Updated 16.1.17 1

Here is the latest list of what Clans are marching on what days for The Touch of Tartan.

There will be a series of Clan Parades that will take place each night of the Tattoo. This will be a major event within the Clan-themed events that will be happening throughout this year, backed by the Scottish Clan Event Fund.

There are 25 performances of the Edinburgh Tattoo. Tickets have been put aside for the clans to buy for each performance to make sure that as many tartan-clad clansmen, women and children attend as possible.  Each Clan has seats allocated at the Tattoo.

For more information please contact  info@clanchiefs.org.uk

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The Macniel’s flag flying high today at Kisimul Castle

Friday’s ceremony to celebrate finalising the Lease of Kisimul Castle to Historic Scotland is a milestone in Kisimul’s long history. It will enable my father’s dream of securing a viable future for Kisimul to be realised. Supported by my mother, his vision and determination through five years of negotiation of the lease with Historic Scotland, followed by a decade of persistance to ensure that Historic Scotland presented a viable Conservation Plan, laid the foundation for the finalisation of the Lease being celebrated today.

Many other people have contributed to the growing relationship between the MacNeils of Barra, Historic Scotland, the people of Barra and MacNeils around the world that had brought us to where we are today, at the dawn of a bright new future for Kisimul. At the head of the list is Ruth Parsons, former Chief Executive of Historic Scotland, who courageously re-engaged with my family, admitting mistakes that had been made in the past, and inspiring the team at Historic Scotland to provide the devoted and professional support that has been so much in evidence for the past five years.

Ian Walford, the current Chief Executive of Historic Scotland, has continued on the path Ruth set out, quickly came to grips with the unique challenges support and care of Kisimul presents, and is demonstrating his ongoing personal commitment to Kisimul by, among other things, organising and attending today’s ceremony.

Many people at Historic Scotland are involved in providing one form of support or another to Kisimul. Lucy Vaughan and Jamie MacPherson, who lead the team, are both highly skilled and committed professionals. The fantastic work they do at Kisimul itself and in Barra is open for all to see; they have been equally effective in working within Historic Scotland to explain Kisimul and the challenges it presents and act as advocates for it. I am sure I can speak for both Historic Scotland and the community in saying that we are very fortunate indeed to have Lucy and Jamie so actively involved in managing Kisimul.

Donald, Anne-Marie, Maggie and Gerry have proved worthy counterparts to the ‘offshore’ Historic Scotland team. Their commitment and good humoured professionalism, notwithstanding the weather(!), has been instrumental in Historic Scotland’s growing involvement in the Castle over the past five years. Without the local knowledge they bring to the day to day management and operation of Kisimul its management would literally be impossible. With Annag Bheag’s support, the participation of the children from the school in the outreach activities Jamie has initiated has been an inspiration to more people that you might think, both within and beyond Historic Scotland.

I would specially to thank Alasdair Allan. Alasdair intervened not once but twice to build a bridge to Historic Scotland during a period when it appeared very likely that no Conservation Plan would be forthcoming. It was the second of these interventions, a meeting with Ruth Parsons, that set stage for the progress made over the past five years and the promise of much more to come in the years ahead.

Last but not least, a timely reminder of the fact that Kisimul is important not just to the local community but to MacNeils and other Barraich around the world comes from the happy fact that the finalisation of the Lease enables my family to make available to Historic Scotland the 100,000 in the Kisimul Castle Restoration Fund for use in the conservation projects now planned for the next three years.

Warm thanks are also due to the many donors, small and large, who contributed to that fund over the years.

Rory Macneil of Barra

You can read the full press release from Historic Scotland regarding Kisimul Castle by clicking here.

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31st October – Edinburgh to Barra via Oban
This entry comes to you from terribly, terribly rough seas. I thought I had seasoned sea legs, but maybe I’ll have to work on them a bit more considering I’ve spent the last hour unable to do anything but lie horizontally with my guts somewhere near the roof of the cabin. It’s a little bit like those pirate ship rides at theme parks that swing back and forth, but instead of lasting five minutes it’s going to last another three hours.

Loch Long, West Highland Line

The first leg of my journey began this morning at Edinburgh Waverley Station, where I caught the train to Glasgow then changed to the West Highland Line to take me to Oban. I was lost in the world of my newspaper when I looked out the window and suddenly realised we were in the Highlands. It’s incredible how the scenery changes so quickly in Scotland. One minute we’re in quaint countryside and the next we’re surrounded by the beautiful reds and browns of the Highlands. The train hurtled along the edge of Loch Long, then Loch Lomond providing a magnificent view of the steep, steep side of Ben Loman. The train was delayed for about 10 minutes in Ardlui which was a bit stressful considering I would already only have a 15 minute stopover in Oban before the ferry embarked for Barra. However the good people at ScotRail assured me the ferry would wait for me (if we weren’t too late…!). Arriving in Oban, the sun came out and was bouncing off the water to greet me. But I had no time to loose – after a mad dash I made it to my ferry with about five seconds to spare before we embarked. Ironically the ship I’m on is called the MV Clansman. And was a bit confused when I was greeted on board by a man dressed as a witch before remembering today is Halloween.

Made it aboard!

I would say there’s only about 10 passengers max on board. And it’s a big ferry so it feels a wee bit lonely. I guess one of the reasons it’s so empty is the terrible weather that is battering the UK at the moment. Or maybe people just prefer to fly these days. I spent the first hour of the trip with my eyes glued to the window as we sailed through the Sound of Mull. I ventured outside before the sun set and got absolutely pelted with hail while I took the picture below. You’re welcome, dear readers.

The sun went down about the same time we hit the Minch, and that’s when the weather got really rough. I’m pleased to report I haven’t needed to use the sick bags that are planted around the ferry in excess. It’s actually kind of fun going up and down on the high seas – as long as I keep lying down hopefully I’ll be fine!

