A little slice of Highland clan history

[MacWage]

Grimble, MacKinnon and Celeste Ray are all worthwhile reading. None of them are difficult, but are all interesting. I have corresponded with Ray before and find her very intersted in learning more.

Another book similar to Ray's is "Cracker Culture: Celtic Ways in the Old South" by Grady McWhiney. He essentially ties descriptions of Ireland and Scotland to that of the Old South (US), while tying England to New England. While it sounds like bad history, it is actually well written, defended, and reasoned. It actually by a university press: University Alabama Press.

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081...lance&n=283155

I've also come across a few other "Clan history" books, but find MacKinnon and Grimble as the most useful. My copy of MacKinnon is my third. One lost on my trip in Scotland during 2000 and the other borrowed/donated by/to another. I have 2 copies of Grimble (purchased separately because differnt formating, I didn't realize was same book till started to actually read it).

Back to orginal post.

It is interesting how the island/penninsula was accessed in times of old. How did they climb it, is there some under/above water tunnel, flooded at high tide?

Good defensive locations are often reused by subsequent settlement, so a direct blood tie to the Iron Age settlement may be questionable. That said, people tend to not leave their ancestral home easily. (For example, just see the MacNeils and their fierce adherence to to the small, barely inhabitable island of Barra.)

[macwilkin]

Another book similar to Ray's is "Cracker Culture: Celtic Ways in the Old South" by Grady McWhiney. He essentially ties descriptions of Ireland and Scotland to that of the Old South (US), while tying England to New England. While it sounds like bad history, it is actually well written, defended, and reasoned. It actually by a university press: University Alabama Press.

Read McWhiney's two "Celtic South" books, the aforementioned "Cracker Culture", and the last chapter of "Attack and Die", which discusses Southern military strategy and tactics in the Civil War with a large grain of salt, though. Interesting reading, but it should be pointed out that many people of "Celtic" stock also served in the Federal Army -- the Irish regiments of New York, Mass. and Pennsylvania, the 23rd Illinois and 7th Missouri "Irish"; the 79th New York and 12th Illinois (both Scottish regiments) and the numerous Scots, Ulster-Scots and Welsh soldiers who did not necessarily join an "ethnic" regiment.

Arthur MacArthur, father of General Douglas MacArthur, for example, was of Scottish heritage and was awarded the CMOH for his actions at Lookout Mountain with the 24th Wisconsin. On a personal note, many of my own Scottish ancestors served in Iowa regiments during the war.

That's not saying McWhiney is wrong, just that he ignores the Northern "Celts" to prove his point. Ray, David Fischer and James Leyburn are much more reliable.

OT off.

Regards,

Todd

[MacWage]

Read McWhiney's two "Celtic South" books, the aforementioned "Cracker Culture", and the last chapter of "Attack and Die", which discusses Southern military strategy and tactics in the Civil War with a large grain of salt, though. Interesting reading, but it should be pointed out that many people of "Celtic" stock also served in the Federal Army -- the Irish regiments of New York and Pennsylvania, the 79th New York and 12th Illinois (both Scottish regiments) and the numerous Scots, Ulster-Scots and Welsh soldiers who did not necessarily join an "ethnic" regiment.

Arthur MacArthur, father of General Douglas MacArthur, for example, was of Scottish heritage and was awarded the CMOH for his actions at Lookout Mountain. On a personal note, many of my own Scottish ancestors served in Iowa regiments during the war.

That's not saying McWhiney is wrong, just that he ignores the Northern "Celts" to prove his point. Ray, David Fischer and James Leyburn are much more reliable.

OT off.

Regards,

Todd

I wouldn't argue with you. I just found it (McWhiney) interesting in general. The Irish Brigade was certainly of Celtic stock, but fought valiantly for the union.

I'd recommend MacKinnon and Grimble for those interested in "armchair" reading, especially about the clans and Sottish culture and history.

MacKinnon spends one part detailing the various clans "known"/'proven" to have existed just before the Jacobite "issues." The other part is prose about Scottish history and other "matters."

Gimble is long chapters organized around different matters and topics.

[macwilkin]

I wouldn't argue with you. I just found it (McWhiney) interesting in general. The Irish Brigade was certainly of Celtic stock, but fought valiantly for the union.

I'd recommend MacKinnon and Grimble for those interested in "armchair" reading, especially about the clans and Sottish culture and history.

MacKinnon spends one part detailing the various clans "known"/'proven" to have existed just before the Jacobite "issues." The other part is prose about Scottish history and other "matters."

Gimble is long chapters organized around different matters and topics.

When folks ask me for a one-volume history of the Scottish Clans, I recommend Mackinnon.

T.

[MacWage]

When folks ask me for a one-volume history of the Scottish Clans, I recommend Mackinnon.

T.

Barnes and Noble publishes an inexpensive copy (source of all 3 of mine)

[pdcorlis]

I picked up my copy of MacKinnon's book from the used section at Amazon for about six bucks - shipping took it to nine I think.