Scottish Clans

In this episode, I discuss the story behind the origin of the MacFarlanes' war cry: Loch Sloy!   Sponsor: usakilts.com

In this episode, let's dive into where war-cries came from and how they were used.  This will lay the foundation for future episodes highlighting the gripping accounts of how some clans acquired their war-cries, or slogans.

The MacNaughtens are an interesting clan that doesn't get much popular attention, so here are a few things I find interesting about them.   http://www.clanmacnaughton.net/articles.htm usakilts.com

So you just had a DNA test done and it says you're 37%  (or some other number) Scottish.  Where do you go from there?  What clan does this connect you to?  What should you expect from the results of this test.  This is what we discuss in this episode. https://www.familytreedna.com/scottish-clan-list.aspx

In this episode, I discuss several things about this clan that I find fascinating.

Do clans exist today?  If they do, which one do you belong to?

The Campbells are usually thought of as the agents of the Crown in the Scottish Highlands, but they weren't the only ones.  Further north, the MacKenzies had adopted a policy of acting as the Crown's agents, to their benefit as well as to the detriment of neighboring clans.  In this episode, I relate several ways in which these clans were similar and a couple of important differences.

Learn about a battle that never should have happened between two clans who were not feuding.

Going back to some of the founding members of the Douglas clan, we'll see how they were doing the Border Reiver thing since there was such a thing.

Join me for a look into the life and times of the founder of some of the most powerful clans of Scotland.  Leading up to the Wars of Independence, the MacDougalls were the most powerful clan in Argyll.  After Bruce took the throne, much of the MacDougall land in Argyll was given to the Campbells and in the Isles to the MacDonalds, the then became the premier kindred of the race of Somerled.  Join...

The Massacre of Glencoe is commonly portrayed as another episode in the already generations-old feud between the two clans.  In this episode, I tell the story of the massacre then dive into additional details in an effort to provide an accurate picture of this tragic event.  Here's one of the sources I used for this episode   http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/scottishhistory/union/trails_union_glencoe....

For all you John Wayne fans, as well as those of you who may have never watched any of his films, this is a good episode.  In it, I not only discuss the Morrison surname, but also dive into ideas that will pertain to many of you who are working on strengthening your connection to your ancestors.  This episode has been requested a number of times by all you Morrisons and there happens to be some go...

If you are interested in the Kennedys, clan society, or Scottish history in general, join me for a discussion of key aspects of the history of the Kennedys.  Did true clans exist in the Lowlands?  Let's dive a little deeper than a Google search with an article by Hector L. MacQueen from the University of Edinburgh.  The link to the article is below.   https://www.academia.edu/37112752/Survival_and...

In the last installment in this series, I cover the time period where many of today's Scottish Clans were born.  It's the fusion of several middle age kingdoms into what would become Scotland during the time period from the 1000's to the 1200's.

In the second part of this series, I summarize the ethnic origins of the clans.  If you've listened to the early episodes of this podcast, I'm taking that information and streamlining it to build continuity so that the listener can pull the different pieces together and start to build a picture in their mind of the story of the beginnings of the clans.  In the next episode, I'll build on this one...

Join me for a ground-up discussion of the Scottish clans.  I'm covering what a clan was, how it would have differed from a regular family, and what features would have defined an actual clan.  In the next episode, I'm going to cover the historical context of the origin of the clans.  If you're new to this subject, these episodes will be perfect for you.  If you're not new, I believe you'll still f...

Show Notes: It's time for a good story!  The Battle of the North Inch would be prime material for a movie, although it might get an R rating for violence.  Two clans revert to an ancient way to settle a dispute: a battle of champions!  Here are links to some of the sources for this episode: https://ia802701.us.archive.org/14/items/historyofscottis00kelt/historyofscottis00kelt.pdf https://archive.o...

I don't believe we can have anything other than a shallow understanding of Scottish clans if we don't understand Bonds of Manrent.  These bonds help us understand the relationships between related clans, unrelated clans, Highlanders and Lowlanders, and other groups.  Helpful sources are posted below.  I hope this not only helps you understand the Scottish Clans better, but maybe even your own ance...

Back to the Borders!  In this episode, which draws mostly from Keith Hunter's article "The Recolonization of Liddesdale" found on Academia.edu, we jump into the origin of the Elliots.  How did they arrive in Scotland?  Were they always a Border clan?  We also see the fighting character of the Elliots as a reoccurring theme in their history.  This is available on Podbean.com, Apple Podcasts, and Sp...

Happy Easter, Everyone!  I know I've shared some of this material with you all before back in episode 10, but due to comments and questions I've received since then, I thought it would be worth revisiting and digging in a little deeper regarding the nature of the kin-based society of Scotland, including Lowland kindreds.  This is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podbean.

After responding to some listener feedback, I discuss the origin of several clans who claim descent from a man named Anrothan.  These clans include the MacLachlans, the MacSweens, the Lamonts, and others.  W. D. H. Sellar has an article where he defends this traditional genealogy, which I have posted on the Scottish Clans Facebook group.  This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, and S...

This is not one of the famous clan battles in Scottish history, such as the Battle of Dryfe Sands or Glen Fruin.  The details are scarce which adds to the mystery of the back story.  It's also interesting in its location: on the borders of the Highlands and Lowlands.  Join me for a dive into the story of the battle itself, the participants, and the setting of this tragic encounter between the Drum...

Once again, listener feedback gives us a great opportunity to discuss matters at the heart of the Scottish Clans.  Thanks for the responses, feedback, comments and questions.  Please keep them coming.  Also, was Highland society more violent than that of the Lowlands, including the Borders?

The MacInnes clan hasn't had a chief since the 1300's yet is descended from another, very famous line of chiefs, or are they.  I found that, in discussing the MacInnes clan, they provided the platform to discuss several concepts common to a lot of other clans as well.  Available on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.  Hope you enjoy!

Unlike the previous two examples, there was a close connection between the Sutherland kindred and those who would inherit the Earldom of Sutherland.  Join me as I endeavor to untangle this relationship.  Are there other examples of earldoms and clans that had the same name but weren't the same thing?  Let me know on Podbean, Facebook, or Apple Podcasts, which is where this episode can be found.