Clan Carruthers

CLAN & FAMILY CARRUTHERS: Resurgence at the Geelong Highland Games.

Clan Carruthers

Sometimes it is far too easy to forget the work that goes on in the background by those who give up their time on your behalf. This can be from manning a stand at festivals, carrying out extensive research, attending clan/historic functions or anything in between. Every action by our society is designed to promote our name, and we are continually pushing to positively raise the family profile both withion Scotland and abroad.

Before 2019, Carruthers was not considered anything other than just another armigerous Scottish Border family. However, after the confirmation by the Lord Lyon of our chief, a journey which took 12 years of hard slog, networking and batting off the craziness of the LLC claims in the US, we are now invited to important events by those deemed to be the serious players in Scottish clan society. That is how far we have come, whether our presence is required in Canada, the US, Europe, Africa, the UK or Australia we are there as a Society working tirelessly for the Carruthers name.

A typical example of this is the attendance mentioned in our last blog at the court perambulation at Stirling Castle, here in Scotland. However, our presence is ‘as it says on the tin‘ – International and so today’s blog covers an event fully on the other side of the planet where once again a Carruthers is front and centre.

Craig Carrothers-Monument FSAScot: Regional Commissioner for Australasia

The well-researched piece below is written by our Clan Commissioner for Australia, Craig Carrothers-Monument, FSAScot. It relates to the resumption of the historic Geelong Gathering, the organisation of which he has been heavily involved as President of the Geelong Highland Games Committee. Craig as an athlete in his own right and is a well-known and highly respected participant in the highland games in Australia. He has quite a few competitions under his belt, and all while proudly wearing the Carruthers tartan. Here we can see him ‘tossing the caber’, not an easy task to perfect.

Geelong itself is a port city in Victoria, Australia, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay and the left bank of Barwon River, about 75 km southwest of Melbourne.

History of the Geelong Gathering
By Craig Carrothers-Monument FSAScot

The first Scottish societies in Victoria, Australia came after the gold rush: the Comunn na Feinne in Geelong (1856), the Highland Society of Maryborough (1857), the Caledonian Society of Victoria (1858, reconstituted in 1884 as the Caledonian Society of Melbourne), and the Caledonian Societies of Ballarat (1858) and Bendigo (1859). These associations were a crucial way in which immigrant communities maintained cultural traditions in their new homeland.

The societies organised a variety of activities, including aid for ill or widowed Scots, social gatherings, sporting meets and concerts.

In Geelong, the Comunn na Feinne Society – also known as the Fingalian Society – was established by Scottish Highlanders. Membership was restricted to Highlanders and Gaelic speakers.

Sport played an important part in preserving Scottish culture, and so the Highland Games became established across Victoria, often with an open policy for entrants.

Organised by the Comunn na Feinne Society, the original gathering was held on New Year’s Day, 1857 at Kardinia Park in South Geelong. It was the first recorded formal Highland Gathering in Australia. Like today, the gathering featured traditional piping, Highland dancing and heavy athletics, and quickly became a top competition for these events. In its early years, the gathering also featured the traditional Highland game of ‘shinty’ (akin to the Irish game of ‘hurling’) which is still widely played in Highland Scotland today.

The Comunn na Feinne Society was keen to build some harmony with the local Wadawurrung people and encouraged them to join. The Wadawurrung, an aboriginal Australian people indigenous to Melbourne, Geelong and Bellarine peninsula were the only non-Gaelic speaking members of the society!

Building on this harmony, the Society marks its Scottish Australian identity on the gathering’s badge/medal by portraying a Scotsman alongside a traditional Aboriginal figure, as twin supporters of its arms. It is likely this badge was the same as on the Comunn na Feinne Valuable Service Medal.

A silver example of this medal is held by Museums Victoria (NU 34518) that was awarded to the Secretary of the Scottish Comunn na Feinne Society of Geelong, Mr JS Mackay in 1877, in recognition of his services.

The Wadawurrung also famously performed a traditional corroboree on the eve of the gathering, in a historic act of cultural sharing. A corroboree is a ceremonial meeting of Australian Aboriginal peoples that involves interaction with the Dreamtime through song, music, and symbolic dance. Often held at night, these gatherings feature body decoration and costumes, and are used for sacred rituals, festive celebrations, or passing down cultural traditions and history.

