“OF THE ISLES”

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1937, Page 4

“OF THE ISLES”

FAMOUS MACDONALDS. “Miss Macdonald of the. Isles was the guest of their Excellencies at lunch at Government House to-day.’’ The above announcement in the viceregal news of “The Wellington Post” recently concerned a member of one of the most ancient and noted families in Great Britain. Because of the clan system of the Highlands there is a strange feeling of romance about thfc great families in Scotland, and few families have a more romantic history than the Macdonalds. The story of the Macdonalds is contained in a book privately printed by T. and A. Constable, Ltd., Edinburgh, “The House of the Isles,” written by Lady Macdonald of the Isles. At the back of the book is the pedigree, and it commences from Breogan, who was twenty-third in descent from Japhet, one of the sons of Noah, so the story of the Macdonalds literally comes out of the Ark. It is stated in the book that Celts are mentioned early in history. They are first mentioned in the work of the Greek geo-

grapher Hecataeus. who lived about 500 years 13. C., and in Hellenicus of Lesbos, a historian of the fifth century 8.C., who describes them as practising “justice and righteousness.” Herodotus speaks of the Celts as dwelling “beyond the Pillars of Hercules” (the Straits of Gibraltar), and mentions that the Danube rises in their Country. The greatest power of the Celts could be roughly dated as 400 13. C. By that time they held the whole of Central Europe. Spain, and France, and were so feared and respected that when Alexander the Great was about to begin his invasion of Asia he first made a treaty with the Celts “who

dwelt by the lonian Gulf.” The Celt! dominion in Europe gradually passet away. The tribes went to the south east, and west of their original home and in the end Gaul and the Britisl Islands remained practically the soli relics of the Celtic Empire until the} fell under the yoke of Rome. Although the Druids taught that tin most sacred things should never bt written, written descents of the great Celtic families do exist, the earliest of which are found among the Irish

priestly chronicles. The beginning o the Macdonald family pedigree wai taken from MacVnrgh's Gaelic manu script. The first part of this manu script is destroyed; “no doubt it be gan with Adam,” Lady Macdonak states. HUSH KINGS.

Early ancestors of the Clan Donah reached Ireland, where the ancestor: of the Isles family were kings foi many generations. Some of them wen "Ard-Rights.” or High Kings, of Al Ireland. These reigned in Tara, when many lie buried. The hundredth Higl King of Ireland was Conn-ccud-chat hach. or Conn of a Hundred Battles By (hat time the race was sometime: called Scots. Legend says that this is from the Princess Scota who came from Egypt- Some say she was an Egyptian princess; others that she was a daughter of the Royal House of Judah, who, when her people were carried into captivity in Babylon, was saved by the prophet Jeremiah, who fled with her into Egypt. She became the wife of a Celtic soldier, and they were ancestors of the Kings of Ire-

land, Scota being buried near Tralee. Conn of a Hundred Battles died in 157 A.D. Five generations later his descendant Eocaid Duibhlein King of Ireland, married Aileach, a daughter of the King of Alba (Scotland that now is). They had three sons, all called Colla, of whom the eldest Colla Uais (“Noble”) is the ancestor of the Isles family. Round about this time the Irish kings and members of their families began to make excursions into Scotland, Fergus, one of the descendants of Colla Vais, was crowned on the Stone of Destiny, which he borrowed from his brother Muredoch. King of Ireland. The Scots were made Christians by St. Patrick about A.D. 432 and the Saint gave the family of the Isles a crest of a hand holding the Cross. The next most important king .'after Fergus was Aidan “fair-headed,” who was crowned by St. Columba at lona in A.D. 574. The present King of Britain descends through Aidan through the female line; the male descent remains with the family of the Isles.

The story of this great family is traced down the years and makes fas cinating history. Many of the most famous names in Scottish history arc mentioned, and there are some wile deeds chronicled. Sir Donald Macdon aid was the first baronet, being created baronet by Charles I in 1625, and Macdonald of the Isles is now premier of Scotland. He married Janet. daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie, first Lord Kintail and sister of the first and second Earl of Seaforth. The first baronet was a loyal-supporter of Charles I and the second ,baronet joined the Marquis of Montrose and also helped Charles 11. The third baronet married Lady Margaret Douglas, second daughter of the eighth Earl of Morton. He joined Viscount Dundee in the campaign of 1681). The fourth baronet served under Mar in 1715. Sir Donald later received the patent :>f a Scottish peerage. The seventh nironct did not go out in the rebellion )f 1745, as he thought Prince Charles Mdward's cause hopeless. The ninth laronet was created a peer of Ireland

e by the title of Lord Macdonald of e State, Co. Antrim. The Macdonalds t were known to be able soldiers and t accomplished musicians. 1 The family had extensive estates in Yorkshire. The third lord married ’ the daughter of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester by the Lady Almeria Car- ’ penter. daughter of the first Earl of I Tyreonnel. He eloped with his bride. who was then at school. They were betrotheh before the Provost at Anlynan in 1807. Later they were incorrectly informed that as Lord Macdonald at (he time did not leave a Scottish domicile, (he Scottish marriage was illegal. They were then I married in a church, but this set up! a difference between the children born! before that second marriage and those! born afterwards. The legitimacy of' I the eldest son was doubted, and by al family arrangement he remained owner of the Yorkshire properties and the second son took the Scottish honours ami estates and the Irish peerage. This matter was not put right until HHo, when the Court of Session in Edinburgh pronounced that the dumb , cile of Godfrey, third Lord, had always been Scottish, and all the children were, equally legitimate.