Dunfermline Weekly šµ 18 May 2025
Drier than Gran Canaria, community cinema announcement, Ā£3.2m worth of cannabis, lifts for DAFC, Knockhill's 50, and more
š„³ This is issue #100, which means we are closing in on DWās 2 year anniversary!
š Dry and sunny weather continues. Over the past few weeks has already led to Scotland being officially drier than the isles of the Mediterranean (STV), resulting or aggravating numerous fires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and leading to concerns over water supply this summer (BBC).
š«ļø NASA has published a satellite image showing the haar flooding the coastline of Scotland. (STV)
šļø Peacock Cinema is the new community cinema which will open in July. The partnership between OnFife and Dunfermline Regeneration Trust will operate out of Carnegie Hall. DW understands that the cinema has the summer season planned but it is unclear if this is just a pilot run and what the long term plan is for the project. You can follow Peacock Cinema on on Facebook or on Instagram for updates.
š Knockhill turns 50! It remains the only FIA approved circuit in Scotland and it will celebrate the anniversary with a weekend-long event. (STV)
š° Dalgety Bayās community hub That Place in the Bay is under police investigation following a report of āmanagerial and financial irregularitiesā. (Courier)
šØ Cowdenbeath cannabis farm is believed to be the biggest ever found in Fife, with nearly 2000 plants valued at Ā£3.2 million found on site. The farm in a former factory building at the Gateside Industrial Estate was raided in the previous week and a 70 year old man was arrested and charged. (STV, Courier)
ā½ Dunfermline Athletic are looking to add a lift at East End Park. The wheelchair-accessible lift is to be installed at the Main Stand next to the main entrance on Halbeath Rd. This addition would resolve the lack of disabled access to Legends Bar and the upper level suites, which are available for venue hire and not only for football events. (Dunfermline Press)
š³ļøāš Edinburgh Pride has banned all political parties over their inaction or outright support of the recent anti-trans Supreme Court judgement. There has been no announcement from Fife Pride as of yet. (BBC)
šļø Adamson Hotel in Crossford is up for sale for at least Ā£1.75 million. (Courier)
š ļø Rosythās Mens Shed has received approval to take over the brownfield site between Kings Rd and Camdean Crescent, as well as a donation of a fully fitted portacabin from the builders of the new high school in the town. (Dunfermline Press)
Place names of West Fife
šŗļø The last of the three major towns south of Dunfermline is Dalgety Bay. Itās also the newest, with construction started in 1960s on Navy land and Earl of Moray estate, but hides a fair number of interesting older names.
Dalgety - from Gaelic dealg āthornā with place endings, āplace of thorn-bushesā. Historical place was located at the eastern end of modern day town, where there remains of St Bridgetās church are found.
Donibristle - Gaelic, dĆ¹nadh āfortā and Breasal, or dĆ¹n āfortā and UĆ Bresail - the second element being a personal name in both cases. Locally worshipped St Bridget is said to come from the lineage of UĆ Bresail, and there is well recorded practice of saintsā kin promoting and overseeing their worship. Donibristle was held by bishops of Dunkeld on behalf of the priory on Inchcolm until the Reformation, when it became property of earls of Moray. The 20th century RAF base was also called Donibristle, and modern-day industrial estates of Dalgety Bay largely overlap with its extents.
Fordell - from Gaelic for āaboveā and dail āhaugh, watermeadowā. Probably describing the site of medieval Fordell Castle. It was a centre of a barony which extended all the way to the coast.
Letham - Gaelic leathan ābroad slopeā, describing the shape of the long hill.
St Davidās - in 1750s the laird of Fordell bought an area to build a harbour on the Forth to export coal from the estateās mining pits. The harbour was named after a sea rock called St Davidās Castle. Coastal rocks were often named after nearby shipwrecks, and it is possible a ship called St David crashed here previously.
Transport
š The new ScotRail timetable is in effect from today, introducing Leven-Dunfermline-Edinburgh connections. (ScotRail)