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 Eagle Stone

Nestling among the houses on a quiet hillside there is a small fenced off patch of grass, in the centre a modest standing stone with ancient carvings – this is the famous ‘Eagle Stone’, also known as the Clach an Tiompain or ‘Sounding Stone’

The stone is featured in one notable prophesy by the Brahan Seer – he foresaw a great tragedy that would befall the area should the stone topple over three times, over the years it has been known to have fallen twice and superstitious locals have ensured it moves no more by cementing it in place.

Local legends have claimed the stone was erected after a skirmish between the Clan Munro and the McDonalds of the Isles on the way to the battle of Harlaw in 1411 – a sort of practice friendly on the way to the knockout stages. Recent evidence has proven it to be much older though.

Although almost certainly Pictish in origin one famous folk tale links the stone again to Clan Munro, who’s crest symbol also depicts an eagle, the Eagle of Foulis.

On a high ridge on the other side of the valley lies the remains of an iron age fort known as Knockfarrel (literally ’stone fort’). The very first chief of Clan Munro lived here as the clan established its presence in the area. Around the fortification a small village or ‘clachan’ grew. The valley has lush farmland, ideal for grazing and growing all manner of crops, sheltered from the worst of the weather.

Knockfarrel is easily approached via a gently sloping trail up the side of the ridge but treacherous cliffs fall steeply away to one side – high on a rocky pinnacle in these cliffs a great eagle had made its nest. whether the Munro clan took their symbol from this eagle or it was just a remarkable coincidence we do not know but the clansmen saw the eagle as a good omen and were happy to share the valley with this magnificent creature. Even when the bird would lift a young lamb or goat kid they would take this as just an acceptable loss and the chief forbade anyone from doing harm to the eagle.

All was peaceful in the valley until one summers evening. It had been a beautiful day and the womenfolk worked preparing the evening meals and sewing. The children laughed and played between the small houses, outside one house towards the edge of the village one small boy sat, Lachlan, barely a toddler he rested on the grass and watched as his mother busied herself around him.

All at once a great dark shadow was cast across the valley and a terrible screeching was heard, In a blur of feathers and claws the huge eagle swooped down from its nest and caught the poor child in its massive talons. Before anyone could react he lifted the boy high into the air and carried him up the cliffside.

The cries of alarm went up throughout the village and the wailing of the grief stricken mother alerted young Hugh, the chieftain of the clan. When Hugh arrived at the scene he realised that he had to act and act quickly. He called for a length of rope and set off up the cliffside in pursuit. Not entirely sure what he would face when he reached the pinnacle.

Higher and higher Hugh clambered up the sheer face, as the village fell away below he heard a beating of wings and a rush of air – the great eagle was bearing down upon him. Holding onto the rope for dear life he tried to fend off the angry bird. The eagle soared away again and Hugh pressed on. In the fading light he caught a glimpse of a tangle of branches above him and with one last effort he hauled himself up and into the eagles nest.

Lying in the centre of the nest lay baby Lachlan. cooing away to himself as if nothing had happened. Hugh was relived that the boy despite his ordeal had barely a scratch on him but he realised that the hardest work lay ahead. No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than the huge eagle appeared again – even angrier than before. Hugh grabbed a large branch and swinging it like a club tried to fend it off, time and time again the eagle pecked and clawed and Hugh soon became exhausted. His clothes torn and his body bruised and bloody from the ferocious attack.

All this time little Lachlan laughed away thinking it no more than a silly game for his own amusement.

Munro Clan Crest

As the eagle made one more pass Hugh decided on an other tactic; he ducked under the thrashing wings and grabbed at the birds legs. Unsettling the creature just for a second he was able to pull it towards the nest and turn it over onto its back. With the advantage of surprise he reached up and got hold of the bird by the throat and squeezed with all his might.

Gradually the bird began to loose its grip on life, the struggle began to die and with one last effort Hugh squeezed the life from the mighty creature.

