Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

42
THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
£1000. In 1890, at a banquet lield in Glasgow,
Lord Reay, Chief of the Clan, in the name of
the Clan presented Mr. Mackay with a hand-
some testimonial and gold badge bearing the
following inscription — " This gold chain and
pendant, with a purse of sovereigns, were
presented to Mr John Mackay, Kingston,
Glasgow, by the Right Hon. Lord Reay,
G.C.I.E , oa behalf of the Clan Mackay Society,
in testimony of their high apjireciation of his
excellent services as Honorary Secretary, 1S9()."
It may be added tliat the year just closed is the
most successful that the Clan Mackay Society
has experienced. Nor has Mr. Mackay confined
his services to one Society, we find he was one
of the original members of the Gaelic Society of
Glasgow, and has been its Treasurer for some
years. He is also an active member of the
Executive of the Mod since its institution, and
has held the office of President of the
Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association for the past
three years. He is at present Chieftain of the
Govan Highland Association. Being fond of
out-door exercise Mr. Mackay connected himself
with the Cowal Shinty Club, and has been its
President for some years, and is frequently
found on the field with his caman in hand. A
Director of the County of Sutherland Associa-
tion he takes a deep interest in all matters
relating to that county, where his holidays
are invariably spent. In this connection it may
be interesting to add that he, in conjunction
with his relative the Rev. ,\dam Gunn, M.A.,
of Durness, has been engaged for sometime past
in the preparation of an exhaustive woik on
" Sutherland and the Reay Country," which will
be in the subscribers' hunds by Christmas.
To Highlanders at home and abroad Mr.
Mackay is best known as Editor of the Otitic
Mdiithlii. It reflects great credit on his energy
and prescience that while previous ventures of a
similar nature in the Celtic field have failed, the
Celtic Monthhi has earned a po]inlarity and a
circulation which no other Highland monthly
ever enjoyed.
On the 2.5th September last Mr. Mackay took
unto himself a helpmeet — Miss Annie MacLean
Sharp — an accomplished lady of Highland
parentage, her father being well known in Gaelic
circles some years ago — and for many years
chairman of the Gaelic Concerts held in Glasgow
under the aus]iices of the Comiiim GaidhtaUicli.
As might be expected the marriage party was
representative of the Highlanders of Glasgow.
That he may be long spared to watch over the
destinies of the Celtic Moiithli/, and develop its
scope and usefulness, is doubtless the fervent
wish of the numerous readers of that magazine.
FlONN.
MINOR SEPTS OF CLAN CHATTAN.
By Chakles Fraseu-Mackintosh, F.S.A., Scot.
The MacGillivrats. — Coutinmd.
VIII.
ALEXANDER, the elde.st son,
rtjl^f succeeded and was extensively
^^^ engaged, like his uncle, Ca])tai"n
William and other members of his family, in
cattle dealing, being known as " Alister Ruadh-
na-Feille." The reason for his selection by
Lady Mackintosh to command the Clan Chattan,
in preference to Duncan Mackinto.sh of Castle
Leathers, the natural leader failing the Chief,
has been given. That he was well worthy of
the honour is uniloubted, and a.s he lived at
Easter (Jask the tradition that iijany ot tiie mcii
who fought at Culloden sharpened their swords
on the singular Druidical standing- stone or slab
near Easter Gask, deserves some weight. His
gallant conduct on that fatal daj', and his death
on the field at the well still bearing his name,
is well known. It was part of the cruel system
of the conquerors not to allow the bodies of the
Highlanders to be carried away for interment by
their fiiend.s, and con.sequently they were buiied
in trenches, the green covering of which is still
to be seen. The ordinary place of sepulture of
the Dunmaglass family was and is at Dunlichity,
but Dunmaglass' friends feared the publicity of
re-interring the leniains so far distant, and buried
them (juietly at Petty. It is recorded in the
Farr collection : —
" In the churchyard of Potty lies the Chief of
Mac'rillivrays, who wa.s killed at the Battle of