Campbells

[REALMACTAVISH]

THROUGH HISTORY THE CAMPBELLS HAVE EARNED A REPUTATION FOR DECIET AND TREACHORY, THEIR BACKING OF THE ENGLISH AT CULLODEN THE WORST. HERES A COUPLE OF OTHER NASTIES.BY THE WAY 'CAM-BEUL'COMES FROM THE GAELIC AND MEANS TWISTED MOUTH, LIAR.
AT DUNOON THEY HELD THE CLAN LAMONT CASTLE TO SIEGE. THEY TOLD THEM IF THEY CAME OUT THEY COULD ALL GO FREE. .THEY CAME OUT AND WERE ALL KILLED.
GLENCOE THEY MASSACRED THE MACIANS OF MACDONALD IN THEIR SLEEP HAVING BEEN GIVEN SHELTER AND FOOD BY THEM.
AND SO ON.
SADLY THESE EVENTS WERE DOWN TO 2OR 3 BRANCHES OF CLAN CAMPBELL AND BECAUSE OF THE NAME ALL CAMPBELLS HAVE BEEN TARRED WITH THE SAME BRUSH!
THE CAMPBELLS OF BREADALBANE ,AUCHINBRECK(MACTAVISH FRIENDS)AND CAWDOR WERE GREAT PEOPLE GENERALLY SPEAKING.
IN ARGYLL THEY STILL SAY TODAY' I CANT SAY THE NAME CAMPBELLWITHOUT SPITTING' WHICH IS A SHAME

[Misty]

My daughter's friend who went to Scotland said there was a sign on a Pub that said something like "Campbells are not welcome here".

I agree with you Real MacT that it's a shame the actions of some Campbells gave a bad name and feelings toward all Campbells. Are not the MacTavish and Campbells cousins from far back?

Misty

[rhona]

Hi Misty---I can say for sure I have a female Campbell married to one of my old McTavish ancestors but in Inverness,not Argyll as you mightexpect--so Ive always romantically imagined she could've been one of the Cawdor Campbells- ha----but in truth there were quite a lot of Campbells up in the Ardersier /Campbelltown area.
There's plenty evidence of interclan marriage in Argyll shire over several hundred years,but the MACTavish apparently held on firmly to their own identity.
Did you say your familycame from Fife?? ---just that I came across some old notes on an ALEXANDER MACTAVISH married to a Christian Mackay in Beith,FIFE in 1818----Im fairlysure this guy has links to Inverness area coz he turns up in the1820's alongside my family in Nairn,after having a baby girl in Huntly---a place in which my family settled later on.---maybe just a coincidence---but I seem to remember spotting a Duncan and an Angus in the FIfe igi which are all family names too!---hope you can manage to come over and get a real sense of place,in person---you'll love it!
Yes these are scary times to travel---but once Bush and Blair are out of office Im hopefull things will settle a wee bit----assuming they havent triggered the big one by then!
Ive just returned from a 4000 strong anti-war march thru the streets of Edinburgh my feet are all blisters and it was hardly mentioned on thenews,but my conscience is a tad better and I feel a tiny candle glow in myheart from seeing such a vast range of age,race , culture and creed walking shoulder to shoulder together for peace and justice!---
Scotland has a long and wonderful tradition of fair-play and a strong social conscience so whenever I feel like emigrating away from this warped and twisted government
(whose spin doctor is a Campbell BTW!) it helps to go into the city once in a while to feel the international vibe and still see so many different peoples living in peace and harmony.
I really really hope that Real Mac has hung up his guns in favour of his pipes---and turned his swords into ploughshares---or this old peacenik mightfind herself an outcast from the clan gathering and all associated whisky/porridge/puddin races!
love to all
Rhona.

