The following article was first published in various versions
of Newsletter 53 sent to all Society Members and Followers in
September 2016.
The
MacThomas Highland Gathering
Wednesday 23rd - Monday 28th August
2017
Pitlochry, Strathardle, Glenisla &
Glenshee
- Including a visit to the Edinburgh
Military Tattoo
******
An action packed holiday to appeal to all our
members and families across the
globe.
*****
This
great value six day Gathering combines a stay in a Highland
hotel with a unique chance to take part in the Edinburgh
Military Tattoo, experience a traditional Highland Games,
visit a whisky distillery, explore the Clan territories in
Glenisla and Glenshee, witness 17th century historical battle
re-enactments, participate in a Scottish Ceilidh and enjoy the
pleasures of traditional cuisine and the skirl of the
pipes.
Day One
(Wednesday) – Head to your destination –
Scotland’s Hotel in Pitlochry - and check in.
The afternoon is free for you to relax in the hotel spa, enjoy
the use of the swimming pool and fitness room or visit the
town and the local area. In Pitlochry don’t miss the famous
Hydro Electric Dam and the Salmon Ladder, or take a short
drive to the Soldier’s Leap at Killiecrankie or to the
fabulous “Queens View”. For the more adventurous
visit "Nae Limits" for water-based activities, quad biking,
paint balling or even bungee-jumping! In the hotel
there will be an opportunity to browse through the exciting
range of MacThomas merchandise available for your purchase. At
the Welcoming
Receptionin the early evening, you will
meet your fellow gatherers and enjoy a drink before the Clan
buffet dinner. After dinner, head for the
MacThomas Party in the bar area where you can
join an evening of traditional Scottish songs and dance,
arranged especially for your entertainment. Later, for
the less weary after long journeys, meet up for a wee nightcap
with friends old and new in MacNabs Bar.
Day Two (Thursday) –
After a hearty Scottish breakfast the Society will be running
a series of short presentations on topics such as the
Clan History, the Clan's ancient lands and Genealogy
Research. This is an opportunity to learn about your
ancestors and discover your heritage.
In the
late morning you will board your coach to Edinburgh for a
chance to see some of the landmarks in Scotland's historic
capital city, go shopping in Princes Street or just relax in
one of the many festival pubs and restaurants. In the
evening we will attend the Royal Edinburgh Military
Tattoo - set against the backdrop of the famous
Edinburgh Castle - probably the greatest show on earth.
Arrangements are being made by the Standing Council of
Scottish Chiefs and the organisers of the Tattoo whereby
kilted members of our Clan will march behind our 19th Chief,
Andrew MacThomas of Finegand, onto the Castle Esplanade in one
of the scenes depicting the ancient clan system.
This is an unprecedented chance of a lifetime not
only to watch the Tattoo, but to be part of it as
well. Once the lone piper has played from
the battlement of the castle, and the performance has drawn to
a close, the coach will take you back to your hotel in
Pitlochry.
*****
Day Three (Friday) –
After a very leisurely breakfast, you can join a Tour
of the Clan Territories led by an experienced guide,
who will précis the Clan history and give you the chance to
visit and photograph some of the many places associated with
the Clan MacThomas. It will start at a local Whisky
Distillery where you can learn the secrets of
uisge-beatha (the water of life), enjoy a wee dram and have
the opportunity to purchase unique whiskies rarely available
for retail. The tour will continue on to the beautiful and
majestic scenery of Glenshee, where many of the ancient Chiefs
had their homes and lands. The coach will take you
northwards through Glenshee, over the MacThomas Bridge, into
Glen Begg and up to the Cairnwell - the site of the Battle
between the MacThomases and others against the Caterans in
1602. The MacThomases won the day, but with heavy
losses. After a light lunch at the nearby Glenshee Ski
Centre, the coach will head back through the heart of
MacThomas territory into Glenisla and on to Forter Castle.
