CLAN DONALD NOVA · PDF fileRecipient of the Clan Donald Achievement Award ... Goldie and...

Clan Donald Nova Scotia Fall/Winter 2013

CLAN DONALD NOVA SCOTIA

Fall/Winter 2013

"Ni h-eibhneas gan Chlainn Domhnaill…" (It is no joy without Clan Donald ....)

Nova Scotia Highland Games and Gatherings 2013

One-year-old Rylan Macdonald in his Clan Donald kilt

outside the Clan Donald Tent at Antigonish Games

Antigonish

Branch

member,

Peter Troy

MacDonald,

of Ottawa,

with his

young son,

Hugh, and

Wade

MacDonald

of Halifax

at the

Antigonish

Games.

Jessie Everill, daughter of Chris and Carla (MacDonald)

Everill of Halifax Region at the Festival of the Tartans,

New Glasgow

We welcomed new members, Amber and Blaine

MacDonald of Chaswood, NS, and Canon Mel Langille of Fortrose, Scotland at Festival of the Tartans, New Glasgow


Flora MacDonald Tribute Judy Parks, program coordinator for Annapolis

Valley Branch, sent the following message and

photo:

October's meeting ...nearing Halloween .... was

significant as the Ghost of Flora MacDonald graced our meeting. Clad in a

shawl of MacDonald

tartan, compliments of the clan collection, she

portrayed the Flora of

Bonnie Prince Charlie

fame. In her Scottish accent she told about

Flora's life and

especially her year in Windsor, Nova Scotia

with her military

husband. Laura

Churchill-Roe was the actress from the

theatre company in

Windsor accompanied by narrator Junie

Hutchinson. Their

historical portrayal was most educational and entertaining.

We had a good turnout for the meeting following

the program led by commissioner Gail Gordon. A

lively social hour followed, hosted by Marlene and Jack MacDonald.

November dinner meeting will be on St. Andrew’s

Day, the 30th, at MacGills Restaurant on Kentucky

Court in New Minas. Visitors welcome, but please

let us know. Call Marlene at 902-542-1028

More about Flora ... Highland heroine Flora MacDonald (born 1722

in Milton, South Uist) famously helped "Bonnie" Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) escape

from the Isle of Uist to Skye. The prince had fled

following defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Charles had been on the run for two months before

he met Flora. Both her fiancé Allan MacDonald

and her step-father, Captain Hugh MacDonald of Sleat, were 'Red-Coats' (members of King George's

forces) and apparently Flora was unwilling to help

until she was told the escape plan had actually been

made by her step-father.

The Prince was disguised as Flora's 'Irish Maid' -

'Betty Burke' and they made the famous journey by boat to Skye evading capture on the way and

eventually landing between Uig and Mogstad in

Kilmuir, at what is now called Rudha Phrionnsa

(Prince's Point). There were five oarsmen on the boat, as well as the Prince, Flora, and a kinsman,

Neil MacEachen. After arriving on Skye, Flora

aided the Prince in his escape to Portree where they parted company never to meet again. Flora was

arrested for her part in the escape, and imprisoned

at Dunstaffnage Castle, Oban and briefly in the tower of London, she was released in 1747.

In 1750 Flora and her fiancé Allan MacDonald of

Kingsburgh were married and lived in Flodigarry,

Skye, moving to Kingsburgh House after the death of her husband’s father. They had seven children -

five sons and two daughters.

Flora and Allan along with two sons, a daughter, her husband and children emigrated to North

Carolina in 1774 where Allan and his sons fought

for the British in the American War of Independence. Allan, his son and son-in-law, were

captured at the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge in

February, 1776. On his release, Allan was sent to

Windsor, Nova Scotia with the 84th Royal Highland

Emigrants Regiment. Life was difficult for Flora

after her husband’s capture and she was persuaded

to return to Scotland with her daughter. This she did after spending the winter of 1779 with Allan in

Windsor. Her husband followed her to Scotland in

1783 where they lived together for some time in

Uist and Skye. Flora MacDonald died on March 4

th, 1790. It is

said that 3,000 people attended her funeral. She

was buried in the cemetery at Kilmuir, her shroud a sheet in which Bonnie Prince Charlie had slept

during his stopover in Skye.

(The above information

was gleaned from many sources including Flora’s

‘Declaration’ relating to

her involvement with the

Prince, which was given

to authorities after her

capture; and, from the

Flodigarry Hotel website.

Flora and Allan lived in a

cottage which is now part

of the hotel complex. Ed.)

Portrait of Flora by Allan Ramsay


The Skye Boat Song (source: Education Scotland/Scotland’s Songs)

Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing

Onward, the sailors cry!

Carry the lad that’s born to be King

Over the sea to Skye.

Loud the winds cry, loud the waves roar,

Thunderclaps rend the air.

