“Oh Danny boy the pipes are calling, the pipes are calling!”
We would be greatly honored to have representatives of your clan join us for the ThirdAnnual Wichita Highland Games & Celtic Festival. It is our goal to bring a taste of Scottish and Irish culture to the Wichita area and to showcase the beauty and rich heritage of the Celtic nations. As in the days of old we are passing the torch, so to speak, from clan to clan and it is our hope that you will join us in this celebration of Highland Glory and Celtic Pride.
This is list is updated frequently as we add new clans who will be attending the 2012 Wichita Highland Games & Celtic Festival!
Show your pride! Hit the ‘Like’ button on your clan (or your favorite clan) to show your pride for your heritage! This is an informal contest – there’s no prize, just bragging rights. Of course, bragging rights are still very important!
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Clan MacNeil Seal
Clan MacNeil Tartan
Clan MacNeil, also known in Scotland as Clan Niall, is a highland Scottish clan, particularly associated with the Outer Hebridean island of Barra. The early history of Clan MacNeil is obscure, however despite this the clan claims to descend from the legendary Niall of the nine hostages. The clan itself takes its name from a Niall who lived in the 13th or early 14th century, and who belonged the same dynastic family of Cowal and Knapdale as the ancestors of the Lamonts and the McSweens. While the clan is centred in Barra in the Outer Hebrides, there is a branch of the clan in Argyll that some historians have speculated was more senior in line, or possibly even unrelated. However, according to Scots Law the current chief of Clan Macneil is the chief of all MacNeils.
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Clan Elliot Tartan
Clan Elliot Sign
The Elliots were a famous, indeed notorious, Border clan, like the Armstrongs. Their territory was around Upper Liddesdale, where they conducted their more or less profitable banditry for many centuries. The principal family in the early days was the Elliots of Redheugh, who often held the captaincy of Hermitage Castle — still to be seen, squat and impregnable, on the moors south of Hawick. One of the Elliots of Redheugh, forefather of the Elliots of Arkleton, fell at Flodden (the beautiful lament for that disaster, The Flowers of the Forest, was written by Jane Elliot, sister of Sir Gilbert Elliot, first Baronet of Minto in the 18th century).
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Clan Davidson Sign
Clan Davidson Tartan
According to the Highland manuscript believed to be written by one MacLauchlan, bearing the date 1467, and containing an account of the genealogies of Highland clans down to about the year 1450, which was accepted as authoritative by Skene in his Celtic Scotland, and believed to embody the common tradition of its time, the origin of the Davidsons is attributed to a certain Gilliecattan Mhor, chief of Clan Chattan in the time of David I. This personage, it is stated, had two sons, Muirich Mhor and Dhai Dhu. From the former of these was descended Clan Mhuirich or Macpherson, and from the latter Clan Dhai or Davidson. Sir Aeneas Macpherson, the historian of the clan of that name, states that both the Macphersons and the Davidsons were descended from Muirich, parson of Kingussie in the twelfth century. Against this statement it has been urged that the Roman kirk had no parson at Kingussie at that time. But this fact need not militate against the existence of Muirich at that place. The Culdee church was still strong in the twelfth century, and, as its clergy were allowed to marry, there was nothing to hinder Muirich from being the father of two sons, the elder of whom might carry on his name, and originate Clan Macpherson, while the younger, David, became ancestor of the Davidsons. Still another account is given in the Kinrara MS. upon which Mr. A. M. Mackintosh, the historian of Clan Mackintosh, chiefly relies: This MS. names David Dubh as ancestor of the clan, but makes him of the fourteenth century, and declares him to be of the race of the Comyns. His mother, it says, was Slane, daughter of Angus, sixth chief of the Mackintoshes, and his residence was at Nuid in Badenoch. Upon the whole, it seems most reasonable to accept the earliest account, that contained in the MS. of 1467, which no doubt embodied the traditions considered most authentic in its time.
