GET TO KNOW CARMICHAEL VENISON STARTER PACK Following the BBC GOOD FOOD GUIDE recommendation for Carmichael venison haunch roast we have launched for a limited period only for FREE DELIVERY anywhere within the UK a VENISON STARTER PACK including 2 x 130g Venison sirloin steaks; 1 x 500g haunch roast; 1 x 280g pack of 4 venison burgers; 1 x 200g pack of 6 venison sausages and 1 x 300g diced venison shoulder for casserole together with cookery tips and recipe suggestions. All for only £28. To order go to the venison mail order secure site and write 'starter pack offer £28'. Additionally you can get FREE DELIVERY NEXT DAY WITHIN THE UK on all orders over £100.

52 week Availability charts have been added to cottage webpages. Check out the cottage webpages for links to our new availability charts showing each cottage's availability and updated daily. There are also some late availability special offers on these pages. Quote "late availability offer"!

Carmichael Cyprus villas now available Lots of  flights from the UK to Ercan (North Cyprus) and Larnaca and Paphos (Greek Cyprus) now exist some with cut price deals making our door to door connection from Carmichael cottages in Scotland to Carmichael cottages Bellapais a comfortable nine hour trip. Flights with Cyprus Turkish Airways from  Manchester Birmingham London (Stansted) and Heathrow cost approximately £285 per person including taxes. The three villas can be rented as one resort sleeping 10-14 in 7 bedrooms with five bathrooms with a central swimming pool and lovely terraced gardens for £1000 per week.

Three week See the WHOLE of SCOTLAND OFFER Stay one week in any available Carmichael cottage at Carmichael, one week in the Carmichael Edinburgh apartment and one week in our Feshiebruach, Highland chalet in the Highlands for an amazing £795 fully inclusive. Non Smoking Two person only excludes Christmas/ New Year and July/August 2007

Carmichael News

Nan Morrison. Nanette Morrison (Kunstler) went to Moira House School Eastbourne Sussex England with Betty Burbidge (Newton Clare) in the 1930's and they aspired to be amongst the first female doctors in Britain.  They were much encouraged by Mona Swann the inspirational headmistress. Betty became a doctor and Nan a radiologist qualifying during world war two. Mona Swann was my Great Aunt on my direct Carmichael line having been born in India before 1900 and my mother Betty died in Cyprus in 1985. Nan lived despite her frailty following early cancer operations in the 1970's until March 2007 and died quite suddenly following a fall but was a keen and enthusiastic Carmichael clan supporter throughout the last twenty years of her life. She attended most of the recent gatherings with her husband Jock Morrison. Her funeral was in Kingston Crematorium on Friday March 9th 2007 and her ashes are being scattered at Carmichael on Tuesday May 1st. She will be sadly missed at Carmichael and our thoughts are with Jock in this, his 93rd year.  

The spring weather in 2007 has been astounding with more sunny days  in April than anyone can ever remember before. The lambing and barley sow out have gone very smoothly in the sunshine and now we are proceeding to sow 113 hectare of willow for the new biomas power station at Lockerbie.

Recreation wise we still orienteer and ski whenever possible and we both managed fourth place in our age categories in the British Night Orienteering Championships in Norfolk in February 2006. This fantastic challenge beats all others, not only had we never been in the area before and never seen the map but the courses were good and testing and the darkness was total. The satisfaction buzz of making it around a tough night course is always the best. This weekend 29th April  we were running on the high fells in the Lake District above Lake Thirlmere and opposite Helvelynn and striding edge at Harop Tarn. Long may the knees allow us to do these glorious sports. Our ski trips were to Vermont where we toured up Route 100 from Mount Snow to Pico peak, Killington,  Sugar Bush, Stowe and Jay Peak in freezing January weather followed by a blue sky week in the Dolomites just after the snow had finally arrived in early March. These are world class ski memories. Our daughter Sarah is now a BASI qualified ski instructor on the US circuit and taught in Mount Snow Vermont 2004-5 and the last two seasons at STEAMBOAT SPRINGS COLORADO. This summer we are the planners of Day 5 of the Scottish Six Day orienteering event in early August 2007. 4000 competitors are expected for six days of competition in Spey 07 based on Grantown-on-spey.

BROKEN SPEAR NEWSLETTER Number 40 DECEMBER 2006. The 40th edition of  Chief Richard's newsletter was produced in December and was circulated to all paid up clan members before Christmas. It has 16  pages and included reports on the proposed 8th  international gathering and tour to be held in June/ July 2007  and as usual  some newly researched Carmichael stories. Contact clan office if you would like a copy.

