Gathering 2009
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International Gathering 2009 - Edinburgh & FifeLast update of any part of this web page: June 23, 2009 The Gathering 2009 will take the form of an international clan gathering and the largest highland games ever held in Scotland, and will be one of the key events of "Homecoming Scotland". "The Gathering 2009" is supported by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, and it is hoped that all clan associations will attend. The Rt. Honorable The Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, Robert Alexander Lindsay, Chief of The Clan Lindsay, is a member of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. For your information, “Homecoming Scotland” is a year-long program which will take place throughout the year 2009, celebrating the 250th birth anniversary of Scotland's greatest poet, Robert Burns. All Scots should remember that Robert Burns is Scotland's best-loved bard and Burns Suppers have been held in his honor for over 200 years. Among many Scots, his best know poems are "Auld Lang Syne" and "Ode To A Haggis". The actual birth of Robert Burns occurred January 25, 1759, in Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland. “Homecoming Scotland” promises to provide some truly inspirational events and activities, such as the Gathering2009. For more information click on “Homecoming Scotland”. The Gathering 2009 Ltd has opened offices in Edinburgh, and
is in the early stages of planning and designing the features of this event. For more
details please click frequently on Gathering2009
. Details of Clan Lindsay Participation - The Gathering 2009The Clan Lindsay Society,
as the "host country" organization based in Scotland, is busy making
plans to participate in the Gathering 2009. Preliminary information
suggests that official participation at this event will require a significant
investment for space registration, event tent, tables and chairs. The Clan
Lindsay Society has a relatively small membership and thus will require the
financial support of the international Lindsay community if we wish to establish
an appropriate presence at the Gathering 2009. The cost alone for the
space registration and tent/equipment rental is 588 British pounds ($823 USD,
conversion rate as of Mar. 13, 2009). Thus I have decided to coordinate an
opportunity for the international Lindsay community to make donations to help
defray the costs of the Lindsay participation in this event. See Special
Fund Raising and Attendance Survey sections below. *****************************************************************************
Special Clan Lindsay Fund Raising - Gathering 2009 Event
Activities Last update to Special Clan Lindsay Fund Raising effort: May 6, 2009 . Although the total funding
needed by The Clan Lindsay Society for this event will far exceed this amount,
it is our goal to raise at least the amount needed for registration and
tent/equipment rental which is 588 British pounds/$823 USD (conversion rate as
of March 13, 2009). Even if you do not plan to
attend this historic event in Edinburgh, and you are willing to assist The Clan
Lindsay Society in establishing an appropriate Clan Lindsay presence at the
Gathering 2009, please send me an e-mail
and I will provide, those who live outside the UK with a postal address for
mailing your check. To avoid un-necessary currency conversions costs for a
donor, those donors who reside in the UK will be able to send their checks
directly to a separate UK mailing address, which I will provide. When the
donated funds are forwarded to the Honorable Treasurer of The Clan Lindsay
Society, a list of donors will accompany the check. Any amount from $1.00
to $100.00 will be greatly appreciated. Your kind and generous support is needed! Upon receipt of your check, I will add your name, place of residence and amount donated to the cumulative list of donors specified in the web page table below, unless you direct me otherwise. This methodology will provide donors with a form of public accountability for their contributions to this worthy cause. You
do not need to be a dues paying member of any one of the world's Clan Lindsay
organizations in order to contribute to this Special Fund Raising.
The List of Donors Donor
Name
Place of Residence
Amount Donated
==============
Cumulatively Total
$560.00 USD ***************************************************************************** Evolving Clan Lindsay Society for the Gathering 2009The officers and the membership of the Clan Lindsay Society are diligently planning a memorable itinerary for the Lindsays attending this event. The plans thus far, for Lindsays and guests, are as follows. 1. Saturday, July 25, 2009, visitation at the Clan Lindsay tent at Holyrood Park, and also the site of the Highland Games. On Saturday evening, an international assembly of clans-people will parade from the Royal Palace of Holyrood, up the historic Royal Mile to take their seats upon the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle to observe The Clan Pageant composed of pipers, massed bands and highland dancers. This Pageant will, in effect, trace the history of the development of the clans through the ages.
