A frequently asked question is, "Are Irish McLaughlins eligible for membership in a Scottish Highland Clan Society? " The short answer is "yes".

First for the majority of members it is difficult to trace their ancestry before the middle of the 18th century and in many cases an apparent Irish McLaughlin could have Scottish ancestry but there is no recorded evidence in either case. Family tradition may be the most important evidence.

Secondly if we go back before the 13th century all MacLachlans have a common Irish Ancestry. We are all Celtic MacLochlainns, we all share a common Celtic heritage, we are all cousins by blood. Therefore a person bearing the name McLaughlin or one of its many variants whose recorded ancestry is entirely within the Irish branch of the MacLochlainns would be fully eligible for membership if they subscribe to the objectives of our Society. An Association of Irish Clan Families has been formed in Ireland in 1989 and there is now a Clan McLaughlin Society.

The Constitution of the Society has existed since 1982 and there was no necessity to change the fundamentals. But there have been significant changes in the Society; the growing international nature of the Society with about 94% being outside Scotland; the recent growth of virtually autonomous branches; the changes in the financing of the Society; the union  with CMANA. In reality the Society had changed from a single "Branch" into a Federation of Branches which reflects the distribution of MacLachlans throughout the world

The revisions to the Constitution presented to the Council were made to reflect this reality; a number of valuable suggestions were made by Council members suggesting additions or clarification to the Constitution. The fundamentals have not changed and the process was more one of clarification and making explicit the structure of the Society. Wherever possible we have attempted to take out of the Constitution any references to detailed procedures and concentrate on objectives and principles which your Council in their wisdom will interpret in the future to fit changing circumstances.

1.0 The Society shall be called the Clan Maclachlan Society (hereinafter referred to as CMS) 

2.0 The objects of the Society shall be:

2.1 To further the spirit of kinship among Maclachlans and the septs of  Clan Lachlan throughout the world. 

2.2 To foster the Celtic and Highland Heritage of the Clan and to promote the interests of the Clan throughout the world,  

2.3 To collect and preserve records and traditions and material bearing on the Clan and Septs and their collective experience in different areas   of the world, 

2.4 To render assistance to deserving Clan Members,  

2.5 To encourage the publication of documents and articles connected with the Clan; to compile and update a history of the Clan and Septs and their collective experiences in different areas of the world, 

2.6 To ensure proper representation of the Clan, 

2.7 To raise funds for Lachlan Trust projects which are directly related to the heritage of the Clan. 

3.0 The Society is non-political and non-sectarian; the policies and practices of the Society shall not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, politics or sect; no member shall use its name in trade or for any purpose which may be detrimental to the Society. 

To be eligible for membership of the Society applicants must:

---bear by birth or marriage as surname the name of the Clan or one of its Septs in the forms and spellings recognised by the Council;

--or  be a descendant in the female line, whether male or female, of a person described above;

--or be the spouse of a member. 

Membership may be in any one of the following two  categories,

Ordinary, and Honorary; Ordinary and surviving Life Members are those who

have met the membership criteria and are paid-up members; they are entitled to one vote each at the Annual General Meetings of the Society;family groups with one subscription have one vote.

The Council shall determine from time to time a fair subscription payable by Ordinary members not belonging to a Branch and determine the amount of the annual levy for Society membership to be paid by each Branch for each branch member on the Society Roll.  Branches will determine when their members are to be removed from the Society Roll.  

The Ordinary subscription covers all members of the same family including children under the age of 18, living at the same address. Subscriptions of Ordinary members are due to be paid on an annual date fixed by Council. For members who have joined through a Branch, the levy for the Society membership of these branch members is due to be paid by the branches  on an annual date fixed by Council. 

5.0 The President of the Society shall be the Chief of Clan Lachlan and the Chief entrusts the management of the Society affairs to a Council. The Council shall respect the Chief s position in all matters. 

The elected Office-bearers of the Society shall be the Chairman of the Council, the Vice Chairman, the Secretary and the Treasurer, who shall serve for no more than three years from the date of election at the Annual General Meeting. The Secretary and Treasurer shall not carry a vote on Council.

The office of Chairman-designate may be actuated by Council one year prior to the end of the Chairman’s term of office in the event that the Vice Chairman is not expected to become the next Chairman. Council shall ensure that either the Chairman or Vice Chairman be a resident of Britain or Ireland, and if possible, of Scotland. The office of Chairman-designate shall not carry a vote in Council.

These may be appointed by the Council; they include the following positions, Clan Genealogist or Sennachie, Editor or Bard, Membership Registrar, and up to four Councillors at large. 