[REALMACTAVISH]

my sentiments may shock you rhona. As a career soldier my most important weapon was my strength of character(mactavish) my second was my diplomacy skills. Thirdly my clan's history of fair play( and rebeliousness). my 'gun' was only ever used as an absolute last resort. sadly- there is need for soldiers;i can testify to that.i always saw myself as a protector and peacekeeper. i fed starving refugees from my ration packs,protected a school full of screaming infants from outnumbering troops intent on ethnic genocide. i disinterred a mass grave of raped and butchered children in sierra leone and hunted down the b#st#rds that did it. and yet i have recently become a father and have decreed that Alex will not be a soldier. the 2 current conflicts are not about what they want us to believe theyre about. i have yet to meet a soldier that thinks we should be in afghanistan (opium)or iraq(oil). sadly soldiers now protect business and profit.
i was in the falklands- on secondment because of my language skills and saw some serious action there. i lost good friends and ..well it was bad. i was at Tumbledown. i watched Thatcher on t v saying we were saving the poor falklanders- who didnt particularly like us. go there today( i was at mount pleasant recently) theres a gas rig or mineral mine every 10 yards. that s what that was about. one of the bravest men i ever met was simon weston,the badly burned man. hes been on tv publicly saying we should not be in iraq.most squaddies think the same. yet; for legitamite causes- we need people like me.
more years ago than i care to remember i was in the thick of the ireland conflict, confused and sympathetic to both sides. i made my first ever attempt at writing.its simple but has insight
I'M TOLD TO HATE A CELT LIKE ME
YET I LOVE HIS WOMEN,DRINK BLACK BEER
THE ARMS I CARRYARE NOT THE KEY
IT'S UNSAID WORDS THAT BRING ME HERE
i was quite prophetic.words did stop that conflict

[cathy]

The times of today leave me so confused..............I look at Israel, and what happened to the jews in WWII and think that they should be..............
BUT.............................


I look at 911 and I can not tell you how I cried.......... and cried..........

then I go to Iraq, and wonder what in the F**** are we doing here............
and our young people die, and there young people die............

and then fast forward to London, and our people were supposed to die.............

and then you wonder why are we fighting this old McTavish story.................


I don't know, but it feels right, I as a citizen can not solve this....I can only live it and pray that things will be OK>.................

Catherine Rose McTavish

[REALMACTAVISH]

just take care of yourself and those you love, create a sanctum and react to outside events if they affect you and yours..............thats my phylosophy now; done my share. my 1st and utmiost job in life is to watch my baby son, protect him and direct him in things that matter before im not here anymore. youre right cathy about the mactavish feud. this is right
hi misty; youre sort of right about relationship to campbells. our progenitor thamhais was half brother to 1st campbell probably called colin. keep smiling

[rhona]

I never doubted you for a minute Real Mac----no man who can write so powerfully yet so profoundly could be without a soul and your poetry could stand beside that of Owen and Sassoon Im sure.
Even Churchhill said jaw-jaw is better than war-war----and even tho my grandfather was decorated for his action in ww2 he never could speak of the things he witnessed.His father before him saw the horrors of ww1.
As you know , even more soldiers took their own lives following the Falklands conflict than all the comrades killed in action ,yet shell-shocked squaddies are STILL being forced to sign papers today denying their need and right to psychiatric help.
They dont even have decent boots on their feet,letalone the right equipment to defend themselves as they defend the oil fields for Haliburton and keep Sharon's inheritance safe.
They have all made the ultimate sacrifice----thats why I think we ,ordinary citizens owe it those who 've suffered to stand up for truth and justice----after all is that not what democracy is supposed to be all about?????
Or else we just accept dictatorship via the placebo soundbite and ultimately embrace apathy!
I didnt intend to wax political on this web-site,Im not a total Pacifist Penelope but these are very different ,deceitful and dangerous times we're living in----it is absolutely vital that ordinary folk arm themselves with accurate information and dont just swallow the spin ----HISTORY WILL JUDGE US and so will our grandchildren.---
So anyway--- LETS NAIL THIS LOUSY LYING CHEATING MACTAVISH IMPOSTER who speaks in our name------- but REMEMBER the mighty clare is mightier than the sword!------

[cathy]

Rhona, I have always known that I liked you! You speak for us all!