The Calm Before the Storm – The Sound of Mull

31st October – Arrival in Barra
After four hours of train travel and five ropey hours of ferrying, I’ve finally made it to Barra! However it’s very dark and oh so windy, so adventures will have to wait till tomorrow. I feel a bit sorry for the people who were meant to be sailing onto Lochboisdale after Barra. The captain decided the sea was far to rough to continue the journey tonight. I had my first glimpse of Kisimul Castle rising up out of the water as we arrived, it’s a lot bigger than I imagined and can’t wait to head out there tomorrow. The wind is absolutely howling outside, I was almost picked up and blown away as I trudged towards my B&B. Today’s entry ends with a quote a found in a book when I arrived in Barra – Over and out!

Mountains divide us, and a waste of seas;
yet still the blood is strong;
the heart is Highland
And we in dreams behold the Hebrides.
- Canadian Boat Song, circa 1829

1st November – Kisimul Castle Conservation Plan

The view from my room this morning. Nask, Isle of Barra

As luck would have it, The only other guests at the B&B this morning were a journalist and a cameraman from STV who were here also to cover the Kisimul Castle story. I hitched a ride with them to the other side of Barra, past the wild west coast beaches, to Barra Airport to greet the chief as he arrived on a plane from Glasgow. Barra Airport is another story in itself all together -it’s the only airport in the world where scheduled flights use the beach as the runway. Also at the airport to greet the chief was Ian Walford, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland and Alasdiar Allen, MSP for the Western Isles.

The Macneil and Barra Airport tarmac

From there we traveled along the decidedly calmer eastern side of the isle, back to Castlebay for the ceremony at Kisimul Castle. It was announced today that Kisimul Castle, seat of Clan Macneil of Barra, is to undergo major conservation, archaeological and interpretation work as part of an agreement reached between Historic Scotland and the clan. The announcement was finalised today, thirteen years after Historic Scotland was granted stewardship of the Castle by Ian Roderick Macneil of Barra, the late 46th chief, for £1 and a bottle of Tallisker whisky per year. Construction of the castle began around 1039, making Kisimul  one of the oldest castles in Europe.

The work will see and investment of over £200,000, half of which has come from funds donated by Clan Macneil members, and will go towards three key projects to be completed by the end of 2015. This includes re-roofing the flat roof over the main hall; reinforcing concrete structures and overhauling the chapel roof and incorporating a new timber walkway. The chief was especially pleased that Historic Scotland have made special efforts to record local knowledge of the source of materials used to build Kisimul, conserving the fabric of this stunning ancient monument. You can read the full statement from Historic Scotland by clicking here. I’ve also posted the statement from the Macneil which you can view here.

A Piper welcomes the Macniel and guests to Kisimul Castle

The Macniel and guests at Kisimul Castle

School children from Castlebay School welcomed the Macneil, Ian Walford and Alasdair Allen to the island, with a lovely wee lass playing the pipes. A short ceremony was then conducted in the courtyard of the castle. Later on in the day I met with The Macneil again and interviewed him for about an hour – you’ll have to stay tuned for my upcoming feature with him

I ended the day by venturing up into the hills north of Castlebay where I was treated to a blusteringly beautiful sunset and some spectacular views of Barra, Vatersay and the Bishop’s Isles. I felt like the only person in the world as there wasn’t a soul up in the hills. I can’t quite believe that me, a young woman from small town New Zealand, has ended up here – It really was exceedingly beautiful and some off the most impressive landscapes I have ever seen. Off to Eriskay and Lochboisdale tomorrow – I’m dead tired so better get some sleep!

Hills above Castlebay, looking towards Vatersay and the Bishop’s Isles.

2nd November – Vatersay
On Barra, the main topic on conversation is not the weather, but the ferry. However, I can assure you that all anyone on the island was talking about today was the absolutely horrendous weather that hit the island this morning. I had planned on popping over to Eriskay and Lochboisdale via the ferry, but while walking to the bus stop this morning I got caught in a everlasting downpour and was completely soaked through by the time I reached the stop. I met the island bus driver, Hector MacNeil, at Castlebay Pier and we decided today probably wasn’t the best day to go island hopping. The storm seemed to be getting worse so he very kindly dropped me back at my B&B and told me I could accompany him on his run over to Vatersay later in the day once I had dried off.

It didn’t take me long to dry off (thank the stars for double glazing and central heating – something my modest home in Edinburgh sadly doesn’t have!), and I met Hector a couple of hours later outside my B&B in Nask, just slightly south of Castlebay. We then descended up the hill towards Vatersay, an island separated from Barra by a 250m body of water. Vatersay is the most southerly inhabited island in the Western Isles. There are a few more islands south of Vatersay (known as Bishop’s Isles), but these days the islands are home only to a variety of birdlife.

Hector Macneil on the daily bus and package delivery run to Vatersay

Hector also doubles as a package delivery driver, so he had a few parcels to drop off around the island. In 1990 a causeway was built between Barra and Vatersay so now it’s possible to drive between the two islands. Previously the only way to get to Vatersay was by Ferry from Castlebay. For years the military opposed residents petitions to build the causeway, but in 1987 the Council got an Act of Parliament which said the causeway was needed ‘to maintain the present population of Vatersay and relieve hardship’. The immediate reaction to the causeway saw the population rise from 65 in 1988 to 83 in 1993, and planning applications soar from a mere two in 1985-9 to 24, including four new houses, in 1990-3. The current population of Vatersay is somewhere around 100.

We chatted about the similarities of my home and the Western Isles. Hector told me he knows of a fair few people who have moved out to New Zealand, probably because the industries are the same – farming and fishing. It definitely looks similar except for one difference – there are no trees here – it’s just rolling, rocky machair and heather-ladden hills.