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Clan MacPherson Tartan
Clan MacPherson Sign
The name Macpherson — or MacPherson or McPherson, according to different spellings — comes from the Gaelic Mac a’ Phearsain and means ‘Son of the Parson’. The Parson in question was Muriach, a 12th century parson, or lay preacher, of Kingussie in Badenoch. Historically, the term ‘parson’ (in the Gaelic pearsain or pears-eaglais literally ‘person of the church’) had a different meaning. Before the Reformation in Highland Scotland, the religious leader of a parish was the priest and the parson was the steward of church property, responsible for the collection of tithes. The history of Clan Macpherson has been called “The Posterity of the Three Brethren” as the three grandsons of Muriach are the antecedents of the three main clan families, Cluny, Pitmain and Invereshie.
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Clan MacKenzie Sign
Clan MacKenzie Tartan
The name Mackenzie, or MacCoinneach in Gaelic, means literally, “Son of Kenneth. The original Kenneth, who lived in the 13th Century, was descended from a younger son of Gilleoin of the Aird, from whom can also be traced the once powerful Earls of Ross.
The MacKenzies were, without doubt, of Celtic stock and were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestors. We know little about the generations immediately following Gilleoin, but in 1267 Kenneth was living at Eilean Donan, a stronghold at the mouth of Loch Duich. He must have been an important vassal, for the Earl of Ross appears to have married Kenneth’s aunt and thus strengthened the relationship which already existed between the two families.
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Scottish - American Military Society Sign
The Scottish-American Military Society (SAMS) was founded and chartered in North Carolina, April 12, 1981, as a non-profit organization with the following purpose:
- To preserve and promote Scottish and American Armed Forces customs, traditions, and heritage, by:
- Providing a forum for exchange of military history and genealogical information
- Conducting public education programs
- Presenting military student honor awards
- Supporting Scottish activities at Highland Games
- Making contributions to qualified scholarship funds or institutions
- Making appropriate charitable contributions
- Providing a fraternal atmosphere for members
The Society was founded as a veterans organization. The membership is composed primarily of veterans of Scottish ancestry who have served — or are serving — in the Armed Forces of the United States and the Commonwealth. If you support the purposes shown above, we would welcome your membership if you qualify. Membership is open to honorably discharged veterans or active duty or reserve military persons who have served or are serving with any branch of the United States or Commonwealth Armed Forces.
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Clan Keith Sign
Clan Keith Tartan
A Scottish warrior slew the Danish General Camus at the Battle of Barrie in 1010. For this, King Máel Coluim II of Scotland dipped three fingers into the blood of the slain and drew them down the shield of the warrior. Thereafter the warrior was named Marbhachir Chamius or Camus Slayer. Ever since then the Chief of the Clan Keith has borne the same mark of three red lines on his arm.
Máel Coluim’s victory at the Battle of Carham in 1018 brought him into outright possession of the lands of the Lothians and the Merse. The Keiths derive their name from the Barony of Keith, Humbie, East Lothian, said to have been granted by the king to Marbhachir Chamius for his valour.
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Clan Barclay Sign
Clan Barclay Tartan
Since the eighteenth century, Barclay historians, noted for their low level in medieval scholarship, have assumed the Scottish family Barclay (de Berchelai) is a branch of one of the two Anglo-Norman families of de Berkeley of Berkeley in Gloucestershire, without any evidence which would link the Scottish and English families.
A more plausible theory of the Barclay origin, put forth by the historian G. W. S. Barrow, points to the small village of Berkley in Somerset (in 1086 Berchelei). In 1086 the overlordship of Berkley belonged to Robert Arundel, whose main tenant was a Robert. Arundel’s manors included Cary Fitzpaine (in Charlton Mackerell), near Castle Cary. And Cary Fitzpaine seems to have been held by the tenant Robert as well. At the same time as Henry Lovel of Castle Cary first appears in Scotland, there appear the names of Godfrey de Arundel and Robert and Walter de Berkeley.
