A TRADITION OF ISLAY.
The western isles according to tradition were thinly inhabited for a long period of years, after the defeat and expulsion of the Norsemen. These invaders had left few of the natives alive and the land remained desolate. The first man then who took possession of the country was powerful John MacConnal who was called, the shepherd of the isles, and the first of the lords of the isles (Iain mòr Maconuil ris an abairteadh buachaille naneileanan, b’e ceud tighearna nan eileanan). He had seven sons, among whom, when they came of age, he began to divide his possessions, but the Highlands and isles being too limited in his opinion for division among so many, he went away to Ireland with one of his sons, to overthrow one or more of the five kings by whom that country was then governed, and put his son in possession of any territory he might acquire in the contest, leaving his eldest son in Islay, which was the first of the isles possessed by him. In this enterprise he succeeded in seizing that part of Ireland then under the authority of the Earl of Antrim, and gave it to his son, whose nephew came from Islay, when some years had passed, to see him in Antrim. This nephew during one of those visits fell in love with a noblewoman of the country whom he asked in marriage. His proposal being agreed to, he was requested, as was then the custom, to name the dowry he wanted with her. His request was 700 men who had nicknames (far-ainmeannan) to take with him to Islay. In those days, it is said, that great men and nobles only had pseudonyms and he took this method of getting these and their followers to repeople the isles, and their descendants are yet to be found in many parts of the country as well as in the islands.
NOTES:Islay is separated from the island of Jura by the sound of Islay and lies west of Cantyre in Argyleshire. Its extent is 25 miles long and 17 miles broad. The south west point is called the Rhinns (an roinn Ileach). The island is hilly and penetrated by an arm of the sea, Lochindaal, which is 12 miles long and 8 miles broad. There are good crops grown on the island and cattle are reared and fish is abundant on its coasts. A small quantity of various kinds of ore isfound throughout the island, but its distilleries are its chief industry at the present day. It was in former times the chief residence of the Lords of the Isles, and the ruins of castles, forts, and chapels are numerous and interesting as records of a past age.The Beatons or Bethunes and MacLarty are said to have been among those who came from Ireland withMacConuil. The latter being descendants of grey haired Niel (Nial Liath) who was interpreter (fear-labhairt) for Maconnal, hence the name. It is told of Niel, that being at one time surrounded by his enemies in a battle, he was commanded to deliver his sword. “If I do,” he said, “it will be by the point” (ma liubhras, ’sann an aghaidh a ranna), and cleaving his way through them he escaped and joined his companions.After his settlement in the western island MacConnal (Iain Mòr MacConuill) is said to have divided his possessions among his seven sons by sending one of them John (Iain) to Glencoe, hence the patronymic Clan of the son of John of Glencoe (Clann ’ic Iain Ghleann-a-comhunn), another son Ronald (Raonull) was sent to Keppoch (a’ Cheapaich), one Allan (Ailean) was sent to Moidart (Mùideart). These were settled on the mainland in the counties of Argyle and Inverness, while the island of Skye was given to another son, Grim Donald of Sleat, (Dòmhnull gorm Shléibhte). Another son got the smaller isles, and another went to Ireland and became Earl of Antrim while the heir remained in Islay and held the adjacent islands as well as portions of the mainland. Of the 700 who returned with his son from Antrim to people the islands after the expulsion of the Norsemen, 22 were heads of families. The person from whom the writer heard this, now above 70 years of age, was certain that Beaton or Bethune was one of the names, but he had forgotten the others.
Islay is separated from the island of Jura by the sound of Islay and lies west of Cantyre in Argyleshire. Its extent is 25 miles long and 17 miles broad. The south west point is called the Rhinns (an roinn Ileach). The island is hilly and penetrated by an arm of the sea, Lochindaal, which is 12 miles long and 8 miles broad. There are good crops grown on the island and cattle are reared and fish is abundant on its coasts. A small quantity of various kinds of ore isfound throughout the island, but its distilleries are its chief industry at the present day. It was in former times the chief residence of the Lords of the Isles, and the ruins of castles, forts, and chapels are numerous and interesting as records of a past age.The Beatons or Bethunes and MacLarty are said to have been among those who came from Ireland withMacConuil. The latter being descendants of grey haired Niel (Nial Liath) who was interpreter (fear-labhairt) for Maconnal, hence the name. It is told of Niel, that being at one time surrounded by his enemies in a battle, he was commanded to deliver his sword. “If I do,” he said, “it will be by the point” (ma liubhras, ’sann an aghaidh a ranna), and cleaving his way through them he escaped and joined his companions.After his settlement in the western island MacConnal (Iain Mòr MacConuill) is said to have divided his possessions among his seven sons by sending one of them John (Iain) to Glencoe, hence the patronymic Clan of the son of John of Glencoe (Clann ’ic Iain Ghleann-a-comhunn), another son Ronald (Raonull) was sent to Keppoch (a’ Cheapaich), one Allan (Ailean) was sent to Moidart (Mùideart). These were settled on the mainland in the counties of Argyle and Inverness, while the island of Skye was given to another son, Grim Donald of Sleat, (Dòmhnull gorm Shléibhte). Another son got the smaller isles, and another went to Ireland and became Earl of Antrim while the heir remained in Islay and held the adjacent islands as well as portions of the mainland. Of the 700 who returned with his son from Antrim to people the islands after the expulsion of the Norsemen, 22 were heads of families. The person from whom the writer heard this, now above 70 years of age, was certain that Beaton or Bethune was one of the names, but he had forgotten the others.
Islay is separated from the island of Jura by the sound of Islay and lies west of Cantyre in Argyleshire. Its extent is 25 miles long and 17 miles broad. The south west point is called the Rhinns (an roinn Ileach). The island is hilly and penetrated by an arm of the sea, Lochindaal, which is 12 miles long and 8 miles broad. There are good crops grown on the island and cattle are reared and fish is abundant on its coasts. A small quantity of various kinds of ore isfound throughout the island, but its distilleries are its chief industry at the present day. It was in former times the chief residence of the Lords of the Isles, and the ruins of castles, forts, and chapels are numerous and interesting as records of a past age.
The Beatons or Bethunes and MacLarty are said to have been among those who came from Ireland withMacConuil. The latter being descendants of grey haired Niel (Nial Liath) who was interpreter (fear-labhairt) for Maconnal, hence the name. It is told of Niel, that being at one time surrounded by his enemies in a battle, he was commanded to deliver his sword. “If I do,” he said, “it will be by the point” (ma liubhras, ’sann an aghaidh a ranna), and cleaving his way through them he escaped and joined his companions.
After his settlement in the western island MacConnal (Iain Mòr MacConuill) is said to have divided his possessions among his seven sons by sending one of them John (Iain) to Glencoe, hence the patronymic Clan of the son of John of Glencoe (Clann ’ic Iain Ghleann-a-comhunn), another son Ronald (Raonull) was sent to Keppoch (a’ Cheapaich), one Allan (Ailean) was sent to Moidart (Mùideart). These were settled on the mainland in the counties of Argyle and Inverness, while the island of Skye was given to another son, Grim Donald of Sleat, (Dòmhnull gorm Shléibhte). Another son got the smaller isles, and another went to Ireland and became Earl of Antrim while the heir remained in Islay and held the adjacent islands as well as portions of the mainland. Of the 700 who returned with his son from Antrim to people the islands after the expulsion of the Norsemen, 22 were heads of families. The person from whom the writer heard this, now above 70 years of age, was certain that Beaton or Bethune was one of the names, but he had forgotten the others.