and the two became friends over the years.
Looking over the pitch, Jim said, “Stuart would always stand over in that corner when he was back home but when his work took him all over the world he would always phone home to find out the score.
“I once offered him the chance to be a director but he enjoyed just being a normal fan being able to shout and cheer and didn’t want to swap that for the directors’ box.”
Stuart’s brother-in-law Jamie Davidson said, “He was a great Pars fan but loved all football and went to see matches of any standard anywhere he was.
“He also enjoyed playing for the Fod Sunday league team and would come back from some weird places just for a match. The band would wake up abroad after playing somewhere and Stuart would be away heading back to play in the Sunday league.”
The artists are Sean Adair (18), Joe Burrell (17), Siobhan Scott (17), Stephen Williamson (17), Jade Cruikshank (18), all of Dunfermline High, and Deborah Lobban (16).
They are also producing two other works, with one of them going into the Legends Bar at the stadium.
In a future charity project, the wall space at either side of Stuart’s mural, has been earmarked for fans to have their face painted in a crowd scene with proceeds going to the club’s youth team.
And a signed guitar donated by U2’s The Edge to Kirsten is expected to raise thousands of pounds when it is auctioned for the youth set-up and CHAS.
As a young musician, The Edge was a big fan of The Skids and their song ‘The Saints Are Coming’ was covered by U2 and Green Day in a massive charity hit in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Kirsten, her brother Callum and their mum Sandra will be at the unveiling before Saturday’s match against St Johnstone on what promises to be an emotional day for family and fans alike.
Kenny Graham (with guitar), Kirsten Adamson, and pupils Stephen Williamson, Siobhan Scott, Sean Adair, Joe Burrell and Deborah Loban pictured beside the mural.
The Tam White gig at Abbot House, Dunfermline on Thursday 11th June is now SOLD OUT!
As part of the upcoming FifeFest events we are pleased to announce that From The Jam, featuring original Jam members Bruce Foxton & Rick Buckler, will be playing Velocity on August 8th. 
Since the last open day over a year ago , The Alhambra Theatre has had extensive works carried out internally – and now is your chance to see how things have progressed.
Carl Barât
