"The Mac Dhubhaich"

The newsletter is published quarterly and sent to all members of the Clan. It is a wealth of information! There are historical articles of general interest about Scotland, her people and the Clan, as well as current news. Each of the ten regional conveners reports on activities in their area. There are genealogical queries and tidbits, flowers of the forest, interesting websites and books, Scottish jokes, MacDuff items for sale, listings of new members, and all sorts of other interesting things. This page will offer selected samples from the newsletter. Here are some excerpts from the current Newsletter... Regional Reports DEEP SOUTH - Winter 2007 Georgia Report - Rick Abercrombie, State Convener The weather was fine for both days, Saturday and Sunday, for the Stone Mountain Highland Games. The Friday evening drop off of the tent materials was excellent and really saves time. We were in our usual location surrounded by good Clan friends such as Guthrie, Gunn and SAMS (Scottis-American Military Society). Many thanks to my camp commander, Lou Coroso, and wife Marsha, for a grand time. Marion Pearson joined us at the Games. I believe I signed her aboard in 2003. It was certainly nice to see her again. We spoke at the Sponsors' Reception. I hope that she will help with the tent next year. Bob and Maria Spence were up from Florida. Donnie and Gale Shearer were down from Carolina as was Chris Tullis. We accepted two new members. (I had so much help with the tent guests I may have missed a name.) Please join me in welcoming: D. Cherie Long and family, husband Dr. Duane Truex, sons Sean-Ryan Long and Colin Patrick Eon Truex. (Now there are some fine Celtic names for you!). Also, welcome Brian Beveridge. We have a re-up from Erik and Lisa Millslagle, members from 2003. The games were again a blur. My friends Jan Warf and Larry Henderson were up from Florida. We all had a great time. There was a wedding in the Henderson Clan, the daughter of my friends Tony and Gwen Martin. Congratulations and best wishes to them! And, a huge thank you to all of the out-of-state MacDuffs for all their help at the games!!! PACIFIC SOUTHWEST - Winter 2007 Walter Ernst, Jr., FSA Scot - Regional Convener Thoughts from the shaky side! 2007 was a positive year for Clan MacDuff in the Pacific Southwest Region. We have traveled from San Diego in the south, to Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley north, to the Seaside Games on the beautiful Gold Coast city of Ventura. While we received ten new members into our fold, I am looking forward to increasing that number in 2008. (Walt then sent in many pictures to be included in the newsletter along with captions.) Here are some excerpts from previous Newsletters... Regional Reports UPPER SOUTH - Fall 2007 Donnie Shearer, Burgess Hammerman, FSA Scot - Regional Convener This year has been a trying one. We had a nice games at Gatlinburg, then Gale and I left for a month in Scotland. The games in Kentucky went well. I have not received any information on the games at Grandfather Mountain or games in North Carolina at this time. The games for Middle Tennessee were a one day event this year and at a different location. They were small, but it was a fun day in spite of the record high heat and high humidity. Twelve family members of Walter William Spence, Jr., who died July 8, 2007, joined us to march in the Parade of Clans so we had a grand representation even though it was a somber mood honoring the loss of one of our members. The games was in honor of him and his work with past games. Our own wee lass, Haley Davis, the daughter of one of our members, came to the tent sporting 6 ribbons and one trophy for her Highland dancing - one for being the best amateur dancer. She again made a grand showing for Clan MacDuff. Gale and I will be attending the games at Stone Mountain on October 20th to help out and make a grand showing at one of the best games in the USA. We will be joined by our friends Richard and Pat Malt from North Yorkshire, England. Richard is a retired Regimental Sergeant Major of the Royal Signals. We collected enough money to have two stones for the MacDuff Clan of America to be placed in the walkway for all to see as they walk up to the new Culloden Visitors Center. The whole park will be resurveyed and the lines of both armies will be placed at the original locations, excavated, and any artifacts found will be displayed in the museum. Our Clan will be represented there for eternity, so be proud, MacDuff! We again have been the first to place our mark into history. DEEP SOUTH - Fall 2007 Bob Spence - Regional Convener We just returned from attending the Annual Meeting of the MacDuff Clan in Columbus, IN. What a great time we had! We loved seeing our once-a-year friends in the Clan and catching up on news - but that's not all. We stayed at an unusual and beautiful Holiday Inn and toured Columbus' architectural and sculptural wonders. (Little did we know that Columbus, Indiana, is the sixth best city in the United States for architectural beauty.) We spent two days in Richard and Barbara Cooper's tent at the Games, led the parade of tartans proudly as the Honored Clan, ate wonderful food, and laughed at Jane Robitaille's trivia contest at the Clan dinner. The Coopers are to be commended - they are superb hosts. It was wonderful to see friends from the MacDuff tours; Larry and Chris MacDuff, sister Anne and nephew Mike from the last tour, and meet two more of their sisters. Jane, Carl and Billy Robitaille were there too, as well as all our friends as Regional Conveners from across America. Our National Convener Stephen Lundie (with wife Ellen) ran excellent Clan Council and AGM meetings. The Council met for over four hours to help with Clan items. It was great to see people from the west coast, middle states (TX) clear to the east. What strength you have in your Clan officers! We are excited about the prospect of a tour in Scotland in 2009 in conjunction with the "Homecoming Scotland" or "The Gathering." If you'd consider going, save July 2009 and watch for more information to be forthcoming. This is expected to be the world's largest gathering of the clans and we've been invited, sponsored by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (SCSC). Let's be there! The heat in Florida is still with us, but our Games schedule will begin next month with Rick Abercrombie, the Georgia State Convener, at Stone Mountain, Georgia, outside Atlanta, on October 19-21, 2007. Then we'll have a clan tent at least four Florida events: - South Florida in the Ft. Lauderdale area on January 12, 2008; Central Florida near Orlando on January 19-20, 2008; the North East Games in Green Cove Springs in the Jacksonville area on February 23, 2008; and Sarasota on March 29. Other games are: Tallahassee starting again on April 19, Dunedin on April 12, Zephyrhills on March 1-2, and Panama City on March 8. So, there are lots of places to visit to renew your Scottish