The early gatherings’ notable feature was the foot-racing. The local Wadawurrung leader, Dan Dan Nook (known to Europeans as “King Jerry”), won the foot-race honours in 1858 and 1860, and was awarded a brass medal crafted by a local Geelong jeweller.

The Wadawurrung nation, also called the Wathaurong, or Wathaurung, are an Aboriginal Australian people living in the area near Melbourne, Geelong, and the Bellarine Peninsula in the state of Victoria. They are part of the Kulin alliance. The Wathaurong language was spoken by 25 clans south of the Werribee River and the Bellarine Peninsula to Streatham. The area they inhabit has been occupied for at least the last 25,000 years and are a major and important part of the local anthropological history dating back thousands of years.

The Commun Na Feinne Society lasted from the 1850s to the 1940s, with the original gathering running successfully for 73 years until the Great Depression in 1929. It was resurrected again in 1958 by Newtown City Council as a showpiece event for Queen’s Park, where it remained for 53 years. From 2011, the gathering was held at various locations, running until 2019 when COVID prevented public events. The gathering was formally wound up in 2023.

In 2025, a new committee was formed headed by Craig and the restoration of this great and historic event starts its new chapter on October 24th, 2026. Rebranded the Geelong Highland Games and Celtic Festival, the 136th running of Australia’s original Highland gathering will be held in Bannockburn, just outside Geelong itself.

Once again Carruthers makes their mark on Celtic society.

A closer look at the meaning behind the Medal

A closer look at the 1877 Comunn Na Feinne Valuable Service Medal, Museums Victoria describe:

  • The Shield: The central arms belonging to the Comunn na Feinne Society.
  • The Supporters: Uniquely, the shield is flanked on either side by a Scottish Highlander and a traditional Wadawurrung figure, representing the shared local heritage.
  • The Motto (Top): “CORAM NA FEINNE”
  • The Motto (Bottom): “SEAS CUIS”

Enhancing and colouring the medal we start to see it come to life. This shows:

  • Crest: A Balance (weighing scales) which often represents justice, equality and fair balance.
  • Helm: A Castle, evoking the concept of sanctuary, strength and the capability to protect.
  • The Shield: An early 16th century shield design showing the Lion Rampant in gold (Or) on a red (Gules) background: being the Royal symbol of Scotland
  • The Supporters: A Scottish Highlander on the left (Sinister) and a traditional Wadawurrung figure [confirmation required regarding body paint] on the right (Dexter)
  • Compartment: Thistles in bloom, the flower of Scotland, symbolising strength, resilience, and defence.

The Comunn na Feinne Society had a shining vision of the normative community. It sought to create an inclusive, harmonious and just environment within Geelong, and to continue to radiate this in ever-widening waves beyond the town itself. They championed a culture of volunteerism, raised educational standards, both in terms of the curriculum taught as well as the teaching itself, and reached out to the marginalised groups and individuals in the community When you look at the heraldic symbol’s meaning on their Valuable Service Medal, you can see this vision:

  • Justice, fairness, fair trade
  • Sanctury and protection of the land and people
  • Equality between the local Wadawurrung tribe and the migrant Scots.

The committee of the Geelong Highland Games and Celtic festival wishes to ensure that the values and vision from 170 years ago are enshrined in our event and community engagements going forward.

STOP PRESS.

The 15th Earl of Louden, Rt Hon Simon Abney-Hastings has agreed to act as Patron to the Geelong Games.

Previous Gatherings (135)

• 1857 to 1929 (73)

Dormant for a period of 28 years.

• 1958 to 2019 (62)

References:

Craig was confirmed Regional Clan Commissioner by the Chief in August 2024, after the Inauguration in Annan and has promoted the family on many an occasion in Australia. His wife Dr Liz Monument FSAScot is our Regional Secretary and is a great supporter of the cause. Craig’s ancestors are all from the Dumfriesshire area and along with his daughter Kirsty, are regular competitors in Australian Highland Games. Their son Fynn is also an accomplished gymnast, who bravely came back into competition after a bad accident. Both Craig and his wife are also skilled musicians, and we are told they are well respected either individually or together. A truly lovely family, and I’m personally proud to have them involved.

Wherever we are, we show strength of character, passion in what we do and a tenacity to succeed. Well done Craig and family on so many levels.

Promptus et Fidelis
Non Sto Solus

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