Ferguson, Ron. "It's a Blessing to Grow Up in a Rich Cultural Atmosphere." Glasgow Herald, 24 June 1999, p. 19.

Reflections prompted by the St. Magnus Festival. "Until his death three years ago, children in Stromness would regularly bump into George Mackay Brown, as he made his way down the street to get his messages. George would compose poems about these youngsters, writing every day in his neat hand in his little ruled notebook. Maxwell Davies would set the words to music, and these street encounters would themselves become festival events, sung by local schoolchildren and backed by outfits like the Scottish Chamber Orchestra."