Máinlia as Chieftain

After a total of 6 consecutive years of service to the clann as an officer (3 years as clann Fili and 3 as chieftain), the purge, the exodus, the park system, Pennsic paper work, and being called every name in the book, I was pretty burnt out. I felt that the clann relied on me way to much and I was pretty sure it was my fault for letting it get that way. It was time for the clann to prove itself greater than the influence of any one person. I wanted the clann to be stronger than any one individual and encourage new connections within the clan. The clan needed to be more of a web then a wheel. (If a wheel loses its hub, the wheel no longer functions, if a web loses a strand, it is still a web.) Also, after the "exodus’ incident, I needed to prove something to myself as well. At Samhain ’95 I respectfully declined my re-nomination for the chieftaincy. I think, at that election, I was nominated for every position except bard and declined each one.

The clann was a little shaken by my refusal to hold any position whatsoever. I had only told a few people about my decision beforehand and took a lot of them by surprise. At this point, It wasn’t so much who wanted to be chief, but who was willing. From the chaos, Máinlia rose to the challenge. Máinlia accepted the nomination, but told the clann that he had many mundane responsibilities and thought there were better choices for chieftain, the only reason he would accept is because no one else was willing. My failure to accept any position prompted members who wouldn’t normally think of being an officer to accept the challenge as well. Máinlia’s achievement during this period are a testament to his caring and tenacity in the cause of the clan. I don’t think many of us would do as well as he did, balancing a medical residency and trying to run our group. It was during this period that the clann web page made its debut. Though the clann had to get used to some new ideas and ways of doing things, it proved the clann's existence was guaranteed as long as its members willed it to exist.