Elaine C Smith grazes cows on Glasgow Green to mark receiving city’s highest honour | UK News

Comedian Elaine C Smith has grazed cattle on Glasgow Green – a right that comes with being awarded the Freedom of Glasgow. 

The city’s highest honour, which she is one of the few women to receive, also allows her to fish in the River Clyde.

The Rab C Nesbitt and Two Doors Down star said it was “quite the honour” to be granted the award in recognition of her contribution to the arts and her embodiment as an advocate for women’s rights and values.

The official civic reception will take place on Friday, on the eve of International Women’s Day.

Smith exercised some of her new rights by grazing cattle borrowed from Pollok Park on Glasgow Green on Thursday.

She said: “As a newly minted freeman of Glasgow, I must say, it’s quite the honour.

“But let’s be clear, while I may be a ‘freeman’ by title, I am, and always will be, a free woman at heart.

“So, if you see me grazing Highland cattle on Glasgow Green or fishing in the Clyde, just remember, I’m exercising my rights as a free woman.”

Freemen traditionally have the right to graze their cows on the common land (Glasgow Green) and also have the duty to “patrol and guard the town” and to defend it by arms.

If freemen do not perform this duty, they could be prosecuted for perjury of their oath and, if convicted, have a right to a prison cell of their own.

Others granted the Freedom of the City of Glasgow include Sir Billy Connolly, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Sir Alex Ferguson and the late Nelson Mandela.

Only a handful of women have been awarded the honour, which has included scientist Marie Curie, who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

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Smith’s career has spanned more than 40 years in radio, television, film, and theatre.

She is a regular on the Glasgow pantomime scene, and on stage she has starred in shows including Calendar Girls, Annie and the Susan Boyle musical I Dreamed A Dream, which she co-wrote.

Smith is also a charity campaigner and political activist, particularly on issues such as poverty and women’s rights.

Glasgow’s lord provost, councillor Jacqueline McLaren, said: “Elaine’s dedication to advocating for and supporting women, and her successful and impactful work in the arts, makes her a deserving recipient of the Freedom of the City.

“In her own way, Elaine has highlighted that while she holds the title of ‘freeman’, she proudly identifies as a free woman, and I think this playful, yet profound sentiment perfectly captures the essence of the values we celebrate on International Women’s Day.”