Sgeulachd

Myths or LegenDs Our Ancestors Oft RepeateD

In the introduction to his history of Clan Donald, Donald J. McDonald gave a brief account of the legend of Cú chulainn and why it is of interest to Clan Donald. He referred to James Macpherson’s Works of Ossian as well as one of the main sources he used for his Clan Donald history called the Black & Red Books of Clanranald. These 17th century books, written in Gaelic, contain the traditions of Clan Donald from many centuries earlier. The ancient Gaelic “le lachluinn mor mac mhuirich albannaich seanachaidh chloinn domhnill” contain the traditions recorded by the MacMhuirich Scottish historians of Clan Donald from earlier than the 14th century.

Pixar’s “Brave” depicts the important role of legends in Celtic culture as Queen Elinor instructs her rebellious daughter by reminding her of a legend of a former kingdom lost due to selfishness (The legend she recites is the account of Somhairlidh and his sons). The queen demonstrates the legend by supporting the chessboard on the four knights and then pulling out one knight causing all to topple. Her daughter protests, “Oh Mum. It’s only a legend”, and the queen’s response is classic, “Legends are lessons that ring with truth“! These Legends are fundamental to seeing life as our ancestors did.

The legend of Tuan mac Cairill

Celtic mythology or legends from Ireland are inseparably intertwined into these ancient histories for good reason. The Black & Red Books of Clanranald, contained in the Reliquiae Celticae manuscripts, begin with the Milesian myth from the Lebor Gabála (Book of Invasions). The legend of Tuan mac Cairill, based upon the Milesian myth, provides the origin of the Celtic (Gaelic) people as told by an eye witness Tuan mac Cairill . This is the equivalent of the Book of Genesis for the Celtic people from their own legends that by some accounts begins immediately after the Biblical flood.

The legend of Cú chulainn

This myth takes place at Dunscaith on the Isle of Skye which became a Clan Donald castle. This legend explains the castle’s name.Cú chulainn passes through a bog enroute to Sgathach that may well be the first description of the bogs of Rannoch Moor that were so familiar to our ancestors.

The legend of Cú chulainn, Aifee, and Connla

This is a tragic story that teaches the value of a champion’s keeping his word. Keeping an oath (one’s word) was to be valued above all else, even family. Being familiar with this Celtic value helps us better understand the motives & actions of our ancestors.

The legend of The Death of Cú chulainn

Sculpture of CuChulainn’s Death

This myth also conveys the Celtic value of honor and how an individual’s actions would cast honor or dishonor upon his family, clan, and race.

Of course every Celtic youth pictured himself a champion. These legends show us the ancient Celtic ideal or the standard set for which the youth would aspire. This legend also demonstrates the significance of the raven or battle crow in Celtic culture. This is especially significant to Glengarry MacDonells.

The tragic legend of Deirdre

This myth takes place in Glen Etive near Glencoe and is the classic tragic tale of Celtic mythology included in the Black & Red Books of Clanranald. It is eerie that a millennia before the Glencoe Massacre these glens of ancient Dalriada were already associated with tragedy.

The legend of Manannan mac Lir

This one explains the transition from the old Celtic religion to Christianity. One of the legends of Manannan includes an account of a prominent ancestor of Clan Donald who nearly lost his entire posterity (that’s us) when tempted with an apple. And, just as recorded in the Biblical account of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil, our ancestor’s taking the apple provides the Celtic explanation of how he acquired the knowledge & wisdom for which he became famous.

A Celtic Love Story – The LegenD of SomhairliDh anD RahnhilDa.

This Highland Scottish legend is filled with intrigue, irony, and conflict. It begins with the crucial battle in which Somhairlidh slayed the Viking leader Sweno at Morvern. Somhairlidh‘s assembled clan army then expelled the Viking raiders of Olabh (Olaf) King of the Isle of Mann from Morvern and the Isles. But then Somhairlidh fell in love with Sweno‘s betrothed, the spirited Ragnhilda Olafsdatter. Somhairlidh devised a scheme to trick Olabh into granting him his daughter’s hand in marriage and she responded by attempting to swamp Somhairlidh’s galley! She asked permission to take the helm and steered broadside of a wave on the high seas that could have drowned them all. When safely ashore she accused Somhairlidh of assaulting her which almost started a fresh conflict, but Somhairlidh asked her to tell why he was forced to take the helm from her. When Ragnhilda told her father what she had tried to do Olabh sided with Somhairlidh!

The legend of St. Julian

This is not a Celtic legend, but a French Crusader legend that provides a possible explanation of the unique cross found carved into the crest of the Finlaggen Cross. This head of a typical Standing Celtic Cross was discovered during a 1990 archaeological dig at Islay, the central seat of government of the Lords of the Isles. The Finlaggen cross is believed to be from the 14th century and bears what has become known as the “cross, crosslet fitchee, gules”. This unique cross has been the central feature of most crests of Clan Donald. The legend of St. Julian provides a plausible explanation for why Clan Donald crests feature this unique cross.

The legend of Oisin

Was believed by James MacPherson to be the same person as Ossian referred to in the Highland oral legends he compiled. Even though this author does not agree that they were the same person, being familiar with the ancient legend of the seanachaidh Oisin helps us understand the standard set for all Celtic seanachaidh (Gaelic = oral historians), including the MacMhuirich who were the historians of Clan Donald and the Lords of the Isles. Ossian‘s cave is in Glencoe.

The legend of Fionn and the Fenians

This Celtic myth is one that Clan Donald will find the most familiar. It is startlingly similar to Clan Donald legends of Sòmhairlidh (Somerled) who like Fionn mac Cumhaill, became the champion who could unite the clans to overcome foreign invaders after obtaining the Salmon of Knowledge.

Becoming familiar with these legends or myths does give us a glimpse into the values and society of our ancient Celtic ancestors. It also helps us understand the values of our more recent Celtic ancestors who retold these same legends around peat fires in their crofts all over the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland for hundreds of years.