heritage. Do come and visit! If you are reading this and can help in the clan tent at a Florida games, please email us at flspence@earthlink.net LAKE STATES - Summer 2007 Richard Cooper - Regional Convener Slainte! The Lakes States Region website, www.clanmacdufflakesstatesregion.org, has been going well and updated as needed. It includes a current list of events in the Lakes States Region for 2007. Barbara, my wife and Indiana State Convener, set up our Clan MacDuff tent at the Springfield, Illinois, Highland Games & Celtic Festival on May 19th and had favorable comments and many visitors to Clan Row. Six visitors requested more information about Clan MacDuff when they noticed that their surnames appeared on the Sept list. Barbara and I will be setting up at the Ohio Scottish Games on June 23 at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio. We hope to see many Lakes States Region members there. Please stop by and introduce yourselves to us. The Clan MacDuff AGM this year is being held at the Columbus Indiana Scottish Festival in September. The dates of the festival are September 8 & 9, and Clan MacDuff is the Honored Clan. Some members will be arriving as early as Thursday, September 6th, and some staying as late as Monday, September 10th. A reminder that a block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn Conference Center, 2480 Jonathan Moore Pike, Columbus, Indiana. There will be a Hospitality Room at the Holiday Inn on the evenings of the 6th and 7th. The AGM will be Saturday afternoon, and a Clan Banquet will be Saturday evening. Hope to see you all there! PACIFIC SOUTHWEST - Summer 2007 Walter Ernst - Regional Convener Greetings from the Sunny Side! Wow! What a great weekend! Clan MacDuff participated in celebrating the 75th Annual Highland Gathering and festival held at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. Along with over 60 clans and associated Scottish groups, 16 pipe bands and several major Scottish/Celtic bands, a special recognition was given to all of our military personnel, past and present. Clan MacDuff had the opportunity to chat with many visitors to our table and new members. On March 10th and 11th Clan MacDuff attended the Los Angeles County Irish Fair and Music Festival. We were the only clan there! The good news is that we added a new member! Our tent then found itself set up in Stamler Park for the 12th Annual Bakersfield Scottish Gathering and Games. These games are a very popular event for the southern San Joaquin Valley. Again we welcomed new members! Remember, only those who are left-handed are in their right minds! SOUTHWEST - Summer 2007 Louisana Report -Ross Lamoureaux - Regional Convener My wife and I very much enjoyed attending our first Scottish gathering representing Clan MacDuff at the Louisiana Swamp-Celts Festival in Gonzales, LA. Unfortunately the turnout was low but a slow start was ok to get our feet wet. There was a representative from 16 clans and the Clan of Honor this year was Clan Fergusson. The festival was held at a local expo center inside a rodeo ring. The clan tables were set up around the ring with the games and pipes being held on separate sides of the ring. There were lots of vendors, good food and much drink to be had - after all, this is Louisana! We only met one other couple that were MacDuffs but very much enjoyed the camaraderie of all that attended. UPPER SOUTH - Spring 2007 Donnie Shearer, FSA Scot - Regional Convener Here in the upper South we will attend the usual games, Glasgow Kentucky, Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina if it is approved and here in Tennessee the Gatlinburg Games. The Nashville Games have lost their location for some reason and they are looking for a new site. I have not heard form them yet, so the Nashville Games are still a maybe in my books. If they do have the Games we will be there. I, personally, will not be able to attend and help with the games from May 21 to June 20 as we will be in Scotland. The last games I will attend will be the Gatlinburg Games the day before we leave. We will be at the AGM in Indiana and assist all we can. Hopefully we'll have the tartan material by then, so we can order the kilts and other items before the AGM. DEEP SOUTH - Spring 2007 Bob Spence, Regional Convener Hello again! Our Central Florida Games (Orlando area in Winter Springs, FL) on January 20th were held on a chilly day, but the crowds were excellent. Our tent location was rather off the main beat, but we had visitors galore. As always, neighboring clan tent workers were friendly and helpful. Several potential members took applications and seemed very interested. Following that day, the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band Concert nearby added to the festivities. Our next Games are Northeast Florida near Jacksonville in Green Cove Springs, FL on February 24. We are looking forward to those. They have a Scottish Evening planned as well. New for us, Zephyrhills, FL has a Celtic Festival, March 3 and 4. This two-day event will be interesting. We'll see how many clan tents there are, and what kind of attendance there is to encourage us to participate. Sarasota Games will be March 24 th, and Edie Duff-Loach has registered us for those Games. If you are in that area, please stop by. Edie was our FL State Clan Convener for many years. Weather is always an issue, it seems! Both Sarasota and Tallahassee had all day intense driving rain last year. We were registered for the Southeast Games in Ft. Lauderdale, but Mother Nature prevented our attendancd, as we were grounded in Atlanta, and couldn't get home, much less to Ft. Lauderdale. We hope we'll be there next year! We are looking forward to the September 7-8-9, 2007 AGM in Columbus, IN. We were so surprised on our recent December Caribbean cruise as our tablemates were from Columbus, IN! Small world, eh? Our Games season comes to a close as many of you are beginning yours, but we don't dare schedule during hurricane season. Do come visit your MacDuff Clan tent and even "host" the tent for your Clan to give those "manning" the tent a break. MIDDLE ATLANTIC REGION - Winter, 2006 Wayne Cederlund, Regional Convener WOW what a HOT summer it has been in the Middle Atlantic! Yes, hot and muggy out in the fields where we have been to set up our Clan Tent for some games this summer. It has also been hot because we have been getting some new members. Then we get to the Fall and the Games we have been to here in the Middle Atlantic Region. We set up once again in Amherst, NY, for the Scottish Festival and Highland Games on the grounds of the Amherst Museum in Memory of Thomas Fyfe. This year I was once again helped with everything on that day from our 2 GREAT volunteers from Rochester, NY, Susan and Alicia Smith who have been with us volunteering for many years now. Thank You again to Susan and Alicia. Next I came back to Carlisle, PA, to my Home games, the McLain Celtic Festival, which was held on Saturday September 2, 2006 