Clan members will
be able to parade up the historic Royal Mile, take their seats on the
Edinburgh Castle esplanade and observe the Clan Pageant only if you purchase a Gathering 2009 Passport (Event
Pass, from the sponsoring organization. See Gathering 2009
Ltd. Clan's will start to muster for
the parade at 7.15pm on Saturday July 25th. The Royal Mile is one of the most famous streets in Europe's capital cities. It has witnessed Royal processions, public executions and riots. Every notable figure in Scotland's rich history has walked on this street. This will be the first time that all the clans have paraded from the royal Palace of Holyrood up to the Edinburgh Castle esplanade. A true distance of 1 mile and 107 yards, a climb of 560 feet from the bottom to the top. The parade will be divided into sections with each section being led by a pipe band. Clans people will parade in alphabetical order and will be preceded by their chiefs and commanders with the clan banners. The parade is open to all passport holders and will lead directly into the castle esplanade where the Clan Pageant will take place. If you have a passport but do not wish to partake in the parade then you will still be able to enter the esplanade area separately from the parade. One of the major highlights of The Gathering 2009 is the historic Clan Pageant at Edinburgh Castle Esplanade which will be attended by The Gathering 2009 passport holders. Taking place on the evening of Saturday 25 July, the Clan Pageant entitled Aisling's Children; Tales of the Homecoming, has been specially created and produced by an award-winning production team. The Clan Pageant starts 10pm and finishes 11pm.Aisling's Children weaves a magical tale, starting from the very beginning of the Scottish nation and running through to the present day to tell the dramatic story of the clans' role in the history of Scotland, and takes its rightful place as the jewel in the crown of the Homecoming Scotland celebrations. Tales of the Homecoming promises to bring together both Scotland's far reaching Diaspora and its native inhabitants as the story of Scotland's dramatic history unfolds in a bold and breathtaking finale. Admission to the world premiere of Aisling's Children is by The Gathering 2009 passport. The Clan Pageant is a unique 1-day event. It is separate from the Edinburgh Tattoo which in 2009 takes place from 7-29th August (see www.edinburgh-tattoo.co.uk ). The Passports will allow one to march in the parade, with your specific clan, sit in reserved bleacher seats, and also permit gate access to the Clan tent area on Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise, one can purchase Day Passes at the gate for access to the Holyrood Park Clan tent area and the games on Saturday & Sunday, when you arrive at the games. A big concern is that the cost of the Passports are expensive (Silver Passport = £95 = $133 USD as of Mar. 13, 2009) and will limit participation in the Clan member parade. This concern has been expressed to the sponsoring Gathering 2009 organization. Cost of "Day Passes" to Holyrood Park are as follows; 2. Sunday, July 26, 2009, Clan Lindsay tent at Holyrood Park, visitation and a continuation of the Highland Games 3. Monday, July 27, 2009, a series of historic Lindsay functions, all held to the northeast of Edinburgh, across the Firth of Forth, in the ancient "Kingdom of Fife", approximately 44 miles northeast of Edinburgh. Transportation from Edinburgh to Fife will be the responsibility of those attending.