Meanwhile far below the cliff the villagers looked up, not knowing if the poor boy or Hugh for that matter were alive or dead. They had heard the terrifying shrieks of the bird and feared the worst. Then suddenly the distant figure of Hugh appeared, holding the corpse of this massive Eagle in his hand. They cheered and shouted and Hugh tossed the bird down, A gust of wind caught the feathers and the eagle’s broken body wheeled and glided down to the valley below, coming to rest at the edge of the village. Where the eagle fell the villagers placed a stone – the Eagle stone in recognition of the brave deeds of their chief and from respect to the noble creature that was such a powerful symbol of their clan.

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Loch Ghruinneart, Isle of Islay

If you picture troops involved in a 14th Century clan battle, fairies are the last thing you would expect to find among the ranks. However according to legend, a fairy is said to have appeared at the Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart, fought between Clan MacDonald and Clan MacLean in 1598. Although it wasn’t the kind of sweet, tinkerbell-esque fairy you’re probably imagining. According to legend, Dubh Sith (Black Fairy) was named after his dark skin and hairy body, and was an excellent archer. But the thing to remember about fairies is that they make great enemies – so you should never, ever cross a fairy.

In 1598 the Isle of Islay in the Inner Hebrides was held by Clan MacDonald, much to the annoyance of the chief of Clan MacLean, Sir Lachlan Mor MacLean. Sir Lachlan claimed that part of the Isle – the Rhinns – were part of the dowry given to his wife in 1566 by her brother Angus MacDonald, chief of Clan MacDonald. However Angus had also promised the Rhinns to Brian Vicar MacKay, lieutenant to the MacDonalds. For years Sir Lachlan had contested this, and in 1598 he finally decided to seek the lands that he claimed were rightfully his from his nephew, the new chief Sir James MacDonald.

In those days a battle was never fought without consulting a ban-fhaidh (wise woman), so Sir Lachlan sought out words of advice before embarking on his campaign. The ban-fhaidh told him under no circumstances should he go to Islay. Sir Lachlan replied that he was honour-bound to do so, and he must go, so the woman gave him three warnings to heed:

1.) Do not land at Islay on a Thursday

2.) Do not fight on the shores of Loch Ghruinneart

3.) Do not drink from the well known as Tobar Niall Neonaich

Three easy pieces of advice to follow to ensure a MacLean victory. However, upon arrival in Islay it wasn’t as easy to take heed of the ban-fhaidh’s warning. After assembling his forces of about 800-1000 men, Sir Lachlan set sail for Islay on a Wednesday. Unfortunately for him, bad weather meant the ship could not land until Thursday. Sir James rode to meet his uncle on the shores of Loch Ghruinneart and pleaded with him for peace, offering the MacLeans half of the island for Lachlan’s lifetime. Sir Lachlan had since learned he had double the men of Clan MacDonald, and was in no mood to compromise, instead demanding Sir James give him the entire island.

And so the troops from each clan lined up to battle at Traigh Ghruinneart (traigh meaning shoreline), which must have sent shivers down Sir Lachlan’s spine. Just before the battle the fairy from Jura known as Dubh Sith approached Sir Lachlan and offered his services as an archer during the battle. Sir Lachlan laughed in the fairy’s mutilated face, turning his back on the creature. Dubh Sith then approached Sir James, who received the fairy with open arms. Dubh Sith told Sir James to look after the battle, and he would take care of Sir Lachlan.

Unseen by the busy troops, Dubh Sith hid and waited in a Rowan tree near Tobar Niall Neonaich. The battle ensued under the hot August sun, and during a lull Sir Lachlan stopped at the well to take a drink. On removing his helmet, Dubh Sith jumped at the chance and shot Sir Lachlan through the eye with an arrow, killing him instantly.

The battle continued, with MacLean men full of rage upon hearing the news of the death of their chief. The MacDonald forces feigned retreat toward the setting sun then turned around to fight with the sun in the eyes of their enemy. The MacDonalds were victorious and chased the remaining MacLeans back to their boats, with some seeking refuge in the Chapel of Kilnave. The chapel was burnt to the ground, killing all but one of the men inside. According to local legend, this man was a aMacMhuirich (Currie) who managed to climb through a hole in the roof when the burning thatch collapsed. He eventually found refuge on the island, with his ancestors still there today.

