Bill is an original and has written some of the funniest songs to have come out of Scotland. Backed with sharp incisive and hilarious comment, Bill was one of the country's most sought after performers on the Scottish scene. Songs like 'The Portree Kid', The Scottish Holiday' and 'The Sunday Driver' became standard items in the repertoire of The Corries and other songs found their way into the acts of many artistes performing on the folk scene. Bill Barclay, Hamish Imlach and Alastair Macdonald, to name a few.

In the 70s and 80s, Bill presented and wrote humourous songs for Radio Forth and some of these found their way into publications such as 'Punch', one was included in Jocky Wilson's Own Story and one was performed on the Beechgrove Garden. He has appeared on many TV and radio programmes and has recorded four albums.

Bill retired from the circuit due to family commitments and is still missed, although his songs are still performed all over the world.

Bill has turned to public speaking and, through his long interest in the Robert Burns movement, has delivered all of the major toasts and replies and his recitations of 'Tam o' Shanter' and 'Holy Willie's Prayer' have delighted companies all over Scotland and beyond. He has often been involved in, and organised, MacGonagall suppers and his 'Tay Bridge Disaster' is a tour de force. Increasingly, he has been spreading his net wider. Golf clubs, sportsman's dinners, conferences, smokers and company events have been entertained with his original approach. He will always, given proper briefing, write an original and humourous poem or song for the event and tailor his performance to the occasion, gently lampooning the club worthies or company hierarchy and staff to the delight of the people present.

• Bill is not the 'quick fire gag' type of speaker - he observes
  
• He does not do 'stag material', he doesn't need to to be funny
  
• He is not a sportsman – so no jokes that you have heard before
  
• His is a new approach to after – dinner entertainment!

If you are looking for a unique and original after-dinner entertainment, (sometimes he even gets his guitar out!) ... Bill will fit the Bill!

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Discography

• Miscellaneous Dross (Pan Audio Records; Corries Music Ltd)
  
• Bill Hill's Police Record (Alba Records)

• Introducing the Caern – a Collection of Scots Folk (with the Caern Trio; Emerald Records)
  
• Irish Folk Favourites (with the Caern Trio; Emerald Records)

Broadcasting

• Two years with Radio Forth presenting 'Folkspun' and writing experience humourous topical songs for the news and sports programmes
  
• Many individual appearances on Radio Scotland, Radio Clyde, Northsound, Borders and Westsound
  
• TV appearances on BBC, STV, Grampian,Yorkshire,Danish, and German National TV
  
• Networked on 'Scotland's Story' by Tom Steel.

After dinner events

• Benefit events for Pat Stanton, Jackie MacNamara, and Alan Gordon
  
• Sportsmen's Dinners with Willie Hunter, Tony Higgins, Billy Bremner, Craigie Veitch and George McNeil

Hosting and compering

• Haddington Fire Brigade Sportsmens Dinners
  
• Royal College of Midwives Burns' Supper
  
• Balerno SNP Burns' Supper
  
• Edinburgh Folk Festival Final Usher Hall Concert and many other folk festival events
  
• Countless McGonagall Suppers
  
• various Political Party events, (all Parties)
  
• ... and many Police events

In addition, Bill is a trained and experienced Edinburgh guide with a vast knowledge of the City, its stories, and its history. If you are having an event in Edinburgh, Bill may also, by negotiation, customise a tour to the needs or interests of your clients, staff or members.

He joined Lanarkshire Referees Association in 1970 and has often been compared to Hugh Dallas -- compared to Hugh Dallas he is brilliant. John referees in the Lanarkshire Amateur and YMCA leagues and officiated at last year's Scotland vs. Ireland Amateur International.

Off-duty his hobbies are jogging, gardening, refereeing and after dinner speaking. Any spare time left is devoted to Fir Park School, Motherwell, a school for children with special learning needs, many of whom have Downs Syndrome. Until recently he served on the school board.

Prior to taking up refereeing he played football at Junior level and once played for Albion Rovers on a trial basis. His feelings and any signing aspirations were somewhat damaged when the then chairman Tom Fagan informed John that he would be "a waste of a seat on the bus to Brechin".

John presently works Monday to Friday in the police and referees on a Saturday. He really looks forward to a Sunday as this is the only day that his parentage is not openly questioned.

Since 1998 he has been a regular on the After Dinner Circuit and has performed at a variety of venues ranging from local establishments to the top hotels throughout Scotland.

His true and extremely funny refereeing anecdotes allied to stories gathered from 29 years in Strathclyde Police continue to enrich and entertain the after dinner circuit and hopefully will do so for many years to come.

Although happy to accept any challenge he specialises in speaking at Sportsman's Dinners, Golf Days, Burns' Suppers and corporate events.

Len Murray, Justice of the Peace, Batchelor of Law, Solicitor to the Supreme Courts of Scotland, spent over thirty years in full-time practice as a solicitor in Glasgow until he retired. He now says that he wishes he had done so years ago. So do his former clients. He is Glaswegian by birth though he now lives in Bearsden, a district lying slightly north of Drumchapel.

A graduate of Glasgow University he practised in the Courts throughout his professional life and he even thinks that he became almost good at it. For many years he was associated with head-line cases and head-line people and was regarded as one of the most able court lawyers of his time. He was once described by a High Court Judge as the most respected pleader of his generation. His colleagues nicknamed him 'The Silver Fox' though they never said why.

He was appointed the first media spokesman for the Law Society of Scotland in litigation matters and in that capacity he appeared regularly on radio and television over the years where his views were sought on a wide range of topics. They were, however, seldom heeded. Notwithstanding that he still makes occasional contributions on radio, television and in the press.

