Another question about clans--adopted children

[Dale Seago]

I know all about this, and I'm afraid that it is also rather fanciful, the stuff of myths and legends, and although there might be a few grains of truth somewhere within the stories , but not enough to be very creditable.

Wasn't suggesting otherwise, just that the reference properly was to ancient Ireland rather than more recent Scotland. The Gaelic culture being highly oral, it's likely that anything written down about it would have been done in the Christian era, and unsupported by archeological evidence (textiles in burials, for instance) would pretty much have to be taken simply as legend.

[Pleater]

Back then - a slave with clothes? What a strange idea. They'd be wanting shoes next.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[TheOfficialBren]

Thanks, folks. My cousin is an adult. We grew up at the same time. I am 28 now. He is 30, so close in age. I think my question has been answered. Thank you for sharing your stories.

I'm okay if the thread wanders into the silly direction it seems to be going.


Anne, shoes?! They have perfectly good feet!!

[Riverkilt]

I agree with the cousin being family....what came up for me surprisingly was that my "anti-kilt" boss where I worked before said his ancestry was Scottish but that his ancestor had been adopted out to a family in London and he had no clue what his clan or Scot name was. Sad.

[TheOfficialBren]

I agree with the cousin being family....what came up for me surprisingly was that my "anti-kilt" boss where I worked before said his ancestry was Scottish but that his ancestor had been adopted out to a family in London and he had no clue what his clan or Scot name was. Sad.

That is sad, Ron. Very sad, indeed. Oh well. Sometimes life is bleak.

[Pleater]

Previous generations were not as open about adoption as we are in modern times - many adoptions were kept secret, even from very close family members and the adopted children were sometimes never told.

It was quite common for the children of a family to be separated too. It was considered to be 'in the child's best interests' - another example of clap-trap.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[TheOfficialBren]

Clap-trap, indeed!

[ThistleDown]

I agree with the cousin being family....what came up for me surprisingly was that my "anti-kilt" boss where I worked before said his ancestry was Scottish but that his ancestor had been adopted out to a family in London and he had no clue what his clan or Scot name was. Sad.

Perhaps he has no interest in the past, Ron, but not everyone in Scotland bears a "clan" name. A quick finger tour of any directory produces lots of names like Chan, Singh, Waskowiak, Shapiro, Purna, Barbosa, Jensen, Cooper, Ahmed going back many generations. Just as "Scots" as the Macdonalds, in fact. Many have made new lives for themselves in a new country and have no need to chase back after their roots. Perhaps your old employer is just like them and happy with his identity.

[Riverkilt]

Aye, may be...but he sure wasn't happy with me wearing kilts to work as part of my identity.

[neloon]

"...Chan, Singh, Waskowiak, Shapiro, Purna, Barbosa, Jensen, Cooper, Ahmed ..."
And of course, at some point in Highland history, MacDonald, MacNeil, MacSween, MacLeod, Bruce, Chisholm, Grant, Fraser, Gordon, etc., etc. were all "foreign" names.
We're aa Jock Tamson's bairns!
Alan