The Correct History of Clann MacAoidgh (The Clan Mackay)
by
Dear All,
As I have noted a general fallacy running through
many of the supposed "histories" of the Clann MacAoidgh, I shall generate an abbreviated one for
all.
Please note that I am in the middle of a fiver year effort at annotating the "Book of Mackay" and
currently have access to the papers of Dr. Ian
Grimble, Historian of the Strathnaver and il
D'uath M'hic Aoidh ("Land of the Mackays"), now
deceased sadly.
As a blood relative, and I do not refer to political associations or military alliances, the
following is historically true and verifiable:
1) Around 710 A.D., three separate tribes leave
Ireland from a region known as Dalriada and land
in what is now known as Argyll and the southern
Hebrides. One of the tribes is known as the
C'nel Lorne, the progenitors of Clann MacAoidh.
The C'nel Lorne are descended from Aedh, grand-son
of the Irish king N'iall.
2) Around the year 1100 A.D., the C'nel Lorne
move up the Great Glen (the Loch Ness divide)
to the present day region of the Moray after
centuries of battle with the C'nel Gabhrain.
The Mac Aedh (then Gaelic spelling...) left in
Argyll become a later war sept of the Clan Ranald
of McDonald, later known as the "Lords of the
Isles".
3) The Mac Aedh/Mac Aed/Mac Heths (all variations
of the Gaelic pronunciation of the time) become
a virtual separate kingdom around the Moray Firth
on Scotland's middle north eastern coast, becoming
known as the "Mormaers", or Great Rulers (of Men).
However, in the 1200's their power was broken after the grandson of MacBeth, by virtue of Lulach
(or Gormflaith) his wife, challenged one of the early Scottish kings. The Mormaers were banished
over the far northwestern Munros (Mountains) into
the region of the Strathnaver.
4) The Strathnaver at the height of the Clann MacAoidgh (modern Gaelic spelling) stretched from
Assynt in the west to Loch Naver, to the borders
of Ross-shire and just west of present day Thurso.
From late 1200s until the middle 1400s, the power
of the Aoidgh was unchallenged particularly after
the battle of Drum na Cub in the shadow of Ben
Loyal, when Iain Abrach Mackay led a party of 500
men into battle againt men of the Sutherland
(Clann Suderland). Some 1500 Suderlands were killed, virtually the entire war group. These
Suderlands were NOT related to the later infamous
Sutherlands of the Clearances of the 1800's.
5) Throughout the 1500s and 1600s the Clann Aoidgh
was under constant pressure from the Gordon-Huntly
Clann (later assuming the name Sutherland by royal decree) throuch fractricidal policies. The Chiefs
of Mackay always backed the Crown and WERE NOT at
anytime Jacobites. ONLY those whom remained as
septs of the Clan MacDonald were Jacobites.
The famous Mackay's Regiment came into being in
the middle 1600's, fighting as mercenaries in Holland and Germany for William the Orange. In 1688, the Chief of Mackay through his support behind William fully, thus ending the House of
Stewarts reign as Kings of Scotland and England.
6) The Clann Mac Aoidgh declined throughout the
18th and 19th century due to the avarice of the
Suitherland's, a failure of land reform policy of
the newly united "Kingdom", and the lure of America.
7) In the year 1999 in Sutherland County, which
comprises one-quarter of the original "Strathnaver", there are only 2,126 inhabitants.
In 1825 at the beginning of the worst years of
the "Clearances", there were 26,245 inhabitants.
Some 76 percent were blood relation Mackay's and
were Gaelic language speakers as their ancestors
had been for 2000 years.
While "mythical" historians relate a relation to
the Clann Mhoirgunn (Morgan), it remains that and
nothing more. While certain portions of the Coat
of Arms and later colors may have been adapted, they have nothing to do with the Aoidgh's actual
history.
Per political and military septs allied to the
Clann Mac Aoidgh, they are as numerous throughout
history as the colors of the rainbow, from Frasers
to Mackenzie, to Grant and Blair. Thus, it is
quite okay for one to "ally" himself to any modern
"Clan" should they so desire. However, in doing
so one is an anachronist (or one who portrays
history) and not per se following the "modern"
conventions of some form of "blood" relationship.
(That is merely a commentary on the situation as
I see it here in Scotland!)
Finally, on tartan. Tartan was not specific to
Clann but to region--thus, the Gunn colors are
similar to Mackay etc. There is a very specific
regional sett called "Strathnaver Mackay" which
is dyed in the actual known colors of that region
(heather brown and grey-blue) in the same pattern.
(I have them, much nicer than the "modern" Mackay
I think, but only an opinion!)
Should you desire to come to Scotland, travel to Edinburgh, thence to Thurso, thence to Bettyhill,
where there is the Clan Mackay Museum at the Farr
Bay Church in Sutherland County.
To finish, Clann M'hic Aoidgh is one of the most
famous and certainly oldest of the true Gaelic
Clanns. If you are blood related, then you may
count King Niall of Ireland, King David of Scotland, and Macbeth as your relations--not to
mention a legion of Barons, Lords, and Knights
and can be justifiably proud.
I close with the words of the original Clann M'hic
Aoidgh motto and inscribed on the tomb of The Scourie-Mackay at Balnakiel Church in Durness,
"Bi Tren, Bi Treun!" Be True, Be Steadfast!
Cheers,
Dr. Gary Mckay
Barra Suite
Dept. of Archaeology and Geography
Univ. of Edinburgh
Edinburgh Scotland
EH8 9XP
Scotland, UK
011 44 131 650 2532