HM New Register House, Edinburgh

Just off Edinburgh’s bustling Princes Street sits a grand old building that houses hundreds of years worth of Scotland’s records. HM New Register House is well known as home to the General Register Office for Scotland but also houses the Court of Lord Lyon – Scotland’s centuries-old heraldic authority that can be traced back to at least 1388. The court regulates and has jurisdiction over matters relating to Scottish heraldry, which includes establishing and issuing Coats of Arms and maintaining the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings and the Public Register of Genealogies and Birthbrieves in Scotland.

Inside the first-floor office, bookshelves stacked full of leather-bound publications line the corridor that is also decorated with heraldic antiquities including tabards and carved coats of arms of past knights of the Order of the Thistle. Central to the Lyon Court is the Lord Lyon King of Arms and the Lyon Clerk and Keeper of Records, the latter from whom I’ve come to receive an introduction on all things heraldry. While the Lord Lyon is the judge responsible for determining and granting new arms, the Lyon Clerk puts the Lord Lyon’s instructions into operation and makes sure they are properly adhered to. The Lyon Clerk is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the registers and records within the office.

The position of Lyon Clerk is currently held by Elizabeth Roads LVO, whose other quite separate hats include assistant secretary to the Order of the Thistle and Snawdoun Herald of Arms. Mrs. Roads started off as the then Lord Lyon’s assistant in 1975 on return to Edinburgh from overseas travel. She came from a fine arts background, and had no particular knowledge of heraldry other than how it related to art and decoration. “I’ve been here for nearly 39 years, which the then Lord Lyon is probably laughing at, bless his heart. I told him I didn’t think it was likely I would stay here more than five years.”

In 1986 Mrs. Roads was appointed Lyon Clerk, the first woman to be so, and said that the job hadn’t changed an awful lot during her 26 year tenure in the post. “The office has existed in its current form since at least the late 17th century. So 40 years isn’t a very long time in the court’s existence. I would like to think that if Colonel Lawson (Lyon Clerk 1929-1966) walked in now, he would be able to sit down at this desk and do exactly the same job as he did in 1929.” One thing that has changed is the amount of correspondence received from all over the world, as a result of the enormous quantity of genealogical information available online. Thus a large number of the court’s records have been digitised and archived online, available to view and download at £10 per record.

Grant of Arms issued by The Lyon Court

In order to apply for a new Coat of Arms, or marticulate older arms, Lyon Clerk recommends doing as much research as possible into heraldry beforehand. “Very often [applicants will] come and have a chat with us first about the process. It’s a formal process so you have to lodge a petition and give us such documentary evidence as is necessary for your particular case.” Information about applying is available on the court’s website, with petitioners increasingly using this avenue to begin their heraldic journey. In terms of designing a Coat of Arms, very often petitioners will come with only the broadest of ideas, in which case the Lord Lyon or Lyon Clerk will work out something that is simple, clear and appropriate. “For private individuals our starting point would always be their surname. If it’s an established Scottish surname then we’ll look at what the underlying arms of the chief are and use that as the basis.”

Perhaps the most common misconception among applicants is who a Coat of Arms belongs to. “A Coat of Arms belongs to a person, not a family. It’s a piece of personal property that will pass down an individual’s senior line. A family Coat of Arms just doesn’t exist”. Lyon Clerk likens it to saying that you have a family passport, or a family driver’s licence.

The application involves fees which go to the Exchequer and the heraldic artists and calligraphers who hand-paint the arms on vellum paper. The Exchequer’s fees are paid as protection so that if somebody misuses your arms, the Crown will take action at no cost to you. “Normally it doesn’t get as far as prosecution. In fact in my time only once has someone insisted on using arms to which they were not entitled, which resulted in prosecution. If arms are being used unlawfully then the Procurator Fiscal to the Court of the Lord Lyon will write to them saying they shouldn’t be doing so. They’ll then provide advice as to what they should do if they want their own Coat of Arms.”

Along with arms enquiries, the court also receives many queries from people asking about clans, with questions ranging from what their clan or family is, who their chief is and what tartan to wear. “We get a lot of these sorts of general queries very often because they don’t know where else to go. This office is sort of thought of as being the office that knows everything. Sometimes we do know the answer and can help and sometimes we merely direct them towards the answer.” In fact, the only relationship the court has with the clans is when a chief comes to record their coat of arms. “We’re only concerned with the heraldry of the clan chief. Lyon doesn’t recognise a clan chief as such. What he does is vest that person in what are called the Undifferenced Arms of the Name, showing they are the principle person of their name and the clan chief.” The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, the organisation that represents chiefs of clans and families in Scotland, will only invite chiefs to be members if they have been granted the Undifferenced Arms of the Name by Lord Lyon.

