Happy New Year! - The Clan Macfie Society

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mentioned that it would also be a good idea if, at the same time, I would write a tune for the Scotland County Highland Games. I said something rude under my breath and also thought of some physical response, but I was too tired having spent much of my waking, and most of my horizontal, time writing a 6/8 March for the Charleston Highland Gathering. Eventually, Iain, Fiona and I flew from Toronto to a place in South Carolina called Myrtle Beach. We were conveyed, at enormous cost by a descendant of Dick Turpin, to Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston is a beautiful city. On our first day there we met up with Ilah Coffee-Merriman and her daughter the wonderful Pam. One of the things we did as a group was tour Charleston in a horse drawn carriage…Ilah’s idea…and it was most enjoyable. Eating out was another experience. Having used a knife and fork in the U.S. in the past, I expected large, very large, platefuls of food, and I was not disappointed. The variety of dishes offered was, to say the least, extensive, and everything tasted fabulous! A day later we were joined in Charleston by Jim and Linda McFee Gilcrest…a marvelous couple! Also, Jim and Ginger McAfee arrived with their son John and his family to complete our team. This group was fabulous! There was great fun! I really enjoyed myself immensely. The “crack” (chat) was of a very high order and we had some wonderful adventures in their company. Unfortunately, only our Scottish trio and Jim and Ginger McAfee were able to attend the honourary dinner and reception on Friday evening before the Games. This was immediately after our own Clan reception arranged by Ginger McAfee. This was a grand affair. I met some absolutely fabulous people and, as they say in Charleston, “I had a Ball.” One of the few speakers at this event was Iain, and at the conclusion of his words of wisdom and “other stuff,” he presented the President of the Charleston Scottish Society, Max Mahaffee, with the framed final draft of their Pipe Tune. Yours truly was asked to play it. The performance and the composition were acclaimed with lots of loud applause and I was quite pleased. Clan Members at the Charleston Highland Games
The Charleston Highland Games the next day were excellent and a true delight. They were well organized with lots of activities and events to keep those in attendance always interested and, at times, absolutely enthralled. It was a wee bit warm! Fortunately David McDuffie had organized lots of bottled water and food so we were well looked after. During the course of the Games, we met some fascinating people. Folks would approach our tent and ask about this, that and the other, and were all so friendly and nice. It was a great experience. Naturally I met dozens of pipers, some of whom I had met in the past, and catching up with all the latest piping news did take up quite a bit of time. The Kirkin’ O’ the Tartans Sunday morning after the Games was a moving experience. It was held in a church that had a remarkable similarity to Patrick East Church, where the writer was a member of the Cub Scouts and the Rover Crew. (I was also the Secretary of the Bible class there for many years.) I played the pipes, the lament “The Flowers of the Forest,” which was chosen by the minister. I don’t often play this tune as it has some sad personal connotations for me, but it was well received by the congregation. After the Kirkin’ O’ the Tartan, we all bid our farewells to the locals and visitors from other parts of the country. Iain and Fiona left for Tennessee with Jim and Ginger McAfee. I left Iain, Fiona and the others to fly to Dallas, Texas, for a visit with Pam and Ilah Coffee-Merriman. Texas was wonderful, as was Dallas in particular. Ilah and Pam kept me busy seeing all the sites. I witnessed a Cattle Drive, visited the Space Museum, the Railroad Museum, and lots of other marvelous places. Staying with Ilah and Pam was wonderful. Up until then, I had never slept in a fourposter bed. I really needed a map to move around the premises; however, I always managed to find the swimming pool. A slight problem was that Dallas was quite warm. Actually for an “Inuit” like me, it was VERY HOT! We don’t often get temperatures of 100 plus degrees in Scoutstoun. This meant that when playing the pipes yours truly often exceeded his boiling point. I played for the children in a couple of schools, and for a wonderful church group. An interesting aside about Texas…I really appreciate accents. I discovered one of the main features of the marvelous local Dallas accent. The secret it seems is to turn single syllable words into double syllables; e.g.; “there” becomes “they-ah,” “where” becomes “whey-ah.” It’s easy. After a too short visit with Pam and Ilah, I flew from Dallas to somewhere…(I’m ashamed to admit I can’t remember the name of the place) where I was met by Cousins John and Marty Rosser. We traveled to Pinehurst, North Carolina, where we me up with Iain, Fiona and John and Sheena Dewyze (the latter pair had been visiting friends in Atlanta).
Page 1 and 2: Happy Happy New New Year! Year! Cla
Page 3: The Chief of the Macfies was huntin
Page 7 and 8: But alas it was time to go home. Jo
Page 9 and 10: Kirkin’ O’ the Tartan After the
Page 11 and 12: Images of Charleston and the Clan
Page 13 and 14: Now, I’m not a drinking person to
Page 15 and 16: Ilah Coffee-Merriman, President of
Page 17: So in this Festive period I hope yo

Happy New Year! - The Clan Macfie Society

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