Clan Donald Australia 

The Earliest Branches of Clan Donald

It is difficult in a short sketch to outline the history of the various branches of the Clan Donald, the families of which are intricately interwoven.

MacDougall (clann Mhic Dhughil) was the first branch, Dougall was   Somerled's eldest son.

The MacAlisters descended from Alasdair (Alexander) younger son of Donald, Lord of Islay, from whom Clan Donald takes its name. The earliest of all off-shoots of Clan Donald. They occupied lands in Kintyre.

The MacDonalds (Macian) of Ardnamurchan descended from Iain Sprangach MacAonghais younger son of Angus Mor, son and successor to Donald.

The MacDonalds (or Macians) of Glencoe, descended from Iain Fraoch, brother of  John, first lord of the Isles. They were a small clan, renowned cattle thieves, who preserved their independence in the natural stronghold of Glencoe.

Further Branches founded McDonnell  of Antrim  the side  from Eire (Ireland) 

Clan Ranald of Garmoran descended from Ranald, eldest son of John, first Lord of Isles and Amy, heiress of the MacRuairidhs. Castle Trioram stronghold of Clan Ranald, now in ruins but still a commanding presence.

Macdonnell of Glengarry, descended from Donald son of Ranald, the progenitor of Clan Ranald.

Invergarry Castle a once commanding Macdonnell castle now in ruins. This clan was the most numerous and widespread of the clans.

Macdonald of Islay and Kintyre or McDonnell of the Glens,also known as Clan Donald South.  This Clan descended from John Mor, a son of John, First Lord of the Isles. He acquired land in Antrim, Ulster . the principle clan seat was Dunnyveg Castle, Islay . This clan also occupied land in Kintyre. Clan Donald South emerged as the strongest Clan Donald branch until the insatiable need for land by the Campbells started their downfall. Dunnyveg Castle now in ruins.

MacDonalds of Garagach &Keppoch, Descended from Alasdair Carrach, third son of John, first Lord of the Isles, by his second marriage to Margaret, daughter of Robert II. Colla Mac Gillieaspuig, who lived in the end of the seventeenth century  changed the orthography of the name to MacDonell of Keppach.

MacDonald of Loch Alsh. Descended from Celestine, Son of Alexander, third Lord of the Lord of the Isles. This branch of Clan Donald was to succumb due to the political and Clan make-up at the time. Sir Donald, the last chief, died while in rebellion in 1527, leaving no male heir.

MacDonald of Sleat, also known as Clan Donald North, or Clan Uisdein.

The first MacDonald of Sleat was Hugh, youngest son of Alexander, third Lord of the Isles. This important branch held North Uist, as well as the north-east and south-west parts of Skye. Clan Donald Centre is located at Armadale Castle on Skye.

Allan MacDonald of Kingsburgh. Is rembered as a result of the romantic episode of 1746 concerning “Bonney” Prince Charles Edward and Flora MacDonald.

Macdonald of  Staffa,  Boisdale  &  Glenaladale.

All these branches of Clan Donald had Purple heather (ling) as their badge.

The list of associated clan names and families of Clan Donald is endless.

Also it is not generally realized how recent the general use of surnames is in the Islands . As late as 1810, a rental of Lewis shows almost all the small tenants’ names in patronymic form, only some shown with a surname. The change from Gaelic to English brought about a change of spelling in names, one example MacPhail became MacDonald. After this confusion; the spelling and the audible sounds of christian names changed to what we know to-day.

THE MASSACRE AT GLENCOE

William 111 (1689-1702) had come to the throne and was beset with trouble, he was involved in a war in France, his victory in Ireland did not assure peace there, in Scotland there were many who sought to restore to the throne James 11 whom he had superseded and a larger army was thus required so new regiments were raised in England & Scotland. The loyalty to King William by some men who enlisted in the regiments was suspect and almost all of the regiments ceased to exist after a short time. The Earl of Argyll, the Campbells, was detailed for service in the Highlands to counteract what could be deemed “clans not paying their taxation.” One such clan ignoring the demand for taxes was the MacDonald Clan. Support for the return as King James 11, exiled in France was evident among many Highlanders.To neutralize this, the Scottish Privy Council demanded that all clan chiefs take an oath of Allegiance to King William. Some reluctantly did so and some were slow to acquiesce including the MacDonalds also known as Maciain.