Cairn marking the spot where Sir Lachlan MacLean fell

Sir Lachlan’s foster mother heard of his death and came to collect the body shortly after the battle. She made a cairn beside the well where he was shot, and carried the body by cart to the church at Kilchoman where she buried him inside the church. When the new church was built on the old site, it was a smaller building, so today Sir Lachlan lies in the grounds outside the church.

It is not known what became of the mysterious Dubh Sith. Following the battle James VI and I awarded the MacDonald lands of Islay to Clan Campbell, leading to an extension of the feud. Clan MacDonald’s reign in Islay came to an end in 1612 when Angus MacDonald, 8th of Dunnyveg, sold his land holdings to Sir John Campbell of Cawdor of Clan Campbell.

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In 1830 people were busy cutting seaweed at Sgeir na Duchadh near Grimnis on the west coat of the island of Benbecula. One woman spotted a creature several yards out in the water. The creature looked like a woman in miniature. Alarmed she called to the others working on the shore who also saw this strange sight. Men went into the water to try to catch the creature but she evaded them. A boy aimed a rock at her which struck her on the back, she cried out in pain and disappeared beneath the waves.

A few days later a creature was washed up dead on the beach at Culle bay near the township of Nunton which lies a few miles north of this spot. The creature was said to have the upper shape of a well developed woman but was around the size of a 4 year old girl. She had long dark glossy hair and white skin, however her lower half was described as being ‘like a salmon’ but without the scales.

As the crowds gathered on the beach they all agreed that this was the body of a mermaid.

The factor for the chief of MacDonald of Clanranald who was also the local sherif was called. On seeing the creature he called for a shroud and coffin to be brought to the beach and the creature was layer into this and buried in the nearby churchyard. It was said that the funeral for this creature was one of the largest attended on the island and was carried out like any proper christian burial.

No grave marker related to the incident can be seen at the churchyard and others have said that the creature was buried near the dunes and not in the churchyard at all, in fact a recent survey of a large stone near the south end of the bay was carried out, suspecting that this may indeed be the resting lave of the mermaid but this was inconclusive.

Culla Bay, Benbecula

So what do you think? evidence of mermaids or another ‘fishy tale’ from the islands. Certainly mermaid stories like this do bring in the tourists who were beginning to find their way to the islands in the mid 19th century. Many other tales of mermaids exist on the islands. A crofter from Barra called Colin Campbell spotted what looked like an otter fishing near the shore, he was about to shoot it but decided to check it though a telescope only to see what he described as a woman carrying a small baby in her arms. the creature then spotted him on the shore and disappeared. Whatever the truth is they do make great stories.

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The Old Grey Dog, a Faithful Friend

There is an old Clan MacDonald legend which dates back to the early 1800s telling of a large dog with a rough grey coat and an unearthly wailing bark that appears to descendants from the Morar MacDonalds at the point of death.

The tale begins with a young Highlander called Dugald MacDonald, the young man owned a deerhound which he loved very much.  Like other young men at this time Dugald was called off to war.  He was away from his home and his faithful dog for several years. When finally he returned home his neighbours told him that his beloved dog had left home and was living wild on an island in the middle of a small loch, high among the hills.  Also in the time he had been away his deerhound had  given birth to four pups. The pups were now almost fully grown. Dugald was warned that due to heir lack of human contact they were so savage that it was unsafe to go anywhere near them.

Dugald ignored the warning and set of  to visit the hill-loch, the only way to get to the island was to swim. Dugald desperate to be reunited with his dog swam over to the island. When he arrived on the island he managed to locate  the dogs lair in the heather. The deerhound was away and her pups, on hearing him approach, emerged and tore him to pieces. When the deerhound returned and saw what had happened to her master, her howls of agony brought the folk of the glen to the scene. The pups were speedily hunted out and killed and Dugald’s body was laid to rest in the little burial-ground at the mouth of the Meoble River.