4. Tuesday, July 28, 2009, a Clan Lindsay group trip (admission fee to be paid individually at the site) is planned, to Edzell Castle, in Angus, Scotland (north of Fife). In 1324, Sir David Lindsay acquired the lands of Glenesk, a strategic pass leading north into the Highlands, by marriage to Mary Abernathy, which moved the main focus of the Lindsays from the Barony of Crawford in Lanarkshire to the geography of Angus. In Glenesk, the Lindsays eventually built Edzell Castle, located near Brechin in Angus, Scotland. In 1398, King Robert II granted the title of Earl of Crawford to David Lindsay (1360-1406). Construction of Edzell Castle was begun in 1520 by David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford. The castle is in ruins today but the formal gardens are maintained by Historic Scotland and are very beautiful. See the following link for photos of Edzell Castle . A Lindsay group lunch will be arranged at The Retreat, Folk Museum in Glenesk. The cost of the lunch will be paid at the restaurant by those attending. The transportation to Edzell Castle and the nearby restaurant will be the responsibility of those attending. Clan Lindsay Attendance Survey - Gathering 2009During the July timeframe of the upcoming Gathering 2009, the special event venues in the vicinity of Edinburgh are already rapidly being reserved by the various groups planning to attend this event. There will not be any problem with any number of Lindsays who wish to simply come to Edinburgh, in July 2009, and visit The Clan Lindsay tent at the Gathering over the two-day weekend. However if only twenty people, as an example, provide advance, timely notice that they wish to attend the special Lindsay Reception/Luncheon, at Kilconquhar Castle, the venue will then be selected to accommodate a group of twenty, with a few overflow. If then three hundred Lindsays should arrive in Edinburgh in July 2009, each with a strong desire to attend this special Lindsay function on Monday, July 27, 2009, there will be no alternative but to turn them away. This would be painful to both the international attendee and the host group, The Clan Lindsay Society. In an effort to assist The Clan Lindsay Society in gaining
the needed insight into the number of Lindsays who plan to attend, and the
"special events" that may interest you, we are asking everyone who plans
or thinks they are going to attend the Gathering 2009, to send me an e-mail
with your name, place of residence (city/state/country) and number of
individuals that will attend. Simply cut and paste the list of survey
questions below into an e-mail to me. I will post one family name for a
group with the number attending, at this web site. This
will provide us all with some insight as to the Lindsays who are
planning to attend the Gathering 2009, from around the
world. This survey information will be periodically summarized and forwarded to the Board of Management of The Clan Lindsay Society. This will provide The Clan Lindsay Society with the needed insight as to the number of fellow clanspersons, with plans to attend, and their specific interest. ************************************************************************ You do not need to be a dues paying member of any one of the world's Clan Lindsay organizations in order to attend the Gathering 2009 and the specific Clan Lindsay activities. List of survey questions 1. Name? 2. Place of residence (city/state/country)? 3. I plan to attend the general Gathering2009 event (Saturday/Sunday, July 25th & July 26th, 2008) with xx number of people in my party. 4. I plan to purchase the Gathering2009 Passports which will allow my participation in the Clan Lindsay March down the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle. Yes? No? 5. I would be interested in attending the special Lindsay Reception/Luncheon, (cost, £30 per person) to be held at Kilconquhar Castle (44 miles east of Edinburgh) in the geography of Fife, on Monday July 27, 2009. The 12:00 Noon Reception & Luncheon will be followed by a visit to Balcarres Estate (2 miles from Kilconquhar Castle), home of the Earl & Countess of Crawford. The visit to Balcarres Estate will be followed with a visit to Lahill House (4 miles), home of the Earl & Countess of Lindsay, for tea. Yes/No? How many people? 6. I would be interested in participating in a Lindsay group visit (admission to be paid at the venue), on Tuesday July 28, 2009, to Edzell Castle, in Angus, Scotland. Construction of Edzell Castle was begun in 1520 by David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford. The castle is in ruins today but the formal gardens are maintained by Historic Scotland and are very beautiful. Yes/No? How many people? There was not enough interest to justify a tour bus to provide transportation to and from Edinburgh to Fife and Edzell Castle. Thus transportation to the Lindsay venues will be the responsibility of those attending. Directions will be provided to those signing up for the Lindsay venues in Fife and to Edzell Castle. ******************************************************************** Most Recent List of Planned Attendees for the Highland Games and specific Lindsay functions (Last Updated, June 23, 2009)
As more of he Lindsay planning details regarding our presence at the Edinburgh Gathering 2009 are available, I will update this web page. This will be a grand occasion for Lindsays, of all spellings, from around the world to get together. I personally hope to see each of you in Scotland, July 25 thru 28, 2009. More later! Ron Lindsay webmaster, Lindsay InternationalAs of March 29, 2008, you are visitor # |