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Clan Scott Sign
Clan Scott Tartan
One of the most powerful of the Border families, the name was derived from the Scots who invaded Dalriada (Argyll) from Ireland and the surname is found in all parts of Scotland. However in the Borders, an area that was never fully Gaelic speaking, it may have meant a Scottish Gaelic speaker.
The first record of the name Scott is when Uchtred filius Scot witnessed the foundation charter of Selkirk in 1120. Henricus le Scotte witnessed a charter by David Earl of Strathearn around 1195.
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Clan Robertson Sign
Clan Robertson Tartan
There are two main theories as to the origins of the Clan Robertson:
• That the founder of the clan, Donn(a)chadh (Duncan) was the second son of Angus MacDonald, Lord of the Isles.
• That the Robertsons are lineal descendants of the Celtic Earls of Atholl, whose progenitor was King Duncan I (Donnchadh in Scottish Gaelic), eldest son of Malcolm II.
The clan’s first recognised chief Donnchadh Reamhar, ‘Stout Duncan’, son of Andrew de Atholia (Latin ‘Andrew of Atholl’), was a minor land-owner and leader of a kin-group in Highland Perthshire, and allegedly an enthusiastic and faithful supporter of Robert I (king 1306-29) during the Wars of Scottish Independence; he is said to have looked after King Robert after the Battle of Methven in 1306[citation needed]. The clan claims that Stout Duncan’s relatives and followers (not yet known as Robertsons) supported Robert Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 (although this patriotic story is not supported by contemporary documentation). His descendants became known (in English or Scots) as the Duncansons, or Gaelic Clann Donnchaidh, ‘Children of Duncan’.
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Clan Stewart Sign
Clan Stewart Tartan
The Stewart family records its traditional descent from Banquo, Thane of Lochaber, who makes an appearance as a character in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Historically, however, the family appears to be descended from a mediaeval family who were seneschals of Dol in Brittany, the earliest recorded being Flaald.[2]
They acquired lands in England after the Norman conquest, and moved to Scotland with many other Anglo-Norman families when David I ascended to the throne of Scotland. The family was granted extensive estates in Renfrewshire and in East Lothian and the office of High Steward of Scotland was made hereditary in the family.
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Clan Leslie Seal
Clan Leslie Tartan
The family name comes from the Leslie lands of Aberdeenshire and was to become famous in Germany, Poland, France and Russia. According to tradition, a Hungarian (or more likely by onomastics and typical of the times as well as later Leslie history, a Kievian of Varangian origins) nobleman, named Bartholomew arrived in the retinue of Agatha, wife of Edward the Exile. Bartholomew became Chamberlain to Saint Margaret of Scotland. Bartholomew later married Malcolm III’s sister, Princess Beatrix of Scotland. His brother inlaw Malcom III made him Governor of Edinburgh Castle. No trace can be found in the Ragman Rolls of any members of the Leslie family-despite their strong connection to a number of claimants to the Scots crown.We can only surmise that they viewed the slaughter by Edward I at Berwick upon Tweed with disdain. The family sided with Robert the Bruce against firstly The Comyn in the Buchan and secondly Edward I and as a result were awarded large tracts of Aberdeenshire. They fought at the Battle of Bannockburn.
Sir Andrew de Lesly was one of the signatories when a letter, the Declaration of Arbroath, was sent to the Pope in 1320 asserting Scotland’s independence.The first Leslie in Aberdeenshire was Alexander who was Constable of The Bass in Inverurie on behalf of the kings brother.His son Walter died at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411 together with six of his cousins from Balquhain.
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Clan MacGregor Seal
Clan MacGregor Tartan
Clan Gregor, or Clan McGregor, Clan MacGregor or Clan M’Gregor is a Highland Scottish clan. Outlawed for nearly two hundred years after losing their lands in a long power struggle with the Clan Campbell, the Clan Gregor claims descent from Constantin and wife and cousin Malvina, first son of Doungallas and wife Spontana (daughter of a High King of Ireland) and grandson of Giric, the third son of Alpín mac Echdach, the father of Kenneth Mcalpin, the first King of Scotland, a descent which is proclaimed in the motto, ‘S Rioghal Mo Dhream, translated as Royal is my Race.