REPORT ON THE SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL GATHERING AT CARMICHAEL SCOTLAND June 15-19th 2004  followed by The Chief of Carmichael's Sixth escorted Highland Tour of Scotland from June 20th to 25th.  

This our seventh gathering was a great success but with much fewer numbers of Clansmen attending than in the millennium year of 2000. We were able to do different things as a result;  for example we set up a large marquee amongst the ruins at Carmichael castle and held  a medieval fancy dress banquet therein. It was also good to have newly married Mr Andrew and Mrs Terri Carmichael of Carmichael helping us host the gathering. Also good to have Terri's parents Ian and Tula Baxter join the festivities. As usual we partied hard and toured local Carmichael historic sites including Crawford castle, Boghall castle Crawfordjohn, Maudslie castle graveyard and Westraw plus Craignethan castle.  Another day we went to Linlithgow Palace and the fantastic restoration of Sir John Carmichael of Carmichael's 1599 Fenton Tower. Naturally the fifty gatherers ended the week in Carmichael's historic 1750 church service before the highland tour coach took off for the isle of Skye. In other ceremonies we dedicated the tower in the centre of Carmichael castle ruins as Helton's tower,  following his inspirational guidance. Additionally we promised to hold the next International gathering at Carmichael in June -July 2007 and ceremonially welcomed back the completed eagles and Pineapples at the Eagle gates after years of turmoil following their theft in 1997. 

The 30  gatherers on the sixth highland tour to Skye had a treat in store with glorious weather in Skye for castles and sightseeing, a fantastic midsummer solstice at our 4 star Cuillin Hills hotel with strange celebratory goings-on in the woods nearby. As the tour developed through Speyside and Moray to Banf and Buchan and into Aberdeenshire we toured  Dunvegan castle, Eilen Donen Castle, Cardhu distillery, Clan Macpherson centre at Newtonmore, Elgin cathedral, Baxters of Fochabers, the Bullers of Buchan, Torquhon castle, Castle Fraser and Crathes castle and came home to Carmichael via Dundee Verdant Jute mills and Captain Scott's ship Discovery plus a last farewell climb upnthe Wallace Monument in Stirling. Regretfully the Grampian weather was atrocious but we had been so grateful for the fine weather on Skye that no-one minded. 

Haste ye back to fill in the gaps of our grand tour of Scotland on the seventh International tour in 2007. Details will be posted here in late 2006.

FARMERS MARKETS ARE STILL BOOMING For some years we have proudly stated that Carmichael Estate Farm Meats are the longest established single family owned and operated farming business in Scotland (est. 1292). We effectively are sourced from the origins of our name in the Eleventh century. To get the message across that single Estate meats products are unique we stand up and sell from street stalls within 50 miles of us in Scotland the finest Carmichael range of Venison, Beef and Lamb. The interest and demand for the welfare and quality guaranteed meats is strong. Every animal is born, reared, fattened, slaughtered, butchered, packaged and processed on the Estate itself. You can find Carmichael meats at the following Farmers Markets between 9am or 10am and 2pm or 3pm. Arrive early for the best range as we often sell out.

Edinburgh Castle Terrace markets are now held every Saturday but we go on the first and third Saturdays.  Hamilton Townhead Street is the third Saturday each month. Glasgow Mansefield Park (off Byers Road Partick) is the second and fourth Saturday each month. Peebles East Station Car park second Saturday each month.  Clarkston is the 4th Saturday. All times 10am-2pm approx.

CARMICHAEL TOP ONE HUNDRED NOW AT 20 This is our regular report on our ROOF FUND CAPITAL CONTRIBUTORS.We are hopeful that we will soon have such a large number of contributors seeking plaques on the proposed Donar Wall within the central tower that we will be HEADING UP TOWARDS THE MAGIC 100 MARK. Seeking 100 generous donars gifting £1000 or $1500 to put back the Carmichael Castle roof was never going to be easy but grateful thanks are due to TWENTY CARMICHAELS WHO HAVE STARTED THE FUND ROLLING including Claudia Lemoine, Arthur C.Carmichael, B Wayne Carmichael, Alana & Mark Nigro, Don E. & Mary J. Carmichael, Ruth Lewis, John D "Mickey" Carmichael; Mr & Mrs Charles E Carmichael, Douglas Carmichael, Robert L & Virginia Carmichael, Lynne Carmichael, Alan & Patricia Bickell, Anne & Jack Carmichael, Jock & Nan Morrison, John & Margo Carmichael, Philip S.Carmichael. George Ross & Jean Goldie Carmichael. Claude & Vernon Carmichael Cole. In memory of C.Erskine & Gertrude Cole, In memory of Delma Cole.

