The Fairy Flag (
Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
: ''Am Bratach Sìth'') is an
heirloom
In popular usage, an heirloom is something that has been passed down for generations through family members. Examples are a Family Bible, antiques, weapons or jewellery.
The term originated with the historical principle of an heirloom in ...
of the
chiefs of
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod (; gd, Clann Mac Leòid ) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is MacLeod of MacLeod, are known in Gaelic as ' ("see ...
. It is held in
Dunvegan Castle
, native_name_lang =Gaelic
, alternate_name =
, image = Dunvegan Castle.jpg
, image_size =
, alt =
, caption = The south-west face of the castle
, map =
, map_type = Scotland Isle of Skye ...
along with other notable heirlooms, such as the
Dunvegan Cup
The Dunvegan Cup is a wooden ceremonial cup, decorated with silver plates, which dates to 1493. It was created at the request of Caitríona, wife of John Maguire, lord of Fermanagh. Rigby 2003: p. 573–574. The cup is an heirloom of the Macleod ...
and
Sir Rory Mor's Horn
Sir Rory Mor's Horn is a drinking horn, one of several heirlooms of the MacLeods of Dunvegan, chiefs of Clan MacLeod. Clan custom is that each successive chief is to drink a full measure of the horn in wine to prove his manhood. MacLeod, F.T. 1912 ...
. The Fairy Flag is known for the numerous traditions of celtic fairies, and magical properties associated with it. The flag is made of silk, is yellow or brown in colour, and is a square of side about . It has been examined numerous times in the last two centuries, and its condition has somewhat deteriorated. It is ripped and tattered, and is considered to be extremely fragile. The flag is covered in small red "elf dots". In the early part of the 19th century, the flag was also marked with small crosses, but these have since disappeared. The silk of the flag has been stated to have originated in the Far East, and was therefore extremely precious, which led some to believe that the flag may have been an important
relic
In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
of some sort. Others have attempted to associate the flag with the
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
or even a raven banner, which was said to have been used by various Viking leaders in the British Isles.
There are numerous traditions and stories associated with the flag, most of which deal with its magical properties and mysterious origins. The flag is said to have originated as: a gift from the
fairies
A fairy (also fay, fae, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic, Slavic, Germanic, English, and French folklore), a form of spirit, o ...
to an infant chieftain; a gift to a chief from a departing fairy-lover; a reward for defeating an evil spirit. The various powers attributed to the Fairy Flag include: the ability to multiply a clan's military forces; the ability to save the lives of certain clanfolk; the ability to cure a
plague on cattle; the ability to increase the chances of
fertility
Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction following the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born by a female during her lifetime and is quantified demographically. Fertili ...
; and the ability to bring
herring
Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae.
Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, i ...
into the loch at
Dunvegan
Dunvegan ( gd, Dùn Bheagain) is a village on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is famous for Dunvegan Castle, seat of the chief of Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan is within the parish of Duirinish, and Duirinish Parish Church is at Dunvegan. In 2011 it ...
. Some traditions relate that if the flag were to be unfurled and waved more than three times, it would either vanish, or lose its powers forever.
Clan tradition, preserved in the early 19th century, tells how the Fairy Flag was entrusted to a family of hereditary
standard bearer
A standard-bearer, also known as a flag-bearer is a person (soldier or civilian) who bears an emblem known as a standard or military colours, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used (and often honoured) as a f ...
s. Only the eldest male of this family was ever allowed to unfurl the flag; the first such
hereditary
Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...
standard bearer was given the honour of being buried inside the tomb of the chiefs, on the sacred isle of
Iona
Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...
. Tradition states that the flag was unfurled at several clan battles in the 15th and 16th centuries; the flag's magical powers are said to have won at least one of them. Another 19th-century tradition linked the flag to a
prophecy
In religion, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain divine will or law, or prete ...
which foretold the downfall of Clan MacLeod; but it also prophesied that, in the "far distant future", the clan would regain its power and raise its honour higher than ever before. In the mid-20th century, the Fairy Flag was said to have extinguished a fire at Dunvegan Castle, and to have given luck to servicemen flying
bombing missions in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Description
![Fairy Flag](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Fairy_Flag.jpg)
In the 19th century, the writer
Rev. Norman Macleod (1783–1862) recalled seeing the Fairy Flag during his childhood around 1799 (see
relevant section below). He described the flag as then having crosses wrought in gold thread, and several "elf spots" stitched upon it. N. Macleod recollected that when the flag was examined, bits were taken off it from time to time; so much so, that later in his life he did not believe the flag still existed.
