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The Chieftains

The committee meets in January when a president is appointed and a chieftain is selected. Sometimes a celebrity, someone with Durness connections or a local person and this appointment is a local honour.

  • 1970 ANGUS MACPHERSON OF ACHANY M.B.E.

  • 1971 George Y Mackie C.B.E.   D.S.O.   D.F.C

  • 1972 Mr. Addison F. McCoubrey M.B.   Ch.B O.P.H

  • 1973 Colonel A.M.Gilmour OBE M.C

  • 1974 Mr. Angus MacPherson of Achany M.B.E.

  • 1975 F.G. Armstrong  Chief Ex. Highland Regional Council

  • 1976 Mr. Charles Mackay

  • 1977 Mr. Christie Campbell

  • 1978 Julia Mackenzie Strathpeffer

  • 1979 Mr. Gordon Burr Tongue

  • 1980 Mr. Norman McAskill Lochinver

  • 1981 Dr Sandeman, Durness

  • 1982 Mr. John Mackay

  • 1983

  • 1984 Mr. Joseph Mackay Melness

  • 1985 Mrs. Dottie J Mackay, Parkhill Hotel Durness

  • 1986 Mr. L Montgomery Moiraville Durness

  • 1987 Mrs. Madge Campbell Atlantic View Durness

  • 1988 Mr. Charlie Simpson Wick

  • 1989 Mr Fraser Wilson Dornoch

  • 1990 Mr. Charlie O�Brien Strathnaver

  • 1991 Mr. Colin Campbell Fochabers Moray

  • 1992 Mr. Iain Anderson

  • 1993 Mr. Don Morrison

  • 1994 Mrs. Lelia Mackenzie Achriesgill

  • 1995 Mr. W H Morrison, Durness

  • 1996 Dr Winifred M Ewing

  • 1997 Mr. Ken MacRae Durness

  • 1998 Dr George Sanderson Durness

  • 1999 Mr. A Robertson, Durness

  • 2000 Mr. Iain Keith

  • 2001 Mrs. Janette Mackay Strathy West

  • 2002 The Rt.Hon Lord Maclennan of Rogart

  • 2003 John Ridgway Ardmore

  • 2004 Jim McCall MBE Beechgrove Garden

  • 2005 Ally Bain and Phil Cunningham

  • 2006 Michael Mather Durness

  • 2007 Willie Morrison

  • 2008 Catherine Jackson

  • 2009 Lachlan Ross

  • 2010 Mrs. Iris Mackay

  • 2011 Angus Ballie

  • 2012 Ronnie Lansley

  • 2013 Jill & Graham Bruce

  • 2014 Kenny MacRae

  • 2015 Anne & John Mackenzie

  • 2016 Margaret MacRae

  • 2017 Mary Mackay

  • 2018 David Morrison

  • 2019 Frances Gunn

  • 2020 Cancelled due to Covid

  • 2021 Cancelled due to Covid

  • 2022 Donald Campbell

  • 2023 Rev.Andrea Boyes

The role of Chieftain, at most gatherings nowadays, is an honorary one to encourage participation, welcome competitors and visitors. On the day the Chieftain is received with ceremony and escorted to his place with the music of the bagpipes. He is responsible for officially opening the event and presentation of the trophies. The chieftain is presented with a memento of the day a cranoch, and hopefully going away feeling honored to have been part of a successful Durness Highland Gathering. In the past this has been local dignitaries, people with local and community connections, celebrities who have made Durness a special place.

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