Baffled our foes stand by the shore.

Follow they will not dare

Many's the lad fought on that day

Well the claymore could wield,

When the night came silently lay

Dead on Culloden’s field.

Burned are our homes, exile and death

Scatter the loyal men.

Yet ere the sword cool in the sheath

Scotland will rise again!

(This is the best-known Jacobite song but it wasn't

created at the time. The words were written by an

Englishman, Sir Harold Boulton, about 130 years ago.

He used a Gaelic song format, a rowing song called an

iorram, and the tune is said to come from the Gaelic

song ‘Cuachan nan Craobh’ or ‘The Cuckoo in the

Grove’.)

Gaelic College Bursary Each year, three bursaries are awarded by Clan

Donald to students attending summer school at the

Gaelic College in St. Ann’s, Cape Breton. Each

bursary is worth $300. The 2013 bursary recipients

were: 1) Lauren MacDonnell, Timberlea, NS – Fiddle

2) Jade MacDonald, Chester Basin, NS – Fiddle

3) Anna McNeil, Tantallon, NS – Highland Dance

A letter from Ken MacDonald … (Since we didn’t publish a Spring Newsletter this year,

we include this letter now … it was sent to us following the Boston Marathon bombing. Ken is a native of Cape

Breton and a member of Clan Donald Nova Scotia)

“An update on the situation since the Marathon:

My wife, Louise, and her family lived near the Town

Diner that is shown where the crowd gathered after the

capture of the terrorist. The population of Watertown is

around 50,000 and that is where I lived and graduated

high school. I lived with my brother Stewart and his

family. Stewart and Leta Gray also lived in Watertown.

Friday everything was in lockdown including Newton. It’s hard to explain the feeling when you

cannot go out your door or run errands. Stewart’s

grandson crossed the finish line about 15 minutes before

the first blast. So you can imagine there was a great deal

of worry and confusion until he called and said that all

six of his group were in an apartment at the Boston

Commons about one mile away. His parents, Sandie,

Richard, and his sister, Whitney, were with us and we all

watched the race go through Newton. We live about

eight miles from the finish line.

This is an experience that all of us will never

forget, especially the shutdown of all cell phone service, and our daughter, Allison, working in an office on the

waterfront in downtown Boston. However, we are all

safe and life is returning to normal at a very slow pace.

Much has changed in the U.S. but it will be strong again.

It was our definite belief in Jesus Christ that made these

past days possible to survive and to continue the love for

others.” Sincerely,

Ken and Louise MacDonald

Newton, MA

May the

road rise

to meet you;

May the

wind be always at

your back,

The sun

shine warm upon your face,

The rain fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his

hand.

Balbeg, Inverness-shire


Awards Banquet, July 20, 2013 Arisaig, Antigonish County

Pat Christensen, CDNS Commissioner Eric Mapplebeck, and 2013

Recipient of the Clan Donald Achievement Award - Frances

MacDonald

Text of presentation given by Pictou County

Commissioner, Pat Christensen … Frances MacDonald was born to William and Ruth

MacLeod of Avondale, Pictou County, N.S. Frances

attended East Pictou Rural High School and was

employed by Lismore Seafood. In 1988 she married

Jerome MacDonald from Bailey's Brook from where

they raised three children, Randall, Goldie and Blaze. The children kept them busy with guitar, fiddle, and

mandolin lessons; also, they were members of the

church choir and 374 Air Cadets; and with that came

band, fundraising, drill and range. Frances was president

of the Cadets Parents Auxiliary and co-chair of the

building committee ...never a dull moment for a high

energy Mom.

Frances has been involved in her community in a great

variety of ways: with the Wintertime Review; the

Culloden celebrations; church choir; community choir -

the "Oceanaires"; and, for the 175th Anniversary of the

Church, she composed a song called "Beautiful St. Mary's"; with her children, in memory of Karen

MacDonald, she composed a song titled "You Called

Her Name" and then set up the CD launch. In addition,

Frances volunteered with the Firemen's Ceilidh for the

Merigomish Fire Department; with a fund raiser for

Jerry Holland when he was sick; and, she was

housemother at the Gaelic College when her children

attended in 2003 and 2004. In 2003 she organized a

Mixed Fiddle Workshop at Lismore with 16 students in

attendance and over the years the numbers grew to as

many as 86 and thus brought the move to East Pictou

Middle School with such teachers as Ivan and Vivian

Hicks, Jerry Holland, Howie MacDonald, Pat and

Winnie Chafe, Fleur Mainville, Maggie MacDonald,

Billy Pitts, Ray Stewart, Merton Arbuckle, as well as her children to mention a few. This workshop is now known

as “The Pictou County Ceilidh Association”.