He served on many of the professional bodies connected with the practice of the law in Scotland and for some years he was Vice-Chairman of the Central Committee of the Law Society. He still has responsibility for convening the training courses for solicitors seeking extended rights of audience in the High Court of Justiciary. He was also a member of the part-time staff of Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities and for some sixteen years was a guest lecturer at the Scottish Police College Tulliallan.

In addition to his position as Senior Consultant to his former firm, he sits from time to time as Chairman of Employment Tribunals. He is also Chairman of the family business - Murray Inns Ltd - which owns a number of public houses in Glasgow and Central Scotland. He has promised that one of these days he will retire. His sons (who are his co-directors in the business) are probably looking forward to that.

He has been a prominent after-dinner speaker for many years and has spoken throughout the country, in North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Far East.

He is widely regarded as an authority on Robert Burns and has spoken on Burns in many countries - from Edmonton, Alberta in the West to Singapore in the East. He is a former Honorary President of Greenock Burns Club, the oldest Burns Club in the world and an Honorary Life Member of that club.

In his other leisure moments his interests are all things Scottish, football, gardening and golf. He is a member of Cawder Golf Club and he plays the game with an enthusiasm which his ability has never justified. He played football in his youth and at University. He was once told that there was only one reason he was not chosen to represent the Scottish Universities - he was no bleeding use. As a boy he once represented Scotland at tennis but was never asked again. Otherwise his sporting achievements are singularly few.

He is married to Elizabeth (his only wife) who is not only the mother of his three sons but she is also the grandmother of his two grandchildren.

Len Murray ... consummate after-dinner speaker.
James Freeman, The Herald

The encores still resound.
J Grant Carson, Chairman, English Speaking Union

The results are in. It is a rave review! I cannot thank you enough.
Supt Chris Keegan, Strathclyde Police

It was hilarious! There were several guests in tears with laughter at your tales.
Fiona Colley, Fundraising Manager, Epilepsy Association of Scotland

I loved your speech. I have been chuckling at bits of it ever since.
Rt Hon David Mellor PC QC

Len Murray held his audience captivated.
Stirling Observer

A masterly performance.
Jack Webster, The Herald

He also appears regularly at golf clubs, Rotary Clubs, football clubs and fundraising dinners across Scotland and beyond and, unsurprisingly for an Ayrshire man, is to be found in January of any year delivering various toasts at Burns Suppers and related events. His highly animated Address to the Haggis is well known while he offers a range of style for The Immortal Memory, from the light and relatively frivolous to the more serious in-depth interpretations of Scotland's Bard and his works as befits someone who read Scottish Literature at Edinburgh University.

Nolan's style of humour is witty and inventive and his creativity is also in demand as a speech writer for others. He is a professional PR and media consultant who spent years in the drinks industry where, among many other activities, he looked after and managed the famous Tennent's Lager Can Girls, icons of style, beauty and sex appeal for several decades and household names across Scotland. His behind-the-scenes account of life on the road with some of the country's leading glamour girls is hilarious as are his tales from his global travels with rugby players, and other sportsmen, of varying abilities.

Bill Nolan is a popular after dinner speaker who is able to entertain comfortably both single-gender and mixed audiences simply because his humour is never down market - with Bill Nolan, laughter doesn't depend on smut but on genuine humour, much of it self-deprecating and based on personal experiences.

Craigie Veitch is a former Racing Editor and Sports Editor with Scotsman Publications. When the computer came into his office he took early retirement, along with the hot metal.

Since then, he has become one of the country's busiest after-dinner speakers.

Craigie has addressed ex-pats in Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta, Beirut and Lisbon. He has covered the UK and top-tabled with the Institute of Petroleum at Grosvenor House in London, the Variety Club of Great Britain, The Newspapers' and Advertisers' Golfing Society, as well as numerous Round Table soirees. He has addressed the Yorkshire Master Builders in Hull and in York, the RUC Football Club in Belfast, and the Arthur Andersen Company in Bournmouth. Craigie is well-known on the SFA, Scottish Golf and Rugby circuit and is a regular performer at testimonial dinners, corporate golf days and business seminars.

He is a man of letters, being a former East of Scotland Scrabble champion.

His main educational claim to fame is that he once shared an ink-well at school with Sean Connery, and, in true journalistic style, insists he taught 007 all he knows about acting and elocution.

Craigie was principal speaker when Sean Connery was guest of honour at The Edinburgh Press Club Dinner.

Over the years, Craigie has told so many stories about Connery that he is now beginning to believe them. But, would a journalist lie?

Craigie Veitch is also a winner of two prestigious Wit's Dinner awards.

John spent eleven years with Motherwell - the club he had supported as a boy. Playing under such famous men as Ally McLeod, Davie Hay, Jock Wallace and Tommy McLean, he won two first division championship medals in 1981 and 1985.

After a glorious testimonial season in 1990, John moved on to Greenock Morton where he spent four indifferent years under his favourite manager Allan McGraw, before retiring in 1994.

John is a fully qualified SFA coach holding an 'A' Diploma and spent three very successful years as the SFA Football Development Officer in Clackmannanshire.

His tales of woe about life in and out of football have whipped up a comical storm at every conceivable venue from the Shetland Isles to the Scottish Borders.

Whether flirting with triumph or disaster John's philosophy has always been the same ... 'You've Got To Laugh.'

"Go and see John Gahagan at a dinner ... applaud until your hands hurt!" Daily Mail

An hilarious, fast moving and very entertaining show!

As instrumentalists they have all been individual Scottish champions and collectively they were Scotstar award winners for best ensemble and as such have appeared on BBC, Scottish and Grampian Television and all major Scottish radio stations.

The Currie Brothers have recorded six albums and have been honoured to appear before Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.