CLAN GUNN CHIEFSHIP
The last undisputed Chief of Clan Gunn died in 1785 and there have been several attempts to find our rightful chief. None of the present claimants has been able over the past 25 years to provide an undisputed right to the Chiefship and a number of leading members of the Clan petitioned the Lord Lyon King of Arms to summon a Family Convention - a modern form of Derbhfine - to appoint our Commander, Iain A Gunn of Banniskirk, as Chief.
Followers of his website will be aware that the Lord Lyon has put on 'hold' his intention to summon a Family convention. This is no surprise since a Convention would only be called if the Chiefly line was lost and our Petition was made in anticipation of that event. Alastair Gunn has apparently provided a lot of new ( to the Lyon Court) genealogical information and until this has been evaluated a Convention would clearly be inappropriate. We have not seen the new information so cannot usefully comment on it: it may, or may not, be new to us and significant in establishing our rightful chief. The matter remains in the Lord Lyon's hands and as he says in his Note to the Interlocutor it may be possible to renew our Petition, perhaps amended, in due course. In the meantime we must await his findings and continue to support our "energetic and successful Commander".
Welcome to the Clan Gunn and the Clan Gunn Society website.
The Clan Gunn is one of the oldest Scottish Clans descended from the Norse Jarls of Orkney and the Pictish Mormaers of Caithness. The Clan was originally based on the east coast of Caithness, but from the fifteenth century the senior line settled in the Strath of Kildonan in north east Sutherland; the Robson Gunns had their seat in Braemore in south east Caithness and the third main family established themselves in Cattaig and Dalemore on the upper reaches of the River Thurso.
Today there are members of the Clan in the UK, France, the Netherlands, South Africa, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia and thriving Clan Gunn Societies in the UK, New Zealand, Nova Scotia and North America. I have appointed two personal Commissioners to represent me abroad - Rob Kamp-Gunn, a former president of the Clan Gunn Society who is my representative in the Netherlands and Rich Gunn, immediate past president of the Clan Gunn Society of North America, who is my representative in North America.
We are proud of our Clan Heritage Centre at Latheron in Caithness based in the old Parish Church of Latheron which has provided a focal point for the Clan since it opened in 1985.
Our clan archive is one of the most comprehensive, thanks to the work of the late Dr. Colin Gunn, Sandy Gunn and our current clan genealogist Abb Gunn of Alpharetta, Georgia, USA.
The triennial International Gathering of the Clan was held in Orkney and Caithness between the 21st and the 29th of July this year (2012) with representatives from New Zealand, America, France and Canada as well as the UK. The week included visits to many of the historic sites that are associated with our Clan's past, with a particular emphasis on the clearances which took place 200 years ago (1813). The week also included a visit to the Clan Gunn Heritage Centre sited in the old Parish Church at Latheron. The society's AGM was held on the morning of the Halkirk games, which members were able to subseqently visit and enjoy the hospitality provided in the Clan's reception tent, as well as the many attractions and events of the games themselves. The week concluded with a formal Clan dinner on the Saturday in Thurso and a church service at Kildonan Church the following morning.
The council have already started planning the 2013 activities: we are hoping to hold our St Donan's Day dinner in one of Edinburgh's most historic buildings - we will update this web site as soon as we have details and I hope that as many of the Clan as possible will be able to support these events.
With all good wishes