rain or shine - and let me remind you that up in Yankee Country rain it did. That was the day that a hurricane decided to join us here in Carlisle. I want to thank my daughter-in-law Laura and my two wonderful granddaughters who spent the day with me in the rain under the Clan Tent welcoming all the brave souls who came out in spite of the weather. Also I had a big surprise when the Livermans and Dunns drove all the way up in the storm from Maryland to join me at the Clan MacDuff Tent. Now that's dedication! The very next weekend I was off again to Green Lane, PA, where the 6th Annual Green Lane Park Scottish Irish Festival and Highland Games were once again held. If anyone is around on the 2nd weekend of September please take some time and do your self a big favor and stop by. You will have a great time, and the kids will enjoy watching NESSEY and NESSY JR. float around the lake all day long. Next I want to thank Jim and Deanna Dodd who are MacDuff members down in VA over near Roanoke. Jim wrote to me and told me that his wife Deanna was setting up a tent for her family, Clan Lockhart, and they wanted to know if it would be OK for them to represent the Clan MacDuff under the same tent. He asked me to send him some of the handouts that I pass out at the Games that I attend. This is a small Festival but is well attended so without hesitation I got a package together and mailed it right off to Jim. They attend the Highland games at the Homecoming at Radford University and his report follows. Just a reminder if any one else would like to do the same as Jim and Deanna please just ask and I will be more than happy to help you get things going. Two weeks later I was off one last time for this year. I went to the Richmond, VA, Highland Games Yes, the same place that the BEST AGM was held 2 years ago. I even stayed in the same Hotel. This Festival is sponsored by our National Treasurer Davie Cottrell. I was there just to give a helping hand. THANK YOU TO DAVIE for a Job well done this year and for all the past years he has been there for Clan MacDuff. This year he got 4 new members for the Clan. A big welcome to them from me and the rest of our Family. Special Report - Jim Dodds The sky was a cloudless brilliant blue, the trees around the quad were robed in their autumnal splendor, and the air was brisk? No, it was downright cold (about 35F.) as we set up the clan tent at the 11th Annual Radford Highland Festival. This gathering is part of the Radford University, Radford, VA. Homecoming activities. It would have been an absolutely perfect fall day if we had not been plagued with strong breezes all day, one of which removed our tent top for the first time in all the years we have been doing games. I volunteered to get MacDuff a little exposure, because I did not remember seeing any representation in the past at this event. The Clan MacDuff was sublet space by our friends and my wife, Deanna, of Clan Lockhart. Deanna, the Clan Lockhart membership secretary, and I have been attending the Radford Festival for the last five years. This is a small, friendly, one-day event that is held the 2nd weekend of October each year. It looks the same as many games events with clan tents, food and merchandise vendors, demonstrators, musical entertainment, pipe bands and games held on the field in the middle of all the other activities. Since this is a free event to the public and clans, the visitors are not always familiar with what is going on and what it is all about, so there are always visits from the Whoami's and Whereami's. While the Clan Lockhart got a few "hits" on their visitor log, I was unable to get anyone willing to make their mark on the MacDuff log. A few folks did pick up some MacDuff handouts. All in all, not a bad "First Day Cover" for Clan MacDuff. SOUTHWEST - Winter, 2006 Gary Ballard, Regional Convener Celtic Heritage Festival was held the weekend of 14-15 October in Bedford, Texas. There was the usual good food, fun, music, venders, etc. Every year is different but this year was very different. The weather was very good on Saturday and pouring rain Sunday. However, we were actually very busy both days even though it was pouring rain the second day .There were actually times when people were standing several deep wanting to talk to us. We gave out a good many applications and had 15 members come by and sign in. We also had 8 people either renew or join up. It was very nice seeing so much activity with the weather like it was. Salado Gathering of the Clans festival was held Veterans Day weekend, November 11-12, in Salado, TX.. This festival marks its 45th year. This year the weather was excellent except for the wind, but this is Texas and wind is just something we deal with. I believe there was a record breaking crowd this year because of the weather. This was the second year in a row for excellent weather and I know that must be a record event so everyone came out to celebrate. There is always good food, games, dancing, bagpipers, etc. that draws quite a crowd and this year was no different. There are always good venders on hand at this festival and for many it is the last of the season so prices are greatly reduced. I believe like many others that this is truly a "Gathering of the Clans." This festival is the last of the season for many clans and it is very laid back. All of the different clans kick back and relax and take the time to visit with each other, renewing old friendship and meeting new people. That is all except Clan MacDuff. We stayed busy the whole weekend. We had 29 members come by and sign in, We gave out a good many applications and had 9 people either join or renew. To me, it does not get any better than this and I am very glad I can be a part of it. I would like to take this time to express my deepest appreciation for all the help given to the Southwest Region this year by Father John and Jody Isham. For those that do not know them, Father John is the Chaplin for Clan MacDuff and his lovely bride Jody is the Oklahoma State Convener. These people have been very active with Clan MacDuff for many, many years and this year was no exception. At present, there is only one active festival in Oklahoma. This did not stop Father John and Jody. Not only did they attend the festival in Oklahoma and host a tent but then traveled to McPherson, Kansas and hosted a tent there as well. This in itself is not unusual. However, Kansas is in the Plains States region which is vacant at the present time. Father John and Jody thought it was time for a MacDuff presence in Kansas so they went. This was their own idea and not because they were asked . They did this out of the love of their hearts for Clan MacDuff to try to expand memberships. Father John and Jody also came down to Texas to help us with the AGM in Arlington and then came back to help at the festival in Bedford. I always look forward to their visits because I know it is going to be a good festival. You see, they know everyone. If they do not know