From my Scottish perspective, I have to admit to a certain cynicism. The 2009 Edinburgh gathering might have been good fun for our visitors from overseas but what was the point of calling it a Homecoming Event when there were few if any Scots on the clan tents to welcome our visitors, and when the cost of joining the clan march was made so expensive as to discourage all but the most ardent few Scots.
Spare a thought for the Scottish performers, and also for the tradesmen who set up and dismantled the event, and who made it such a great event for our overseas visitors, yet were left unpaid when the American based organiser liquidated his company.
Because the 2009 event was such a fiasco Stirling Council were able to buy the right to stage the next gathering for a bargain price. Hopefully they will be able to find somebody more competent who can organise it much better than the 2009 fiasco.