Carolina Scots-Irish Blog

M's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2012-01-02T12:46:00.000-05:00

Mab, Mabbina - Joy

(Gaelic, Irish)

Macha, Machara - Plain

(Irish, Scottish)

Mada - From Mathilda

(Irish)

Madailein - From the Tower, Form of Madeleine

(Irish)

Mai, May - Pearl, Form of Margaret

(Scottish)

Maighdlin - Magnificent

(Irish)

Maillle, Mailsi - Pearl

(Irish)

Mair, Maire, Mairin, Mairi, Mairia, Mali - Bitter, Form of Mary

(Gaelic, Irish, Scottish, Welsh)

Mairearad, Mairghread, Mairead, Maggie - Pearl, Form of Margaret

(Gaelic, Scottish)

Mairead, Margaret - Pearl, Saint Name

(Irish)

Majella - Saint Name

(Irish)

Malise - God's Servant

(Gaelic, Scottish)

Malmuira, Malmuirie - Dark-skinned

(Scottish)

Malvina - Peaceful Face, Sweet

(Gaelic, Irish)

Maoli, Maola - Handmaiden

(Irish)

Margred, Mererid - Pearl, Form of Margaret

(Welsh)

Marsali - Pearl

(Gaelic)

Maude, Maiti, Maitilde, Maitilda - Strong Battle-maid, Form of Matilda

(Irish)

Maureen, Moreen - Great

(Celtic)

Maureen, Maurine, Moire, Moira, Maurya, Mairona - Bitter, Form of Mary

(Irish)

Mavis, Mavelle, Mavie - Songbird

(Celtic)

Maeveen, Mabina - Nimble

(Celtic)

Maeve - Mythical Queen

(Celtic)

Maeve, Mave, Meara - Joy

(Irish)

Megan, Meghan - Pearl

(Irish, Welsh)

Meinwen - Slender, Fair

(Welsh)

Melva - Ruler

(Irish)

Melva - Sweet Place

(Welsh)

Meredith - Protector of the Sea

(Celtic, Welsh)

Mildread - Gentle Advisor, Form of Mildred

(Gaelic)

Modlen - From the Tower, Form of Madeleine

(Welsh)

Moibeal, Maible - Lovable, Form of Mabel

(Gaelic, Irish, Scottish)

Moina, Moyna, Mona - Noble

(Celtic, Irish)

Moireach - Lady

(Scottish)

Monca - Wise

(Irish)

Moncha - Alone

(Irish)

Morag - Blind

(Gaelic)

Morag - Great One

(Scottish)

Moreen - Great

(Irish)

Morgan, Morgane, Morgana - Lives by the Sea

(Celtic, Welsh)

Morna - Dearly Loved

(Celtic)

Morrigan - War Goddesss

(Celtic)

Morrin, Muireann - Long-haired

(Irish)

Morwenna - Maiden

(Welsh)

Moya, Moira - Exceptional

(Celtic)

Muira, Muire - From the Moor

(Scottish)

Muirne - High Spirited

(Irish)

Murel, Muriel - Knows the Sea

(Irish)

Myrna, Merna, Mirna, Moina, Morna - Beloved

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish)

Book Review - "Here Burns My Candle" by Liz Curtis Higgs

2011-12-20T06:14:00.000-05:00

#Christianfiction

Book Description

Stepping from a battered coach on a rainy April eve, newly widowed Elisabeth Kerr must begin again, without husband or title, property or fortune. She is unafraid of work and gifted with a needle, but how will she stitch together the tattered remnants of her life? And who will mend her heart, torn asunder by betrayal and deception?

Elisabeth has not come to Selkirk alone. Her mother-in-law, Marjory Kerr, is a woman undone, having buried her husband, her sons, and any promise of grandchildren. Dependent upon a distant cousin with meager resources, Marjory dreads the future almost as much as she regrets the past. Yet, joy still comes knocking, and hope is often found in unexpected places.

Then a worthy hero steps forward, rekindling a spark of hope. Will he risk his reputation to defend two women labeled as traitors to the Crown? Or will a wealthy beauty, untainted by scandal, capture his affections?

The heartrending journey of the Kerr women comes to a glorious finish in Mine Is the Night, a sparkling gem of redemption and restoration set in eighteenth-century Scotland.

My Review

Mine is the Night picks up exactly where Here Burns My Candle ended. For this reason, I do feel that it would be best to read them in chronological order. It's a story of redemption and restoration, following the biblical plot line of Ruth and Naomi with a different setting and era.

Higgs does a wonderful job creating believable characters who will steal your heart and make you feel their heartaches, joys and disappointments. A new cast of characters are introduced with excellent characterization to set them apart and create their own places in the story.

There are at least three romances that bloom and you see each character's growth from the first book to the second. For this reason, there aren't many character flaws in Elisabeth. She seems almost perfect. The flaws she once possessed where overcome in the first book. The hero is almost perfect as well. The only character flaw I could see in Lord Buchanan was the fact that he was unconventional for his station in society, which is a necessary ingredient for the the plot to be fulfilled with biblical accuracy.

Romance readers may find themselves a bit impatient as Elisabeth doesn't even meet the hero until after 160 pages. Still, the pacing is quick and it flies once the two finally meet. I enjoyed how Higgs used the political conventions of 1746 Scotland to resolve the ending conflicts of the plot in a similar fashion to the biblical plot of Ruth and Naomi. It's a very enjoyable read and one I would highly recommend.

To buy the book, go here.

Visit Liz Curtis Higgs.

Book Review: "Daughter of Joy" by Kathleen Morgan

2011-12-15T11:12:00.000-05:00

Book Description

Set in the late nineteenth century outside Colorado Springs, Colorado, also tells a compelling, perceptive tale of one woman's faith journey. In the wake of losing both her husband and young son, Abigail Stanton is searching for a way to make sense of her losses. She takes a job as housekeeper for Conor MacKay, a confusing, often volatile man who also carries deep pain-and secrets-in his inscrutable heart.

My Review

As a descendant of the MacKay family from Culdee, Scotland, Conor must come to terms with his painful past and the scars his father left on his life. Abby's arrival to his now successful ranch, is a constant reminder of his mother's memory and the deep roots of her faith. Once he realizes Abby's integrity and grit beyond his mere attraction to her, Conor is faced with taking risks he wouldn't ordinarily take, but he believes Abby is worth it.

Abby is grieving from the loss of her husband and 5 year old son, but her attraction to Conor is unexpected and unexplained since she never shared these feelings with her late husband, a man 15 years older and chosen for her by her father. She is forced to make several decisions that put her in opposition against Conor, the town's judgmental convictions, and other ranch hands who don't understand her deep faith driving her forceful will to stand up for what is right.

Just when all seems to be settling down and coming together, the author throws in several plot twists to increase the stakes and tension. The romance is strong, but within the lines of biblical boundaries. The plot is full of suspense that will leave you wondering how the characters will react next. The characters are believable and unique in their own right. The ending is satisfying and I would highly recommend it. Definitely a page turner.

Buy the book here.

Visit Kathleen Morgan.

L's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2011-10-25T07:53:00.000-04:00

Laetitia - Happy

(Irish)

Lainie, Leana - Serves John

(Scottish)

Lair, Laire, Lara -Mare

(Scottish)

Larena, Laren, Laria - Serves Lawrence

(Scottish)

Lassie - Little girl

(Scottish)

Lavena - Joy

(Celtic)

Leah - Light

(Gaelic)

Leila - Saint Name

(Irish)

Leslie, Lesley - From the gray fortress

(Celtic, Gaelic, Scottish)

Liadan - Lady in gray

(Irish)

Lili - Lily

(Gaelic)

Lilybet - God's promise

(Welsh)

Lindsay, Lindsey, Lyndsey - From the island of the linden tree

(Scottish)

Linette, Linnette, Lynette, Lynet - Grace

(Celtic)

Lowri - Laurel, form of Lawrence

(Welsh)

Lyn, Lynn - Attractive

(Welsh)

Lyonesse - Little lion

(Celtic)

Highland Sanctuary Release this Month! (Read the first Chapter)

2011-10-03T06:17:00.000-04:00

#christianfiction

A Sanctuary of Secrets...

Gavin MacKenzie, a chieftain heir who is hired to restore the ancient Castle of Braigh, discovers a hidden village of outcasts who have created their own private sanctuary from the world. Among them is Serena Boyd, a mysterious and
comely lass, who captures Gavin’s heart in spite of harboring a deadly past that could destroy her future.

The villagers happen to be keeping an intriguing secret as well. When a fierce enemy launches an attack against them, greed leads to bitter betrayal. As Gavin prepares a defense, the villagers unite in a bold act of faith, showing how God’s love is more powerful than any human force on earth.

Where to purchase Highland Sanctuary!

USA Bookstores
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
Christian Book Distributors
Cokesbury Christian Bookstore
LifeWay Christian Bookstores

Australian Bookstores
Angus & Robertson
Booktopia

Canada Bookstores
Amazon (CA)
Blessings
McNally Robinson Bookstore

UK Bookstores
Amazon (UK)
Foyles
JS Campus
WHSmith

Sanctuary Video Book Trailer

Read the First Chapter!

Highland Sanctuary

Chapter One

Scotland, 1457
The ordeal over, fragmented tremors still quaked through Evelina Broderwick's body. She gazed down at her new daughter. Now, she'd finally have someone who would truly love her. Tiny fingers curled. Evelina marveled at the wee nails. The other hand tightened into a fist and flew into the bairn’s mouth as she sucked on her knuckles.

“She’s beautiful is she not?” Tears clouded Evelina’s vision, overwhelming her by the magnitude of God’s gift of life.

Gunna, her wet nurse, peered closer at the babe swaddled in a warm blanket. “Aye, she is at that.”

“I believe I shall call her Serena after my Spanish grandmother. The lass has an English da and a Scottish mither—a mixture of noble blood from three countries.”

“Not a verra common name here in the lowlands,” Gunna’s round cheeks swelled in a smile as she nodded in agreement, “but lovely just the same.”
The bedchamber door swung open, casting dim light from the hallway candles. The shadow of a man’s tall frame bounced on the dark pine walls. Evelina tensed as her husband, Devlin Broderwick strode in with his usual frown. A dent marred his forehead. He towered over the bedside.

The midwife followed him and stood at the foot of the bed, folding her hands in front of her. The woman appeared to be in her mid-fifties, personally chosen by Devlin and quite loyal to the Broderwick family. Her dark gaze traveled from Evelina to Gunna and down at the infant.

“I’ve heard the unfortunate news.” Devlin’s sharp tone cut through the room like a blade through a gentle lamb.

Was a lass so terrible? Evelina glanced at the only window on the far right. The shutters were closed, blocking the night sky from view. She would like naught more than to escape the confines of her marriage, even if it meant taking sanctuary behind the walls of a convent for the rest of her days.

Devlin cleared his throat. He wore a black tunic with blooming sleeves narrowing at the cuffs. Black suited his dark moods. His hair hung straight in the shape of an downward bowl. He crossed his arms, taking an authoritative stance. “Fortunately, you’re still young and healthy. You can try again when you’re well enough.”

Evelina stayed her tongue. Over the last eleven months of their marriage, she had come to despise him. She had tried to love him, tried to win his affection, but he had been most impossible to please. No wonder her kinsmen hated the English. He had wounded her feelings more times than she cared to count. She’d begun to resent her parents for arranging this union and forcing her into a lifetime of sorrow.

“I’ll love her.” Evelina held her daughter against her bosom. She stared at the wine-colored blanket covering her bed, tracing a finger along the raised flower pattern stitched into the thick fabric, a gift from Devlin’s mother.

“I’m sure you will.” He pointed at their daughter. “Now lay her down so I can see her.”

Cradling her child’s unsteady head, Evelina lowered Serena onto her back. She unwrapped the white blanket from her squirming body. Devlin leaned close.
The bairn’s rosy glow turned red then deepened to a shade of purple. Serena’s head twisted at the nape, her face almost level with the bed. The child’s eyes glazed over, twitching into the corners, only the whites visible.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Devlin jumped back in alarm.

Though Serena’s entire body had grown stiff, it quivered in spasms. The area around her lips faded to white and the rest of her skin melted from purple to an ashen gray.

“She’s not breathing!” Evelina turned to the midwife. “Do something!”

“I deliver wee bairns. I don’t cast out demons.” The midwife’s fearful eyes met hers.

Evelina gripped her husband’s arm, but he pulled away. “Devlin, please do something. She’s stopped breathing! Save her, please?”

He only stared at the helpless babe with disbelieving eyes.

Evelina reached for her daughter’s seizing body. Not knowing what else to do, Evelina turned the child over on her stomach and patted her back. She willed her babe to breathe. She blew air in Serena’s face, hoping to startle her into breathing. White foam leaked over Serena’s colorless lips. Evelina laid her down and plunged her finger into the tiny mouth, pulling with all her might against the curled tongue. Serena coughed, moaned, and screamed into a blessed cry.

“Oh, thank God!” Evelina collapsed, lowering her head next to Serena and letting silent tears fall in relief. Their wee bairn would live.

Evelina kissed Serena’s round head on a thin layer of soft black hair. Her tiny lungs panted for air as her breathing returned to normal. She touched Serena’s sweet ears, her pug nose, and cheeks now gaining a rosy glow.

“What was that?” Devlin’s voice flayed her nerves and she jumped. He stood with his hands on his hips, staring at the child in disbelief, his dark, condemning eyes narrowed.

“The babe was having some sort of fit,” the midwife said. “I’ve heard of stories like this, but never seen one myself.”

“Yes, I can see that. I want to know why!” Devlin took two menacing steps toward her.

“’Tis unexplained.” She stepped back, tilted her head upon her shoulders, and looked up at him with wide eyes. “No one really knows what it is. Some call it the falling sickness.”

Devlin paced across the chamber, rubbing the back of his head. The soles of his mid-calf leather boots clicked against the hardwood floor. “Why would a child have such a fit? How can ye stop it?”

“I don’t know.” The midwife shook her head and sank against the wall.

His gaze dropped to the bundle in Evelina’s arms. “It’s possessed.” His lips twisted in thought. He paced again. “We’ll call a priest to cast it out.” He paused and shook his head. “No, we can’t do that. How would it look if the Broderwick family produced a demon possessed child?” He shook his head. “I won’t have the family name ruined.” He turned and pointed at the midwife and Gunna. “No one had better speak a word outside this bedchamber. If you do, I’ll make you sorry.”

“I won’t say a word,” the midwife said, shaking her head.

“Yes, my lord,” Gunna said, looking down at her feet.

“She isn’t possessed,” Evelina said, her heart pounding in worry. “She stopped breathing and nearly died.”

Devlin strode toward her. He pressed his fists into the soft feather mattress and leaned foward. “There’s no other explanation.”

“Devlin, ye’re mistaken. She couldn’t catch her breath is all.”

“Then why did she turn her head as if it would disconnect from her body of its own accord? Where did her eyes go? In the back of her head? What was coming from her mouth? Do ye call it somethin’ from God?” He stepped back. “`This isn’t the work of God. I feel it in my soul. Something is wrong. As head of this household it’s my responsibility to take care of it.”

“Our child is not evil.” Evelina moved Serena over her shoulder and patted her bottom.

“I make the final decisions in this house.” Devlin’s dark eyebrows knitted together in an angry line. “She may look normal now, but her body is possessed by somethin’. I’ll not tolerate evil under my own roof. Do you hear me, woman?”

“Devlin, listen to yerself. She’s our child.” Evelina clutched the bundle in her arms, fear rooted in her heart. Was he completely mad?