Clan Gunn Badge – Aut pax aut bellum (Either peace or war)

The majority of clans have a fairly clear succession down the senior line so the question of who is the rightful chief is usually straightforward. However, when the line has been lost it presents huge problems and a large amount of research must be undertaken. In order to assign a new chief, concrete evidence must be shown by the petitioner that the line has died out completely. “A particular instance would be Clan Gunn where we know what the principle line was. What we don’t know is what happened to [the many] descendents of that line. They undoubtedly will still be there, it’s just a matter of who they are and where they are now.” When a chief is missing, a commander can be appointed. The current commander of the Clan Gunn is Iain Gunn of Banniskirk who has been the clan’s leader for a very long time. Lyon Clerk added he is an efficient and effective commander. But there are an enormous amount of Gunn descendents and the search continues in determining exactly who is the senior descendent.

Commanders can go on to become chiefs, as in the case of Clan MacArthur, where the principle line was lost around 1820. “It took a lot of research but it was possible to show that actually those people all died without issue.” The resulting research showed that the commander was in fact the senior line of the surviving genealogical descendants. The Lyon Court is a court of law, therefore they are unable to undertake the successional research which then comes before them to be examined. Clan and family societies are very often the bodies who drive chieftainship petitions, with Lyon Clerk stating that it’s not their role to decide who should become chief, but rather to present research to the court.

One of the most enjoyable parts of Lyon Clerk’s job is providing genealogical records to those who are tracing their roots. “There is absolutely no classic person you can say is going to take an interest in heraldry or genealogy. People come from all sorts of backgrounds and there’s no rhyme or reason why people take an interest in it, so I get to meet an enormously interesting cross section of people.” For budding genealogists, Lyon Clerk says it’s easy to get back to the middle of the nineteenth century with no difficulty because birth, marriage and death records were statutory. Prior to that it helps if you’re tracing an unusual surname. She also adds to remember: “if you can’t find records, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist”. Genealogical websites have different records so it’s important to check out a few. Names were also sometimes spelt phonetically, so you won’t necessarily get the spelling you’re looking for. Lyon Clerk’s own genealogical journey has revealed such esteemed ancestors as Robert the Bruce and a 17th century Lord Lyon. “As one of my predecessors said, no individual has a longer genealogy than anyone else, they just happen to know more. I warn you now, it’s a complete drug. You always think – I wonder if I can just find that little bit more.”

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Clan Map of Ireland, 1485

This time tomorrow I’ll be jet-setting across the ditch to Ireland for a quick break with my wee brother who is currently visiting me in Edinburgh. We’ll be spending some time in Dublin and Galway, before heading up to Northern Ireland, then back home to Scotland. I’m looking forward to connecting some ancestral puzzle pieces, as well as enjoying the obligatory first pint of ‘real’ Guinness in the famed stout’s homeland.

I have to admit that even though my ancestry is Irish rather than Scottish, I’m a complete newbie when it comes to Irish clans. The extent of my knowledge is that for hundreds of years there’s been an awful lot of to-ing and fro-ing between the clans, as many Scottish and Irish clans claim ancestry from each other. Clan MacLachlan, Clan Lamont, Clan Ewen of Otter and Clan MacNeil of Barra all claim descent from Ánrothán Ua Néill, an Irish prince of the O’Neill dynasty who left Ireland for Kintyre in the 11th century. Clan Munro also emigrated to Scotland from Ireland – The 11th century chief Donald Munro was granted lands in the Highlands for services rendered to Malcolm II of Scotland in defeating the Danish Viking invasion.

Similarly the Irish Clan Sweeney is Scottish in origin – in the early 14th century, Clan Sweeney were in cahoots with the MacDougalls – bitter enemies of Robert the Bruce. In 1310 when Bruce had most of Argyll and the North Channel in his favour, Clan Sweeney attempted to reclaim their lands at Knapdale. However they failed miserably, and were forced to reestablish themselves as Gallowglass mercenary soldiers in Donegal. The Gallowglass are an interesting story in themselves – following the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th and early 14th century, many Scottish clans of Norse-Gaelic origin were dispossessed of their lands for choosing the wrong side in the war. These clans ended up in Ireland, settled by Irish nobles in return for providing services as a class of elite soldiers, famed as a heavily armoured, trained aristocratic infantry to be relied upon as a strong defence for holding a position.

