John Dean – Crime Writer

Football holds a special place in the hearts of millions of people across the world, but it’s fair to say that not every fan realises the important place that Dumfries and Galloway holds in the history of the game.

No one who attends a special event being held at the forthcoming Kirkcudbright Book Festival will be left in any doubt. Appropriately, the event will be staged on a Saturday afternoon (March 7), the third day of the four-day festival, and will explain how the area was put on the world map with the recent revelation that what became the modern game was invented in the 16th Century at the settlement of Amwoth.

The story will be recounted by Ged O’Brien, the founder of the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park and author of Played in Glasgow, who is currently working on and researching The Scottish Game: How Scotland Invented Modern World Football, along with poet, author, performer and workshop facilitator Julie McNeill, who will explain Kircudbright Fringe’s collaboration with St Cuthbert Wanderers and launch a publication of stories and reflections on the club and game.

It’s a terrific project and more details, including how to book your tickets, can be found at www.kbtbookfestival.org