Murray Clan Planned Events

The most important event of each year for the Murray Clan is the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
An AGM is three distinct events – a meeting of the council; the AGM itself where clan members receive reports on the state of the organization from the President and other Society officers as well as serving as a means by members can give voice to their issues and concerns; the annual Clan Dinner at which we toast the haggis and enjoy a fine meal, entertainment, and one another’s company.

The 2008 AGM will be held at the 30th Maine Highland Games, August 16, 2008. Click for additional information. Sara Murray Leonard, Maine Commissioner, is our local host for the 2008 AGM.

Advance tickets to the Maine Highland Games are available now. There is an option to purchase on line this year at www.mainehighlandgames.org.

Advance ticket cost is $13.00 for adults; children 6 - 12 $5.00

On Friday evening, the day before the festival, St. Andrews Society hosts a clan dinner for members of all clans attending the festival. The Murray Clan will be honored clan at this dinner.The deadline for reservations is June 15th. Reservations can be made online at www.mainehighlandgames.org

The cost is $30 per person and can also be paid by mailing a check to:

Andrew Higbie
Clan Committee
PO Box 571
Clinton, Maine 04927

On Saturday evening after the festival and the AGM we will hold our Murray Clan dinner at MJ’s Grill and Tavern, 94 Maine St., Brunswick, Me. To make a reservation download the reservation form and follow the instructions on the form. The deadline is August 1st.

Map to the 2008 Maine Highland Games.

Directions

The 2009 AGM which will include a celebration of the 40th anniversary of our organization will be held the first weekend of June, 2009 at the Greater Greenville Scottish Games & Highland Festival, at Furman University, Greenville, SC. Stephen Murray, South Carolina Commissioner will be our host for the 2009 AGM.

The Murray Clan Society of North America will be represented at the following events for the current festival & games season.

Alabama

North Alabama Games in Huntsville,AL (cancelled)

Games in Montgomery,Alabama. (canceled)

California

August 30 - 31. Pleasanton Scottish Highland Gathering & Games, Alameda County Fairgrounds
Pleasanton, CA, (near San Francisco). www.caledonian.org

September 13, 2008. Fresno Scottish Festival & Highland Games. Roeding Park www.scottishsociety.org

Colorado

Elizabeth Celtic Festival. July 19-20, 2008. Elizabeth, CO. (15 miles east of Castle Rock). www.elizabethfestival.com. The annual Colorado Murray Clan picnic will be held on the 19th.

Colorado Scottish Festival & Rocky Mountain Highland Games. Highlands Ranch, CO, August 9-10th. www.scottishgames.org

Long's Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival. Sept 5,6,&7 (the weekend after labor day). Estes Park, CO. www.scotfest.com.

Connecticut

October 2008, Usually the first Saturday. The St. Andrews Society of Ct. Highland Festival, on Route 93, Goshen, Ct. www.sasct.org/festival.html

October 12, 2008, The Connecticut Scottish Games, Scotland. It is held at the Edward Waldo Historic Homestead, 96 Waldo Rd. Scotland, Ct. ( near Willimantic). www.scotlandgames.org

Indiana

Columbus Scottish Festival. September 13,14, 2008) www.scottishfestival.org

Kentucky

Western Kentucky Highland Festival, Murray, Kentucky. Sept 13. No website.

Maine

August 16, 2008. The Maine Highland games. Brunswick, Maine, Murray clan will be the honored clan at these games. The Murray Clan will be holding its AGM at this festival. www.mainehighlandgames.org/

Maryland

June 7, 2008. McHenry Highland Festival of Mountain Maryland. Garrett County Fairgrounds, McHenry, MD. www.highlandfest.info

October 11, 2008. Anne Arundel Scottish Festival & Highland Games. Anne Arundel Fairgrounds, Crownsville, MD. www.aasfi.org/ index.html

Massachusetts

June 28, 2008. Western Mass. Highland Games . 9am - 6pm - Franklin County Fair Grounds, Greenfield, MA. wmhg.org

July 19, 2008. Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival - Sat. 9am - 9:30pm - Look Park, Northampton, MA. glasgowlands.org

Missouri

June 14 - 15, 2008. Kansas City Highland Festival, Kansas City, Missouri, Riverside Park. www.kcscottishgames.org.

New Jersey

June 7, 2008. Bonnie Brae Scottish Games. Liberty Corners, NJ www.eohebrides.com/events/index.cfm?EventID=50

Ohio

June 28, 2008. Ohio Scottish Games. the Lorain County Fairgrounds. www.ohioscottishgames.com

Ontario

June 7, 2008. Georgetown Highland Games and Scottish Festival. www.georgetownhighlandgames.com

July 19, 2008. Highlands of Durham Games, Elgin Park, Uxbridge. www.highlandsofdurhamgames.com

August 8-10, 2008. Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games. www.fergusscottishfestival.com

Pennsylvania

Aug 30, 2008. McLain Celtic Festival. TWO MILE HOUSE, 1189 WALNUT BOTTOM ROAD. CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA. www.historicalsociety.com/tmhfestival.html

Sept 6 - 7, 2008. Green Lane Park Scottish Irish Festival & Highland Games. Green Lane Park. P.O. Box 249, 2144 Snyder RD, Routes 29 & 63, Green Lane PA, 18054. glpsifestival.org/