New Zealand or Scotland?

Catalina Wreckage, Vatersay

We then came to the wreckage of a Catalina – a 70 year old plane wreck from the Second World War. Catalinas were often referred to as a flying boat for their ability to land and take off at sea. On the night of 12th May 1944 this particular plane took off from Oban with nine crew on board for a training exercise. They were due to fly over the nearby point of Barra Head, but lost their way and found themselves well off their intended course. The pilot tried in vain to gain altitude and the plane crashed into the side of the nearby hill Heishavel Beag. Three of the crew were killed, with six surviving the crash. The wreckage was dragged down the hill by the RAF, where it has been left to rust in peace for the last 70 years.

Bagh Bhatarsaigh

The wreckage is just near a beautiful white sandy beach on the east coast of the island. You can’t tell from the photos but the rain was absolutely heaving down on us. Further along the road was a monument to the emigrant ship ‘Annie Jane’ which was lost just off the coast of Vatersay in 1853. The ship was en route to Quebec from Liverpool via Glasgow, and no doubt contained many Scottish folk in search of a new life. I’ve been thinking a lot about the people who left Barra and Vatersay, either by force or choice at the turn of the 20th century, and hope to follow this up with a blog post over the coming weeks.

As we approached the village of Vatersay, Hector pointed out the ruins of a substantial house looming in the distance. The house was belonged to the old landlord of the island – Lady Cathcart – and this house was where the shepherd stayed when Vatersay was cleared for sheep. Lady Catchart, who visited the island only once, refused to allow crofting tenants back on her land, and after various court interdicts and some imprisonment of crofters, the Department of Agriculture bought the island and reinstated the crofts.

Back to Barra

We dropped off a few more packages and turned around to make our way back to Barra. On the way we stopped to pick up another passenger, who turned out to be one of the Barra’s celebrities. Maggie ‘Scraggie Aggie’ Mackinnon was featured in the 2008 BBC2 series An Island Parish, which followed the day to day life of parishes in Barra, Eriskay and South Uist. Of course the first topic of conversation was the weather, followed by the latest news on the ferry crossings. We then chatted about Kisimul Castle and the plans announced yesterday. Maggie spoke very highly of the late clan chief, Iain MacNeil, saying how much of a lovely man he was.

Tomorrow I plan to hit the beaches on the West side of the island, but not before attending a Catholic Church service at the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea. I was intrigued to discover that Barra is predominately Catholic, and it seems as if religion is a big part of island life, with 80.2% of the population identifying as Catholic during the 2001 census.

3rd November – Star of the Sea and the West Coast of Barra
Barra is one of the only places in Scotland where the Scottish Reformation didn’t really make an impact. Interestingly the North of the Western Isles is predominantly Protestant, with clashes between the two christian factions on the isles extremely rare. I was intrigued to find that Catholicism has had a stronghold on the island since the 17th century – possibly because it was the religion of Clan Macneil, who were ardent Stuart supporters. Even the Cromwellian laws forbidding the practice of the Catholic faith seem to have been ignored on Barra – in Cromwellian times in 1671 the priest at the time claimed his flock numbered 1000. Four years later, two Catholic priests were held virtual prisoner on the island by locals who demanded the priests cater to their spiritual needs.

Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Castlebay

This morning I attended a Catholic Mass at the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea – one of 5 Roman Catholic churches on Barra and Vatersey. The church opened on Christmas Eve 1888 when people from all around the islands gathered for Midnight Mass. It seats around 800 people, however today I would say there was around 150 people at mass. I was raised in the Catholic Church back home in New Zealand, so the mass felt very familiar apart from a few prayers and words that were slightly different. Sunday mass still seems to be a staple of island life here on Barra.

I spent the afternoon wandering about the wild west coast of the island. Every now and then I would pass a ruin of somebodys home – i’m constantly reminded of the people who lived here long ago on Barra, what happened to them and where they have gone. The beaches here are absolutely beautiful – the sand is white and the water a deep blue. I kept expecting it to rain all day, and amazingly the bad weather held off! But it’s oh so very windy!

4^th November – Back to the Mainland

Sunrise from Nasg, Isle of Barra this morning

I am pleased to report that this morning’s journey has been the most spectacular smooth sail across the minch. The ferry (this time i’m onboard the Hebridean Isles) left Castlebay loaded to the brim at 8:50am. There are a lot more passengers on board this time, and since it is a bright beautiful day I am able to see everything around for miles. I’m even able to go and stand out on the deck without risk of being blown overboard into the rolling Atlantic.

Hebridean Isles at Castlebay Port

The scenery was amazing as we left Barra, providing spectacular views of Vatersay, Sandray, Barra, Eriskay and South Uist. As we got further out into the ocean I could see the snow-capped mountains of Skye off in the distance, behind the Isle of Rum. We’ve just hit the Sound of Mull, and already am feeling a little bit sad to be back in civilisation. After four days of not seeing any trees, I found it quite bizarre to see a large forest of pines on entrance to the sound.

Bye Bye Barra

I’m currently reading a book about the history of Barra by Kenneth Branigan. It’s quite fitting that as we’ve been sailing this morning I’ve been reading all about the emigration periods in Barra between 1770 and 1840. Most of those who left Barra went to Canada – namely Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Cape Bretton. There are lots of theories about why people left Barra, but mostly it seems they were fed up with their landlord (Roderick the Gentle – chief of Clan Macneil) and went in search of a better life. Another theory is that by the time the late 18^th century rolled around, the Macneil chiefs had converted to protestantism so were rather nasty to their largely Catholic tenants on Barra.