“I saw the babe turn into a demon with my own eyes. I won’t claim it as mine. I’ve made up my mind. I don’t want it, and I forbid ye to keep it.”

“I won’t give her up!” Evelina moved Serena to the far side of her body away from him. “She’s my bairn, not some animal to cast away.”

“You’re my wife, and you’ll do as I tell you.” He stepped toward her, grabbing for the child.

Evelina refused to relinquish her hold. Their daughter began to cry at their tug of war. He tightened his grip on Evelina’s flesh until she could no longer feel. Fearing Serena would be hurt from their struggle, Evelina relented. He snatched Serena.

“I beg ye, don’t take her away.” Tears clogged Evelina’s voice, choking her.
He strode from the chamber with Serena. The midwife made a “hymph” sound and followed him.

Evelina tried to rise. In her weakened state, she fell to the floor.

“Oh, dearie me!” Gunna cried, hurrying around the bed to help her.

Evelina had forgotten she was still in the room. Frantic hands pulled under Evelina’s arms, trying to lift her as she struggled to her knees.
“Nay! Don’t bother with me. Find out where he’s taking her.” Evelina nudged her.

“But—''

“Please? Do this one thing for me.” Evelina sniffed back tears. “Go! Make haste before it’s too late.”

“I-I’ll do as ye ask. Don’t ye worry, lass. We’ll save yer bairn.” She fled the chamber, leaving Evelina alone in her anguish.

Evelina dropped her head upon her arms. Her eyelids fluttered shut. “Dear God,” she whispered. “I dedicate Serena to Ye. She isn’t evil. She’s just the way Ye made her. Allow me to be her mither and I’ll teach her Yer ways and raise her to be Yer child.”

The room began to spin. Evelina clutched the bed linens for support. Darkness claimed her vision as the distant sounds of her child crying in another part of the house fell silent. “Please…God,” she whispered, fading to unconsciousness.

Scotland 1477
Gavin MacKenzie and Leith, his brother, led fifty clansmen along the narrow dirt path, two men abreast, their conversation a gentle rhythm above the steady clip-clop of horses. The comfortable late-spring air made it a good day to travel.

Something moved ahead. From this distance it looked like a horse pulling a wagon. The sound of weeping reached his ears and then faded. Had he imagined it? He motioned to the men to be quiet. Their voices dropped to whispers before altogether silencing.

Sholto, his horse, grew restless and sidestepped. Gavin grabbed the reins with both hands. The animal snorted in obvious distress. To calm the beast, Gavin rubbed his mount’s neck until his breathing evened and his gait steadied. Gavin’s red and gray plaid fell over his right shoulder. Shoving it out of his way, he studied the layout of the land, looking for signs of a surprise attack.

They’d travelled for days, leaving the familiar glens and rolling moors with a sheltered forest for the flat peatland surrounding them in Scotland’s northern tip of Caithness. With no place to hide, the element of surprise was not in their favor. The light wind carried the scent of the bog myrtle across the silver lochs and purple heather dotting the land mixing with the salty sea. By this, Gavin knew they must be getting close to Braigh Castle. He was told it stood in alone on the moss-covered rocky cliffs facing the sea—like a sanctuary.

The wagon up ahead moved. Gavin gripped the reins tight and hastened his mount. As he drew closer, a skittish horse flung his tail in vexation, hitched to a heavy laden wagon. The animal neighed and pranced about as much as the load allowed.
More weeping carried from the opposite side of the wagon. Gavin motioned for his men to halt. He nodded toward Leith who dismounted and went to calm the beast. Gavin inched toward the noise.

A woman with a long braid of auburn hair streaked with gray bent over a lass lying on her back. He couldn’t see much of the one lying down, but the weeping one wore a dark blue gown. She patted her unresponsive companion, speaking in a hushed, worried tone.

He cleared his throat, reining in his horse and sliding to the ground.
She gasped and turned a frightened expression toward him.

“What happened?” He nodded toward the unconscious lady lying in a bed of thick grass.

Her moss-green eyes watched him, assessing his character. She wiped at the tears staining her cheeks. “We must have hit somethin’. The wagon nearly tipped over. She fell from her seat and hit her head.”

Gavin bent to his knees, surveying the unmoving lass and felt for a pulse in her neck. It beat steady. Her skin was warm and smooth. She was much younger than her concerned friend. “Have ye checked her head for bleeding?”

“It only happened a moment ago. I first tried to wake her.” Alarm crossed her face as her eyes widened, and she grabbed the girl’s hands between her own. “I do wish she’d wake. ‘Twould put my mind at ease. She’s my daughter…my only child.” Her chin trembled.

“May I?” Gavin gestured toward her daughter. “I’d like to check her head for bleeding or lumps”

“Aye.” She nodded. “Serena took many falls as a child. She was always so free-spirited. But I’ve never known her to be out this long.”

Serena. He liked her name. It was different. Lying here, she looked serene.

Although her skin was pale, he could tell she had spent time in the sun. Her dark lashes curled against her skin. Light freckles lay across the bridge of her nose. He took a deep breath and eased his hands in her black hair. It was thick and free of curls, reminding him of black velvet, though it felt more like smooth satin.

“It’s right here.” He found a bump forming on the right side of her head above her ear. “’Tis only a slight knot. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Gavin glanced at the full wagon. “There’s little room in yer wagon. Would ye like me to carry her to my horse?”

She graced her knuckles over her daughter’s cheek. “I’m verra thankful for yer assistance. We live in the Village of Braigh about a mile ahead. Would ye mind carrying her there? We were just returning from the town market.”

“We’d be honored,” Gavin said. “We’re on our way to Braigh Castle. Is yer village near the castle?”

“Aye.” A smile brightened her worry-filled eyes. “Only a half a mile further beyond our village, would be my guess.”

Gavin crooked his finger toward his men, singling out Roan. As his friend dismounted, Gavin realized how much his tall frame would benefit them. His long blond hair was tied back at the nape. One thing he and his men lacked over the course of their travel was proper grooming. He hoped their ragged looks and overgrown beards wouldn’t offend or frighten the lasses.

“I’m going to mount my horse, and I need ye to lift her to me as gently as possible.”

“I got ‘er.” Roan said, bending to one knee and slipping an arm beneath her neck and behind her knees.

Once he was settled upon Sholto, Gavin secured the reins and held out his arms. Roan raised her up. Gavin settled her across his lap, hoping she would be comfortable and the ride wouldn’t jar her wounded head too much. It helped that she wore a simple brown gown.

“Careful,” her mother said, wringing her hands.

“Serena will be safe. Would ye prefer to drive the wagon or would ye like for one of my men to take over?” If she was too upset, he didn’t want another mishap to befall them.

She shook her head. Pieces of hair loosened from her braid. “Nay, it helps me to have somethin’ to do. Let me know as soon as she wakes. My name’s Evelina Boyd, and I’m verra thankful for yer help.”

Leith assisted her to better secure the horse to the wagon and checked the condition of the wheels. Once he and Roan were mounted on their horses again, they began a slow pace to match Evelina’s wagon.

The men conversed in quiet tones. A bird flapped its wings above them and sang. A gentle draft kept the air from being too warm. The sun hid behind white clouds and burst out in brightness every once in a while.

Gavin looked down at the bonny lass in his arms, breathing in the feminine scent of heather and juniper. The aroma stirred forgotten memories of another lass he’d tried his best to forget. If she had lived, he’d be a married man by now, mayhap the father of wee bairns. To his bitter disappointment, his life had taken another route, which led him and his brother all over Europe to escape his grief and guilt.

“Could that be a patch of woods down yon in the glen?” Leith rode up beside Gavin and shielded his hand over his eyes.

“Looks like it.” Relieved to be distracted from his thoughts, Gavin looked where his brother gestured. “That must be Braigh Castle.”

Situated on a long, narrow rocky cliff sat a magnificent stone fortress that looked to be king of the sea. A wide tower stood tall above wings that stretched out on each side. “From here, it doesn’t look like it needs to be restored,” Gavin said, admiring the view. “How will we ever be able to improve upon it?”

“Yer here to restore the castle, then?” Evelina rolled the wagon to a stop beside them.

“Aye.” Gavin nodded, careful not to reveal the other reason they were there—to protect the new laird, his castle, and the village. He wondered how much Evelina and Serena knew concerning the truth behind the elder laird’s death.

“The massive keep is at least two centuries auld and Vikings have attacked it on several occasions,” Evelina said.

“Were they ever successful?” Leith asked.

“I don’t think so.” Evelina shook her head. “But I don’t know the whole history.” She glanced at Serena in Gavin’s arms. “Will the restoration take long?”

Gavin shrugged. “We won’t know ‘til we see the damage.”

“Oh.” Her gaze shifted back to the castle as she pondered his words. Her expression tensing as the lines around her eyes and mouth deepened. She cleared her throat. “I suppose that means ye’ll be here for quite a while then?”

“Aye.” He nodded.

A strange silence followed. An eerie forboding crawled up his spine. He couldn’t help sensing she didn’t welcome their presence. He scratched his temple.

“Back in the town of Braighwick people called it the Village of Outcasts,” Leith said. “Why?”

“Ye’ll see soon enough.” The warmth in her eyes faded to a reserved caution as she clicked to her horse and started forward.

As they approached the only patch of woods in the area, Gavin braced himself for what could earn this place the odd name. They crossed into the shade of the birch and hazel trees dotted among the dominant forest of pine. Brown needles cushioned the ground in a blanket of comfort, much like the serenity of snow he loved in winter. The fresh scent surrounding them appealed to Gavin as he breathed in the pine scent.

Small dwellings were scattered throughout the woods, made of stone and packed with peat bothy, straw, heather and moss. The turf roofs contained a simple hole for the smoke that rose from the center where they built their fires. If the inside of these cottages were like the ones that belonged to his father’s tenants at home, most were one room dwellings with a dirt floor. The family slept on one side, while their cattle passed the night on the other. Having grown up in the luxury of his father’s castle, it was hard to imagine enduring conditions such as these as a way of life.

A few people opened their doors to watch them pass. Compassion hit Gavin with a force he had not expected. Their clothes were worn through and tattered in places. Most were barefoot. Filth and grime covered their faces. The Boyds seemed out of place here with their clean clothes and clean appearance. Yet, in spite of these people’s poverty, their eyes glowed with a passionate joy he couldn’t fathom, not the listless melancholy one would expect.

“This is ours.” Evelina stopped in front of one of the rectangle hovels. She secured the reins, set the wagon brake, and climbed down.

Book Review - "Here Burns My Candle" by Liz Curtis Higgs

2011-08-23T18:42:00.000-04:00

#christianficiton

Book Description

~ A mother who cannot face her future.

~ A daughter who cannot escape her past.

Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. A Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, she honors the auld ways, even as doubts and fears stir deep within. Her husband, Lord Donald, has secrets of his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips. His mother, the dowager Lady Marjory, hides gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. Though her two abiding passions are maintaining her place in society and coddling her grown sons, Marjory's many regrets, buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, continue to plague her.

One by one the Kerr family secrets begin to surface, even as bonny Prince Charlie and his rebel army ride into Edinburgh in September 1745, intent on capturing the crown. A timeless story of love and betrayal, loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of eighteenth-century Scotland, Here Burns My Candle illumines the dark side of human nature, even as hope, the brightest of tapers, lights the way home.

My Review

Even though this is modeled after the biblical story of the Book of Ruth and one may be able to guess at how things are going to happen, the story is riveting and keeps one turning the pages. Liz Curtis Higgs breathes life into the characters and paints vivid scenes that the reader can imagine as if living in 1745 Scotland. The three women in the story, Lady Elizabeth, Janet and Lady Marjory all have a kindred connection through their marriages, grief and suffering, but each woman is distinct in how she reacts and carries on.

Elizabeth is new to the Christian faith, while Marjory has forsaken hers only carrying out the physical acts of attending church. Janet's faith is practically nonexistent, only doing as much as society expects of her. The family's spiritual foundation and fortitude is sorely tested when tragedy strikes, long held secrets are exposed, their guineas dwindle, and high-society forsakes them. Lady Marjory begins to see the striking characteristics in Elizabeth, the very things that she used to look down on begin to save them. She starts wondering why she ever doted on her other daughter-in-law.

Higgs brings out true human character in this story. It may be a work of fiction, but it is very true to life. She has captured one of the greatest stories in the Bible and brought a new perspective that I'll not soon forget. If you love historical Christian fiction, characters who grip your heart, and a story of how faith cannot be shaken through the worst, then I advise you not to miss this book.

Here Burns my Candle on Amazon.

Liz Curtis Higgs website.

K's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2011-08-11T20:00:00.000-04:00

Kaie - Combat, battle

(Celtic)

Kathleen - Pure (form of Katherine)

(Irish)

Kayley - Slender

(Irish)

Keara, Kiara - Saint name

(Irish)

Keavy - Mild, lovely grace

(Irish)

Keelin, Keely, Keelia - Beautiful

(Celtic, Irish)

Keenat, Kinnat - Archaic

(Irish)

Keery - Dark one, county name

(Irish)

Kelemon - Daughter of Kei, legend name

(Welsh)

Kendra - Hill
(Celtic)

Kennocha - Lovely

(Celtic)

Kenwyn - Saint name

(Welsh)

Keyna - Jewel

(Welsh)

Kieve - Myth name

(Welsh)

Kirstie - Believes in Christ (form of Christian)

(Scottish)

Kyla - From the straits

(Scottish)

Kyna - Intelligent

(Irish)

Highland Sanctuary Video Book Trailer

2011-05-08T20:33:00.002-04:00

Awesome List of Inspirational Celtic Fiction

2011-03-05T13:40:00.000-05:00

I wanted to let you know about this awesome back list of Inspirational Celtic fiction on the Inkwell Inspirations Blog. It includes works set in all the original lands of Celtic origin such as Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, and the Isle of Mann. I'm honored to have my debut novel included, Highland Blessings.

http://inkwellinspirations.blogspot.com/2011/03/celtic-backlist-of-books.html

J's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2011-02-24T23:02:00.000-05:00

Jean - Gracious God (form of John)

(Scottish)

Jennifer, Jennyfer, Jennyver, Jenny - White wave

(Celtic)

Mr Toad and the Stone of Destiny Releases, a Scottish Fantasy Adventure

2011-01-28T09:55:00.000-05:00

Lochshore eBooks announces the publication of Mr Toad and the Stone of Destiny, an e-book fantasy adventure for young readers ages 8-15 based on real events in 16th century Scotland.

It's the first book in a series introducing the character Mr. Toad on a special boat in a gateway between worlds. Four young friends are on holiday in Scotland's West Highlands and Hebrides and find themselves on a mission to prevent bloodshed between clans Maclean and Campbell. They return to the present but their quest is not over...    

The e-book has Google Earth 3D maps allowing readers to follow the geography of action. An integral website at www.mr-toad.co.uk carries links to sites on Scottish legends, history, and the natural world. There’s an online Gallery of 30 illustrations from the book and readers can add their own drawings.

In a press release, Author Patrick Baird says that from the moment he first saw an iPad, he realized his book should be published on advanced e-reading devices.  "You can’t click a link in a printed book and find yourself flying over a 3D moving map of the scene of the action. Or zoom in on a picture of how a castle really looked 500 years ago."

Sales of e-book readers and e-books are rising dramatically. According to an article in USA Today on Christmas Day leading bookseller Barnes & Noble sold 1 million e-books. E-books accounted for about 9% of total book sales in the USA during 2010.

