A Clan's cultural significance is based upon family and its instinctive attitude is to be more in sympathy with a family than with institutions.

The Clan MacLeod has survived down the centuries, surviving the extremes of feast and famine, the intermittent periods of warring with neighbouring clans, and the immense changes of social, political and economic life through which the Western Highlands and Islands have passed. 

Although three individual Chiefs in the last seven generations have been comprehensively ruined by the apocalyptic difficulties caused by the unrelenting hostility from centralised government towards the Clan system practised behind the Highland line, the Chief and his Clansfolk have remained faithful to Dunvegan Castle and the rock on which it stands.  

HOLD FAST.

It was during this century however that Clan MacLeod, scattered by the events described above to the four corners of the earth, started once again regrouping around their Chief and the castle which throughout the centuries has been their focus. On the 14th of August 1956 after the visit of Her Majesty the Queen delegates of Clan MacLeod Societies from every part of the English speaking world were entertained to a banquet in Dunvegan Castle to celebrate the coming-of-age of the present Chief.

Next day the company assembled in the ancient banqueting hall as a Clan Parliament - in the words of the Chief, Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, "to discuss our common interests and to find out how best to promote and develop our world fellowship so that we can uphold our motto "HOLD FAST".

CLAN PARLIAMENTS have been held every four years at Dunvegan Castle ever since and Clansfolk return from all over the world to this very special family gathering.

If you are interested in finding out more about The Clan MacLeod Societies of the world go to http://www.clanmacleod.org