OBJECTIVES

CASTLE LACHLAN The objectives of the organization are to promote the general interest of the The Clan’s “old” castle is located on Clan and to cultivate the spirit of kinship and a point of land jutting out from a small bay on fellowship among its members throughout the eastern side of . The neck of North America and with the Clan Society in the point is low and marshy suggesting that, the United Kingdom; to collect and preserve at one time, water was used to separate the literary, historical, and genealogical records, castle from the mainland proper. Some re- documents, and relics relating to the Clan cords suggest that a moat may have at one and to ; to honor our Scottish heri- time served to isolate the castle. The castle tage and to cultivate among our members is said to be rather unique in Scotland. Ex- and descendants the pride and spirit of our ternally, it was squarish measuring approxi- Scottish ancestors; to render aid to all clans- mately 70’ from north to south by 54’ from men should they meet adversity. east to west. At one time, it stood 43’ high to the top of the battlements. The external walls were plain and crenelated along the MEMBERSHIP IN CMANA top. On the outside, it had the appearance Family Membership: Covers all of a gate keep. From the inside it consisted residents at a single residential address. of two tenements on the east and west sides Only the adult members (over age 18) of of a narrow 12’ wide, 34’ long corridor. The the family may hold office and vote. tenements were connected at the north end by a small building, the interior of which con- Associate Membership: Covers tained the castle well, and two wheel stair- all individuals at a single residential ad- Clan MacLachlan cases, one at each end of the courtyard. dress who support Clan MacLachlan but A Millennium of History The present Castle Lachlan was built cannot trace their ancestry to a MacLach- in 1790 and is the home of the 25th Chief lan, MacEwen, or Gilchrist. Associate of the Clan, Euan Maclachlan of Maclach- members are ineligible to vote or hold lan. It is located office. in Strathlachlan, Membership applications should be Presented By: near Strachur, on mailed to: The Clan MacLachlan Association the banks of Loch Robert McLaughlin, President CMANA of North America Fyne in . PO Box 2438 Cullowhee, NC 28723 USA Robert (Bob) McLaughlin CMANA President Members receive copies of the CMANA PO Box 2438 25th Chief newsletter THE ROEBUCK, and Cullowhee, North Carolina 28723 Euan Maclachlan the worldwide Clan MacLachlan Society www.cmana.net of Maclachlan newsletter CLAN MacLACHLAN. each published twice yearly. www.maclachlans.org HISTORY The MacLachlans were erected in CLAN NAMES According to ancient manuscripts, the a Free Barony in 1680. This grant officially There are over 500 different spell- ancestors of Clan MacLachlan are descend- gave the Clan Chiefs the power of life and ings of the Clan name, its , pro- death throughout their territory and the right ed from the O’Neills, Celtic-Gaelic Kings tectorate, and branches that have been of Ireland for over 2500 years. The name to hold an annual marked at Kilbride. The MacLachlans were loyal support- identified to date. This number is growing means “son of Lachlan,” and Lachlan itself is as new variations are identified. Please from the older Gaelic name Lachlann, which ers of the Stewarts and fought in all the Ja- check the CMANA.net website for the list- means Norway. The name MacLachlan be- cobite campaigns in the late 17th and early came their hereditary many years 18th centuries. The MacLachlans are said ing. after the family had moved from Ireland. to have been with Bonnie Dundee in 1689 at Tradition states that one of the sons, The . While in the 1715 Aodh Anrothan, of Aodh Athlone O’Neill went Rising, Lachlan MacLachlan, then Chief of THE SYMBOLS to Scotland in the early eleventh century and the MacLachlans, signed the address of wel- married the heiress of and , come to the Old Chevalier, the rightful King OF THE MACLACHLANS a princess from the Royal House of Argyll. James VIII Stewart, on his landing in Scot- Medieval Irish and Scottish genealogies tell land. In the 1745 uprising with Prince Charles Clan MacLachlan has five registered us that Anrothan was the ancestor of the Ma- Edward Stewart, the chief of the Clan served : Modern (1824), Dress (1842), Hunt- cLachlans of Strathlachlan, the MacEwens, the Prince and was lost at Culloden while ing (1893), Ancient (1930s), and Weathered the Gilchrists, and other great clans such as commanding a united regiment consisting (1950s). In addition, the Moncreiffe is the Lamonts and the MacMillans. of clan members from the MacLachlans and frequently referred to as “Old MacLachlan.” As early as 1230 Gilchrist MacLach- the MacLeans. The loss of the battle and It’s known to have existed before 1800. war resulting in the destruction of the castle lan witnessed a land charter and in 1292 The Clan MacLachlan crest shown is by the British in 1746. Gilleskel MacLachlan received a charter for the crest coronet with a castle set upon a rock, his land in Argyll. Both young Gillescop and all proper. The castle and the rock are both his neighbor, the Campbell Chief, then gave symbols of safety and refuge. their support to . He and MACLACHLANS IN Robert the Bruce spent many hours hunting NORTH AMERICA Our is Fortis et Fidus (strong and and fishing together on Clan lands. Gille- trust). scop also attended the King’s first Parliament Clan MacLachlan has been repre- at St. Andrews in 1308. sented at Scottish gatherings and events The Gaelic spelling of the name is spelled as All through this era, the MacLachlans main- across North America for over three decades. MacLachlainn. tained close ties with the Campbells. All too At first, it was made up of an informal group often, these ties involved the MacLachlans of dedicated people who gave of their ener- The war cry is “Life or Death.” in events like the Earl of Argyll’s campaign gies to foster a young but growing organiza- of 1615 against Sir James MacDonald of Is- tion. In 1981 Bylaws were finalized and offi- The clan plant badges are lesser peri- lay. The MacLachlans even appear to have cers were elected to formally create the Clan winkle and the European mountain ash (Row- been Hereditary Captains of Inneschonnel, MacLachlan Association of North America, an) tree. The plant badge is believed to be an island in Loch Awe in Argyllshire, a Camp- the first such organization dedicated to our a charm or magic plant that is carried beside bell stronghold. During this same period, the MacLachlan heritage in the world. We have the Clan standard or fixed on a staff or spear. MacLachlans would join fights against the grown from a small group to an international Clansfolk can wear a sprig of the plant pinned Campbells. For example, in 1644, the Ma- group of several hundred throughout North behind the silver crest on their bonnet or sash- clachlans joined Kilsyth Alasdair in attaching America. badge brooch. the Campbells.