Robert Burns Dinner of the Scottish Society of Charleston

2011-01-21T06:16:00.000-05:00

It's time for the birthday celebration of Scotland's famous poet and writer, Robert Burns. He was born January 25th in the village of Allowayin Ayrshire.

Time	Saturday, January 22 · 8:00pm - 11:00pm

Location	170 Lockwood Drive Extension, Charleston, SC 29403

Created By	Scottish Society of Charleston, Inc.

More Info	At the Charleston Marriott on Lockwood Drive: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chsmc-charleston-marriott/ which has a new catering manager. It will be in the Topaz Room.

I's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2011-01-14T08:01:00.001-05:00

Ibernia - From Ireland

(Irish)

Ide, Ida, Ita - Thirsty\

(Irish)

Ierne - From Ireland

(Irish)

Illona - Light

(Irish)

Imogen, Imogene - Maiden, girl

(Celtic)

Iola - Valued by the Lord

(Welsh)

Iona, Ione - From the king's island, Scottish meaning is place name, island in Hebrides

(Celtic, Irish, Scottish)

Isabeal, Isobel, Iseabal - Consecrated to God, form of Elizabeth

(Irish, Scottish)

Isleen, Islene - Vision

(Irish)

Isold, Isolde, Isolda - Fair lady

(Celtic, Welsh)

New Fiction Coming with Scottish Characters!

2011-01-08T21:24:00.000-05:00

The MacGregor Quest Series

#Christianfiction, #Colonial #Scottish

Book 1 - The Forbidden Conquest

Scotland, 1760

One conquest could destroy her, but avenge his family.

The Forbidden Conquest is the story of a highlander seeking revenge, but when the bargaining price becomes too great of a moral sacrifice, he must find a way to reverse his deeds and save the woman he loves.

Book 2 - The War Woman

North Carolina, 1780

One spy. One commission. One love.

He must risk it all to gain everything.

The War Woman is the story of a colonial spy who thwarts the British Captain seeking to uncover her identity, until she is caught, and he must risk everything to save her or forever lose her.

Book 3 - Imperfect Pieces

Lake Erie, Ohio (1813)

She wants to live in the past. He wants to step into the future.

Will either of them recognize the love between them now?

Imperfect Pieces is the story about a family learning to battle the heartache of grief, while growing in their faith, and risking the opportunity to love again.

Highland Crossings Novella, Jan 2012

1) Healer of My Heart (1740) by Pamela Griffin

2) Printed on My Heart (1758) by Laurie Alice Eakes

3) Sugarplum Hearts (1789) by Gina Welborn

4) Heart's Inheritance (1815) by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

The four stories in Highland Crossings is centered around the lives of the McKay and McPherson cousins and their descendants. A priceless brooch is given to an ancestress for a good deed she once performed for the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots and serves as the motivation that tears the family apart. It plays a role in bringing the sisters together after twenty years of separation, gives a daughter a start on her dreams, and a granddaughter a new plan for the future. Each finds her way in the New World, the new nation, and a new century, finding God’s purpose for their lives and the loves of their hearts.

Please Note: Until books are published all titles and release dates are subject to change.

New Reference Book - "A History of Everday Life in Medieval Scotland"

2011-01-02T16:27:00.001-05:00

A new reference book just released in December 2010 on everyday life in medieval Scotland. While it isn't yet available on Kindle, there is both a paperback and hardback version. The price between the two is quite significant. The book is written by Edward J. Cowan, a professor of Scottish history at the University of Glasgow, and Lizanne Henderson, a lecturer in history at the University of Dundee.

Here is the product description

The editors recount the daily behaviors, experiences, and beliefs of the Scottish people from early times to 1600. They establish the character of everyday life in Scotland as it developed over time and within specific contexts. Despite focusing on the mundane, the editors also heed the experience of war, famine, environmental disaster, and other disturbances, assessing long-term processes of change in religion, politics, and economic and social affairs. In showing how the extraordinary impinged on the everyday, this book draws on every possible kind of evidence, including a diverse range of documentary sources; artefactual, environmental, and archaeological materials; and the published work of many disciplines. Contributors respect a variety of Scottish voices and reveal the nature of daily life across rank, class, gender, age, religion, and ethnicity. They mark the differences between Highland and Lowland, Western Isles and Northern Isles, inland and coastal, and urban and rural, and they trace the influence of language, whether Gaelic, Welsh, English, Pictish, Norse, Latin, or Scots. Particularly fascinating are advances brought about by trading and migration. Taken as a whole, this portrait introduces a brand new perspective on medieval Scotland, with implications for all areas of historical scholarship.

Check it out on Amazon.

H's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2010-11-13T09:29:00.000-05:00

Hafwan - Summer beauty

(Welsh)

Heledd - Traditional name

(Welsh)

Hiolair - Happy; Form of Hilary

(Irish)

Hisolda - Fair lady; Form of Isolda

(Irish)

Hodierna - Meaning unknown

(Irish)

Honor, Honoria, Honora - Honor

(Irish)

Review - "Grace in Thine Eyes" by Liz Curtis Higgs

2010-11-07T10:35:00.001-05:00

Book Description

Davina McKie is a bonny lass of seventeen, as clever as they come and a gifted musician. Unable to speak since childhood, she is doted on by her belligerent younger brothers, Will and Sandy, who vow to protect their silent sister.

When the lads are forced to depart the glen, Jamie McKie plans to brighten his daughter's summer by escorting Davina to the Isle of Arran. Her cousins make her welcome at the manse, and the parish delights in hearing their talented fiddler.

But when she catches the eye of a handsome young Highlander on Midsummer Eve, sheltered Davina is unprepared for the shocking events that follow.

A timeless story of passion and revenge, of lost innocence and shattered dreams, Grace in Thine Eyes explores the sorrow of unspeakable shame and the gift of unmmeasurable grace.

My Review

Swept away to 19th century Scotland with characters that seem like I know them, this story made me weep and reflect on life in many ways. The heroine, Davina McKie, experienced an accident in childhood that left her mute. She communicates with with people through gestures, expressions, and writing words in her sketchbook. She has two over-protective brothers who feel guilty for her accident.

When Davina is sent to the island of Arran to visit with distant family, she meets the rogue, Somerled McDonald, a wealthy heir. They share a love of music and an attraction that will forever change Davina's life. Without giving away story, I'll suffice it to say that Davina becomes a victim of the man she loves, a bitter betrayal by her brothers, the whole island, and the village of people where she had grown up--and all the while innocent. She forgives, grieves, forgives, grieves, and finally healing comes--and with it a new love begins.

This book is wonderful, historically accurate, with deep and heart-felt characters, a plot that is thick and ripe with conflict and realistic circumstances. You will really enjoy Grace in Thine Eyes.

The Beauty of Caithness, Scotland

2010-10-24T18:49:00.002-04:00

When I decided to write Highland Sanctuary, I wanted a setting that wasn't as well known in Scotland. I had heard and read many novels set in Galloway, Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. When I discovered Caithness, while researching historic castles, I found my ideal setting.

Caithness, is a now a county in the far northern tip of Scotland, nestled against the sea. Formerly part of the shire of Inverness, it gained independence in 1455 when the Earl of Caithness gained a grant of of the justiciary or sheriffdom.

It's beautiful--and different from the rest of the country. For instance, the land is open and flat, lacking trees and forest, known as moorland and covered in peat moss. A few hills are scattered about, but not the kind of mountains often associated in photos of the highlands. Caithness contains plenty of lochs and bog areas.

In Highland Sanctuary, I created the fictional town of Braighwick and the wee Village of Braigh. This gave me the freedom to create the people and layout of the town, as needed for the purposes of my story. Braigh Castle was based on the ruins of Brough Castle.

While my characters spoke the same English with a slight Scottish brogue as in my debut novel, Highland Blessings, it's worth noting the language variations in historic Caithness. The area was first inhabited by the Picts, whose language is unknown. By 800 AD the Norse occupied Caithness, and later the Gaelic speakers colonized the area from Scandinavia before the English arrived. Therefore, variations of Norse, Gaelic and English was spoken in different areas of Caithness.

Another important development in Caithness that affected my story in Highland Sanctuary, was the established religion. By 1473, when my novel takes place, The Church of Scotland, a Catholic denomination, was well established in Caithness and throughout the country. Civil administration parishes were the same as the Church. The Cathedral in my novel is also a product of my imagination after I read about the history of Dornoch Cathedral and Halkirk Highland. The Scottish Reformation of 1560 introduced Protestant theology and in 1689 established the Presbyterian form of church government.

About Photo

The first photo is looking north toward Halkirk in which my characters ride through at one point in Highland Sanctuary.

Souces:

Brough Castle (Braigh Castle)

2010-10-02T21:37:00.002-04:00

Brough Castle was located at the northern tip of Scotland in Caithness on a long narrow promontory by the sea. It has also been known as the Castle of Braigh, and therefore, is the basis for Braigh Castle in my new novel Highland Sanctuary, scheduled to be released October 2011. There is also a Brough Castle in Cumbria, England, but it is a different castle known by the same name.

One of the reasons I chose this castle as the setting is because the original structure no longer exists and there is no documented history on the castle. We only have archaeological data to determine what we think it might have looked like and how it might have been designed, which leaves me lots of room for my over-active imagination.

Based on the layout features of what is believed to have been Brough Castle, it resembles the layout and size of Castle of Old Wick and was most likely built in the early 14th century. Andrew Spratt used this information to reconstruct a couple of drawings of what he believes may have been a likeness to Brough Castle.

These drawings were very helpful to me, as I created the fictional world of Braigh Castle and the characters that will appear in Highland Sanctuary. If you'd like to see these drawings, go here. Also, at this link are photos of the Brough Castle site from the air and more detailed information written by Robert Wilson Richmond, go here for the air photos.

2010 Foothill Highland Games

2010-09-30T06:14:00.000-04:00

It's time for the 2010 Foothill Highland Games, which will be taking place November 6th at Jackson Park in Hendersonville, NC. The games will begin at 9 AM and end at 4:30 PM.

Come, learn about heraldry from Mark Harden, Baron of Cowdenknowes, and how to design and register your own coat of arms. See how the Scots of old lived and fought from Clan Nan Con. Learn to throw a battle axe, and join in the battle ax competition. Enjoy Celtic Music, Highland Dancers, the Parade of Tartans, Pipers and Drummers, Sheep Dog Demonstrations, Hielan' Coos. the Caber Toss, and other Feats of Strength. Check out the details on their website, at: http://www.scotsfoothillshg.org.

I'll be there signing copies of my novel, Highland Blessings. I'd love to meet you if you can make it.

G's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2010-09-07T06:14:00.000-04:00

Gara, Garia, Gaira - Short

(Scottish)

Garan - Stork

(Welsh)

Gavina, Gavenia - White hawk

(Scottish)

Gaynor - Soft and fair

(Welsh)

Gearoidin - Meaning Unknown

(Irish)

Genevieve, Jennifer, Jennyfer, Jennyver, Jenny - White wave

(Celtic)

Germaine - Loud voice

(Celtic)

Ghleanna - Lives in the valley

(Gaelic)

Gilbarta - Pledge

(Scottish)

Gilda - Serves God

(Celtic)

Ginerva, Ginebra, Ginessa - White as foam

(Celtic)

Giorsal - Gray battle-maid

(Gaelic)

Gladys, Gwladys, Gleda - Lame, Form of Claude

(Welsh)

Glan - From the shore

(Welsh)

Glen, Glenn, Glenna, Glennis, Glynnes, Glynnis, Glynis, Glenda - From the glen

(Gaelic, Irish, Welsh)

Gobinet, Gobnait, Gobnat, Gubnat - Brings joy

(Irish)

Goewin - Daughter of Pebin, Legend Name

(Welsh)

Gordania, Gordana - Hero, Form of Gordon

(Scottish)

Gorawen - Joy

(Welsh)

Grainne, Grainine - Grace

(Gaelic, Irish)

Grania, Granna - Myth name

(Irish)

Grear, Greer, Grier - Vigilant

(Scottish)

Grizel, Grizela - Gray battle-maid, Form of Griselda

(Scottish)

Gunna - White

(Scottish)

Gwendolen, Gwendolin, Gwendolyn, Gwenn, Gwynn, Guinevere, Gwyneth, Gwyneed - Of the white brow

(Celtic, Welsh)

Gwenneth, Gweneth, Gwynith - Blessed

(Celtic)

Huntingtower Castle, Scotland

2010-08-31T21:19:00.000-04:00

Huntingtower Castle was originally known as Ruthven Castle, built in stages by the Ruthven family in the 15th century near Perth, the center of Scotland.

In the summer of 1582, Lord Ruthven was involved in a plot to kidnap young King James VI, son of Mary, Queen of Scots. They held the lad as a prisoner for ten months. Through the "Raid of Ruthven" Protestant leaders hoped to gain power by controlling the king, who managed to escape. The king forgave Lord Ruthven, but he made the mistake of a second attempt at which time he was executed and his property forfeited to the crown.

The lands were eventually restored to the Ruthven family, but in 1600, two Ruthven brothers plotted to kill King VI again. Both were executed and the name Ruthven abolished. No succeeding heirs could hold titles and the castle was renamed Huntingtower Castle by royal proclamation.

The property remained in the hands of the crown until it was given to the family of Murray of Tullibardine in 1643. John Murray, 1st Duke of Athol resided in the castle in 1717 with his wife, Lady Mary Ross.

Huntingtower Castle is now managed by Historic Scotland and open to the public for visitation.

Sources:
Castles of England, Scotland and Wales by Paul Johnson.
The Free Encyclopedia of Wikipedia.

Celtic Heart of the Month

2010-08-20T12:09:00.000-04:00

Jennifer Hudson Taylor, author of Highland Blessings is featured as the Celtic Heart of the Month on Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. In this interview she offers a candid glimpse into her writing routine, her take on love scenes in a romance, and free Kindle give-aways.

Check it out here:

http://celtichearts.org/celticheartofthemonth.html

Scottish Society Marching in Charleston Christmas Parade

2010-08-17T10:13:00.000-04:00

On December 5th the Scottish Society will be marching in the 2010 Charleston Christmas Parade. The event will begin at 2:00 pm. The location of the parade will start at the intersection of Calhoun and Meeting Streets, will proceed down King Street to Broad Street to Lockwood Blvd. The Scottish Society members participating will be wearing their kilts and will gather at the Knights of Columbus Hall shortly before 2 pm. The holiday tradition is better than ever as bands, floats, marchers and performers parade through downtown Charleston.

Join the event on Facebook.

Join the Scottish Society on Facebook.

F's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2010-08-15T09:52:00.000-04:00

Fallon - Leader

(Irish)

Fearchara, Fearcharia - Dear one

(Scottish)

Fedelm - Wife of Loegaire, myth name

(Celtic)

Fenella, Finella, Finola - White shoulders
(Celtic, Irish, Scottish)

Fia - Dark of peace
(Scottish)

Fidelma - Saint name
(Irish)

Findabair - Daughter of Medb, myth name
(Celtic)

Fineena - Beautiful child
(Irish)

Fiona - Fair one
(Celtic, Gaelic, Scottish)

Fionnghuala - Flower
(Gaelic)

Firtha - Arm of the sea
(Scottish)

Flanna - Legendary tale, red-haired

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish)

Forba, Forbia - Headstrong
(Scottish)

Fyfa - From Fifeshire
(Scottish)

Historical Accounts of Northern Scotland

2010-07-27T07:47:00.001-04:00

Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland by Samuel Johnson. This is a travel narrative of an 83-day journey that Johnson made with his Scottish friend, James Boswell, in 1773. In particular, they cover the islands of the Hebrides.

