Clan Macneil Association of America

We celebrate our proud Scottish heritage through friendly association, the promotion of traditions and culture, and the sharing of information. Our research extends from the roots of the Clan to the present-day life of the Macneils of the Isle of Barra and the McNeills of the Inner Hebrides. Join us as we explore the clan Macneil around the world. Find us at clanmacneilusa.us

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Join Our Adventure in Scotland!

Clan MacNeil is heading to Scotland in 2024! We hope you'll join us!

Are you ready for an unforgettable journey through the heart of Scotland? We are thrilled to extend a warm invitation to all Clan MacNeil members to join us on a remarkable group trip to Scotland from August 4th to August 14th, 2024. Get ready to immerse yourself in the rich history, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality of this enchanting country. Tour Stops Embark on a captivating…

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Join the Clan MacNeil Team of Volunteers!

We're always welcoming new volunteers. We have a particular need on our membership team - reach out to [email protected] if interested!

Calling all Clan MacNeil enthusiasts! Are you looking for a chance to support your favorite clan and make a difference? Look no further! The Clan MacNeil Association of America (CMAA) is always seeking dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers to join our team. If you’re interested in supporting our mission and making an impact, we’d love to hear from you. As a member-run organization, we rely on…

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CMAA Commissioner in Nevada, Lowell Patton

Get your Celt on and join Clan MacNeil at the Las Vegas games this weekend!

Lowell Patton wears many hats within CMAA organizaiton: Clan Macneil Nevada Commissioner, Commissioner Coordinator, and Council Member Lowell has been the Nevada Commissioner for Clan Macneil for over ten years.  He has arranged tents at the Reno Celtic Celebration and the Las Vegas Highland Games.  Clan Macneil held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Las Vegas Highland Games in 2019. …

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Kick off the 2023 Highland Games in NC at Loch Norman with Needham and Phyllis Bass!

Come on out to the Loch Norman games! Phyllis and Needham will be there, ready to greet you!

Join Us in Loch Norman Phyllis and Needham Bass will be hosting the Clan Macneil Association of America tent at the upcoming Loch Norman Highland games, this April 15th and 16th.  The games take place at beautiful Rural Hill historic site and nature preserve.  The Loch Norman Games features Men and Women’s Scottish Games, piping and drumming competitions, dancing competitions, live music, a kids…

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Calling All CMAA Members! It's time to send in your articles for The Galley

Members! We'd love to see you in The Galley! Articles for the next issue are due 3/15/2023. Check out our blog for details!

What is The Galley? Published twice a year, “The Galley” is a family literary magazine by the Clan MacNeil Association of America (CMAA). It represents the international diaspora of Clan MacNeil kin, with a focus on cultural, historical, and personal accomplishments. Each issue features profiles of interesting MacNeils (of any of the related family sept names … think Neill, O’Neal, McNeill, and…

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Terry and Bonnie McNeill, Enjoying the Good Life!

Our California commissioners, Terry and Bonnie would love to meet you during this weekend's The Queen Mary Scots Festival and Highland Games in Long Beach!

Our Southern California commissioners are Bonnie and Terry McNeill. Bonnie is a retried nurse and worked at Loma Linda University Medical Centre for 40 years. Terry is a 38-year veteran of the Colton Fire Department who retired as Battalion Chief. We are enjoying the good life traveling and exploring in our 40 ft. motorhome. We love to kayak. They take them whenever they travel – picture it:…

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Help Weave Together the Fabric that makes up Clan MacNeil Worldwide : newstaging-clanmacneilusa.us

Discovering Your DNA Discovering your DNA is an exciting opportunity to reveal valuable insights about your ancestry. With the vast number o

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Toast to the Bard: Celebrating a Traditional Burns Night Supper

As you celebrate Burns Day, we thought we'd share a bit about the Bard!

Ode to the Bard Ah, Burns Night! Every January 25th, Scots and Scots-lovers the world over celebrate the life and poetry of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. But how did this tradition start? The first Burns supper was held in 1801, just five years after Robert Burns’ death. It was organized by nine of his closest friends and held at Burns’ home in Alloway, Scotland. The night was filled…

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Join Us for the 2023 Annual General Meeting!

