Kirking

[RayMc]

I wrote this short article about a year age for the Mists of Moigh, (newsletter of the Clan Mackintosh of North America)

Kirkin O’ the Tartans
by Ray McHatton
This past Spring I had the distinct privilege to represent Clan Mackintosh in the Massachusetts St. Andrew’s Society Annual Kirkin O’ the Tartans. This service is held each year near Tartan Day at the St. John’s Episcopal Church in Taunton, Mass.
Kirk is the Scottish word for Church. Kirkin of the Tartan is a traditional blessing of the tartan by the Clergy. After the disastrous Jacobite defeat at Culloden, tartan became unlawful to wear. The Clan system, based upon its recognizable tartan patterns was dismantled in the wake of Hanoverian troops led by the Duke of Cumberland combing the Highland countryside in search of remaining Jacobite supporters.
As a means of survival, the Kirkin went underground, so to speak. At service, many folk would carry a piece of the tartan beneath his cloak, and hold it between the fingers at a certain moment when the priest was blessing the flock.
This concealed act of defiance fell by the wayside with the onset of the Highland clearances. Many thousands of Clansfolk were forced into emigration to the New World as their aristocratic landlords began to favor use of the land for the raising of sheep.
At the outset of WWII, there was a concern that many Scottish Americans may choose not to sign up in order to fight on behalf of Great Britain. Rev. Peter Marshall, U.S. Senate chaplain revived the Kirkin O’ the Tartan, which was held in Presbyterian churches across the country. He did this in order to re-awaken pride in the Scottish homeland which may have become dim over the generations.
Today, most every Scottish Highland games and festival features such a ceremony as part of the weekend worship service, if they hold one. I would encourage all conveners to be sure the Mackintosh tartan is present at these services whenever possible.

[Paul Henry]

I wrote this short article about a year age for the Mists of Moigh, (newsletter of the Clan Mackintosh of North America)

Kirkin O’ the Tartans
by Ray McHatton
This past Spring I had the distinct privilege to represent Clan Mackintosh in the Massachusetts St. Andrew’s Society Annual Kirkin O’ the Tartans. This service is held each year near Tartan Day at the St. John’s Episcopal Church in Taunton, Mass.
Kirk is the Scottish word for Church. Kirkin of the Tartan is a traditional blessing of the tartan by the Clergy. After the disastrous Jacobite defeat at Culloden, tartan became unlawful to wear. The Clan system, based upon its recognizable tartan patterns was dismantled in the wake of Hanoverian troops led by the Duke of Cumberland combing the Highland countryside in search of remaining Jacobite supporters.
As a means of survival, the Kirkin went underground, so to speak. At service, many folk would carry a piece of the tartan beneath his cloak, and hold it between the fingers at a certain moment when the priest was blessing the flock.
This concealed act of defiance fell by the wayside with the onset of the Highland clearances. Many thousands of Clansfolk were forced into emigration to the New World as their aristocratic landlords began to favor use of the land for the raising of sheep.
At the outset of WWII, there was a concern that many Scottish Americans may choose not to sign up in order to fight on behalf of Great Britain. Rev. Peter Marshall, U.S. Senate chaplain revived the Kirkin O’ the Tartan, which was held in Presbyterian churches across the country. He did this in order to re-awaken pride in the Scottish homeland which may have become dim over the generations.
Today, most every Scottish Highland games and festival features such a ceremony as part of the weekend worship service, if they hold one. I would encourage all conveners to be sure the Mackintosh tartan is present at these services whenever possible.

Your sources for this account please, I have nothing against romantic stories, but when they try to be factual it's hard to sit back and watch.

There really is nothing traditional about the "Kirkin", and as others have said it was started in the States in the 1940's not in Scotland in the 1740's

[McElmurry]

Your sources for this account please, I have nothing against romantic stories, but when they try to be factual it's hard to sit back and watch.

There really is nothing traditional about the "Kirkin", and as others have said it was started in the States in the 1940's not in Scotland in the 1740's

I agree with your first statement but would like to make a small point regarding your second statement.

The kirkin’ of the tartan appears to be a “tradition” in the USA. What is in question is whether or not it is based on a Scottish “tradition”. We are allowed our own “traditions” over here as young as they may be.

I agree one hundred percent that legend should be clearly called out as such. It doesn’t detract from the romance of a story to start with “Legend has it”.

[RayMc]

Much of this article was drawn from the Massachusetts St. Andrew's Society. The US institution of the Kirkin may well have been largely a propaganda move to gain support for the war effort amongst US Scots.

[Paul Henry]

Yes of course,it may be well traditional in The States, I have no argument with that at all, simply that poster was suggesting that it was a Scottish one. Many of us would be very happy to find some evidence or sources, but Todd ( amongst others ) has spent some time researching it, and so far has found nothing to substantiate a Traditional Scottish history to the "Kirkin service"

[ctbuchanan]

I've always heard, and ascribed to the theory, that a Kirkin' was a recent American tradition (and perhaps Canadian). There is only one I know of in Connecticut each year around Robbie Burns day. The smaller one day highland events don't sponsor any that I know of in New England. The New Hampshire Highland Games which is our biggest event in area (3 days 40,000 people) has a well attended church service on Sunday morning at which the clans are represented. The blessing of the tartan extends more to the members of the clans, families, and those in attendance than to the cloth itself. We also read the "Flowers of the Forest" list of those clan members deceased that year and pray for them as well.
Why do we do a Kirkin' of the Tartan? Because it's a nice thing to do.

[AFS1970]

There are two in CT that I know of. in October the First Presbyterian Church in Stamford does one. I used to go there with the St. Andrew's Society although I have not been in years. In May there is one at a Presbyterian church in New Canaan that they simply call Scottish Sunday. I have always wondered if this is to become more of a tradition, why they seem to be held on different dates, often with no connection to Scotland.