Well folks, it has been 100 years since Sir Fitzroy MacLean bought and restored Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. It lay in ruin for over a hundred years before that and probably was built in the 13th century. In 2012 the Clan Maclean will hold an international gathering of Macleans, Duarts and all the septs that incompasses. You will have to go on line to their website http://www.maclean.org/ to see who is a member sept.
The 2012 Clan Maclean Centenary International Gathering will take place on the Isle of Mull Jun 18-24. If you want to have a great time with “the clan”, this is the time to visit. Al and I went to the last gathering in 2007. We didn’t have a clue what we were getting into, but had such a wonderful time, I’m ready to go back. You might want to get a kilt and learn some dances for the Grand Dance on Saturday night.
Pack you kilt, scabbard and warm coat and head to Mull (it’s an island after all and gets very cold). We flew into Glasgow, rented a car then drove to Oban. We took the ferry to Craignure on Mull and drove to Tobermory where many of the events took place. Some events were held at Duart Castle. Because it was a “family” thing, we had the run of the Castle on the public side. Sir Fitzroy Maclean lives on the other half. What a trip!
If you want to see the inside of the castle, watch “Entrapment” with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The movie was filmed inside the castle.
We got to meet many clansmen from all over the World. I still get occasional emails from some. If you join the Clan Maclean Heritage Trust, you may also get invited to a private party held at one of the Maclean private residences. That in itself was worth the trip. The Maclean’s of Duart and Lochbuie owned many castles in the “good ole” days. Some are “crumbledowns” and some are fully restored. A journey to Urqhart Castle (another family property), will help you understand how truly large they were. Urqhart is a crumbledown, for the most part, but if you walk around, you start feeling like you’ve been here before in some other life and could really enjoy living in a castle, if it had central heating.
You will not be sorry for going to this gathering. It certainly gives you a real sense of family when everyone is dressed in our family tartans. Happy Trails