Highland Games in Scotland

[creagdhubh]

No, AE, it doesn't. Your question was how many clan tents are there at games in Scotland; you said that at Halkirk you had only seen tents of Gunns and Sinclairs. What we are trying to say here is that tents at Scottish games and fairs are simply venues for local hospitality. So, in the lands of the Gunns and Sinclairs, there are Gunn and Sinclair tents. Similarly the Campbells at Inverary, the Macphersons at Newtonmore, the Clanchattan at Moy, the Cunninghams at Cumnock, etc. The Games in Scotland are not gatherings of clans but the gathering (perhaps, but not always) of the one clan within whose traditional territory the particular Games is being held.

I seem to be all out of "ayes" already, so plus one here. Well put, Rex.

[Bluescelt]

I just found a site for a new organization (Association Of Highland Clans & Societies [AHCS]) which is Scottish based and was formed this year to help promote themselves and events. They seem to see the importance that working together will help advance their aims. On their site they actually stated (AHCS will run the “Clan Village” at the Inverness Highland Games (replacing the “Hall of the Clans” in Eden Court) which is being provided for us by the Inverness Highland Games Committee.). I think some of the aspects of the "over-seas games" are gaining some merit. Firstly, if you have a Scottish-based clan society you still need to promote it and I think what the AHCS is doing is attemping to do just that. I also think that even though regionally clans took ownership of their territory that isn't the case now. Every region has a mix of clan based names that are not related to that region's traditional clan/clans. On their site they have a list of games and the clan that will be represented there. I think their idea that small local games/gathering may have the regional clan represented but a large event warrants a larger group present. I think they might be onto something. I even contacted my clan (Clan Donnachaidh Society) who are not members of the AHCS to see if this might be something they should look into.

[creagdhubh]

I just found a site for a new organization (Association Of Highland Clans & Societies [AHCS]) which is Scottish based and was formed this year to help promote themselves and events. They seem to see the importance that working together will help advance their aims. On their site they actually stated (AHCS will run the “Clan Village” at the Inverness Highland Games (replacing the “Hall of the Clans” in Eden Court) which is being provided for us by the Inverness Highland Games Committee.). I think some of the aspects of the "over-seas games" are gaining some merit. Firstly, if you have a Scottish-based clan society you still need to promote it and I think what the AHCS is doing is attemping to do just that. I also think that even though regionally clans took ownership of their territory that isn't the case now. Every region has a mix of clan based names that are not related to that region's traditional clan/clans. On their site they have a list of games and the clan that will be represented there. I think their idea that small local games/gathering may have the regional clan represented but a large event warrants a larger group present. I think they might be onto something. I even contacted my clan (Clan Donnachaidh Society) who are not members of the AHCS to see if this might be something they should look into.

Thank you for sharing this information. I am pleased to see the Clan Macpherson amongst the list of clans, as well as the Clan Chattan Confederation of Clans.

Cheers,

[ThistleDown]

The back story of AHCS is that the Inverness Games ran out of space for the single, large, 'clans' tent a couple of years ago. This was one of the very few Games where there had been an assembly of clans, and all in the one marquee. We won't go into the reason for running out of space, but the solution offered was the carpark at the Eden Court Theatre. Eden Court is some distance from the Games venue so the connection between the clan societies and the Games is lessened and our audience is pretty much limited to ourselves, with very few visitors.

AHCS will act on behalf of all its member Highland clans and clan societies and plans to apply political pressure such that the Games and the single marquee or tent village can once more co-exist. Something else to keep in mind is the unpredictability of Highland weather. The Inverness Games are in July and I remember one year when boards were laid between the carpark and the big tent to keep us out of the six inches of mud. Therein lies the reason for the single marquee or series of marquees rather than the typical village of American Games.

The list of AHCS members is pretty much a list of the individual tables in the tents of the past. Note that ALL are Highland clans and societies.

[Bluescelt]

That's interesting. Was the assembly of clans a popular addition to the games?

[AcuteEnigma]

Originally Posted by ThistleDown
"No, AE, it doesn't. Your question was how many clan tents are there at games in Scotland; you said that at Halkirk you had only seen tents of Gunns and Sinclairs. What we are trying to say here is that tents at Scottish games and fairs are simply venues for local hospitality. So, in the lands of the Gunns and Sinclairs, there are Gunn and Sinclair tents. Similarly the Campbells at Inverary, the Macphersons at Newtonmore, the Clanchattan at Moy, the Cunninghams at Cumnock, etc. The Games in Scotland are not gatherings of clans but the gathering (perhaps, but not always) of the one clan within whose traditional territory the particular Games is being held."


Another fine example that supports my point --> just because we do not copy Scotland exactly, does not mean we are wrong.
Different does not mean wrong.