Dalry Covenanter Sculpture

Bill Dunigan, a member of the Scottish Covenanter Memorials Association and Managing Director of Mayflower Engineering Ltd, of Sheffield, wished to donate a steel sculpture to the Association in memory of the Covenanters. It was decided that this should be erected at St John's Town of Dalry to mark the starting point of the Pentland Rising, one of the most significant events during the 'fifty years' struggle', and in commemoration of the Covenanters in general. The sculpture, which is fabricated from stainless steel and Corten, is based on the 'Burning Bush' from Exodus chapter 3. The sculpture is 5 metres in height and the steel weighs 3 tons. On some of the leaves are names of some important Covenanters:
 
William and Alexander Gordon of Earlstoun, Dalry;
Margaret MacLauchlan and Margaret Wilson, two Covenanters who were drowned in the rising Solway tide at Wigtown, 1685;
John Brown of Priesthill (Muirkirk, Ayrshire) who was shot by Graham of Claverhouse, May 1685;
Richard Cameron, who published the 'Sanquhar Declaration' which denounced the king and who was killed at the Battle of Airds Moss in Ayrshire in 1680, one week later;
Captain John Paton of Meadowhead (Fenwick, Ayrshire)  who took part in the battles of Mauchline Muir, Rullion Green and Bothwell Bridge. He was captured and sentenced to die in Edinburgh on 9 May 1684;
Rev. James Renwick,  born Moniaive, who held numerous large conventicles throughout Scotland. Executed in Edinburgh on 17 February 1688, the last Covenanter hanged in the capital;
Rev. Alexander Peden, born Sorn, another noted Covenanting minister, who suffered imprisonment. He died in 1686 and was buried in Auchinleck, but the soldiers dug up his grave and buried him in Cumnock (both Ayrshire) at the foot of the gallows tree.
 
The tree was unveiled on Saturday 18 September 2004 by the donor, Bill Dunigan, and Bill Niven, President of the Scottish Covenanter Memorials Association. The Service of Dedication was conducted by Rev David Bartholomew of Dalry Church. Assistance in the project was supplied by Dumfries and Galloway Council,  Dalry Community Council, Dalry Playpark Association, Glenkens Trust and the Galloway Association of Glasgow.