Tourism
FAMOUS PEOPLE
Sport
BILL SHANKLY (1913 - 1981)
Born in the village of Glenbuck, South of Muirkirk on the A70 ,
one of the major routes into East Ayrshire from the South, he is
remembered by this memorial stone listing his achievement in the
world of football.
From his humble beginnings with the Glenbuck Cherrypickers
through to his time in charge of Liverpool F.C.
The Shankly Gates are situated next to the Anfield
Road End of Liverpool's ground. They were unveiled in 1982 in memory
of the famous reds manager Bill Shankly. The gates use the adopted
Liverpool anthem, 'You'll Never Walk Alone' across the top
and are used as the entrance to Anfield for the team coaches on
match days. There is also the Shankly Statue.
For those who want to find out more about this village
football team that sent players to teams like Preston North End,
Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Everton and Scottish giants
like Kilmarnock and Hearts of Midlothian, many of whom moved on
into management, read The Cherrypickers, co-written by Rev M. H.
Faulds and William Tweedie, Jnr. Still available in the Dick Institute,
Kilmarnock.
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^ Bill Shankly Memorial at Glenbuck
(Select for a larger picture)
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Cameron Sharpe (1960 - present)
Cameron Sharp is the most successful track and field athlete that Ayrshire
has ever produced. His career was prematurely ended by a serious car accident
in 1991 and he has won admiration for his courageous fight against his
injuries. He was educated at Kilmarnock Academy.
In the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Sharp won a gold medal in
the 4x100m relay. The Scottish Relay Team included Allan Wells, David
Jenkins and Drew McMaster. In the Commonwealth Games of 1982 in Brisbane,
Scotland's sprint dominance in Athletics was shown by Cameron Sharp's
Bronze in both the 100m and 200m as well as Allan Wells win in the 100m
and 200m and the Men's 4x100m relay team who won Bronze.
Margaret McDowall
Margaret McDowall, a talented swimmer, was a pupil of Kilmarnock Academy.
She was a member of the Scottish Swimming Team from the age of 14. The
Kilmarnock Academy swimming baths were still in use and she used them
for her training - a memorable sight for her contemporaries at the academy.
In the 1950s she was the dominant force in British women's backstroke
swimming. Her greatest achievement was to win the silver medal in the
1952 Helsinki Olympics. She was also in the triumphant Scottish Medley
Relay Team in the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. The glory for
Scotland at the games was the triumph of our three women swimmers - all
we had - in the medley relay. Helen O. Gordon, Margaret Girvan and Margaret
McDowall won in a new Games record time of 3 mins 51 secs. Victory against
the swimming teams from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and England had
seemed too much to hope for. Margaret McDowall, a talented swimmer, was
a pupil of Kilmarnock Academy.
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