After hundreds of years, members of thegenetic “Clan McWho” came home to Scotland to gather for the veryfirst time for this historic event. They were participating in theInternational Gathering of Scottish clans and families in Edinburghtook place over the weekend of the 25th and the 26thof August, where both McWhos and Wilsons shared each others company.
The Saturday was spent by membersvisiting various clan tents and discussing shared DNA heritage withthe varies surnames associated with our project, mainly theFergusons, Livingstones, the McKenzies and Clan Donald. Kilwinnetdiscovered that our McWho L21 mutation is also important with theclans of Donald, Campbell, McPherson and McKenzie – all having members with this ancient marker, said to represent the indigenousScots or Picts found on their clan-lands from early times. In theevening all the clans marched from Holyrood up the Royal Mile toEdinburgh castle, where a pageant followed to finish what was a mostenjoyable day for all attending. The McWhos and the Wilsons marched withClan Donald who were cheered all the way along the route, by themany spectators and city residents who had turned out to watch the clansparading. This was a once and a life-time experience for thoseattending. The Parade is now on YouTube!
On the Sunday it was back to HolyroodPark and we all met up for an informal discussion about all thingsMcWho. It has been suggested that for any future InternationalGathering, we should have our own tent, possibly sharing with theWilsons or another group. There is talk by the organisers of holding another one in 2014, the 700th anniversary of theBattle of Bannockburn when Scotland defeated the greater Englisharmy. As the next event is nearly five years away, who knows how bigour project will become as new members are found in the genetic mistof time!
