Speech is given to three:
to the historian-poet for the narration and relating of tales,
to the poet-seer for praise and satire,
and to the Brehon for giving judgment.
- Brehon Law
OFFICERS
The Clan Officers consist of three Great Officers and four sub-Officers who operate under the Great Officers. The Great Officers are the Chieftain, the Brehon and the Rechtaire. The singular sub-Officers are the Curaidh, the Annalist, and the Chatelaine. There may be more than one active Ceann Fine, the fourth sub-Officer type. Each Great Officer has specific duties and is also responsible for overseeing the duties of the sub-Officers beneath him/her.
Great Officers
The Chieftain (Taoiseach)
The Chieftain shall be responsible for the political, public relations, and SCA combat aspects of running the clan. It is his duty to develop relations with other groups and individuals within the SCA. The Chieftain is to preside at all clan ceremonies and enforce all clan rules. Finally, the Chieftain is overseeing the combat training and leadership on the field of the fighters of the clan. The Chieftain also gets to appoint the Lady of the Clan, an honorary position. The virtue of the Chieftainship is the Honor of Clann Lochlan. The Chieftain's symbol is the Royal Stag.
The Brehon
The Brehon is responsible for administering all business aspects of the clan. This shall include, but not be limited to, preparing and presiding over all clan business meetings, maintaining the Charter and Bylaws and all other clan rules, developing new rules and judging the application of them and administering the clan Fund. The Brehon is also charged with overseeing the development and execution of clan projects, appointing individual clan members to head specific projects. The Brehon is appointed by the Chieftain to an indefinite term. The virtue of the Brehon is Loyalty and the symbol is the Salmon of Knowledge.
The Steward (Rechtaire)
The Rechtaire is responsible for overseeing all of the everyday household functions of the clan. It is the Rechtaire's duty to arrange transportation to and from Events, obtain food and supplies for longer Events, coordinate the storage and movement of all equipment, oversee the setup and take down of clan campsites, and preparing the clan for Events by obtaining and submitting reservations. The Rechtaire is chosen by a vote of all Nemed from among their number. The symbol of the Rechtaire is the Bull of Prosperity. The Rechtaire's virtue is Service.
Sub-Officers
The Ceann Fine
The Ceann Fine (Head of Family) is a sub-Officer operating under the Chieftain. The Ceann Fine's responsibility is to administer clan functions in small groups living apart from the main body of Clann Lochlan. Each Ceann Fine must be of Nemed status and is given a Charter or Rights and Responsibilities under which to operate, but is free to interpret the Charter as he sees fit. Currently there is one separate Fine, the Iar-fine (Western Family).
The Champion (Curaidh)
The Champion, or Curaidh, is a sub-Officer operating under the Chieftain. The Curaidh's responsibility is to aid the Chieftain in all combat related duties from running fighter practices to leading clan troops on the field in the Chieftain's absence. The Curaidh is also responsible for defending the honor of the clan and all its members. The Champion is chosen in a tournament of the Clan Lady's design every year at the Winter/Yule Ceilidh, and the Office is open to any and all clan heavy fighters. The Curaidh bears the clan war device on his shield in battle. The symbol of the Curaidh is the Boar of Courage.
The Annalist
The Annalist operates under the Brehon and is responsible for maintaining the clan website and publishing the clan newsletter. This Office is a voluntary position, but must be approved to by the Brehon. The Annalist's symbol is the Messenger Bird.
The Chatelaine
The Chatelaine is responsible for aiding all clan members and newcomers in obtaining needed information, materials and supplies for developing basic SCA equipment. This may be done by actively helping the individual in need, finding another person to help them, or pointing them to the appropriate information source. The Chatelaine is a voluntary job, but the office holder must be approved by the Rechtaire. The Chatelaine embodies the virtue of Hospitality. The symbol of the Chatelaine is the Hound.
Awards & Equivalents for Clann Lochlan
SEPTS
The term "sept" has an Irish origin, although it is primarily known for its use in more modern Scottish Clan structure. The original use of "Sept" referred to a smaller family grouping within a larger clan (fine) that all had the same surname and lived in the same locality. The sept itself generally had no legal authority as did the fine, although each sept had one person that was seen as the head, generally the eldest male.
In Clann Lochlan, a sept is very similar to this idea. Each Nemed member of the clan is entitled (but not required) to form their own sept under their surname. Members of that Nemed's sept can include members of the clan who are mundanely related to the Nemed or have been "adopted" into the sept. The sept head has complete discretion as to who is or is not included in the sept. Although there are no official duties or responsibilities that accompany membership in a sept, the sept head is generally assumed to be responsible for making sure that those under him are adequately equipped for SCA participation, as well as being in charge of dealing with any other problems concerning the sept or its members.
Within Clann Lochlan, there are currently four official septs. Clan members who do not belong to one of those four septs fall into another grouping dependent primarily on their location. The head of the local group is also the head of these local non-septs.
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