The Clan Macleod Society of Australia (NSW) Inc
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The Clan MacLeod Society of Australia (NSW) Inc. Newsletter September 2011 Chief: Hugh MacLeod of MacLeod Chief of Lewes: Torquil Donald Macleod of Lewes Chief of Raasay: Roderick John Macleod of Raasay President: Peter Macleod, 19 Viewpoint Drive, Toukley 2263. Phone (02) 4397 3161 Email: [email protected] Secretary: Mrs Wendy Macleod, 19 Viewpoint Drive, Toukley 2263. Phone (02) 4397 3161 Treasurer: Mr Rod McLeod, 62 Menzies Rd, Eastwood 2122. Ph (02) 9869 2659 email: [email protected] Annual Subscription $28 ($10 for each additional person in Important Dates the one home receiving one Clan Magazine & Newsletter, Sat. 26th Nov. - Christmas Lunch - see inside. i.e. One person $28, Two people $38, Three people $48, Sat. 3rd March 2012 - Gundy BBQ - see next Newsletter. etc.). Subscriptions are due on 30th June each year. 4 - 6th May - Glen Innes Festival - see future Newsletters. Dear Clansfolk, The Australian Tug of War Titles lead to much excitment At last there is the scent of Spring. It has been a cold, wet, and crowd cheering as big men gave their best. Highland windy Winter and we will all be glad to see the end of it. and Country Dancers showed their prowess. Fiddler Chris But cheer up! Spring is the season of renewal soon to be Duncan accompanied by Catherine Strutt on keyboard en- followed by our warm, bright and happy Summer. Peter tertained with Celtic Fiddle Music. Toukley BBQ - 4th June A small but keen bunch en- Kiddies were not forgotten with a kilted dash, egg toss joyed a break in our dreadful weather for a pleasant Saturday and three legged race. Later there were prizes for the best BBQ. The weather was mild enough for us to dine outside dressed Laddie, Lassie, Bairn and Pet competition. although what sun we saw was pretty weak. Just after noon Pipe Band displays went all day with the judges settling on all were present and we held our Council Meeting. Then into Lithgow Pipe Band as winners on the day. This band is al- the eats and fine wine. Wendy had prepared a Webber BBQ ways popular because of their innovative routines and wide which went down well with a drop of red and sweets to fol- repertoire of tunes. Most bands had travelled long distances low. Very pleased to meet Murray and Aileen McLeod who Scone Pipe Band to be there, Dubbo, Ar- live at nearby Mardi. Murray is brother of Council Member midale, Tamworth, Coffs Colin McLeod and has recently joined our Society. Harbour, Gunnedah and Aberdeen Highland Games - Saturday 2nd July Newcastle. Afternoon saw the Tar- Despite pretty ordinary weath- MacLeod Stand er on Friday 1st, Saturday tan Warriors demonstrate morning came up with quite their skills in the tradition- a mist, a fairly good indicator Under the al heavy events. The five judge’s eye of a fine day. Sure enough Bundanoon Stones were Aberdeen lifted in amazingly fast by mid morning the mist had Highland time considering the heaviest cleared and the weather got Games better and better. Wendy & I comes in at 165kg. Wheat arrived late afternoon Friday sheaf over the bar made to stay two nights with Charles nearly 30ft with the crowd and Kerry Cooke. Saturday cheers encouraging contest- morning is always a rush, we have a half hour drive to Ab- ants to strive ever higher. erdeen then need 40 minutes to erect our MacLeod stand. But the highlight of the heavy Neil McLeod came up from Berowra to help us with staff- contests is always the caber ing. Chieftain of the Day was His Excellency Mr. Michael toss. Today’s caber was 6 Bryce AM AE KStJ, Patron of the Scottish Australian Caber Toss metres and weighed 75kg, a Heritage Council. The other honoured guest was Alexander really big fellow. There were about six attempts before a Tristan Duff Brodie of Brodie - Chief of the Clan Brodie. contestant managed a proper end over end toss showing The day started with a Parade of Bands and Clan Society what an art it really is. After a successful toss the winner is Representatives forming up for the start of the Massed Band decided by who makes the caber lie closest to 12 o’clock. In display. Quite a spectacle with 13 bands and enough sound the picture the judge is seen behind the contestant. for the most ardent Scotophile. The opening ceremony in- The day concludes with march on by the bands, massed cluded an address by the Chieftain of the Day and Inspec- band display and closing ceremony. tion of the Bands. Formalities concluded by 11am and then At night we attended the Ceilidh with a very fine address to full on entertainment. the