In August 1814, Sir
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'', ''Rob Roy (n ...
visited
Dunvegan Castle
, native_name_lang =Gaelic
, alternate_name =
, image = Dunvegan Castle.jpg
, image_size =
, alt =
, caption = The south-west face of the castle
, map =
, map_type = Scotland Isle of Skye ...
on the
Isle of Skye
The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye (; gd, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or ; sco, Isle o Skye), is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated ...
, and wrote of the visit in his diary. One of several items he mentioned seeing was the Fairy Flag. Scott described it as "a
pennon
A pennon, also known as a pennant or pendant, is a long narrow flag which is larger at the hoist than at the fly. It can have several shapes, such as triangular, tapering (square tail) or triangular swallowtail (forked tail), etc. In maritime ...
of silk, with something like round red
rowan
The rowans ( or ) or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus ''Sorbus
''Sorbus'' is a genus of over 100 species of trees and shrubs in the rose family, Rosaceae. Species of ''Sorbus'' (''s.l.'') are commonly known as whitebeam, r ...
-berries wrought upon it".
John Francis Campbell
John Francis Campbell (Scottish Gaelic: Iain Frangan Caimbeul; Islay, 29 December 1821 – Cannes, 17 February 1885), also known as Young John of Islay (Scottish Gaelic: Iain Òg Ìle) was a Scottish author and scholar who specialised i ...
saw the flag in 1871, and described it as being "made of yellow raw silk with figures and spots worked on it in red".
In 1927, Roderick Charles MacLeod described the flag as then being square and brown. He measured it as about squared. He considered the flag to have originally been much larger; and remarked on its extreme fragility and the requirement for careful handling, if it should be handled at all. R. C. MacLeod noted N. Macleod's description of the flag, but observed that it now only contained the "elf spots"—there was then no evidence of any crosses upon what remained of the flag. R. C. MacLeod also observed that several tears in the flag had been carefully mended.
The flag was examined in the early 20th century by
A. J. B. Wace of the
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
,
who concluded that the silk was woven in either
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
or
Rhodes
Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...
, and the
darns were made in the
Near East
The ''Near East''; he, המזרח הקרוב; arc, ܕܢܚܐ ܩܪܒ; fa, خاور نزدیک, Xāvar-e nazdik; tr, Yakın Doğu is a geographical term which roughly encompasses a transcontinental region in Western Asia, that was once the hist ...
. It was his opinion that the flag, in its original state, would have been quite precious, possibly a
relic
In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
like the shirt of a
saint
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...
. The belief at the time of this examination was the MacLeods were descended from
Harald Hardrada
Harald Sigurdsson (; – 25 September 1066), also known as Harald III of Norway and given the epithet ''Hardrada'' (; modern no, Hardråde, roughly translated as "stern counsel" or "hard ruler") in the sagas, was King of Norway from 1046 t ...
, who spent some time in
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
in the 11th century. In line with this belief, it was suggested that the flag may have passed from Harald Hardrada down to the
eponymous
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
ancestor of the clan—
Leod
Leod (Scottish Gaelic: Leòd; Old Norse: Ljótr) ( 1200 – 1280) was the eponymous ancestor and founder of Clan MacLeod and Clan MacLeod of Lewis. Almost nothing is known about him and he does not appear in any contemporary records. Tradition ...
.
The MacLeod Estate Office (Dunvegan Castle) website claims that experts have dated the flag to the 4th and 7th centuries—hundreds of years before the
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
.
The flag is currently held in
Dunvegan Castle
, native_name_lang =Gaelic
, alternate_name =
, image = Dunvegan Castle.jpg
, image_size =
, alt =
, caption = The south-west face of the castle
, map =
, map_type = Scotland Isle of Skye ...
,
along with other notable heirlooms such as the
Dunvegan Cup
The Dunvegan Cup is a wooden ceremonial cup, decorated with silver plates, which dates to 1493. It was created at the request of Caitríona, wife of John Maguire, lord of Fermanagh. Rigby 2003: p. 573–574. The cup is an heirloom of the Macleod ...
and
Sir Rory Mor's Horn
Sir Rory Mor's Horn is a drinking horn, one of several heirlooms of the MacLeods of Dunvegan, chiefs of Clan MacLeod. Clan custom is that each successive chief is to drink a full measure of the horn in wine to prove his manhood. MacLeod, F.T. 1912 ...
