Persona of the Month: Cian Mac Ceallachain Uí Dubhlaich

Being a card carrying member of the SCA is always fun. It's even better when you hear stories about people that you have yet to meet. One of the first people I was fortunate to meet was Lord Cian Mac Ceallachain Uí Dubhlaich from Nottinghill Coill. Cian is our current Triton Herald, the head of the Kingdom's College of Heralds that supervises both field and court heraldry, along with making sure names and devices are processed in a timely manner. To start a new series of articles, I had asked Cian about his SCA career and a few other questions. This month's Persona of the Month goes to Cian!
When did you first hear about the SCA? I had heard about the SCA after I moved to Columbia in 1991, through the Computer Bulletin Board Systems, but never really looked into it. Then, my wife and I went to the Ren Faire in Charlotte, and got to talking about the SCA, so we looked into it, contacted the local group, and the rest is history. Our first event was Feast of the Unicorn in November 2008, and we officially joined in January 2009. What was your first event? What was it like?
First event was Feast of the Unicorn, put on by the Canton of Cydllann Downs. It was an amazing experience. We got checked in and got changed, and let ourselves get immersed. The people we met were all very friendly and accommodating, willing to take time from what they were doing to greet us as newcomers and answer any questions that we had. Many long-lasting friendships were begun that day. And your favorite part of it all? My favorite part of the SCA is the magic and the friendships. To come to an event an see the pavilions up and the banners flying makes the heart sing. It’s a very relaxing place to be. When I’m at an SCA event, I feel like I’m at peace with myself and the world. The people are all friendly and fun to be with, the atmosphere is relaxing, and there’s very little stress, except for when I’m running around 30 minutes before Court starts! What's been your most memorable moment so far? Most of the events that I’ve gone to have been memorable in some fashion or another. War of the Wings every year never fails to thrill me, and I look forward to the next one as soon as the previous one is finished. The most recent Twelfth Night, where I stepped up to become Triton Herald, was very memorable, especially when I knelt before Their Majesties and placed my hand upon the Sword of State to give my Oath of Fealty…That was truly a magical moment. But the one that probably stands out the most in my mind is Feast of the Saints in 2010. That was the first event where I was going to be the lead Royal Herald. It was a nerve-wracking experience, meeting with the Queen by myself. But it was all worth it, as the first piece of business was that I got to call my wife into court to receive her AoA. That was a truly special moment for me. Any advice for the Newcomer? My advice for newcomers is “ASK!”. If you see someone doing something that you don’t know what it is, feel free to go up and ask them about it. Everyone loves to talk about what they are doing and what they love. You can learn so much from simply saying “Pardon me, m’Lady, but may I ask what you are doing?”. I have done that many times when I see an artisan working on something that I am not familiar with, and have learned a lot. People in the SCA are very friendly, especially to newcomers, and are wiling to explain what they are doing. The beauty of the SCA is that there is something for EVERYONE to do. Whether it’s Arts and Sciences, martial combat, marshalling, heraldry (yay!)…there’s enough activities that anyone can find one or more to partake in. But most of all, ENJOY YOURSELF! The SCA is a game, It’s fun. Try all kinds of things, but at the end of the day, if you just want to sit in a chair and relax and watch the happenings, do it!