The Isle of Eigg is situated in the heart of Clanranald country, this small island has very bloody history being involved in every MacDonald rebellion against the crown and in a good many feuds. A lengthy feud between the MacDonalds and the MacLeods in the 16th Century led to the death of 395 MacDonalds in […]
A leading DNA expert has shown that the celtic hero Somerled who was credited with driving the Vikings out of western Scotland was himself descended from a Norseman It had always been believed that Somerled was descended from an ancient royal line going back to when the Scots were living in Ireland. A few years […]
This is the original chart, circa 1800, a fascinating illustration of the important genealogical descent of the Clan MacDonald from the 10th Century. This chart was compiled by John Brown, genealogist to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. The genealogy tree illustrates the descent of the various branches of the Clan Donald, from the […]
Knock Castle is also known as Caisteal Camus, it is 3.5 miles north of Armadale on the Isle of Skye. It was held by the MacLeods in the fifteenth century, but later passed to the MacDonalds. Knock Castle became the key stronghold for the Lords of the Isles – The MacDonalds. Some say that […]
Kylekin is a small promontory that juts out of the east end of Skye and is crowned by the ruins of Castle Maol. The main wall of the ruin is an impressive eleven feet thick, but ended up defeated by the great storm of 1948. On Febuary 1st 1948, the main wall of Castle Maol […]
The ruins of Castle Strome sit in the picturesque headland which once formed part of the ancient earldom of Ross. It became the focus of Clan fighting due to it’s strategic location between the lands of the MacDonalds of Glengarry and the MacKenzies of Kintail. The castle was built in the early 15th Century and […]
“A well tempered man, in body shapely, of a fair piercing eye, of middle stature and of quick discernment.” Somerled is the first known historic figure of the medeival Hebrides. He was celebrated as a purely Celtic hero, but like all good heroes, his story is a gloss of myth and legend. His name in […]
The current church of Kilmore stands in an idyllic position on the coast of Skye with great views over the water towards the main land. The history of this church is in fact the history of three churches. The now Parish church stands on a site sanctifed by successive places of worship since the dawn […]
