There are now families all around the country who have McLennan ancestors from the Mid North Coast of NSW.
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On May 31, as part of the annual Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival, McLennans will reunite to find out more about their history and to celebrate their ancestors.
The celebrations start with a Genealogy Day and a Clan Reunion evening of entertainment. The next day sees a bus tour of clan sites around the Manning Valley.
On the Saturday connections can join their clan in the Bonnie Wingham street parade and at the clan stall between the various competitions.
On the Sunday, the riverbank church service and Ceilidh will also feature McLennans. All McLennan descendants are welcome.
A brother and sister, Alexander and Catherine McLennan, arrived in NSW in 1837 and found their way to the New England and then to the Clarence Valley.
There are so many descendants of this brother and sister that they have their own clan association in Grafton. From the early 1840s McLennan families from Scotland settled on the southern bank of the lower Manning River and made a great contribution to the community there. Other families found their way to the Gaelic-speaking enclave of Barrington in the upper Manning.
Over the last decade the clan has built up a worldwide genealogy resource to help descendants track their ancestors – www.clanmaclennan-worldwide.com/genealogy.
Local researcher David Freeman is preparing a revised book The McLennan Families of the Manning that will be released at the reunion.
The McLennan Clan is famous for piping and highland dancing – the clan badge features a piper. As Clan of Honour for the Bonnie Wingham Festival, the whole four days will feature bagpiping with some of the famous McLennan music.
More information about the Clan McLennan Reunion and booking all other events in the Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival can be found on the website of the Manning Valley Historical Society - www.manninghistorical.org