Haggis, a further display by the Federation Guard, danc- For the third year we were impressed by the drill precision ing to a celtic band, entertainment by Lithgow Pipe Band and of the Defence Force Federation Guard made up of young excellent dinner. A Sunday morning Kirkin of the Tartan was service personel from the Army, Navy and Air Force. followed by morning tea at St. Marks Church, Aberdeen. Massed Bands - Aberdeen Highland Games 2011 Christmas Luncheon - Saturday 26th November Clan MacLeod Pipe Banner Presentation From Vice President, Neil McLeod & wife Margaret have offered CMS Scotland Newsletter. Our Clansfolk of the CMS Scot- to host our MacLeod Christmas Lunch at their home at 2 land have presented a pipe banner to The Black Watch, now Neerim Close, Berowra. Plans are for a BYO barbeque start- known as the 3rd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland (The ing about 11.30am. We will need to know numbers so if you Black Watch). In 1779 Major General Norman MacLeod of can come please phone Neil on (02) 9456 1446, or Peter or MacLeod, 23rd Chief, raised the 2nd Wendy on (02) 4397 3161. Battalion The Black Watch. The Bat- Skye Hospital Allowed to Run Down A recent arti- talion’s original colours are still in cle in West Highland Free Press expressed the opinion that Dunvegan Castle. Since then the clan authorities had deliberately let Gesto Hospital at Edinbane has had a close association with the deteriorate to the point where it is almost beyond repair. The Regiment. The late Chief John, 29th hospital was gifted to Edinbane community by Kenneth Mac- Chief, served with The Black Watch. Leod of Greshornish in 1869 and many years later taken The banner, commissioned by the over by the National Health Service. Locals contend the hos- CMS Scotland, is presented in mem- pital was never sold to the NHS but just ‘taken’ and now they ory of John MacLeod of MacLeod, want it back! The building may be unusable but the site and 29th Chief. It bears on one side the adjacent woodlands could be used to generate income for MacLeod of MacLeod personal crest and motto of Hugh the community rather than continue to rot under the NHS. MacLeod of MacLeod, 30th Chief, Edinbane is a crofting village (with his permission). The reverse at the southern end of the Wa- side carries the new badge of the ternish Peninsula, about 24km Royal Regiment of Scotland. Since from Portree and 14 from Dun- the 1700s Colonels and Officers of vegan. It has a small primary Highland Regiments have commis- school, pottery and two hotels. sioned pipe banners for Regimental The Hospital is called Gesto but pipers. These banners are fixed with it is not in the Gesto area which ribbons to the long base drone of Gesto Hospital in 2007 is 20km south of Dunvegan. the pipes. One side bears the crest of the person represented, the other Kenneth MacLeod of Greshornish (1809-1869) left Skye at Regimental Badge age 15 for India. His fare was paid and he had one golden the Regimental badge. guinea in his pocket. After a year’s work he took the river boat Memorial to Chief John At right is the memorial stone down to Calcutta. On the way he went ashore and visited a to our late Chief John. Much place where an auction of contents of a sugar factory was in loved 29th Chief of the Mac- progress. With his guinea he bought a copper boiler which Leods of Harris and Dunvegan. he sold in Calcutta for £30. He now returned to the derelict The memorial sits inside the Old sugar factory and bought it for very little. This set him on the Kilmuir Church, shown below, ladder to making a fortune in India planting indigo. on the edge of the Dunvegan Returning to Skye he tried to buy the tack of Gesto where Village. his family had farmed for 500 years. MacLeod of MacLeod would not sell it to him. Kenneth then bought Orbost, Edin- bane, Skirinish, Greshornish, Tote, Skeabost and much of Portree. He ensured Edinbane had a tradesman from each of the important crafts and set up the hospital, the first in Skye, and named it Gesto. For those who have read the marvellous book by Alexander Smith, ‘A Summer in Skye’, Kenneth MacLeod has been identified as ‘The Landlord’. Electricity on Skye From Clan MacLeod Canada News- letter A story from an electricity meter reader of when elec- Kilmuir also houses memorials to our 25th Chief, Norman; tricity came to the Dunvegan area in the 1930s. ‘Many peo- 26th Chief, Norman Magnus; 27th Chief, Sir Reginald and ple in the area only spoke Gaelic and there being no word 28th Chief, Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod. for electricity, it was called “the new light”.