Back
at the hotel, over tea, there will a chance to "Meet
the 19th Chief, Andrew MacThomas of Finegand", for an
informal get together where you will have the opportunity to
ask him any questions you like and/or air your views about the
Society in general.
After
dinner at the hotel, you can join the ever-popular
Highland Reels and Dances Practice led by a
professional dance instructor who will go over the basic steps
of the traditional highland dances in readiness for the Clan
Ceilidh on Sunday night. Then, if you still have the energy,
MacNabs Bar will be open again for those who would like a wee
dram before retiring.
*****
Day Four
(Saturday) – After a traditional Scottish
breakfast, all full Members are encouraged to attend the
Society AGM, which will be held in the
hotel.
Immediately following the AGM, a coach will leave for
Kirkmichael to take you to the Strathardle Highland
Games where the Clan (that includes you!) is honoured
to have been invited to take part in the opening ceremony and
march behind the pipe band onto the games field. Then
make your way to the Clan MacThomas tent for the Clan
Lunch. Many of the Games events are open to visitors
(adults & children) – so why not bring your shorts and
running shoes, or your pipes and drums, and compete against
the locals? In past games MacThomases have entered the
shot put and even tossed the caber! Or perhaps you would just
like to enjoy watching the afternoon’s events.
The
coach will depart in the afternoon to take you back to
Scotland’s Hotel in time to change for the Society
Dinner (black tie optional) where you will enjoy a
tradition three course formal dinner. It is hoped Clan
Chief, Donald McLaren of McLaren, 25th. Chief of Clan McLaren,
will be the guest speaker. After the dinner, MacNabs Bar
will be open again for those who would like a wee deoch an
doris before retiring.
*****
Day Five
(Sunday) – After your hearty Scottish
breakfast, a coach will take you to Clach na Coileach
– the ancient gathering place of the Clan - for the
traditional Clan Gathering. Here the pipes
will be resounding against the hillsides as the Chief mounts
the rock to address his Clan in the same way as his
forefathers did 400 years ago. The Chief's
Piper will play a Clan lament to remember all those
who lived in the glen in far off days and you will hear also
from the EMS Highlander Pipes and Drums from
Germany, all fully kilted in MacThomas tartan. Then, stand
back and enjoy the historical re-enactments
by a group of enthusiasts in period costumes who will bring to
you the harsh realities of living in the 1640s.
A
short drive will take you to Kirkton of
Glenisla where we shall stop for lunch. The
great McComie Mor is said to be buried in the churchyard close
to where we will watch another battle re-enactment – this time
an account of the skirmish at McComie’s Field (just west of
Forfar) between the Farquharsons and the MacThomases in
1673. This is said to be one of the last recorded clan
feuds in Scottish history and it will be performed for you by
the players of the Loudoun Regiment, prior to the drive back
to Pitlochry.
You
will arrive back at the hotel in the afternoon with enough
time to relax in readiness for the Clan
Ceilidh. The evening will commence with a
haggis buffet supper, complete with a rendering of Robert
Burns’ famous “Address to a Haggis”, followed
by the ceilidh where you can dance the night away using the
steps taught to you on Friday night. Enjoy the kilts and
tartans, hear the musicians playing louder and louder and join
the dancers flying faster and faster - until the stroke of
midnight, when all goes quiet and we will join together in the
traditional ending for Auld Lang Syne.
McNabs
Bar will be open till late. As the gathering draws to an
end, you can talk over your experiences and take one last
deoch an doris for auld lang syne with the clansfolk you have
met and the friends you have established.
*****
Day Six (Monday) - There
will be a farewell buffet breakfast at the hotel where you
will have an opportunity to say good bye to your fellow clans
folk, draw the Gathering to a close, and then head back
home.
*****
The full Gathering programme, together with more information
on the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, final costs and how to book
will be set out in the Clan Magazine, which will be
distributed around the turn of the year. There is no need to
take any action now.
Clan Society News