someone, it is only because they have not met them yet. They come to the tent and I just get up and move. Normally within a few minutes word has spread and the tent is swamped with people and stays this way. MacDuff members come by to renew, other clans bring potential MacDuff members to meet Father John and Jody and sign up, and venders send people to the tent to be helped. Every now and then Father John and Jody take a break and walk around. Sure enough, they come back with member applications. These people never stop recruiting. I have never see anything like it. I only wish they could pass this skill on to everyone else. Father John and Jody are truly remarkable people and we are very blessed to have them in Clan Macduff and especially in the Southwest Region. At this point, all I can say - and I think I speak for all of us in the Southwest Region - is that you are loved and appreciated very much. A big Texas size THANK YOU goes out to you for all your hard work. MOUNTAIN STATES - Fall 2006 Dale Beaman, Regional Convener Greetings fellow MacDuffs! First, I'd like to welcome new member Mary Lou Peterson from Boulder, Colorado! Mary Lou stopped by the booth at Estes Park last year when she visited with the Ballards. Welcome Mary Lou! We are delighted to have you aboard! As you read Kathy's Wyoming report, you will know about the festival in Gillette, Wyoming. I can only add my THANKS to Kathy for all the hard work she put into making that festival great for Clan MacDuff. By the time this newsletter arrives, we will have been to Estes Park, Colorado. There will be more on Estes Park in the next issue. Wyoming Report - Kathy Beaman, State Convener Autumn Greetings From Wyoming!! Hi, I am Kathy Beaman, Wyoming State Convener. My husband Dale, (Rocky Mountain States Regional Convener) and I recently attended our very first Highland Games representing Clan MacDuff in Gillette, Wyoming, June 24-26. What an exciting time for us! This was the first time Clan MacDuff had been represented at this Festival, and we had the distinct pleasure of being selected as the "Honored Clan of the Future, 2006." This truly was our first time fully setting the tent up and getting all the displays out and in place. Seems we had tried and failed every time we did a practice run. Either it was the weather that prohibited our completion or Dale's call to work that would inevitably interfere. We were ecstatic how smoothly things went. Approximately 2 hours and we were out of the park and ready for the next day. A bad storm ripped through the park that night, and several of the vendor and clan tents were damaged. One of the clan tents was completely destroyed;fortunately the tent collapsed on their display so nothing blew away or was damaged by the driving rains. The director of the games put together an emergency back up shade for them and they carried on like nothing happened. We stored their belongings in our tent that evening so they did not have to pack up all their materials and exhibits only to set them up again the next day. They were very grateful. Following the close of the first day, we and all our newly found clanship friends headed for the Ceilidh. Not having experienced this event before, we were anxious to see what it was all about. The food was wonderful, and the entertainment a delight. This will be an annual calling for us I am sure!! Our taste buds are prepared for the next Ceilidh already! We had 4 prospective member leads and are in the process of following up on them at this time. The whole experience was wonderful! We participated in the opening and closing ceremonies. We were presented with a lovely scroll signifying our celebrated title. I would say we had a very successful and educational time for our first time out! Aye! We will be traveling to Jackson this month (August 18th and 19th) to attend the Dave Cameron Scottish Festival and Highland Games. We are very excited.It will be the first time Clan MacDuff will be represented there as well. PACIFIC SOUTHWEST - Fall 2006 Walter E. Ernst, Jr., FSA Scot - Regional Convener Greetings from the Gold Coast! As this is my first article as the Pacific Southwest Convener, I would like to thank all who sent me an e-mail with congratulations. I would like to congratulate our newly elected officers. I am looking forward to working with them. Having enjoyed working with Stephen for the last five or so years, I know Clan MacDuff is in good hands. Here in the Pacific Southwest things are slowing down a bit, but the first part of the year Clan MacDuff was quite active as Stephen reported in earlier newsletters. Our tent was last seen at the San Diego Scottish Highland Games. Putting up a tent in the rain was a challenge, but other than getting a wee bit wet, we were up and running before the gates opened. Along with my wife, Jeannette, our tent entertained the services of Ellen, Sarah and George Lundie. George also participated in the dance competition and as usual was very successful. During our two day encampment we welcomed our newest members Warren and Nancy Thomas. Also stopping by were: Robert Fyfe, Jay Troendale, Curtis and Yuki Guffey, Ken Long, Bruce MacDuffee, John Fife Bowman, and Kelly, Kyle and Kurt Dalton. We also had a visit by special guest Catherine Fyfe (see below). In the next few months our MacDuff tent travels to the Fresno Highland Gathering and Games in Madera, CA, Seaside Highland Games in Ventura, CA, and the Celtic Festival Orange County in Irvine, CA. Earlier this year while on vacation, my wife and I visited Cape Cod and had the pleasure of staying at a Bed and Breakfast owned by Clan MacDuff members Stu and Charlotte Fyfe. If any of our members or their friends are planning on staying on Cape Cod, I highly recommend the Candleberry Inn. Stu and Charlotte are great hosts and the accommodations are exceptional. They also have a super daughter, Catherine! UPPER SOUTH - Summer 2006 Donnie Shearer - Regional Convener The Tennessee Games at Gatlinburg were a great success despite the rain. We had 7 families stop in who were listed on the Surname list. One paid their dues, and the rest I sent applications and a welcome letter to in hopes they keep their interest in the clan. One family that stoppen in at the tent were Rob and Jackie Davis of College Grove, TN, who informed us that their daughter, Haley Davis, won 3 first place ribbons and 1 second place ribbon in Highland dancing. The breakdown is: Highland Fling, Sword Dance and PDB Dance all 1st place, and Pas de Bas 2nd place. The Glasgow Games will be staffed by Bill Hockensmith while the AGM is in progress. The first weekend in October is the Nashville Scottish Games which will be staffed by Donnie & Gale Shearer and Bill Hockensmith. We are expecting a big turnout of MacDuffs at these games. LAKES STATES - Summer 2006 Richard Cooper - Regional Convener My first year as the Lakes States Regional Convener has come and gone, and what a year it has been! In 2005, my wife Barbara (Indiana State