by Doug Moses
Convenor Doug Moses with Fear an Tigh Kent Hay Atkins and his wife, Alison
North Carolina's Clan Hay Convener, Douglas Moses, set up and ran the Clan Hay tent at the 56th annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games at MacRae Meadow on the extended weekend of 7-10 July 2011. Located in the Appalachian Mountains of north-central North Carolina, Grandfather Mountain's MacRae Meadow is a scenic place to gather the clans together. Well over one hundred clans were represented.
Thursday afternoon saw MacRae Meadow drenched by a very heavy thunderstorm, but the skies cleared in time for the Raising of the Clans shortly after dark. The ceremony is always impressive with the flaming torches forming a gigantic cross of light in the middle of the field. Clan Hay's Convener proudly proclaimed that "…the clan of the Earl of Errol, the hereditary Lord High Constable of Scotland, Clan Hay is here! A-hay! A-hay! A-hay!" He was loudly answered by Kevin Hay and his eighteen family members down from Washington, DC one of whom took third place in the junior caber toss.
Clan Hay in the parade at Grandfather Mountain 2011
Many thanks go to Ben and Donna Hay from Alabama who helped set up the tent on Friday morning. Ben and Donna pitched right in and set up the "Clan Hay Annex"—the all important food tent--quickly and efficiently thus taking a big load off the Convener's shoulders. Kent Hay Atkins the Fear-an Tigh and his lovely wife Alison were also in attendance leading Clan Hay in the parade of tartans on Sunday.
Sunday morning was truly remindful of a misty highland morning. Visitors were many and quite a few membership applications were taken, either to become members of the society or to renew membership in Clan Hay.