Two companies of the Earl of Argyll’s regiment, a total of 120 men under the command of Captain Robert Campbell were detailed to parley with them so they went to Glencoe and encamped alongside on 01 Feb. 1692. The matter was discussed with the chief of the MacDonalds of Glencoe but no progress had been made by February 10. This was reported. The King (William of Orange) ordered the clan to be punished. The order for the massacre was given by Major Robert Duncanson to Campbell of Glenlyon. On the 13^th February 1692, in a blizzard of snow at five o’clock in the morning the ordered punishment started. Some 38 of the 300 people of the two clans were killed; the bitterness felt by the MacDonald’s was mainly due to the fact that the troops pretended to befriend the MacDonald’s before putting in the sword. The Campbell story is, “it was the Kings orders.”

Concurrent with the clan system was the Union of Kingdoms in 1603 in which King James V1 of Scotland also became King James 1 of England, this brought  a common Royal Family.  April 12^th 1606:

The Union Jack was adopted as the flag of England, Wales and Scotland.  On the 01^st May 1707, both the Scottish and the English parliaments were united together under the Treaty of Union thus, the United Kingdom was born.  A strange marriage at that time, as Civil war seemed a better bet for both the Scottish & English parliaments. BUT.........life got  better for  all. After the Union of the Parliments, the kilt was adopted as the symbolic clothing of all Scotland.  However, it must be noted that Prince Charles is the present Lord of the Isles.

MacDonald, Flora (1722 – 1790) A native of South Uist  This remarkable woman aided the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Flora married Allan MacDonald of Kingsburgh at Armadale Castle on the 06^th November 1750

. The couple emigrated and arrived in North Carolina in 1774. At the close of the American War of Independence, during which Kingsburgh fought on the British side, Flora and her husband returned to Scotland. She is buried in the churchyard of Kilmuir, Skye. 

The land of the Western Highlands and Islands is generally poor; agriculture there was never easy and was concentrated on rearing stock, small black cattle taken on annual droves for sale on the mainland rather than production of grain. Small amounts of oats, rye and barley were grown for local consumption. The small Soay sheep during the “Clan Period” were generally poor providers of meat, although their wool was ideal for weaving tartan.

 Also in clan times, goats were an important part of peoples stock. One great advantage of keeping goats was, they were readily at hand for food. The glens, coasts and lower hillsides were thronged by goats both wild and farmed.  The goats have a great dislike for the cold, wet and very high ground; their favourite terrain is the lower contours of the hills and particularly along the coasts, as heaps of boulders and trees caused many sea-shore caves. A heavy shower sent them scurrying for shelter.

In 1743 the potato was introduced into the Highlands by one of he Clanranald chiefs from Ireland . Cultivation of the root spread far & wide, to become the people’s staff of life.

During the 1700’s, the pattern of West Highland history changed. The seeds of ruin of the traditional Clan society had started.        

Political horse trading, marriages of convenience, inter-clan feuds, which the U.K. Government was now able to insist on a settlement as the King of England exercised authority through the Scots Privy Council. The possession of land was the principle difference, as the King parcelled out land according to his whim or necessity. The other tendency was the increasing economic strain, as the limited resources of the Highlands proved more inadequate to support the raising population & the increased standard of living of the clans.

The Clan system ended on the afternoon of 16^th April 1746 when Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army at Culloden was defeated. There was no longer any social prestige in having a following of armed men. Those chiefs who were still in possession of their estates were encouraged to become members of Edinburgh society, to sever their links with the clan-lands, and to become privileged social class, with no interest in their home-lands except as a source of revenue.

Socially aware chiefs did not like being referred to as highlanders, and whose knowledge of Gaelic was restricted to the fact that the name sounded like a culinary herb.

The introduction of sheep farming into the Highlands caused population re-distribution. The limited resources of the highlands could not provide enough for the increase of the population. Starting from the late 1700’s many more farmers (crofters) were forced off their farms; with rent increases and 1782-1783 a famine in the Highlands occurred. As there were no big industries to fill the demand for employment, many thousands of Scottish people seeking a better life found a new country.These being Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, only a few went to England and Ireland. It must be stressed that most of these immigrants were  forced to leave, their economic position in the British Imperial system led to  this. Their departure was Britain's loss, but an immeasurable gain to those countries they settled in.

This was commonly referred to as “the highland clearances”.

Of all the misfortunes to befall the Highlanders, the clearances are probably the worst and the one that still engenders great bitterness down to this day. The net result was that between 1783 and 1881 a documented 170,571 Highlanders being ejected from their traditional lands. Records are very scarce the true total is much greater than this. Land clearances peaked – between 1807 and 1821.

Author: Donald Macdonald - ( President of Clan Donald South Australia)

The council of Clan Donald Chiefs today

For a better run down on Clandonald, go to:-

http://www.clandonald.org.uk/chiefs/finlaggan.html