A third sausage sizzle was held at the Bunnings Warehouse in Mt Roskill on Saturday the 21^st of December.

And this was the most successful sausage sizzle so far. As there was a large crowd doing their last-minute pre-Christmas shopping, and of course needing refreshments, everything was sold out by 3pm.

The Bunnings policy of supporting charitable organisations with their fund raising is very helpful indeed.

There were eight Clan Donald Auckland members manning the stall plus the Clan Piper Ian Foxell and three members of the Signals Pipe Band.

 

Barrie and Annette Paterson, Geoff Parry, Murdock McDonald, Lynnette McDonald and Trevor Pollard.

 

Waiting for customers are Geoff Parry, Annette Paterson. Lynnette McDonald and Murdock McDonald getting the sausages ready.

 

Ian Foxell entertaining the customers with a few tunes.

 

The three Signals Pipe Band members ready to play a few tunes.

 

Tom McDonald, Barrie Paterson and Laurie Mathews ready to welcome customers.

 

Trevor Pollard busy cooking the sausages.

Sunday the 8^th of December started off nice and fine. There were a few showers later on but that did not stop the many members from enjoying the day.

There were around 30 members and their families in the Highlander Bar of the Northcote Tavern and this year we had some members from Clan Campbell with us to enjoy the lunch. This is the 7^th year that we have been at the Northcote Tavern and the Highlander Bar, which  has a  fantastic Scottish atmosphere, with its tartan carpet and many decorations of the various clans.

The Signals Pipe Band were also in attendance and performed several times in the Garden Bar. The band did get caught in a couple of showers but that did not affect their performance.

Everyone enjoyed a lovely lunch and also had the opportunity to chat with their friends over a few drinks.

Once again it was a really great day.

 

The Signals Pipe Band performing in the Garden Bar.

 

Ian Foxell and Andrew Wilkie play in the Garden Bar.

 

Clan Donald members Carol,  Jean and Eileen.

 

Mary McIsac, Lois McDonald and Ann Marshall.

 

From the left. Noel Armstrong, Malcolm Campbell, Geoff Parry, Jeanette MacDonald and Hugh McGuire.

 

Pamela and Albert Kinnell.

The Auckland Games were held on Saturday the 23rd of November, for the third time, at the Ellerslie Events Centre, Ellerslie Racecourse. It was a brilliant sunny day with just enough breeze to make things comfortable.

The organization of the Games seemed to be slightly disjointed this year with the Highland Dancing and the heavyweight field events being held in the centre of the racetrack, which was some distance away from the main area.  To see these events people had to go through a tunnel under the racetrack proper.

The Pipe Band Competition was held behind the grandstand where they could also not be seen or heard from the main area.

The Clan Tents were jammed up against the “rail” of the racecourse where there wasn’t a lot of room. There were only 9 clans in attendance. In past years there were usually around 18 clans in attendance at the Games.

The Clans March, Scottish Country Dancing, reenactment of Medieval Battles and solo piping were held on the lawn between the Clan tents and the grandstand.

With so much happening away from the main area there was no real Highland Games atmosphere.

The Auckland Highland Games committee also made a huge mistake allowing a Maori group to take over the opening of the Games. The Highland Games are a typical Scottish cultural event and have nothing to do with Maoris or Maori culture.

Although entry to the Auckland Highland Games is free the attendance of the public was down over previous years. However the Clan Donald Pavilion was busy most of the day, with members, friends and prospective new members calling in for a chat and refreshments. Two new members were signed up and others took away an application form to be emailed in.

 

The Clan Donald Colour Party. From the left; Jim Murdoch, Jim Donald, President Barrie Paterson, North Island Commissioner Tom McDonald and Geoff Parry.

 

 

Scottish Country Dancing with Clan Donald member Jim Donald in the centre.

 

 

The reenactment of the Medieval Battle of Largs.

 

 

Anne Marshall with Clan Donald Committee member Jim Murdoch.

 

 

Jim Donald with new member Douglas Oldfield.

 

 

Three Clan Donald pipers. Murdock McDonald, Ian Hill and Ian Foxell.

 

The 9th annual Hororata Highland Games were held on Saturday 9th November 2019. Although overcast and windy it was a very warm day.

 

The pipe band leads the parade of the clans.

 

More than 500 competitors took part in the various events ranging from Highland Dancing to the “Kilted Mile” where competitors race over a mile overcoming several challenges and obstacles on the way.

 

Contestants in the heavy events in front of the Hororata Pie Stall.

 

Chieftain this year was Peri Drysdale MBE, Founder and CEO of the fashion companies Snowy Peak and Untouched World which produces ecologically sustainable clothing.

Clan Donald Canterbury continue to draw on their learnings from the workshop on stall presentation at the 2018 Clan Donald Anzac Forum. This year we developed a large new Clan banner for the front of our Clan tent. It was far the most visible Clan tent at the Games.

 

Pictured from left to right. Elwyn and Christine Martin, Ann Smith, Maggie Donald, Tom and Lynnette McDonald, Alan MacDonald, Gordon McIvor, Roz McKechnie and Brent Tomlinson.

 

The ancient game of Kubb set up in front of the Clan tents attracted a lot of interest.

 

The objective of the game of Kubbs is to knock over the wooden blocks (kubbs) by throwing wooden batons at them.

 

Elwyn Martin, South Island Commissioner and Ann Smith, Canterbury President being interviewed for television in front of our Clan tent.

 

The North Island Commissioner Tom McDonald and his wife Lynnette from Auckland, along with our Clan Donald NZ Newsletter editor, Roz McKechnie from Otago, joined the Clan Donald Canterbury members attending the Clan Donald tent and assisted throughout the day. We had a steady stream of visitors and were successful in signing up 9 new members.

 

New members, Cath and Matt Cook with High Commissioner, Alan MacDonald.

 

Ann Smith (Canterbury President) and Maggie Donald (Canterbury Secretary).

 

On Saturday the 12^th of October at Ryders Cinema in Avondale 30 members of Clan Donald Auckland enjoyed a great luncheon of roast meats and vegetables cooked in a coal range accompanied by wine, beer and of course a few drams of whisky.

The film “Her Majesty Mrs Brown” was excellent with two well known actors, Judi Dench as Queen Victoria and Billy Connolly as John Brown, a former servant of Prince Albert.

 

Clan Donald Auckland members enjoying the luncheon.

 

Doug and Janet Williamson.

 

Faye and Trevor Pollard.

 

Marni MacDonald and Andrew Wilkie.

 

Ray and Jim.

 

Ivy and Beth.

 

Sophia and Fiona with Marni MacDonald.

 

The Donald grandchildren.