Branigan’s book also goes into what life would have been like for the people of Barra arriving in Canada. Barra, although very windy, is known for having generally mild winters – which isn’t the case on the east coast of Canada. Nova Scotia offered plenty of pine forests for shelter from the elements, and an endless supply of firewood. But to go from having no trees at all to the vast forests of Canada that needed to be cleared in order to make way for farms was the bane of many a new settlers existence. However Canada provided far better farming than Barra, and land grants were extremely generous (especially to Catholics). Although initially their new life would have been hard, it certainly would have paid off in the end.

4^th November – Oban

Dunollie Castle (bottom right), seat of Clan MacDougall, as seen from the ferry coming into Oban

I’m now on the train heading back to Edinburgh. I had a few hours stopover this afternoon in Oban which was delightful as the sun was out in full force. I was going to try and head up to Dunstaffnage or Dunollie Castle – steeped in MacDougall history – but I’m sorry to say the Oban Whisky Distillery well and truly distracted me. I took a tour of the distillery and where I whole-heatedly indulged in a few samples. The town of Oban was built around the distillery, which was established in 1794. I was glad to learn that there are hardly any waste products in the making of whisky – most of the by-products are used or sold. One example being the grain that is left over from the mash is made into pellets and sold to farmers. In some of the bigger distilleries, the c02 that is released during the distilling process is captured and sold to soft drink manufacturers. Apparently the c02 you’ll find in Irn-Bru comes from the Macallan distillery.

Gull’s Paradise, Oban

I’m running low on battery so I better sign off – It’s been an amazing trip and feel so lucky to have experienced this remote little corner of Scotland. On the ferry back from Barra I picked up a little self-published book in the gift shop called Jura and George Orwell. It’s been my dream for a long time to visit the Isle of Jura and to stay in the cottage where Orwell lived out the final years of his life writing 1984. Here’s to more adventures in West Scotland! Sláinte

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I’d like to continue by reproducing Alaistair Moffat’s reading given at St Giles. It was an excellent account of the battle and the aftermath.

—

FLODDEN ADDRESS. – ALISTAIR MOFFAT

When dawn broke on the morning of 10th September, 1513, the landscape of hell was revealed. On the gently undulating northern ridges of Branxton Hill more than 10,000 men lay dead or dying. In the midst of the carnage were the naked, plundered bodies of King James IV of Scotland, his half-brother, Alexander Stewart, Archbishop of St Andrews, George Hepburn, Bishop of the Isles, two abbots, nine great earls of Scotland, fourteen lords of parliament, innumerable knights and noblemen of lesser degree and many thousands of farmers, ploughmen, weavers and burgesses. It was the appalling aftermath of the battle of Flodden, the greatest military disaster in Scotland’s history.

In the grey light of that terrible dawn, sentries posted around the captured Scottish cannon could make out where the brunt of battle had been joined. Below them, at the foot of the slope ran the trickle of a nameless burn now choked with slaughter, a wrack of mangled bodies, broken pikeshafts, shattered shields and everywhere blood and the sickening stench of death, vomit and voided bowels. Not all of the bodies were yet corpses. Through a long dark night the battlefield had not been a silent graveyard. Trapped under lifeless comrades, crippled, hamstrung or horribly mutilated, fatally wounded men still breathed. Bladed weapons rarely kill outright and they were often used to bludgeon men to their knees or into unconsciousness. In the churned mud of the battlefield some men will have lost their footing, fallen and been hacked at before they could get up. Many bled to death, maimed, lacerated by vicious cuts, screaming, fainting and screaming once more in their death agonies. Some will have been put out of their misery by parties of English soldiers scouring the field by torchlight for plunder, stripping the bodies, ransacking them for valuables. But other men will have lingered on in

unspeakable pain, praying to their God, passing in and out of consciousness, slowly bleeding to death. The fury of the battle on Flodden field may have been stilled and awash with death and defeat. But all was not yet over. In an instant the plunderers and scavengers looked up and the sentries by the cannon stood to, frantically peering through the morning light. They could hear the rumbling thunder of hoofbeats – and then, suddenly, riders erupted over Barelees Rig. With 800 horsemen at his back, Lord Alexander Home galloped hard across the horrors of the battlefield and up the slopes of Branxton Hill. They had not come back to Flodden to rejoin a lost battle but to rescue their captured ordnance. And they very nearly succeeded. After a sharp skirmish, the English gunners managed to load and get off a volley at Home’s squadron, and they scattered.

And so it ended. As the Border horsemen wheeled round and raced out of range, the remnants of the shattered Scottish army were limping across the Tweed at Coldstream. There was no organised pursuit. The victorious English army had taken heavy casualties and the Earl of Surrey and his captains were exhausted. In any event, their bloody work was done. The floors o’ the Forest were a’ wede awa, Flodden was a national disaster, a harbinger of lawlessness in the shape of the Border Reivers, the beginning of a long period of political uncertainty and the last medieval battle in the history of Britain. The last time a king was to die leading his army.

It was also an epic. As two huge armies mustered and marched into history, extraordinary scenes had been witnessed. At Ellemford, high in the Lammermuirs above Duns, where sheep now graze on the flanks of the hills, where buzzards hang in the updrafts and an elegant bridge crosses the Whiteadder, King James IV and his army camped. Huge guns were trundled down the hill trails, dragged by oxen, and by 21st August 1513, almost 30,000 men had massed in this beautiful, now lonely valley. Two days later, the largest force ever to leave Scotland crossed the Tweed at the fords below Coldstream. They had declared war, they had entered the realm of the Tudors, of the ferociously ambitious and bull-like Henry VIII.

Meanwhile Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, and the Bishop of Durham carried the standard of St Cuthbert before their battle-hardened troops. In front of the high altar of the great cathedral, Howard had watched the bishop bless the flag of the Haliwerfolc. The lands of Palatinate, of the Prince-Bishops of Durham, reached to the Tweed and beyond, and in an early definition of Englishness, their people were known as the Holy Man’s Folk, the Haliwerfolc. Ancient allegiances were being roused and summoned.