.
Tradition and legend
Thomas Pennant (1772)
In 1772,
Thomas Pennant
Thomas Pennant (14 June Old Style, OS 172616 December 1798) was a Welsh natural history, naturalist, traveller, writer and antiquarian. He was born and lived his whole life at his family estate, Downing Hall near Whitford, Flintshire, in Wales ...
made a tour of the
Hebrides
The Hebrides (; gd, Innse Gall, ; non, Suðreyjar, "southern isles") are an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebrid ...
and later published an account of his travels. One of the things Pennant noted while visiting the Isle of Skye, was the Fairy Flag. According to Pennant, the flag was named "''Braolauch shi''", and was given to the MacLeods by
Titania the "''
Ben-shi''", wife of
Oberon
Oberon () is a king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature. He is best known as a character in William Shakespeare's play ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', in which he is King of the Fairies and spouse of Titania, Queen of the Fair ...
, king of the
fairies
A fairy (also fay, fae, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic, Slavic, Germanic, English, and French folklore), a form of spirit, o ...
. Titania blessed the flag with powers which would manifest when the flag was unfurled three times. On the third time, the flag and
flag-bearer would be carried off by an invisible being, never to be seen again. The family of "''Clan y Faitter''" had the task of bearing the flag, and in return for their services, they possessed free lands in
Bracadale
Bracadale ( gd, Bracadal) is a settlement and parish on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It lies on the west coast of the island, west-south-west of Portree, on Loch Beag, an inlet off Loch Harport. Nearby settlements include Struan to the west and ...
. Pennant related how the flag had already been produced three times. The first occasion was in an unequal battle between the MacLeods and the
Macdonalds of Clanranald. On the unfurling of the flag, the MacLeod forces were multiplied by ten. The second time the flag was unfurled to preserve the life of the lady of the clan, and thus saved the clan's heir. Pennant then declared that the flag was unfurled a third time to save his own life. He stated that the flag was by then so tattered that Titania did not seem to think it worth taking back. Pennant also noted the belief of the MacLeod's
Norse ancestry and the magical
raven banner
The raven banner ( non, hrafnsmerki ; enm, hravenlandeye) was a flag, possibly totemic in nature, flown by various Viking chieftains and other Scandinavian rulers during the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. The flag, as depicted in Norse artwork, ...
s said to have been used by the
Vikings
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
in the
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
.
19th-century manuscript accounts of the flag
Much of the traditional history of the Fairy Flag is preserved in manuscript form. In the early part of the 20th century, Fred T. MacLeod noted one manuscript written around 1800, which he considered to be the most detailed description of the flag.
The narrative which Fred T. MacLeod quotes is identical to that found in the ''
Bannatyne manuscript
The Bannatyne Manuscript is an anthology of literature compiled in Scotland in the sixteenth century. It is an important source for the Scots poetry of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The manuscript contains texts of the poems of the gr ...
'', which documents the traditional history of Clan MacLeod. The Bannatyne manuscript dates to the 1830s but is thought to have been based upon earlier traditions.
[ This webpage cited: ][ This webpage cited: ]
Description
![Iona Abbey - altar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Iona_Abbey_-_altar.jpg)
The c. 1800 manuscript stated that both the honour and the very existence of Clan MacLeod was thought to have depended upon the preservation of the Fairy Flag. Only the "highest and purest blood of the race" and the most renowned heroes, were selected to guard the flag when it was displayed. These twelve men, with a sword in hand, would stand just behind the chief who was always put in front. One family produced the hereditary keepers of the flag; and of this family, only the eldest living male could unfurl the flag. This family was called "''Clan Tormad Vic Vurichie''" ("the children of Tormod, son of Murchadh"), and was descended from ''
Sìol Torcaill
Clan MacLeod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis ( gd, Clann Mhic Leòid Leòdhais), is a Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up ...
''.
The 20th century Hebridean author
Alasdair Alpin MacGregor
Alasdair Alpin MacGregor (March 20, 1899 – 1970) was a Scottish writer and photographer, known for a large number of travel books. He wrote also on Scottish folklore, and was a published poet.
Life
He was born at Applecross, Ross and Cromarty, ...
