23 August 2008

Dear Friends,

GIFTS – PUBLICITY

Thank Yous

Rosemary and I think we have completed sending out thank yous to the legion of individuals who helped us make the Gathering possible and a success.  I fulfilled my promise of a prize for the sport winners (I had mentioned ribbons but they thought they were really getting prizes).  I purchased the latest book by Lorn Macintyre but was unable to ascertain who the winners were in time to give them the gift.  The books were misplaced and are still in Scotland. Instead, I have given the Triathlon winners two T-shirts and one each for the winners of the Golf and Dart Tournaments.  Those who placed 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd received an award certificate.

Our many volunteer entertainers received a MacIntyre T-shirt.

Publicity

The Gathering was certainly a hit as far as the Oban Times was concerned. We were the headline feature three weeks running.

On 17^th July the headline with a color photo was “MACINTYRES HEAD FOR HOME”.  On Page 3 there was an enlarged photo titled,  “Clan MacIntyre gathers in homelands”.

On 24^th July, there was a large photo of the Taynuilt Highland Games Parade with large caption, “Games are focal point for clan gathering”.  On Page 8 the full page headline was “Clan brings extra shine to games” and “Taynuilt event attracts MacIntyres for all corners of the world.”  The top photo showed our parade around the field which appears to be endless.  In all, there were four accompanying articles including a complimentary editorial and very complimentary comments in their regular column From the Tower by McCaig a.k.s Coll MacDougall, who also interviewed me on his popular Sunday morning radio program (13^th July).

I thought that this was excellent coverage and would be the end of it, but yesterday I received three copies of the 31st July, Oban Times with the headlines, “CLAN GATHERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD” and a color photo taken by William Mateer of our entire group at Glen Noe. The greatly enlarged cairn was in the forefront.  The entire Page 11 was devoted to our Gathering with a large type headline, “Clan members unite in Glen Noe” and a subheading, “More than 300 MacIntyres arrive from all corners of the globe for their first world gathering”.   There was an enlarged photo of the one on the front page with the caption: “Around 220 MacIntyres gather at their ancestral lands in Glen Noe.”  There was also a photo taken at the banquet. There was a quip “ As folk waited for lifts [at the end of the banquet when it was raining], a taxi driver drew up and utter the immortal words: ‘A taxi for MacIntyre?’” [and everyone stepped forward. 

The page was completed by a story and photo of the playlet that was part of the Taynuilt Guided Tour and a story about the Taynuilt Ceilidh in which a number of our entertainers performed.

For those who couldn’t make it this time and for those who want to return, there have been statements made (not by me mind you) that there will be another gathering five years from now.  I will gladly give them my notes on what went right and what could be improved.  Rosemary, who took over the management of the Banquet when she saw I was drowning, still talks about how she would have improved what I thought was a perfect evening and I still think about what I should have done but didn’t.  But all said and done, it was a memorable adventure that no one who was there will ever forget.  As the days, months and years go by the glitches will fade away into the distant past and the fond memories will come to the fore with nostalgic reverence:

“Remember when the boat landed and I put my foot on Glen Noe soil . . . . .  .?”

“It seems like yesterday when we . . .  .“

Sincerely,       Martin MacIntyre, Gathering Convenor

P.S.   Send those photos to: 

           alastairi@electricscotland.com   and  w.mateer@btopenworld.com