Between 2nd and 9th September two vast armies circled each other in a small corner of North Northumberland, like heavyweight boxers looking for weaknesses or waiting for wrong moves. After the Earl of Surrey had despatched a herald, the Rouge Croix, it was finally agreed that battle would be joined on 9th September. Supplies for almost 70,000 men, horses and camp followers were running dangerously low

and neither army could remain in the field much longer.

Realising the strength of the Scots’ entrenched position, Surrey led his men to the east, skirting Flodden Edge and staying out of artillery range. On the morning of the appointed day, he crossed the River Till and took up a position to the north of James IV’s army, barring any retreat to Scotland. And then, on a damp afternoon, the greatest battle ever fought between England and Scotland began.

On the left wing of the Scottish host, the Highlanders led by the Earl of Huntly massed in formation with Lord Home’s Borderers, and in the moments before their chiefs roared the claideamh mor, the order to charge, the Gaelic-speaking warriors did something remarkable. They began to summon the army of the dead. They began the sloinneadh, the naming of the names of memory. To bolster his courage, each man began to recite his genealogy. Many waiting to charge could go back 20 generations. As if they were offering up the murmur of prayer, each man remembered why he had come to fight. Is mise mac Iain, mac Ruaridh, mac Domhnuill. I am the son of John, the son of Roderick, the son of Donald. And once their quiet voices stilled, the roar of the claideamh mor rent the air and they broke into the charge. With their broadswords and Lochaber axes, the Highlanders tore into the English ranks, the division led by Edmund Howard, They scattered and a rout was only prevented when Lord Dacre rode to the rescue with his English Borderers. As history rumbled across Branxton Hill, fortune appeared to be smiling on the Scots.

At the same time, James IV was about to make a catastrophic decision, a crucial error of judgement. Instead of occupying an elevated position at the rear of his vast army, he chose to lead from the front. His division raced down Branxton Hill and as they reached the lower slopes and much softer ground, many men began to skid and lose their footing. This unsteadiness made it very difficult for them to control their long, 12 foot pikes. The wet ground made them charge out of formation, only engaging piecemeal with the solidly planted ranks of English billmen, With their shorter, more easily handled bills, they began to slice into James IV’s division. And as the men at the back saw the Scottish pikes go down, they hesitated and many of them ran, believing their king to be killed. By leading from the front, James was immediately submerged in the ruck of the fighting, only able to see what was directly in front of him, in no position to direct his forces. The result was disaster.

The legacy of Flodden was most immediately and keenly felt in the Borders. North of the Tweed the memory of the battle is kept alive in the fabric of the midsummer common ridings. At Selkirk the ceremony of the casting of the colours is unique in Britain and it is based on the return of a soldier known as Fletcher, traditionally believed to have been the only one of sixty from the town to return. In his bloodied hand he held aloft, in a gesture of desolate defiance, a flag captured from the men of Macclesfield in Cheshire. Many Englishmen had fought and fallen at Flodden. And passions still run high. When the Mayor of Macclesfield recently wrote to the Provost of Selkirk asking for the return of the flag, he was told that he would need to come to the Borders and take it.

Flodden is an immense story. Like Culloden in 1746, it signalled the end of a fading, feudal Scotland.  And it also ushered in a century of lawlessness, the criminal society controlled by the appalling Border Reivers. Across Europe, renaissance, enlightenment and the reformation were changing lives, forming new ideas and creating the institutions of the modern world. In the first half of the 16th century, central authority broke down in a leaderless nation, and while swords and spears spoke in Scotland, the law was often silent.

What is to be learned from all of that suffering and slaughter, from all of those ancient enmities? First that they are ancient and must remain firmly in the past. In 2014 Scotland faces a historic choice and whichever way the people of Scotland vote, it must be a signal lesson of Flodden that enmity, even ancient enmity can have no part. And it is to the credit of politicians on all sides of the argument that it has not reared an ugly head. But it might.

And alongside that it mustmbe important to remember, to understand the visceral, bloody realities of whatmwent on on that terrible day 500 years ago. Lest we forget, Flodden should become a place of remembrance and of pilgrimage, a place where the uncomfortable lessons of history can be learned and never forgotten.

Two weeks ago, on one of the countless beautiful evenings of this glorious summer, I drove over to Branxton. As the sun threw long shadows across the gently undulating fields, I tried to imagine the 10th of September, 1513, the distant roar of thousands of men, the screams, the fear and feral closeness of hand-to-hand fighting when

men can smell the breath, smell the sweat of men grunting pushing, hacking, swearing at them, trying to kill them. In a Gaelic phrase, I tried to listen for the music of the thing as it happened. I tried to listen to the slow, sad music of our history. I hope that many in Scotland and England hear it too.

Prior to the sir Malcolm MacGregor (who has admitted that try as he might he can not find a single MacGregor involved in the battle) researched the casualty lists. The following names are clans and families who are known to have fought at Flodden along with notable people who fell in the battle:

From the Highland Clans: 

Campbell, Erskine, Fraser, Gordon, Graham, Guthrie, Haldane, Hay, Keith, Leslie, Lindsay, Macaulay, Macfarlane, Mackay, Maclean, Macnab, Menteith, Moncreiff, Moray, Murray, Ogilvy, Oliphant, Ramsay, Rattray, Ross, Ruthven, Seton, Sinclair, Stewart, Forbes, Forsyth, Grant, MacKenzie, MacNaughton, Ross, Skene, Buchanan Of Leny, MacDonald

The Lowland and Border Clans and Families:

