But his only regret now is that the first of July hadn't been declared a public holiday so more Scots could have taken part in the Parliament's big day.

Sheena Wellington: On the verge of tears

One of the most memorable moments has to be Sheena Wellington resplendent in Saltire blue and wearing a large Celtic brooch singing Burns' great anthem, A Man's A Man.

The song's dismissal of rank and privilege was all the more poignant as it was performed in close proximity to the Queen.

And the audience's impromptu involvement surprised even Sheena Wellington.

She could hear some MSPs humming along as she was singing so decided to let them know they were welcome to join in.

When the song ended she made a quick bow in the direction of the Queen and then scurried back to her seat - fearful that she would burst into tears.

'A great country'

Schoolchildren played an important role in the celebrations - but two in particular stood out.

One was Amy Linekar who wrote the poem entitled "How to Create a Great Country" - the other was Victoria Joffe who read the piece.

A year on Victoria is a student at St Andrews University and she's one of the first to be affected by the Executive's changes to student funding.

After playing such a key part in the celebrations, she has been watching what has been happening on the Mound.

Victoria Joffe: Watching closely

She didn't pay any fees last year and urged MSPs to bring back grants for students.

As afternoon turned into evening on the first of July, the focus shifted to Princes Street Gardens.

On one side Scottish Opera - on the other the band Garbage. Picnic baskets and rugs dotted the grass - and hundreds of arms linked for Auld Lang Syne.

As a political journalist I reported on Labour's win in 1997, the referendum campaign and the very first elections - but the day the Parliament opened was a truly historic occasion.

For me, it was the day that Scotland took ownership of the Parliament.