Can a young blood like me breathe new life into my ancient family? Oh yes I clan Youngest chieftain on his global role

NEW COMMANDER TELLS HOW HE WENT FROM SHEEP

When Iain MacGillivray was voted to become Scotland’s youngest clan commander, he didn’t expect his appointment to cause much of a stir.

But in the last 18 months the kilted Highlander has been invited to Celtic gatherings across the world, met Outlander author Diana Gabaldon, visited the tomb of Bonnie Prince Charlie and was even asked to appear on Big Brother.

Farmer Iain, of Calrossie, near Tain in Easter Ross, was just 29 when he was chosen to become commander-in-chief of Clan MacGillivray, making him one of the youngest chiefs of modern times.

He now plans to use his youth to help drum up renewed interest in his clan.

Iain, now 30, said: “When I was voted in, I didn’t expect to be chosen at all. I was sure the clan would pick someone older and wiser.

“But I think the fact I had youth on my side helped tick a few boxes in my favour.

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the response my becoming commander has had – even the makers of Big Brother have been in touch asking if I would be interested in taking part in their show.

“There is an authoritative body on the Scottish clan system that’s called The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, and they joke they are ‘The Barely Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs’ because of the age of the majority of clan chiefs.”

The clan elected their new leader at a convention in Inverness in August 2016 attended by MacGillivrays from all over the world.

Iain beat competition from three American candidates to become the first Scottish head of Clan MacGillivray in more than 100 years.

The last Scottish chief, Captain John William MacGillivray, died in 1914 with no heir. The title passed to his cousin, John Farquhar MacGillivray, who lived in Toronto and held the role until 1942 when he too died without an heir. The post has remained empty ever since. Iain, who is the eldest of six siblings and helps run his family sheep and cattle farm, said: “It is rare for a clan to be withoutout a chief, but no one came forward wwith a valid claim. “The Lord Lyon, who deals with all matters relarelating to heraldry, encencouraged the clan to appoint a commanderin-in- chief, who could gogo on to become chiechief.” IaIain, who plays the bagpbagpipes and fiddle, speaks Gaelic and is a ttaa lented athlete who competes regularlyregu at Highland Games, won the overwhelming majority of votes. Over the past year-and-a-half he has been on a mission to do all he can to promote his family history and galvanise his clan, who have tens of thousands of members. He has attended Clan MacGillivray association gatherings everywhere from Melbourne to the Netherlands and Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada.

He is using his international relations degree to help him set up and organise what he hopes will be his clan’s biggest global gathering, which he is arranging to be held near Tain in 2020.

He is also currently setting up his own clan commander Facebook page.

Iain, who is single, said: “There is a big Outlander craze at the moment which is helping romanticise and generate new interest in Scotland’s clans which is fine by me, particularly if it leads to new members of Clan MacGillivray.

“I met Diana Gabaldon, the author of the Outlander series, last year in Beauly. I had my kilt on and a Clan MacGillivray banner, and she was very receptive and knew of the clan.”

Last summer, Iain made a poignant visit to Charles Edward Stuart’s burial place at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

Closer to home, he visits the battleside memorial stone of one of his clan’s most famous chiefs, Alasdair MacGillivray, who died fighting for the Bonnie Prince at Culloden in 1746.

Despite his age, Iain had his own brush with death just months after taking up his new role as head of his clan when he suffered a broken back after being crushed by a tractor in an accident on his farm.

Iain said: “I think one of the reasons I was voted to become commander-in-chief was because my age meant I would probably have a long future with the clan ahead of me, but that almost didn’t happen.

“We were putting up a fence on the farm, and I was on the ground lifting the fence posts when the bucket of the tractor fell on top of me.

“It weighed a ton and the doctors have told me they don’t know how I survived.”

Iain will hold the role of clan commander for the next five years, after which he can apply to become chief of the clan.

But even after up to 20 years in the post, he will have to stand aside if an heir from the previous chief ’s hereditary line comes forward.

Iain’s first year as commander of Clan MacGillivray has been captured on film by Solus Productions for an hour-long documentary. The Young Clan Commander: Am Fear- Cinnidh Og airs on BBC Alba on Wednesday, April 4, at 9pm.

I think that I had youth on my side helped tick boxes