Burt's Letters by Edmund Burt. This is a collection of letters that Edmund Burt wrote in 1730 from northern Scotland, specifically from Inverness, to acquaintances in London. His accounts include daily life experience from cooking, personal hygiene (the standards of which shocked him), to weddings, funerals, public executions, and witch activities.

Everyday Life on an Old Highland Farm (Parts I and II), by I.F. Grant.

Memoirs of a Highland Lady, an autobiography by Elizabeth Grand of Rothiemurchus (1787-1885).

My First Experience at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

2010-07-16T21:00:00.005-04:00

As a native North Carolinian with lots of Scottish ancestry, I've always wanted to attend the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. It was a special weekend to be selling my debut novel, Highland Blessings, as my first experience at the games. To put it into perspective for you, the Highland Games to those with Scottish ancestry is like the Olympics to the rest of the world--and even more with a tradition of culture and history combined.

The first thing I want to tell you is that I had a wonderful time. There was such great hospitality and I have a lot of respect and admiration for the Director, Frank Vance, and his whole team who pulled off a spectacular event--even with stormy weather. The program is excellent and detailed, I'm still reading about the people who were there and those who have made an impact during the early years to make the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games what they have become today. it is full of so much history that this program is a keeper.

The rains kept me from wearing my 16th century highland gown as I didn't want the hem ruined. Unlike a kilt, my gown reaches the ground. I'll have other opportunities as I hope to attend the Renaissance Festival in October and the Foothill Highland Games in November.

I sold out of books by 2:30 on Saturday afternoon. Next time, I plan to bring more books! It did give me an opportunity to walk around the games visit with some of our clan tents. We are members of the Fraser, Henderson and MacFarlane Clans. I plan to join Clan Gregor as soon as I can get around to it. I purchased my daughter a Scottish Clan bear and some bagpipe earrings for myself as souvenirs.

The games are actually held on McRae Meadow with a gorgeous view of Grandfather Mountain in the near distance. Bagpipes played the whole time and I can honestly say I was still hearing bagpipes in my head a couple of days later. The feeling and nostalgia of the Highland Games stays with you for a while and I think that is part of the magic of the event.

What kind of Games and Entertainment are at the Highland Games?

Competitions range from telephone pole toss (called cabers), bags of hay or (sheafs), Lochaber trump, pipes and drums bands, highland dancing, Scottish country dancing, Grizzly Bike Race, The Bear--a 5-mile foot race, hammer throw, stone toss, weight-bar throw, wrestling, rope tug-of-war. Children even have their own set of competitions and rules.

Track & Field events include: the 100, 220, 400, 880 yard dashes, 1-mile and 2-mile runs, long jump, high jump, triple jump, 26-mile marathon.

You'll experience modern Celtic bands, harpists, parade of tartans, border collies who are trained to herd sheep, fiddle playing, wool weaving, Scottish food and vendors with all kinds of Scottish memorabilia. Individual clan tents surround the outside of the track field where you can get information about the history of your surname an which clan your family line might have belonged to and how to join clans of interest and connections to your ancestry.

Killyleagh Castle in Ireland

2010-06-24T08:10:00.000-04:00

Killyleagh Castle is located in northern Ireland and is believed to be the oldest inhabited castle in the country. For protection for Vikings, it was built by a Norman knight, John de Courcy. Although the castle has been restored in parts, some areas date back to 1180.

During the early 1600's the castle owner was Chieftain Con O'Neill of Clandeboye. As a result of a quarrel, he sent his men to attack some English soldiers and was imprisoned. His wife made a deal with Hugh Montgomery, a Scottish aristocrat to help her husband obtain a Royal pardon and he would receive a portion of O'Neill's lands, including the keep of Killyleagh Castle. King James I granted the pardon, but divided the land three ways, the portion containing Killyleagh Castle going to James Hamilton, who later became the first Viscount of Clandeboye.

Originally, Killyleagh Castle was built with one stone tower, but Viscount Clandeboye's son, James Hamilton, who later became the first Earl of Clanbrassil, built the second tower. The gatehouse was destroyed during a siege in 1649 by Oliver Cromwell's forces. Jame's son, Henry Hamilton, the second Earl of Clanbrassil, rebuilt the castle in 1666. He married Lady Alice Moore.

While Killyleagh Castle has been in the Hamilton family since the 17th century and currently belongs to the family today, the ownership of the keep has caused its share of internal strife within the family. James Hamilton wrote a will stating that if his son, Henry Hamilton, should die without issue, the estate should be divided among the Hamilton cousins. His wife, Lady Alice, destroyed the will and had her husband, Henry, rewrite the will leaving the estate to her.

Needless to say, Henry Hamilton died of poisoning in 1675, without issue. His wife, Lady Alice, died two years later in 1677. During this time, the cousins knew about the original will and had been trying to pursue their inheritance rights. Twenty years later, a copy of the original will was finally discovered, but by then, all the cousins had died. The court then divided the estate among the living descendants of the last living cousin.

There are three apartments available in the towers of Killyleagh Castle. Each one has a private rooftop terrace with spectacular views of the countryside.

Sources:

Wikipedia

BBC

Irish Secrets: History of Killyleagh Castle

E's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names

2010-06-03T23:54:00.001-04:00

Eachna - Horse

(Irish)

Ealasaid - Devoted to God

(Gaelic)

Ealga - Noble

(Irish)

Eara, Earie - From the East

(Scottish)

Eavan - Fair

(Irish)

Ebrill - April

(Welsh)

Edana, Ena, Edna, Eideann, Ethne, Etney - Passionate, Fire, Also form of Aiden

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish)

Edina, Edine, Edeen - From Edinburgh

(Scottish)

Edme - Rich protector, Form of Edmund

(Scottish)

Efa - Life, Form of Eve

(Welsh)

Eiddwen - Beloved fair one

(Welsh)

Eileen, Eily, Elan - Sunlight, Light

(Gaelic, Irish)

Eilinoir, Eilinora - Life, Form of Eleanor

(Gaelic)

Eilis, Ailis - Consecrated to God

(Irish)

Eira, Eirwen - Snow

(Welsh)

Eistir - Star, Form of Esther

(Irish)

Elen - Light, Form of Helen

(Welsh)

Elric, Elrica - Eternal ruler, Form of Eric

(Scottish)

Eluned - Waterfall

(Welsh)

Emogene - Maiden

(Celtic)

Enda - Like a bird

(Gaelic, Irish)

Enid - Spirit

(Celtic, Welsh)

Enys, Ennis, Inis - From the islands, From Ennis

(Celtic, Irish)

Eres - Wonderful

(Welsh)

Erina, Erin, Erie, Erea, Erlina, Erline, Eryn - From Ireland, Peace in Gaelic

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish)

Erskina - From the top of the cliff

(Scottish)

Esyllt - Fair lady, Form of Isolda

(Welsh)

Etain - Sparkling

(Celtic, Irish)

Ethna, Eithne - Graceful

(Irish)

Evanna, Evina - Right-handed

Evelyn, Evelina, Eveline, Eveleen - Light, Gives life

(Celtic, Irish)

Eurolwyn - Daughter of Gwydolwyn, Legend name

(Welsh)

Scotland's Burning of Heretics & Condemned Witches (1470's)

2010-05-21T09:33:00.001-04:00

For the novel I'm currently writing, I'm researching the persecution of innocent souls who were condemned to be witches, heretics, or demonically possessed in 15th century Scotland. Even though Scotland is known to be a nation that was once deeply rooted in Celtic Paganism, they participated in these persecutions due to the influence of the Christian movement throughout Europe at that time.

When looking at the religious state of a country during a particular period in history, one must first consider the rulers in charge. King James III came to the throne of Scotland as a nine year old lad in 1460. His mother ruled as Regent until her death and Bishop Kennedy was guardian of Scotland. James III was a weak king and criticisized by much of the nobles of Scotland. They rallied his son against him, a lad of 15, who promised to help them only if his father wasn't harmed. In 1488, James III was killed and James IV harbored much guilt from it.

Christianity was introduced to Scotland in the sixth century when an Irish monk, St. Columba came to the Isle of Iona for his mission work. A generation later, Aidan, a missionary from Iona preached among the Angles between the present-day border of Edinburgh and England. St. Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, worked to spread Christianity among the lowlands of Scotland (d. 687). As you can imagine, some of the pagan rituals still existed in the highlands for much longer, but were eventually converted to Christianity--especially as a result of the persecution they suffered. If a person is given a choice between conversion and being tortured to death or burned at the stake--conversion was quite convincing.

As a Christian, I grieve for this part of our history. Jesus didn't go around beating non-Christians or torturing them or persecuting them to death. He gave them love and taught those who wanted to be taught, but he never forced His teachings upon anyone. God doesn't want puppets. That's why He gave us free will. He told His disciples that if they were not received in a city or house, to wipe the dust from their feet and when they depart, take their blessings with them. (Matthew 10:14)

By the 1470's, Scotland was deep into Catholicism and still clinging to the old feudal system and their long-standing alliance with France, a Roman Catholic country. The Church was very powerful and busy acquiring lands and material gains from the people. Tension and division rose between the clergy and the people. Since the Church always sided with the crown, people and even nobles, had no one to turn to for assistance in politics or to influence the country forward in new movements with new ideas.

In 1407, a follower of the John Wycliffe movement (or the Lollard Movement) pleaded for an open Bible and a more Christian daily life. He was condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake. Bibles were only available to clergy, and people were at the mercy of hearing what the clergy chose to read to them and teach them. Also, most Bibles were printed in Latin.

Here is a list of Witch Trials in Scotland from the 1400's to the 1700's.

Why was the most preferred method of torture and persecution burning at the stake? It's because of the old belief in baptism by fire. In actuality, when the Bible refers to baptism by fire, it is referring to a spiritual baptism, but people in their lack of knowledge and education back then took this meaning in a literal sense.

Sources:
I've listed links in the above texts, but I've also used James G. Leyburn's book, The Scotch-Irish: A Social History.

2010 Mint Hill Scottish Highland Games!

2010-05-11T14:38:00.002-04:00

Friday & Saturday
May 21 & 22, 2010

Mint Hill Park on Fairview

I-485, Exit 44 (Highway 218)

Mint Hill, North Carolina

Website: http://minthillhighlandgames.com/?page_id=2

Today's the BIG Day for Highland Blessings!

2010-05-01T07:31:00.000-04:00

(Repost from the F.A.I.T.H. Blog)

Today has finally come. The BIG launch for my novel, Highland Blessings!

All month long I'll be on a blog tour giving away a few signed copies here and there with interviews and reviews. I'll start my first book signing at Barnes & Noble on May 8th in my hometown of Greensboro, NC.

If ever there was a dream to come true, this is it! Highland Blessings took 14 years to come to fruition and I want to enjoy this moment as much as possible.

There are moments when I become so overwhelmed by the feeling that all I can do is sit and let silent tears of happiness roll down my face. There are no words. These times come most unexpectedly. The one thing I love best about those unexpected tears, is the closeness I feel to God at that moment.

It's as if He's reaching down and stroking the back of my head and saying, "See, my child, you only had to wait and not give up and I had all this waiting for you."

Please stop by and visit the blog launching my book today. Sharon Kirk Clifton was kind enough to host me and I'm so grateful to her. She has become a dear friend to me and I'm so excited to be on her blog this morning.

Sharon Kirk Clifton wrote both a review and provided a review of Highland Blessings. I'll never forget after she read my book, how she described it as, "an aerobic exercise for the heart".

Sharon's Interview
Sharon's Review

Upcoming Highland Games in the Carolinas

2010-03-29T06:18:00.002-04:00

In April there is only one upcoming Scottish Highland Games event in the Carolinas. Please check out the linked site below for specific costs, location, and details. If you know of any others for the month of April, please list them in the comments section. Thanks.

April 16th - 18th, 2010
Rural Hill Scottish Festival and Lock Norman Highland Games
Huntersville, NC (north of Charlotte)

D's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names (Irish, Scottish, Welsh)

2010-03-21T15:01:00.000-04:00

Dacey - Southerner

(Gaelic)

Dai - Beloved

(Welsh)

Dana - From Denmark

(Celtic, Irish)

Dara, Daracha - Of the oak

(Gaelic, Irish, Scottish)

Darby - Free of envy

(Gaelic, Irish)

Darra - Wealth, riches

(Gaelic)

Davan - Adored

(Irish)

Dearbhail, Dearbhal, Derval - True desire

(Irish)

Dee, Du, Dierdre, Delia - Dark

(Welsh)

Deidra, Deidre, Dedre - Sorrowful

(Celtic, Irish)

Deidra, Deidre - Raging

(Gaelic)

Delwyn, Delyth - Neat and fair

(Welsh)

Dera, Daere - Fiend

(Welsh)

Derryth, Derwen - From the Oak tree

(Welsh)

Dervia, Dearbhail, Dervilia - From the poets

(Gaelic, Irish)

Dicra - Slow

(Welsh)

Difyr - Amusing

(Welsh)

Dilys - Steadfast

(Welsh)

Diorbhall - God's gift, form of Dorothy

(Gaelic)

Diva, Deva, Devona, Devonna, Divone - Divine One

(Celtic)

Dominica - Of the Lord, born on Sunday, form of Dominic

(Irish)

Donalda, Donia, Donelle - Ruler of the world, form of Donald

(Gaelic, Irish, Scottish)

Donella - Dark haired elfin girl

(Celtic)

Donia - Dark-skinned

(Celtic)

Donla - Lady in brown

(Gaelic, Irish)

Doreen, Doreena, Doire-Ann, Dioreann - Moody, sullen

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish)

Drysi - Thorn

(Welsh)

Duana, Dubhain - Dark maid

(Gaelic, Irish)

Duvessa, Dubheasa - Dark beauty

(Irish)

Dymphna - Little poet, saint name

(Gaelic, Irish)

Repost - The Truth About St. Patrick

2010-03-17T08:42:00.001-04:00

Who Was St. Patrick Anyway?

Patrick was born to wealthy parents in Britain around the end of the 4th century. Most scholars believed he may have died on March 17th, (460 A.D.).

His father was a Christian deacon. At 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who attacked his family's estate. He spent 6 years in captivity, working as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people in Ireland. It was during this time of loneliness and uncertainty that he turned to his faith for solace and became a devout Christian.

He finally escaped from prison after another 6 years. According to his writing, he believed God told him in a dream that it was time to leave Ireland. Back in Britain, Patrick experienced a second revelation in a dream in which an angel told him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick trained over the next 15 years in the ministry. He was ordained as a priest and sent to Ireland.

Since he was familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick used traditional rituals when teaching Christianity rather than attempting to destroy the Irish pagan beliefs. For example, to celebrate Easter, he used bonfires since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He included a sun on the Christian cross to create what is now widely known as a Celtic cross. These tactics helped to make things seem more natural to the Irish.

Celebrating in America

The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in America, not Ireland. Irish soldiers in the English Army marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. The parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots and introduced their music to other colonists.

Even today, many Irish descendants gather to share a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage. People are supposed to wear green and if they aren't, they might get pinched.

Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain how the Trinity represents the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on St. Patrick's Day. This custom came to America in 1737 in Boston.

So have a great St. Patrick's Day and be sure to wear your green!

