Clan Gathering - 1977

[creagdhubh]

David is, of course, quite right. Although it would not be right, at any time, in any place, for a clan to fly one of these standards, there is nothing wrong with them displaying a picture of the standard with a suitable legend underneath - "The standard of XXX MacXXX, chief of the clan MacXXX".

Regards

Chas

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Wonderful images, Chas! Thank you for sharing them. It is nice to see that many Clan Chattan clans attended this particular gathering, to include the Macphersons.

Best wishes,

[ThistleDown]

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Wonderful images, Chas! Thank you for sharing them. It is nice to see that many Clan Chattan clans attended this particular gathering, to include the Macphersons.

Best wishes,

Even more clans were represented, but these are the standards of the chiefs (and one commander) present. The 1977 Gathering was a superb affair with several of the opening events in the Assembly Rooms on George Street. It lacked the commercialism and captive nature of the last one; after the 2009 event many of the chiefs expressed the feeling that they had been removed from their closets and dusted off as part of an operation designed to make money for one enterprise.

In 1977 more events took place on the old lands than took place in Edinburgh, with the chiefs and leading folk of the clans (as different from clan societies) opening their homes and entertaining visitors from all over the world. There has been much talk on this forum (and in Scotland) about the absence of publicity in advance of the last one; that was an Edinburgh-only event in a national Year of Homecoming. The one in 1977 was a Scotland-wide gathering with opening events in Edinburgh.

[creagdhubh]

Even more clans were represented, but these are the standards of the chiefs (and one commander) present. The 1977 Gathering was a superb affair with several of the opening events in the Assembly Rooms on George Street. It lacked the commercialism and captive nature of the last one; after the 2009 event many of the chiefs expressed the feeling that they had been removed from their closets and dusted off as part of an operation designed to make money for one enterprise.

In 1977 more events took place on the old lands than took place in Edinburgh, with the chiefs and leading folk of the clans (as different from clan societies) opening their homes and entertaining visitors from all over the world. There has been much talk on this forum (and in Scotland) about the absence of publicity in advance of the last one; that was an Edinburgh-only event in a national Year of Homecoming. The one in 1977 was a Scotland-wide gathering with opening events in Edinburgh.

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Thank you for the additional details and information in regards to the 1977 gathering, Rex. It almost sounds like every Clan Macpherson Gathering in Badenoch and at Cluny's castle in Blairgowrie. I wish I could have been around (alive) for the 77' Gathering!

Cheers,

[Grizzly]

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Wonderful images, Chas! Thank you for sharing them. It is nice to see that many Clan Chattan clans attended this particular gathering, to include the Macphersons.

Best wishes,

Curses!!! No Cameron banner? No doubt we were waylaid by the Chattan Confederation and those meddling MacPhersons.!!!!!!!!

[Grizzly]

Great images Chas. I think we may see these again in future posts.

[David Thorpe]

Curses!!! No Cameron banner? No doubt we were waylaid by the Chattan Confederation and those meddling MacPhersons.!!!!!!!!

Ouch! That may leave a mark.

[Grizzly]

I don't think so. My friend Kyle will know that it is all in jest. Besides he wll no doubt cut me down with a witty retort which I will then have to spend many an hour trying to think up a reply.

[creagdhubh]

I don't think so. My friend Kyle will know that it is all in jest. Besides he wll no doubt cut me down with a witty retort which I will then have to spend many an hour trying to think up a reply.

No jesting, I assure you! Besides a bit of a skirmish at the Battle of Invernahavon near present day Glentruim in Badenoch, the Macphersons and Camerons have been pretty good mates!

Cheers,

[ThistleDown]

Curses!!! No Cameron banner? No doubt we were waylaid by the Chattan Confederation and those meddling MacPhersons.!!!!!!!!

Yes, I don't know why it wasn't in the list. I'm fairly certain Lochiel was in Edinburgh for the opening and there was a superb party at Achnacarry a week or two later. I have somewhere in the house an issue of the Oban Times with a page one photo of Lochiel, Lady Cameron, my wife and I taken that day. I'll find it and post it. Edit: wife says different house, I'm in Vancouver and the page is in the house in Scotland. Posting will have to be another time. (different wife, too, but that's not for here)

Memory of injustices is long, Simon, often on both sides, but in that same 1977 Lochiel and The Mackintosh agreed that their friendship was sound and that all issues of the past could comfortably be left there. Stir no more.

[ThistleDown]

Super thread, Chas. The 1977 Gathering began a new era for those of us in Highland Scotland. That year we began to realise the size of the Scots diaspora in a very real and different way. The "clans" we knew as family relationships had become something quite different overseas. There they had taken on a sort of corporate identity. It was a bit confusing for us in the lead-up to that Gathering, but many of the chiefs and leading folk agreed to give it a go and contributed.

Individually, it turned out to be a hugely costly agreement. A great success from a tourism point of view with millions coming into the country and being dispersed within the country. An even greater success if one looks at the rapid spread of interest in succeeding years (and increasingly in Highland dress by those not thought of as 'of' the culture).

But those who footed the outside-commercial-Edinburgh bill at home were not re-imbursed in any way -- and their joint expenditure was enormous. There's more to the story, of course.