A Chlann Raghnall Lochbhair

ENSIGNS ARMORIAL :,

THEREFORE, the Lord Lyon King of Arms, for aught yet seen (Primo) MAINTAINS, RATIFIES and CONFIRMS unto the Petitioner and his heirs male, Chief of the Name and Arms of MacDonald of Keppoch and of the Honourable Clanranald, Mac'ic Raonuill, the following Ensigns Armorial, videlicet:- Quarterly, 1st, Or, a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure, 2nd, Argent, a dexter hand Gules holding a cross crosslet fitchée Sable, 3rd, Argent, a lymphad sails unfurled and oars in action Sable flagged Gules, 4th, Azure, a salmon naiant Proper. Above the Shield is placed an Helm befitting his degree with a Mantling Gules doubled Or 6 7 , and on a Wreath of the Liveries is set for Crest an eagle displayed Gules crowned of a ducal coronet Or, and in an Escrol over the same this Motto "AIR MUIR 'S TIR" and in another Escrol below the same this Motto "DIA 'S NAOMH AINDREA"; and on a compartment below the Shield comprising a rock Proper charged with the outline of a footprint are set for Supporters two wild boars Azure armed Argent langued Gules crined Or, each holding a Lochaber axe, its head facing outwards, Proper the cutting edge Sanguinée; and for his Standard three and a half metres long having Azure a St. Andrew's Cross Argent in the hoist of two tracts Gules and Or with his Crest depicted once and the slogan "DIA 'S NAOMH AINDREA" in letters Sable in the fly; and for his Pinsel 135 centimetres long and 60 centimetres high Gules, bearing the foresaid Crest within a strap of leather Gules buckled and embellished Argent inscribed with the Motto "AIR MUIR 'S AIR TIR" in letters also Argent all within a circlet of the Last, fimbriated Azure, bearing his title "MAC'IC RAONUILL" in letters Gules and in the fly, surmounted of a sprig of white heather Proper, being the proper plant-Badge of Clanranald of Lochaber, the slogan "DIA 'S NAOMH AINDREA" in letters Sable, and (Secundo) GRANTS WARRANT to the Lyon Clerk to matriculate the foresaid Ensigns Armorial in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland.

NB. The use of the wild boar symbol, is the ancient Celtic Gael symbol of both war and kingly, derived from the Sun ( masucline ). It is also symbolic and directly associated with the Dunadd Boar Stone in Dalriata, the ancient crowning stone of the first Kings of Scots up to Kenneth MacAlpine. The twin boars are standing on the Boar Stone each hold a lochaber axe sanguine ( bloodied ).The footprint on the stone is where the king placed his barefoot while being inaugurated, and is shown on the stone beside the boar's foot.The king wore a white gown to signify purity of spirit. On his head was placed the Scottish gold crown. He held the sword of state in one hand, and held the septre in the other hand, signifying the right to rule over his people.

27/06/08

Locbaber Geopark

For clansmen and friends interested in how our duthchas of Lochaber was created, please have a look at the information on the Lochaber Geopark web site.

www.lochabergeopark.org.uk

27/06/08

Profile of a Young Keppoch Chieftain

Young Jordon McNeilage, great-newphew of our Chief Mac
Mhic Raonuill, is showing clear signs already, that he has the making of a staunch and loyal Chieftain for the future. His father George McNeilage is presently a Chieftain of Keppoch.

He wears his Keppoch kilt with great pride, at every opportunity that he can get, complete with kilt pin and sgian-dubh.

He keeps an close eye on our clann web site daily, to keep up to date with developments within our clann, and he spreads the news to his friends at school, about our clann "coming alive" after 156 years dormant. He loves all things Scottish and Highland, particularly our history and culture. Because he has lived in Australia for such a long time, he has missed the opportunity to learn his Gaelic native language at a young age, but I hear that he is considering trying to learn Gaelic before he is much older. I hope so! That is the making of our young Scots in Scotland today. Especially for the future! A nation that loses it native language will eventually lose its way!

I am sure that all of us wish young Jordon well, and hope trust that he continues to make good progress in his scholastic studies, now, and in the future

08/04/08

The Gathering & Home Coming 2009

The follow donations have been received with thanks
from our clansmen and supporters, towards the provison
of our tent, and expenses involved. Any surplus will
be added to the Keppoch Memorial Appeal.

Dr Jon G MacLennan $300
Bill Boath £50
Archibald MacPherson £30
Professor Robert Phillips $500
Chieftain John McNeilage £100

www.homecomingscotland.com

08/04/08

This Cumha ( Elegy ) is dedicated to the late dear
mother, of Lady Margaret MacDonald of Keppoch who
passed on to Tir nan Og on 24 February 2008 after a short
illness, who is sadly missed.

