Stonemasone ‘privileged' to create unique cairn for Kirkcaldy War Memorial centenary

George Sweeney’s sandstone cairn will be revealed by King Charles III during a special visit to mark the centenary of the war memorial on Wednesday.

It is unique because it honours those who gave their lives, and also those who served the public at home during times of war - a tribute to the military and community commitment of people across the Lang Toun.

The cairn also includes a time capsule buried within its foundations packed with items celebrating Kirkcaldy. They are all within the case of a shell fired to mark the death of the Queen in 2022.

The cairn sits just yards from the war memorial, and will feature a plaque detailing the visit of the King and Queen Camilla.

Mr Sweeney and his team have spent the past week putting the final touches to the monument and he said: “We couldn’t have done it without so many people. The co-operation and co-ordination with the council and British Legion has been incredible, There are a lot of unsung heroes involved that I don’t even know.”

The cairn took several months to create, and he described being involved as “an honour and a privilege.”

“The town should also be privileged and honoured to have this as a lot of sacrifices were made by families in war time. We recognise these with this cairn. I hope it is also a great community landmark for the people who died.

“I am very proud that it is now finished and in place. It has been a challenge, but a very enjoyable one.”

The time capsule within it is also a unique piece of history, filled with donations from groups across Kirkcaldy to give a snapshot of life today.

The groups and organisations which contributed had a chance to see all the items at a special gathering at Kirkcaldy Galleries before they were sealed and handed over to Mr Sweeney.

Buried within the cairn are memory sticks showing images and videos of the town, memorabilia including ties and pin badges from Balweari, Viewforth and Kirkcaldy High Schools, items from Fife College’s centenary, a Wemyss cat brooch made by Griselda Hill Potteries, and a famous red hackle from the Black Watch.

The capsule also includes a special personal letter from Prince Charles to the family of Sean Binnie, who was killed while on patrol with the Black Watch in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in May 2009. Items were also donated by Kirkcaldy Civic Society, Fife Cultural Trust, Linton Lane Centre, Kirkcaldy YMCA,and the Fife Free Press,

Jim Kinloch, Deputy Lord Lieutenant was present to explain the history of the casing, and the importance of the centenary events.

He said: “When we decided to re-dedicate the memorial we realised how unique it was. It is not just a war memorial - it is an intrinsic part of the galleries’ building as well. They are part of each other. This will be a landmark ceremony and also a celebration of 100 years of Kirkcaldy, and that deserves a lot of credit.”

“And If you are going to celebrate 100 years and let people know what we are about then a time capsule is a must.”