, when writing of the traditions of the flag, stated that the flag's bearers held lands on Skye near
Bracadale
Bracadale ( gd, Bracadal) is a settlement and parish on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It lies on the west coast of the island, west-south-west of Portree, on Loch Beag, an inlet off Loch Harport. Nearby settlements include Struan to the west and ...
for their services to the chiefs of Clan MacLeod. The first of the flag bearers from this family was buried within the same grave as the chief of the clan, on the island of Iona. The second, and last bearer, was buried at
St Clements Church, in
Rodel, on
Harris
Harris may refer to:
Places Canada
* Harris, Ontario
* Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine)
* Harris, Saskatchewan
* Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan
Scotland
* Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle o ...
. This man's remains were covered by a magnificent monument; the stone coffin in which his body was placed, was six feet deep. A movable iron grate rested about two feet from the lid, and the man's body rested upon the grate. The man's male descendants were also deposited within this coffin. This meant that when a newly deceased was placed within, the bones and dust of the previous occupant were sifted through the grate into the coffin below. The writer of the manuscript stated that in the time of his own father, the last male of this family was interred this way. The tomb was then sealed by this man's daughter. The c. 1800 manuscript also noted that this family, prior to its extinction, became miserably poor.
Unfurling at the Battle of Bloody Bay
The ''Bannatyne manuscript'' states that the flag was unfurled at the
Battle of Bloody Bay
The Battle of Bloody Bay, or Blàr Bàgh na Fala in Scottish Gaelic, was a naval battle fought near Tobermory, Scotland. It was fought on the coast of Mull north of Tobermory, between John MacDonald of Islay, the Lord of the Isles and chie ...
in 1480. The manuscript related that during the battle, the clan's chief,
William Dubh (c. 1415–1480), was slain, and in consequence his clan began to lose heart. A priest then ordered the flag's bearer, Murcha Breac, to unfurl the Fairy Flag to rally the clan. Up until this point, the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan were on the opposing side of their kinsmen, the
MacLeods of Lewis. However, once the MacLeods of Lewis noticed that the flag had been unfurled, they switched sides to join forces with their kinsmen. Unfortunately for both MacLeod clans, the outcome of the battle had already been determined and they were on the losing side. Among the vast numbers of MacLeods slain were Murcha Breac and the twelve guardians of the flag. William Dubh is buried on the island of Iona with his predecessors, and the body of Murcha Breac is placed within the same tomb. The manuscript states that this was the greatest honour which could be bestowed upon his remains.
R. C. MacLeod suggested that the MacLeod effigy within
Iona Abbey
Iona Abbey is an abbey located on the island of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland.
It is one of the oldest Christian religious centres in Western Europe. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianit ...
may mark the burial of the first chiefs of the clan, as well as William Dubh, and the mentioned standard bearer. William Dubh is thought to have been the last MacLeod chief buried on Iona; his son,
Alasdair Crotach (1450–1547), was buried in St Clements Church, on Harris.
Unfurling at the Battle of Glendale
![St clements church rodel 100609 - 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/St_clements_church_rodel_100609_-_02.jpg)
According to the ''Bannatyne manuscript'', the Fairy Flag was also unfurled during the
Battle of Glendale
The Battle of Glendale, also known as the Battle of Frayser's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Nelson's Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Road, or Riddell's Shop, took place on June 30, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the sixth day of the Sev ...
, which the manuscript states to have been fought in about 1490. At one point during this conflict, both the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan, and the MacLeods of Lewis were on the verge of giving way to the invading
MacDonalds. Just at this moment, the mother of Alasdair Crotach, chief of the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan, ordered the Fairy Flag to be unfurled. The result was that both MacLeod clans renewed the battle with redoubled fury and, despite immense losses, eventually won the battle. Among the MacLeod dead was the flag bearer, Paul Dubh, who carried the Fairy Flag throughout the conflict until his death. The ''Bannatyne manuscript'' relates that Paul Dubh was honourably buried in a deep stone coffin, with a metal grate — much like the account given in the c. 1800 manuscript. The writer of the ''Bannatyne manuscript'' states that each successive flag bearer was buried within this tomb, and that the writer's own grandfather saw the old ceremony performed for the last time, in the 18th century. The ''Bannatyne manuscript'' states that the tomb is located in the north-east corner of the
chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse.
Ove ...
at St Clements Church, in Rodel. R. C. MacLeod noted that there was no trace of such a coffin or tomb, although he suggested that it could have been buried or possibly built within a wall.