Adair, Abercromby, Adam, Anstruther, Baillie, Baird, Balfour, Barclay, Blackadder, Bonar, Boswell, Carnegie, Cathcart, Cleland, Cockburn, Colville, Craig, Crauford, Crichton, Cunningham, Dunbar, Dundas, Edmonstone Of Duntreath, Elphinstone, Fotheringham, Gray, Grierson, Haig, St.Clair Of Roslin, Henderson, Hepburne, Herries, Home, Hoppringle, Houston, Lauder, Liddel, Lockhart, Lumsden, Lyon, Masterson, Maitland, Maule, Maxtone, Maxwell, Melville, Muirhead, Mure, Napier, Rollo, Sempill, Somerville, Spottiswood, Stewart Of Traquair, Allardice, Ballingall, Kerr, Colville, Crammond, Eliott, Ferguson, Fleming, Foreman (Standard Bearer), Inche, Inglis, Johnstone, Kirkcaldy, Knolis, Logan, Montgomery, Morton, Muir, Nelson Of Madinpap, Otterbrun, Pitcarin, Pringle, Reid, Rorison, Savage, Scott, Seton, Tunstall, Vallanche, Wood Of Raik, Kennedy, Douglas, Hamilton, Livingstone, Wemyss, Wallace, MacLellan, MacCulloch, MacDowall

Chief Or Notable Head Of House/Family

King James IV, Archbishop Of St.Andrews (King’s Son), Earl Of Morton ( Grandson Of James 1), Earl Of Glencairn, Douglas Of Drumlanrig, Sir James Dunbar, Dundas, Lord Elphinstone, Lord Erskine, Earl Of Huntly, Earl Of Montrose, Sir Alexander Guthrie, Haig Of Bemersyde, Haldane Of Gleneagles, Earl Of Errol, Earl Of Bothwell, Sir William Keith, Earl Of Cassilis, Earl Of Rothes, Earl Of Crawford, MacDowal, Earl Of Garthland, MacFarlane Of Arrochar, Hector MacLean Of Duart, Maxwell Lord Of Carlaverock, Sir John Moncreiffe Of That Ilk, Moray Of Abercairney, Ramsay Of Dalhousie, Rattray Of That Ilk, Rollo Of Duncrub, Master Of Ruthven, Lord Sempill, Lord Seton, Earl Of Caithness, Earl Of Atholl, Earl Of Lennox, Lord Darnley, Master Of Angus, Anstruther Of That Ilk, Ballingall Of That Ilk, Master Of Eliott, Lord Forbes, Master Of Lovat, Sir Alexander Gordon Of Lochinvar, Sir Alexander Gordon Of Knockenshene, Grant Of Freuchie, John Henderson Of Fordell, Lord Alexander Home, Sir Patrick Houston Of That Ilk, William Johnstone Of That Ilk, Lord Keith, Lord Lorn, Lyon (Sons Of Lord Glamis), MacKenzie Of Kintail, Sir Alexander MacNaughton Of That Ilk, Andrew Pitcairn Of Pitcairn And 7 Sons, Lord Ross, William Ruthven Of That Ilk, Sir Walter Scott Of Buccleuch, Alexander Skene Of That Ilk, Sir David Wemyss, Earl Of Argyll, Lord Kinnaird, Master Of Cathcart, MacDonald Of Lochalsh.

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The St Giles Service…

Just over 40 clan chiefs  attended the St Giles service. At the end of the service they mustered for a photograph on the steps. To help you identify who was there we have been given a sketch with a key to the names:

1. Sir Walter Riddell of Riddell 2. The Hon. Elizabeth Fairbairn 3. Madam Pauline Hunter of Hunterston 4. Sir David Bannerman of Elsick 5. Lord Polwarth 6. Andrew Wallace Younger of that Ilk 7. Andrew Dewar Durie of Durie CBE 8. Michael Ancram, Marquess of Lothian 9. Andrew MacThomas of Finegand 10. Earl of Dundee 11. David Campbell of Strachur 12. Roderick Macneil of Barra 13. Sir James McGrigor 14. Earl of Eglinton and Winton 15. Professor David Hannay of Kirkdale and of that Ilk 16. Henry Trotter Younger of Charterhall 17. John MacArthur of that Ilk 18. Duncan Paisley of Westerlea 19. Richard Carmichael of Carmichael 20. Earl of Caithness21. Earl of Lauderdale 22. The Hon. Alexander Leslie 23. Earl of Erroll  24. Lord Napier and Ettrick 25. Madam Arabella Kincaid of Kincaid 26. David Cranstoun of that Ilk 27. Jamie Macnab of Macnab 28. Earl of Wemyss and March 29. Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw  30. The Hon. Kate Nicolson 31. Duke of Montrose 32. The Hon. Peregrine Moncreiffe of that Ilk 33. Martin Haldane of Gleneagles 34.  Lord Sempill 35.  Andrew Marjoribanks of that Ilk 36. Donald MacLaren of MacLaren  37.  Duke of Hamilton 38. Field Marshal the Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank 39. Isla St Clair 40. Marquess of Ailsa 41. Madam Margaret Eliott of Redheugh 42. Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor 43. Lord Macdonald of Macdonald 44.  Richard Oliphant of that Ilk

This image will help you identify the chiefs:

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The Sound of Barra

The Sound of Barra has been designated a site of Special Area of Conservation (SAC) despite opposition from the chief of Clan MacNeil of Barra and local community members. Described as one of Scotland’s “wildlife jewels”, the Western Isle Sound located on the island of Barra has received official protection from the Scottish Government in order to protect the pristine marine environment.

However clan chief Rory MacNeil strongly opposed the SAC plans fearing it would restrict fishing and damage Barra’s economy. He accused government ministers of ignoring local concerns, stating that islanders had worked with the environment for hundreds of years.

“They are not respecting their ability to take care of the environment. Instead both Labour and SNP governments have decided to let a bureaucratic entity run wild and in effect upset what is a very natural existing system.”

