Highland Games return to Libby

According to myth, many years ago, in a boat race to establish the kingdom of Ireland, a man cut off his own hand, placed it on the shore of Ireland, pronounced himself king and established the kingdom of Ulster.

Within this “lost clan of Ulster” was Angie McLaury’s family, and 60 years before the Battle of Culloden, they crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the American colonies.

Now, McLaury lives away from the Atlantic Ocean near Farmenter Hill, and she is giving Libby the chance to not only find out more hidden stories of families but also witness a centuries-old event: Highland Games.

From July 18 to 20, Libby will get to see the these ancient Celtic tests of men’s strength and will through caber-tossing, pipe-playing and Braemar Stone put in its own backyard at the River Bend just past mile marker 13 on Highway 37. McLaury, a coordinator for the event, said there will be events for participants of all ages, along with traditional Celtic dance and music, food and games.

It’s hard to pinpoint when exactly the Highland Games started. 

Many accounts say the sixteenth century. Others say the thirteenth. But there have been Scottish events to prove a man’s (and later, a woman’s) strength that go back a very long time, and the modern Scottish and Irish are proud of this history of fortitude. 

The games grew in number until 1746 when the Act of Proscription banned Scottish attire and culture and not only until the act was repealed and George IV visited Scotland were the games revived. The Highland Society of New York held the first U.S. Highland Games in the 1800’s. They later spread to the West Coast, and now, Libby has one of its own, now in its second year.

On Friday, there will be a traditional Celtic ceilidh gathering of music and dancing. Saturday is the main day, with opening ceremonies, the announcement of the clans, and of course, the athletic events. Primitive games (including spear toss, primitive bow and Braemar stone put) will end the event on Sunday. 

Angie McLaury and Tammy Blackburn, coordinators for the Highland Games with Celtic backgrounds, have talked about having games in Libby for years. Dee Teske, another coordinator, said they finally decided to dig in last year.

“They wanted to bring something new to the area, and I agreed,” Teske said, who doesn’t have a Celtic ancestry, but wanted to help out. “Anything new to the area is great.”

She said the organizers wanted to have it in town in Libby, but for an event that involves the pitching and tossing of very heavy objects, the wide space and unobstructed land of the river bend was more ideal. 

With the new year come new activities and new ways to make the event into serious Highland Games. This year, there are “primitive” games including a spear toss, primitive bow and Braemar Stone put. McLaury said there will also be a “wee Highlander game” for children, and an obstacle course for tweens, or those “not quite wee kids, but not quite Highlanders.” 

Teske was enraptured with immense strength of the competitors last year, particularly with the 180-degree log-throwing caber toss event. Moreover, she was happily surprised to see how friendly and accommodating the competitors were. The SAAA-sanctioned event brought out the stops, and the strength. But the most significant part of the games Teske noticed was how the experienced competitors selflessly helped the beginners. 

“There was a handful of people who competed for the first time last year,” Teske said. “But the experienced ones took all the time in the world to help the newcomers. You can see that they’re trying to help them improve. They want to help them compete.” 

Continuing this year is the presence of the clans, or families. Teske said there will be assistants at the event to help event goers learn about their family history and family crest. 

The Highland Games can help those with Celtic heritage find out a little bit more about themselves, and it can offer some riveting entertainment for those with other backgrounds. Family history aside, the Highland Games will offer a breath of Celtic air (and a few airborne logs) to the forests of Libby.

The events will start at 5 p.m. July 18 and end July 20 at the River Bend just past mile marker 13 on Highway 7.