OT: 9 July 1927 – A Member of the Clan MacRae Society “The Clan MacRae”

The Oban Times, 9 July, 1927

The Clan MacRae

2 July, 1927

Sir,–The writer observes in your issue of the 2nd inst., a paragraph headed “Clan MacRae Association Annual General Meeting.” The writer observes that the chief of this Association, the Rev. John A. MacRae, Dundee, attended in person. The article further states “The report stated that the response to the action of the Committee showed the loyalty and devotion of the Clan to its Chief, and the preservation of the Tomb of the MacRae Chiefs in the old Church in Clachan Duich, Kintail.”

The writer is amused at the statements, which appear to be contrary to the facts. The last number of the Rev. John A. MacRae’s immediate predecessors to be buried in Clachan Duich was Farquhar MacRae, who died in 1789. The rest of the Reverend gentleman’s people appear to have been buried in Edinburgh.

It is amusing to read the apparent ignorance of the writer of the article in question on the question of the Clan Crest. There is no such thing in existence as a Clan Crest, as in heraldry Crests, Shields, etc., are the private property of an individual.

It is also amusing to read the following paragraph, “As many who would like to be present and pay their lasting tribute to their late Chief will be on important military duty, and Ladies-in-Waiting, etc., etc., during their Majesties stay in Edinburgh.”

As a member of the general public, one cannot help wondering who the many are who would be engaged on important military duty and as Ladies-in-Waiting, etc., and prevent their going to Kintail if they wanted to.

One would like to congratulate the Chief of the MacRae Association on his interesting and inspiring address which he appears to have given to the gathering, which after all represents a small but very noisy faction of the Clan MacRae.–I am, etc.,

A Member of the Clan MacRae Society