C's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names (Irish, Scottish & Welsh)

2010-03-15T07:43:00.000-04:00

Cadwyn - Chain

(Welsh)

Caffara, Caffaria - Helmet

(Irish)

Cafell - Oracle

(Welsh)

Cahira - Warrior

(Irish)

Cailin - Small girl

(Gaelic, Irish)

Caitlin, Cait, Caitrin, Cairine, Catroina, Catrin - Pure

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish, Welsh)

Cairistiona, Ciorstag, Ciorstan - Believes in Christ

(Gaelic, Scottish)

Caley - Slender

(Gaelic, Irish)

Canaid - Song

(Welsh)

Cara, Carin, Caryn, Caraid - Friend

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish)

Caragh - Love

(Irish)

Carleen, Caroline - Manly (form of Charles)

(Irish, Scottish)

Carling - Little champion

(Gaelic)

Carmel - Garden

(Celtic)

Carryl - Love

(Welsh)

Cary, Carey - From the river

(Celtic)

Carys - Beloved

(Welsh)

Casey - Brave

(Gaelic, Irish)

Cassidy - Clever

(Gaelic, Irish)

Cavana - From Cavan

(Irish)

Cayleigh - Party, Celebration

(Gaelic)

Ceallach - Warrior maid

Ceara - Spear

(Gaelic)

Ceinwen - Blessed

(Welsh)

Ceridwen - Fair poet

(Welsh)

Christian, Christa, Cristin - Believes in Christ

(Irish)

Christel, Christal, Christie - Believes in Christ

(Scottish)

Ciarda - Dark

(Gaelic)

Cinnia, Cinnie - Beauty

(Celtic)

Cliona, Cleona - Shapely

(Irish)

Coleen, Colleen - Girl

(Gaelic, Irish)

Colina - Victory of the people

(Scottish)

Congalie - Constant

(Irish)

Coira, Cora - Seething pool

(Scottish)

Cordelia - Jewel of the sea

(Celtic, Welsh)

Corey - Ravine

(Celtic)

Corsen - Reed

(Welsh)

Coventina - Name of a Nymph

(Celtic)

Cragen - Shell

(Welsh)

Cullodena, Cullidina - From the marsh

(Scottish)

Culyer - Chapel

(Celtic)

B's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names (Irish, Scottish, Welsh)

2010-03-07T22:48:00.001-05:00

Barabell, Barabal - Stranger

(Gaelic)

Bari - Spear thrower

(Celtic, Welsh)

Beathas - Wise

(Scottish)

Berit, Birgit, Berta, Birte - Intelligent

(Celtic)

Beitris, Betrys - Brings Joy, form of Beatrice

(Gaelic, Welsh)

Bethan - Consecrated to God, form of Elizabeth

(Welsh)

Berneen - Strong as a bear, form of Bernard

(Irish)

Berwyn - Bright friend

(Welsh)

Bevin - Sweet voice, harmonious

(Gaelic, Irish)

Birkita, Brighid, Brigid, Brigitta, Brigitte, Brietta, Brita, Brygid, Bridget - Strength, Strong

(Celtic, Irish)

Betha, Beatha - Life

(Celtic)

Blain - Thin

(Gaeilic, Irish)

Blanaid, Blathnaid - Flower

(Irish)

Blair - Of the fields

(Celtic, Gaelic)

Blodwen, Blodwyn - White flower

(Welsh)

Bonnie, Bonny - Sweet and good

(Scottish)

Bradana - Salmon

(Scottish)

Braith - Freckled

(Welsh)

Bregus - Frail

(Welsh)

Brenna, Brenda, Breandan - Raven

(Celtic, Irish)

Bretta, Bret, Brit, Brite, Brittany, Brita - From Britain

(Celtic)

Briallan - Primrose

(Welsh)

Briana, Brianna, Breanne, Bryana, Bryanna - Strong

(Celtic, Irish)

Brina - Defender

(Celtic)

Brodie - Ditch

(Gaelic, Irish)

Brona, Bronagh - Sorrow

(Irish)

Bronwen, Bronwyn - Dark and pure

(Welsh)

Bryn, Brynna - Hill

(Welsh)

Buan - Goodness

(Irish)

A's Female Celtic & Gaelic Names (Scottish, Irish & Welsh)

2010-02-28T07:27:00.000-05:00

This list is not an exhaustive list. In fact, I have omitted some names that are hard to pronounce and less common.The meaning and origin of each name is included if known, as well as various spelling variations. You may need to conduct additional research. These were mostly taken from The Writer's Digest Character Naming Sourcebook by Sherrilyn Kenyon, 2nd Edition.

A's

Abertha - Sacrifice

(Welsh)

Adara, Adaira, Athdara - From the oak tree (Irish, Scottish)

Catches Birds - (Welsh)

Addiena - Beautiful

(Welsh)

Aderyn - Bird

(Welsh)

Adyna - Wretched

(welsh)

Aibrean, Aibreann - April

(Irish)

Adeen, Aideen - Fiery One

(Irish)

Aila - From the strong place

(Scottish)

Aileana - From the green meadow

(Scottish)

Aileen, Ailey, Aine, Ailia - Light, Bright

(Irish, Scottish)

Aine, Aina - Joy, Bright, Radiant

(Celtic, Gaelic)

Ailsa - Rocklet inlet

(Scottish)

Aingeal - Angel

(Irish)

Ainsley - Meadow

(Scottish)

Airleas, Arleen, Arlene, Arlena, Arlyne - Pledge, Oath

(Gaelic, Irish)

Aislinn, Ailin, Aisling, Ashling - Vision, Dream

(Gaelic, Irish)

Akira - Anchor

(Scottish)

Alanna, Alane, Alene - Beautiful

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish)

Alastronia, Alastrina - Avenger, a form of Alastair

(Celtic, Irish)

Alice, Alys, Ailis, Ailise - Sweet, Noble

(Celtic, Gaelic, Irish)

Alison, Allison, Alyson - Honest

(Irish)

Alma - Loving

(Celtic, Irish)

Amber - Fierce

(Gaelic)

Anice - Grace (form of Anne)

(Scottish)

Annabel, Annabelle, Annabella - Lovely Grace

(Gaelic, Irish, Scottish)

Ardra - Noble

(Celtic)

Argel - Refuge

(Welsh)

Arial - Vigorous

(Welsh)

Ariana, Arien, Ariene - Silver

(Welsh)

Arlana, Arlene, Arela, Arleen - Oath

(Celtic, Irish)

Armelle - Princess

(Celtic)

Armes - Prophetess

(Welsh)

Aselma - Fair

(Gaelic)

Assana, Assane - Waterfall

(Irish)

Asthore - Loved one

(Irish)

Augusteen - Great

(Irish)

Avonmora - From the great river

(Irish)

Awel - Breeze

(Welsh)

Aylwen - Fair

(Welsh)

Naming System in Celtic, Gaelic, Scottish, Irish & Welsh

2010-02-15T19:12:00.002-05:00

Celtic

Celtic languages are a branch of the Indo-European languages once spoken across Europe. While there aren't any Celtic surnames, many modern surnames that now exist came from Celtic bynames, which are descriptive nicknames used before the existence of surnames to distinguish between people with the same given name. Some of these bynames are according to one's particular trade, skill, physical trait, or characteristic.

Gaelic

In western Britian and Ireland, the Celtic language developed into Irish and Scottish Gaelic. The letters J, K, Q, V, W, X, Y, and Z do not exist in the Gaelic alphabet, therefore, names with these letters are anglicized, but were still used in these regions. Keep in mind that surnames did not develop in Ireland and Scotland until after the 10th century. If additional names were needed, people created a byname as mentioned above.

Irish

Surnames became very popular in the 10th and 11th centuries. By the 12th century, the use of surnames was widespread throughout Ireland. Many common prefixes were used with names. Women were never referred to by the prefixes O or M or Mc or Mac. Their names were always referred to as ni if unmarried and ban if married. For example, a woman who is unmarried would be called Deirdre ni Hannigan, but when she marries she could be called Deirdre ban Connor.

Common Prefixes

M', Mc, Mac - Son of

O - grandson or descendant of

ni - daughter of (unmarried)

ban - wife of

giolla - follower of

moal - servant of

Scottish

Many of the Scottish surnames begin with prefixes such as Mack, Mac, Ap, and P, which means son of. Other Scottish surnames are based on place names, occupations, or a byname. In the Highlands, clans formed from large family groups with a common male ancestor. Many in a clan would share the same surname, but others accepted and protected by the clan may have other surnames, but were related by blood through marriages.

Scottish children were named after their relatives according to birth order. For instance, the firstborn son would be named after the paternal grandfather, the second would be named after the maternal grandfather, the third would be named for the father. Daughters were named likewise, the first born daughter would be named for the paternal grandmother, the second would be named for the maternal grandmother, and the third after the mother. Additional children were named after aunts and uncles, respectively.

One fact I elected not to reflect in my novel, Highland Blessings, is that women usually had different surnames from their husbands. It wasn't until the late 19th century that it became common practice for a woman to take her husband's surname. I thought this would be too much of a shocker for people who are not familiar with the clan naming system and it would have caused confusion among lots of readers. I've never read a highland based novel that showed this custom as it really was and thought it best not to rock the boat with a debut novel.

Female lines and unrelated families with recongized surnames protected by a clan are called septs. Lowland surnames tend to sound and reflect English descriptions and place names more than Highland surnames, which developed separately.

Welsh

People in Wales typically named their children after family members in birth order according to the same system as Scottish families. Wales was one of the last countries in Europe to adopt the surname system. While records show that some families used hereditary surnames as far back as the 12th century, it wasn't until the 16th century that it became common practice among the nobility and those who dealt directly with the English in business and trade.

In my next post, I'll list common Scottish, Irish, and Welsh surnames.

Source:

"Character Naming Sourcebook" by Sherrilyn Kenyon, second edition, 2005, by Writer's Digest.

Update on Highland Blessings

2010-02-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry it has been so long since I last blogged here. I've been quite busy with the holidays, editing Highland Blessings, and working on writing two new novels, Highland Sanctuary and A Season of Atonement, as well as stepping into promoting my book release. The good news is, I have my schedule back in order, and I'll start blogging here again--starting with this post.

Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to be posting a series on Celtic and Gaelic names and their origin meanings and spelling variations. Since we are still early in the year, if you would like to suggest a few topics you'd be interested in seeing on this blog, please leave a comment. I'd be delighted to hear from you.

In the meantime, here are a few dates on some upcoming events:

Highland Blessings Book Launch Party!

When: Sat, May 15, 2pm – 4pm

Where: Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Southpark Mall, Charlotte, NC ()

Description: Book Launch Party for the release of Highland Blessings! We'll serve a tray of ore d'oeuvres & drinks, book signing, mingling, etc. There will also be a bookfair going on for the Ronald McDonald House. 20% of all purchases of my novel & other books will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. This program has a special place in my heart, as my hubby stayed there in Winston-Salem when my 3-week old baby was transferred to Brenners Children's Hospital 12-years ago.

Workshop: The Art of Research for Today & Yesterday

When: Tue, June 22, 2010, 7pm – 8pm

Where: Atlanta, GA (Sugar Hill United Methodist Church) ()

Description: Author Jennifer Hudson Taylor will be giving a workshop on "The Art of Research for Today & Yesterday" at the ACFW Word Writers Group. (Book signing will follow.) For directions and details, visit http://wwwacfwword.com.

Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

When: Fri - Sun, Jul 9 – 11, 2010

Where: Grandfather Mountain, NC ()

Description: The 55th Grandfather Mountain Highland Games will be held at MacRae Meadows on Grandfather Mountain near Linville, NC. I will be dressed in a 17th Century Highland gown and signing copies of Highland Blessings.

Battle of Bannockburn Anniversary

2009-11-29T12:02:00.005-05:00

If you've ever wanted to visit Scotland, then you might consider the 700th Anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn on June 24, 2014. The Stirling Council of chiefs have announced their interest in hosting such an event for the next Gathering.

This battle was a huge victory in favor of Scotland and marked the turning point in the War of Scottish Independence against England. Edward Bruce, the brother of Robert the Bruce, Scotland's King, began a seige of Stirling Castle, commanded by Sir Philip Mowbray. Bruce and Mowbray agreed that if no relief came by midsummer, the castle would surrender to Bruce.

That summer King Edward of England entered Scotland with the goal of relieving Stirling Castle and defeating the Scots to end the war. He had 2-3,000 calvary, and 16,000 foot soldiers, which was 2-3 times the size of Bruce's gathered army.

King Edward began to lose control of his army when the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford quarreled over who was going to lead the charge, both were given joint command. To make matters worse, the English army was so large they had trouble moving quickly and getting into accurate positions. Bruce forced his entire army straight into the disorganized English army. It was a blood bath, fighting one-on-one to the point that archers on either side could not shoot their arrows for fear of killing their own men. The English fortresses began to break. The Scots continued their siege until the English fled in a disordered retreat back across Bannockburn.

Even though England did not recognize Scotland's independence until ten years later, the Battle of Bannockburn established credibility for Robert the Bruce as Scotland's king. The statue above is a monument on the site where it is believed that warring parties camped the night before the battle.

Book Review - "Child of the Mist"

2009-10-24T15:39:00.003-04:00

by Kathleen Morgan

This is the first book in These Highland Hills series. Child of the Mist was hard for me to put down. I loved the conflict and attraction between the hero, Niall Campbell, and the heroine, Anne MacGregor. Her father pledges her hand in marriage after a one year commitment to seal the promise of peace between their clans. But Niall's people believe her to be a witch with her herbal healing powers, and he must constantly strive to protect her and work with his people to accept her, while trying to discover who in his clan is a betrayer. They both must strengthen their faith and learn to trust each other to overcome their struggles and fear.

The story is intriguing and keeps one reading to find out what will happen next. The emotional appeal between the characters gives the reader a chance to experience their world. The writing and dialogue gives the reader a sense of 1564 Scotland. If you enjoy a Scottish historical novel, I highly recommend Child of the Mist.

Back Cover Copy:
An arranged betrothal was never the course Anne MacGregor imagined her life would take. Yet when her father explains that her cooperation is the only way to bring about the long-sought truce between feuding families, Anne has no other choice.

A simple ceremony pledging Anne's hand in marriage after one year of commitment is the only seal to the promise of peace. But when the arrangement requires the reluctant Anne to follow Niall Campbell back to his home, she soon discovers that peace is not so easily achieved. Before they even arrive, rumors about her abound, and her safety is threatened. Meanwhile, Niall's ascension as leader of his clan is in jeopardy as a traitor works to bring about his downfall.

As Niall and Anne began to see beyond each other's defenses, love takes them by surprise. But will it be enough to defeat their foes? Or will the truce be broken, their lives forfeit, and war return to their beloved land?

For more about the book and the author, Kathleen Morgan, visit her website here.

Handfasting

2009-10-08T05:43:00.004-04:00

Handfasting is an old Celtic custom whereby a couple agreed to live together for a period of time, whether it be one year and a day, or a lifetime. If it was to be a temporary arrangement, after the end of that period, they may wed or part ways. It's a NeoPagan ritual that is no longer recognized as a legal marriage in England, Wales or Ireland, but is still considered a legal Pagan wedding in Scotland.

As Christianity was adopted into the ancient Celtic lands, many couples chose to have a combined wedding of their Christian beliefs with some of the Handfasting traditions.

There are many rituals that are part of the ancient Handfasting Ceremony, but one that I've read about often is the minister ties a strip of cloth around the couple's hands. If it is a temporary agreement, it will be loosely tied. If they have a permanent agreement, it will be tied tighter, thus the expression, "tie the knot". The couple will then kiss each other as their first gift to each other. The bride does not necessarily wear a traditional white bridal gown.

The Scottish Claymore

2009-09-27T10:39:00.004-04:00

One of the most famous historical Scottish weapons is the Scottish Claymore, a double-edged sword with a blade around 41" in length with a possible reach of 60". It weighs around 5.5 lbs.The Gaelic term is "Claidhermh-mor". It is recorded to be in use as early as 1300 and still used as late as the 1700's.

