Kate Kennedy Club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kate Kennedy Club is an historical club from the University of St Andrews. In its present form it was founded in 1926 but with origins in the early fifteenth century.
In 1926 two students of University of St Andrews, Donald Kennedy and James Doak, inspired by J. M. Barrie's Rectorial address on "Courage" and with the assistance of Principal Sir James Irvine revived The Kate Kennedy Annual Procession. The Procession was to be organised solely by the Kate Kennedy Club, a stipulation by the University Court and the Principal.
The Procession has its roots in the middle of the 15th century when Kate Kennedy, 'niece' (or illegitimate daughter, or the name of a bell on St Salvator's Tower), of Bishop James Kennedy was celebrated in the streets by townspeople and students for her beauty and her arrival as a sign of spring.
By the time of the first extant records, the Procession was no longer entirely respectable or desirable; it had got into the wrong hands and onto the wrong lines. As a result the university authorities banned it in 1881.
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[edit] Revival
In February 1926 one or two enthusiasts who had long hankered after a revival outlined their proposals to the principal and made promises in return for permission to restart the festival of Kate. It was run as an historical progression, though far from completely illustrative of St. Andrews' history for lack of funds. Nevertheless, it was a beginning, and with every year the Procession was considerably extended. In 1926, the great problem was to ensure that Kate should never again be liable to banishment, that rules and regulations should clearly define future activities of the Procession.
Currently the most visible highlights of the Club's calendar include the Procession, the Kate Kennedy Charity May Ball (the largest student ball in Scotland), and the St Andrews University Charity Opening Ball. The Club also organises less well-known events such as a commemoration of the martyrdom of Patrick Hamilton, a torch-lit procession in honour of John Honey and the oldest Archery Competition in Scotland.
[edit] Aims
The Kate Kennedy Club exists to preserve the Kate Kennedy Annual Procession and has three aims:
- Maintaining the traditions of the University and town of St Andrews
- Upholding and improving Town and Gown relations
- Raising money for local Fife charities
[edit] Members
The number of undergraduate members cannot exceed sixty and only male matriculated students of St Andrews University are eligible to apply for membership. The Club admits nine bejants each year, after a series of hecklings. It also invites male tertians and magistrands who the Club deems to have been outstanding contributors to the University, Town and Kate Kennedy Club to join. A committee, which presently consists of Scott Tindle (President), Jamie Barter (Vice President), Olly Markerson (Treasurer) and Thomas Wright (Secretary), is elected to oversee the running of the Club.
Alumni of the Kate Kennedy Club remain members for life.
