The Clan Macleod Society of Otago
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Clan website www.clanmacleod.org PRESIDENT/SECRETARY Daphne Macleod New Zealand Clan website Cell: 0274 521 855 www.clanmacleodnz.org Email: [email protected] Clan MacLeod on Facebook ClanMacLeodSocietyofNewZealand International Clan website www.clanmacleod.org Dunvegan Castle Website www.dunvegancastle.com THE CLAN MACLEOD SOCIETY OF OTAGO February 2019 Dear Clansfolk The year is galloping along and I’m having trouble keeping up!!! Apologies for the size of this newsletter which has been a long time coming. I’m pleased to report that Jack McLeod and Shirley Morton are progressing well after their recent operations. Our very best wishes to them both. *** Clan MacLeod Afternoon Tea – This coming Sunday 3rd March at Daphne’s from 2pm. Afternoon tea and refreshments will be supplied, so please just bring yourselves. We will be discussing the banner and events for the year, as well as details for the AGM which will be held shortly. Expressions of Interest Clan MacLeod Central Otago would very much like you to take part in their 30th Birthday celebration (see attached) and are calling for expressions of interest. Please email June Sinclair [email protected] or let Daphne know if you feel you may be able to take part. We had a wonderful time at their 25yh Birthday dinner at Chatto Creek. June says that they may make it a weekend celebration if there is enough interest. This is open to anyone. New DVD ‘MacLeod Battles’ Following the success of Peter Macleod’s DVD ‘Tales and Legends of Skye’, they have produced another called ‘MacLeod Battles’. This 53 minute DVD is available to buy – see attached. Peter was elected President of the Associated Clan MacLeod Societies at Parliament in July. This is a four year term. New Zealand Clan Council AGM will be held on Saturday 11th May at Christchurch. Daphne will be representing CMS Otago but anyone else is welcome to attend the meeting. Details of venue to come. Dame Flora Scholarship members planning to travel to Scotland this year may be eligible for a Grant. Applications close 1st April - Details from Daphne. Guidelines are: Applications to be sent to the National Secretary by 1st April. Grants for the Dame Flora Scholarship are made annually. Applications must be made through a New Zealand Regional Clan Macleod Society. The applicant must be a member for the last twelve months. This must be certified by the Secretary of the Clan Macleod Society which the applicant belongs to. The purpose of the fund is for study, vocational training and exploring cultural heritage overseas and being of some benefit to the societies. The applicant must present a written report after their visit and prior to the next AGM Scottish Organisations as a Result of the Diaspora We have received via the Caledonian Society, a request from Gina Belk of The University of Edinburgh. She is writing on behalf of a student led consultancy firm called FreshSight and states that her team and she are working in partnership with the Scottish Business Network to help research the Scottish diaspora community in the hope that we could further their understanding of Scottish organisations in New Zealand.. If you are willing to share your business ventures (if any) to be included in their research? They would be interested in learning what types of organisation (businesses, NGOs, art galleries, sports clubs etc) have Scottish connections. They understand that this is personal and would only ask for details that are already public knowledge, for example the name of the organisation and its website. Please take their work into consideration as they believe gaining an understanding of Scottish societies current international work could help the community flourish globally in the future. The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336. Events Coming up……….. Pencil them in!! Friday 29th/Saturday 30th March - Royal New Zealand Pipe Band Championships, University Oval (Street March starts 9am on Saturday). Saturday 11th May – Clan MacLeod NZ Annual General meeting – Christchurch Friday 17th May – Movie Night. Details to come. Saturday 8th June – Mid Winter Hogmanay – St Peter’s Church Hall, Hillside Road (Combined Clans) Sunday 30th June – Pot luck Lunch – Janet Cameron Centre, Green Island (Combined Clans) Saturday 14th September – Clan MacLeod Central Otago 30th Birthday Dinner at Alexandra – see above. Sunday 29th September - Spring pot luck lunch – Janet Cameron Centre, Green Island (Combined Clans) Friday 8th November Christmas Meal at J T’s.