Iain MacGillivray: Our new Clan Commander

As many of our members know, Clan MacGillivray has been without a chief since the death of John William MacGillivray XIII of Dunmaglass in 1914 and John Farquhar in 1942. Since then no-one has been able to satisfy Lord Lyon – who has jurisdiction over all heraldic business in Scotland – of their blood connections in order to become chief. Recognising that the Clan was without a “leader”, in 1973 Lord Lyon appointed Canadian George MacGillivray as Commander. Following George’s death in 1994 the clan has been without a chief or commander.

In 2015 a group led by the Clan MacGillivray International Association began a process to appoint a new commander. The regulations set out by Lord Lyon are strict and a “family convention” was required. Nominations were called for and an historic vote took place on 15 April 2016 at Culloden, Scotland. There were 4 nominations and active clan societies from Australia, Scotland USA, Canada and the Netherlands were able to vote.

Our members may recall that we asked them to participate in an online poll to help inform our Australian Clan Society’s vote at the family convention. Australia’s representatives in the Skype hook-up were Clan President, Jill McGillivray and Secretary, David McGillivray.

Candidate Iain Donald MacGillivray, 29, born in Inverness, won the vote of the family convention. He was recommended to Lord Lyon who has recently appointed Iain as Commander of Clan MacGillivray for a period of five years. Iain is the nephew of a Clan MacGillivray Society Australia member, our own Callum MacGillivray.

Iain said: “I am very proud of my Clan MacGillivray roots and their world-wide associations and will endeavour to foster and grow them”.

We look forward to seeing where Iain’s leadership takes our clan, and offer our congratulations to him for his appointment as our Commander.

Image: Iain MacGillivray at the Well of the Dead on Drumossie Moor (site of the Battle of Culloden)