by yoker brian » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:09 pm
Turns out I was at school with the brothers of WPC Kirsty Nelis, who was killed on Friday whilst serving with the Air Support Unit.
I lost touch with the family many years ago , but still dosent lessen the numbness felt by the tragedy that unfolded on Friday night.
Spirit of Glasgow
Following the tragic events of Friday night in Glasgow, much has been mentioned about the spirit of Glasgow and her people in times of adversity, and the resilience shown to meet these challenges head on and support our fellow Glaswegians, whether it's the Clutha, the Terrorist Attack at the Airport, the Ibrox Stadium Disaster or the Cheapside St Fire, the spirit of Glasgow shines through.
I was reminded that the word Clutha comes from the Gaelic word for the Clyde, the river on which our city stands, indeed it is said the Clyde made Glasgow and Glasgow made the Clyde, from the tobacco lords in the 18h Century through to our world famous shipyards in the 20th century, the Mighty Clyde flows through the heart of our city, it brought many to our city looking to settle in the dear green place, as they fled famine, persecution or the ravages of conflict in their homeland, just as it was the last sight of Glasgow to many looking to start a new life adventure across the Atlantic or further afield to Australia and New Zealand.
To me crossing the bridge into Glasgow Central and getting a glimpse of the river says to me "that's it your home"
The Clyde divides the city north and south, but the Clyde is the life source of the city and it's people, simply put, without the Clyde, the city as we know it today wouldn't exist.
Glaswegians work hard and play harder, we're renowned for our sense of humour, and our fondness for the drink, but when tragedy befalls us, we get the sleeves rolled up and get stuck in, that was evident on Friday night, when instead of running away from disaster, ordinary people ran to the Clutha to help the injured, before handing over to the emergency services, who were not only having to deal with the event and remain professional knowing that some of their colleagues were trapped inside the wreckage, you won't find tougher people than the men and woman of the Glasgow Police & Fire Service, but they're human beings like the rest of us, and we should be eternally grateful for the work they do day in day out to protect or help us in our time of need.
The Glasgow Mosque opened its doors to allow the rescue workers some respite and to provide shelter to the injured and their families, a local Fast-food restaurant provide much needed refreshments to the rescue workers, local residents provided soup and hot drinks, a local hotel provided facilities which allowed tired and weary rescuers to freshen up or have a rest, others provided sandwiches and biscuits, a taxi company offered free travel to the friends and family of the victims as they visited the hospital bedsides of their loved ones, that to me sums up the Spirit of Glasgow.
Just as the River Clyde brought her people together from across the globe, the tragic events at the Clutha has brought her people together in mourning
To the memory of all those who perished, Rest in Peace.
Let Glasgow Flourish.
Milk Sucks, Got Beer?