Over the years a few changes occurred such as the twisted hilt that came about around 1500. Also adapted from the medieval style, is the two-handed claymore with a distinctive style of a cross-hilt with downward sloping arms. There are many different types of hilts and handles were in use. You can probably do a Google search for different examples.

Then came the Basket-Hilt Claymore broadsword, a one-handed sword with a shorter blade, which can either have a one-sided or double-sided edged blade. It weighs between 2-3 lbs. The basket hilt handle was designed to protect the hand during combat and often had a red velvet liner inside the basket. Some had decorative tassels on the hilt or pommel.

The Beltie Galloway Cows

2009-09-04T05:30:00.005-04:00

I first heard of the Beltie Cow in Liz Curtis Higgs' book, My Heart's in the Lowlands. I was fascinated by the sketch in the book. Before I had even finished reading it, I noticed real Beltie Cows while driving home from Charleston, SC. These cows are known to be from Scotland as Beltie Galloway Cows and have most recently earned the nickname of "Oreo Cows" in the US. They are typically black with a white belt around the middle. Some are brown with a white belt.

The white belt is a dominant trait in the herd and will often appear even if a Beltie Cow is crossbred with a different cow. Their heritage allows them to survive in harsh climates having adapted to the poor upland pastures and windswept moorlands of Scotland, originating from Galloway. In 1997, western America suffered the "April Blizzard" resulting in great floods. As much as 21 feet of water resided in some places. While lots of animals, including horses and cows were lost, one breed withstood the flood, days without food, or rest from treading water--the Beltie Cows. Read the story here.

Their beef is exceptionally lean and flavorful. While most breeds of cows develop an extra layer of fat on their hide to protect them from the cold in winter, Beltie Cows grow an extra coat of hair rather than fat.

Here in North Carolina, you will find Beltie Cows at Fearrington Village, a quaint place settled on farmland dating back to 1770's in Chatham County, NC. This is an area of North Carolina that was surrounded by Scots-Irish immigrants and descendants for many generations. The small community is modeled after the villages of England. Fearrington Village offers a relaxing visit of dining, a beautiful country inn, shopping, historic gardens, and Beltie Cows.

For more information on Beltie Cows, visit the Belted Galloway Society of the United States.

The photos in this post are courtesy of Fearrington Village.

Albannach - Scottish War Music

2009-08-20T06:02:00.004-04:00

If you are interested in listening to some Scottish war music, Albannoch is a band you might enjoy. All band members are originally from Scotland. Their goal is to share the culture, heritage and history of their country through their music. They claim to be more than another pipe and drum band, their website says they play "outlawed tunes on outlawed pipes".

They tour year-round throughout Europe and the U.S. at highland games and festivals. They are regular performers at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina, and have also performed at the games in Greenville, SC. Over the next couple of months they will be in the U.S. touring in Ohio and Virginia. Then in November they are back in Scotland.

You can check out their music and tour dates at their website: www.albannachmusic.com.

Scotland County Highland Games

2009-08-13T06:04:00.003-04:00

In 1899, Scotland County, North Carolina was formed from Richmond County. The earliest settlers of the area were mainly comprised of Highland Scots by 1729. They came up from the Cape Fear River through Wilmington, NC, and the Pee Dee River from South Carolina.

The Scotch Fair Highland Games that has traditionally taken place in Scotland County, is changing to Scotland County Highland Games. This year the games are scheduled to take place October 2-4, 2009 at the John Blue House in Laurinburg, NC. It's a beautiful historic home that has been restored and is surrounded by a rich history of Scottish descendants and other antebellum homes, and a pre-Civil War cotton gin (believed to be the oldest in existence). The John Blue House is known as the "Riverboat on Land".

Those interested as participating vendors, or athletic contenders may contact Bill Caudill at the Scottish Heritage Center of St. Andrews College at 910-277-5236.

Be sure to mark your calendar as the Scotland County Highland Games are slated to be a great October event!

America's Braemar

2009-08-04T05:58:00.004-04:00

Donald McDonald is the author of America's Braemar, a historical book covering the 50-year history of The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games (1956-2006). But the history on which the games is based is much older than 1956, predating the Greek Olympics. The highland games of Scotland were brought from Ireland to the Argyll district and were first called Odas, a Norse name.

A former resident of Charlotte, NC, Mr. McDonald now lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is a retired journalist and university lecturer who first attended Braemar in 1954. The Braemar Gathering was born from the Braemar Wright Society in 1816, six months after the Battle of Waterloo and was registered with the Clerk of Peace as a friendly society, the oldest surviving friendly society in the country of Scotland. In 1826 the name changed to the Braemar Highland Society. In 1848, Queen Victoria attended the gathering and ordered that the society add "Royal" to the title. It is now known as the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering. The royal family has been faithful attenders ever since.

Mr. McDonald returned to North Carolina from his visit and decided to try and duplicate the Braemar gathering among the thousands of descendants who settled the Carolinas in the 18th and 19th centuries. Thus, the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games were born, with the assistance of Agnes MacRae Morton, the games were christened as "America's Braemar". Mr. McDonald's book was completed in 2007 and published by Southern Lions Books Historic Publications in Madison, GA.

The success of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games has led to the birth of over 200 Scottish games, highland festivals, and societies. To learn more about the book, or to order it, visit here.

Book Review - "My Heart's in the Lowlands"

2009-07-23T06:48:00.005-04:00

By Liz Curtis Higgs

This is a delightful travel book - ten days in bonny Scotland. I picked it up while purchasing one of her fiction novels. I don't know why, but I started reading this one first. Perhaps it's because I have a dream of visiting Scotland some day, the homeland of my ancestors. And it's about Galloway, a place I'd planned to do some research since my gg-grandmother was Elizabeth Galloway who married a Hudson (my maiden name).

Liz writes as if you're traveling with her and she includes descriptions of the atmosphere, not just places and things. As you're reading, you get a sense of what it would have felt like to be there with her. Although, I must admit, her writing makes one's desire to visit Scotland even greater. She layers in many historical details, a bit of poetry from Robert Burns, and takes the time to explain some of the vocabulary differences between the U.K. and the U.S.

Even though Liz does an excellent job of describing things, the sketches that are included throughout the book give even more details. For instance, she described some of the Scottish cows, but when I saw it in the sketch, it was like "now I get it." After reading that chapter we took a trip to the Carolina coast, and there were some cows in a pasture. My husband and in-laws were commenting that they had never seen cows like that before. I remembered the images from this book and was able to explain that they were Scottish cows.

One thing I didn't discover until I had almost finished the book was the Scottish glossary in the back. I've created a Scottish glossary for writing purposes, but it's wonderful to have this resource as well. It includes several words I didn't include in mine.

Liz's fun personality glows in her writing and you get a glimpse of her faith. I'd love to meet her one day at a writing conference. Maybe I'll get that chance through ACFW, where we are both members of American Christian Fiction Writers.

It's a wonderful book. If you enjoy learning about Scotland, even if you aren't considering a trip there anytime soon, I would still recommend reading it. My Heart's in the Lowlands is a great experience!

To learn more about Liz Curtis Higgs and where to purchase this book, click here.

Kinnaird Head Lighthouse Castle

2009-07-21T06:08:00.003-04:00

Kinnaird lighthouse was built inside the remains of Kinnaird Castle in Fraserburgh of Aberdeenshire in 1787 by Thomas Smith, an engineer who was a member of the Northern Lighthouse Board. The small town of Fraserburgh was developed from a fishing haven by Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth with the approval of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1545. It was known as a haven of refuge for ships that were overtaken by storms. Kinnaird Lighthouse is the first documented lighthouse built in Scotland. It is also the site of the first radio beacon in Scotland in 1929.

It has a stone Wine Tower on the edge of the cliff where a tale of tragedy has passed down from generation to generation. According to legend, A daughter of the house fell in love with a piper who was imprisoned by her father in a cave beneath the tower. He drowned by high tide. Grieved and heartbroken, the lass jumped to her death.

The links below will take you off this blog to other photos. Be sure to view the arial photos. It will give you a real feel of the place and it's location to the rocky shores of Scotland.

Kinnaird Head Lighthouse Castle

Aerial views of Kinnaird Lighthouse

Frazier Family of North Carolina

2009-07-16T06:24:00.008-04:00

Our Frazier line comes from Clan Fraser. My 6th great-grandfather was George Thomas Fraizer born about 1725 in Inverness, Scotland. He died about 1790 in Guilford County, NC.

You won't find our Fraizer family listed in Douglas Kelly's "Carolina Scots" because they didn't come by way of the Cape Fear River to the Carolina coast. Nor are they recorded in the historical books of the Presbyterian churches, the predominant faith of most Scots at this time.

George Thomas Fraizer arrived in Pennsylvania. Some records indicate around York County. Since Pennsylvania was the foundation of the Quaker religion in America, George might have converted to Quakerism at this time. The Quakers kept excellent records that have survived the last couple of centuries, and it is by these records we have been able to trace George Thomas Frazier and his descendants.

They came down "The Great Wagon Road" to North Carolina settling in Orange County, which later became Guilford County. The Quakers first established New Garden Friends Meeting, which became the cornerstone of all the other Quaker churches in the south. Later they established Centre Friends Meeting about 1752 in southeast Guilford County near the Randolph County border. My Frazier ancestors helped with the early establishment of this church. The first photo of this post is of a monument with a sketched inscription of what the original church looked like. The second photo is a memorial to the James Fraizer family who is recorded in the records as being buried here, but no tombstone has survived. This is also the case with my 3rd great-grandmother, Nancy Frazier Saferight.

The Frasers of Scotland are descended from three brothers who arrived in 1066, according to Master James Fraser, 17th century minister of Wardlaw-Kirkhill on the south shore of Beauly Firth. Two main Fraser lines evolved in northern Scotland. One was through Sir Alexander Fraser who married Bruce's sister. This family line held Cairnburg Castle, Aberdeenshire. The other family line is from Sir Simon Fraser, brother of Alexander, who founded the House of Lovat in Inverness-shire.

The lands of Fraser Castle (shown in the photo on the left) was given by James II in exchange for land near Stirling in 1454. Today's castle was built by Lord Fraser in 1633. Cluny Castle nearby was also a Fraser landmark. Fraser Castle is now owned and operated by The National Trust of Scotland. The castle is open for visitation.

There are so many insightful details to Clan Fraser and their contribution to Scotland that I'll be covering them in various upcoming posts. In the meantime, if you are interested in joining Clan Frasier, visit their website for more information.

Clan Fraser of North America
Clan Fraser of Scotland and the United Kingdom

Threave Castle - Scotland

2009-07-09T06:49:00.003-04:00

Threave Castle is a four-story tower located on Threave Island nestled on the broad side of the River Dee in Kirkcudbrightshire near the town of Castle Douglas in the lowlands of Scotland. While these ancient lands once belonged to the rulers of Galloway, this 14th century tower was built by Archibald the Grim, one of the Black Douglas Earls of Nithsdale. The outer wall actually dates to the 15th century, indicating a later restoration or addition. Even today, one must cross the river by boat in order to reach Threave Castle. It's location is perfect as an offensive and defensive stronghold, since it lies on the main invasion route from the south, and served as a gathering point for plundering raids into England.

The Douglas family was loyal to Robert the Bruce, and as a result, received an earldom from Bruce's son. Black Douglas became the third Earl of Douglas, Lord of Galloway and Warden of the West March. The Douglas family continued to thrive and gain prominence. When Archibald Douglas, the 5th Earl of Douglas died, two men fought for his place. Sir Alexander Livingstone and Sir William Crichton invited the young 16-year-old Douglas heir to dine in Edinburgh Castle. All three were murdered.

King James invited William Douglas, the 8th Earl of Douglas to Sterling where he was stabbed and killed. It was said that King James resented the power of the Douglas family. He began a campaign to dismantle the Douglas strongholds and waged a two-month siege against Threave Castle. In spite of the heavy bombardment, the castle held out and the Douglas family did not surrender until King James promised various payments and safe conduct. The crown then took control of Threave Castle and surrounding grounds.

Sources Include:

"Castles of England, Scotland and Wales" by Paul Johnson.

"Threave Castle: The Stewartry of Dumfries and Galloway of Southern Scotland" on the website About Scotland.

The Glencoe Heritage Trust

2009-07-07T07:13:00.000-04:00

As an amateur genealogist and a lover of history, I believe we need to preserve as much of our history and heritage as possible. That's why when I read about The Glencoe Heritage Trust organization in the Henderson Clan newsletter, An canach, I knew I wanted to blog about it in hopes of raising more awareness to the effort of saving and preserving the ancient lands of the MacDonald Clan.

Clan Donald has been associated with the Glencoe lands since the 14th century when Angus Og MacDonald of Islay bestowed the lands to his son, Iain Abrach. By the 17th century the land passed to control of the Campbells of Argyll when the MacDonald chief had to forfeit his lands for supporting King James. A couple of years later he was murdered at what became known as the Massacre of Glencoe. The MacDonalds gained a portion of the lands back until 1894 when the lands were put up for sale.

The lands contain a house that was build by Lord Strathcona, which now serves as a hospital. Along the River Coe, the historic Eilean Munde lies as the traditional burial ground of the MacDonalds. Other historic significance includes the Old Mill of Glencoe, the Crofters Common Grazings, the last remaining Ancient Woodlands of Glencoe, fishing rights on Loch Triachtan and eight miles of salmon netting rights on Loch Leven.

Alistair MacDonald raised private funds ($105,000 pounds) to save this land in unsecured loans and established The Glencoe Heritage Trust, which now owns the land. A sum of $49,000 has been raised to repay the debt, but the rest must be secured to ensure that these lands are never sold again and the ancient history of Glencoe is preserved.

If you'd like to help, email: glencoe-heritage@talkj21.com for more information.

July Highland Games

2009-06-30T07:45:00.002-04:00

Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
July 9-12, 2009
McRae Meadows, on Grandfather Mountain near Linville, NC
This is one of the largest highland games on the eastern coast. You don't want to miss it. For more information, visit their website at: www.gmhg.org.

Highland Blessings Cover

2009-06-25T05:15:00.003-04:00

My cover for Highland Blessings is now available! I think the Abingdon Press designers did a superb job. Please be on the lookout for my book May 2010. In the meantime, I've listed a brief description and posted a video book trailer on YouTube below.

Description
Scotland, 1473

Highland warrior Bryce MacPhearson kidnaps Akira MacKenzie on her wedding day to honor a promise he made to his dying father. When he forces Akira to wed him, hoping to end a half-century feud between their clans. She struggles to over come her anger and resentment...Yet her strength in the Lord becomes a witness to Bryce. But there is a traitor in their midst...and murder is the ultimate weapon.

If you would like to rate it on YouTube, go here.

Pictorial History of Tredegar, Wales

2009-06-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

Tredegar in south Wales is constructing a pictorial history of Tredegar and surrounding areas, available for free viewing online. They are requesting any photos, old or new of Tredegar Town or the Valleys area.

If you feel you can help please contact them. Credit & Copyright will be provided provided to photographers. To see their Gallery with over 2,000 photos, please visit: http://www.tredegar .co.uk/gallery/ gallery.asp. Email photos to Webteam@Tredegar. co.u.

Galloway Family of South Carolina

2009-05-26T06:00:00.006-04:00

Our Galloway family settled in Darlington County, South Carolina. Galloway is a territorial name from a region in southwest Scotland. The associated clan name for Galloway is a sept of MacFarlane Clan.

