Moidart
Encyclopedia
Moidart is a district in Lochaber
, Highland
, Scotland
.
Moidart lies to the west of Fort William and is very remote. Loch Shiel
cuts off the south-east boundary of the district. Moidart includes the townships of Dorlin, Mingarry, Kinlochmoidart and Glenuig
. At Dorlin is located the ancient fortress of the MacDonalds
, Castle Tioram
. During World War II
, HMS Dorlin was based at Dorlin and was used for training of Royal Navy
Beach Signals and Royal Signals sections - battle training.
Fergie MacDonald
was raised in the area.
John MacGregor W.S. states c.1929
This was the original and ancient estate of MacDonald
of ClanRanald.
Clanranald left his ancient stronghold of Castle Tioram
to join James VII in 1715. According to MacGregor's knowledge Clanranald set fire to his castle
when he left at this time. His account of the fire agrees with Seton Gordon
's later version of this story, although some accounts state that the fire was started by accident in the castle kitchen.
ClanRanald's pipers
were traditionally from a family of MacIntyre
s who previously lived at Loch Rannoch
. At that time this MacIntyre family were anciently pipers to Menzies of Menzies
, and were said to have piped the Menzies forward at Bannockburn
, with the famous Faery Pipes which were supposed to have magical
properties. Some of these MacIntyres moved to Moidart and became pipers to ClanRanald. Today Archie MacIntyre still plays for MacDonald of ClanRanald.
North of Dunvegan
on Skye is the peninsula of Vaternish
, where stands the ruined church of Trumpan
. How it came to be ruined is one of the grim tragedies of the West. Seton Gordon writes,...
Between the MacLeods and the MacDonalds of ClanRanald a bitter feud existed. Perhaps the Macdonalds remembered that black day when many of their clan in Eigg
were massacred by the Macleods. Be that as it may, the men of ClanRanald planned a deadly revenge
.
One Sunday they sailed across the Minch
in their galleys from their island territory of South Uist
and surprised the MacLeods at worship in the little church.
"Picture the dismay of the worshipers when there is a loud shout at the church, and they turn to see the door guarded by armed men, triumphant and without pity, escape is impossible. Resistance is useless for the men are unarmed in the church as the congregation stand against the claymore
s that guard the narrow door,--- wisps of pungent smoke enter the church.
"shrieks and wailings echo through the doomed building, while the chief of ClanRanald's piper plays wild and scornful music, - to drown the cries of the dying. Unperceived in the dense smoke the solitary survivour of the massacre squeezes herself, inflicting mortal injuries on her person as she does so, through the narrow slit, at the corner of the church which serves as a window..."
But, before the men of ClanRanald could escape, the MacLeods came up from Dunvegan, and a desperate fight was fought on the green shore of Ardmore. Uncertain for some time was the issue of the fight:
"Of a sudden the MacLeods are miraculously increased in numbers in the eyes of their enemies. Where they stood in scores they now stand in hundreds. The Fairy flag
has been unfurled! The tide of the battle now goes against the raiders. ClanRanald and his men make for the shore in disorder. To their dismay they find their galleys left high and dry by the ebbing tide
, and it is impossible to launch them across the great boulders and slippery stones while the MacLeods do not pause in their harrying. Disheartened and with their means of escape cut off, the MacDonalds sell their lives dearly. The battle becomes a slaughter, but the defence is sufficiently strong to permit a single galley being launched. In her a few of Clanranalds men make their escape and return to South Uist with their bad tidings.
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
, Highland
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Moidart lies to the west of Fort William and is very remote. Loch Shiel
Loch Shiel
Loch Shiel is a 19.3 km2 freshwater loch, 120 m deep, situated 20 km west of Fort William in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland...
cuts off the south-east boundary of the district. Moidart includes the townships of Dorlin, Mingarry, Kinlochmoidart and Glenuig
Glenuig
Glenuig is a small village in Moidart, Lochaber, Highland, on the west coast of Scotland. It is around 30 miles west of Fort William and 20 miles from Ardnamurchan Point.-Geography:...