So you see, there really is so much clan history overlapping between Scotland and Ireland. And I haven’t even mentioned the language yet – I’m told Scottish Gaelic is an older, more conservative form of Irish Gaelic (although that’s probably a topic for another day). The clan systems in both countries have their differences, however surprisingly the modern day versions of the ancient clans seem to have organised themselves in very similar ways.

The clan system formed the basis of society in Ireland up until the 17th century. From ancient times, Irish society was organised around traditional kinship or groups, which can trace their origins to larger pre-surname population groupings such as Uí Briúin in Connacht, Eóghanachta and Dál gCais in Munster, Uí Neill in Ulster, and Fir Domnann in Leinster. Underneath each larger grouping were various septs, who through war and politics became more powerful than others and were accorded the status of royalty in Gaelic Ireland. The largely symbolic role of High King of Ireland rotated amongst the leaders of these royal clans. Like the Scottish clans, the chief of each Irish clan was responsible for maintaining and protecting their clan and the property, and the clan was composed of those who were related by blood as well as those who were adopted or fostered into the clan.

Siege of Kinsale Battle Map

The early 17th century marked a huge turning point in clan history in Ireland. The Siege of Kinsale was a three month battle ending on 3rd January 1602 that is kind of like Ireland’s version of Culloden. Kinsale was the ultimate battle in Tudor England’s conquest of Ireland, campaigned by Aodh Mór Ó Néill, Aodh Rua Ó Dónaill and other Irish clan leaders against English rule. Just like the Jacobites at Culloden, the Irish were defeated, and the clan system was effectively and decisively stamped out. The Tudor re-conquest marked the destruction of Gaelic aristocracy, and when the senior Gaelic Chiefs of Ulster left Ireland in 1607 to unsuccessfully recruit support in continental Europe, the English authorities in Dublin were able to establish real control over Ireland for the first time.

Despite this almost eradication of the clans, followed by the subsequent loss of ancestral lands and forced and willing emigration, today the clans of Scotland and Ireland still employ a huge part of each countries’ culture. In the 1940s Edward MacLysaght, the first Chief Herald of Ireland, drew up a list of 243 Irish clans and began to publish a number of works on the history and background of Irish families. Modern Irish clans were reformed in the latter half of the twentieth century and in 1991 sixteen of the nineteen bloodline chiefs were received by the President of Ireland, Dr. Mary Robinson. This was the first time in modern history that the bloodline chieftains of Ireland had gathered to form a new Council of Irish chiefs, established by the President to bring together the Chiefs of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland as recognised by the Chief Herald. The only other recorded meeting of the Irish chiefs was before the Siege of Kinsale.

In January 2013 the Standing Council of Irish Chiefs and Chieftains signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Finte na hÉireann – an authentication and registration body for the Clans of Ireland. This historic event took place at a meeting of the board on 26 January 2013 at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. The MOU was signed for Clans of Ireland by Dr. Michael J.S. Egan, Cathaoirleach and for the Standing Council by Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor. As part of the agreement both organisations agree to recognise each other’s authority over clans and to support each other’s respective goals, working together well into the 21st century just as the clans of each country had (allbeit in a less bloody way) for hundreds of years before.

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The Clans and Families of Scotland

The Scottish Government announced today that it is to provide funding for clan events to the tune of £200,000 in 2014 and beyond. The move cements the relationship between clans and the government, highlighting the importance of ancestral tourism to the Scottish economy.

Known as the Scottish Clan Event Fund, the fund will be made available over three years beginning in 2014 to coincide with the Year of Homecoming. Legally constituted clans will be able to apply for financial support of up to £5000 for additional elements that are part of existing events, new activity specifically designed to grow events and events that expand visitor experiences and spread benefits across the country as a whole. Activities covered by the fund will include strategic marketing, adding new event elements, equipment hire and travel and transport in rural areas that supports rural engagement.

MSP for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Mr. Fergus Ewing, spoke of the funds potential in supporting the history and traditions of Scottish clans, saying: “The Clan Event Fund will not only help to support activities promoting Clan tourism during the celebrations next year but will also provide legacy by supporting Clan events through to our Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology in 2017.”