Convener) and Vera (Barb's mother), represented Clan MacDuff at Highland games and other Scottish events in Springfield, Illinois; Columbus, Indiana; and Terre haute, Indiana. In addition, we attended the AGM in Richmond, Virginia, where we met many of the other Officers and Regional Conveners. What great fun we had! We started off the year 2006 by attending our first Burns Supper at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, on January 21st. The pomp and pagentry surrounding the life and writings of Robert Burns, coupled with the Piping in of the Haggis in the historic Tudor Room, will be remembered fondly for years to come. For those of you who have not tried haggis..... it's quite delicious, but does require a "mature" pallet. We set up our Clan MacDuff tent at the Illinois Highland Games held in Springfield, Illinois, May 26, again this year; we participated in the Alma Highland Festival and Games, Alma, Michigan, May 26-28. There were 39 clans represented on Clan Row in Alma, and it was estimated that over 50,000 people attended the games. The weather was very hot and humid for upper Michigan. Our tent was visited by a countless number of families looking for possible connection to a Scottish clan. Eleven of those people and their families requested more information about Clan MacDuff and signed our visitor's log. Bruce Dudd and his granddaughter, Tara, took applications after participating in the Parade of Clans with us. We are looking forward to setting up our tent in Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin later this year, and will include Minnesota next year. DEEP SOUTH - Spring 2006 Alabama Report - Chip Webber, State Convener I am pleased to report that all appropriate persons have now been contacted and we will be attending the two games in Alabama with tents this year. One is the North Alabama Highland Festival & Games. The other is part of the Alabama Shakespear festival and is called the Alabama Highland Games. We are collecting things for our tent and are accepting further suggestions in regard to how to make our presentations more complete and interesting for our prospective members. Please feel free to suggest anything that might help. For this, we thank you in advance. Clan MacDuff is going to be a great experience this year which, as you know, is our first. As time passes and we get better at it, we will be bigger and stronger. Good luck to us all. SOUTHWEST - Spring 2006 Sarah Abbot, Regional Convener Preparations are underway for the AGM this June. I've spoken with the hotel and there are still rooms available. I've blocked off more rooms for Thursday evening, so if you're planning on coming get your reservations in soon! Thursday evening will be a casual meet and greet get together at my home. Friday evening will be a dressier dinner at an Italian restaurant, and if you're staying through to Monday, then we have dinner plans for relaxing at a hibachi restaurant. Some of my regional members were uncertain if they were invited to the AGM or if it was simply a meeting of the elected officers only. heavens, NO! This is the general meeting - it's open to anyone and everyone who has membership within the Clan. ALL are welcome to come - and we want you to come! Even if you are new to the Clan and know only a few people, please do come! Special Interest Items ALICE'S POEM Come walk the quiet hills wi' me. Ye'll feel there peace for aa mankind, Whaur calmness an serenity Are there for us to seek and find. Sae, come wi' me. The hills are green, The birds aa sing a sang that thrills. Ye'll find a peace baith sweet an clean, If ye'll walk wi' me the gentle hills. In memory of my beloved wife, Alice Duff Smith, written by Alex Duff Smith in Lowland Scots vernacular. Other Old Notes GREETINGS FROM SCOTLAND - Spring 2003 by Alice and Alex Duff Smith Just a note to let you know that, at long last, we have settled in our new house on the beautiful Island of Bute. Bute is located on the Firth of Clyde (near the Isle of Arran where we visited on one of the clan tours). We have wanted to retire to the Island of Bute (known locally as Rothesay) for many years, so we decided to make the move as our house and garden at Drumrossie was becoming too difficult for us to maintain. Also, last winter, we couldn't get down to the village for several days because of deep snow, so we didn't want to go through that again. On Bute it seldom snows due to the Gulf Stream, and the weather is much kinder. There is a regular ferry service to the "mainland" which makes trips to Glasgow easy to visit relatives and friends. The scenery is spectacular and there are lots of foorpaths around the Island. We are both very happy here and consider ourselves fortunate to have been able to retire to this beautiful place. (Alice and Alec are long time members of Clan MacDuff) FIRST FAMILY'S WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREE - Winter 2002 Theme: "All Creatures Great and Small" First Lady Laura Welch Bush had chosen the theme and then contacted Governor George Pataki to have a New York artist create a bird that is indigenous to New York. It will be used as an ornament for their tree. The ornament will be part of the White House permanent collection and curated by the Smithsonian Institutuin. As an incentive, the artist, with a guest, would receive an invitation to the White House for a noon reception on Wednesday, December 2, 2002. The Catskill Mountain Crafts Collective was contacted, where upon Ruth Newman and Myrna Greenhall approached Art Society of Kingston artist Richard Connell of New Kingston and asked him if he would accept the commission. Mr. Connell, who is recognized as a sculptor and decoy carver, has created over 50 pieces for James Earl Jones and done presentation pieces as awards for the Catskill Watershed Corp., U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, Point Reyes National Seashore, The American Museum of Natural History and SPAWN, Salmon Protection Awareness Watershed Network, to name a few. After due consideration and deliberation, he chose to accept and carve an authentic museum quality 19th century style decoy of a Ruddy Turnstone, even though the official New York State bird is the "Blue Bird" (of happiness?). As a "whittler" (as he prefers to call himself) for over 50 years and a consummate "Flatlander" who has studied shorebirds for all of those years, the choice of species is both significant and timely. In his opinion, "The Ruddy Turnstone is the infantryman of shorebirds. It invades the beaches in great numbers and burrows little foxhole-like depressions, scours the tide wrack and leaves no stone unturned in its mission to survive." He added, "It may be a token gesture on my part but as an infantryman myself, I felt there should be something as a reminder on our President's White House Christmas tree for the women and men in our Armed Forces that have been sent all over the globe and will not be able to be home for their own Holiday. Some