2011 - 2nd Edition

Clan Arthur Worldwide,

Chief John Alexander MacArthur of that Ilk

Lorraine and I hope that everyone is doing well following the tornadoes and storms that have devastated parts of the US.  We trust that no members of Clan Arthur sustained any damage or injury.

Here in Scotland we struggled through a very hard, cold winter. We had more than normal snowfall that fell on wet ground causing the roots of many of our plants to freeze. We lost our palm trees and other exotic plants in the gardens.  However, the freeze should have killed fungus and pests that have plagued the garden in the past, and hopefully the surviving plantings will thrive. We are now enjoying a beautiful display of color.  Rainfall has been scarce with less than 1 inch of rain in the month of April, over an inch short of the norm.

In September Lorraine and I will return to the US to attend the MacPherson Highland Games in Kansas. We hope to see many of you there. The dates are September 23 – 25, 2011.  It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since our visit to Grandfather Mountain, NC, but we still remember our visit fondly.

Best wishes to you all.   Aye, Chief John & Lorraine

Lloyd and Donna McArthur, High Commissioner and President

This summer we are planning our holiday’s to include a trip to Kincardine ON. for their Highland Games on the first weekend in July. The Highland Games season in Alberta starts on June 25 in Red Deer and 26 in Ellerslie [Edmonton]. On July 9 Ft.Edmonton has their Highland Celebrations.

On Aug. 27 High River and on the following weekend Sept. 3 Calgary and then Canmore on the 4 have their Games. We hope to see as many members as possible. Lloyd and Donna

http://www.kincardinescottishfestival.ca/

http://www.reddeerhighlandgames.ca/

http://www.aspd.ca/ellerslie-highland-games

http://calgaryhighlandgames.org/

http://www.canmorehighlandgames.ca/

Faith Hurley McArthur, President 

I hope you are enjoying a good summer and are looking forward to travel, vacations and the Highland games. We welcome new babies to the clan. Members Day Lander, Bill McArthur, and Ray McArthur all welcomed new granddaughters. Congratulations to all! During the past months we have had news of storms, tornados and flooding all across the US and the world, but hope that they have not created problems for any of our Clan family.

In October of 2010 the second annual Scotland Highlands were held in Laurinburg, North Carolina.  The US McArthur Society of Clan Arthur (Scotland) manned the tent for the Clan. The event was held on the 19^th century John Blue plantation, a unique setting with historical buildings built by Scottish born John Blue.  Master Piper Bill Caudill of the Scottish Heritage Center of Saint Andrews Presbyterian College provided assistance and support for the games and reports that approximately 100,000 visitors and 46 Clans and Societies were present. Faith

The Lord’s Prayer in Scots Gaelic

This portrait of a nobleman was painted in the late 16th or early 17th century.

Visit clanarthur.com/RT.htm to see him come to life and recite the Lord’s Prayer in Scots Gaelic.  .

http://clanarthur.com/videos/RT2008/LordsPrayerGaelic.wmv

The Future of Scots Gaelic, Glasgow’s Rev Donald Michael MacInnes and Faith Hurley McArthur

The Rev. Donald Michael MacInnes hails originally from Glasgow’s Govan district. At the age of three his family moved to the village of Bragar, a rural crofting community, on the west side of the Isle of Lewis. Growing up he developed a keen sense of Gaelic culture and became an accomplished musician of many instruments including the bagpipes. He is a graduate of Glasgow University and a fulltime minister at St Columba in Glasgow.

http://clanarthur.com/Future%20of%20Scots%20Gaelic.htm

Faith Hurley McArthur, President of U.S. MacArthur Society of Clan Arthur

In 2007 I sat down for a conversation with Alastair Campbell of Airds at his home in Inverawe, Scotland. Here is a small portion of that interview about the Argyll and Sutherland Highland Regiment.