Legend of origin
The c. 1800 manuscript presented a legend of the Fairy Flag's origin. This legend concerned a MacLeod who went on a
Crusade
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were i ...
to the
Holy Land
The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
. On his journey homewards, the MacLeod attempted to cross a dangerous mountainous pass on the borders of
Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
. Here, he met a
hermit
A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions.
Description
In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
who gave him food and shelter. The hermit warned the MacLeod of a dangerous spirit that guards the pass, which had never failed to destroy a true believer. However, with the aid of a piece of the
True Cross
The True Cross is the cross upon which Jesus was said to have been crucified, particularly as an object of religious veneration. There are no early accounts that the apostles or early Christians preserved the physical cross themselves, althoug ...
and certain directions from the hermit, the MacLeod is able to defeat the "She Devil"—who is called "''Nein a Phaipen'', or Daughter of Thunder". In reward for conveying some secrets that the spirit wanted some friends to know, she revealed to the MacLeod "the future destinies of the Clan". The writer of the c. 1800 manuscript stated that this knowledge was said to have been held by this man's family until its extinction. The spirit then gave the Macleod her
girdle
A belt, especially if a cord or rope, is called a girdle if it is worn as part of Christian liturgical vestments, or in certain historical, literary or sports contexts.
Girdles are used to close a cassock in Christian denominations, including th ...
, telling him to convert it into a banner. The MacLeod then used his
spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fasten ...
as a flag pole. The writer of the c. 1800 manuscript stated that the spear was by then since lost, and that the secrets conveyed to MacLeod were lost forever. The writer also gave his own opinion on the origin of the Fairy Flag. The writer stated that the flag most probably originated as a banner used in the Holy Land, and that it was conveyed back home by the character portrayed in the legend.
Other episodes
The c. 1800 manuscript related that the spell of the banner meant that it would vanish when it was displayed for the third time. The final unfurling of the banner would either gain the clan a complete victory over their enemies or meant that the clan was to suffer total extinction. The writer of the c. 1800 manuscript went on to state that the temptation for unfurling the flag for the third and final time was always resisted; and that at the time of his writing, there was not much chance of it ever being unfurled again, since it was in such a reduced state. The writer stated that of the few shreds that remained, he himself possessed a fragment.
The c. 1800 manuscript also stated that the flag was once held in an iron chest, within Dunvegan Castle. The key to the chest was then always in the possession of the hereditary flag bearers. The c. 1800 manuscript related how, on the death of the MacLeod chief Tormod,
son of lain Breac, the succession to the chiefship nearly fell to the family of the MacLeods of
Talisker. The young widow of the last chief refused to give up Dunvegan Castle to the next heir, knowing herself to be pregnant (although she had only been married six weeks previous to her widowhood). In time, she gave birth to Tormod, the next chief. The c. 1800 manuscript stated that at around this time, a man who wished to curry favour with the expectant heir (MacLeod of Talisker) attempted to steal the flag. Even though the Fairy Flag was later found, both the staff and iron chest were never seen again.
Historically, the old chief, Tormod (son of Iain Breac), died in the autumn of 1706, and his son,
Tormod, was born in July 1705.
Reported partial fulfilment prophecy around 1800
Late in his life, the writer
Norman Macleod (1783–1862) related to one of his daughters of having heard an old
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
prophecy concerning the flag, and of events which took place in his childhood which were reported as examples of the
prophecy
In religion, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain divine will or law, or prete ...
being partially fulfilled. A summarised version of this prophecy was published in the late 19th century, within an account of the life of
one of his sons. Soon after, in 1878,
Alexander Mackenzie proposed that the prophecy as dictated by N. Macleod, may have been a fragmented remembrance of one of the prophecies of
Coinneach Odhar (who is popularly known as the
Brahan Seer
The Brahan Seer, known in his native Scottish Gaelic as Coinneach Odhar ("Dark Kenneth"), and Kenneth Mackenzie, was, according to legend, a predictor of the future who lived in the 17th century.
The Brahan Seer is regarded by some to be the cre ...