may never come home, but this way a part of them will still be in America and will always be in our Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C., in the Smithsonian." As for the reception; on that day and at that time you will find him having lunch in The Flour Patch in Margaretville. As he says, "In the presence of the ordinary local people that I enjoy." Pumpernickel bagel with a smear of olive cream cheese, open, not toasted, and a Kari blueberry turnover with a cup of tea. Because this is a special day, maybe two cups of tea? He likes things simple, but adds, "Perhaps I'll ask them for a candle on the table that day." (Richard Connell, FSA Scot, is a Past Convener of Clan MacDuff) MACDUFF - Winter 2001 written by Michelle Kilgour, age 13 (daughter of Doug and Donna Kilgour, Maine Convener) Lay on MacDuff through thick and thin To show the world where we have been To defeat the ones that harm To stop the big and bold To try and help this world With just our sword in hand We know that we have tried And we changed this world with pride! 700 YEARS LATER, SCOTS HAVE STONE OF SCONE - Winter 2001 Associated Press - 1996 (portions from article) Edinburgh, Scotland - With prayers, pipers and some political nuance, the legendary Stone of Scone was placed in its new home in Scotland on Saturday, seven centuries after it was stolen by an English king. "It's back where it belongs in Scotland," said Jean Livingstone, who stood with her granddaughter in the crowd along Edinburgh's Royal Mile as the stone rolled past on an army Land Rover. Prince Andrew represented his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at the ceremonies on the feast day of St. Andrew, Scotland's patron saint. The rough-hewn block of grey sandstone, weighing 458 pounds, was the coronation seat of Scottish kings until it was carried away as war booty by King Edward I in 1296. The Stone of Scone (pronounced 'skoon') was placed under the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey where it has been involved in all coronations since. The stone will be placed on public view in Edinburgh Castle. Legend says the stone originated in the Holy Land and that the Biblical patriarch, Jacob, rested his head on it when he had his dream of a ladder reaching to heaven. STONE OF SCONE - Winter 2001 written by Ted McDuffee, Past Convener (comments about above article) Historians have stated that due to the murder of Duncan, Tenth Earl of Fife, September 25, 1288, and the only successor to him was his three year old son, Duncan, who became the Eleventh Earl of Fife, King Edward I of England absconded with the Stone of Scone in 1296 during a short lived war. He commissioned Walter of Durham to make it into a coronation chair. King Edward I took the chair, with the stone in its seat, to St. Edward's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, where it was kept for the 700-year period. It was returned to Scotland in 1996. In 1327, the English queen Isabella and her lover, Mortimor, deposed Edward II. Robert the Bruce moved at once, defeated the English, and concluded a peace treaty at Holyrood in which the English recognized him as King of Scotland and gave up all claims to the country. The English Parliment confirmed the treaty at Northampton in 1328. To insure the peace, Bruce's son David married Joan, the English princess, the sister of King Edward III. The Stone of Scone was not mentioned in the treaty, and the English did not return it at that time. Interesting Articles KIRKIN' O' THE TARTAN - Winter 2001 submitted by Maria and Bob Spence The ceremony known as the "Kirkin' O' the Tartan" dates back to 1943 during World War II. It was instituted by the Rev. Peter Marshall, then Chaplain of the United States Senate. At that time there was concern that Americans were not rallying their support for our country's British allies. In an attempt to instill ancestral pride among Scots living in America, Marshall instituted the Kirking O' the Tartans, which was conducted in Presbyterian churches across the nation. The presence of the Presbyterian church in America is due to the migration of Scots and Irish. The ceremony is significant in that it's a celebration of thanksgiving for our Scottish heritage. A "kirk" is a Scottish work for "church." The Kirking O' the Tartans is a ceremonial blessing of the traditional garb of a Highland Scot. The ceremony usually includes a procession of flag bearers or banner carriers, and may include bagpipes, drums, fiddles, dances and songs. As the Scottish legend goes, after the failure of the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 against the British, the wearing of the tartan - or keeping of any Highland custom - was forbidden. The invading British hoped to subdue any sense of Scottish pride. Their leader, Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charles), had escaped to France leaving the Highlanders vulnerable to the troops loyal to the Duke of Cumberland and the House of Hanover. These troops scoured the Scottish Highlands, rooting out the Jacobite supporters. Although the wearing of tartan was prohibited, the Highlander would take a small piece of his clan's tartan and hide it beneath his clothes on his way to the village kirk. Then at a designated moment during the service, worshipers would secretly touch their tartan. At that moment, the minister pronounced a blessing on all tartans and each Scot pledged his loyalty and respect for his country's heritage and traditions. In this way, the Kirking O' the Tartan continued but in secret defiance. The ban against tartans was lifted after 35 years, and in 1782 the King of England encouraged the wearing of the tartan as a way of lessening tensions between Scotland and England. Today this is still a reminder of the founding fathers, their denominations, and another way of worship. Clan MacDuff Tour 2001: EXTRAORDINARY! - Fall 2001 written by Maria and Bob Spence (the complete article with minor editing) The clan tour, May 20 to June 1, was an absolute delight for us. Having 32 people from the U.S., Canada, England and Scotland be so congenial, having a delightful tour guide, a fun and likable coach driver, plus interesting history with gorgeous landscapes and views - all in one package! WOW! Who could ask for more? Elizabeth Oliver planned a fantastic tour for us. Even those who had toured Scotland previously found new places and learned new things. Warren Kininmonth was heard to say that he is in love with Scotland and would like to live there! The tour began in Edinburgh where we spent several days. We toured the city, Edinburgh Castle, saw the Honors of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, drove the Royal Mile, saw the Parliment building under construction, Holyrood Palace, Salisbury Crag and Craigmillar Castle. We even shopped on Princess Street. We attended "A Taste of Scotland" at Prestonfield Stables where we had great fun singing, dancing and tasting haggis! We crossed the Forth Road Bridge and