Gareth Mitchelson Championships are held at the Cowal Gathering in Dunoon on the last Saturday in August each year. Whilst still at school Mitchelson was a member of the world-renowned British Caledonian Airways pipes and dance corps, performing at Scottish events all over the world. In 1985 Gareth and Deryck Mitchelson commissioned new work and music for inclusion in Glasgow's Mayfest dance festival and formalised this with the formation of the CelticSpirit Dance Company as a limited liability company. Other notable performances have included participation in many folk festivals and fiddlers' rallys, in the Capitol Theatre and His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen,
MV Cowal was advertised, as "Med Star", to take up service across the southern Adriatic, from Otranto to Igoumenitsa. Phetouris died in 1983 and his vision for the former "Cowal" and was never progressed. "Med Star" was sold for scrap in December 1983, and broken up the following year. MV "Cowal" was virtually identical to her older sister, . "Cowal" was the first Clyde vessel to enter service with radar. Passenger accommodation consisted of a large lounge and a tearoom above, and a bar below, the car deck. The bridge was above the upper deck, allowing passengers unobstructed views forward. Officer and