). N. Macleod's tale of the prophecy is as follows:
![MacLeod's Maidens](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Macleod%27s_Maidens.jpg)
N. Macleod then related how as a child, he had been close to an English
smith
Smith may refer to:
People
* Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals
* Smith (given name)
* Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland
** List of people wi ...
employed at Dunvegan. One day the smith told him in secrecy that the chest in which the flag was held was to be forced open the next morning, and that it had been arranged by Hector Macdonald Buchanan that the smith would be at the castle with the necessary tools. N. Macleod then asked Buchanan for permission to be present, and was granted leave on the condition that he not tell anyone—especially the chief—what was about to be done. The next morning the chest was forced open and the flag was found to be held within a wooden case. N. Macleod described the flag then as being a square-shaped piece of cloth with crosses wrought on it with gold thread, and several "elf spots" stitched onto it. After the flag had been examined, it was placed back into its case. N. Macleod stated that at around this time it was learned that the
heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
to the chiefship, Norman, was killed at sea.
, on which he was a lieutenant,
caught fire and exploded at sea killing 673 officers and men March 17, 1800
N. Macleod stated that at about the same time, MacLeod's Maidens were sold to Campbell of
Ensay. He also stated that he personally saw a fox with cubs, which lived in the west turret of the castle.
N. Macleod related how he was grateful that the worst part of the prophecy remained unfulfilled; and that the chiefly family still owned their ancestral lands.
R. C. MacLeod, who wrote in the early 20th century, considered that this prophecy seemed to have been fulfilled. At that time, the Macleod chief had no gentlemen of his clan as
tenants
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to hold land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord. Although a tenant does hold rights to real property, a l ...
on his estate; also, an heir to the family—named ''Ian Breac''—was killed in the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. R. C. MacLeod noted that the prophecy stated that a "John Breac" (Gaelic: ''Iain Breac'', "Iain the speckled") would restore the fortunes of the family. R. C. MacLeod stated his belief that this may still happen, when he lamented the loss of his son,
stating that Iain Breac "showed that his race had not lost the loyalty and courage which were their chief claims to glory in ancient days".
Walter Scott, 1814
When Sir Walter Scott visited Dunvegan Castle in 1814, he learned of several traditional tales relating to the area and the clan. He was told that the Fairy Flag had three magical properties. The first was that it multiplied the number of men upon a battlefield. The second was that when it was spread upon a
nuptial bed, it ensured
fertility
Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction following the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born by a female during her lifetime and is quantified demographically. Fertili ...
. The third was that it brought
herring
Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae.
Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, i ...
into the
loch
''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots language, Scots and Irish language, Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is Cognate, cognate with the Manx language, Manx lough, Cornish language, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh language, Welsh w ...
.
Other traditions
![Fairy Bridge, Dunvegan, Skye](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Fairy_Bridge%2C_Dunvegan%2C_Skye.jpg)
In the early 20th century, R. C. MacLeod noted several traditions concerning the flag. One told how the flag came into the possession of the MacLeods through a fairy. A similar tradition relates of a fairy-lullaby.
Fairy lover
The first of these traditions related by R. C. MacLeod tells how one of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod married a fairy; however, after twenty years she is forced to leave him and return to
fairyland
Fairyland (''Faerie'', Scottish ''Elfame'', c.f. Old Norse '' Álfheimr'') in English and Scottish folklore is the fabulous land or abode of fairies or ''fays''. Old French (Early Modern English ) referred to an illusion or enchantment, the land ...
. She bade farewell to the chief at the Fairy Bridge (which stands about from Dunvegan) and gave him the flag. She promised that if it was waved in times of danger and distress, help would be given on three occasions.
A similar tradition, related by John Arnott MacCulloch, stated that although the fairy's gift had the power to save both her husband and his clan, afterwards an
invisible
Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be ''invisible'' (literally, "not visible"). The phenomenon is studied by physics and perceptual psychology.
Since objects can be seen by light in ...
being would come to take both the flag and its bearer away—never to be seen again.
Fairy lullaby
R. C. MacLeod considered the above 'fairy lover' tradition to be connected to another about a
lullaby
A lullaby (), or cradle song, is a soothing song or piece of music that is usually played for (or sung to) children (for adults see music and sleep). The purposes of lullabies vary. In some societies they are used to pass down cultural knowled ...
. This tradition originated with Neil MacLeod, who was the clan
bard
In Celtic cultures, a bard is a professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or chieftain) to commemorate one or more of the patron's ancestors and to praise t ...
in the last half of the 19th century; he obtained the tradition from several old women in 'MacLeod country'. This lullaby tradition related how on an autumn night, a beautiful fairy visited Dunvegan Castle. She passed through several closed doors and entered the
nursery where the infant heir to the chief was lying in his cradle. The
nursemaid
A nursemaid (or nursery maid) is a mostly historical term for a female domestic worker who cares for children within a large household. The term implies that she is an assistant to an older and more experienced employee, a role usually known as n ...