toured Culross, a royal burgh. In Dumfermline, we visited Abbot's house and the Museum of Andrew Carnegie. We stayed in Lunden Links overlooking the North Sea, visited the remains of the MacDuff Castle in East Wemyss, saw Balgonie Castle where Peter MacDuff lived (Larry and Chris MacDuff and Anne Hall's grandfather), and toured Falkland Palace in the famous Old Course. That evening we had a gala sing and dance fest of our own with the help of an accordionist. There was much hilarity about the dancing, but we discovered we are really good singers! We drove through Dundee, passed through a ski area with no trees, saw red deer, pheasants and oyster-catchers. Drove along the River Dee and toured Drum Castle, then flew from Aberdeen to the Shetland Islands. We bundled up for a boat trip to see Mousa Broch. Rough water and wind didn't permit us to land at the broch. We also saw seals and numerous birds (fulmars, arctic terns and shags). The whales come in here, but we didn't spot any this day. Wild primroses were blooming everywhere. We saw Shetland ponies, one-track roads and a big fishing museum in Scalloway. We visited the Viking Museum in Lerwick, learned about "UpHellya" festival and toured the Shetland Jewelry Factory, Fair Isle Woolen Mill, and the oil refinery where many arctic terns were nesting. Dinner was at Busta House where we heard the history of the estate - including a "Spence" in the story - told in front of a huge fireplace with a wonderful peat fire. We "hiked" up to Sumburgh Point Nature Reserve - an unbelievable view! We observed birds up close - thrilled to view puffins which strutted about for us! Also seen were greater black back gulls, shag, fulmars, kittiwake, guillemot and razorbills. Wild flowers here included pink thrift and yellow trefoil. We toured Jarlshof, ancient village of 2000 BC, possibly Celts or Picts, and also visited Quendale Mill land croft, a working farm, and some rug-makers. Then, we flew back to Aberdeen. We toured Dunnatter Castle - not to be missed - an absolutely spectacular spot! Also toured St. Machar Cathedral where there is a stained window dedicated to a "Kininmonth." Paul and Priscilla Schmitz renewed their vows here - a very special event on Memorial Day and another chance for the clan to wear their kilts. We lunched and celebrated at Kings College in Old Aberdeen. We drove north to Fraserburgh, toured the Fisherman's Lighthouse Museum and the actual lighthouse built on the site of Fraser Castle, and climbed all the way up to the catwalk. On to Duff House where we had a special reception, presented our gift of 1000 pounds to the "Friends of Duff House," toured the house and learned the history and connections to the MacDuff clan. This finished with a local newspaper taking our picture which was printed the next day, to our delight, with the headlines of "MacDuff Tour Hits Banff." On to Dufftown where, the saying goes, "Rome was built on seven hills; Dufftown was built on seven stills." We went to a whisky tasting, a kilt-maker and toured a distillery. That evening, we attended an excellent production of "The Admirable Crichton" in Pitlochry. At Fort William we split into two groups: one taking the train across Rannoch Moor, the other visiting Glencoe. We met in Tyndrum and drove to Aberfeldy to see the Black Watch Memorial. We sang songs several times and all agreed that the food had been magnificent the whole trip. We even had a chance to view Aberfeldy/Blue Folds Cottages, owned and run by Steve and Elizabeth Oliver. Did you know that in Scotland: choc-a-block is a traffic jam, lay-by is a pull-over spot, gone walk-a-bout means missing, hole in the wall is an ATM, zebra crossing is a cross walk? These were our favorite expressions. We toured Scone Castle with its magnificent china display and orchids everywhere. Peacocks guard the grounds. We were lucky with the weather; we took sunshine wherever we went. All of Scotland was in bloom. This ended the tour as we all headed for airports. This article does not include all our "stops" - just the major ones. We'll never forget it - you should go next time - PLAN ON IT - four years from now! Famous quote from Elizabeth Kininmonth Oliver: "Scotland is not only history, but is the landscape." We had thought this would probably be our last MacDuff tour. Now, we are so excited about the next one! Thanks, Elizabeth! Untamed Scotland: Hiking In The Scottish Highlands - Winter 2000 written by Larry MacDuff (excerpts from a very interesting article) Recently returning from an August vacation of hiking in the hills, glens and around the lochs of Scotland, I would like to encourage any member of the Clan MacDuff Society contemplating such a trip to "JUST DO IT!" Joining me on this trip was Bill Bruce, a friend from my church. The West Highland Way is Scotland's first and most popular long distance footpath. It runs from Milngavie, on the northern outskirts of Glasgow, 95 miles to the capitol of the West Highlands, Fort William. The route passes through some of Scotland's most beautiful landscapes: by loch and mountain, over moorland and forest paths. Bill and I traveled with fourteen other hikers from the U.S. We met in Glasgow and traveled by coach to Luss, a charming town on Loch Lomond, once voted Scotland's loveliest village. A boat ferry took us across the loch to a pier and tavern for the start of a short 7-mile walk along the forested banks of the eastern side, ending up at another ferry pier and tavern. After ales, or a dram of the water of life, we boarded a return ferry for a wonderful night in a great hotel on the loch. Our trip did not include the entire 95 miles of the footpath, but rather 42 miles of select sections were traveled. This enabled us to pick the preferred segments, away from the road noise and into the best scenery. So, our next day began at the Bridge of Orchy and entered the Glencoe area, covering 13 miles of beautiful hiking. The following two days, through Kinlochleven and continuing on to Fort William, covered 22 additional miles. The day after we arrived in Fort William, we were fortunate to awake to a beautiful clear day. Options included a West Highland Steam Railway train ride to Mallaig on the coast, or a hike to the top of Ben Nevis, at 4,406 feet, Great Britain's highest peak. I took the 13-mile round trip hike to the top under beautiful blue skies. Many have told me they have never seen the top of Ben Nevis because of the frequent drizzle and fog, so we felt very lucky. We gathered together that evening with drams and ales to share stories and dinner. Leaving Fort William by coach, we traveled to Edinburgh via Stirling with a stop by Robert the Bruce's monument at Bannockburn battlefield, where the Bruce finally defeated the English army of Edward II in 1314. Upon arriving in Edinburgh, we checked into our hotel and changed into our kilts for the evening festivities. Following dinner, we enjoyed a ceilidh at the Caledonian Brewery prior to catching the Edinburgh Castle Military