My gg-grandmother was Elizabeth Galloway who married William Wesley Hudson. Her parents were George Galloway and Susanna Pipkin. Her grandfather was Absalom Galloway. Based on circumstantial evidence, we believe that Absalom's birth was during or before the 1760's. Our Galloway family cemetery is still in the Galloway family and in excellent condition on private property. While we aren't sure exactly when and where our Galloways came to the Carolinas, we do know they were here by the mid-to-late 1700's due to the land deeds and will records from the area.

As time permits, I plan to continue researching the the Galloways in the Carolinas.

Book Review - "Carolina Scots"

2009-05-19T06:00:00.004-04:00

by Douglas F. Kelly and Caroline Switzer Kelly

This is a nonfiction work that is an historical and genealogical study of over 100 years of emigration. The book begins with a Preface that explains the author's background, knowledge and education on Scottish history and his upbringing in the Carolinas. He states that this is not an exhaustive study of all Scottish settlers that came to the Carolinas and that it mostly concentrates on his family roots and those he knew who came to the Carolinas through the Cape Fear region.

There are several Scottish emigrants who settled in the Carolinas that came through Charleston, South Carolina and down the Great Wagon Road from Pennsylvania and a few through Virginia. Those families are not covered in this book.

The book is primarily broken down into two parts. The first consists of a brief history of Scotland that includes an outline of Scotland's geography with an illustrated map of the country. The author explains the difference between the highlands and the lowlands, the culture, and language of those regions. An explanation of the highland clan system is given, clan structure, poetry and music, housing and living conditions of the 1700's with photos and illustrations, social relationships, and schools and churches in community life.

The author then describes changes in farming practices, rent raising, and forced removals by estate holders and managers who widely contributed to the mass migration of Scots from their mother country. The Carolinas became a popular area for Scottish immigrants to target as they received many letters from family and friends describing the Carolina colony as a vast opportunity for commoners to start over and buy cheap land since there was so much of it, and be near other Scots who were already established in Carolina. It helped that North Carolina had a Scottish governor.

Photos of homes built by Carolina Scots are included, along with a brief excerpt on their lifestyle and the business market in the Carolinas. Most Scottish immigrants were Presbyterian and began churches that still exist today. They struggled to find enough educated and qualified ministers. The Argyll Colony petitioned the Presbytery of Inverary and Synod of Argyll for a presbyterian minister in 1739, 1741 and again in 1748.

The Gaelic language was widely spoken in the Sandhills of North Carolina and along the Upper Cape Fear region since the arrival of the Argyll Colony in 1739. As with many immigrant families today, most Scots were bilingual. They spoke Gaelic in the home and at church, but English at school and on the job. Fayetteville, NC had a Gaelic printing press in the early part of the 19th century and several of their publications are preserved in the Presbyterian Historical Foundation in Montreat, NC.

Part Two of this book covers the family history and genealogy of the 1739 Argyll Colony in North Carolina. Three hundred and fifty men, women and children arrived with the first ship of this colony. A list of 52 names are given that have been verified. Some of the surnames include, McNeill, Armstrong, Clark, McAlester, MacLaughlin, McPherson, Buie, McCranie, Campbell, McDuffie, Stewart, McGill, Smith, Smylie, Ward, Colvin, and Cameron.

Each family section has a brief introduction and then it lists the parents and their children, and the following subsequent generations. An exhausted list of sources is given for every chapter and section. This is an excellent book with historical documentation and detail, as well as a wonderful source of genealogical reference for the descendants of those families.

If you would like more information on this book, visit:

www.carolinascots.com

Fordell Castle

2009-05-14T06:00:00.002-04:00

King James IV gave the lands of Fordell to the Henderson Clan in 1511, which is now Fife, Scotland. The castle wasn't built until 1567. A bridge leads to the entrance of the castle, past a weir that used to hold back the waters of the Fordell Burn, and a lake that has dried up. Historical records show that Mary, Queen of Scots visited as a guest when Marion Scott, her lady-in-waiting, married George Henderson, the laird.

Unfortunately, the castle was destroyed by fire and had to be rebuilt around 1580. Oliver Cromwell's army nearly destroyed it in 1651. In 1866, the estate passed to Hew Duncan, second son of the Earl of Camperdown through marriage. During the 20th century, the castle was destroyed. Only the remains of the stonework of the foundation existed.

The ruins of Fordell Castle were purchased by Sir Nicholas Fairbairn, a lawyer and politician. He restored the castle and used it as a private residence, living there until as recently as 1997. It then sold to a local veterinary surgeon, and then to a multi-millionare businessman. In November 2007, Fordell Castle was sold as the fifth-highest-priced home ever sold in Scotland and remains a private residence.

Scottish Glossary for Novelists

2009-05-12T06:00:00.002-04:00

In writing a Scottish novel, whether it be medieval or a later time period, the author must portray a Scottish dialect and a Scottish tone must be present in the narrative. While accomplishing this, the author must achieve it in a way that isn't overbearing, annoying, and hard to read. The best way to do this is to use a few Scottish words, blended in the text. You'll find other Scottish glossaries online that are much more in-depth than this one, but they tempt you to overdo it, with all the extra, unnecessary information.

Below is a list of words that will give a Scottish novel the tone it needs without being overbearing.

1) Clan - Consists of families claiming a common ancestor and following the same hereditary chieftain, specifically in Scotland, but some clan systems exist in other Celtic countries such as Ireland and Wales. The word clan means children.

2) Clan Chief or Chieftain - Ruler of a specific clan, traditionally the heir would have to be elected. In the present-day system, the chief must be approved by The Court of the Lord Lyon (Lyon Court). Chieftains can be rulers of a branch of a clan, while a Clan Chief can be ruler of all the clan branches and ruling Chieftains. These rulers led their clans in battle, made decisions regarding disputes among clan members, etc.

3) Laird - A member of the gentry and a heritable title in Scotland, very similar to the titled, landholding lords in England. The title is granted to the owner of an estate and may hold certain local or feudal rightss, as well as voting rights in Scotland's Parliament.

4) Lass or Lassie - A young girl.

5) Lad - A young man.

6) Aye - Yes.

7) Nay - No.

8) Ken - To know. Many American southerners use a similar expression such as, I reckon it's time to retire for the night.

9) Mayhap - Perhaps.

10) Yer - Your.

11) Ye're - You are or you're.

12) Mither - Mother.

13) Da - Father.

14) Tartan - A plaid design of Scottish or Irish origin consisting of stripes of varying width and color usually patterned to designate a distinctive clan.

15) Plaid - A twilled woolen or cloth fabric with a tartan pattern worn by various Scottish clans.

16) Kilt - A knee-length skirt (although many Scots hate this term) with deep pleats, usually of a tartan wool, worn as part of the dress for men in the Scottish Highlands. Only available after the mid-1700's.

17) Great Kilt - Clothing made from wool, often grown on one's own sheep. The yarn would be taken to a local weaver for cloth, 27" wide and up to 30" wide. The first known reference to the Great Kilt was in 1594. One description is quoted as, "their exterior dress was mottled cloaks of many colours with a fringe to their shins and calves, their belts were over their loins outside their cloaks."

18) Aft - Often.

19) Bairne - Baby.

20) Loch - Lake.

21) Claymore - Large sword.

22) Daft - Mad or crazy.

23) Glen - Valley.

24) Kirk - Church.

25) Wee - Small.

26) Auld - Old.

27) Tarry - Take one's time.

Golden Retrievers Bred in Scotland

2009-05-07T16:05:00.005-04:00

It wasn't until I was reading through a magazine I had picked up from the Loch Norman Highland Games that I discovered how Golden Retrievers originated. They were developed at Guisachan near Glen Affric on the highland estate of Sir Dudley Marjoribanks.

His breeding records from 1835 to 1890 were finally published in 1952, revealing that he crossed the yellow-coloured Retriever with a Tweed Water Spaniel. Golden Retrievers were originally developed to retrieve waterfowl shot from the air by hunters as well as other land game. They were bred to have a soft mouth so they wouldn't damage the game while retrieving it and to have a love of water.

Because of their intelligence and flexibility, many people use them in such roles as illegal drug detection, search and rescue, hunting dogs, and guide dogs for people with disabilities. Golden Retrievers are known to be friendly, eager-to-please and to possess a patient demeanor. Everything about them makes them great for family dogs.

The photo above is of our Golden Retriever, Kada, with my daughter and my husband. Kada is four years old and a delight to our family.

The Gathering 2009 & Robert Burns

2009-05-05T19:29:00.008-04:00

This year an international gathering of the clans will take place in Edinburg, Scotland, July 25th - 26th. It was developed as a signature event of Homecoming Scotland 2009, to encourage those with a passion or connection to Scotland to come home. It is expected to be "the greatest international clan gathering the world has ever seen, and the largest Highland Games to have been held in Scotland" as quoted from www.clangathering.org. This website will give you all the history and details of the event.

Also, 2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland. Several Highland Games are celebrating Robert Burns' birthday anniversary as the theme for their events.

Who was Robert Burns?

He was born January 25th, 1759 in the village of Alloway, in Ayrshire. His father, William Burns, worked as a gardener on the Doonhom estate. He also farmed his own crops. He saw that Robert received a decent education. Robert's mother went about the house singing folk songs, stirring Robert's creative imagination. These traditional melodies inspired Robert to write some of the finest songs ever composed, and later his poetry career.

They were a poor family, required to relocate to several farms, all of which proved infertile and unprofitable. Robert fell in love with a young lady by the name of Jean Armour and married her, but her father forced her to renounce Robert and tore up the legal document. This painful experience later shines through his work.

Heartbroken, he resolved to emigrate to Jamaica. To raise the funds for his trip, he decided to try and sell some of his poetry. His first print run sold 612 copies and became the topic of conversation in literary circles. He forgot about his trip and visited Edinburgh instead, accepting several social and literary gatherings. He began making a small fortune with his poetry.

He bought a farm, establishing his own home and returned to Ayrshire in 1788. Robert sought to marry Jean Armour as his wife, and this time her father and the rest of her family welcomed him with open arms, due to his success and acclaim. His health rapidly declined. While he lay dying, his wife was unable to be at his funeral as she was giving birth their ninth child, of which only three survived infancy. He was only 37.

You can read more about his life and works at www.robertburns.org.

The Henderson Clan

2009-04-28T06:00:00.001-04:00

Our family recently joined the Henderson Clan of the US and I'll be sending in a small genealogy report on our North Carolina line. Unfortunately, I've only traced it back to James Henderson born around 1815. Our new Henderson Family webpage is now up on Rootsweb. Check it out here.

In trying to determine when and where our Henderson line arrived in the Carolinas, I've discovered a few possibilities. There is a James Henderson Family that came in through Wilmington around 1720, but I haven't been able to tie them to our line.

Another possibility is a very large Henderson family from Granville County, North Carolina. There is evidence that this line arrived from Virginia, and possibly from Pennsylvania before that, down the Great Wagon Road.

My husband has agreed to a DNA test if it's needed. We did a DNA test in my Hudson line and it has proven to be quite beneficial.

If you have a Henderson line from the Carolinas, I'd be interested in hearing from you.

Highland Games Coming in May

2009-04-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

May 9, 2009
9th Annual Historic Bethabara Park Celtic Festival & Highland Games
Games begin at 9 AM
Buildings open from 10:30 AM
2147 Bethabara Road
Winston-Salem, NC
For more information, click here.

May 22-23, 2009
5th Annual Mint Hill Highland Games
The Mint Hill Park on FairviewI-485,
Exit 44 (Highway 218)
Mint Hill, NC
For more information, click here.

Wolfstone Kilt Company

2009-04-21T06:00:00.002-04:00

This past weekend we attended the Loch Norman Highland Games and discovered the Wolfstone Kilt Company, which provides authentic, custom-made costumes for highland attire. I'm looking for a late-medieval gown around 1473, similar to what my character Akira MacKenzie would have worn in my debut novel, Highland Blessings. The photo on the left is me in my new gown. It is for the Renaissance time period, but gorgeous just the same.

I spoke to the owner, Virginia Watson, and she worked with me to pick out a plaid pattern. I wanted something that would be authentic to one of my own family clans, but I could only order them in wool or silk. Since I'm allergic to wool, and silk is rather expensive, I settled on a generic plaid. She was very helpful and informative. I learned that the length of a gown's arms was based on a woman's station in life.

We first ordered a gown for my daughter that would be custom-made to fit her size. They allow you to pay half down when you order, and you can pay the rest before they ship your order. This is very convenient for those of us on a budget. My daughter's gown should be ready in 6-8 weeks.

If you would like to check out Wolfstone Kilt Company, visit their website at www.potomacleather.com. They are located out of Virginia and travel to many of the Highland Games and Festivals.

Loch Norman Highland Games

2009-04-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

This weekend (April 17-19, 2009) the Loch Norman Highland Games take place at Rural Hill Farm in Davidson, North Carolina. A few of the highlights will included:

Children’s games and activities

Live Scottish and Celtic music with a Saturday night Celtic Jam and Concert

Genealogy Search – Council of Scottish Clans and Associations (COSCA), the Tartan Museum, and Family Tree DNA

Scottish Clans and their representatives

Piping and Drumming with sanctioned competitions and massed band performance

Highland Dancing with sanctioned competitions

Scottish Country Dancing

Harp and Fiddle sanctioned competitions

Heavy Professional and Amateur Athletics

Food Vendors

Merchandise Vendors

Historical Encampment with Long Bow shooting competition

Battle Axe throwing

Climbing Wall

For detailed information on tickets, event registration, schedules and locations, visit here.

Molly's Scottish Clan and Jennifer's Were Enemies

2009-04-14T06:00:00.002-04:00

Please welcome guest blogger, Molly Noble Bull, author of historical Christian fiction and Scots-Irish descendant. In this post Molly has been kind enough to share a bit of her heritage. ________________________________________

The Clan Colquhoun originated in Luss, Scotland on Loch Lomand, and my branch changed the spelling of the name from Colquhoun to Calhoun when they arrived in America.

According to legend, the Colquhoun Clan was an ancient enemy of the McGregor (Jennifer's ancestry clan) and McFarland Clans and especially Rob Roy McGregor.

James Patrick Calhoun was born in Donegal Country, North Ireland in 1688 at Crosh House Estate, Newton-Stewart, and County Tyrone, Ireland. His wife, Catharine Montgomery, was born in 1684 at Convoy House, County Donegal, and Londonderry, Ireland. In 1733 they left Ireland and traveled to the United States with their four sons, Ezekiel, William, James and James Patrick Jr., and their married daughter, Mary Catherine Calhoun, and Mary’s husband, John Noble.
My name was Noble before I married, and I am directly descended from John and Mary Catharine Calhoun Noble.

The families first settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where James Patrick Calhoun, Sr., died in 1741. Later, they resettled in Augusta County, Virginia where John Noble died in 1752. After John's death, Mary Catherine Calhoun (Noble) and her children moved with her widowed mother and her four brothers to the Long Cane area of South Carolina near Abbeville.

In late January 1760, the Cherokee Indians began to worry the settlers of the Up-County of South Carolina. On February 1, 1760, the people of the Long Cane Settlement were fleeing to Augusta when the Cherokee attacked them. Twenty-three members of the Long Cane Settlement were killed, including Catherine Montgomery Calhoun, and her son, James Calhoun.

The Long Cane tragedy is personal for me in two ways. My great, great, great, great grandmother was killed in the massacre, and my husband is part Cherokee—the very tribe that killed my ancestor. And of course, all of my descendents are part Calhoun and part Cherokee. My story proves once again that God is good. He can make something good out of a horrible situation.