The Council acts as a Clan Council in a consultative capacity to the Chief .The Council shall determine its own procedures and the duties of its members subject to the following:

---the Council shall meet at least once a year in Strathlachlan  shortly before the Society’ s AGM,

--the duty of the Chair is to obtain as far as possible an unanimous consensus of the Council .

--Chair cannot normally present motions to the Council. 

-----If the  Chair is a Branch President, the Branch should appoint a Branch Representative to vote the membership if requested by the Secretary and to submit any motion desired by the Branch to Council.

---  if a vote is essential each President or representative with  proxy votes would vote their Branch membership. 

6.0 Branches are regarded as the branches of a tree which have grown from the ancestral centre of the Clan in Strathlachlan, Scotland. The Chief and Council constitute the centre of the Clan Society with the

responsibility of fostering the Ethos of the Clan. The Council with Councillors located round the globe is considered as being situated in Strathlachlan, Scotland and responsible for the management of a Federation of Branches. 

6.1 The formation of Branches of the Society furth of Scotland shall be encouraged. The organisation of each Branch shall be left to the constituent members thereof; it may take if desired the form of a limited company or appropriate corporation subject always to conforming to the letter and spirit of the constitution of CMS. No resolution or decision of the Council or any action of an officer of CMS should in any way prejudice the legal status of a Branch within its own country.

 6.2 The Council of the Society may remove the right of any Branch to act as a Branch of the CMS in the event that the executive of the Branch concerned has taken actions which are in serious violation of the Constitution of the Society and has continued with these actions despite a reasonable notice of these violations. The members of the Branch concerned would have the right to remain as members of the Society and join other Branches. 

6.3 Branch membership shall be open only to members of the Society. The Society expects its members to join a Branch in their country. However a member has the right to join any Branch or directly to the Membership Registrar of the Society. 

6.4 The fee structure of a Branch shall be left to its constituent members. 

7.0        Any property or funds of the Society requiring to be invested shall be held in the name of three Trustees to be appointed by the Council. The property and funds of Branches are invested and accounted for by its own officials; a copy of the approved annual Branch accounts may be requested by the Secretary. 

7.1   The funds of the Society should be lodged in the name of the Clan MacLachlan Society and the said account shall be operated upon by cheques drawn by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Secretary or the Chairman.

9.0 There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Society to be held between April and September at Strathlachlan; in any particular year the Chief and Council may decide to hold the AGM in another country.

9.1 At the General Meeting the Treasurer’s statement, duly audited, together with a Report by the Council on its administration during the year shall be submitted for approval of the Meeting.

9.2 At the AGM if a resolution is not approved by acclamation and a vote is required, the Secretary will take a recorded vote whereby the Branch Presidents or their proxies will vote the Branch membership minus any branch members present at the AGM.

9.3 Special General Meetings may be called at any time by the Council or on a requisition signed by five members in which the business shall be specified; adequate time must be given for Branches to review the business concerned  and to consult their membership. Ten members shall constitute a quorum for both a Special General Meeting and the AGM.  At a Special General Meeting the Secretary will take a recorded vote whereby the Branch  Presidents or their proxies will vote the Branch membership minus any Branch members present. Special General Meetings would be held at Strathlachlan; the Chief can authorize that any specific Special General Meeting be held at a different location in Scotland.

10.0 No addition to or alteration of the Constitution shall be made except by prior approval of the Chief and by publication to all the paid up members of CMS with an  an agreement of two-thirds of the paid up members of CMS submitted by block vote by their representatives at an AGM.

 10.1 Each Branch Representative and the Vice Chairman representing all members who do not belong to a Branch, will submit to the Secretary proxy votes (yea and nay) of all the paid-up members in their respective Branches minus the votes of any Branch members who are present to vote directly at the AGM. 

10.2 Each Branch will have the responsibility of informing its members when  any proposed additions and alterations to the Constitution have been decided by the Council and would be submitted to the membership for approval. To ensure the rights of all members, each Branch Representative would inform their Branch Members as to how they plan to vote the Branch membership.  If members do not inform their Branch Secretary that they oppose the Branch vote, their votes would be considered to be in favour. 

10.3 Notice of any proposed addition or alteration shall be given in the notice or advertisement calling the Annual General Meeting at which it falls to be considered. 

10.4 The Council may from time to time make regulations and by-laws which shall be effective until the next Annual General Meeting when they shall be submitted for confirmation.

© , the Clan MacLachlan Society & the Lachlan Trust of Canada: Reg. 87231-0503-R0001