A new Christmas carol written by a retired widow from Largs was performed for the first time at Paisley Abbey, fulfilling a wish she had never dreamed would be granted. 
Catherine Murray, an 82 year old from Largs and her daughter Fiona White were at the historic abbey to hear her new carol performed by the Paisley Choristers in front of hundreds of people at a Christmas carol service.
The surprise performance came after Mrs Murray wrote to the Church of Scotland with a Christmas wish. Tucked inside the envelope, along with her letter, were the words and music for ‘Christmas Morning’, a new carol she had written herself.
Mrs Murray wrote: "I thought perhaps the children might like to hear a carol meant especially for them...I will be 83 soon and would love to hear this carol being sung by a wee group of children."
Her letter was so touching, the minister at Paisley Abbey, Rev Alan Birss, agreed to help make Catherine's wish come true.
Mrs Murray said: “I honestly feel like I’m in a dream. I can’t put into words what it means to me to hear my carol sung in Paisley Abbey by such a wonderful group of singers.
“I love children and I love music so this couldn’t have been more perfect."
After the service Mr Birss said: “We were delighted to be able to make it possible. It is a very lovely tune, very easy to listen to and it fitted beautifully into the carol service.”
The Abbey’s choir is renowned for its musical excellence, and Musical Director Professor George McPhee agreed to arrange a special arrangement for the choristers to sing to Catherine and her family as part of a service for the Accord Hospice.
Prof McPhee, who has been Musical Director at Paisley Abbey for 53 years, said:“The choristers immediately took to it and they found it very singable and very appealing. Obviously Mrs Murray has an intuitive gift for writing melodies and I hope that others will take it up.”
Mrs Murray ran a bed and breakfast in Crieff with her husband James for 10 years after his retirement from the Glasgow police force. Mr Murray was originally from Crieff and the couple met there as teenagers when she was there on holiday with her family.
“He was 12 and I was 13,” she says. The bike chain came off my bike and he offered to fix it. But he had a broken leg himself. It was quite romantic.”
The sweethearts kept contact by letter during their teen years, continuing throughout Mr Murray’s national service. They married and have a daughter, Fiona.
Mr Murray died in 2002 and Mrs Murray then moved to Largs, where she attends St Johns Church. She enjoys writing poems and creating music on her keyboard.
The couple’s daughter, Fiona White came to the Abbey to enjoy the carol service with her mother. Ms White said: “I’m so proud of my mum. She is always saying she is not musical and she is not as good as her sisters, but this proves she is.
“The choir sang beautifully and there will be no stopping her now. My mother is some kid.”
Following her husband’s death in 2002, and her own period of ill health, Catherine began writing poems and creating music on her keyboard. This was the first time one of her songs has been performed in public.

Photos by Jamie Simpson/Herald & Times