Clan Buchanan - McCausland Family Line

Your GrandNana is Phyllis McCausland (1907-1999).  (She lived through all the major events of the 20th century - I am thinking of the Great War, the depression, World War II and men traveling to the moon - a fascinating lifetime.)  She, her older sister Grace and younger brother John were born to Agnes Viola Walker and Charlies Raymond McCausland.  Your grandfather is named David Buchanan Rivers.  Your uncle is named John McCausland Rivers.  And Rob, you are named Robert Buchanan Carroll - quite a noble name.

Clan Buchanan is considered a Highlands clan.  Here are the tartan, and the family crest.  The crest is translated as Brighter Hence The Honour.

McCausland is a derivation of a clan family name Macauslan, which according to Wikipedia means Son of Anselan.  From at least 1225, Clan Buchanan had rights to land on the east and northern borders of Loch Lomond in what became known as Stirlingshire.  On our Scotland trip we took a day trip to Loch Lomond, which was absolutely lovely and then to Stirling Castle.  While touring the castle, Alex and I learned about George Buchanan (a famous scholar and historian), a stern tutor to Prince James (1566-1625) who became King James VI of Scotland and later King James I of England.  Those were not the best days to be a school boy.  It's interesting that George Buchanan died in Edinburgh and was buried in Greyfriars' Kirkyard, which we explored.  You've heard royal families focus on having "an heir and a spare"....  Well, Clan Buchanan experienced the consequences of not having an heir when its chief died without one; the 19th chief John Buchanan died without an heir around 1682.  (In the Jacobite uprisings of the 1700's, Buchanans were split with some supporting the Stuarts and others supporting the Government.)  However, the Clan Buchanan Society is the world's oldest society - established in 1725 in Glasgow.  There are many notable Buchanan's in the UK and abroad including US President James Buchanan (in office from 1857- 1861).

Here is the beautiful loch, with a view to the Highlands in the distance.

This is a view of stunning countryside from Castle Stirling.

On our trip, we collected a Buchanan guide book, a Buchanan sweatshirt (Alex) and a Buchanan scarf (me).  Rob, you already had a handsome Buchanan scarf.  And while on our bus ride, we heard the sad story and a lovely rendition of the The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond.  I've known the chorus all my life, but didn't realize who wrote it or what it meant.  You can read about the history of this well-known song here.  To make your heart ache and remember sacrifices and loss, this is a traditional version by a Scottish folk group based in Edinburgh "The Corries".