Celtic Culture
The Sherman Celtic Festival is always filled with numerous unique cultural exhibitions, demonstrations, educational and immersive opportunities. If you have ever wanted to know more about your Celtic roots, the Celtic Village and Cultural Area of our festival is a "MUST" for you.
We have 40+ Scottish and Irish clans in attendance this year.
Come out and experience the Celtic Culture!
Marsha Singer Cultural Tent
Marsha Singer was the Executive Director of the North Texas Irish Festival (NTIF) for 21 years. Marsha suddenly passed from this life on
March 2nd, 2023.
Marsha was a great supporter of the
Sherman Celtic Festival and fostered a relationship between the Southwest Celtic Music Association (SCMA) and the Texoma Society of CELTS.
Marsha will be greatly missed.​
In Marsha's memory, we have introduced the Marsha Singer Cultural tent where numerous cultural presentations and workshops will
be held throughout our event.
Please join in on many of the great presentations!
2024 Speaker Information and Schedule
John S. Bowers
John S. Bowers is a member of the Scottish American Military Society (SAMS). He retired in March 2020 after a 42-year-long career that included service as a U.S. Coast Guard officer and employment as an engineering manager in the aerospace & defense industry. He and his wife Diane moved to Texas to live closer to their daughter Natalie and her family. John received his BS degree in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (1977) and his MS degrees in Industrial Engineering and Business Economics from the State University of NY (1989 and 2002, respectively). He is an ordained Deacon in the Anglican Church of North American. John is also a member of the Naval Order of the United States, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Society of the Cincinnati, and the Order of St. John.
Jim Chaney
Jim was born and raised in Texas and has never felt the need to live anywhere else. He started
attending Scottish festivals back in the late 80’s and had a Scottish themed wedding in 1989.
Jim’s ancestors include many Scots, including Robert MacClellan, who arrived in Charleston, SC
December 3, 1767 on board the Earl of Donegal from Belfast, Ireland.
Jim has attended Scottish festivals in 7 states and is now working to grow that number every
year. He has more than just a few kilts and lots of accessories, including an impressive
collection of vintage kilt pins, some of which are over 100 years old.
Jim has done a fair number of different things to earn a living over the last 45 years and is
currently a CAT Trainer. Don’t know what that is? Come to one of Jim’s sessions and ask.
David Gressett
David Gressett is a native Texan from Odessa. He has an education in mathematics and
physics, with a BS in physics from Angelo State University and MS and PhD degrees in atomic physics from the University of North Texas in Denton. David has always had an interest in languages. During his formal education he took courses in Spanish, French, and German, and has also done some study of Latin, Italian, and Greek. Another interest, family history, brought him to Celtic languages. My research connected my ancestry to the first kings of Scotland, and I started learning their language, Scottish Gaelic, in 1999.
Dr. Arthur S. Busbey
Dr. Arthur B. Busbey is an associate professor of geology and Chair of the Department of
Geological Sciences at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Art has both a B.S.
and an M.S. degree in geology from the University of Texas at Austin
and a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Chicago. He taught at UT-Austin as a lecturer
for three years before moving to Fort Worth and TCU in 1985. Art
teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses related to paleontology, stratigraphy,
statistics and digital cartography He has worked in and around Big Bend National Park for
over 40 years. Art is the Chief of the Cowtown Scottish Society and the South
Central Commissioner for Clan MacLaren of North America. Art married another geologist,
Janet Nilsson, in 1977. Their eldest daughter and her husband are permanent residents of
London and their youngest daughter lives in Fort Worth.
J. Woolston Carr
J. Woolston Carr is the author of historical and fantasy adventure stories. He lives in
Texas, works at a library and teaches fencing. He is the founder and president of the
Victorian Fencing Society, a group that provides classes and demonstrations in
historical martial arts from the eighteenth and nineteenth century.
J Woolston Carr Blog
J Woolston Carr on Facebook
J Woolston Carr on Amazon
Scott and Diane Davis
Scott is retired Air Force, retired Social Worker rescuing, and a big history buff. After discovering his Scottish roots in 2005 and joining Clan Murray, he has also discovered that he is a descendant of Duncan I and Malcolm III of Scotland, and distant cousin of Robert the Bruce. He loves talking about the weapons the Scots carried and sharing that information with others.
Diane is an Army Veteran as well as a retired Information Technology Software Instructor and Telecommunications Specialist, member of Clan MacLeod as well as Clan Murray, and still has and shows Appaloosa horses. Seems a lot of horse people eventually end up in the Dog Agility world and, having Border Collies, that was a next logical step. Jamie is her fourth Border Collie and is a rescue from the streets of San Antonio at about 2 years old – unchipped, unneutered and didn’t even know how to walk on a leash. He is now 9 years old and is a delight to work with despite being the quintessential ADHD Border Collie. He is a certified Service Dog and he just earned his Master’s Agility Championship in January 2024. Agility has something for all types of dogs and people and Jamie is a great ambassador for the breed and sport as well as having quite a following on Facebook as Part-Time Jamie. He will be competing in the Dog Trick Contest at the Games.