Northern Virginia

June 14, 2008. Potomac Celtic Festival. Morven Park, Leesburg, VA. www.pcfest.org

September 20, 2008. Virginia Scottish Games. Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane, VA. www.vascottishgames.org

December 6, 2008. Scottish Christmas Walk. Old Town, Alexandria, VA. www.scottishchristmaswalk.com

New Hampshire

June 2008, usually the first Saturday, The Southern New Hampshire Scottish games & Celtic Festival. Held at the Silver Ranch, Jaffrey. www.snhscotcelt.org/

September 19, 20, & 21st 2008. The New Hampshire Highland Games at Loon Mountain, Lincoln, New Hampshire. www.nhscot.org

New York State,

August 9th, 2008. Central N Y Scottish Games. Long Branch Park, Liverpool, NY . (this is a suburb of Syracuse). www.cnyscots.com/frame.html

Aug. 30-31st, 2008. Capital District Scottish Games . Altamont fairgrounds, Altamont , NY. http://www.scotgames.com/

Oklahoma

Sept. 19 – 21, 2008. Oklahoma Scottish Games, Tulsa, OK. http://www.uscoscots.org/Festival_News.htm

South Carolina

June 7, 2008. Greater Greenville Scottish Games & Highland Festival. Furman University, 225 S. Pleasantburg Dr. # B1-8, Greenville, SC 29607. www.ggsghf.org.
E-Mail:bgriffin@ggsghf.org

Tennessee

Sept 20, 2008. JamFry, Memphis, TN. http://www.clanjamfrymemphis.org/

Texas

June 6-8, 2008. Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games, Arlington, TX. http://www.texasscottishfestival.com/

Vermont

August 23, 2008, The Quechee Scottish Festival, Held at the polo field in Quechee. www.standrewssocietyofvermont.org

Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2008

The Highland games will be held on Saturday the 16th of August at Thomas Point Beach in Brunswick, Maine. The advanced tickets for the Highland Games should be available by early spring
$13.00 advance $15.00 at the gate per person. Advance tickets to the Maine Highland Games are available now. There is an option to purchase on line this year at www.mainehighlandgames.org

The Clan Dinner sponsored by the St. Andrews Society will be held the night before at the Taste of Maine where it was in 2007. Advanced tickets, dinner reservation and prices information, will be available soon. The Murray Clan will be the Honored Clan at both the Dinner and the games and it is hoped that we will attend the Dinner in mass. The dinner will be about $30 a plate.

20 rooms have been blocked at the Day’s Inn formerly the Super Eight for the nights of the 15th and 16th. $85.00 per room per day. 1-2 adults, children free. This Motel is located about three miles from the game site. The telephone number to reserve a room is: 207-725-8883 be sure to mention the Murray Clan Society when booking a room.

The nearest airport is in Portland Maine, about a 45 minute drive from Brunswick. – an easy drive. From the Portland airport take I 95 to I 295. Continue on I 295 and exit at the Costal Connector which takes you to US 1. From US 1 Exit right (south) at Gurnett Rd to Cook's Corner which is the intersection of Gurnett Rd and Bath Rd (the intersection is essentially just past the end of the exit from US 1. To get to the Days Inn, Make a left turn (east) at Bath Road. The Days Inn is a couple of blocks east of the intersection. On the way to the Days Inn, you will pass Thomas Point Road on the south. Thomas Point Road is the route to take to the festival.

The Taste of Maine is further east on Bath Road. The Murray Clan dinner venue is west. From the motel go west approximately 2 miles west and turn (right) north at Maine St. MJ's is several blocks north.

Sara Murray Leonard is the Murray Clan Commissioner for Maine.

For further information check the following websites for other festivals and games. Then, contact the state commissioner ( see the Commissioners tab above ) to see whether they are planning to attend a specific festival. US Scots, Association of Scottish Games and Festivals, Keltic Nations schedule of North American events. Some of these sites also list Canadian and European festivals.

The following is from the Whitehouse website.

"National Tartan Day, 2008
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

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Americans of Scottish descent have made enduring contributions to our Nation with their hard work, faith, and values. On National Tartan Day, we celebrate the spirit and character of Scottish Americans and recognize their many contributions to our culture and our way of life.

Scotland and the United States have long shared ties of family and friendship, and many of our country's most cherished customs and ideals first grew to maturity on Scotland's soil. The Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish Declaration of Independence signed in 1320, embodied the Scots' strong dedication to liberty, and the Scots brought that tradition of freedom with them to the New World. Sons and daughters of many Scottish clans were among the first immigrants to settle in America, and their determination and optimism helped build our Nation's character. Several of our Founding Fathers were of Scottish descent, as have been many Presidents and Justices of the United States Supreme Court. Many Scottish Americans, such as Andrew Carnegie, were great philanthropists, founding and supporting numerous scientific, educational, and civic institutions. From the evocative sounds of the bagpipes to the great sport of golf, the Scots have also left an indelible mark on American culture.

National Tartan Day is an opportunity to celebrate all Americans who claim Scottish ancestry, and we are especially grateful for the service in our Armed Forces of Scottish Americans who have answered the call to protect our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 6, 2008, as National Tartan Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day by celebrating the continued friendship between the people of Scotland and the United States and by recognizing the contributions of Scottish Americans to our Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH"