Introducing Kearney Smith
Clan Graham's Heavy Athlete

Kearney Smith

Pipe Tune Playing is
The Atholl Highlanders
Also known as
The Gathering of the Grahams

Kearney's

  2006 Competitions

Clan Graham Society is extremely pleased to have such a fine young man wearing  the tartan of the Grahams during competition.  However, it was not always that way.  Here follows the story of how Kearney got his Graham Kilt written by his lovely wife Paige.

As a loyal member of Clan Graham since 1996, Scottish Heavy Athlete, Kearney Smith, has always made it a point to crow over his Clan Graham connections with his fellow athletes.  His only disadvantage was that he didn't own a kilt in the Graham tartan. His fellow Graham Clansmen (and women) have good-humoredly teased him about  his attire for years.

Unbeknownst to Kearney, his friends in the Clan Graham Society were working on a surprise for him in 2001.  A quiet collection under the Clan tent, and arrangement with kilt-maker Jim Kilpatrick and a dubious task to secretly measure the athlete were the beginning steps toward putting one over (and on) Kearney.

In April 2001, at the Culloden (Georgia) Highland Games, Kearney was summoned to the main stage for opening ceremonies, supposedly to have a photo made regarding his world record earlier in the year.  As Kearney mounted the steps before the massed bands and gathered Clans, he was surprised to see his Clan President Richard Graham joined by other friends from the Society standing there with mischief on their faces.  Richard took the microphone and spent a few moments sharing Kearney's relationship and history with the Society (much to the confusion of the athlete who was still wondering where the photographer was).

In short, Richard acknowledged that Kearney was a useful member of the Clan and really only evidenced one shortcoming.  He summed it up by asking Kearney, "What the bloody *%&$   are you wearing?"

By  now the thousand of Scottish musicians and clansmen gathered before the stage were aware that something was up.  But it wasn't until Melissa Graham stepped forward, pointed at the old kilt and intoned "Remove it," that Kearney and everyone else began to get the picture.

As Kearney began to unbuckle the old kilt, whistles and titters rose from the crowd.  Mr. Smith, never one to let a public comic opportunity pass, started to tease the assembly with coy looks and tapping toes as he stripped the old kilt apart.  Very quickly, a Highland piper had picked up the threads of The Stripper and dollar bills were beginning to appear in the waving hands of a normally reserved gathering.  By the time the athlete had removed the kilt, swung it around his head a few times for good measure and flung it into the crowd, everyone on the field was laughing, joining in the high jinx.  Then they all began cheering to see the Clan Graham Society dress Kearney with his new Graham kilt and recognize one of their own with such a special gesture.  Kearney was truly moved at the end when his kilt was christened on the stage and he took his place with his friends and clansmen, sharing the same tartan for the first time.

The "Big Show" was the talk of the tents for the rest of the weekend.  Sharing the "Graham Surprise" with the whole Scottish assembly during the opening ceremony was important to highlight the ties between all of us in the Clan Graham community.  As as athlete competing on the field from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Kearney can't always make it to the Clan tent during the Games and misses much of the fellowship although he seeks it when he can.

Now, he can look down at his new Graham Kilt and be reminded still very much a part of Clan Graham.  His gratitude is deep and heartfelt.

 

Arizona Highland Games Date: 2/25/2006 - 2/26/2006 Location: Mesa, AZ   Pro Athlete Place Points Braemar Stone 24.8lb Open Stone 16lb Heavy Wgt for Dist Heavy Hammer Light Hammer Caber 19' 6 Weight for Height Kearney Smith 6 44 32'-7.25" 41'-1.25" 34'-2.5" 82'-2" 99'-11" 5  15'-0"

Las Vegas Highland Games Date: 4/15/2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV   Pro Athlete Place Points Braemar Stone 22lb Open Stone 16.5lb Heavy Wgt for Dist Heavy Hammer Light Hammer Caber 18' 120lb Sheaf 20lb Weight for Height Kearney Smith 10 81.5 35'-7" 38'-7.5" 35'-0" 80'-7.25" 100'-0.5" 4  25'-0" 15'-6"

Loch Norman Highland Games Date: 4/22/2006 - 4/23/2006 Location: Huntersville, NC   Pro Athlete Place Points Open Stone 18lb Heavy Wgt for Dist Light Wgt for Dist Heavy Hammer Caber Sheaf 20lb Weight for Height Kearney Smith 6 38 38'-6" 33'-11" 72'-4.5" 88'-3" 45  28'-0" 15'-0"