The fund was drawn up with the support of clan representatives including the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs and the Highland Clan Partnership. Clans that are not recognised by these bodies will need to make an individual case to the government which includes rationale for why the clan or society should be recognised, and a brief history and background of the clan.

John Mackenzie, Earl of Cromartie and Joint Chair of the Highland Clan Partnership, said he was extremely gratified the Government has recognised the role clans play in tourism and the Scottish economy. “Investment in Clan Events will expand the visitor experience and bring welcome financial, community and cultural benefit to the Highland region of Scotland.”

Sir Malcolm MacGregor also welcomed the move, saying: “The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs welcomes this initiative which will help to support and enhance Clan activities in local communities and encourage people to celebrate their clan heritage across Scotland.”

Applications are open now and close on the 28th of November. Events seeking funding must take place outside the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2015. Proposals will be assessed on their ability to provide economic impact, strengthen and develop clans and their societies and to present social, community and cultural benefits.

Click here to view the Scottish Government’s webpage about the fund.

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Lord Sempill will be attending the 2013 Stone Mountain Game

Every year during the third week of October, you’d be forgiven for thinking a little piece of Atlanta was in fact a little piece of Scotland. Over one weekend, the picturesque grounds of Atlanta’s Stone Mountain Park meadow resound with the sounds of bagpipes, fiddles and harps, as it plays host to one of the biggest Highland Games events in the world.

With only two weeks to go until the beginning of the 41st annual Stone Mountain Highland Games, half a world away in Scotland, Jamie, Lord Sempill is preparing to make the trek to his third international Highland Games event for 2013. “I’m coming back to America for a second time. Rain stopped play at Grandfather Mountain Games in July, so I’m coming back for a dry game – and I don’t mean no alcohol.” For American clans attending Stone Mountain, they’ll have the chance to meet with Jamie and who will be happy to share one of Scotland’s finest offerings, a dram of single malt whisky.

Lord Sempill comes from one of Scotland’s oldest families and has been actively involved in the international clan network for fifteen years. As the driving force behind Edinburgh’s 2009 Clan Gathering, Lord Sempill attracted 42,000 people from around the world to the event, which was described as the largest recorded international clan gathering. The Gathering also included a clan convention which became the largest meeting on record of Scotland’s clan chiefs. He’s certainly got his finger on the pulse in the world of the clans – as an active member of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, an honorary member of the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations, Inc., and a board director at the American Scottish Foundation.

Over the years Lord Sempill has seen the relationship grow and prosper between the international clan network and Scotland, with his latest venture yet another step in building those ties. He’s currently working in collaboration with Macdonald & Rees, a new Scotland-based ancestral tourism company who specialise in providing the ultimate ancestral journey – bespoke visits to Scotland based on an individuals clan genealogy. Lord Sempill says that for many descendents around the world, tracing your roots can be a daunting prospect. “For many with Scottish ancestry, it’s a lifelong dream to travel to Scotland and discover family history and ancestral connections. Macdonald and Rees provide descendents with expert historians and genealogists on the ground, that ensure an incredibly meaningful and insightful visit home. Whether an individual or a family group, we can reconnect you to the world of your ancestors.” Jamie recently led a group of Clan Rose descendents to their ancestral homeland just east of Inverness, where they met with Clan chief Chief and 26th Baron of Kilravock, David Rose.

This year thousands of Scottish descendents will don their family tartans and make the trip to Stone Mountain, where two days of Highland Games competitions will take place including the ever-popular heavyweight events, piping, drumming and Highland dance competitions. There will also be a parade of the tartans and Clan Challenge athletic events, open to any attendees. The guest of honour, Margaret Elliot of Redheugh Chief of Clan Elliot will also be making the trip from Scotland. As well as Lord Sempill, other distinguished guests include Andrew Morrison – Viscount Dunrossil, Lord Montgomerie – Younger of Montgomerie and David Rose Chief of Clan Rose.

Lord Sempill and Mike McAlpin at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, 2013

Attendees will also have the chance to find out more about their genealogy in the clan information area, with 65 clans and family associations confirmed in attendance. You’ll most likely find Lord Sempill at the Scottish Heritage USA tent, however he will be making visits to clan association tents. “The torrential rain stopped play at Grandfather Mountain, so I didn’t get to speak to a lot of the clans who were there. I’m especially interested in meeting those who want to make the trip to trace their roots and discover Scotland.”