To see what Luss, Scotland looks like today, visit here.

Sanctuary by Molly Noble Bull begins in France in 1740 and ends in Luss, Scotland. Sanctuary won the 2008 Gayle Wilson Award and tied for first place in the 2008 Winter Rose contest, both for published Inspirational authors. You can learn more about Molly and her books at

http://www.mollynoblebull.com/. Two of her favorite scriptures are Proverbs 30: 4 and Genesis 9: 4.

The Argyll Colony of NC

2009-04-09T06:00:00.003-04:00

Gabriel Johnston, was a lowland Scot who served as North Carolina's governor from 1734-1752. He wrote enthusiastic letters to friends and family back in Scotland encouraging them to migrate to the Cape Fear region of North Carolina. He offered them free land grants of two crops each year, and possible exemption from taxation for a time.

Most likely they landed at the port of Brunswick and then traveled up the Cape Fear Valley about 90 miles to what is now Fayetteville. They established a number of Presbyterian churches in the area, many of which are on the present-day property of Fort Bragg.

Gaelic was universally spoken throughout the area from about 1739 until around the 1860's during the Civil War. As with many Latino families today, most of these families were bilingual and spoke Gaelic at home and at church. Fayetteville had a Gaelic printing press in the early 19th century and some of their publications are preserved in the Presbyterian Historical Foundation in Montreat, NC.

For more information, visit:
http://www.theargyllcolonyplus.org/history.html

Or read:
Carolina Scots by Douglas E. Kelly and Caroline Switzer Kelly

Loreena McKennitt

2009-04-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

When I'm writing a book, I enjoy listening to music that inspires the creative muse in me. Since I write historical fiction, it helps to listen to a selection that is of the time period I'm writing about and helps me emerse myself in that era.

As a result, I discovered Loreena McKennitt's music when I was writing my debut novel, Highland Blessings. My favorite CD of hers is The Book of Secrets. Two of the songs I enjoy most on this CD are: The Mummers' Dance and The Highwayman. A version of this story was told by the character Anne Shirley in the second movie of Anne of Green Gables, one of my favorite movies.

Her music is Celtic. She has a beautiful voice that gives one a feeling of peace and contentment. Each song she sings has a drammatic storyline. As an author, I enjoy the stories as much as the music. If you've never heard her music, and you enjoy the Celtic sound, I would encourage you to visit her website and listen to some of her beatiful samples.

Campbell Castle

2009-04-02T06:00:00.003-04:00

Castle Campbell was originally called Castle Glume (Gloom) when it was built in the late 15th Century. It was first owned by Walter Stewart of Lorne. It became Colin Campbell's keep, the first Earl of Argyll, when he married Elizabeth Stewart in 1465, an heiress of the estate. At his request, the name of the castle was changed to Campbell Castle by King James IV in an act of Parliament in 1489. The castle remained in the hands of Clan Campbell for several generations and hosted Mary Queen of Scots in 1563. The castle was occupied by Cromwell's forces in 1653 and partially burnt by General Monck in 1654. The castle was owned by the Taits and Orrs in the 19th and 20th centuries, until the National Trust for Scotland took it over in 1948.

The buildings within the castle include a tower house, hall, chamber range, and an east range. The tower house has four main floors. The ground floor contains a vaulted storage cellar. An upper entrance, once reached by an outside staircase, leads into the hall, the principal reception room. An original narrow spiral staircase was replaced in 1600 by a more substantial one. The terrance gardens are located to the south.

The second and third floors of the tower were most likely used as private chambers. It is possible that the hall and chamber range served as the residence for the Earls of Argyll, since the reception room and the east end were on a much grander scale. This part of the castle now lies in ruins.

The east range dates from about 1600 when it was remodeled. The south-west corner of the rocky knoll is locally referred to as John Knox's Pulpit. To the west of the castle there would have been a kitchen garden.

Upcoming Highland Games in the Carolinas

2009-03-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

This month there is only one upcoming Scottish Highland Games event in the Carolinas. The other has been cancelled due to recession difficulties. Please check out the linked sites below for specific costs, location, and details. If you know of any others for the month of April, please list them in the comments section. Thanks.

April 17th - 19th, 2009
Rural Hill Scottish Festival and Lock Norman Highland Games
Huntersville, NC (north of Charlotte)

May 1 & 2
Triad Highland Games
Greensboro, NC
*Postponed to 2010!*

The Scotch-Irish: A Social History of Scotland

2009-03-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

by James G. Leyburn

Growing up in North Carolina, I always knew we had a huge group of Scotch-Irish settlers in the Piedmont of the Carolinas, but I didn't understand their ancestry. Were they from Scotland or Ireland? Many of them had been here for so many generations that they no longer knew where they came from--my family included. I was left to assume the Scotch had intermarried with the Irish and that is why they were called the Scotch-Irish. But as I've recently discovered, there is much more to the story.

I've finished reading The Scotch-Irish: A Social History by James G. Leyburn published by the North Carolina University Press. It begins with Scotland in the 16th century and lays out the lifestyle and condition of the Scottish families and Scotland as a country on the political front. What I have discovered is sad, but the spirit of these people was never broken. They have endured and sought new opportunities to better themselves, and many thrived when given the chance. They had strong convictions and they lived by them, even through oppression and persecution.

Most families were living in poverty and renting their farmland and homestead from an overlord, who considered it his responsibility to protect the tenants on his land. With so much lawlessness, families and neighboring villagers were dependent upon each other from other Scots raiders. Feuds often broke out among the overlords regarding land boundaries, while the number one cause was cattle stealing. It seemed that Scotland was in a constant state of undeclared civil war, while always fighting the English. These people had a hard life and to other countries seemed barbarious in the way they lived.

The borders between Scotland and England were very difficult to maintain under control, but in 1603 when James VI of Scotland became James I of England after Queen Elizabeth's death, both countries finally had a common ruler. He enforced military retaliation against border raiding, and appointed English and Scottish commissioners to catch criminals that tried to escape passed the borders. They were sent back to their own country to be tried by the court. By 1610, the borders were under control enough for safe travel and prosperous trade between the two countries. The lowland Scots adapted to this new way of life, but the Highlanders in the up country of Scotland continued to live in their barbaric ways. The Highlander prided himself on how well he could reive a Lowlander's cattle and almost thought of it as a sport. This developed a dislike between the Highlanders and the Lowlanders.

England decided to try and subdue the Irish who they saw as wild and untamed as the Highland Scot. While the Reformation achieved its purpose in Scotland and many were converted from Paganism and Catholism to Protestant, no such reformation had occurred in Ireland. Queen Elizabeth decided to colonize Ulster of Ireland, a province of the counties of Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Derry, Fermanagh, and Tyrone in northern Ireland. Her hope was to transport English families there to bring change, but many English had no desire to be transplanted. But the Scottish families were ripe for establishing the colony. They were Protestant (Presbyterian) and they were looking for an opportunity to leave their poverty stricken homes for the hope and promise of new lands, prosperity, and a chance to do better for themselves and their families. In 1609, England opened the Ulster Colony to Scotsmen.

Over the next century the colony prospered. The Irish were not happy losing their land and being forced to give up what was theirs, but over time they began to accept the Scottish. Some Irish families intermarried with the Scottish and new generations had begun to think of themselves as Irish even though their ancestors were Scottish. These were the Scotch-Irish.

In 1717, their landlords began raising rents higher than the common people could afford. The English colonies of America were sending representatives to Ulster hoping to hire indentured servants and find Ulsterman who would work on their plantations. They promised a land of opportunity, prosperity, and a chance to save enough money to purchase their own land. Many couldn't pay for their own passage, so they sold themselves as indentured servants for four to seven years. At the end of their indenture, some would receive an agreed upon sum of money and even a tract of land, and some basic farming tools. After the first wave of Ulsterman emigrated, they wrote back to their kinsmen of their success. Things in Ulster had grown worse and between 1720 - 1750's a mass emigration of Scotch-Irish arrived to the colonies. Many of them came to the Carolinas and settled.

CFBA Book Review - A Passion Redeemed

2009-03-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing

A Passion Redeemed

Revell (September 1, 2008)

byJulie Lessman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Julie Lessman is a debut author who has already garnered writing acclaim, including ten Romance Writers of America awards. She is a commercial writer for Maritz Travel, a published poet and a Golden Heart Finalist. Julie has a heart to write “Mainstream Inspirational,” reaching the 21st-century woman with compelling love stories laced with God's precepts. She resides in Missouri with her husband and their golden retriever, and has two grown children and a daughter-in-law. A Passion Most Pure was her first novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
No man can resist her charms. Or so she thought. Charity O'Connor is a woman who gets what she wants. Her stunning beauty and flirtatious ways have always succeeded with men. Until Mitch Dennehy, that is.

Brilliant and dangerously handsome, Mitch is a no-nonsense newspaperman who wants nothing to do with her. Charity burned him once, destroying his engagement to the only woman he ever truly loved. He won't play with matches again. But Charity has a plan to turn up the heat, hoping to ignite the heart of the man she loves. And she always gets what she wants--one way or another.

Or does she? Will her best-laid schemes win his love? Or will her seductive ways drive him away forever? Book 2 in the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Redeemed will captivate your heart and stir your soul with a story of faith and redemption rising from the ashes of temptation, desire, and shame.

Praise for the first book in the series:

"Full of romance, humor, rivalry, and betrayal, A Passion Most Pure will captivate readers from the first page." --Historical Novels Review "Superb! Incredible!

"I loved Julie Lessman's A Passion Most Pure from the second I picked it up until the very last moment I stopped reading." --Armchair Interviews

"I devoured this book and loved every single page. . . . This is a thick, juicy read, and one I would pick up again in a heartbeat." --christianreviewofbooks.com

If you would like to read an excerpt from A Passion Redeemed, go HERE.

The Carolina Tartan

2009-03-19T06:00:00.003-04:00

Even though I was born and bred in the Carolinas, it was only recently that I discovered that the Carolinas had their very own tartan. No other two American states share the same tartan except North and South Carolina.

Peter MacDonald designed the Carolina Tartan in 1981, but it was his father, Micheil MacDonald who came up with the idea. The design was taken from a pre-1800 sample from the Prince Edward Charles Stuart tartan. Since King Charles II of England was the last king of Scotland to be crowned at Scone, January 1, 1651, and it was said that he wore a jacket of ribbons suspected to have been the Royal Stewart Tartan. King Charles II opened the Carolinas through a land grant in 1663.

For further reading, visit:

http://www.carolinatartan.com/index.html

http://www.scottishtartans.org/clanlink.html

The Truth About St. Patrick

2009-03-17T06:00:00.005-04:00

Who Was St. Patrick Anyway?

Patrick was born to wealthy parents in Britain around the end of the 4th century. Most scholars believed he may have died on March 17th, (460 A.D.).

He finally escaped from prision after another 6 years. According to his writing, he believed God told him in a dream that it was time to leave Ireland. Back in Britain, Patrick experienced a second revelation in a dream in which an angel told him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick trained over the next 15 years in the ministry. He was ordained as a priest and sent to Ireland.

Since he was familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick used traditional rituals when teaching Christianity rather than attempting to destroy the Irish pagan beliefs. For example, to celebrate Easter, he used bonfires since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He included a sun on the Christian cross to create what is now widely known as a Celtic cross. These tactics helped to make things seem more natural to the Irish.

Celebrating in America

Even today, many Irish descendants gather to share a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage. People are supposed to wear green and if they aren't, they might get pinched.

So have a great St. Patrick's Day and be sure to wear your green!

Early Highland Warror Clothing

2009-03-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

When I decided to write a Scottish medieval novel, I discovered that my "idea" of what a medieval highlander would wear was completely incorrect. What I had seen in photos and movies like Braveheart and had read in other Scottish novels had given me the wrong impression. Even after I discovered this, my opinion of the movie didn't change. I still love it. But the depiction of the characters in my book would be different.

I wanted them to be as accurate as possible, but I didn't want to throw people out of my story by using terms such as "leine" when most people would be unfamiliar with the term. So I chose to use the terms "plaid" and "tunic" to refer to my hero's clothing. The other alternative would have been to use the specific terms and include a glossary in the back. I don't know about others, but when I read for education, I don't mind a glossary, but when I read for pleasure, I would find it annoying. I'd love to hear some opinions on this.

Modern kilts as we know them today date back to around 1725. It’s similar to a skirt with pleats from the waist down to slightly below the knees. However, it is not a skirt.

The Great kilt or Belted Plaid dates back to 1594. The great kilt was an untailored garment made of cloth gathered up into pleats by hand and secured by a wide belt. The upper half could be worn as a cloak draped over the left shoulder and secured by a brat (clip) or draped down over the belt and gathered up at the front. In cold or wet weather, they might have brought it up over the shoulders or head for protection against weather.

Before the Great kilt or belted plaid, they wore a long shirt that is known as a "leine" in Gaelic and thought of as a "tunic" in English. A plaid of wool cloth would have been draped over the shoulders and around the arm and fastened by a brat. The tunic came down to the knees on a man and was much longer on a woman. Because of the length on a woman it was similar to what we think of as an English chemise.

The association of clan family specific tartan colors and plaid designs was a late development in the 17th & 18th centuries. However, much earlier family clans that lived within a region would wear similar plaids and colors because they used the same seamstresses in the area. And of course, families that intermarried typically lived in the same region in medieval Scotland, especially in the highlands. Much of the clan colors and design patterns associated with specific family clans probably derived from this regional practice.

For more detailed information, visit these sites:

http://albanach.org/kilt.html - The Early History of the Kilt by Matthew A. C. Newsome

http://albanach.org/leine.html - The Leine by Matthew A. C. Newsome

http://www.geocities.com/~sconemac/kilt.html - A MacCorkill, History of the Scottish Kilt

http://reconstructinghistory.com/ - This site has some excellent resource material

Book Review - A Passion Most Pure

2009-03-10T06:00:00.001-04:00

by Julie Lessman

Description

Faith O'Connor refuses to settle for anything less than a romantic relationship that pleases God. She arms her heart against her desire for Collin McGuire, a man with a rakish reputation and a magnetic appeal that keeps tugging at her. But when Collin tries to win her younger sister's hand, Faith isn't sure she can handle it. Tension escalates in the O'Connor household when Collin sets his sights upon Faith, while still courting her sister.

With the Great War raging overseas, new fears arise as America initiates the draft and the story is carried to Ireland. Filled with passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, A Passion Most Pure is a captivating saga that will grip readers from the beginning and not let go until the last page.

Review

I loved this book! Many books I have read in Christian fiction are so careful to keep the romance on a surface level that you hardly see the relationship developing, until the end when they suddenly declare their love for each other. At the end of a book like this I'm left wondering, when did that happen? But not with A Passion Most Pure. This book shows Faith's simultaneous attraction to Collin while she wrestles with the choice to reject him. It doesn't hide temptation, but shows how a Christian must sacrifice certain desires for the sake of our Lord's blessing.

Through this story God's faithfulness to his servants in granting them the desires of their hearts is so vivid as Collin develops a sincere relationship with God. Collin isn't only converted to Christianity, but the book shows his faith walk as he too must make decisions and choose new paths different from what he once took.

Since this is Julie Lessman's debut novel, I'm very excited to see what the rest of her books in this series will hold. A Passion Most Pure is appropriately titled, as the passion is definitely present on so many levels--both romantically and spiritually. This is one of those satisfying stories that will move you to the same emotional level that the characters are experiencing. And when you finish reading it, you're sorry it's over.