Western Isles SNP MSP and Minister for Gaelic, Alasdair Allan, said the long running issue of designation served no useful purpose and had caused a huge amount of anxiety on the island. “The process legally excludes the community from having anything other than scientific arguments considered – meaning the whole argument about the fragility of the island economy is sidelined. I believe more recognition needs to be given to the fact that the Western Isles has the environment it does because generations of islanders have used it responsibly.”

The government’s decision followed an independent review which examined the scientific case for designation, with government ministers also visiting the area to hear community concerns. As a result of these meetings the new SAC will be managed using an “innovative majority community-led approach” drawing on local knowledge. The SAC’s original proposed boundary has also been changed and now no longer includes Barra’s beach airport.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust welcomed the announcement saying the area’s sandbanks, reefs and harbour seal habitats needed greater protection. It added that full protection is needed for significant natural assets such as the Sound as they are imperative to Scotland’s wildlife, economy and international reputation.

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MacNeil of Barra – Buaidhi no bas (To conquer or die)

A land ownership storm is brewing on the islands of Barra and Vatersay in the Outer Hebrides. The late Ian MacNeil, 46th Chief of Clan MacNeil, announced in 2003 that he had agreed to donate the 9000-acre crofting estate on the islands to the Scottish Government. However it was made clear that if the islanders wanted the land at a later date, they were to be given the estate free of charge.

Over 1000 residents of the islands are involved in meetings to discuss the offer of possible community ownership made by the late chief. If the plan goes forward, the majority of the length of the Outer Isles would be community owned. The islanders also have in their sights 7000-acres already owned by the Government, which includes 440 crofts and two working quarries.

Barra councilor Donald Manford said the reason the islanders are considering community ownership is so the area can be administered locally. “There is a very clear view from many on Barra and Vatersay that they should take more control to engage in the development of important infrastructure on the islands. We can’t depend on the local authority to do these things as they did historically. If we don’t do it ourselves, nobody else will.”

When the MacNeil land transfer to the ministry was completed in 2004, the then rural affairs minister Ross Finnie said: “We intend to manage this land with a view to its transfer, along with our own properties, to community ownership at a time appropriate to the islanders of Barra.”

However, a statement released recently by the Scottish Government claims the opposite: “The Transfer of Crofting Estates Act sets out that any Government-owned land sold would be subject to the independent valuation applied by the District Valuer.”

In an article published by Herald Scotland Highland Correspondent David Ross, acclaimed Highland historian Professor Jim Hunter challenged the Government’s view, based on a piece of Tory legislation. “It’s not the case that the Transfer of Crofting Estates Act stipulates a purchase price based on valuation. What the act really says, in Section 1(4) is: ‘The disposal of property under this act shall be on such terms as the secretary of state, with the consent of the Treasury, may agree with the body acquiring the property’.” In this case, the Scottish Government now takes the place of the secretary of state.

Hunter also stated that the Tory Government foresaw circumstances where land could be passed for no monetary value when the Crofting Act was being passed in 1997. Lord Lindsay, then Scottish Minister, said flexibility was needed on a case by case basis between local crofters and the taxpayer. “The Government is prepared to consider transfer at no consideration, where this is necessary, to make sure the trust (community or crofting) gets off to a good start.”

Islanders have called for this issue to be cleared up as quickly as possible, as discussions regarding the future of Barra and Vatersay continue.

Clan MacNeil ties go back more than 1000 years on the islands. The land was granted to the Clan by Alexander, Lord of the Isles in 1427, and was held until the 19th century when the island suffered severe hardships. 40th Chief Roderick MacNeil sold the island to Colonel Gordon of Cunly in 1838, who cleared the island of inhabitants to make way for sheep farming. Displaced MacNeils ended up scattered across the globe; namely in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. When Roderick died in 1863 the chieftainship was passed to a cousin who had emigrated to Canada in the mass emigrations of 1802.

American citizen and trained architect Robert Lister MacNeil succeeded the chieftainship in 1915, and was able to purchase Barra and the ruinous Kismil Castle in 1937. He immediately began work restoring the castle, aided by a grant from the British Government. By the time of his death in 1970 the castle was restored, and since 2001 has been leased for a term of 1000 years to Historic Scotland at £1 per year and a bottle of Talisker Whisky.

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Read our 2010 article on the late Clan Chief Ian MacNeil here

And for more information on the MacNeils of Barra, check out our page at ScotClans.com

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The island of Mingulay forms part of the Bishop Islands, a small collection of islands that lie off the south coast of Barra at the bottom of the Hebrides chain. Its an island of incredible drama; some of the tallest sea cliffs in Europe, sea stacks and arches, one tiny sheltered sandy bay and spectacular views across to its sister islands such as Pabbay and Berneray. Just at the end of the last ice age when the massive European ice sheets retreated from the Western Isles Mingulay would have been connected to the rest of the outer Hebrides, but as sea levels rose it was eventually cut off. There are traces of settlements dating back to the Iron Age and until that day in 1912 the island had been almost continually inhabited.

The sea around the island is dangerous and unpredictable, sailing out from Mingulay could be a one way trip and it was not uncommon for the island to be completely unreachable for months on end. One story that illustrates this concerns two friends who had left the island, one on a trip to Barra and the other who was heading to America to seek his fortune. The friends said their goodbyes at the quayside at Castlebay on Barra. Many months later the one who had made his way to America returned after deciding the new world was no for him. He was surprised to bump into his friend back in Castlebay. The poor man had been stuck on Barra all that time still unable to return home.

Up until the Mid 13th century the islands were under Norse control and indeed the name Mingulay is derived from the old Norse ‘Mikil -ay’ which means ‘big island’. When the Norse invaders finally gave up control of the western isles around 1266 the islands passed to the Lords of the Isles and then to the MacNeils of Barra, in fact it is the rocks of Builacraig on Mingulay that are featured on the crest of Clan MacNeil of Barra.

