On a rocky prominence 60 feet above the sea, stand the isolated, gaunt ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, the ancient home of the Earls of Caithness. From this grim fortress a few miles north of Wick, a succession of pragmatic, ruthless and self-seeking lairds ruled their domains with feudal authority and harsh justice. Hardly a […]
Battle of Drumnacoub (between 1427 and 1433) This battle was an internal feud among the men of Clan MacKay but also involved some Sutherland men. A disastrous battle, it led to the loss of many senior members of the clan and most of the belligerents on both sides. The origins of the battle begin with […]
On Monday Amanda and I were privileged to be able to attend the service in commemoration for the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden held at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Over 40 Clan Chiefs were in attendance and you will be able to read the list of names below. The service included lessons […]
One of the experiences that stood out the most on my Highland adventure a few months back was the amount of Scottish Gaelic I encountered. From road and railway station signs, to the greeting displayed on the entrance to McDonalds in Inverness, this was my first encounter with Scotland’s oldest surviving spoken language. It’s something […]
It is with sadness that we announce the death of Hugh William Mackay, 14th Lord Reay, Baron Mackay and Chief of Clan Mackay. A distinguished parliamentarian, Mackay served in the House of Lords, held office for a short time in the Thatcher government and later sat for six years in the European Parliament. Mackay died […]
A map of Great Britain’s most popular surnames shows the dominance that clan areas still hold in Scotland, while other areas show the effects of modern-day immigration. Created by experts from three English Universities, Uncertainty of Identity uses surnames listed on the electoral roll to find the three most popular names in each electoral ward. […]
John Murray, the Chief of the Murray clans and 11th Duke of Atholl has died in a South African hospital on Tuesday, 15th May after suffering a stroke. He was 83. The Johannesburg born Murray became Clan Chief and inherited the Dukedom after his cousin George Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl passed away unmarried in […]
Men and women have long been recognised in Scotland as equals. A good example of this is that female chiefs supply a goodly number of places in the current 135-strong listings of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. They hold exactly the same responsibilities as their male counterparts. Here are some shining examples of female […]
