Two Telling comments? The Answer Perhaps?

[Ron Abbott]

There are always a few that will be interested.

The 'clan chiefs' and their families have good reason to try and maintain such links.....there's always a need to obtain funding for repairing castle roofs etc. and to ensure continuity in maintaining some sort of title for their offspring!

You just have to see some of them dressed up in their finest brigadoonery. The Range Rover with silver horse bonnet badge pulling up the Games, the brigade of guards regimental ties, the tartan car blanket over the shoulder, the feathers in the balmoral, the cromachs (do they try and outdo each other with a bigger one?) etc. etc..

Then there are the eccentrics.....you get that anywhere.

And of course there are those that enjoy the company of others and it's their hobby or special interest. This happens to be their thing. I have no animosity whatsoever to this group of people. They could equally be hill walkers, classic car enthusiasts, local archaeologists/historians, anglers, members of the local golf club or whatever, it just happens to be their interest.

The Clan MacPherson has long been one of those that has run a solid organisation, it is well known for that. Their balls etc. were long part of Scotland's society functions and in the past few decades perhaps best highlighted by the efforts of Dame Flora, the Clan MacLeod has also been organising events. There are a fair few minutes of old meetings of the Clan MacPherson on the internet and they make interesting reading.

But for the vast majority of Scots, these clan societies etc. are totally irrelevant.