Great story about Lynn Farrell's 90th birthday, says Davidson

To the Editor:
RE: “Kincardine man has seen a lot of changes in the past 90 years”

The following letter was written to Eian Farrell, congratulating his father, Lynn, on his 90th birthday, and the article about Lynn, written by Liz Dadson, in the Kincardine Record:

Man, what a great story. Both my grandfathers were farmers and I had three uncles who were farmers, and when I was a kid, I was always out at one of their farms. So, I can relate to lots of Lynn’s stories here. I have printed it off and placed it in my scrapbook.

Your Dad looks so good in his four-score-and-10th year. He looks like he could still dig one of those holes for a hydro pole he describes to Liz in her story.

A few years ago (2016), a government agency sent university students all across Canada where they set up interviews in small-town Canada talking to the people about highlights/wonders in their towns. The program was called “Tale Of A Town.”

Two students came to Kincardine and set up a kiosk on Queen Street, just north of the arts centre (former town hall), for a week. They wanted to talk to someone in the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band about the Phantom Piper of the Kincardine Lighthouse. The band assigned the task to me and I was interviewed one night before a Saturday Night Parade.

They also interviewed Lynn Farrell. So, prior to leaving Kincardine, they invited all of us who had been interviewed to come to a farewell meeting (goodies served) at the library. Among other things, we were told that a video of their week’s work would be coming down when they got back to Ottawa and things were edited. 

Here is the rub – I forget how Lynn got on to one of his Kincardine stories that day in the library – I was sitting next to him and he told those assembled about the time in the 1940s when several carloads of cattle came in to town from the west. AND ... when they were being unloaded to go into cattle trucks, there was a huge stampede – all hell broke loose - there were cattle running everywhere and some of the cattle jumped into the harbour. It was a story I had never heard before and the way Lynn told it was so, so interesting. I think Liz should revisit Lynn and interview him about the cattle stampede at the harbour and put in an addendum to her story!

“Tale Of A Town” sent the interview it had done with me, to John McManus and he passed it on to me and the band. I know the organization would have sent Lynn his interview as well. Get this – there is some government building in Ottawa (maybe the National Arts Building?) that still has the “Tale Of A Town” where you can view the various towns the students visited – I know because from time to time, I get calls from some of my old Kincardine friends saying they punched in Kincardine and the interviews pop up, including the one I did.

One of those who called me about this, was Ruth Ehgoetz, a few years back after she and Kenton had visited Ottawa. So there you go, Eian, next time you and Jennifer visit Ottawa, go to the building that shows “Tale Of A Town” from Canada’s 150th Anniversary Year – punch in Kincardine and then Lynn Farrell and you will hear some of his other great stories – “The Cattle Stampede at Kincardine Harbour” - your Dad is famous!

Please tell Lynn, “Congratulations and Happy Belated 90th Birthday.” Tell Mom she looks great too. Give them both a big hug and tell them it is from Keith and Lola Davidson. Your parents are special. We love them. They were always so nice to us over the years.

Slainte Mhath!
R. Keith Davidson
Kemble Shore and Kincardine