TRIBUTES have been paid to Irvine Carters stalwart Sandy Muir following his sudden death last week.

The 62-year-old’s death has stunned the community and left his friends, family and everyone who knew him, devastated.

Sandy, who had been a member of the ancient Carters Society since he turned 16, following in the footsteps of his father, Wilson Muir, and his grandfather Walter Muir, who had both been lifelong members of the society with his grandfather being Captain as far back as 1905.

Born on August 7th, 1952 to parents Barbara and Wilson, Sandy and brother Robert grew up in West Road in Irvine before Sandy married wife Helen and had a son, Alexander, better known as Young Sandy and the family moved to Oaklands Avenue.

Throughout his life Sandy was an active member in the Irvine community, taking lead from his father Wilson who, as well as being captain of the Carters for a spell in the 1960s, was also provost of the town between 1966 and 1969.

Sandy acted as Secretary of the Carters from the early 1970s before himself becoming Captain in 1991, a position he proudly held until 1996.

During his time in the Carters Society he helped organise 46 Marymass Festivals.

Current Carters’ captain Danny Kerr paid tribute to the Carters legend and his friend.

He told the Times: “Sandy was very much an integral part of the Marymass Festival for an awful lot of years.

"He was very much a traditionalist and was always keen to have his views heard.

"He cared a great deal about the festival and it’s because of men like him that its tradition is still alive today. He will be greatly missed.” As well as a strong affiliation with the Carters Society, Sandy was also a member of Irvine’s Incorporated Trades for most of his life, including a stint as Deacon of the Coopers in 2002.

He was also a member of the Hammerman Craft and the Taylors Craft.

Ronnie Fergus, Deacon Convenor of the Incorporated Trades paid tribute.

He said: “Sandy was a very valuable part of the Incorporated Trades and he will be sorely missed by everyone.” MP Brian Donohoe grew up beside Sandy and remembers him fondly.

He said: “Sandy was the Captain of the Carters when I attended my first Marymass as a Member of Parliament in 1992.

“I can still picture Big Sandy, as everyone called him, sitting on top one of the mighty carthorses and looking every inch the resplendent captain in the magnificent Carters’ regalia.

“I had watched Marymass as an onlooker for many years but was privileged that day to be a guest at the festival and to walk behind Sandy and his fellow horsemen out to the moor.

“I remember him as a boy from down the road when I lived in West Road.

“Sandy was a friendly, likeable chap who was one of the few to win the annual election for captain as many as six times in a row.

"Before that he was secretary for many years and it was only a matter of time before he landed the top post.

"After handing over the reins in 1997, he went on to help the organisation update its archives and its website.

“It was people like Sandy who kept alive the institution that is Irvine Carters Society – which, I am told, is the only surviving carters’ group in the UK.

"He championed the Carters’ cause all his life and will be sadly missed.” Sandy leaves behind his son, Sandy and his funeral details have yet to be announced.