Sponsored by Clan MacIntyre Association
25th Anniversary special
Gathering Report
On July 11th, 2003, the first CMA Gathering in California began. This Gathering had been planned to take place way back in 1984, but it was not to be …. hotel rooms in great demand, prices too dear for most Scots, and no one to handle local arrangements. Perhaps there were also trepidations about earthquakes and funny things in the water supply?
This time, low hotel prices, low air fares and the lure of the San Francisco Bay Area were too much to resist for the 25th Anniversary CMA Gathering that was held in conjunction with the intimate Scottish Highland Games at the Dunsmuir Historic House and Gardens in the hills south of Oakland, California (gate attendance 6000). There were over 150 MacIntyres and Wrights at the tent on Saturday, by far the most to ever attend a CMA Gathering. As forecast, conditions were perfect -- no rain, no wind, no bugs, no sweltering heat, the main subject in most Games’ reports. At least 155 signed in at the Gathering coming from 18 states and two countries (USA and Italy!) Besides the 104 from California, the best represented states were Maryland (12), and Utah (9). The other states in order of representation were: 5- Massachusetts and Nevada; 3- North Carolina, Nevada, and Oregon; 2- Connecticut and Wyoming; 1- Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Virginia and Texas. There was one family reunion of 19 and another of 17 individuals. There were the many spelling variations but McIntyre was by far the most common. Pam and Tom Curry of Pinedale, WY drove 12 hours straight (not recommended); Charter Members and Past Councilor, Daniel McIntyre and his wife Maxine McIntyre of Asheville, NC pulled their Airstream® to Burlington, VT and then flew to Oakland, CA; Past President, International Representor; and newly elected Councilor, Jerry L. McIntyre of Kingsland, TX drove 1985 miles in two and a half days; and Oliver Kilian MacIntyre Corti of La Romola, Italy flew 6000 miles for over 18 hours to come to the 25th CMA Gathering. What was drawing these Mac An T’Saoirs from far and wide?
Friday Evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Oakland Coliseum
Some came a day or two early to sightsee or like CMA Vice President for Program, Jonathan Tucker, his wife Gina and their son, Daniel of Florence, MA, to take advantage of the California sun at the hotel’s outdoor swimming pool. There were two evening events on Friday:
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A fascinating illustrated lecture on the subject, The Ancient
History of Clan MacIntyre by Seannachie, Robert Bruce McIntyre of
Broken Arrow, OK. Next the book and then the movie?
§
A Major League Baseball game between Oakland and Baltimore.
Winner? Clan MacIntyre.
Saturday Morning and Afternoon at the Dunsmuir Scottish Highland Games
§ The Local Arrangements for this Gathering were planned by Jeannette McIntyre of Richmond, CA and Martin MacIntyre of San Francisco. They were ably assisted by Jeannette’s brother, Timothy, her father, Gerald and her niece, Holly. Also helping were Tim MacCannell of San Francisco, the previously mentioned Tuckers of Massachusetts and Jerry McIntyre of Texas
§ At the front of the tent was a large, wooden, hand carved MacIntyre Coat of Arms made and contributed to CMA many years ago by Charles Tyre of Greenville, NC.
§ The MacIntyre Standard was brought by Jim and Lynne Miller of San Diego, the Chief’s Pinsel was hand sewn by Diane MacIntyre Lovelace of Milpitas, CA, and the large MacIntyre crest banner was hand sewn by Sherri McIntyre of Sparks, NV.
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T-shirts with crest badge and Mac An T’Saoir were available in all
sizes and at a reasonable price.
§ The traditional group photo was taken in front of the tent.
§ The parade of the clans, with a seemingly endless line of MacIntyres, the honored clan. In front was our piper, Mark McIntire of Sisters, OR playing the MacIntyre March, Gabhaidh Sinn An Rathad Mor. We followed singing “We will take the good old way… MacIntyres will lead the way.” The marching MacIntyres were in four disciplined brigades, identified as red, white, blue and green, the colors in the MacIntyre hunting tartan and led by able captains.
§ Just after the parade, the four brigades skillfully coordinated a siege of the Campbell tent. The head Campbell, Mike Thames, was called out and our leader, Martin MacIntyre, Lieutenant to Glenoe, demanded that the Campbells accept a snowball and calf as calps, or regret it. The Campbell asked what calps were? After being duly informed that it was a death duty, he graciously accepted, then immediately regretted it, as his hand became colder and wetter during the long recitation of the murder of a Campbell by a MacIntyre that took place in 1440 at Tyndrum, Scotland. The Campbells’ regrets continued when sometime later the calf mysteriously disappeared, despite being well guarded. They should have heeded the MacIntyre’s earlier and clearly clairvoyant admonition to brand their calps-calf!
