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Welcome, and come see the new site!
This is the first email newsletter Clan Macneil USA has ever sent. The website was rebuilt this year, and there is more on it now than most members have seen.
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If you have not logged in since the rebuild, this is a good week to check it out. Behind the member login you will find the member directory, back issues of The Galley, the ability to apply for our scholarships and much more!
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You are receiving this because you are a member of the Clan Macneil Association, or have been recently. There is an unsubscribe link at the bottom and no hard feelings if you use it.
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Our clan genealogist, Alissa Nolan, put out a call for writers on Facebook a couple of weeks ago. If you saw it and meant to circle back, this is your nudge. If you missed it, here is the whole thing in one place.
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The next issue of The Galley is a commemorative edition for America's 250th, and we are commissioning specific articles rather than taking open submissions. Sidebars run 75 to 150 words. Several pieces can be written in an evening. Every issue enters the permanent collection of the Library of Congress.
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Deadline August 15. Claim your topic with Alissa before you start.
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Save the date: Scotland, Summer 2027
Clan Macneil USA is organizing a trip to Scotland. The tour runs Monday, August 16 through Monday, August 30, 2027. Most travelers will want to depart the US on Sunday the 15th to be in Scotland when it begins.
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Kenny is working to arrange tours of Kisimul Castle for the group. Access is still limited while conservation work continues, with one boat a day and hard hats required, but it is expected to be fully open by the time we arrive.
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Dates and details to follow. For now, block the calendar.
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Clan Macneil DNA Projects
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The Y-DNA project on FamilyTreeDNA is how the clan tree actually gets built. Every new tester adds a branch, confirms a connection between the Barra, Gigha, Colonsay, and Ulster lines, or rules one out. Even a result that matches nothing is useful, because it tells us where a family line does not belong.
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It needs men carrying a Macneil, McNeill, McNeal, or sept surname, or descended from a Macneil male line even where the surname changed. If that is not you, it is very likely your brother, uncle, or cousin. Ask him. And if you tested at Y-37 or Y-111 years ago, upgrading to Big Y-700 adds as much to the tree as a new tester does.
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Already tested somewhere else?
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Results from Ancestry, 23andMe, or MyHeritage can be uploaded to our GEDmatch project, which compares autosomal DNA across testing companies. It is free and takes a few minutes. Anyone can do it.
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One new result can open a whole branch.
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Late summer brings Highland Games from Montana to Colorado and New York. This roundup highlights the gatherings where Clan Macneil representatives have confirmed plans, along with familiar Clan stops whose 2026 attendance is still being worked out. For the complete and changeable list of dates and locations, always consult the CMAA Games and Events calendar. Festival plans can change, so …
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