 Thanks one and all for giving us such a good start to the fund. Grand total donations to date £25,636 before tower roof costs of £7988.62 leaving a fund balance at June 2005 of £17647.38. This includes US dollars 4100 donated in memory of Helton Carmichael.  We originally were hoping to raise  the £100000 required to fully re-roof the entire castle but this figure has undoubtedly also increased. Regretfully this fund has not progressed in the last two years but the Trust funds still holds the above £17000 approximately balance waiting to be applied to a restoration project  

THE HISTORY OF CARMICHAEL FURTHER DELAYED 

Regretfully  the author's free time is still so limited that Chief's history book is delayed again. Originally estimated for December 2000 estimated completion is now beyond 2010. A limited print run of 1000 numbered and signed limited edition copies of this proposed 276x219mm Hardback coffee table 320 page book with colour illustrations. To be published by Craig Publication Services. Author Baron Richard Carmichael of Carmichael, 30th chief. This 20 chapter unique complete family history book never previously attempted will be sold only to pre-registered enquirers. Reserve your copy now!! Email bookorders@carmichael.co.uk with name and address detail. No deposit required. Chief Richard offers sincere apologies for the delays in producing this essential book however since no one else has attempted the feat in a thousand years he believes your patience will eventually be rewarded. All contributions from Carmichaels anywhere with a story to tell will be appreciated. 

HISTORY SNIPPET Carmichael history through the ages...The story so far No.1 "source of the Name"; No.2 "Broken Spear crest";No.3 "Sept or Clan"; No.4 "Founder of the Family"; No.5 "Early Family Properties"; No.6 "Early Carmichaels"; No.7 "Stewart Connections"; No.8 "A Cardinal's killer"; No.9 "Clan Chief Elections?"; No 10 "Why Carmichael of Carmichael?"; No.11 "Armstrong- our Hereditary enemies";No.12 "The Most Expert Borderer"; No.13 "Peers of the Realm" No 14 "Birth of the modern clan";No.15 "Important Carmichael battles". No 16 "Carmichael Migrations to create global clan"; No.17 "Ancient sites at Carmichael Scotland"; No.18 "Carmichael Millennium awards" No.19 "The Great Earl of Hyndford"; No.20 "Queen Mary's Favourite Siblings" No.21 "The modern clan revival" No.22 "Carmichael's Civil War"; No.23 "How and why did you become the Chief?"; No.24 "Carmichael Barony"; No.25 "The Original Carmichael Church"; No.26 Carmichael castles through the ages; No.27 "Carmichael balad collections". No.28 "Carmichael Anstruther connections" No.29 "Carmichael Scots-Irish"

No.29 The Carmichael Scots-Irish  Twenty families of Carmichaels from Lanarkshire in Scotland ( in the immediate vicinity of Carmichael itself and thus likely to be original descendants of the first families who took the name here between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries) migrated from Scotland to Ulster in the late 1600's to find religious freedom and fertile farmland. These were mostly Presbyterians who through their energetic work ethic and dogged determination, transformed the commercial, industrial, educational and cultural face of Ulster. After a series of crop failures in the early 1700's compounded by conflicts with both their Irish-Catholic neighbours and their English rulers many of these families emigrated to the New World disembarking at often-unwelcoming British Colonial ports, they eventually moved into the Appalachian frontier, creating tiny communities beginning in 1718. By the 1740,s almost every issue of the Belfast News Letter featured advertisements from the owners of many different emigrant sailing ships.The passage from the Ulster ports of Belfast,  Carrickfergus, Larne,  Portrush and Londonderry took at least six weeks (one took seventeen weeks) to Boston, Philadelphia or Charleston. These Presbyterian Carmichael Scots-Irish became the kings of the Appalachian frontier and pioneered trails westwards to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. They and their families contributed greatly to the Americas indeed so many Ulster settlers were involved in the American War of Independence that an English general said "This is not a revolutionary war, it's a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian rebellion". Amongst other achievements they were the first to distill whiskey in Bourbon County Kentucky and were at the Alamo in San Antonio Texas in 1836. So many of them were called William, after King William of Orange's army of soldiers in the Irish war of 1690 that the popularity of the names Bill, Will, Billy and Willy led to the whole descendants of this Ulster-Scots settlement being referred to collectively as "hillbillies" characterized as bourbon, the Bible and bluegrass. "their devilish music".

Richard Carmichael of Carmichael 30th April  2007