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The International Highland
Games and Gathering of Scottish Clans
Glasgow, Kentucky – May 30 – June 3, 2001
A report on the 2002 Games follows this one.
Visit the
Glasgow Highland Games web site here!
 An
evening concert by Seven Nations opened the events of the International
Highland Games and Gathering of Scottish Clans on May 30. The next day
dawned cool and with intermittent light rain. There was a lunch with the
visiting Chiefs followed by genealogy seminars at the Barren River Lake
Resort Park. The evening band concert featuring traditional Scottish music
was held at the Barren County High School and had performances from soloists
Skip Cleavinger and Colin Grant-Adams along with the Glasgow Community Band,
Knoxville Pipes and Drums, The Louisville Pipes and Drums and the 202nd
Army Band Kentucky Army National Guard. A Celtic Rock Band Concert was held
at the big tent at the Resort Park and featured Seven Nations and the
Glengarry Bhoys.
Cool temperatures and on again/off again rain
greeted participants on Friday, June 1. The Celtic Fest was set up on the
square in Glasgow at 11:30 a.m. then the visiting Chiefs were welcomed at 1
p.m. Those visiting Chiefs were: Richard
Carmichael of Carmichael, Chief, Clan Carmichael; The Rt. Hon. The
Earl of Mar and Kellie, Jamie Erskine, Chief, Clan Erskine; David
Irvine 26th Baron of Drum and Chief of the Name, Chief, Clan
Irvine; The Most Hon. The Marquess
of Ailsa, Ailsa Kennedy, Chief, Clan Kennedy; Gillem
Lumsden
 of
That Ilk, Chief, Clan Lumsden; Ruaridh
MacLennan of MacLennan, Chief, Clan MacLennan; Dugald
MacTavish of Dunardry, Chief, Clan MacTavish; Kenneth
Trist Urquhart of Urquhart, Chief, Clan Urquhart; David
MacDonald of Castle Camus, Chieftain, Clan Donald; and Lord
Hugh Montgomerie, Chieftain, Clan Montgomery. The Rt. Hon. The Lord
Provost Lord-Lieutenant Alex Mosson O.St.J. – City of Glasgow, Scotland,
Bishop John Taylor, Retired Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway, and James H.
Halley, HM Consul from Chicago, were also among the honored guests.
Richard Carmichael of Carmichael, the 26th
Baron of the Lands of Carmichael and 30th Chief of the Name and
Arms, claims family titles as Lord Carmichael of Carmichael and Earl of
Hyndford. He promised his cousin and Godfather, at the age of 16, that he
would return from wherever he was living to take over the ancient Estates
when required. He has been Chief of the Clan for 20 years. He is one of very
few Clan Chiefs still living and working the clan lands at the source of the
name in Scotland. He is most proud though of rallying the global clan and
founding the flourishing Clan Carmichael USA. He and his wife Patricia have
three children. He said of the Glasgow Games, "Clan Carmichael had a
very enjoyable and successful International Gathering at Glasgow, Kentucky,
and, as a Clan, demonstrated kinship and a level of participation that is
gratifying to the 30th Chief."
 The
8th Marquess of Ailsa, 19th Earl of Cassillis, and
Chief of Clan Kennedy, was born at Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. At the age of
two, his family moved to the former Kennedy seat, the 13th
century Cassillis Castle. He took his seat in the House of Lords in 1994
after the death of his father. He studied Forestry and Farming in Scotland
and England and earned a HND. For the past nine years, he has been running a
freelance sales and marketing business and does consulting projects abroad
for the government. He is the father of two daughters. He enjoys shooting,
skiing, and other outdoor activities. He presently operates a vacation
complex in Jamtland, Sweden, arranging hunting and Arctic holidays. He is
very interested in the Kennedy Society of America and the many members of
his international family.
 Gillem
Lumsden of that Ilk and Blanerne spent his early years in India where his
father was a partner in the family tea growing firm. He was educated in
England then returned to India to work in the firm. It was there that he
married Beverley. They have three children, the youngest Jas, attended the
Glasgow events with them. Gillem has been Chief of Clan Lumsden since 1985.
He is interested in gardening, golf, and the purchase and bottling of fine
malt whiskey.