Alastair Campbell of Airds, Islay Herald Extraordinary, former Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms to Lord Lyon’s Court, former CEO of Clan Campbell and former Archivest for Clan Campbell

Our Scottish regiments have played an important role in our culture. They are important because our music, tartan and highland dress owe their existence to these regiments. July of 2007 was the 50^th anniversary of my commission in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. I am the 4^th generation of my family to serve including my father, my grand father and an ancestor who raised the original Argyll Grenadier Company in 1794.  The past 50 years has seen many changes in the Argyll Highland Regiment and the biggest change occurred in 2006. As part of the restructuring of the infantry the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were combined with the other Scottish infantry regiments into the single Royal Regiment of Scotland. The new regiment is known as The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Lord Lyon’ Court

http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/CCC_FirstPage.jsp

Roger Fenton photographed the Crimean War in 1855.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/ftncnw/item/2001697098/

 Robert Gibb’s 1881painting The Thin Red Line

http://prints.national-army-museum.ac.uk/

A History of Scotland with Neil Oliver BBC television

Scotland is the country where I was born and still live. I have spent years as an archeologist and I have found all sorts of treasures from the past. For me it is an ancient and magical place and I always find the beauty of this place overwhelming, even humbling...I have often thought that Scotland’s history is a bit like that landscape, always changing, impossibly romantic, hidden by mist and low clouds, above all packed with legends and heroic characters... But that’s not history. It is mythology and it has cost Scotland it’s past and present. How we think about the past shapes our view of today. So I want to look beyond the legends to find the real Scotland... Neil Oliver, Archeologist, author and BBC tv Host

With those words Neil Oliver and the BBC begin a 10-part video history lesson that grabs your attention and refuses to let go.

Video

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hG01ZzlKxI

DVD Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Scotland-DVD-Neil-Oliver/dp/B002SCQKGQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1304781168&sr=1-1

DVD Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/History-Scotland-Neil-Oliver/dp/B003K025MI/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1310422096&sr=1-1

Digital Editions

The Round Table of the MacArthur Societies of Clan Arthur

 http://www.clanarthur.com/RT2011/RTd10.html

Tartan Times

http://www.chicagoscots.org/images/stories/Tartan_Times/TTsummer2011.pdf

Scottish Field 

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1o92f/ScottishFieldJune201/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F183221%2FScottish-Field-June-2010

Round Table Links

Alfa Romeo Guiletta

Our new rental in Scotland was an Alfa Guiletta.  It is a new model from Fiat Alfa that is about the same size as a Ford Focus. They are not available here in the states but if you are traveling to Europe this summer check out this rental for a fun semi-exotic drive.

Road Test

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YubXQh-CYwY

Alfa Web Site

http://www.alfagiulietta.com/giulietta/com/index.html

Loch Long to Inveraray (Cut Short) Scotland Video

The video  is a little under 12 minutes long. Ride with Stuart and his friends from Lock Long to Carindow and enjoy the trip over The Rest and Be Thankful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHFdeA4Wi7s

 On The Day Piping Video

John McDonald has produced a limited edition boxed set of his On the Day. It is an excellent film that follows master pipers at the Glasgow Piping Competition several summers ago. Readers may remember that our US Society is listed in the credits. John has a special promotion to raise money for the film’s 2nd Premier in Glasgow. Follow the links and watch John’s presentation.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1600594186/on-the-day-collectors-box-setHYPERLINK "http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1600594186/on-the-day-collectors-box-set"

HYPERLINK http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1600594186/on-the-day-collectors-box-set

http://www.onthedaymovie.com

2011 - 1st Edition

Clan Arthur Worldwide,

Chief John Alexander MacArthur of that Ilk

Dear Clans folk, We hope you have had a good summer. As most of you know Loraine and I attended the U.S. North Carolina Highland Games in July. We enjoyed our first night in the states with Dan and Faith McArthur and it was a special treat to talk to astronaut Col. William McArthur in Houston, Texas by the phone. The Games were a good occasion as both the society and the Association were flying the flag for the Clan. Lorraine and I were overwhelmed by every ones generosity. It was great to meet you all on your home turf and to be able to put faces to names.  Following the games we toured the northeast with Bob McArthur and Robert McArtor. The highlights of the trip were visits to the General Douglas McArthur’s Memorial, George Washington's Mount Vernon, Washington D.C and a private tour of the Capital building arranged by Robin Naysmith of the North American Scottish Government Council. We finished the trip with a visit Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania where I served as an International Horticultural Trainee thirty-five years ago. It was also a special treat to spend some time with Rear Admiral (Ret.) Ken Wilson, an old friend who knew my dad in Scotland.                              Yours Aye, Chief John and Lorraine

The Great Britain MacArthur Society of Clan Arthur 

Mary Wood, Secretary

The Society held an enjoyable Gathering at the George Hotel, Inveraray, Argyll on Sunday 13 June. The numbers attending were not as many as we would have hoped for, but those who came along had a good time and the opportunity to catch up with news. We were very pleased that Faith and Dan McArthur were able to be with us. They were able to come as they were enjoying a well earned holiday in Scotland at that time. It was also good that a new member who had joined the Society at the Gathering 2009 in Edinburgh last year came with his partner. After a tasty lunch Chief John indicated his and Lorraine's excitement at their forthcoming visit to the USA in July. We also discussed ways that we could make our British Society more relevant and interesting to current and potential members. It was useful to share common experiences with Faith and Dan. The Gathering finished about 4 p.m. and we said our goodbyes.