§ THE MINISTRY OF FOOD gave a free drink to anyone what asked for a MacIntyre Banger and was wearing a Mac An T’Saoir shirt or said the magic words - Per Ardua!
§ Back at the tent, led by their matriarch, Carole McIntyre, the McIntyre Family Singers from Centerville, UT, Sparks, NV and Costa Mesa, CA, performed a medley of Scottish and Celtic songs. The men were in kilts and the ladies wore handmade costumes of long dresses, white blouses and MacIntyre tartan.
§ The Gordon Highlanders ‘Bydand Forever’ military unit, in authentic 1882 kilts, blue shirts and white helmets, marched up to our tent and presented arms in a salute to Glenoe’s Lieutenant. This was followed by an exchange of toasts with 18 year old Glenfiddich Special Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, provided by Robert McIntire of Modesto, CA. Hip Hip Hooray.
§ To a highly appreciative MacIntyre audience, The New World Scottish Country Dancers, came in costume to the tent and expertly danced two versions of O Jo, My Dearie O, composed in 1795 by Duncan Macintyre and dedicated to his Chief, James (III) of Glenoe. They were directed by Claudette Sigg of Berkeley, CA and accompanied by Scottish fiddler, Steve Wyrick.
Saturday Evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Ball and Banquet Room
Banquet
The large ballroom had tables for ten on either side of the band stand and dance floor. At the reception with an open bar, people got acquainted and selected table partners to the sounds of Hamewith (Homecoming), an excellent five-piece Scottish ceilidh band. Once everyone was seated, they were welcomed by President, Donald C. McIntyre of Homewood, IL followed by the Selkirk Grace of Robert Burns. The entrees were prime rib, salmon or Mediterranean grilled vegetables. For dessert, there was homemade shortbread made by Past Councilor and Per Ardua Editor, Fran McConnell of Ashland, VA, which went perfectly with the vanilla ice cream and choice of chocolate or butter scotch sauce. Unable to choose, many decided to have both sauces, no doubt following the adage “waste not, want not.” Each person at the banquet received a pewter key fob with the MacIntyre crest badge on one side and Clan MacIntyre Association, founded 1978, on the other. Everyone was so preoccupied with eating that no photos of the banquet have appeared.
Meeting and Entertainment
§ Welcomes were read from Donald Russell MacIntyre, 10th Chief of Glenoe and Ian MacIntyre, 17th Chieftain of Camus-na-h-Erie followed by a brief official annual general meeting as required by the CMA Constitution. Special guests were recognized: Frank Young of Ridgefield, WA, Vice President of the Clan MacIntyre Society and Russell McKee of Stockton, CA, representing Clan MacKay, our tolerant neighboring tent at the Games.
§ Longtime CMA members present were: Past CMA secretary Dorothy (Dottie) McIntire of Silver Spring, MD accompanied by her daughter, Janet McIntire; Past Councilor and Editor of Per Ardua; Charter Patron, Genealogist and Councilor, Alan Bridgeman MacIntyre of Chapel Hill, NC; Charter Patron and Life Member 01, Dixon McIntyre and his wife Ruth of Twain Harte, CA; Charter Patrons Joan MacIntyre Gardella and Mildred MacIntyre of Roxbury, CT; Charter Patrons, Lewis and Karen McIntyre of Hughesville, MD; Life Members Dr. Leslie and Norma McIntyre of Shingle Springs, CA, and Life Members, Robert and Marjene McIntyre of Bandon, OR.
§ Projected on a large screen were Glenoe’s Great Seal and Gold Signet Ring, courtesy of his younger brother, Jeffrey MacIntyre of upstate New York and the film, Return of the MacIntyres.
§ We were treated to superb Highland dancing by Erin McIntyre of Laguna Hills CA, 15 year old premier dancer and Sabrina Wright Hartley of Solano Beach, CA, eight year old novice dancer. They were piped by Stuart Taylor of San Jose, CA. We are proud to announce that both dancers won first place awards in the Highland dancing competition at the Dunsmuir Games.
§ Amaryllis, a Celtic singing duo of Linda MacIntyre Dighton and Randall Dighton of Elk Grove, CA, performed original music written in honor of the 25th Gathering to words they adapted from Duncan Ban MacIntyre’s famous poem, Verses on Arms.