Kenneth Urquhart of Urquhart is the 26th
hereditary Chief and has been Chief since 1974. He is one of four Scottish
chiefs who are American citizens. He and his wife reside in Jefferson,
Louisiana, a
 suburb
of New Orleans. They have five children and nine grandchildren. His
hereditary Scottish seat is Castle Craig on the Cromarty Firth, northeast of
Inverness. He also holds the lands of Urchard overlooking Loch Meikle in
Glen Urquhart, near Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. He is a member of the
Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland,
and the Society of the Cincinnati, and is the Patron of the Craigston Castle
Trust. He devotes himself full time to historical research and Clan Urquhart
activities.
 David
Macdonald of Castle Camus, the great-great-great-great grandson of Flora
Macdonald, Preserver of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, and her husband Allan
Macdonald of Kingsburgh and Castle Camus, is the 17th Hereditary
Chieftain and Lieutenant of Sleat. Son of Somerled Macdonald, David was
recognized as the 17th Representer of the House of Macdonald of
Castle Camus, the oldest cadet of the Macdonalds of Sleat now in existence,
by The Lord Lyon King of Arms in Edinburgh in 1996. Sir Ian Macdonald of
Sleat, appointed David as the Lieutenant of Sleat for life in 1985, and
David acts as his personal representative in North America. This appointment
is consistent with the family’s historic role as Chamberlains, Tutors and
Factors to the Chiefs throughout the history of Clan Donald. David and his
wife Debra reside in Pensacola, Florida, with their two children. David is
the General Manager of University Mall and is also the National Convener for
Clan Donald USA. David celebrated his 42nd birthday at the
Glasgow Games on Sunday, June 3.
 James
Thorne Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of
Kellie, and his Countess Mary, reside just outside Alloa, Clackmannanshire,
in the Lowlands, near the family’s historic home of Alloa Tower. They have
five (step)children and eight grandchildren. His forbears came to Alloa
around 1360 after a royal grant of land by David II. The Erskines played an
active part in much of Scotland’s history, and Jamie himself has been
active in pursuing the return of the Scottish Parliament, taking his part in
the Scotland Act’s progress through the UK Parliament during 1998. His
predecessors were involved with: securing the release of James I from London
in 1421; as guardians of the Stewart princes including Mary, Queen of Scots;
as Regent of Scotland after Mary’s abdication; preventing the
assassination of James VI in 1600; negotiating the English throne for James
VI in 1601; as Lord High Treasurer of Scotland for James VI; negotiating the
Treaty of Union with England in 1706; as first UK Secretary of State for
Scotland; and raising the Jacobite Standard in 1715 in favor of James VIII.
Jamie’s watchword: Glance Back – Go Forward. This was Jamie’s first
visit to highland games in America, and he said he was enjoying them very
much.
David Charles Irvine, Irvine of Drum, became
the 26th Chief of the name, in 1992 upon the death of his father.
Drum Castle was granted to the Irvine family by the Scottish king, Robert
the Bruce, in 1323
 as
a reward for loyal service. For over 650 years it was the home of the
Irvines. In 1975, the castle and surrounding lands were gifted to the
National Trust for Scotland. David joined the British Merchant Navy in 1958,
through the Cunard Line, and served on many of its famous passenger liners
as a purser. His wife Carolyn served on the Queen Mary as a physiotherapist.
They married in 1964 and have three children. David entered the banking
profession and worked for one of the U.K.’s major banks for 27 years
before retiring in 1991. He is now a self-employed business consultant
living in Cheshire, England, south of Manchester, and in Aberdeenshire.
 Ruaridh
MacLennan of MacLennan, is the youngest Scottish Chief at age 24. He has
been Chief of Clan MacLennan since 1989. He attended the Glasgow Games with
his sister. They reside in the Highlands of Scotland. A Master Piper, he
entertained the diners at the Governor’s Breakfast on Saturday morning,
June 2. He wasn’t sure how masterful his piping would be because of the
early morning, the heavy rain, and his partying with the Celtic Rock bands
the night before! Just before he began to play he remarked, "I can’t
tell you what I am going to play because I haven’t decided yet." In
his remarks at the Opening Ceremonies he amused the crowd when he said,
"It is unusual to have so many clans in the same field without fighting
breaking out."
Dugald MacTavish of Dunardry, Chief of Clan
MacTavish, grew up in Canada. He became Chief in 1997 after 200 years of
dormancy in the chiefship. He is the 26th Chief in an unbroken
line. He has been researching the history of the clan for a number of years
and is presently writing a book.
 Lord
Hugh Montgomerie, Chieftain of Clan Montgomery, wowed the older ladies at
the games. They were impressed with his tall good looks and wished to be
"several" years younger. He is single at the moment but is to be
married later this year. There was some speculation about why Clan
Montgomery won the Best Clan Tent award at the games, but they did have a
lovely purple tartan and two floral arrangements of live heather on their
tables!
