Above Each Page is the Site Menu. This allows access to each major category of Clan Donald Heritage.com by placing the cursor on the page title and clicking (Origins, Donald, Branches, Ancestry, Tartans, Video, Legends, & Sources). The page you are on will be highlighted in the top menu. You may return to the home page by clicking on the Clan Donald Heritage logo at the top center of each page.

Home Page: The main feature of the Home Page is a map of Scotland with icons of the Donald of Hatlaw’s ancient Coat of Arms (a red eagle & black nyvaig or galley) showing where each major branch of Clan Donald was located. The Home Page states the objectives and media formatting of Clan Donald Heritage. On every page are the crests of each of the main branches of Clan Donald. You may access a brief history of each branch by clicking on the appropriate crest. Clicking on the general MacDonald crest (top) will take you back to the Home page.

About Us Page: contains background information on the webmaster, his sources, and the purpose of the web site. Also provides information on Clan Donald Heritage, Inc. a 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation for educational activities.

Origins Page: contains a brief history of the traditional beginnings of Clan Donald in Ireland, Dalriada, and Argyll, before and after it became part of Scotland.

Donald: contains a brief history of the man for whom we are named. This warrior king survived an amazing life to die at 84 years of age.

Branches: contains an overview of why Clan Donald is divided into branches, another larger map of Scotland and a discussion of “clan maps” and how they pertain to Clan Donald.

Ancestry Chart: contains a chart of the Irish & Dalriadic ancestry of Somhairlidh (Somerled) and his Scottish descendants. Below the ancestry chart you may access a brief article on recent challenges to the traditional ancestry of Somerled and excerpts from ancient Irish Annals verifying the Celtic ancestry of Somerled now available on the School of Celtic Studies Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies web site.

Tartan Gallery: Contains a history of Clan Donald tartans and 22 samples of tartans from Clan Donald branches. You are invited to save any of the tartan samples as a wallpaper to show your tartan as the background of your computer screen.

Video: contains the Armadale video divided into chapters by branch of Clan Donald. Also contains high resolution photos taken from the Armadale video featured on this web site.

Legends or Myths: related to Clan Donald either by location or similarity to a Clan Donald branch history. Telling Legends was the Celtic way of teaching social values, standards of conduct, and forbidden acts. The legends give us a detailed look at what our Celtic ancestors considered character flaws and admirable traits of the Champions who were their role models. Celtic legends included are:

1. Tuan mac Cairill, incudes the ancient history of the founding of Ireland included in the Book of Invasions and the Black & Red Books of Clanranald.
2. Cu Chulainn, the amazing history of one of Ireland’s greatest warriors who learned from a warrior queen on the Isle of Skye.
3. Cu Chulainn, Aifee, and Connla, the standard for Celtic warriors included a commitment to sacrifice all for your people.
4. The Death of Cu Chulainn, how the greatest of all Celtic warriors met his end.
5. Deirdre, the tragic tale of jealousy & desire that led to the destruction of Ulster. Took place, in part, within Glencoe.
6. Manannan mac Lir, how the Celtic god of the sea left Ireland & the Isle of Man (named after him), but remains in the Hebrides.
7. St. Julian’s Legend, an ancient, tragic tale of a French crusader and why his unique cross became a symbol of Clan Donald.
8. Oisin, the son of Fingal who wrote of his exploits battling the Lochlanachs. Oisin’s cave is in Glencoe.
9. Fionn and the Fenians. the ancient band of Celtic warriors who defended from all invaders. Originally took place in 3rd century Ireland and likely the basis for the Scottish Highland hero Fingal which took place in 11th century Argyll.

(You may view the legends by clicking on their name above)

Sources: Links to other Clan Donald related web sites, source web sites used for our site, and lists of books used as sources for this web site. Our major source is Donald J. Macdonald’s history of Clan Donald. Thirty eight other works are listed that have been cited.

Site Map: YOU ARE HERE. You can navigate this web site from the menu at the top of the screen or various links highlighted within the text