Legend has it the deerhound began a lonely and pathetic vigil, frequently waking the neighbourhood with her mournful howling as she watched over her master’s grave, until one day she was discovered lying stretched out dead beside it.

For long afterwards the story of her watch over the grave was talked about through the district, but gradually, with the passage of time, it was largely forgotten, until one of Dugald’s brothers became seriously ill at Rifern, a small crofting township lying across the river from the grave-yard. One night the ghost of the deerhound appeared at his bedside. It looked at him for several minutes, then gave a terrible cry and disappeared. A little later the man died. The spectre of the Grey Dog had made its first appearance.

Another account of the ghostly deerhound appearing happens to an old Highland lady who lived in Glasgow in the early 1900s and whose family were closely related to the MacDonalds of Meoble.  The old woman lived alone, confined to her room for many years and a friend who lived across the street was in the habit of calling each day to attend to her needs. On one occasion as the friend was leaving the flat, a large dog, of a type she had never seen before, passed her on the stairs. She thought no more about it until the following day when, much to her surprise, she saw it again, this time lying on the old lady’s doorstep. With difficulty she pushed it aside and went in. In the course of the conversation, she happened to mention the dog. Her friend sat up in bed her eyes alight.  When asked to describe the dog she replied:

“it was very large, around the size of a Shetland pony, it was grey with a long curly tail.”

‘”Ah!” exclaimed the old lady with a smile of contentment on her lips. “The faithful friend – she came at last.” And with that she sank back on her pillow and passed away.

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The Red Wedding in Game of Thrones

The Island of Islay is a beautiful jewel in the inner Hebrides. A gentle low lying island of pastoral lands, expansive sandy beaches and more than a few whisky distilleries. The local population are among the friendliest you will ever meet so it seems surprising that such intrigue could play out in such an idyllic place. Read on…

Finlaggan

The Island was once the power base of the MacDonald Lords of the Isles. From their castle at Finlaggan the new lords were appointed and Islay was clan Donald’s spiritual home. However clan Donald had, to put it mildly, an uneasy relationship with the crown and in 1493 after various misdemeanours their lands had become forfeit.

Such was the extent of MacDonald lands that it took the crown accountants 20 years to take stock of all their estates. The estates were distributed among those loyal to the Scottish crown; mostly clan Campbell and the MacIan’s of Ardnamurchan, a branch of Clan Donald who were related to Campbell’s through marriage.

An area of Islay known as ‘The Rinns’, the part of the island running out to the north west that includes Port Charlotte and Portnehevan was granted to the MacLeans of Duart, a powerful clan from Mull. With so many large clans sharing such a small area it was inevitable that tensions would spill over, nevertheless an uneasy peace was maintained. but it wasn’t to last long…

In 1567 Angus MacDonald succeeded as chief of the MacDonalds of Islay. Angus had a bitter rival in the young Lachlan MacLean of Duart and when Lachlan came of age the authorities realised it was just a matter of time before matters would get out of hand. In an effort to spare bloodshed the king commanded that Angus was to marry Lachlan’s sister. By all accounts the marriage went as planned, however when Angus decided to go to Mull to visit the ‘in-laws’ things took a dramatic turn for the worse.

Despite the forfeiture of the Rinns, Angus had never officially signed the papers over to the MacLeans and they were determined to get their land. When the newlyweds arrived at Duart castle Angus was taken prisoner until he signed away his rights to the Rinns. Even after signing the deeds the MacLeans rightly mistrusted Angus and so kept his brother and his son James as hostages.

So having signed away a part of his clan’s spiritual home Angus and his wife returned to Islay. Angus though was determined that the MacLeans would not be enjoying their new territory any time soon but nevertheless kept his own council playing a much longer game. Eventually Lachlan in triumphant mood arrived on Islay to look over his new possessions. he brought with him 86 of his clansmen and the young James MacDonald as a token of conciliation. Angus welcomed them with a lavish banquet but mid way though the meal the mood turned suddenly very ugly and on Angus’ cue a horde of heavily armed MacDonald’s burst into the room and took the MacLeans captive.

