HOW ARE WE DOING?

The Clan Association are about to undertake a benchmarking exercise to compare our Association with other Clan Associations. What we want to look at is the activities offered, including the geographical spread. We want to examine the communications - website content and newsletters (content and frequency). We want to explore how we could improve the experience for the younger clanspeople? We want to compare our subscription rates with other clans and in general what can we do better than we are doing at present and how do we achieve that? To start the ball rolling, I would appreciate any comments - positive or negative about the current set-up and ways in which we might expand the activities to make the association more inclusive. You might wish to comment on the membership fee and whether it is value for money! Any suggestions will be taken seriously and I welcome and look forward to a healthy debate.

Ian Cameron

While in Nova Scotia last year, Elizabeth and I met with many interesting people who had Cameron or Cameron connections. Amongst those we met were Ian And Evelyn Cameron. Ian had been hugely influential in promoting Cameron fellowship in Nova Scotia and was one of those who petitioned the late Lochiel in the 1980s to form a Branch of the Clan Association in Nova Scotia. There were and still are many Camerons in that part of Canada. As a token of the work done by Ian over a long number of years, he was presented with a very particular badge of which only 5 were made. The fact that there was no longer a Branch of the Association in Nova Scotia was a cause of great disappointment to Ian and to his sister in law Harriet - whose husband had been the last President of the Association. If any one reading this, in Nova Scotia wants to explore the possibilities of re-forming an association, I will be happy to act as a go-between. My e-mail address is alan.ccas@btinternet.com. The picture on the right Ian is speaking to Elizabeth and his badge is shown on the left.

INTERNATIONAL CLAN GATHERING

The Clan Gathering in Edinburgh is causing quite a stir amongst the clans up and down the country. There are a number of issues. Some clanspeople feel that any gathering of the Highland clans should be in the capital of the Highlands. Others feel that the cost of entry to events is too dear. The passport system ranges from £88.00 to £110.00. Others feel that there has been no consultation with the clans. It looks as if dirks are being sharpened and claymores dusted down.

Return to reality

I have now returned from jaunting round the world. We joined the family for a cruise round South America. At a remote village in Argentina, I met with a gentleman called Doug Taylor who introduced me to his invention - ice soccer. As the name suggests, this is a game of soccer or football as we would call it in the UK played on ice. The ball or Boot’r is modified in order to play on ice and is shaped like a rectangular box and is kicked like a football. The aim is to score a goal by propelling the Boot’r through your opponents’ goal. The footwear is adapted also to increase traction and safety garments are worn to protect against scraping injuries when falling on the ice. It is played by 9 players on each side and the duration is upwards from half an hour depending on the ice time available.

For more information including a video of the game go to www.icesoccer.com

ANOTHER YEAR

Here we are in 2008. I am sure that we have all made the usual New Year resolutions and some will have already been broken. May I suggest one that we can all make and that is to attend the Clan Gathering from Thursday July 30th 2009 until Sunday August 2nd 2009 at Achnacarry. In the meantime if you have any suggestions as what we should have at the Gathering, please do not hesitate to suggest them.

We are hoping to develop a heritage trail at Achnacarry. Again we would welcome suggestions as to what historical sites should be included in the trail.

Alan

Statue in Fort William

There is a prominent statue in Fort William at the North end of the High Street. This is a statue of Donald Cameron of Lochiel, 24th Chief of the Clan Cameron who was Lord Lieutenant of Inverness-shire and also its MP. He was born in 1835 and died in 1905. The inscription on the statue is badly in need of cleaning and repairing and is in places illegible. The statue was erected by his family and clansmen in appreciation of a good man who did much for the area and its people.

"DOMHNALL CAMSHRON LOCHIAL, MACDHOMHNAILL DUIBH, XXIV CEANN-CINNIDH NAN CAMSHRONACH, TOISEACH IS FEAR-TIONAL SIORRACHD INBHIRNIS RE IOMADH BLIADHNA FEAR-IONAID NA SIORRAMACHD ANNS A PHARLAMAID. RUGADH E 1835 CHAOCHAIL E 1906. CHUIR LUCHD-CINNIDH IS CAIRDEAN SUAS AN CARRACH SO AN GEALL AIR AM BAIGH AN SPEIS AGUS AM MEAS AIR AN UASAL URRAMACH"

"Donald Cameron of Lochiel, descendant of Donald Dubh, 24th chief of the Clan Cameron, Lord Lieutenant of Inverness-shire for many years, Member of Parliament. He was born 1835; he died 1906. This monument was erected by clansmen and friends as an acknowledgement of his humanity and his esteem and their respect for the noble gentleman"

MORE ABOUT THE HECTOR

In the previous blog, I talked about the "Hector" which sailed from the village of Ullapool on Loch Broom, Scotland to Pictou, Nova Scotia. The journey which had brought the barest of provisions and was grossly overcrowded set out in July of 1873 at a time when the weather was worsening. As it neared Nova Scotia, the ship and its crew were met by a horrific storm which sent the ship backwards and it took another three weeks to reach Nova Scotia. By this time, mid-September, the winter was setting in and there was little opportunity to start clearing the heavily wooded areas which the settlers found were to be their future farms. If it were not for the help from the native Miq Macq Indians and some earlier settlers who had moved from New England, few if any would have survived. A full scale model of the Hector is on permanent display at Pictou. The photograph shows the "Hector" replica berthed at the special museum pier in Pictou.