Although the islands had been long converted to christianity it was a version tempered with a mix of many other older beliefs. Islanders firmly believed in the faery folk and in many other supernatural creatures. Their belief could it times prove disastrous; one example occured during the early tenure of The MacNeils. The chief had grown concerned having not heard from the residents of Mingulay for many months. He sent a ship over to the island and one man called MacPhee was sent ashore. he searched the island and discovered all the inhabitants had died of disease. His crewmates fearing an outbreak of plague left him on the island where he was exiled for a year, climbing the hill every day to look out for rescue. When the boat finally returned to repopulate the island he was granted land there and the lookout hill was named MacPhee’s hill in his honour.

Alas MacNeil sold the island in 1840 along with the other Barra islands to Colonel John Gordon of Aberdeenshire. Gordon had little concern or charity for the islanders and proceeded to clear his new property to make way for sheep though oddly during the height of the clearances the population actually increased as many islanders from nearby Barra fled to the more remote Mingulay rather than make the perilous journey to Nova Scotia. around this time the island population peaked at around 150 inhabitants.

The Old School House on Mingulay

Gradually though the population began to decline, one theory was that it was sparked by a disaster that befell the residents of nearby Pabbay. A boat from the neighbouring island had sunk loosing all 5 hands on board. On such a small island as Pabbay this equated to half the male population. For the residents of Mingulay this brought home the fragility of their own existence and as knowledge of the world beyond their island began to improve many began to realise there were altogether safer and more prosperous ways to make a living away from this tiny outcrop.

From the start if the 1900s islanders began to abandon Migulay, some headed to nearby Vatersay and Sandray where they illegally occupied land there. in 1910 there were only six families living on the island and in 1912 the decision was reached to abandon the island for good.

Since 1912 the island has passed through a few owners who had used it for grazing land until it was finally taken over by the National Trust for Scotland in 2000. The island is now a home to an impressive seabird population.

This weekend the NTS will mark the centenary of the final abandonment of Mingulay with a series of events. A time to reflect on the fragile communities that have existed along the Hebridean chain.

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Clan MacNeil

I came across some MacNeil legends, would be interested in finding out more about them, oranyone else knows any MacNeill of Barra/MacNeill of Colonsay tales?

• “There is a Saying in the Highlands of Scotland That in the long genealogy of the MacNeils, The biblical Noah is not to be found. For it is said; ‘The MacNeil had a boat of his own!’ “
• “Legend has it that every evening, the 35th Chief, Rory the Turbulent, would send a herald and trumpeter to the battlements of Kisimul to proclaim to each point of the compass: ‘Hear, oh ye people, and listen oh ye nations! The Great MacNeil of Barra having finished his meal, the princes of the world may dine!’ “
• The first incidence of the name Neil was not Niall Noigiallach, but instead it was Niul, and ancient ancestor of the Celtic race mentioned in the lineage of the Irish High Kings as held traditionally by Poets in Ireland. It is purported that Niul was a King of Scythia and at one point lived in Egypt and Married an Egyptian Princess (Scota, but not the same Scota married to Mil Espaine). Because of his relationship to the Egyptian Royal family and his work in regulating the flow of the Nile, it is said that the Nile river is named for him.

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Iain MacNeil

Tuesday saw the sad loss of Iain MacNeil, chief of The MacNeils of Barra. He was 80. A popular Chief he will be missed greatly, especially by the people of Barra. He was a remarkable man who led one of the oldest Clans in Scotland.

Born in New York, Iain was also educated in the US, and was a graduate of both Vermont and Harvard universities. Later on he returned to Harvard, but this time to teach, and one of the students in his contract law course was the future President of the US, Barack Obama. It is said that during his time teaching at Harvard, he suggested to his wife Nancy that he may have America’s first black president in his class. And he turned out to be correct.

MacNeil had a home in Edinburgh, but he lived on Barra, where he was able to talk some Gaelic with the locals. He spent the past 35 years dividing his time between Barra and the US, and he held a law appointment at Edinburgh University. Iain was also a greatly liked and admired colleague on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. His title is one of the very few in Scotland which is preceded with the honorific ‘The’.

Kisimul Castle, Barra

The MacNeil put a lot of time and effort, and personal resources to help with the upkeep of Kisimul Castle, the clan’s seat on Barra. The castle dates back to the 1200s, and sits on an islet, surrounded by the sea. On one occassion, when faced with more repairs to the castle someone asked why he continued with it all, and Iain referred to his motto ‘Buaidh No Bas’, meaning to conquer or die, as an explanation to the perpetual effort put in to the castles restoration. However, in 2001, he leased the ancestral seat of Kisimul to Historic Scotland for 1,000 years in return for the annual sum of £1 and a bottle of malt whisky. In 2003 Iain MacNeil also transferred over 9,000 acres of his land to Scottish ministers with the intention that they will end up in the possession of the residents. At the time, a local councilor, Jessie MacNeil, was quoted as saying that this act placed the islanders in charge of their own destiny. She added,

“He could have put the island on the open market at a time when Scottish estates are changing hands for millions of pounds. That in itself speaks worlds about the man and how we see him.”

Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan has paid tribute to the late Chief, calling him a remarkable person.

“Iain had a notable career as a professor of law in the States, a knowledge which he put to formidable use in defending the interests of Barra.”

“That could take many forms, whether it was in arguing for the interests of the island’s fishermen or its crofters. Indeed, to Iain’s immense credit he secured public ownership of the island itself.”

The MSP went on to say: “People in Barra, I know, are very sorry to hear of his passing.”

Iain MacNeil is survived by his wife, Nancy, their children Rory, Jenny, and Sandy, and grandchildren.

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