Organisers of a festival celebrating one of Scotland’s finest fiddle players were dismayed to find the Perthshire statue in his memory had been vandalised at the weekend.
The bronze memorial, by renowned Scottish sculptor David Annand, has stood at the road junction between Birnam and Dunkeld since its installation in December 2020.
The neck of the fiddle which the Niel Gow statue holds was found broken on the morning of Sunday February 9.
Festival organisers doubt that it can be repaired in time for this year’s Niel Gow Festival on the weekend of March 21 to 23.
Susanna Thomson, of the Niel Gow Festival Committee, said: “The breakage was first discovered on the morning of Sunday February 9.
“It is disappointing when pointless acts of vandalism like this occur.
“Considerable force must have been used to break the neck of the fiddle, which was cast in bronze.
“The statue has become a treasured fixture of the town and is often adorned with scarves and bonnets in the blue and white of St Johnstone FC.
“The memorial was created after years of fund raising by the Niel Gow Festival Society, and constantly catches the attention of visitors to the village who, until now, have interacted with Niel showing respect and curiosity.
“Most days, people can be seen taking photos and selfies of this most famous of fiddlers.
“The broken bronze can be repaired, though probably not before the Festival in March, which will attract musicians from all over Scotland and beyond.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 3.10pm on Sunday, February 9, 2025, we received a report of vandalism to a statue near the A923, Dunkeld.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”
Niel Gow was born in Strathbraan in March 1727 to John Gow and Catherine McEwan.
The family moved to Inver near Dunkeld when Niel was an infant.
He was very young when he started playing the fiddle and at age 13 received his first formal lessons from a John Cameron of Grandtully.
The 2025 Niel Gow Festival will celebrate its 20th year with concerts, workshops, sessions and more.
Niel Gow (1727-1807) – one of the founders of Scottish fiddle music – lived in the Dunkeld area his whole life.
The festival is a celebration of both him and the traditional music which he influenced.
In recent years the festival has expanded to include a variety of workshops for all ages as well as hosting an impressive collection of instrument makers and luthiers.
The Dunkeld Archives (located on the Cross in Dunkeld) will also be hosting a special exhibition in conjunction with the festival weekend.
The full programme is available on the festival website: nielgowfestival.co.uk and concert tickets can be booked from Birnam Arts.