The Gathering 2014 – Upcoming Event News

[cessna152towser]

The Diaspora, in partnership with clan organizations in Scotland,

As I read it the key word here is partnership.
This time around the Scottish groups are keen to become involved and not be left out of the planning and implementation.

[Tobus]

I guess it just seems backwards to me. It seems like it should say "clan organizations in Scotland, in partnership with the Diaspora". Perhaps I'm just reading too much into it. But the emphasis seems to be on the diaspora doing all the planning and organising, and basically just running it by the Scottish groups to make sure they're cool with it.

[frank_a]

Tobus, do you go to Scotland a lot? Have you already made plans to go in 2014? Gail and I are still not sure what to do. We're moving ahead with a Caribbean vacation for next spring I guess, and maybe Cape Breton in the fall, but are still thinking about going to Scotland in 2014, but maybe earlier than later to beat the summer bugs! We're pretty much clan location focused anyways.

Frank

[davidlpope]

I guess it just seems backwards to me. It seems like it should say "clan organizations in Scotland, in partnership with the Diaspora". Perhaps I'm just reading too much into it. But the emphasis seems to be on the diaspora doing all the planning and organising, and basically just running it by the Scottish groups to make sure they're cool with it.

I think you probably overestimate the existence of/ interest in "clan societies", etc. in Scotland. I think that this sort of event is an Americanism that is attempting transplant to Scotland, much like Halloween. I doubt that many Scots have the experience of running such a large "American Highland Games" type of event. What seems to be needed is a committee comprised of folks who plan Pleasanton, Maxton, GMHG, Stone Mt., etc. if this thing is actually going to happen.

[Tobus]

Tobus, do you go to Scotland a lot? Have you already made plans to go in 2014? Frank

Others in my family have been, but I'm a poor working stiff who will never be able to afford the trip, much less get the time off from work to do it. Heck, I can't even seem to be able to get away to some of the bigger Highland Games here in America. And with a wife who absolutely will not travel via airplane or ship, a holiday to Scotland is just not going to happen.

I think you probably overestimate the existence of/ interest in "clan societies", etc. in Scotland. I think that this sort of event is an Americanism that is attempting transplant to Scotland, much like Halloween. I doubt that many Scots have the experience of running such a large "American Highland Games" type of event. What seems to be needed is a committee comprised of folks who plan Pleasanton, Maxton, GMHG, Stone Mt., etc. if this thing is actually going to happen.

I think you're right. I'm just surprised that they're acting so helpless about it when there's so much potential there. Maybe it's just my American mentality at work here, but if you see an opportunity to organize something that can bring in boatloads of money, you do what it takes to make it happen. You don't give it a half-hearted attempt and then throw your hands in the air and say it's too hard. Surely a cultural celebration isn't that foreign to them? Sending delegates to an American version of a Highland Games is a good start, if for nothing else than to see how commercial ventures can make the thing pay for itself. But what they ought to be doing is taking the proverbial bull by the horns and setting up serious plans. Instead, I just see hand-wringing.

[frank_a]

Others in my family have been, but I'm a poor working stiff who will never be able to afford the trip, much less get the time off from work to do it. Heck, I can't even seem to be able to get away to some of the bigger Highland Games here in America. And with a wife who absolutely will not travel via airplane or ship, a holiday to Scotland is just not going to happen.

Boy Tobus, that's too bad. Especially having a life partner of any kind that won't get on a plane or ship. That's not a problem I have, but the poor working stiff thing is. I just now am getting 3 weeks a year vacation, and can actually plan stuff out in the future. It's the first time in my long career I've been able to do that. I used to do a lot of business travel years ago, but haven't been on a plane since well before 9/11, so that will be a new experience. We just have to figure out when's the best time to hit Scotland. 2013 or 2014 or?

Best of luck!

Frank

[creagdhubh]

Boy Tobus, that's too bad. Especially having a life partner of any kind that won't get on a plane or ship. That's not a problem I have, but the poor working stiff thing is. I just now am getting 3 weeks a year vacation, and can actually plan stuff out in the future. It's the first time in my long career I've been able to do that. I used to do a lot of business travel years ago, but haven't been on a plane since well before 9/11, so that will be a new experience. We just have to figure out when's the best time to hit Scotland. 2013 or 2014 or?

Best of luck!

Frank

My wife and I will be in Scotland (Inverness-shire mainly) in 2013. We are looking forward to reuniting with our Macpherson cousins and of course our Chief, Cluny.

Cheers,

[Jock Scot]

I think you probably overestimate the existence of/ interest in "clan societies", etc. In Scotland. I think that this sort of event is an Americanism that is attempting transplant to Scotland, much like Halloween. I doubt that many Scots have the
experience of running such a large "American Highland Games" type of event. What seems to be needed is a committee comprised of folks who plan Pleasanton, Maxton, GMHG, Stone Mt., etc. of this thing is actually going to happen.

