Iain MACDONELL, of Urchair

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Donald MACDONELL, of Urchair died in 1640.

Notes:

'HANDSOME' JOHN MACDONALD OF KEPPOCH, 4th CHIEF

lain Aluinn (1497-1498)

JOHN, 4th Chief was known as lain Aluinn (Handsome John) and he only remained as Chief for about a year.

Donald MacGillivantic, the celebrated Domhnaill Ruadh Beag Mac Gille Mhantaich (little Red Donald Son of the Stammerer) who figured at the Battle of Leachdar, was a noted cattle lifter, and so often did he prey on the livestock of the Clan Chattan that MacIntosh resolved to bring his career to a close once and for all. The Captain of Clan Chattan, in order to get Donald Ruadh Beag into his hands demanded, in his capacity as Steward of Lochaber, that lain Aluinn, as his Chief should hand him over to answer for his crimes. lain Aluinn agreed to MacIntosh's request on condition that "his blood should not be spilled" so-worded in Gaelic, a condition which the Captain of Clan Chattan fulfilled to the letter, for as soon as he got hold of Donald, he had him hanged from a tree near Clach na Diolta, Torgulbin, at the end of Loch Laggan, in the march between Lochaber and Badenoch.

It had been evident since his accession as Chief that lain Aluinn was unfit to lead the Clan and this final act of weakness resulted in his being deposed by the head men. This the were entitled to do under Celtic tribal law.

Iain AIuinn, who appears to have accepted the decision calmly, retired to an isolated place called Urchair where he spent the remainder of his life. There is no tecord of whom he married. His descendants became known as "Sliochd Dhomhnaill" from his father, Donald, 3rd Chief, and also as "Sliochd a' brathair 'bu shine" i.e. the race of the elder brother. They continued to occupy the lands of Urchair until the late eighteenth century when they settled in various parts of the Braes of Lochaber. From one of lain's sons, Donald, was descended the Gaelic Poet Laureate of Scotland, the famous bard and politician, lain Lom, whose father was Domhnaill Mac lain Mhic Dhomhnaill Mhic lain Aluinn. Another family descended from lain Aluinn, which resided at Murlagan, became hereditary banner bearers to MacIntosh of MacIntosh.

The appointment of a successor to lain Aluinn set a difficult problem before the leading clansmen and it was some time before agreement was reached. The most powerful sept of the Clan at that time was the "Clann Mhic Gille Mhantaich" (The Children of the Stammerer), to which Domhnaill Ruadh Beag belonged. They claimed to have come originally from Barra and proposed to send to that island for one of their own kinsmen. Another sept proposed to send to Uist for Goraidh or Godfrey, a descendant of Goraidh 0f Garmoran, Lord of Uist, second son ofJohn, 1st Lord of the Isles by his first wife, Amy MacRuari. They claimed descent from that family and the said Goraidh came to Lochaber at their invitation and settled at Tirnadris. His descendants became known as "Sliochd Ghoraidh". The family of Alasdair Carrach naturally wished to keep the chiefship in their own family and eventually Alasdair, uncle of the deposed Chief was chosen.

Norman H Macdonald: The Clan Ranald of Lochaber - A History of the MacDonalds or MacDonells of Keppoch.

Notes:

DONALD MAC ANGUS MACDONALD OF KEPPOCH, 3rd CHIEF

Domhnall Mac Aonghais (c1478-1497)

DONALD, 3rd Chief - Domhnall Mac Aonghais - was of a restless disposition. In 1478, John, 4th Lord of the Isles was summoned before Parliament to answer charges which included resetting Donald Mac Angus and his accomplices who had invaded the King's lieges.

Donald gave his full support to Angus Og of the Isles when he resolved to recover the Earldom of Ross for the MacDonalds, and a contingent of Brae Lochaber men under Alexander, the Chief's brother took part in the Battle of Lagabraad (Lagebrad), near Conon Bridge, in 1483, when the redoubtable Angus defeated the combined forces of the MacKenzies, MacKays, Rosses, Frasers and Brodies commanded by the Earl of Athole.

In the following year a body of the Clan fought for Angus Og against his father John at the Battle of Bloody Bay off Mull when Angus was victorious.

In 1491, when Sir Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh - Alasdair Mac Gilleasbuig - son of Celestine, second surviving son of Alexander, 3rd Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross made a final attempt to regain Ross, Donald Mac Angus joined him with his Clan. According to tradition, Donald, with a small following was present at the Battle of Park (Blar na Pairc) fought near Jamestown in Ross-shire, where Alexander's raiding force was defeated by a numerically superior force of MacKenzies. Donald's brother, Alexander is said to have been on his way with 240 men but arrived too late to be of any assistance, the issue having already been decided in favour of the MacKenzies.

The Lordship of the Isles was finally forfeited in 1493 and King James IV, with the intention of restoring law and order among the clans, visited the West Highlands three times during that year. Among those who paid homage to the King at Mingary Castle in Ardnamurchan, was Donald Mac Angus. The Lochaber Chief and others were obliged, as further security for their good behaviour, to appear in the year 1496, before the Lords of Council and bind themselves "by the extension of their lands" to the Earl of Argyle, on behalf of the King, to refrain from mutual injuries each under a penalty of