. At Dorlin is located the ancient fortress of the MacDonalds
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
, Castle Tioram
Castle Tioram
Castle Tioram is a ruined castle that sits on the tidal island Eilean Tioram in Loch Moidart, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. It is located west of Acharacle, approximately 80 kilometres from Fort William...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, HMS Dorlin was based at Dorlin and was used for training of Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Beach Signals and Royal Signals sections - battle training.
Fergie MacDonald
Fergie MacDonald
Fergie MacDonald is a Scottish accordionist who specializes in ceilidh music and plays the button key accordion. A trained physiotherapist and an international clay pigeon shooter, MacDonald is considered to be the man who popularised the West Highland style of traditional Scottish dance music...
was raised in the area.
The Macdonalds of Moidart
The Macdonalds of Moidart area were the Clan Ranald.John MacGregor W.S. states c.1929
- In a dispute over the harvesting of seaweedSeaweedSeaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
Colin MacDonald of Boisdale v Ranald MacDonald of Clanranald c1761.
- It is a fact both proved in this cause, and admitted between the parties, that all the estates in controversy were originally the property of their common ancestor, MacDonald of ClanRanald, a son of John, Lord of the IslesLord of the IslesThe designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
, who obtained a grant of them from his father, which was confirmed by a charter under the Great SealGreat Seal of the RealmThe Great Seal of the Realm or Great Seal of the United Kingdom is a seal that is used to symbolise the Sovereign's approval of important state documents...
by King Robert II of ScotlandRobert II of ScotlandRobert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
.
- Comprehending Terra de Moidart cum castro de Elantirum,de terra de Arisaig, de terra de Morar, de insula de Rume, de insula de Huist, cum castro de Vynvale,de insula de Barry, de insula de Hirts; cum omnibus aliis minutis insulas [and all smaller islands] ad dictus insulas. Pertinentibus &c.
This was the original and ancient estate of MacDonald
Macdonald
MacDonald, Macdonald, and McDonald are Anglicised forms of the Scottish Gaelic name MacDhòmhnaill. It is a patronym where Mac means "son" and Dhòmhnaill means "of Dòmhnall". The personal name Dòmhnall is composed of the elements domno "world" and val "might", "rule"...
of ClanRanald.
Clanranald left his ancient stronghold of Castle Tioram
Castle Tioram
Castle Tioram is a ruined castle that sits on the tidal island Eilean Tioram in Loch Moidart, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. It is located west of Acharacle, approximately 80 kilometres from Fort William...
to join James VII in 1715. According to MacGregor's knowledge Clanranald set fire to his castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
when he left at this time. His account of the fire agrees with Seton Gordon
Seton Gordon
Seton Gordon was a Scottish naturalist, photographer and folklorist.Gordon began exploring the Highlands of Scotland as a boy, particularly the Cairngorms. He later became a world famous naturalist, photographer and folklorist, describing the wildlife and scenery of Scotland. His books are still...
's later version of this story, although some accounts state that the fire was started by accident in the castle kitchen.
ClanRanald's pipers
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
were traditionally from a family of MacIntyre
Clan Macintyre
Clan MacIntyre is a Scottish clan. The name MacIntyre , means "son of the carpenter." Although no documented history of the clan exists, it is most commonly said to descend from Maurice Mac Neil a nephew of Somerled, the great 12th century leader of the Scottish Gaels...
s who previously lived at Loch Rannoch
Loch Rannoch
Loch Rannoch is a large body of fresh water in Perth and Kinross, Scotland.The loch is over long in a west-east direction with an average width of about . The River Tummel begins at its eastern end. The Tay Forest Park lies along its southern shore...
. At that time this MacIntyre family were anciently pipers to Menzies of Menzies
Clan Menzies
For Menzies as a personal name, including its pronunciation and a list of famous people of that name, see Menzies.Clan Menzies ; , a member is a Mèinnearach) is a Highland Scottish clan.-Origins of the Clan:...