Mike Pearson
Mike Pearson is the Clan Gunn Genealogist. He has 38 years of experience in Genealogy.
SAMS - Scottish American Military Society
The Scottish American Military Society is a veteran’s organization and is NOT A MILITIA. The Society was founded in North Carolina, April 12, 1981, as a non-profit organization with the following purposes:
"To preserve and promote Scottish and American Armed Forces customs, traditions, and heritage, by:
-Providing a forum for exchange of military history and genealogical information.
-Conducting public education programs.
-Preserving military student honor awards.
-Supporting Scottish activities at Highland Games.
-Making contributions to qualified scholarship funds or institutions.
-Making contributions to appropriate charities.
-Providing a fraternal atmosphere for members.
Come to our tents for more information, get your questions answered, find out what the qualifications are, and get an application. If you've never been in the military and are interested, come by anyway. There are several ways to become a member. National website <www.S-A-M-S.org >
Schedule
Marsha Singer Cultural Tent
Saturday:
9:30 AM - Battle of King’s Mountain
John Bowers
The Revolutionary War Battle of Kings Mountain on a rocky hilltop in Western South Carolina on 7 October 1780 proved to be a stinging defeat in the British attempt to secure control of the Southern colonies.
The relatively small, but fierce, firefight pitted Loyalist militia elements under the command of villainous British Major Patrick Ferguson against 900 Patriots…the hardy Overmountain Men, many of whom were of Scotch-Irish descent.
The rout of Major Ferguson and the Loyalists at Kings Mountain was the first major setback for Britain’s southern strategy. It started a chain of events that culminated in British General Lord Charles Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown and the eventual collapse of the British effort to hold North America.
Thomas Jefferson called the battle “The turn of the tide of success” in the War for Independence.
The significance of the Battle of Kings Mountain and its outcome are critical to our understanding of the success of the American Revolution and the role of the Scotch-Irish in American history.
​
10:00 AM - The Scots-Irish in America, who were they?
Jim Chaney
The Scots-Irish, also called Scotch-Irish and Ulster Scots, made major contributions to the settlement of the colonies and later the United States, but who were they and why did the come? Were they actually Scottish or Irish? What made them different from other Scottish and Irish immigrants? What is the likelihood that you have a Scots-Irish ancestor in your family tree? Come to this session and here all about this unique group of people who had such a major impact on the world we live in today.
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11:00 AM - Gaelic Language
David Gressett
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1:00 PM - Kilted Fashion Show
Jim Chaney
Special thanks to: CE Kilts and RMWK (Real Men Wear Kilts)
Are you going to a Scottish festival and don’t have a thing to wear? Would you like to wear a kilt but don’t know where to start? Do you want to know what all the accessories are called and which ones must you buy to wear with your kilt? Do you want to know the “rules” regarding wearing a kilt? All these questions and more will be answered at the Kilted Fashion Show. If you have any questions regarding kilts or just like seeing men dressed in kilts, come see the fashion show.
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2:00 PM - Clan MacDuff and Clan MacLellan Annual General Meeting
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3:00 PM - Scotland and Geology
Dr. Arthur B. Busbey
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Not only Scotland has been shaped by its fascinating geological history, it was also the birthplace of the science of geology and concepts of Deep Time. The physicality of Scotland, which has greatly influenced its history, is the result of a long and, sometimes, violent geologic history going back over a billion years ago. This history has influenced the agriculture, political structure, and regional differences of Scotland. Scotland also preserves important windows into the history of life on earth with a number of globally significant fossil localities. Given this significant geologic history it is fitting that modern geology was born in Scotland, during the Scottish Enlightenment, by James Hutton, who gave us the first glimmers of the extreme age of the earth and insight into the grand cycles of peace and mountain building that we now recognize as Plate Tectonics. In this talk I will briefly show how the major geologic/geographic subdivisions of Scotland were born and how they have helped to shape it’s human history, and also will talk a bit about Hutton, the Scottish Enlightening, and the origins of Geology.
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4:00 PM - “The Riddle” A Short Story
J. Woolston Carr
A Scottish fantasy set after the Battle of Culloden
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Sunday:
10:30 AM - Real Stories Behind Fairy Tales
David Gressett
Warning this is not for children
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11:00 AM - Gaelic Language
David Gressett
12:00 PM - The Scots-Irish in America, who were they?