Lloyd and Donna McArthur, High Commissioner and President

In July Ann Pladsen of Kincardine ON, representing our Society at the Kincardine Highland Games, presented our Societies Amateur Piper of the Day Trophy to Ben Reid of the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band. Donna and I attended two Highland Gatherings the September long weekend at Calgary and Canmore. We signed up one new member in Calgary and spent a cool and wet day in Canmore. As usual at the tent we answered many queries regarding tartans, Clans and family affiliations.

Yours Aye, Lloyd and Donna. 

The past six months have been very busy and exciting. Among the highlights was the Chief's visit to the US. I think he and Lorraine had a wonderful time and look forward to coming to the States again in 2011. Dan and I had the opportunity to attend the AGM of the MacArthur Society of Great Britain in July and enjoyed seeing old freinds and meeting new members. Also while in Scotland we were given a tour of the Inveraray Castle gardens by new member Jamie McCarthy, head gardener to the estate. In October we hosted a MacArthur tent at the 2nd Annual Scotland County Highland Games in Laurinburg, N.C. and had a good turnout on a beautiful fall day.  We welcome many new members this year and hope you will all become involved in your Society and Clan. Please send your news, photos and ideas for upcoming issues of the Round Table so that we can get to know you better.  With a some time for rest and reflection over the events of the past year,  our wish for you and your family is good health and peace.

Faith Hurley McArthur, President

The Inveraray Castle Gardens, Inveraray  Argyll  Scotland

Inveraray Castle, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Argyll, has one of the most important designed landscapes in Scotland.  The grounds of the Castle extend to approximately 445 acres. The policies, or improved grounds surrounding the country house, cover 16 acres. Two acres make up the formal gardens and the rest is woodland. In the latter part of the 19^th century it was customary for distinguished visitors to plant a tree in the gardens. Among these special guests was Queen Victoria and her tree still stands today.

Click on these pics to hear the video.

The Inveraray Castle Gardens

Part 1: Meet Jamie McCarthy, Head Gardener

Management and preservation of Inveraray Castle gardens is a huge task and the 13^th Duke of Argyll has put this task in the capable hands of Jamie McCarthy. Jamie, a member of the MacArthur Society of Clan Arthur was raised in Glasgow. His father raised produce and Jamie learned valuable skills as his apprentice. After serving in the military he enrolled in the prestigious Elmwood College of Horticulture in Fife.  On a recent visit to Scotland, Jamie gave us a tour and told us about his plans for these beautiful gardens.

The Inveraray Castle Gardens

Part 2: Inveraray Castle Old Mans Beard

“This One is for Dan”

The Inveraray Castle Gardens

Part 3: The 500 year old Tree and the Woodlands

“The Old Town of Inveraray”

The 55th Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

Clan MacArthur Society of the US (Clan Arthur Scotland) Faith Hurley McArthur, President USA

MacRae Meadows, Linville, NC: The 55th  Grandfather Mountain Highland Games was held July  8-11at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain near Linville, We are excited to report that Chief John and Lorraine came to the States for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.  After the four-day event at Grandfather Mountain they traveled  to Pennsylvania where Chief John studied horticulture.

Chief John and Lorraine with members of the Clan

Trees for Scotland Award

At the Edinburgh Gathering in 2009 members of the MacArthur Societies of Clan Arthur pledged funds for Teaghlach Wood, a part of The Trees for Scotland Charity. Chief John recognized and thanked each Society in a previous Round Table. In July Angus Crabbie, a representative of Teaghlach,  traveled to the North Carolina Grandfather Mountain Highland Games to award certificates to all the clans that funded the planting of trees. In July the Board of Directors of the Society  pledged an additional five trees  for 2010.

www.teaghlachwood.com

Meet Scottish Blackface Sheep Bonnie, Mauri and Fiona

Short clip by Daniel McArthur

click on pic for video

Peace on Earth from the Hurley Farms

Members Links

http://www.cswt.us/CelticFest2010.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWzsW28g6Mw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHfxshhc8nY 
http://www.netease.net/members/bsbates/page1.html