Jim Hay: RIP

Jim (centre) cuts the 25th anniversary cake for Scottish Radio Hour in 2010

With great sadness, we report the death on 30 August of Jim Hay of Adelaide, the long-serving and much loved Convenor for Clan Hay in South Australia.  He had been suffering from cancer for several years.

A native of Glasgow, Jim went early to Australia, where he became a pillar of South Australia's various Scottish societies, not least the Clan Hay Society.   Notably, he was one of the founders and main presenters of Channel 5EBI's popular Scottish Radio Hour, one of the main channels of Scottish music, news and culture for expatriates and Australians of Scottish descent.

Tributes were paid on his programme on 1 September, presented by Rachel Hay.  His friend John Thornton said Jim was "a happy man, contented with his life.  His honest richness of personality warmed everyone he touched.  Jim's thoughts were never for himself and he was one of the few truly selfless people I have ever met."

At his funeral on 7 September, Mo Dhachaigh was played on the pipes by his great friend Des Ross, Convenor of Clan Ross in Australia.

Jim is survived by his wife Freda, son Jason and granddaughter Sonya, to whom we send our deepest sympathy.