Frances had a group named "The 110 Wing Fiddlers"

and also taught step dancing and rug hooking. She

belongs to a group called "Fiddling Around" and "The

Pictou County Oldtime Fiddlers".

In 2013 she put on a fund raiser for the Canadian Cancer

Society called "The Bearded Cancer Ceilidh".

Frances is a member of Clan Donald Pictou County and

we, her fellow Clan members, are most proud of her

accomplishments in the Clan, and her untiring efforts to

keep this Scottish heritage alive.

Ronald A. MacDonald gave the presentation for the Hall of

Honour recipient - the late Katherine Mary MacDonald. a

prominent educator and supporter of the arts in Antigonish.

Scott Williams, a

very well-known

piper and teacher

from Antigonish,

entertained with

several selections

as folks arrived at

the Awards

Banquet and then

piped in the head

table guests.


Memorial Service, August 18, 2013 Pictou, Nova Scotia

Commissioner

Eric welcomed

everyone to the service.

Guest preacher

Rev. Jeff

Lackie with

Piper Marlene

MacLellan

Some gathered under the shade of the tent

Barry MacDonald read one of the scripture lessons

… a beautiful summer day for our 23rd Annual

Memorial Service.

Ella MacDonald & Betty MacDonald


Bereavements

Annapolis Valley - Kathy Mapplebeck, age 54, on December 7, 2012,

Meadowvale, NS, wife of CDNS Commissioner, Eric Mapplebeck.

Antigonish County – Hector MacDonald, age 58, on March 23, 2013,

Antigonish, NS, husband of Carole Gillies.

Eugene Silver, age 77, on August 15, 2013, of

Antigonish County, NS, husband of Germaine (MacDonald) Silver.

Cape Breton Kenneth MacDonald, age 73, March 14th, 2013,

of Sydney, NS. Former Commissioner of Clan Donald Cape Breton.

Patricia “Pat” (MacDonald) Mosley, in her 99th

year, October 13, 2013 of Sydney, NS. A member

of the Clan Donald and Angus family.

Halifax Region – Carol MacDonald, age 66, on July 12, 2013, of Richmond Hill, Georgia, wife of Russell

MacDonald.

Pictou County – Eugene R. MacDonald, age 86, on December 28, 2012, of Mashpee, MA, life member of Clan

Donald Nova Scotia. Predeceased by wife, Dolly,

in 2002.

Ellice McDonald, Jr. CBE, of Wilmington,

Delaware, passed away on June 10, 2013 at the age of 100. Ellice was High Commissioner of Clan

Donald USA from 1976-1983 and a life member of

CDC and CDNS. He was predeceased by his wife

Rosa in 2009.

Rita MacIsaac Cameron, age 93, on September

13, 2013, of New Glasgow, NS. Life member and past Commissioner of Clan Donald Nova Scotia.

Received CDNS Achievement Award in 2001. Life

member of Clan Donald USA.

Clan Donald Canada 2013 AGM

The AGM was held on September 13-14 at the Nav

Centre in Cornwall, Ontario, hosted by the Glengarry-

Stormont branch. It was a great time to renew friendships and to meet new members.

We were treated to a reception on Friday evening

with entertainment by the MacCulloch Highland Dancers who put on an outstanding performance.

Their dancing has taken them all over the world,

they have even performed for Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle! Of course, there was business to

attend to with a meeting on Saturday morning

chaired by our High Commissioner, Glenda

McDonell. Following the meeting, many of the attendees gathered for lunch at a Celtic pub in

Williamstown (Glenda’s hometown).

A banquet on Saturday evening rounded out the weekend with a rousing ‘toast to the haggis’ and

an entertaining guest speaker, Arthur Milnes, a

fellow at the Centre for the study of democracy at

Queen's University, in Kingston. He served as research assistant for former Prime Minister Brian

Mulroney. The ‘silent auction’ was lots of fun with

many of us taking home some interesting objects.

Well done, Glengarry-Stormont! We’ll see you in

Truro, Nova Scotia next year on September 19th

and 20

th.

Nova Scotia contingent at the Saturday Banquet


Angus L. Macdonald Cairn

Port Hastings, Cape Breton It was brought to

our attention at the

Spring Meeting of

Clan Donald Nova Scotia that the cairn

next to the Tourist

Information Centre in Port Hastings,

honouring Angus L.

Macdonald, was crumbling and either

had to be repaired or

removed as it was becoming a safety hazard. The

cairn was erected many years ago by the Nova Scotia Association of Scottish Societies

(predecessor of The Federation of Scottish Culture

in Nova Scotia). Following the meeting, our CDNS Deputy

Commissioner, Ron McConnell, contacted the then

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

Renewal, the Hon. Maurice Smith, to consider the possibility of having the cairn repaired.

