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Earl of Glencairn and Cunningham
Chief Memorial Dedication Ceremony in Edinburgh 11/25/03
International Clan Cunningham Gathering at Balgonie Castle, Scotland
11/27/03
By Larry A. Augsbury, High Commissioner and
Chairman of Clan Cunningham Society of America, Inc.
 It
has been a long journey from my discovery of John Cunningham, 15th
Earl of Glencairn’s unmarked grave in the Parish Churchyard of St
Cuthbert in Edinburgh on Friday, May 5, 2000, to the dedication
ceremony, unveiling and blessing of his memorial tombstone taking
place on Tuesday, November 25, 2003. The fate of his original marker
remains an unsolved mystery. The dedication ceremony will begin at
10:30AM at St Cuthbert’s Parish Church below Edinburgh Castle, and
the unveiling will follow at 11:30AM in St Cuthbert’s churchyard at
the memorial. I have commissioned the certified image of the
Glencairn Arms from the Lord Lyon King of Arms in Scotland to be
carved in granite by memorial artist and stone sculptor Roger C.
Seal of Colorado on John Cunningham’s headstone to hereafter and
forever mark the resting place of the last Earl of Glencairn and
Chief of Clan Cunningham. The Lord Lyon certified Strap-and-Buckle
Cunningham Crest Badge is being etched by R. Adrian Dudley on a
granite acknowledgement plaque with a list of clansmen donors to
recognize those whose contributions helped make this memorial
possible. All Cunninghams and loyal supporters are invited to attend
this celebration and pay their respects to our last Chief. We hope
to someday find our contemporary Chief and have him restored to his
rightful place.
Clan Cunningham Society of America (CCSA) is
grateful to Reverend T. C. Cuthell of St Cuthbert’s for providing
the church in which the dedication ceremony will be held and for
performing the blessing service. We are privileged to have the Lord
Lyon King of Arms, the Rt. Hon. Robin Orr Blair, LVO, WS in
attendance as our honored guest. We are delighted that Chief George
MacMillan, of Clan MacMillan and his wife Jane have accepted our
invitation to attend. They are the owners and residents of
Finlaystone, the former seat of Clan Cunningham spanning four
centuries. Chief George MacMillan will address the attendees.
Scottish musician Keith Johnston will perform the epic ballad of
"Malcolm’s Run" written by CCSA member Alison Bucklin which recounts
the origins of the motto and shake-fork charge of the Glencairn
Arms. Other distinguished guests include the Convenor of Recreation
for the City of Edinburgh, Councillor Ricky Henderson and Councillor
Bill Cunningham of the Edinburgh City Council, Holyrood Ward, who
has also been invited to address us at the dedication. Councillor
Bill Cunningham has arranged for a
Civic Reception
following the dedication to be held at Usher Hall where
the City Of Edinburgh will extend its hospitality to their
Cunningham visitors with refreshments being provided.
We are also considering having the Robert Burns poem, Lament for
James, Earl of Glencairn, read by a Scot. James Cunningham was
John’s elder brother and the previous Earl of Glencairn, the patron
and benefactor of Robert Burns. Members François Redien and his wife
Marie Thérèse of the Château de Cherveux in France (which Robert de
Conyngham, Captain of the Scots Guard and the King’s Bodyguard for
French Kings Charles VII and Louis XI, built around 1470) have
expressed their plans to attend, as have Scots Jimmy and Julie
Hutchison, also from Cherveux, France. Jimmy has been instrumental
in helping with the French translation of the third edition of our
Clan Cunningham, Origins, Heritage and Traditions book that will be
presented to the Rediens at their French château on November 20,
2003. We also wish to invite the distinguished Scot, Sir Sean
Connery to attend and address us. We continue our efforts to contact
him.
We have also extended a special invitation to the
members of the newly formed Society of the Earl of Glencairn of
Cunningham based in London to join us at the dedication ceremony.
Their leader Ben Cunningham has been very helpful with arrangements
and generous with his time. Their organization is hosting the
International Clan Cunningham Gathering two days later on the 27th
of November at Balgonie Castle.
There are still a limited number of places
available for the Gathering, about ten, so if you would like to
join us in Fife Scotland for this four night and three day Gathering
with a full day at historic Balgonie Castle for a tour, meeting and
feast, please email me for further details at
Lapa333@cs.com
or write me at 4575 West 111th Avenue, Westminster, CO
80031. Donations for Chief John Cunningham, Earl of Glencairn’s
memorial are being accepted at the above address or through Paypal
on our web sites at
www.clancunningham.us and
www.geocities.com/clancunninghamusa/. Come join together with us
in our Scottish homeland to share in these momentous Clan Cunningham
occasions. |