For more information on the Stone Mountain games, view our event listing over at TartanFootprint.com where you can also download the schedule of events and get in touch with Lord Sempill directly.

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Grandfather Mountain and McRae Meadows – Home to the GFM Highland Games

With only one week to go until the beginning of the largest Highland Games held outside of Scotland, this years gathering at Grandfather Mountain is shaping up to be one of the biggest. The games are held in the North Carolinian high country over four days attracting more than 50,000 punters, and coincide with the Council of Scottish Clans Association’s (COSCA) Clan Caucus. With so much to see and do, I’ve put together a handy highlights guide for all of our North American friends attending.

History
The first games were held in 1956, making this years celebrations the 58th annual event. North Carolina boasts a rich history of Scottish immigration, and the game’s location high on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain is said to closely resemble Kintail in the Scottish Highlands. Donald McDonald, co-founder of the first event, modeled the original games upon a 1954 souvenir programme he received from the Braemar Highland Games and included events such as highland wrestling, tug o’ war, shot put, tossing the caber and various running races. A piping and highland dance competition were also held. Small by todays standards, the games were an instant success and generated an enormous amount of interest in Scottish heritage, inspiring the formation of Highland Games in other American states.  Over the years more events were added to the programme including music competitions, a parade of the tartans, ceilidhs and the grueling hill-race known as ‘The Bear’.

Overview
The Games will be held from Thursday 11th till Sunday 14th July at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain near Linville, North Carolina. The opening ceremony begins at dusk on Thursday, with a torchlight ceremony where representatives of each of the 100 clans and 16 societies announce their family’s participation in the gathering. This ‘raising of the clans’ proclaims that they have once again come together to celebrate their heritage. In addition to the many sporting and music competitions held over the weekend, there’s plenty of other events including an open air scottish-market, ancestry and clan tents, sheepdog demonstrations, kids competitions, a Celtic rock concert, the parade of tartans and a country dance gala.

Highland Games Events
At the centre of the gathering are the highland games events, where athletes will compete in traditional heavyweight events such as turning the caber, tossing the sheaf and the hammer throw. On Friday evening 800 runners will participate in a five-mile footrace, called “The Bear,” that climbs 1,568 feet in elevation from the town of Linville to the summit of Grandfather Mountain. The next test of extreme endurance is the 45th running of the Grandfather Mountain Marathon on Saturday. A clan tug o’ war will take place on Sunday afternoon.

Music and Dance Events
The music and dance competitions begin on Saturday, with groups and individuals competing in piping, drumming, fiddle, harp and dance events. The highlight of the programme is the Highland Dancing Atlantic International Championship where the finest Scottish dancers will compete for the distinguished title. The Celtic Jam takes place on Friday night and features performers that blend the traditional Celtic sounds of the Isles with the traditional bluegrass sounds of the Southern Appalachians. Performers include Tuatha Dea, Cutthroat Shamrock, Ed Miler and Barleyjuice.

COSCA Scottish Clan Caucus – Thursday 11th July
Held over one day prior to the opening of the games, the Clan Caucus is a forum for clan societies and organisations to make their voices heard. This years theme centres around finding the best way forward for Scottish America and features an impressive array of speakers including:

• Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor – Convenor of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs and Chief of Clan Macgregor
• Jamie, Lord Sempill (Keynote Speaker) – Coordinator of the 2009 Clan Gathering
• Rt. Hon. Henry McLeish – Former Scottish First Minister
• Dr. Bruce Durie Ph.D, FSAScot, FHEA FIGRS FCollT OLJ. – former head of Genealogical Studies at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and Chair of the Ancestral Tourism Steering Group for Scotland

Topics up for discussion on the day include the future of international clan gatherings, what Scotland can do to make ancestral tourism even better and sustaining Scottish heritage in America. COSCA’s AGM will take place at the games on Saturday at 2pm under the chieftan’s tent on McRae Meadows. Following this, you can join the caucus special guests for an informal open ‘field discussion’ led by Sir Malcolm.

In the days immediately following the games, COSCA will formulate and publish a Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus Summary Report 2013. This report will chronicle the discussions, disagreements and areas of consensus reached during the caucus and will provide a useful starting point in figuring out the way forward for the American diaspora.

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Information regarding ticketing, accomodation, parking and directions to Grandfather Mountain can be found at the Games website – www.gmhg.org

And for information on the Clan Caucus, head on over to COSCA’s website for all the latest updates, including the finalised agenda – www.cosca.net

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