Clan Chattan Association Magazine - March 2019 Touch Not – Magazine of the Clan Chattan Association Our gathering at the Field Fair at Moy was mainly dry this year with a good attendance through the Association’s tent, where anyone with an interest is welcome to speak to council members and to find out a little more about the Association and the names of those within our confederation clans. A big thanks goes to Celia Mackintosh of Mackintosh, for her warm hospitality at her home at Moy, which we very much appreciate. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Your Association council are now looking into ways of including more council The Gradfather Mountain members from around the world into our council meetings. Due to distance it is very Games John E Mackfall. Chairman of the CCA difficult to have everyone attend meetings * throughout the year, as some live in Canada, Australia, USA, Europe and Colonel Anne - Pure Theatre Chairman’s Welcome 2019 around the UK, which we all know can Dear Fellow Clansfolk, take as long to get from London to * have now been your association Edinburgh as it sometimes can from New A Mysterious Case chairman for the last two and a half York to Edinburgh. So we need to find a Iyears and my term of office will come sensible way to hold Skype or other * to an end in August. It has been an internet meetings so everyone can interesting and eventful period. Sadly I contribute to the great work the Not Moving Mountains have not been able to develop a plan to Association do on our members behalf. * encourage younger clans people to join our I would like to thank Donald and Denise association, which was my objective when for the long hours and hard dedicated Petty Mausoleum I agreed to be elected as the chairman. It work they perform on our behalf. They are * has been on the councils agenda at every the ones who prepare everything for all the meeting and it was clear to all that it may be events and who do the work on the day to Macleans of the North an impossible task. This is mainly due to ensure that we can all come along and join the fact that our association unlike all other in the fun and enjoy the events which all * Clan Associations is a confederation of run extremely smoothly and without fuss. How We Celebrate Our Scottish many clans and families who also have I personally thank them both. their own one name associated clans and Heritage Every Summer On a personal note, plans are in motion associations. So although our membership for Cheryl and my marriage at the end of is looking healthy we are not getting whole * July at our home in York. We are not families joining us. The association’s holding a traditional Scottish ceremony, Highland Games in Holland council meetings have been well attended but a very rural based old traditional and debate has been to a high level in all * marriage with processions and plenty of our meetings. food and music. However hopefully our The Mackintosh’s Shopping List Our annual gathering in August around Association piper may be on hand to pipe Inverness proved to be a successful event in the couple at the end of the ceremony. * with good attendance and a well run Something we are all looking forward to The Annual Gathering Annual General Meeting. We were after being together for 29 years. I am not honoured to have the Lord Lyon as our one to rush in. * guest for the evening and to see so many I wish you all a very interesting and fellow members from all around the The Battle of Glenshiel prosperous 2019 and hope we will see you world. Once again we kept to our new at our AGM in August. tradition of having our association clan * Yours faithfully piper, Cindi McIntosh pipe the council And more… into the meeting, which really sets an John E Mackfall. appropriate tone for the nights events. Chairman of the CCA. 1 Clan Chattan Association Magazine - March 2019 THE GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN HIGHLAND GAMES NORTH CAROLINA, USA - 11-15 JULY 2018 fter I addressed the leaders of the Clan Societies at the Stone AMountain Games in Atlanta, Georgia in 2016, about the Clans' participation the following year in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, I was approached by the Vice-President of the Grandfather Mountain Games, Steve Quillin, who invited me to be the Chieftain of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games (GMHG), in conjunction with Margaret Elliot, 26th. Chief of Clan Elliot, in 2018. The GMHG is one of the largest and most prestigious events of this type in the US and, as I was last there 39 years ago, I readily accepted. I arrived at Charlotte, the State Capital of Marching at Grandfather Mountain Photos courtesy of James Shaffer North Carolina, in the evening of the Games Field. Biltmore is a palatial Mountain. In Scotland, Highland Games Wednesday 11 July, having flown in from Victorian House situated in 8000 acres. It are local events with no more than three the UK, to be met by the North American was built in 1895 by the Vanderbilt family, Clan tents present at most. At this year's (NA) Branch Convenor of our Clan an American family of Dutch origin, who Grandfather, what was quite amazing was Society, Rob McComas. Rob and I made made a vast fortune in shipping and that there were one hundred and eighteen our way to the Appalachian Mountains railroad. Open to the public since 1930's, clans represented, each with their own (sometimes known as the Blue Ridge or Biltmore is the largest privately owned individual tents, which were situated in Great Smokey Mountains) where the house in the US. In the gardens, there is a two rows around the Games Field. It was Games are held. It was a two-hour drive magnificent display of awe inspiring an incredible sight! As one of this year's before we reached the Host hotel and colourful glass works and sculptures by honoured Clans, the Clan MacThomas finally I got to bed about 1.00 am. It was the world-famous artist, Dale Chihuly. It had two tents - one on either side of "Clan a long journey. was a much needed few hours of Row"! Branch Convenor, Rob McComas, relaxation after the flight before the Games had printed banners lining the walls of our began that evening with a stunning main tent, which told the story of our Clan, torchlight ceremony on the Games Field, including our Sept names and during which all 118 participating Clans photographs of Glenshee. Our tents were created a spectacular cross of light in the well kitted out and looked impressive. shadow of Grandfather Mountain. I had indicated to Rob McComas that at After breakfast in my hotel on Friday lunchtime, I should like to visit the top of morning, I met up with former NA Grandfather Mountain, which is a lot Convenor, Wendy Thomson from higher than Ben Nevis. Virginia McComb, Michigan, and Clan Member Carolyn the new Editor of the NA Branch Hinton from Pennsylvania, who had Newsletter, accompanied us. There is a attended the 2017 Gathering in Glenshee. walkway bridge there which straddles two On arrival on the Games Field at 9.30 am, peaks. The mist swirled around at times I greeted several other Clan members from but, when the sun came out, the view was MacThomas of Finegand the South-East states of the Carolinas and spectacular! Over a snack lunch, the three Georgia as well as Graham Thoms from of us took the opportunity to discuss the At 8.00 am the next day, I awaited the Toronto in Canada and welcomed several current state of the NA Branch and plan a arrival of my fellow Chief, Margaret Elliot, prospective members before being torn course of action for the following year. The who I have known for several years, and away to attend the Opening Ceremony and discussions included setting up a Branch who had kindly invited me to spend the officially open the 63rd Grandfather Executive team, a network of day with her visiting Biltmore House, Mountain Highland Games. State/Province representatives, improving while Rob and his team put the finishing The Games Field sits in a fabulous communications with exiting Members touches to the Clan MacThomas tents on position about half way up Grandfather and how to recruit more Members. Bobby 2 Clan Chattan Association Magazine - March 2019 Thomas and Wendy Thomson were left to tables to be nicely dressed and Robert was able too to promote and support the look after the tent and on returning I was played again during dinner which was Chattan Clans present. Tom and I received delighted to learn that much interest had splendid. After the meal was over, a typically warm welcome wherever we been shown, a good amount of stock sold, Members were invited to stay on for the went. My thanks go to Rob McComas for with my book being particularly popular, annual NA Branch meeting before retiring, making all the arrangements and driving and some new members had joined the during which several helpful ideas me around and to all those Members who Society. The evening was taken up with the emerged. made our time at Grandfather Moutain so Sponsors' Dinner at the Host Hotel where Sunday came along far too quickly and enjoyable and worthwhile. I was delighted we were joined by my son, Clan Society tweed jackets turned out to be quite to support the Scottish community in Vice-President, Tom MacThomas.