ARLINGTON, Texas — The MyGlengarry.com Conservation Trust invites participants of the Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games, taking place at the Maverick Stadium in Arlington, June 5 through June 7, to extend these Scottish festivities and take a unique Second Life tour of the Scottish Citadel, Invergarry Castle. The tour is scheduled to take place on June 8 at 2 p.m. and is open to all Texas residents. The Scottish Trust has a mission to preserve and conserve the heritage and land around the River Garry in Inverness-shire, Scotland and is tasked with raising funds and building an international online community.
And, while they realize that many Texans will not be able to attend the tour in person, they hope to generate international excitement by inviting people to visit: www.MyGlengarry.com.
Invergarry Castle sits less than one mile away from the banks of the River Garry and has been painstakingly recreated on Second Life – as it is now and as it would have been in the 17th century when it was the seat of the MacDonells of Glengarry, one of the main branches of Clan Donald.
“We know that the task facing the Trust is a huge one,” Paul Williamson, chair of the MyGlengarry.com Conservation Trust, says. “We also know that there are many willing Scots around the globe who are anxious to do what they can to help.”
Williamson adds that they already have members from the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Scotland who brainstorm about fundraising and ways to build a strong international community. Other members make financial donations by buying a nine-foot square plot of land for $45.00 from the River Garry area. Buyers are legal landowners in Scottish law. They receive title deeds, but must agree to the Trust managing the land on their behalf; all profits are put back into the land. Plot owners, in Scottish law, may also assume the title of Laird or Lady.
Potential land buyers may choose their exact plot through the use of advanced-mapping technology. This technology provides detail that is eight times greater than Google Earth. And, through the interactive map available on the Web site, plot owners can have a virtual visit anytime.
Ultimately, the Second Life tour is designed to show people who are interested in their Scottish roots what is at stake. And, while Scots from Texas may not be able to visit the Highlands, The Trust can deliver a little bit of their heritage to them.
To sign up for the tour or to become a member of the Trust, visit: www.MyGlengarry.com; membership is free.