Jim Chaney
The Scots-Irish, also called Scotch-Irish and Ulster Scots, made major contributions to the settlement of the colonies and later the United States, but who were they and why did the come? Were they actually Scottish or Irish? What made them different from other Scottish and Irish immigrants? What is the likelihood that you have a Scots-Irish ancestor in your family tree? Come to this session and here all about this unique group of people who had such a major impact on the world we live in today.
​
1:00 PM - Scotland and Geology
Dr. Arthur B. Busbey
​
Not only Scotland has been shaped by its fascinating geological history, it was also the birthplace of the science of geology and concepts of Deep Time. The physicality of Scotland, which has greatly influenced its history, is the result of a long and, sometimes, violent geologic history going back over a billion years ago. This history has influenced the agriculture, political structure, and regional differences of Scotland. Scotland also preserves important windows into the history of life on earth with a number of globally significant fossil localities. Given this significant geologic history it is fitting that modern geology was born in Scotland, during the Scottish Enlightenment, by James Hutton, who gave us the first glimmers of the extreme age of the earth and insight into the grand cycles of peace and mountain building that we now recognize as Plate Tectonics. In this talk I will briefly show how the major geologic/geographic subdivisions of Scotland were born and how they have helped to shape its human history, and also will talk a bit about Hutton, the Scottish Enlightening, and the origins of Geology.
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4 PM “The Riddle” A Short Story
J Woolston Carr
A Scottish fantasy set after the Battle of Culloden
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Celtic and Cultural Village Tents
Pamela Farley - Clan Lindsay - A Name of Renown Saturday 11 and 3, Sunday 2 PM, Clan Lindsay Tents A7-A8
Gaelic Language Immersion
Throughout the weekend
Come by and learn the language of the Celtic People.
Gaelic Language Tent B14
The Importance of Sources & Citations in Genealogy Research
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Saturday 2 PM and Sunday 12 Noon, Clan Gunn Tents B6-B7
Dog show demonstrations - Diane M Davis
Scottish Weapons - Scott Davis
Saturday and Sunday, Clan Murray Tents D1-D2
Scottish American Military Society
Several speakers of military history all weekend Tents A12-A15.
Scottish Sword Fighting Demonstrations
Victorian Fencing Society
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Demonstrations with the Highland broadsword, targe and dirk will be provided by the Victorian Fencing Society. Check out their website and social media to learn more!
Fencing Institute of Texas http://www.fenceintexas.org/
VFS Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victorian-Fencing-Society/298803273601360
VFS Website https://www.victorianfencingsociety.com/
Saturday - 1pm, 3pm, 5pm
Sunday - 1pm, 3pm
Clan MacLellan - Clan MacDuff
Annual General Meetings
The Sherman Celtic Festival is honored this year to host the annual general meetings of both Clan MacLellan and Clan MacDuff
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A word from Clan MacLellan's President Kathy Kessinger;
You are invited to the 44th Clan MacLellan Annual General Meeting weekend to be held at the Sherman Celtic Festival and Highland Games. Southwest Regional Director Jill Burt told us years ago that joining a Scottish Clan is the one time in our lives that we get to choose our family. My life has been so blessed by my MacLellan and MacDuff cousins around the world. As the 10th Clan MacLellan President and the first who has also joined at the tent as a member of Clan MacDuff, I hope to see you in Sherman Texas March 22-24. We have a fun weekend planned. Clan MacLellan is a society composed of MacLellans of various spellings and variations. Our objective is to provide a focal point for all members of Clan MacLellan, and to promote kinship between MacLellans. We award a Scottish cultural scholarship each year. We encourage the study and research into traditions, our Scottish heritage, and our MacLellan history.
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Clan MacLellan a brief history:
The name originates from the Gaelic ‘MacGillie Ffaolain’ or ‘son of the servant of St Filan’. The name Filan actually derives from the celtic ‘faelchu’ which means ‘wolf’. St Filan lived around c.700, travelling widely around Scotland and built a church at Strathfillan.
The clan has a very long history, being mentioned in a charter of King Alexander in 1217, and is associated with Galloway from 1273.
Maclellan of Bombie was a close follower of William Wallace, and after the defeat at Falkirk in 1298, he accompanied Wallace to France in order to enlist the help of King Philip in their efforts against Edward I.
By the fifteenth century the clan had expanded, and become fairly wealthy. At this time fourteen Maclellan Knights are recorded living in Galloway.
The clan were royalist throughout their history, an early example being that of Sir Patrick Maclellan of Bombie. Having forfeited his estates to the Earl of Douglas, they were later restored to him by King James of Scotland when his son, Sir William killed a bandit who had been terrorising the area. This story is the inspiration for the image on the MacLellan clan crest – when William killed the bandit he carried the head on the point of his sword to the king.
