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Preserved Edinburgh Society
CLAN DONALD GENEALOGY
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 - Yes, date unknown
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| Name |
Iain Aluinn 4 MACDONELL |
| Suffix |
of Keppoch |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
Yes, date unknown |
| Person ID |
I2 |
My Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
28 Nov 2021 |
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| 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.
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| Sources |
- [S2] Clan Ranald of Lochaber, The, Norman H MacDonald, FSA Scot, (Published by the Author), 6 (Reliability: 0).
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