The surname MacGregor is an Anglicization of the Gaelic Mac Griogair meaning “son of Griogar”. The personal name Griogar is a Gaelic form of the personal name Gregory. The Clan Gregor is believed to have originated in Scotland during the 9th century. The MacGregors suggest that they take their name from Gregor (derived from the Latin ‘Gregorius’ and the Late-Greek ‘Gregorios’ which means “Alert, Watchful, or Vigilant”). Gregor is said to be a son of the Scottish king Alpin II Mac Eochaidh and younger brother of Kenneth MacAlpin, the now famous Scottish king who first united Scotland in A.D. 843. Alpin II was the son of Eochaidh VI ‘the Poisonous,’ High King of Scots, by his marriage to his cousin, the Pictish Princess Royal, and thus had claims to the Scottish and Pictish Thrones.
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Clan Douglas Seal (old)
Clan Douglas Seal (new)
Clan Douglas Tartan
Clan Douglas is an ancient Scottish Kindred from the Scottish Lowlands taking its name from Douglas, South Lanarkshire, and thence spreading through the Scottish Borderland, Angus, Lothian and beyond. The clan does not currently have a chief, therefore it is considered an armigerous clan.
The Douglases were once the most powerful family in Scotland. The powerful Douglas chiefs held the titles of the Earl of douglas (Black Douglas), Earl of Angus (Red Douglas) and at one point the Earl of Morton. Many Douglases married into Scottish and other European royal and noble houses, thereby ensuring Douglas power within Scotland, as a result of their accumulated wealth.
The family’s original seat was Castle in Lanarkshire, but they spread to many properties throughout Scotland.
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Clan Ross Tartan
Clan Ross Seal
The name Ross derives from the ancient Celtic word “Ros”, meaning “a promontory”, in this case the lands of Easter Ross. The clan is known to Highlanders as Clann Aindreas – the sons of Andrew.
The traditional progenitor of the clan was Fearchar Mac an t Sagairt which is translated as “son of the priest”. Fearchar was created Earl of Ross in 1234, for services to Alexander II.
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Clan MacNachtan Seal
Clan MacNachtan Tartan
The progenitor of this ancient clan is alleged to be Nachtan Mor. The story is told that sometime during 685, a stranger brought a parcel of bones to the house of Nachtan. Nobody doubted his claim that they were the true relics of the apostle Andrew, least of all, Nachtan, whose recent conversion probably required an act of credulous faith. The stranger was allowed to build a shrine for the bones on the coast of Fife, and Scotland thus acquired its patron saint and the ultimate site for its first university.
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Clan MacFie Tartan
Clan MacFie Seal
Clan Macfie is one of the oldest Scottish Clans with a history going back before records were kept. The ancient name for our Clan is Macdubhsith. While literally meaning “dark man of peace”, sithe is also the term used for supernatural beings that populated the islands and the highlands and the term dubh or dark also had mystical and supernatural connotations. The ancestral homeland for the Macfies is the islands of Colonsay and Oronsay in the Western Isles of Scotland.
In 1623, Malcolm, the last Chief of the Clan Macfie, was captured by the infamous Colla Ciotach MacDonald. He was tied to a Standing Stone, known as Carraig Mhic a’ Phi at Balaruminmore, on our ancestral island of Colonsay, and summarily shot. The Clan Macfie was dispossessed of its lands and dispersed as a “broken” Clan.
That is, until 27th May 1981, when the Clan was reactivated and again formally recognised as an “active” Clan by the Lord Lyon. Macfies all over the world celebrate that date as Clan Macfie Day – a new ‘birthday’ for the Clan Macfie. As no hereditary Chief has been traced, a Ceann-Cath, or Clan Commander, was appointed to head the Clan. The current Clan Commander is Iain Morris McFie Esq. of Coulintyre, Kincraig, Kingussie, Scotland.
