The High Council of Clan Donald Chiefs appoints
High Council Piper

The High Council of Clan Donald is pleased to announce the appointment of Archibald Duncan Ogilvie (Archie) McIntyre as Piper to the High Council of Clan Donald Chiefs.

Background

Archie McIntyre is a long-serving member of Clan Donald. The McIntyres or Macintyres (Mhic an t-Saoir) were originally Macdonalds. Tradition tells us that the first man so named was one of the Chief's bodyguards who, together with his fellow bodyguards, were rowing the Chief at sea when the bung came out and got hidden from view. With the boat sinking, he instantly stuck his thumb in the hole, cut it off with his dirk and went back to his oar and rowing, thus saving all aboard from certain death. Thereafter he was named An t-Saoir, the (ship's) carpenter. His sons became Mhic an t-Saoir and so the McIntyres were founded.

As time passed, the McIntyres became numerous enough to form their own independent clan and set off to do so. They took boat and on making shore, the new Chief said that where the lead white cow lay down to rest would be their land. She took the herd and the Clan up the north side of Ben Cruachan along Loch Etive until they came to Glenoe where she lay down to rest. The McIntyres made that their home and there they remained for the following many centuries.

The picture is of Loch Etive in Argyllshire with Ben Cruachan as the backdrop, taken
from Archie's sister Kirsty's house in Ardchattan

The McIntyres fought alongside their neighbours, the Stuarts of Appin, in the '45. The Suaicheantas or Badge of the McIntyres is that of the Macdonalds, Fraoch Gorm, common heather. A family of McIntyres were hereditary pipers to the Chiefs of Clanranald and in 1983, Archie was invited by the present Chief and Captain of Clanranald to take up that position again. He did so, thus re-entering Clan Donald proper.
Archie was brought up on the mountain-side of Ben Cruachan, and on leaving school, he joined the British Army and was a professional soldier from 1957 through 1964. He was commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and the Royal Military Police. He soldiered in the United Kingdom, North Africa, Cyprus, Portugal, and Kenya.
Archie has studied the pipes from the age of six; initially taught by his father and later by the renowned Pipe Major Donald MacLeod of the Seaforth Highlanders, whose pupil he remained from 1957 until Pipe Major MacLeod's death in 1984. Pipe Major MacLeod put Archie in for his first piping competition and he won a number of prizes at the Highland Games.
On leaving the army, Archie went into international business and travelled the world amongst other capacities as Sales Director of British Telecom International, always taking his practice chanter, and frequently his full bagpipes, with him. Archie has composed many pipe tunes, a number of them for senior Clan Donald members. He is at present composing a tune to be called The High Council of Clan Donald Chiefs, to be played to announce the Chiefs' presence when they meet in High Council.

After the Chief and his heirs, Archie, as First Gentleman of the Household, is the senior member of the Household of Clanranald, a position he has held for some 25-years. Two years ago was further appointed Head of Clanranald Protocol.

On hearing the news of his appointment, Archie said "I am very honoured with the appointment of Piper to the High Council of Clan Donald Chiefs, which I believe to be the greatest piping honour one could wish for."

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