Family traditions

[Gael Ridire]

I have always been interested in family history beginning as a small boy. I'm one of the rare one's in that I knew my great-grandparents. Being the only child, of an only child, of an only child, I must say I've felt the pressure to continue the family gene pool. So in the last 30 plus years I've research and written down the family history. It was attending my first Highland festival in 1989, that I realized that the next step was teaching my children about their ancestral traditions.

We attended every Scottish festival that we could and joined the state Scottish Association. Dressed our kids in kilts, etc. One day in the car one son exclaimed, "Look he's Scottish!" Pointing to a man walking down the street in a plaid shirt. One day in church, during a special piano number of Bach, my other son yelled out, "But Dad, there's no bagpipes!" Yep, the teaching was taking hold.


(Estes Park, CO Celtic Festival 1992/93: My family represented Clan Kennedy.)

Then they became teenagers, and grew out of their kilts. Scouting events were always scheduled when there were Scottish events and the traditions faded away.

Tonight (Tuesday 23 Aug), we had a family meeting during my birthday party. And I talked about how important it was that my children and grandchildren learn, teach, and practice the traditions we (my wife & I) were developing for the family. Now I know there has been some discussions about mixing traditions & cultures; sorry, but that is what I'm doing. To me the Irish & Scots are the same. Yes I'm a mud-blood, my forefather's were almost all early immigrants, but the two most important bloodlines to me are my paternal (O'Brien of County Clare, Ireland) & maternal (Alcorn/Robertson of County Donegal, Ireland) lines. Attending that first Scots festival was like coming home, and strapping on the kilt I feel plugged in to my forefathers. It remind me of where I come from, and who I am. Again yes, I'm combining Irish & Scottish traditions. Irish really didn't wear tartan kilts, over 100 yrs ago decided to adopt the plain kilt. Cool. Tonight the family chose the wear the O'Brien Ancient tartan to honor our surname and to honor our Scottish lines too. They opted to get expensive kilts over the PV ones. To wear them to family functions (baby blessings, weddings, funerals, etc.). Plus our house our children & spouses will meet at one Sunday every month for diner and where their kilts. Attend Celtic functions, etc. It is going to take awhile to save up for the O'Brien Ancient tartan, and I don't know if having a bolt will be cheaper in the long run to make five kilts & plaids, three skirts & sashes. Plus there's finding the molds of our personal arms badges, or having them molded and cast again.

And hey, it just not the Gael/Celtic heritage; I told both my sons that even though their wives have Scots surnames (Ritchie/Makintosh & Baillie), they need to make sure that their children learn about their mothers Jewish & Samoan heritage too.

Now, I gotta get this weight off and it is hard when the meds you must take make one gain weight! But hey, I've lost 12 pounds, just thirty more to go! But hey, it looks like the traditions will continue on.