News of the capture of Lachlan and his MacLean kinsmen made it’s way back to Mull. Terrible news for most of the clan but not so for Alan MacLean a rival to Lachlan’s chiefship and uses Lachlan’s absence as an opportunity. Realising it would be in his best interests if Lachlan never returned he leaked out  a lie that Angus’ brother, still a captive at Duart had been put to death. Alan MacLeans subterfuge almost worked and Angus began to put to death two captives a day until all 86 had been executed – all that remained was Lachlan himself and Angus was on the way to watch his rival’s demise when news reached Islay that the story was false.By all accounts Lachlan’s neck was saved with minutes to spare.

Giving new meaning to the phrase ‘thats a bit awkward’ the MacDonald’s now had a fairly angry Lachlan as a captive they would much prefer not to have. Once again the Crown intervened and sent a Campbell representative to broker a hostage exchange and some peace. Peace however was not in the vocabulary of these two clans… As soon as Lachlan returned to Duart (and dealt with his scheming kinsman). He put together a raiding party to take revenge on Islay. Angus in return laid waste to settlements on Mull and Tiree. During another raid while Angus was mustering forces on the south of Kerrera, the party were ambushed by MacLean men and MacDonald of Sleat, Macleod of Lewis and and MacFee of Colonsay were all captured.

Once again the crown intervened and while most of the hostages were returned Angus MacDonald refuse to hand over his – as a result Angus was outlawed. As it was Lachlan was not much better at keeping his word and he too refused to return some of his captives. he had also been hatching his own particularly dark revenge…

in 1588 Macian of Ardnamurchan arranged to marry Lachlan’s mother. with the MacIan being a branch of clan Donald it was hoped that this marriage bond would help force a peace between them. This wasn’t Lachlan’s plan though… as the wedding festivities progressed Lachlan’s men stormed the reception and ordered all the MacDonalds present to be massacred. Only the bridegroom was spared.

Game of Thrones fans will be able to picture this scene well since the ‘red wedding’ is a pivotal moment in the series (the same events were played out with the Douglas Clan so its clearly not an uncommon occurrence) . This was not the end of Lachlan’s bloody crusade though and he then set off on a murder tour of a number of small islands including Rhum, Eigg, Muck and Canna. With assistance from some Spanish mercenaries who had survived the disastrous wrecks of the Spanish Armada they set about all but exterminating the population of these islands.

Angus’ revenge was taken out on the settlements of Mull and in this he was in turn assisted by English mercenaries. By 1589 the King had lost all patience with his warring subjects and both parties are summoned to Edinburgh.

On arrival both were arrested and held prisoner until they finally agree to behave. As a token of his willingness to comply Angus left his son James at the Royal court, the young man proved himself to be very popular and received a knighthood. And so peace descended on Islay again, but not for long. in 1592 a revolt of Scottish Nobles threatened the position of the King.

While he was otherwise occupied the MacLeans and MacDonalds saw the distraction as an opportunity to have another go at each other and war broke out again. This time it led to charges of treason being laid against both parties and this very serious threat calmed them both down. Now during all this time the Rinns of Islay (remember the Rinns?) had still never officially been handed over by the devious Angus so he agreed to make settlement including any arrears. Still, after 6 years of making promises Angus had still not officially made settlement so his son Sir James, now very much ‘in’ with the royal court decided to bring his father to book.

On James’ invitation Angus visited Cambletown, staying at Askomel House, James was lodged nearby. Angus and his son met and dined with each other with no hint of James’ plan. After one such meeting Angus returned to Askomel and was awakened in the night by some 300 men at James’ command , armed to the teeth and demanding that Angus give himself up. Angus understandably refused and so James decided to set light to the house with his mother and father inside. In making his escape though Angus is burned quite badly and ends up fleeing in only his nightshirt. James was cunning though and had set traps of felled logs around the grounds of the house and Angus tripped and fell and so was captured. He was then taken in chains to Dumbarton.