In 1452, William, eighth Earl of Douglas imprisoned Sir Patrick Maclellan, Sheriff of Galloway at Threave Castle in order to persuade him to join a plot against the King. A Royal order was sent for his release, to which the Earl responded by having Sir Patrick murdered.
A local tradition of Threave has it that the canon ‘Mons Meg’ was made on the orders of King James II in order to defeat the castle and exact revenge on the Douglases.
Sir William Maclellan of Bombie, after being Knighted by James IV, followed the king on his ill-fated invasion of England, and died at Flodden Field in 1513.
His son, Thomas Maclellan was killed by Gordon of Lochinvar at the door of St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh in 1526.
Sir Robert Maclellan was Sir William’s great-great grandson and a courtier of both King James IV and Charles I. He was made Lord Kirkcudbright in 1633, and supported the King during the Civil War. John Maclellan, the third Lord Kirkcudbright was so zealous in his support for the King, it eventually resulted in the financial ruin of the clan, and after the death of the fourth Lord Kirkcudbright, the estate had to be sold.
The Title was passed among various descendants until 1761, when the title was reclaimed by James Maclellan, becoming dormant again in 1832 when he died.
Clan members can be found in various parts of the world, particularly Nova Scotia and the United States via Ulster.
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History of Clan MacDuff:
The surname MacDhubhich is one of the most ancient in Scotland and the chief was among the first nobles to become distinguished by the Saxon title of Earl. The Clan Duff represents the late medieval Royal line of Scots and Picts which held the ancient privilege of crowning the Kings of Scotland.
The name MacDuff appears in the reign of David I in the context of Gillemichel mac duf. At the inauguration of Robert the Bruce as King of Scots at Scone in 1306, Isabel Duff, Countess of Buchan, placed the golden circlet upon the King's head in the absence of her brother Duncan Macduff, Earl of Fife. For this act of defiance,
Edward I of England had her taken prisoner and placed in a cage suspended from the walls of Berwick Castle.
The old Fife earldom passed to the Stewarts on Duncan's death in 1336 and royal direct male heirs wound down between 1353 and 1425. The 1400s saw rise to a dispersed northern Duff line, as burgesses of Abderdeen. In 1404 David Duff received a Charter from Robert III for the lands of Muldavit in Banffshire. These were sold in 1626, but by then the family had become well established in the region through various tactical marriages.
In 1759, William Duff, who had served as Member of Parliament for Banff and became Lord Braco of Kilbride, was created Viscount MacDuff and Earl of Fife. A wealthy man, it was he who commissioned the building of the magnificent Duff House in Banffshire.
James, 4th Earl of Fife, became a Major General during the Peninsular War (1808-14), and Alexander, 6th Earl, was created Duke of Fife in 1889 when he married Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Princess Louise, the Princess Royal.
By special reservation, it was designed that the title should pass, in the absence of a male-heir, to the Duke's eldest daughter and, should she not produce a male-heir, to her sister. In 1923, Princess Maude of Fife, the younger sister, married Lord Carnegie, who was later to succeed to his father's title of Earl of Southesk and Chiefship of Carnegie.
Alexander Duff (1806-78), born at Pitlochry, was Moderator of the Free Church Assembly in 1851 and founded the University of Calcutta. Sir Mountstuart Duff (1829-1906) was Governor of Madras. Sir Robert Duff (1835-95) was appointed Governor of New South Wales.
Surname distribution in Scotland: The highest concentrations of the MacDuff name occur in Highland (includes the historic counties of Caithness, Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Ross and Cromarty and Sutherland), Perth and Kinross (Perthshire and Kinross-shire) and Stirlingshire.
Places of Interest
Earlsferry or Elie, Fife. The name of this village on the Firth of Forth comes from the tradition that MacDuff, Thane of Fife, was ferried from here to Dunbar to escape from Macbeth in 1054.
The MacDuff Cross, Newburgh, Fife. According to 13th Century English Law, sanctuary was claimed here by kinsmen of MacDuff instead of murder charges. Tradition says a 1056 immunity vow was made here by Malcolm III to MacDuff after MacBeth’s death. The stone cross was an ancient border marker between Fyfe and Perth counties, and its origin precedes the vow. Although a medieval Scottish gyrth for the Culdee Abbots of Abernathy, this landmark was broken down by zealots of John Knox in 1559. The Duff sanctuary privilege stayed law until the 1830s.
Duff House, Banffshire. Designed by the architect William Adam, this is the former seat of the earls of Fife. It is now an outpost of the National Galleries of Scotland.
Dufftown, Banffshire. Founded in 1817 by James Duff, 4th Earl of Fife.
Macduff, on the Moray Firth. Burgh of Barony for the earls of Fife, 1783.