Ceart ma tha (right then) ... Loon Mt NH, USA Highland Games 2010

Once again I find myself apologizing for a long delay in blogging. I have no valid reason, only excuse(s), but have been keeping a list of subjects about which to blog. So, let me resume with the New Hampshire Highland Games, held at Loon Mt, Sept 2010.

Jacqueline was unable to attend the games this year, but rather than stay home alone, actually with The Ghillie, I decided to drive north for a couple of hours on Saturday the 18th of September. It was a bright day, not warm, cold, damp or windy. Ideal as a matter of fact. Or, in The Gaelic Tha i breagha an-diugh (it's a lovely day today).



Being a descendant of Highland, and Lowland, Scots I was keen to see what Border Reiver families (or clan if that word is preferable) would be represented, and to pay a visit to the Clan MacKay tent where Jacqueline had some tablet samples, courtesy Douglas MacKay, available for ... sampling. Sadly I have yet to meet a representative of Clan MacLea/Livingstone at the games I have attended. My cousin Kyle is very much involved in their activity out west, and we (Jacqueline and I) would very much like to do the same here in New England.



Regardless, the border families (clans) were represented with tents and representatives from Bell, Graham, Turnbull, and Johnstone. The Bell's had a rather interesting shirt available; sorry the picture is somewhat skewed; when I resized the image I used absolute width/height rather than percentage; so a portrait orientation was forced into landscape. Sadly, again, I've not ever seen a representative from the infamous Robson family; but I do enjoy sharing what knowledge I have of the Robsons, especially when I meet a Graham.

I spent several minutes chatting with Norman Turnbull, Clan Turnbull's "High Seanachie". Sadly I have no picture of him (I was too busy talking to him) but he gave to me a picture of the statue of Rob Roy MacGregor located at Culter Burn, Peterculter, Aberdeen, Scotland. Here's a link to information about the statue. The picture is now hanging in our home office, which is more like a "Scotland room" at this point in time.

Finally, all the way from the Netherlands was a group of Malt Whisky drinkers, visiting a friend in the USA, who posed for a picture.



Next time we will be returning to Ile (Islay). Until then may the best you've ever seen be the worst you'll ever see.

New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain

We travelled north for a couple of hours to attend the first day (Friday the 18th 2009) of the New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain. What a thrill to enter the Governor's Lodge to the sounds of John Carmichael singing "Westering Home". We also heard, and saw, Malinky, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Albannach, and Brigadoons.

I did not take many pictures during the day but I have posted a few, along with one taken a few years ago of a solo piper who, late in the day, climbed onto a large rock in the middle of the river that flows near the games.

One of the more interesting "findings" was Clan Bell in the clan village, with their shirts that stated "Border Clans Can Be Beligerent". For those who are not aware, families such as Bell belonged to what are collectively known as "The Border Reivers." My maternal grandmother was a Robson, another of the Border Reiver families; one of the more notorious I might add. Anyway, over the past few days I have been wondering how many of the Highland Games or Clan Gatherings have a strong, if any, presence of representatives of the "Border Reivers".

At the back of the program was a coupon good for $15.00 off any two bottles of whisky with a total value of at least $50.00. Well, one of the illustrated bottles was Ardbeg's Supernova, and I thought "Schweet". Sadly, they have not had any for quite some time. :-( Nor do they have any Uigeadail or Airigh Nam Beist. I guess, until we return to Islay we will have to be content with the 10YO.

Wobbly glasses, whisky, and Westering Home

While on Islay for the 2009 Feis Ile, we visited all 8 distilleries, and obtained a whisky glass (or two at Bowmore because that's how they were packaged) from each. The glasses came in various shapes and sizes, some round "tumblers", others square, still others recognizable as tasting glasses.

But probably the most unusual glass was obtained at Bunnahabhain. Iain Shaw told us it was to simulate being onboard ship, enjoying a dram. There is a picture (not the best I've ever taken) of said glass, and if you look at the base you'll note that it is convex in profile. Hence, when you place it down, it tilts !!! I must confess that I don't actually use the glass though because when I did, once, and placed the glass down without thinking about the bottom the whisky 'sloshed' a wee bit. I thought of how easily one careless move could knock the glass completely over and I'd rather not spill whisky. So, it remains in a cabinet on display.

While on the subject of Bunnahabhain, during our journey home we purchased a bottle of Darach Ur (Scots Gaelic for new oak) and it's an interesting dram. The aging cask was made from new oak, rather than a used bourbon or sherry cask. A picture of the (almost empty) bottle is attached.

Lastly, Bunnahabhain packaging/labeling shows an Islay man "Westering Home" to Islay, and if you look closely at the label you'll see him. For those who've not heard the song, here is a link to a youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a5HCyWRyMc

Made in Scotland

While surfing "the web" for even more information about Scotland, I came across this:

http://player.stv.tv/programmes/made-in-scotland/2009-07-23-2100/

It's 4 parts, and about 5 minutes into part-2 there are several minutes about Islay. I have no idea how long it will be available for viewing but it brought a tear to my eye.

Slainte.