James returned to Edinburgh expecting a heroes welcome for finally taking care of his warmongering father but his over zealous methods didn’t go down at all well and such was the outrage that Angus had to be pardoned. James was now the outlaw and Angus got his revenge on his son 5 years later when he captured him on Islay, He was promptly delivered to the Campbells and taken to Perth to answer charges of fire raising and treason. Somehow though (and this does make you wonder about the level of security in the 16th century prison system) James managed to escape and fled back to Islay.

Now while all this in fighting has been going on Lachlan had been busy… Seeing his advantage Lachlan gathered a huge force with the aim of sending the MacDonalds to the afterlife once and for all. He sailed for Islay and the two sides squared up for battle at Traigh Ghruineart (Gruinard Bay) in August 1598.

As the MacLeans were preparing for battle Lachlan was approached by a dark skinned hunchback dwarf, the ‘Dubh Sith’ was half human and half fairy; his father being a Shaw from Jura and his mother from the other realm. This deformed dwarf offered the services of himself and his no doubt enchanted crossbow to Lachlan who laughed at him and considering himself to be far superior in numbers sent him on his way.

The dwarf hobbled off to the MacDonald camp and made the same offer to  Sir James who gratefully accepted. The dwarf said to James ‘you take care of the rest of the MacLeans and I’ll take care of Lachlan’ and then promptly scurried away and climbed into nearby Rowan tree. And so battle commenced on a hot August day. During a lull in the fighting Lachlan was overcome with thirst and so went to a nearby stream, he removed his helmet and knelt down to drink – right in range of the lurking dwarf who with one shot of his crossbow found his target on the back of Lachlan’s neck – the point of the crossbow bolt exiting his eye and killing him instantly.

With Lachlan dead the MacLeans lost heart and fled the field. The MacDonald’s pursued them to a church at Kilnave and with the surviving MacLeans barricaded in the church the MacDonalds set light to the thatch roof of the church killing all inside. Except one. One man; a MacMhurich (clan Currie) was able to escape from the church and fled into Loch Gruinard. As the bloodthirsty MacDonalds searched the land he hid under the waters of the bay using a hollow reed to breath through.

The story goes that after dark he made his escape and was taken in by some locals and it is said that his descendants live in the village of Bowmore on Islay to this day.

And so what became of our principal characters in this dark play? Well Lachlan was dead and buried at Kilchoman, Angus grew old and died naturally on Rothsay. Sir James had a more troubled future though; when James VI became king of a united England and Scotland he was determined to put behind him the reputation of his warring barbaric Scottish ancestry and so set about ‘cleaning up’ the Scots nobility. James was brought to justice, his possessions forfeited and charged with treason. He was condemned to death but managed to escape in 1615 (prison security had still not improved). James fled to Spain until 1620 when the King decided to offer him a royal pardon. He was forbidden from returning to Scotland though so lived out his few remaining years in London.

Apologies for anyone expecting dragons to feature at some point but you can’t have everything!

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Kilbeg Village Master Plan

Construction work began this week on the first planned village for over 100 years on the Isle of Skye. A project initiated by the Clan Donald Lands Trust, the 21st century Highland village known as Kilbeg is to be located on the Sleat Peninsula, and will be centered around the existing world-class Gaelic University Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

Kilbeg Village is a 40 acre site situated within the estate of Clan Donald Lands Trust on the southern end of the Isle of Skye, and incorporates a mix of housing, commercial, educational and leisure development. Community, energy sustainability and heritage components were a large factor in the planning stages, with the resulting master plan outlining a desire to create a village with a strong sense of place and local community.

The development will add to the hugely significant impact which Sabhal Mòr has had on the economic and social development of this formerly ‘fragile area’ which, against all trends, has seen its population double over recent years. In May 2013 Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced £1.908m of capital funding was allocated to the project through the ERDF European Structural Funds Programme, completing the £6.7m Phase 1 funding stage.

Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Government which has strongly backed the initiative, First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP, said yesterday: “It’s fantastic that Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is now in a position to take this exciting step in what is a visionary project. Investment in projects like Kilbeg is absolutely key for stimulating economic growth throughout Scotland. It’s vital we support opportunities that help create new jobs and apprenticeships, places which, at the same time, support the development and improvement of our rural communities.”