One of the main criticisms , prevailing and sadly, enduring ill feeling of the first "Gathering" in 2009 was that the locals felt that the Americans took over the show and the locals were not made to feel welcome in their own country. Not only that, American Clan representatives had American run Clan tents, I feel that there is a legacy of thinking that THAT is not going to happen to us again.

Now the planning of the new "Gathering" is a shambles and the end result is, it appears its not going to happen, who is/was/might/perhaps be in charge , or not, has this justifiable legacy of discontent and distrust to cope with, before all the other matters of suitable areas, logistics, finance, hotels, communications etc., to cope with and it looks like an almost inevitable conclusion has been reached-----its not going to happen.

What is going to happen under local Scots management ,is the usual smaller Clan meetings, gatherings and games and everybody is welcome.

I don't want this to sound Anti American and I really am not trying to be here( but someone has to pluck up courage and tell his best friend that he needs a bath!), but the feeling was in Scotland that the first "gathering" was hijacked by those outwith Scotland and failed financially, its true and on those counts alone it failed, no amount of "outside" organisational skills from afar was it going to happen again. Whatever the rights and wrongs there was and might still be, that is I am afraid, the way it is. Thistledown in a recent post of his described the American Clan associations pretty accurately in many Scots eyes and when the dust has settled over all this shambles, perhaps it might be an idea if the Clan Societies from outwith Scotland think hard about how some of them go about things.

Before those from outwith Scotland leap to the keyboard and fire off a salvo of hurt angst and denials in my direction, there is no doubting, no doubting whatsoever that there are those in Scotland that also bare considerable responsibility for this latest shambles, as well as the last one.

Let us all learn from this and perhaps we might get it right next time, if not too much international damage has been done.

[davidlpope]

One of the main criticisms , prevailing and sadly, enduring ill feeling of the first "Gathering" in 2009 was that the locals felt that the Americans took over the show and the locals were not made to feel welcome in their own country. Not only that, American Clan representatives had American run Clan tents, I feel that there is a legacy of thinking that THAT is not going to happen to us again.

Now the planning of the new "Gathering" is a shambles and the end result is, it appears its not going to happen, who is/was/might/perhaps be in charge , or not, has this justifiable legacy of discontent and distrust to cope with, before all the other matters of suitable areas, logistics, finance, hotels, communications etc., to cope with and it looks like an almost inevitable conclusion has been reached-----its not going to happen.

What is going to happen under local Scots management ,is the usual smaller Clan meetings, gatherings and games and everybody is welcome.

I don't want this to sound Anti American and I really am not trying to be here, but the feeling was in Scotland that the first "gathering" was hijacked by those outwith Scotland and failed financially, its true and on those counts alone it failed, no amount of "outside" organisational skills from afar was it going to happen again. Whatever the rights and wrongs there was and might still be, that is I am afraid, the way it is. Thistledown in a recent post of his described the American Clan associations pretty accurately in many Scots eyes and when the dust has settled over all this shambles, perhaps it might be an idea if the Clan Societies from outwith Scotland think hard about how some of them go about things.

Before those from outwith Scotland leap to the keyboard and fire off a salvo of hurt angst and denials in my direction, there is no doubting, no doubting whatsoever that there are those in Scotland that also bare considerable responsibility for this latest shambles, as well as the last one.

Let us all learn from this and perhaps we might get it right next time, if not too much international damage has been done.

Jock,

Thanks for your post. No offense taken here. In fact, I think that the more transparent all parties are about these things, the better.

Perhaps the native Scots are being more charitable to my own countrymen than I am, but I'm not sure that Americans *want* the real thing. It's been my experience that most "Scottish-Americans" are really looking for the "romantic" rather than the real. This weekend's experience at Stone Mt. reinforced that. The Highland Games that I attended in Scotland (Elgin, Fort William, Stirling) were markedly different from all the American games that I've been to. My guess is that many Americans are looking for the American experience, but in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, Robert the Bruce statue, Wallace monument, etc., as a way of legitimizing their already strongly-held notions.

I suppose one really needs to think about what the purpose of this (non?)event is. If its a native celebration for Scots, then that leads one down a certain path with certain choices. If its purpose is to entice foreigners to "come back home" to Scotland and spend their money, then give the customer what they want.

Although my wife and I have discussed travelling to Scotland in the next 2-5 years, we'll likely bypass the Gathering, if it happens. I'd rather visit on an off-year when American-fatigue isn't at its high-water mark.

Cordially,

David

[Jock Scot]

The thing is David, the perception(not an altogether erroneous one) is that the Americans who took over the first "Gathering" did give the customers (Americans mainly) what they wanted and failed and then went home leaving a very nasty taste in the mouth of the locals as they cleared up the mess.

I would be delighted to meet up and share a wee dram with anyone, from any nation, should they come by this way.