More genealogy seminars were held Friday
afternoon prior to the Kentucky Barbecue and Ceilidh, which were enjoyed by
all. Area hotels, bed and breakfast establishments and campgrounds,
cottages, and lodge at the resort were full of people with Scottish heritage
awaiting the beginning of the games on Saturday morning.
It was cloudy and cool Saturday at 6:15 a.m.
as clans unloaded their clan goods and set up tables under the tents on the
games field. Colorful tents surrounded the fields as the tartan-clad
clansmen moved about busily putting up banners and flags, preparing for the
crowds to arrive when the gates opened. Some of the clansmen attended the
Governor’s Breakfast at the large tent outside the lodge. It rained
heavily during the
 breakfast.
Back at the games field, the rain stopped for awhile then returned with a
vengeance leaving the field muddy. Straw was spread in the worst areas along
the edges of paths but muddy shoes and wet clothing were the order of the
day. The competitions went on as scheduled with heavy weight athletes
competing in the rain. The wind blew the flags stiffly toward the east, and
those without jackets found anything they could to wrap up in for warmth.
Display items blew off clan tables numerous times during the afternoon.
Considering the past few years have been miserably hot, not too many people
complained. There was plenty of laughter as old friends greeted one another
and suffered the weather together.
 The
various pipe bands performed on the field in the rain and mud during the
morning and the 78th Fraser Re-enactment went on as planned.
Between the games field and the lodge, a golf scramble was taking place on
the resort’s golf course. The skydivers’ arrival just before the opening
ceremonies had to be canceled because of the weather, but the opening
ceremonies took place at noon with the City of Washington Pipe Band,
Scottish Society of Windsor Pipe Band, and the 202nd Army Band
Kentucky Army National Guard performing on the field. Clan Irvine, led by
their Chief and a piper, toured the tent area with the Chief greeting those
in each tent along the way.
 Highland
dance, piping, drumming, harp, Scottish country dance, amateur battle axe,
and athletic competitions went on throughout the day. Children’s
activities included a Loch Barrie Monster Egg Hunt and a climbing wall. The
come and go rain didn’t seem to keep the crowds away. The smell of meat
pies, sausage rolls, Forfar bridies, and other Scottish goodies wafted
through the air. The vendor tents had plenty of customers. Clan Wallace won
the clan tug-of-war in a misty rain. Saturday evening saw many people
attending the Grand Banquet and Tartan Ball or Scottish Country Dance Ball
or the Massed Bands and Full Moon Ensemble Concert. Some clan families had
gatherings of their own this evening.
 Sunday
morning, June 3, was cool with a watery sun now and then then the sun came
out in full force. Prior to the church service, the Clan Kennedy Chief took
time to take a stroll around the path, which circled the tents. The church
service began at 9 a.m. with a piper leading the Bishop, dignitaries,
tartans, and other clergy to the platform. The tartans were presented for
blessing at the beginning of the service. The Rt. Rev. John M. Taylor said
in his homily that Bishop Tutu once called the people of South Africa the
Rainbow People, but that could well apply here also with the colors of the
tartans. The clan tartans signify belonging, loyalty, and comradeship, but
in the past there were fightings and wars. He said we have grown away from
those feuds and there has been a healing of differences. We now strive for
the peace of the risen Lord. The Flowers of the Forest from each clan were
remembered as their names were read aloud. The procession then placed a
memorial wreath on the cairn before proceeding to a tent to take communion.
 The
kilted mile run, ladies haggis toss, and bonniest knees contests were held
on Sunday. The rain stopped for several hours then returned just in time for
the Parade of Tartans, but the parade continued anyway. The Kingdom of
Raknar Parade followed the Parade of Tartans. The pipe bands played again
– you could always hear a piper somewhere all day long each day rain or
shine. The clan representatives – 62 clans were in attendance at the games
– marched with their clan flags past the reviewing stand for the final
review and retirement before the Chief of Clan Irvine gave the closing
remarks. The crowd got smaller, the rain stopped once again, the tents were
full of activity as tables were folded, goods were packed up, and hugs and
goodbyes were shared. Vehicles began to drive into the tent area to load the
goods that will be displayed at the next highland games, and the clans
disbursed in all directions from the 2001 International Highland Games and
Gathering of Scottish Clans in Glasgow, Kentucky.
