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Sir Lachlan & Lady Rosemary MacLean Adopt Cabbage Patch Kid During Visit To United States Baby To Learn Scottish Heritage and MacLean History
Sir Lachlan MacLean of Duart and Morvern, Bt., CVO, DL., Duart Castle, of the Isle of Mull, Scotland, and Lady Rosemary, raised their right hand, took the Oath of Adoption for Cabbage Patch Kid Baby Lachlan Hector. After they promised to love and care for their new baby, Lady Rosemary laughed delightfully, following the surprise presentation to the guests of honor of the Rural Hills Scottish Festival and Loch Norman Highland Games, April 15-17 in Rural Hills, NC.
Showing quick wit and sense of humor, a trait shared by many MacLeans, Sir Lachlan said that he would now have to add another room to Duart Castle, which celebrates its 100 year restoration with a Gathering in 2012. Mindful of Old World traditions and the artistic craftsmanship of Cabbage Patch Kid roots, President Bob McLean of Clan Gillean USA began working with Neil McLean, a native of Scotland, and wife Margaret of Cabbage Patch Kids, to create a memorable gift for their Chief and his bride during their visit to the United States.
Turning the challenge into fun, the McLeans quickly involved family and friends across state lines. They set wheels in motion for an exquisite, one-of-a-kind work of art, hand-signed by Cabbage Patch Kid creator Xavier Roberts, and worthy of a home in Duart Castle. Vice President of Clan Gillean USA, Rev. Fr. Patrick MacLean busy coordinating reception plans, hotels and logistics, added finding out hair color and eye colors for Baby Lachlan to his list. In less than a month, Johnnie, Bob’s wife had to figure out how to proportionately make a MacLean Tartan kilt with little buckles. Donating her sash to the cause, Johnnie said, "This little kilt would not take "the whole nine yards." Using a stand-in model from BabyLand, while Baby Lachlan was hand-stitched to birth, Johnnie in Clayton, NC, spent countless hours, matching, pinning and sewing. She worked on modifications for his little Prince Charles jacket. Truly one of a kind, Baby Lachlan was a healthy lad with the MacLean broad shoulders. He had to have a second fitting for his jacket. In Georgia, Neil contacted a former neighbor who challenged her friends in the Dahlonega Spinning Guild to see if they could make miniature kilt socks for the Chief’s Cabbage Patch Kid. The custom, formal Scottish attire included a leather sporran and Glengarry hat.
Sharing the excitement of the MacLeans, Debbie Hampton of Dahlonega, Ga., said her spinning and knitting ties her to her Scottish, Welsh and Swedish Heritage. In order to show detail on the sock, she handspun wool that she got in Scotland. Using knitting needles little bigger than toothpicks, she designed kilt socks from a turn of the century British pattern book of infant silk socks. The cuff was an Estonian lace pattern for mittens and gloves. The guild ladies, admiring each other’s ability, agreed that Baby Lachlan would wear Debbie’s miniature socks for presentation.
Baby Lachlan learning about his new Scottish Heritage, took part in the Parade of Tartans the following day and greeted people at the festival eager to learn about Scottish Heritage and possible ties to the MacLean family. He learned that his adoptive dad ascended to the title of 28th Chief of lan Maclean, 12th Baronet of Duart and Movern in 1990, Sir Lachlan’s direct lineage to Maclean Chiefs can be traced to c.1050. Clan (family) Maclean takes its name from Gilleain na Tuaighe, the first chief. Gilleain literally translated means the Servant of {St.} John. Maclean means "Son of Gillean. Just a few related family surnames include Beatty, Black, Cormick, Dewart, Garvey, Gillean, Harvey, Huey, Layne, Lean, Patton, Rankin, often preceded by Mc or Mac, "meaning son of".
At the close of the games winds of fate were gusty during the whirlwind visit of Sir Lachlan and Lady Rosemary. Baby Lachlan, who initially had three feathers in his hat, returned to his room and discovered one of his feathers had blown away. It is the tradition that only the Chief may wear three feathers. Baby Lachlan has so much to learn about his new family and home in Scotland. He will learn much from Sir Lachlan’s three children and Lady Rosemary’s three children and three times as many grandchildren to add fun and laughter everywhere. Already connected to a Cabbage Patch Kid family of 123 million, Baby Lachlan looks forward to living with his adoptive parents at their residence at Duart Castle with walls dating back to the 13th century. This historic castle, ancestral home of the MacLeans, will hold a Centenary Celebration of its restoration in 2012 extending a welcome to family and friends worldwide. In time Cabbage Patch Kids look forward to visitors from Scotland to visit BabyLand General Hospital in Cleveland, Ga., where Baby Lachlan was born. So, they may also have the opportunity to connect globally with family and possibly live abroad.