Cathy

[REALMACTAVISH]

[/B]SLAIN'TE RHONA. IM AN OLD WARHORSE THATS BEEN PUT OUT TO PASTURE..IF I'D LEFT A LITTLE EARLIER I'D HAVE BEEN PUT OUT TO STUD! WE LIVE AND LEARN![B]

[rhona]

Pasture works for me-----especially when you have the precious time to soak it up and share it with your kids----ENJOY----you've earned it!

[REALMACTAVISH]

yes rhona; thanks for that. i did many things in my life i thought of merit but nothing as good as creating Alex. sometimes i watch him sleeping and tingle all over. i have a much younger wife and was present at the birth. she says they cut the cord and attached it to me. they put alex and i in a wee room when he was moments old and i gave him his 1st ounce of milk! this big tough squaddie cried at the beauty of the moment . i havent put him down since. hes a carbon copy of me too. my wife is a nurse from portobello, edinburgh

[rhona]

-----I dont think there will ever be a dry eye reading that Real Mac---
Even glass eyes won't stand a chance!
I'm so very happy for you and your lovely family,
Maybe you've heard this old Celtic blessing---

May God be with you and bless you
May you see your childrens children
May you be poor in mis-fortune,rich in blessings
May you know nothing but happiness From this day forward.

(BTW--- you can't go wrong with a Porty girl----my dad can testify to that!)

Hers another wee Celtic blessing for all our cousins across the water;

May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sunshine be warm upon your face
And rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again---
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.


'Looking forward to hearing more true stories here and hope you'll forgive my tangent offing of!!!!

[cathy]

The two of you have given me a wonderful start to my day!
Thank you!

[rhona]

Hey-----you're the glue that keeps us together Cathy!

[REALMACTAVISH]

i'll second that rhona..........gonna close the subject with one of my published(which means you can't steal it plastic and fatpat-it's copy writed) poems that doesnt rhymn.
THISTLES IN ARMAGH

I AM ONE LEFT BEHIND, BATHED IN LIGHT
TO MOURN THE SHADOWS OF OTHER'S LOVES
THEY ENDED LIFE
INHALING ACRID,BURNING AIR
TWISTED AGONIES OF SEARED FLESH
MOUTHING WORDS OF FORGOTTEN PRAYERS
ENACTING DREAMS
AS METAL AND BONE
FUSED TO ONE
CREATING AN OBELISK
ABHORANT, SILENT IN IT'S SHAME

FROM SOMEWHERE; A RECESS OF COMMUNAL THOUGHT
THE BLAME RESOUNDS ON ME
FOR I WAS THERE
I DID THESE THINGS TO OTHER MEN
SQUINTING, GRIMACED DOWN A FLAMING SIGHT
TALKING TO A WEAPON
IN HUSHED WHISPERS RESERVED FOR LOVERS
BODY TENSED IN PREPARATION ; SHOULD MY TIME BE NOW
AND I SURVIVE, A SCREAMING WITNESS
THE CANCER OF LIABILITY


REALMAC

[cathy]

Some one appears to have hacked into my forum........................fdsjlkfdsjlksfdjlka

I can find things, but can not get to the beginning page...........
I wonder who might have done something like that hummmmmmmmmmmmm

Cathy

[cathy]

REALMACTAVISH

THAT IS a awesome poem..................it really makes you think. haunting
Thank you!

My Grandfather was in WWI, and wrote some poetry about living in the Trenches, your poem reminded me of him...........

[Misty]

Cathy, I'm so sorry you were hacked. That is really a cowardly and childish thing to do if done by whom we think.

Real MacT, I love your straightforwardness, bravery and love for your child. As Cathy said that was an awsome and haunting poem. Thank you.

Rhona, thank you for the Celtic blessing, and you're right about bringing the tears after reading what Real MacT said about his child.

Misty

[REALMACTAVISH]

misty, i cant explain why; but there is an afinity between you and i

[Misty]

You rhymed Real MacT! :D Think it could be "in the blood ?" Good old Scottish blood? :D

Misty

[REALMACTAVISH]

IM SURE IT IS ; WE'RE ALL MUCH CLOSER THAN WE THINK