We are pleased to announce that through Ron’s

leadership and with the support of Mr. Smith, the cairn has been repaired by Arsenault Monuments of

Antigonish. The bulk of the repair cost is being

covered by the Government of Nova Scotia with Clan Donald Nova Scotia and The Federation of

Scottish Culture sharing the remainder. Our thanks

to Ron for spearheading this project and to Karen

Mudge for bringing it to our attention.

The plaque on the cairn reads:

“Erected to the memory of the Honorable Angus L.

MacDonald P.C., Q.C.S., J.D., LL.D.

Born in Dunvegan, Inverness County August 10, 1890

Died in Halifax April 13, 1954

Premier of Nova Scotia 1933-1940

Minister of National Defence for Naval Service

1940-1945

Premier of Nova Scotia 1945-1954

Erected by the Nova Scotia Association of Scottish

Societies”

Meet our new Commissioner …

Eric Mapplebeck, of the

Annapolis Valley Branch of Clan Donald, stepped

into the position of

Commissioner of Clan

Donald Nova Scotia in May of this year. He says

he was very honoured to

be offered the position as he is ‘more than proud’ of his Scottish heritage (MacEachern from the Isle

of Rhum) and welcomes any opportunity to put on

his kilt. Eric was born in Windsor, NS and grew up in

Harbourville on the Bay of Fundy. This is where

he met his future wife, Kathy, when he was just

fourteen. A few years later they moved to Toronto where they married and raised two sons. Moving

back to Nova Scotia after twenty years in the big

city, Eric and Kathy settled in the Valley. Along with other interests, they both enjoyed biking (Eric

has two Harleys). Several years ago, they attended

the Highland Games in Antigonish and stopped by

the Clan Donald tent; they were given a registration form and decided to join the Annapolis Valley

branch. Kathy passed away last December (2012)

after suffering for three years with ALS. They had been married for thirty-seven years.

Eric was introduced to carpentry work at a very

young age (his father was a furniture maker) and although retired now, he continues to work in that

field on a casual basis. When in Toronto, Eric’s

ability to work with heavy equipment led him to

an interesting occupation as the operator of a cemetery!

Eric has been blessed with two beautiful

grandchildren …a two-year-old grandson and a one-month-old granddaughter. Besides his love of

all things Scottish, and his Harley-Davidsons, Eric

enjoys animals (he owns two dogs and a cat), he is an avid gun collector, attending and selling at

shows all over Atlantic Canada, and, is Past Master

of Markland Masonic Lodge #99 in Kingston and a

past Grand Lodge officer. A very busy individual! We wish you well, Eric, in your new commitment

as Commissioner of Clan Donald Nova Scotia.


Clan Donald Nova Scotia Executive

Commissioner:

Eric Mapplebeck

P.O. Box 489

Kingston, NS B0P 1R0

Tel. 902-765-0331

E-mail: [email protected]

Deputy Commissioner:

Ron McConnell

109 Hawthorne Street, P.O. Box 1324

Antigonish, NS B2G 2L7

Tel. 902-863-2598


Secretary:

Alastair Macdonald

587 Colby Drive

Dartmouth, NS B2V 1Y5

Tel. 902-462-1317


Treasurer:

Wayne MacDonald

15 Acadia Drive

Kentville, NS B4N 5E1

Tel. 902-679-1915


Federation of Scottish Culture in Nova Scotia

Representatives

Pat Christensen

RR3, Site 3, Box 11

New Glasgow, NS B2H 5C6

Tel. 902-695-2066


Dennis MacDonald

3919 Hwy. 2, Unit 38

Lake Fletcher, NS B2T 1J3

Tel. 902-221-7607


“Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna

mhath ùr!” (Merry Christmas and

Happy New Year!)

CDNS Historian

Ronald A. MacDonald

96 Pleasant Street

Antigonish, NS B2G 1W9

Tel. 902-863-2863

Branch Commissioners

Annapolis Valley:

Gail Gordon

14 Duncan Avenue

Kentville, NS B4N 1N4

Tel. 902-678-4535


Antigonish:

Ron McConnell

109 Hawthorne Street, P.O. Box 1324

Antigonish, NS B2G 2L7

Tel. 902-863-2598


Halifax Region:

Alastair Macdonald

587 Colby Drive

Dartmouth, NS B2V 1Y5

Tel. 902-462-1317


Pictou County:

Pat Christensen

RR3, Site 3, Box 11

New Glasgow, NS B2H 5C6

Tel. 902-695-2066


Newsletter Editor

Sheila D. MacDonald

951 Montague Road

Montague Gold Mines, NS B2R 1V2

Tel. 902-435-4223


Clan Donald Canada

website

www.clandonaldcanada.ca

mailto:[email protected]











http://www.clandonaldcanada.ca/

CLAN DONALD NOVA · PDF fileRecipient of the Clan Donald Achievement Award ... Goldie and...

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