With wonder we gazed at the face of an angel
Peaceful and gentle in features and form
Not of this world yet one who has lived here
Now clothed in a mantle of true spirit reborn

With thoughts and emotions welling inside us
Hard to retain them impossible to hide
An angel she was and mother as well
We looked with devotion that time cannot divide

Tears cannot express how we felt as we stood there
Memories of our loved one came to the fore
Her caring, her laughter, welcoming smile
Her grief and her burdens with great courage she bore

Her sinnsearrachad stems from sliochd-rioghail Alba
Endowed her with grace and strength of her mind
Enriched by her love and her faith in Iosa
That shone like a bright star, she was one of a kind

Her work now completed she has risen above
To meet all her cinneadh with love and care
In the The Land of the Young known to the Gael
She will share all the treasures awaiting her there

All clansmen and supporters this is a special message from Mac Mhic Raonuill, Chief of the MacDonalds of the Honourable Clan Ranald of Lochaber. It has been sent out to all clansmen in the mailing address plus others from my personal address book. And before you proceed to read my message, please note that I have booked a tent for the Keppoch Clan,and I am cooperating with my cousin Chieftain Jon G MacLennan from Palm Springs, U.S.A. on a special lecture that I will deliver on some very important aspects of our Clann History. This is not to be missed, but for those who cannot make it over in 2009, a copy of my lecture will be posted on our Clann web site to enable you to obtain a copy of it.

Plans are well advanced for The International Clan Gathering and Homecoming 2009, and we must now make our plans accordingly. The Crois-tara - Fiery-cross has gone out to all clansmen and supporters across the diaspora. I am setting out below what I am planning to do, and now need your full support if we are to make this our first Clann Gathering - Co-chruinneachadh FIRST CLASS!

Chieftains are well aware of their roles according to their offices. If anyone has any doubts, or wishes to ask me any question, or needs advice or assistance with their roles,then please contact me direct as soon as possible. Individual clansmen can help too, and will be called upon to do so if required, for example ;

2) Alerting Keppoch clansmen and supporters wherever they live about a) The Gathering and b) Any offer of help.

Athough we are now an official Clann, we have not as yet formalised a branch as such. However, we are nevertheless the core members, and so much depends on us all, on how we develop and go forward together now, and for the future. There are many thousands of Keppoch clansmen and women throughout the diaspora and so the future is assured. We are at the heart of the Keppoch Clann, and so must realise that there is not only honour in that,but hard work too! The sooner we get started on that road the better!

Our Tent will cost £220 inclusive of VAT, and must be ordered now and paid up front by 1st April. You will note that 75 tents have been ordered so far from across the diaspora and 115 Clanns intend to come to The Gathering 2009. Obviously, there will be restrictions on the issue of Passports even at £110 each. The reason being, that there have to be restrictions on the number of clansmen who will march up the Royal Mile from Holyrood Park, the site of all the Clan Tents and where the Highland Games,entertainmentGames, shops, cafes and other food caterering companies will be located.We will march up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle Esplanade where The Gathering Pageantis to be staged.The seating arrangements involved with the Pageant will the number of clansmen that will be allowed to march up Royal Mile led by their Chiefs. As a result, I would strongly recommend that you book your Passports now on The Gathering web site which once again details are attached below .....A priority seating arrangement is being used which I strongly recommend you to look at on their site, as that will determine the best views of the Pageant. Tickets are collour Gold, Silver and Bronze. Check this out now!

Chieftain and Clann Historian Dr Jon G MacLennan of California, U.S.A. and myself are in the process of preparing a DVD covering a special historic aspects of our Clann History. At this stage it is not certain what special equipment will be required and whether it will have to be ordered and paid for separately.

Incidental expenses. Mainly for the entertainment of visitors to our Clann Tent.

I would recommend a mininum donation from each clansman/supporter of £30. If anyone is in a position to give a larger donation it will gladly be acceptd. Any cash left over after all expeneses are met, will go towards our Clann Memorial Fund. All donations please in Pounds Sterling and cheques made out to Ranald Alasdair MacDonald, to facilitate a smoothe operation.

I look forward to hearing from you all soonest and welcoming you personally to our first ever Gathering in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2009!

Here is an update on the Homecoming International Clan
Gathering 2009 .You will find full details at <
www.thegathering.org>

We will remain alert and be ready to help to welcome
all our kinsfolk from across the diaspora for the
first time ever!

Clansmen throughout the diaspora can now gain access to their Chief's personal album and can purchase an mp3 version of it online if they wish to . It is indeed a "one-off" and as such is a collector's item. Click on the link to preview the album. www.scotloads.co.uk.

This site has been designed especially with you in mind, and I trust and sincerely hope, that you find it stimulating and beneficial to you all.

It is the first for the Clan Ranald of Lochaber, and is in the process of being developed. So please be patient, and you will I feel sure, find it both interesting and rewarding. It will eventually contain a wealth of information to help all those seeking further details of our clan, its origin, its present status and future aims. Its primary aim is to reunite our clan after a long interval of 156 years, and to facilitate easier and better communication between us all.

You will be able to communicate and create friendships with clansmen throughout the world. We will establish links with other well established web sites of similar interests, and others of diverse but interesting and helpful inter-related subjects, such as : current Scottish News at Home and Abroad, on-line Gaelic language courses, music and song, educational Gaelic teaching organizations, magazines etc, Scottish /Celtic history, and genealogical services, entertainment, tourism, shopping etc. It will be an exciting one -stop-shop for all those interested in their clan's origins and heritage.