Mora [Canada] and Robertina [Italy] at The Craggan Hotel, Melness

Those interested in the affairs of the Clan Mackay Society will remember the visits of Robertina Mackay Caruso and Mora Mackay Cairns, the President of the Clan Mackay Asociation of Canada to the Clan Mackay and the great Mackay Ceilidhs held in the Craggan Hotel in Melness managed by our good friends Lynn and Hamish Mackay. Mora Mackay Cairns and her husband Bob, who flew from Scotland in the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War joined a large party of Mackays in the Craggans in September 2004. Earlier in 2004 the late Charlie and Marie Mackay had hosted a similar event for the Italian Prime Television Programme "Dreams" at which Robertina and her family were flown in to Scotland to witness her joining her ancestral family here, Robertina's family had originally emigrated to South America, probably from the Bettyhill area. A scene from the Ceilidh in the Craggan is to be found below.

Ghosts and spirits about in the North

Do you remember the tale told about the late Charlie Mackay that whever anyone called late at night at No 3 West Shinness when the moon was shining brightly looking South towards Loch Shin, then the "Spirits" were sure to come out ! So beware of the ghosts of the Northern lands. That wee story reminds me of Backpacker's own tale of the likeness of the Creggan Inn to a lobster pot. Why you ask, because "The Creggan like a creel is very easy to enter, but very difficult to leave". In this year of 2006 in which the Clan Mackay Society marks the Bi-centenary of McKay's Society, which was founded in 1806 as a friendly society and out of which the Clan Mackay Society was later to evolve, we wonder how many Mackays will take the route to their ancestral homeland and stop by the Craggan Hotel in Melness. They maybe assured that the welcome will be as warm as it has always been in that hospitable place.

		STRATHNAVER TARTAN [1952] The Strathnaver Tartan was first registered in 1952 and was said to have been discovered in a bog in Canada and brought back to Scotland. The colors which are said to reflect the seasons of the year are muted vegetable colours which merge peacefully and harmoniously together. It is obtainable from several manufacturers, but perhaps its price is higher than other tartans because of the difficulties in setting up the loom with so many colours. We remember with pleasure that great clansman Kenneth Mackay wearing full highland dress with his jacket and waistcoat in a delightful brown tweed. Kenneth was president of the Clan Mackay Society in the seventies and was a stalwart founder of the International Gathering of the Clans Committee. A seat in his memory lies above the Waverley Station in Princes Street Mall, Edinburgh. Alas says the editor of the Bratach Bhan he can only afford a tie in this fine old tartan. He remembers seeing it first one summer in Kingussie in the nineteen fifties, where it was worn by a former army officer. However our Secretary now stocks tartan baseball caps in the ancient Mackay tartan which helpd to find your friends in a crowd if they are tall enough. Contact Ian if you wish to order one or one of our new range of sweat-shirts and fleeces

This page was revised on 22nd March 2006

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