§ MacIntyre Family Singers gave a reprise of their earlier performance at the tent.
§ Flowers of the Forest and Auld Lange Syne completed this segment of the evening events.
§ Ceilidh. There was reel dancing from 9 pm to Midnight, led by Marion and John Logie of San Jose, CA to music provided by Hamewith, the band of Scottish fiddler John Taylor ending once more with Auld Lange Syne.
Sunday Morning, Afternoon and Evening
Games
§ The morning and afternoon were a repeat of the Saturday events including the parade. Martin MacIntyre, Lieutenant to Glenoe, was transported to the main stage in a three wheel Morgan sports car that was not kilt friendly. After Clan MacIntyre had passed the reviewing stage, Martin quickly excused himself to join his Clan as they continued their march around the grounds eventually ending at the Campbell tent to redeliver the calps. The Campbells were asked to bring forth the calf they were given on Saturday and they were loathe to admit that they had somehow “misplaced it.” Tch Tch. The magic word “Per Ardua” followed by a wave of the Lieutenant’s hand over the snowball, produced a calf that, to the untrained eye, appeared identical to the one the Campbells had received the day before, but lost! For some reason, they jumped to the conclusion that the MacIntyres had given and then stolen the calf, but a Scottish verdict of “Not Proven” was declared when there was no Campbell brand found on the calf. Apparently, the Campbells don’t know the adage, “Once burned twice shy”, because later that same afternoon they were once again seen desperately searching for something followed by threatening looks toward the MacIntyre tent, as if we might have something to do with their distress. Could it be that they had “misplaced” the calf again! If so, what nerve to suspect the peaceful and law abiding MacIntyres of stealing it! After all, weren’t the Kings soldiers who massacred the MacIans of Glencoe, mostly Campbells? Fortunately, this time MacIntyres outnumbered the Campbells at Dunsmuir and their “warriors” were at the opposite end of the grounds, taking in the Browne Sister’s entertainment and MacTarnahan beer at the Carriage House pub. We later learned that the calf was lost again. Perhaps it will find its way to the Pleasanton Games. Regardless, MacIntyres will have to be on the watch for any misguided Campbell pre-emptive assault. Never fear, our flanks will be protected Clan Chattan confederates -- The MacIntosh, MacPherson, Davidson, Farquharson, MacBean, MacDuff, MacThomas, and Shaw – who are going to accompany us to the Campbell tent!
§ Returning to the Dunsmuir Games, the next event was a second march, complete with piper, Pinsel, Standard and a large piece of native California stone exhibiting a hand chiseled MacIntyre crest badge. The objective for this march was the stall of artist, Frank Maurer of Davis, CA, where a brief inaugural ceremony for the stone took place with a final toast with Scotch Whiskey. The beautiful stone crest badge will be a permanent addition to the MacIntyre exhibit at the Dunsmuir and Pleasanton games.
San Francisco Tour and Reception
§ A special guided tour of San Francisco was taken by a small group of MacIntyres from out of state.
§ A reception was hosted by Rosemary and Martin MacIntyre at their home in San Francisco. Among those in attendance, not previously mentioned, were CMA Treasurer, Stuart MacIntire and his wife Barbara of Andover, MA, and their newly discovered cousins, Paul and Lila McIntire of Diablo, CA, descendants of Philip McIntire of Massachusetts, c.1640s.
§ Also at the reception were three generation and nineteen descendants of L. D. and Alice MacIntyre, the CMA founders. They were:
Daughter and Charter Member, Carol MacIntyre and partner Ed Ericson, of Dunedin, FL and Bethesda, MD, Carol’s son, Bryen with his son Bryce MacIntyre of San Marcos, CA, and Carol’s daughter Ann MacIntyre Chrisney Stine, with her son Gavin MacIntyre Marsh and her husband, Peter Stine of Sacramento, CA.
Son and Charter Patrons, Donald MacIntyre and his wife Carol of Silver Spring, MD, with their son Stephen MacIntyre, his wife Billie and children Collin, Riley, and Trevor of Crofton, MD.
Son, CMA Founder, Charter Patron, and Past Councilor, Martin MacIntyre and his wife, Rosemary of San Francisco, CA, their grandson, Oliver from Italy and their daughter, Sarah MacIntyre and her husband William Doherty of San Francisco.
At 9 PM, with
the neighbors forewarned, the 25th Gathering of the Clan MacIntyre
ended with Mark McIntire playing a medley of Scottish pipe music,
including our famous MacIntyre March.
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