(Combined Clans) Sunday 24th November, tentative date for Kirkin-o’the Tartan at Knox Church Saturday 30th November – St Andrew’s Day in the Octagon (Dunedin-Edinburgh Sister City) Sunday 26th January 2020 - Brighton Gala Day Feb/early March 2020 - David Vernon and Alex Hodgson of the popular Scottish duo “Saltire” are planning a NZ Tour. Details to come. Jahrbuch 2018 – Year in Review - Clan MacLeod Society of Germany Moira and Laurence have forwarded this link for readers of German plus some very good photos https://app.box.com/s/wu3ry9snnodwh42u22yhf7w5gefvwpj2 The Clan MacLeod Magazine visit www.dunvegancastle.com/ some lovely scenes and great information on Dunvegan The Chief’s letter in the October edition was written by John Macleod, Chief of the Macleods of Raasay. It begins …… Dear Clan Members and Friends As I said in my opening remarks at Parliament 2018, it does not seem four years ago that many of those present were then at Dunvegan. Time evaporates but not the memories that we have of the friendships gained over the last and previous gatherings which are all about fellowship, family and fun. It is this fellowship or kinship that is the glue that holds us all together in one common bond: The name MacLeod. As we know, the word clan is derived from the Gaelic word meaning children, but then extended to describe families living in a territory. For Scottish Clans, that territory has extended beyond Scotland, to a world-wide family. Clan MacLeod has families spread all around the world, under the Associated Clan MacLeod Societies. I was so pleased and proud that all my immediate family was able to be at Parliament. My wife Liz, our daughter Hannah, with her husband James and children Charlie and Freya, as well as our son Alastair, Younger of Raasay, with his wife Phoebe and their son Jack, were all present. And of course, it was great that many other family members of the Raasay Macleods attended, several camouflaged in Raasay Red Tartan. And the fun part, well, that was Parliament Coordinator, Rory McLeod’s domain, ably and continuously assisted by his team including wife Lindsey. What a great programme he put together. Full marks also to Rory for his successful application for funding from EventScotland through the Scottish Clan Event Fund. Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe choose to visit Scotland to explore their ancestry and the homelands of their ancestors. The Scottish Clan Event Fund directly supports such activity. Of the successful applicants this year, eight were for funding Clan gatherings such as our Clan MacLeod Parliament. This helps lighten the load on registration fees and add additional benefits to those attending. Scotland’s Year of Homecoming in 2009 was a great success, delivering a string of benefits to the country and boosting tourism in Scotland. Following this a series of Themed Years built on this momentum, spotlighting Scotland’s greatest assets that positioned Scotland on the international stage as a dynamic and creative nation through a coordinated programme of events. This year’s theme ‘2018 – the Year of Young People’ is promoting educational and cultural events centred on our young people. At this 2018 Parliament we had a young theme throughout the programme. This was led by Youth Memb4ership Coordinator, Bronwyn McLeod, who has her own report in this issue of the magazine. Georgia and James Walters from South Australia presented us to what the Mighty Mini MacLeods were all about, who they are and what they do. Their enthusiasm was quite infectious. In the much younger category, our daughter Hannah organised craft activities prior to morning tea each day ranging from clay Loch Nessies to fairy trees. It seemed fun for all including parents! Collectively, the Young MacLeods going forward are the future focus of the Clan and appropriate for the Year of Young People. At Parliament there was discussion as to the pros and cons for the use of Facebook and social media. One cannot ignore the power of social media. The Clan MacLeod Facebook page received nearly 4000 hits for the videos and photos that were posted. Our thanks to Emma Halford-Forbes for her expertise and time to make this happen. More people saw Clan MacLeod activities online than the number of copies of the Magazine going out for each edition. The Parliament Programme does not change much but we still get a great response from the Clan to attend. So, I guess that the recipe is right and perhaps those small changes are enough to entice us back. A bit like the Edinburgh Tattoo, that too changes very little. Last year’s Tattoo gave the Clan the opportunity to take part in one of those changes, a ‘Splash of Tartan’, marching with Clan Mackenzie on the main arena before the main act. I have kept in touch with John, Chief of Clan MacKenzie. Liz and I stayed at Castle Leod with him and his wife Eve. He gave us a message of welcome and continuing friendship for our Gathering. While the weather was generally great for Parliament, for Raasay Day rain dampened spirits a little.