“Sabhal Mòr Ostaig makes an important contribution to the area beyond its obvious tuition and promotion of Gaelic. Kilbeg will future-proof the university and, along with the local community, create the first new village to be built on the island in more than 100 years”.

“As many Gaels will attest, Gaelic is more than a language. It is an integral part of the identity and heritage of the Highlands and Islands, and thanks to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, in this anniversary year, Gaelic is as current and relevant today as it was 40, even 400, years ago.”

Work Begins at Kilbeg Village. Photo courtesy of Island News and Advertiser.

Phase 1 will see the building of a new Academic, Research, Knowledge Transfer and Enterprise building to house key college staff. This will allow for the conservation and future redevelopment of the iconic and historic Steading Building, creating a new bespoke conferencing and events facility, a key part of the College’s own estate development strategy. Future phases of the wider Master plan over a 10-15 year time-frame provide for a range of housing, retail and enterprise units, a small hotel and sports and recreation facilities for Sabhal Mòr and the wider community.

Spearheaded by the Clan Donalds Land Trust, the registered charity aims to promote an understanding of the history and traditions of Clan Donald and the Lordship of the Isles. It operates Clan Donald Skye Visitor Centre situated within its 20,000 acre estate – a central feature of the Centre being the Museum of the Isles. The Trust also maintains the remains of Armadale Castle with its historic, landscaped Gardens, the Home Farm, ten Crofting Townships, and commercial and natural woodlands within the estate. In advancing its mission, the Trust also provides important economic benefits to the region as both a major employer and popular visitor attraction.

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The Glencoe Massacre Site Plaque – Image courtesy Deadline News

A plaque commemorating the victims of the Glencoe Massacre has been discovered in an Edinburgh antique shop, 40 years after it went missing. The cast-iron sign once marked the site where 38 Clan MacDonald members were murdered in 1692. The plaque is set to be returned to its original home near the Pap of Glencoe this week to commemorate the 320th anniversary of the massacre.

Said to be at least 100 years old, the plaque went missing sometime in the 1970s. In September last year, Edinburgh antique dealer George Pirie stumbled upon the sign and placed it in his shop window. He said the plaque was sold to him by someone who had it their possession for “several years”.

Its ­significance was only recognised when a woman – also a MacDonald – asked if it was the original which she had seen in Glencoe in the 1960s. Mr Pirie said: “She had a picture of her with the sign taken years before, but it had been a different colour at the time. We started chipping away at the paint and right enough, it was the same underneath.”

Morag McDonald said she recognised the plaque immediately from an old family photo which sits upon her desk at home. She said: “I remember my dad was always enraged that it had disappeared and never been replaced with anything to commemorate the scene of the massacre. He went on quite a bit about it over the years.”

Mr Pirrie said: “With this industry these exciting finds happen from time to time but this one is really quite significant.” He was then contacted by the head of the MacDonald clan and the Glencoe National Trust who were keen to restore the sign, but not before first being approached by numerous private buyers.

The antique dealer will travel to a special private ceremony in Glencoe this Thursday where he will gift the sign back to the clan members. The plaque’s discoverer Ms McDonald said she looked forward to seeing the sign once again in its rightful spot.

The Glencoe Massacre is commonly referred to as the ‘most appalling abuse of Highland hospitality’, in which 38 MacDonald of Glencoe clansmen were murdered on direct orders from the crown. The death warrant signed by King William III provided flames to fuel the Jacobite’s cause and subsequent rebellions, and contributed to generations of unease between the MacDonald and Campbell Clans.

The Glencoe Heritage Trust was set up by local crofter Alistair MacDonald, a descendant of the MacDonalds of Glencoe in order that this most scenic area of Glencoe remains in local hands. The acquisition of the land was a rare opportunity for the local community to ensure the preservation of this unique landscape, and to raise awareness of the historical importance of their land both locally and worldwide.

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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.

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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.

—–

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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