At a speech given to a gathering of chiefs at this years Gathering, Robert McWilliam president emeritus of the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations, said that Scotland’s Clans must turn to social networking websites such as facebook and twitter to increase their ranks in the 21st Century.
Holyrood was host to the Clan Covention with more than 100 Clan Chiefs taking part in the debate. This is the first time in recorded history so many chiefs have been assembled in one place. The purpose for this was to debate the Clan systems future and their roles within it.
Mr McWilliam from the US told the other chiefs that he had a message from American Scots that they need to use modern forms of communication.
“That would reach a different group of people,” he argued. “If you wanted to reach young people, you get your name in front of them on Facebook.”
Donald MacLaren, chief of Clan MacLaren, said: “A minority of chiefs think this is not for them. It’s a great disappointment for those who look upon them as the head of their family.”
He said some thought the clan system moribund since the mid-18th Century, but he disagreed and insisted it still had a future. North America alone has a clan membership exceeding 100,000.
What do you think? Are Clan Societies doing enough to communicate to a younger audience?