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Clan Currie Selected as "Honored Clan" for the 2005 Clanjamfry Scottish Festival Curries Invited to Rally in Memphis
The Clan Currie Society, representing one of Scotland’s most ancient and distinguished highland bardic dynasties, invites all who bear the proud name to join them at the Clanjamfry Scottish Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival will be held at the Evergreen Presbyterian Church, located in the Vollentine-Evergreen historic district neighborhood in midtown Memphis, September 23-25, 2005. “We are absolutely thrilled that the Society has been chosen as the Honored Clan for the 2005 Festival,” said Robert Currie, president of the Clan Currie Society. “Clanjamfry is a wonderful Scots event which has all the warmth and hospitality of a true family gathering. We hope all Curries in the greater Memphis area as well as all those with Scottish heritage will join us.”
The Society is returning for its third visit to the games since making their debut there in 2003. Joining Clan Currie will be representatives from Clan Forsyth, Cunningham, Wallace, MacLeod and Cameron, among many others. The festival is produced as a family event, so there’s something for everyone. Memphis is known for its music and Clanjamfry is no exception, with a live performance stage as well as “less electronic” performances in the church – called Musick in the Kirk. The night before the festival, nearby Rhodes College holds a reception and ceilidh for the sponsors and clans. Entertainment will be provided by a whole host of performers, including the Tannahill Weavers, Celtic World, and the Chris Norman ensemble. Returning by popular demand will be the Wolf River Pipes and Drums of Memphis.
The festival will also feature a highland dance competition and a highly popular 5K run through beautiful Overton Park. Prizes will be awarded for top finishers in all race categories. About the Clanjamfry Scottish Festival Produced as a fundraiser for the Evergreen Presbyterian Church’s Recreation Outreach Ministry, the popular festival will feature traditional piping, highland dance, athletics, as well as a whole host other music and craft demonstrations. There will also be children’s events and a Kirking of the Tartans worship service on Sunday, September 25. For further information and tickets, visit the Clanjamfry website at www.clanjamfrymemphis.org.
About Highland Games and Festivals The origins of Highland Games in Scotland can be traced back many hundreds of years. King Malcolm is thought to have begun the Royal Association with Highland Games at Braemar during the 11th Century. Clan Chieftains used the Games to recruit staff – winners of races made excellent couriers while winners of strength events made fine bodyguards and soldiers. Events were developed to test for strength, stamina, accuracy and agility using the elements and materials of their day-to-day life. The caber toss, stone putt, hammer throw, weight lift, sheaf toss, archery, wrestling, foot races up steep hills and Highland Dancing all combined to tax the endurance and strength of the competitors. While many of the events have become more sophisticated and refined over the centuries, they retain the essence and flavor of the ancient days. About the Clan Currie Society The Clan Currie Society, a NJ-based, international, non-profit cultural and educational organization, is active in preserving and promoting highland heritage at Scottish Games, ethnic festivals, as well as community groups and classrooms. The Society has over 2,500 members worldwide. The Society has been recognized as the Honored Clan at a number of Highland Games and gatherings, including the Brodick Games on the Isle of Arran and the Bonnie Brae Scottish Games in Millington, New Jersey. The organization started as a family name society in Glasgow, Scotland in 1959 to further the knowledge and appreciation of the MacMhuirich bardic dynasty. The MacMhuirichs (the Gaelic name for Currie) served for over 700 years as professional poets to the Lords of the Isles and later to the MacDonalds of Clanranald. The Red Book of Clanranald, one of Gaelic Scotland’s literary treasures, was penned by successive generations of the MacMhuirich family. Today, the organization is a leading American-based foundation that focuses on celebrating the Scots-Gaelic origins of the Currie name as well as producing outstanding programs and events to honor Scotland’s rich culture and ancestry. The Society hosts the annual National Tartan Day celebration at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The Society also produces a number of highly successful concerts featuring Scottish music and Gaelic poetry readings. Clan Currie is now venturing into the field of documentary filmmaking with a concentration on Scottish themes. Visit www.clancurrie.com for further information.
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