A letter of welcome from GMHG President Steve Quillin

Cead Mile Failte’! A-hundred-thousand welcomes to the 67th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. The Staff, the Board of Trustees, and the volunteers have worked tirelessly to make this the best Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in our long history, and that is saying a lot! We are very grateful to everyone for coming to our Scottish festival, which we believe to be equal to any the world over.

Steve Quillin, GMHG Inc. President

We are ecstatic to report our participating clans and families for 2023 are the highest in recent memory. Our numbers are always high (GMHG is the site of the greatest number of families at any Scottish Gathering in the world), but it is wonderful to see the steady increase in our numbers over the past several years. Additionally, the 67th Grandfather Mountain Highland Games is hosting 17 different clan societies holding 50th anniversaries this year. We have a wonderful Chieftain of the Games, Iain Alexander Douglas Blair Cochrane, 15th Earl of Dundonald and Chief of Clan Cochrane. In addition, Sebastian Arbuthnot Leslie, Chief of the Aberdeenshire Leslies and Laird of Wardhill, is here to represent the Leslies, as they celebrate their 50th, as a Distinguished Guest of the Games. Please make time to make the acquaintance of these gentlemen and their families, and thank them for joining us on the Mountain. Sadly, 2023 marks the year we mourn the passing of two of our past Presidents, Judge Alex Ban- ner-Lyerly and Pipe Major Sandy Jones. Alex served as the 7th President of the Highland Games, and Sandy was my immediate predecessor in his role as the 10th President. Both these fine men were significant contributors to the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games over a long period of time, and the Board of Trustees and I will miss their excellent advice and counsel. Their loss will be keenly felt. As always, I have many people to thank. Our operations staff, our volunteers and our civic partners are all incredibly important to the success of the Grand- father Mountain Highland Games. And I would be remiss to not recognize the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation for their sponsorship and the many kindnesses shown to the Games. Please find time to visit their attraction while in the area. You will be glad you did!

I also want to thank our Corporate Sponsors and our Trophy Sponsors. We simply could not exist in the form we are able to display without the support of these good folks. Thank you! Lastly, and most importantly, thank you to the thousands of Clan Tent Conveners,

Patrons, campers, and those buying tickets and attending. You make it possible for our Games to be the worldclass spectacle that we have achieved. As always, it is so good to “see you on the Mountain.”

I wish each of you the best during your stay with us at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Please be safe home, and I look forward to seeing you again next year when the Games will be held July 11 to 14. Please be sure to say hello. I’d love to meet you all. Yours Aye, Steve

Quillin President, GMHG Inc.