2014: A year of Homecoming (if you like golf or athletics)

Bertie Vogts new head of Visit Scotland? noooooooooo!!!

Last year Stirling Council didn't so much drop the ball on the gathering, more like they picked it up on the halfway line, dribbled past their own team then gleefully slammed it in the back of their own net! since then we've gone into injury time and star strikers; Mike Cantlay and Tom Chambers and the subs bench of Historic Scotland have provided very few chances and put in a performance that would have them on a free transfer to Clyde (its sort of ironic that Stirling currently sits bottom of the Scottish Football Third Division)

I've started this offering with a sporting theme, highly appropriate since our so called 'year of homecoming' in 2014 now seems to be more about golf and athletics than it is about heritage and culture. in 2009 we had our last year of homecoming and The Gathering in Edinburgh was the signature event. Rightly so this massive pageant was all about bringing together the Diaspora over two days that typified how Scottish culture is kept alive everywhere from Alabama to Yorkeys Knob (Queensland, Australia). This time when the idea for another year of homecoming popped back up again the date was set for 2014, lo and behold Glasgow wins the bid for the Commonwealth games (for American readers thats sort of like the Olympics but only with nations we've previously owned and you never got invited after chucking your tea in the harbour). Then of course we manage to score that great grudge match in casual jackets called the Ryder Cup.

All very nice but if anyone was expecting another great Clan showpiece thats not exactly the perfect bill is it?

Never mind though we still had 'The Gathering' at Stirling, that was until they managed to make a complete pigs ear of the whole thing. 'Move it to Glamis' everyone cried! 'Great Idea' shouted Visit Scotland, then promptly hid behind the sofa when the Glamis folk came asking for some assistance. 'Never mind' said Historic Scotland, 'You can all come round to ours were having a party anyway'.

Bannockburn: Great place for a battle maybe but a gathering?

As plans progress for the events around the 700th anniversary of Bannockburn many people are becoming less and less impressed. No more so than our overseas cousins whose patience is being tested more every day. Bannockburn is a reenactment event, Historic Scotland know how to run reenactments. However, its not a clan gathering, its just dressed a bit to look like one. Once you take the space required for the battle re-enactment, then the tented village with traditional weapon displays, falconry and food etc you are going to have space for maybe 45 clan tents. Thats going to mean either a stampede for places or a stampede in the other direction as even more people stay away in droves. So far around a dozen Clans have expressed an interest in having a presence with another 20 undecided. With the Event now around 18 months away i'm not brimming with confidence.

So lets look at whats on offer: in Bannockburn we have a reheated stew of a few clans, a battle reenactment some kestrels on sticks and a few stalls selling plastic swords, Over at Glamis we have.... well no one knows since they don't seem to be getting the funding for anything, Then out in the regions we have a growing programme of smaller clan events. bringing up the rear a possible clan convention and maybe a march somewhere but no one knows where, or indeed when, or indeed IF!

I have huge sympathy for those who have really wanted to see another world class clan event; The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, the American Scottish Foundation and COSCA. Unfortunately they have been confounded at every turn by the very organisations set up to promote Scotland's culture and heritage. In my opinion its a totally unacceptable situation.

Don't get me wrong, Bannockburn is a massively important event in 2014 but as the 700th anniversary of one of the most important events in the history of our nation, it doesn't need a 'clan' sticky label slapped on it - thats just disrespectful to both sides. As a standalone event it will not get the overseas draw that 2009 had and don't even get me started on a proposed march through Stirling, that will be lucky to draw a few stray dogs and a couple of depressed Stirling Albion supporters. I think the time has to come to make a brave decision, to politely turn round to Historic Scotland and say 'thanks for your kind offer but,,,, naw'

There is still time to put together a decent schedule of events for clans in Scotland in 2014, but as long as the smokescreen of Bannockburn is there we can't progress. With Bannockburn left to do what it needs to do without the burden of making space for the Clans it can progress as a stand alone event, Then we are free to really promote the clan events in the regions and also to concentrate on a large scale clan convention.

A two day convention in Perth could really work, many clan leaders are up for it, the highland clans will be happier to attend and clan society representation can be accommodated using indoor conference facilities (indoor booths instead of tents). There could even be a march and if possible the event could coincide with events that the Bruce clan are planning for Dunfermline in late June. All of a sudden you have a good two week schedule with the clan focus on the convention and getting round the regions. Suddenly the clan events have a focus instead of being a sideshow.

Its the last minute of injury time and Frank Wherrett has been pulled down in the box, the referee blows for a penalty, MacGregor steps up and places the ball on the spot, the crowd fall silent........

Just for once can we snatch VICTORY from the jaws of DEFEAT?