It's not about the colors necessarily, it's about having a tartan specifically for my family. I used the clan's pattern as a starting off point because it's one of the tartans that my family is associated with. For that matter I could have used a Scott or Burnett tartan as the basis... again, tartans my family is associated with. I chose Cian because it's the clan the Dooley name is most closely tied to.

It is not meant to supplant the clan tartan at all, but since Irish clans/tartans are more about a region or district and less about a family's lineage, I thought it would be nice to eventually register a tartan for my actual family... and to be honest, whether a Dooley somewhere else wanted to wear it or not would be their call, I certainly wouldn't have a problem with it.