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September 16, 2000 address given to
Colonel Sir Donald Hamish Cameron of Lochiel, K.T. XXVI Chief of Clan Cameron
on the occasion of his 90th birthday
by Alan I. Cameron

It is a great honour for me to be here today along with the many Camerons from every corner of the land and to be in your company at this special time.  It is not often that we get the opportunity to pay respect to our leader on his attaining ninety years of age.  However, in my research I found out that another notable Cameron leader reached his ninetieth year.  I am referring to Ewan Dubh our seventeenth Chief.

It is a significant milestone indeed for our clan and it gives us pleasure to be by your side again, a chief and his clansmen.  We remember, with gratitude, your kindness, your friendliness and your leadership.  You have unhesitatingly supported your clansmen throughout the world and we value that support greatly.

At this time, we remember also, the heroes of our clan no longer with us - your ancestors, our ancestors from Donald Dubh through the centuries right up to the present day.  In our imagination, we follow the exploits of Alan of the Cattle Raids and of Donald Dubh.

It is with great pride that we pay respect to Doctor Archibald who tended the wounded both friend and enemy, after the battle of Culloden.  In spite of his commitment this heroic man was executed in London, but it is with unstinted pride that we remember this good man and his heroism today.

Perhaps there is no man of our clan more notable than the gentle Lochiel who was forced to forsake his beloved Scotland on account of his support for Prince Charles Edward.  Broken hearted, and with thoughts of home he died in France shortly thereafter.

But enough of history, we are here today in this beautiful place near to Achnacarry your home and the focal point of the Cameron clan throughout the wide world.  We are here to pay our respects to you and to congratulate you.  In our view you are the very epitome of modern chieftainship, be it as a businessman, as a landowner or as a leader.

Our clan may be likened, indeed, to a large oak tree with branches in every corner of the world.  You have nourished that tree and we lay great store on your support.  In the world today we see many changes in our way of life.  We are more comfortable and better off today than we ever were before, but in spite of that, we are continually striving to discover our roots.  We are Camerons by descent and whenever we meet other Camerons - be they rich or poor, great or small - we discover that there is a strong link between us.  Above all, there can be no doubt that it is with pride that we belong to the Clan Cameron

We would praise you, O descendant of Donald Dubh, twenty sixth Chieftain and Captain of the Clan Cameron and it is with great pleasure that we would say to you, "Happy Birthday and many Happy returns."