Report on the 2002
Games
by Jeanette Simpson
The 2002 Glasgow (KY) Highland Games were held the first
weekend of June in the first real heat and humidity of the season. It was 95
degrees on Saturday afternoon as the skydivers arrived with the flags to
begin the opening ceremonies. The massed pipe bands on the field looked so
hot in the unrelenting sun. However, no one passed out in the 30 minutes
they stood there playing and listening to the opening speeches. The
spectators, however, got sunburned in the blazing rays.
 The Chief of the Games was George
MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap, Chief of Clan MacMillan. There was a
luncheon with the visiting chief on Thursday prior to the games. The Celtic
Rock Concert took place that evening. Both Thursday and Friday there were
genealogy seminars with Beth Gay, Family Tree Editor, and Graeme Mackenzie,
Scottish Clan Historian and Genealogist, presiding. Friday saw the Celtic
Fest on the Square, Kentucky Barbecue and the Ceilidh. The annual Governor’s
Country Ham Breakfast was served up on Saturday morning prior to the games.
 The border collie demonstrations began
at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday. The Society for Creative Anachronism was active at
the games. The highland dance and harp competitions began early that morning
along with individual piping and drumming competitions. The 78th
Frasers gave a demonstration and children’s activities began. At 10 a.m.,
the amateur and professional heavy athletic competitions started along with
battle axe practice throwing, a Scottish country dance demonstration, and
more competitions continued throughout the day. We were told there was a 30%
chance of rain, but that didn’t materialize.
 The entertainment tents were scattered
around the grounds. This year’s entertainers were the Glengarry Buoys, Clann
An Drumma, Seven Nations, Father, Son and Friends, Susan Palmer Marshall,
Colin Grant-Adams, and Jeff Fleming. The 2002 t-shirts and badges for the
games were sold at a tent just as you entered the grounds. These items are
designed each year by Ed Jones.
The games were officially opened at
noon by the visiting chief. Chief MacMillan was born in London in 1930. At
the age of eight a hereditary eye disease appeared (Retinitus Pigmentosa),
and he learned braille and touch-typing. In spite of this handicap, he was
educated at Eaton College and then at Trinity College, Cambridge. He later
taught classics at Wellington College in
 Berkshire. He married Jane Spurgin,
a medical social worker with a degree from Oxford University, in 1961. He
was invited to serve as Visiting Professor of Religious Studies at Trinity
College in Toronto, Canada, and they took up that challenge. When they
returned to Scotland, he took a course in Personal Management at Strathclyde
University and then accepted a position as lecturer in Religious Studies at
Bede College, Durham.
In 1952, his father, General Sir
Gordon MacMillan, was declared the Hereditary Chief of Clan MacMillan by the
Lord Lyon. The position of chief had been vacant for 153 years at this time,
having previously been held by a great-great-grand uncle who died without
children. In 1955, current Chief George Gordon MacMillan inherited
Finlaystone from his maternal grandmother. In 1974, he and his family joined
his parents in running the estate. He succeeded his father as chief in 1986.
The MacMillans are active in various charities. He is a member of the
Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs and is an Elder of the Lanbank Parish
Church. He and his wife have attended numerous games in the United States
and Canada as either the Honored Guests or Distinguished Guests of the
games. In 1997, they visited New Zealand and Australia to visit Clan
MacMillan members there. The MacMillans are family people; two of their
three sons survive. They are the proud grandparents of several
grandchildren. Their estate of Finlaystone is open to the public for tours
and includes a tea room, gardens and woodland trails.
 After the opening ceremonies, the
competitions continued. Visitors walked around the fields to see what the
clan booths and vendors booths held of interest for them. Many were
searching for Scottish roots, some were just curious about another culture,
some were shopping, all were hot! The Grande Banquet and Tartan Ball began
at 8 p.m. at the same time the Seven Nations Celtic Rock Concert began. The
Scottish Country Dance Ball was also Saturday evening.
The Interdenominational Kirkin of the
Tartan worship service was held at 9 a.m. on Sunday. The tartans were
blessed, the lessons and homily were read, and the names of the Flowers of
the Forest for each clan were presented.
At the conclusion of the worship
service the kilted mile, ladies haggis toss, and bonniest knees competition
were held. The athletic competitions got under way again and the heat and
humidity were still with us. There weren’t as many kilts seen in the clan
tents on Sunday. Shorts and sleeveless tops were the order of the day.
Coolers were kept filled with water bottles and the salty snacks were
popular as were the lemonade and snow cone vendors. The afternoon saw the
Parade of Tartans and the tug-of-war. The games were closed at 4 p.m. by
Chief MacMillan.
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