Years Attended: 2011
Website:
More Images:
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Clan MacLeod Seal
Clan MacLeod Seal
The progenitor of the Clan was Leod, who gained possession of much of Skye, including the Cuillins, Harris and Lewis in the mid 13th century. Later tradition claimed that he was descended from the Norse Kings of Man. Dunvegan was acquired by marriage to the MacRailt heiress and became the principle seat of the Clan where the Castle was built and developed. The Clan takes its name from Leod, whose sons were called MacLeod, mac being Gaelic for son.
Leod had two sons, or grandsons, Tormod, English Norman, and Torcall, English Torquil, who became progenitors of the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan and the MacLeods of the Lewes.
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Clan MacFarlane Wordwide Seal
Clan MacFarlane Tartan
Clan MacFarlane (Clann Mhic Pharthalain) is a Highland Scottish Clan. The clan claims a descent from the old line of the Earls of Lennox. For some time there had been some controversy as to the descent of these earls, with both Gaelic and Saxon origins given. Though today it is accepted that Clan MacFarlane is of Gaelic descent. The clan takes its name from a Malcolm MacFarlane, who lived in the fourteenth century. Clan MacFarlane took part in several conflicts including brutal fighting for Scottish Independence alongside Robert the Bruce. The clan was also noted for its daring night time raiding on English army divisions, and as such, it is said that the full moon became known throughout the highlands as “MacFarlane’s Lantern”. For many years Clan MacFarlane was one of the most respected and feared clans in the highlands until the clan was denounced by the English government. The ancestral lands of the clan were Arrochar, located at the head of Loch Long and further northwest of Loch Lommand. The lands of Arrochar were first granted to an ancestor of the clan in the thirteenth century, and were held by the chiefs until they were sold off for debts, in 1767. The last descendant of the chiefs, in the direct male line, died in 1886. Since the modern clan is without a chief it can be considered an Armigerous clan.
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Clan MacKintosh Tartan
Clan MacKintosh Seal
Clan profile
- Gaelic Name: Mac-an-tòisich
- Origin: Gaelic ‘Toiseach’ – leader, chief or captain. According to clan historians, the first chief of the clan was Seathach, second son of Donnchadh Mac Duibh, Earl of Fife, Royal house of Dál Riada. The name therefore has been thought to mean ‘son of the chief’.
- Crest: A cat-a-mountain salient guardant Proper
- Mottos: Touch Not The Cat Bot A Glove (“Touch not the cat without a glove”) & Loch Moigh – Rallying Cry
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Clan Brodie Seal
Clan Brodie Tartan
The origins of the Brodie clan are mysterious. Much of the early Brodie records were destroyed when Brodie Castle was pillaged and burnt in 1645. It is known that the Brodies were always about since records began. From this it has been presumed that the Brodies are ancient, probably of Pict ancestry, referred to locally as the ancient Moravienses. The historian Dr. Ian Grimble suggested the Brodies were an important Pictish family and advanced the possibility of a link between the Brodies and the male line of the Pictish Kings.
Years Attended: Fall 2010 (First Year Attendee!)
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Clan Kennedy Sign
Clan Kennedy Tartan
The Kennedys had their home territory in southwestern Scotland. Originally they were of Pictish/Norse stock from the Western Isles. In the fifteenth century, one Ulric Kennedy fled Ayrshire to the Highlands for refuge, where he was granted protection under the Chief of Clan Cameron. From this Highland branch, Kennedys settled on the Isle of Skye. A branch also was established in northeast Scotland, at Aberdeen. The clan was one branch of the Celtic Lords of Galloway.
The Kennedys of Ulster, in the north of Ireland, are mostly of Scottish origin from the territories of Galloway and Ayr just across the Irish Sea 20 miles away. Many Scottish Kennedys were planters in Ulster, and many Scots went south to Dublin and mingled with the Irish clan
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