Tattoo at 10:30pm that evening. This was the last performance of the 2000 event, and they had a wonderful fireworks display at the end of the performance, around 12:15am. The opportunity to spend quailty time in our land of heritage - hiking past the heather in bloom, fighting midges, wearing the kilt (yes, every night except one), hoisting ales and drams - resulted in a wonderful trip. The Cross of MacDuff - Fall 2000 by Douglas Valentine (selected portions from a comprehensive piece) I first heard about the Cross of MacDuff from my great uncle Thaxter Spence, a 33rd Degree Mason, Knight Templar, and Grand Governor of the State of Connecticut. When I was a child, Thaxter told me the privilege of sanctuary at the Cross of MacDuff in Fifeshire was granted to clan members of the ninth degree after MacDuff slew MacBeth and restored Malcolm to the throne of Scotland in 1056. MacDuffs of the ninth degree who committed homicide, Thaxter said, were able to claim this extraordinary privilege until the Reformation. According to various myths and legends, claiming sanctuary also involved paying an amount of money to the King, or the victim's relatives. Like his brother Thaxter, my grandfather, Garnet Day Spence, was proud of his Scottish heritage, as was my father, as am I. Thus, in 1986 I visited the Cross of MacDuff in Fifeshire, and MacDuff's Castle on a sea cliff overlooking the Firth of Forth. I stood on the ancient Pictish stone and I climbed to the top of the castle, to honor my ancestors. According to other sources, there was a cross of Mugdrum (a corruption of the name of Saint Magridin, in whose honor the cross was erected) about a mile north of the stone. Nine rings were attached to the cross by iron staples, and the murderous MacDuff seeking sanctuary was obligated to grasp one of these rings. The Mugdrum Cross was destroyed by John Knox and the Reformers in 1559. It has been noted that the stone was never a cross in the traditional Celtic sense. The cross is a mile north of the stone. Indeed, the cross and the stone have always had strikingly different purposes. The ancient Pictish stone probably was used in Druidic ceremonies involving human sacrifice. Remember, the Gaelic name Dubh, from which Duff derives, is taken to mean a man with a dark complexion - but it may well mean a man of darkness in a more sinister sense. The Duffs - one of seven lines descended directly from MacAlpine - controlled Fife from at least the ninth century. They were the premier clan in Scotland at that savage time, and would have used the stone for their own dark purposes. For example, by one account, "the tumili surrounding the cross are said to contain the bodies of those who could not prove their intentions to the satisfaction of the Thanes of Fife." Another legend has it that Malcolm asked MacDuff to build a sanctuary in Fife, to protect the local residents from the Vikings. MacDuff built the sanctuary, called Gurth's Cross, which stood in the Ochill Range between Fifeshire and Stratheame. Gurth's Cross became known as MacGider's Cross, after the aforementioned saint. The stone overlooks the Firth of Tay, but from the stone one cannot see the River Tay, which flows into the Firth from the north. From the Cross of MacDuff, one looks west and sees the River Eam. As any map will show, Ninewells and Whinneybank are closer communities to the cross than Newburgh. There is also the possibility that the stone actually served as the base for a cross. The Royal Commission of the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland determined that the eight "cup marks" on the top of the stone may have been formed by erosion, or may have supported a cross. There is no proof to verify this or any other legend, but when I photographed the cross, I made sure to focus in on these cups, and they looked man-made to me. Writing in 1897, D.Butler said, "There is a cross, now very faint, on a stone fixed in the lintel of Clunie's farm not far from MacDuff's cross. Tradition asserts it was brought to the neighborhood during the building of the farm." In 1876, A.Laing said, "When the field was first ploughed, a rude sort of pavement discovered on the hillock, thirty paces south of the cross, was thought to be the floor of a cell or oratory associated with the cross." The castle is a splendid, if graffiti-ridden emblem of our heritage. After MacBeth murdered MacDuff's family and destroyed MacDuff's castle at Dunamarie, MacDuff built this castle on a sea-cliff overlooking the Firth of Forth. It is spectacular to behold, but disintegrating rapidly. Want to try to save it? The Threads Running Through History: A Brief Look At Cemeteries - Fall 1999 written by Clinton Scollard (some brief snippets taken from an extensive piece) I found it somewhat comical yet intensely endearing that my ancestors chose to lug coffins and digging tools up hills so that the deceased would be closer to heaven..... I began looking into burial traditions of post- and pre-Christian Scotland to see if there were any connections. I found no documentation of burial grounds located specifically at the top of hills, but I did find a fierce loyalty and connection to the physical land, the exact spot where an individual had lived and died. .... Throughout our history there has been an ardent connection to the land. I wondered why? The closest answer I could come to is one dating from pre-Christian Scotland. The Scots have always been highly connected to the fairy world. ....... The fairy stories run strong through our history. Old habits and ideas are apparently incredibly hard to break for our stubborn Scots. The old cemeteries are disappearing in underbrush. It is comforting to me to know that there are still places of uninterupted peace. I can imagine that the bagpiper standing atop those windy hills will always be there for those who lend an ear to the breeze and care to listen. Flowers of the Forest The "forest" refers to a district of Scotland called Ettrick Forest. The "flowers" were the Borderers, men from the Border area of Scotland, who were killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. To Scots today, "Flowers of the Forest" refers to those who have passed on to a better place. Listed below are our beloved MacDuff flowers - gone from us here, but forever blooming in our hearts. Lawrence B. Shaffer, Jr. Dawn Lousie Chapman-Downs Walter William Spence, Jr. Marion Fife Estes Laura Lucile Fogleman Ray Hyman Jean Horn Burt Jewell McClellan Hale Col. James Daup J. R. Earle MacDuff Milton L. Wardrop Humor Q. What's the difference between a bagpipe and an onion? A. No one cries when you chop up a bagpipe. Q. What's the definition of a gentleman? A. Someone who knows how to play the bagpipes and doesn't. Did you hear about the gentleman who parked his car with the windows open, forgetting that he left his bagpipes in the back seat? He rushed back as soon as he realized it, but it was too late! Someone had already put another set of bagpipes in the car!