, and were said to have piped the Menzies forward at Bannockburn
Bannockburn
Bannockburn is a village immediately south of the city of Stirling in Scotland. It is named after the Bannock Burn, a burn running through the village before flowing into the River Forth.-History:...
, with the famous Faery Pipes which were supposed to have magical
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
properties. Some of these MacIntyres moved to Moidart and became pipers to ClanRanald. Today Archie MacIntyre still plays for MacDonald of ClanRanald.
North of Dunvegan
Dunvegan
Dunvegan is a town on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is famous for Dunvegan Castle, seat of the chief of Clan MacLeod...
on Skye is the peninsula of Vaternish
Waternish
Waternish or Bhatairnis/Vaternish is a peninsula approximately long on the island of Skye, Scotland, situated between Loch Dunvegan and Loch Snizort in the northwest of the island, and traditionally inhabited and owned by Clan MacLeod whose clan seat is at the nearby Dunvegan Castle. The current...
, where stands the ruined church of Trumpan
Trumpan
Trumpan is a hamlet located on the Vaternish peninsula in the Isle of Skye, in the Scottish council area of the Highland. Trumpan church, which is now a ruin, was the focus of a particularly brutal incident in 1578, when the Clan MacDonald of Uist travelled to Trumpan in eight boats and under...
. How it came to be ruined is one of the grim tragedies of the West. Seton Gordon writes,...
Between the MacLeods and the MacDonalds of ClanRanald a bitter feud existed. Perhaps the Macdonalds remembered that black day when many of their clan in Eigg
Eigg
Eigg is one of the Small Isles, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. With an area of , it is the second largest of the Small Isles after Rùm.-Geography:The main...
were massacred by the Macleods. Be that as it may, the men of ClanRanald planned a deadly revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
.
One Sunday they sailed across the Minch
The Minch
The Minch , also called The North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Highlands, and the northern Inner Hebrides, from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides...
in their galleys from their island territory of South Uist
South Uist
South Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
and surprised the MacLeods at worship in the little church.
"Picture the dismay of the worshipers when there is a loud shout at the church, and they turn to see the door guarded by armed men, triumphant and without pity, escape is impossible. Resistance is useless for the men are unarmed in the church as the congregation stand against the claymore
Claymore
The term claymore refers to the Scottish variant of the late medieval longsword, two-handed swords with a cross hilt, of which the guards were in use during the 15th and 16th centuries.-Terminology:...
s that guard the narrow door,--- wisps of pungent smoke enter the church.
"shrieks and wailings echo through the doomed building, while the chief of ClanRanald's piper plays wild and scornful music, - to drown the cries of the dying. Unperceived in the dense smoke the solitary survivour of the massacre squeezes herself, inflicting mortal injuries on her person as she does so, through the narrow slit, at the corner of the church which serves as a window..."
But, before the men of ClanRanald could escape, the MacLeods came up from Dunvegan, and a desperate fight was fought on the green shore of Ardmore. Uncertain for some time was the issue of the fight:
"Of a sudden the MacLeods are miraculously increased in numbers in the eyes of their enemies. Where they stood in scores they now stand in hundreds. The Fairy flag
Fairy Flag
The Fairy Flag is an heirloom of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod. It is held in Dunvegan Castle along with other notable heirlooms, such as the Dunvegan Cup and Sir Rory Mor's Horn. The Fairy Flag is known for the numerous traditions of fairies, and magical properties associated with it...
has been unfurled! The tide of the battle now goes against the raiders. ClanRanald and his men make for the shore in disorder. To their dismay they find their galleys left high and dry by the ebbing tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
, and it is impossible to launch them across the great boulders and slippery stones while the MacLeods do not pause in their harrying. Disheartened and with their means of escape cut off, the MacDonalds sell their lives dearly. The battle becomes a slaughter, but the defence is sufficiently strong to permit a single galley being launched. In her a few of Clanranalds men make their escape and return to South Uist with their bad tidings.