We can’t wait to meet you in Seattle! This year’s Clan MacNeill Association of America‘s Annual General Meeting will be held in conjunction with the Seattle Scottish Highland Games. These games are held July 21-23, 2023 at the Enumclaw Expo Center. Our hosts, Bill & Ellen Huls and Jennifer MacNeill are working with our President Kenny McNeil to plan the meeting, including the general business…

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Meet Florida Commissioner, Jamie Ryan!

Jamie will be hosting the Clan MacNeil tent at this weekend's Central Florida Scottish Highland Games. Join us in the Parade of Tartans on Saturday (noon) or Sunday (12:30) by meeting at the tent about 20 minutes beforehand. All are welcome!

If you’ve attended any of the Highland Games in Florida in the past couple years, you’ve probably been fortunate enough to meet the unsinkable Jamie Ryan! Jamie brought her infectious personality to her role of CMAA Central Florida Commissioner. You can meet her in person at many of the games in the southeast or via the Clan MacNeil of Central and Southern Florida Facebook group. We’d like to…

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Reaching Out to Our Scottish Community

Thank you to our friends at the Scottish Banner for sharing this month's edition. We know it won't replace the in person celebrations of our culture but hope that helps us feel connected in kinship as we continue to practice social distancing.

During this unprecedented time, we are very anxious of what is happening across the globe. With Scottish events being heavily impacted by postponements and cancellations worldwide, members of our Scottish community organisations cannot get out to attend and celebrate Scotland as we have all enjoyed in the past.

Please feel free to download the latest issue of the Scottish Banner, which I…

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Off the Beaten Path Attractions – Part 2

Off the Beaten Path Attractions – Part 2

Yes, you are mostly like to go to the Royal Mile (I am 98% sure) while in Edinburgh to shop at the tourist shops as well as see attractions such as The Real Mary King Close, The Scotch Whisky Experience or Edinburgh Castle at one end and Holyroodhouse Palace at the other end. There are also multiple museums of all types up and down the Royal Mile as well but what about the some of the other…

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Off the Beaten Path, Part 1

Off the Beaten Path, Part 1

Did I peak your interest in the “Off-the Beaten” attractions/path from my last blog. Keep in mind if you have more time to travel around Scotland which is usually at least 12–14 days or more, there are great sites than the most common ones in and around the cities/towns. For my next few blogs, I am going to start with Glasgow and make my way upwards North, back around the West Coast and some of…

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Maximize A Short Visit to UK! (part 2 of 2)

Maximize A Short Visit to UK! (part 2 of 2)

We pick up with Paige’s family in Edinburgh for 2 ½ days, where they can actually walk to most of the best attractions all off the Royal Mile such as The Real Mary King Close Tour, St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, The Scotch Whisky Experience Tour, Tartan Weaving Mill, walk to Arthur’s Seat and see a panoramic view of Old Edinburgh and more with all the shops to visit too. Another option is…

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Did ye ken ... Celebrating Hogmanay, Scotland's new year celebration, includes the ancient tradition of 'first-footing' which is the tradition of visiting your friends and neighbours immediately after midnight to be the first to see them in the new year. Be sure to bring shortbread, coal, a cake and, of course, whisky for good luck! #hogmanay #newyears

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Packing Cubes - a great way to organize your packing!

Packing Cubes – a great way to organize your packing!

7th in the “Are you ready to check-off “Visit my Clan Homelands” on your bucket list?” series

Packing clothes and accessories seems easy enough but these days there are so many accessories to make packing even more efficient for saving space in your bag as well as organizing it so it doesn’t become a disaster going in and out of it. As mentioned in my last blog, shorts are not always the best…

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Need a New Bag? Selecting your Luggage

Need a New Bag? Selecting your Luggage

6th in the “Are you ready to check-off “Visit my Clan Homelands” on your bucket list?” series

How do you pack for a trip? This may be a silly question but for international traveling, it really isn’t. The next few blogs will cover 1. Deciding on the size of your main Luggage and Carry-On Bags; 2. Organizing (you’re your stuff to pack) and 3. Items to pack to be used outside your Luggage when out…

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