THE centuries-old rallying call of the Clan Colquhoun called all Colquhouns and Septs (Cowan, Kirkpatrick, Kilpatrick and McLintock) to the Annual Clan Gathering at Luss from Friday July 25 until Monday July 28 2008.
It was the tenth anniversary gathering since the re-establiment of the Clan Colquhoun Society of the United Kingdom. The two previous attempts to establish the Clan Colquhoun Society, in 1896 and 1966, ended after a few months.
The current society, reformed in 1998, has gone from strength to strength and now boasts clan members in five continents.
It has held an Annual Clan Gathering based in Luss — seat of the Clan Chief — since 1999. The four day event in 2008 was even bigger and busier than previous years, with over 110 members attending.
The opening event was a reception at Camstradden House, Luss, hosted by the Clan Chief, Sir Malcolm Colquhoun, and his wife Lady Katharine. Sir Malcolm became Chief on the death of his father, Sir Ivar, the 8th Baronet, on January 31 2008.
A highlight of the gathering was a march through Luss to the village Highland Games behind the Helensburgh and District Pipe Band, led by Sir Malcolm and his sons Patrick and Fergus. A Clan Colquhoun tent took pride of place opposite the main stand.
The society presented two trophies in memory of the late Sir Ivar and Lady Kathleen Colquhoun, to be awarded for endeavour in the local under 12 boys and girls categories.
Members enjoyed a cruise on Loch Lomond and visited the former clan seat, Rossdhu House at Luss, which is now the Loch Lomond Golf Club clubhouse, the monument in Glen Fruin to the 1603 battle, and Bowling and Old Kilpatrick, which both feature prominently in early clan history.
At the society's annual general meeting in 2008 it was agreed to consider appointing a United States administrator to promote the clan in North America and Canada.
In 2009 the Society took part in the International Clan Gathering in Edinburgh, and in July 2010 the clan's own Annual Gathering returned to the Bonnie Banks. It began with a reception held at Camstradden House hosted by Sir Malcolm and Lady Katharine and attended by some 40 members.
The next day the Clan March was held from the Luss car park through the village to the games field, and was led by the Machrihanish Dunes Sound of Kintyre Pipe Band, followed by members with banners and a flag flying.