, who was within the room as well, was rendered powerless by a
spell and could only watch as the fairy took the infant on her knee and sang him a lullaby. This song was so remarkable that it was imprinted upon the nursemaid's memory, and later she lulled the baby asleep by singing the same song. R. C. MacLeod stated that, over time it was believed that any infant of the chiefly family to whom this lullaby was sung would be protected by the power of the fairies. For a while, no nurse was employed by the family who could not sing this song. A period of 200 years then passed before any chief had been born within the castle, and the custom of singing the fairy's lullaby ceased to be followed—but according to R. C. MacLeod, not completely forgotten. R. C. MacLeod claimed that a nursemaid sang this lullaby at the castle in the year 1847, for his infant elder brother, who would later become Sir
Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod
Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod (1 February 1847 – 20 August 1935) was the 27th Chief of Clan MacLeod.
Life
Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod was born on 1 February 1847. He was the son of Norman MacLeod of MacLeod (1812–1898), 25th Chief ...
(1847–1935), 27th chief of the clan.
Fairy music
Another tradition, related by R. C. MacLeod, told of certain events which took place after an heir to the clan's chiefship was born. The story related how at this time, there was much rejoicing at Dunvegan Castle, and since the infant's nursemaid was anxious to join in the festivities in the hall below, she left the infant alone in her room. When the baby awoke, crying of cold, no human help could hear him in his secluded room; however, a host of fairies appeared and wrapped the infant in the Fairy Flag. Meanwhile, the clansmen banqueting below demanded to see the child and the maid was ordered to bring him forth. When she brought out the baby, wrapped in the flag, everyone gazed in wonder at the child and the garb wrapped around him. The room was filled with the fairies' song which declared that the flag had the power to save the clan three times. When the song ended, and silence fell across the crowded room, the flag was taken from the infant and locked in a chest where it has ever since been preserved.
Eastern origins
R. C. MacLeod listed another tradition, somewhat similar to the one that appeared in the c. 1800 manuscript. According to this version, a MacLeod joined a Crusading army, and went to the
Holy Land
The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
. While in the desert-wilderness, he came across a
witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...
, from whom he managed to escape. He then came upon a river, and proceeded to cross it at a ford. However, a fairy maiden appeared from the water and blocked his passage. After a struggle, MacLeod overcame the fairy and passed over the river. He then became friends with her. Before they parted, the fairy maiden gave him a box of scented wood; this box, she told him, held several other smaller boxes, which fitted inside one another. She told him that the innermost box contained a magic banner, which when waved would bring forth a host of armed men to aid its owner. The fairy warned the MacLeod, that if he were to open the box within a year and a day from then, that no crops would grow on his land, no livestock would be born, as well as no children. When the MacLeod returned home he gave the box to the chief's wife. The wife, however, ignored the MacLeod's warning, and opened the box. Immediately a host of armed men appeared and that year, no children were born. The tradition concluded that ever since that time, the flag had been preserved for a time when such an army might mean salvation for the clan.
Unfurled numerous times
R. C. MacLeod wrote of another tradition which stated that the flag was waved at a battle in
Waternish
Waternish or Vaternish ( gd, Bhàtairnis) is a peninsula approximately long on the island of Skye, Scotland, situated between Loch Dunvegan and Loch Snizort in the northwest of the island, and originally inhabited and owned by Clan MacNeacail/M ...
, in about 1580; and of another which told of how it was waved during a time when a
cattle plague
Rinderpest (also cattle plague or steppe murrain) was an infectious viral disease of cattle, domestic buffalo, and many other species of even-toed ungulates, including gaurs, buffaloes, large antelope, deer, giraffes, wildebeests, and warthog ...
was raging, and that it stopped the
murrain
Murrain (also known as distemper) is an antiquated term for various infectious diseases affecting cattle and sheep. The word originates from Middle English ''moreine'' or ''moryne'', as a derivative of Latin ''mori'' "to die".
The word ''murra ...
. R. C. MacLeod stated his belief that the flag would only have been waved twice, and so rejected the tradition of it being unfurled at the Battle of Bloody Bay, because the MacLeods were on the losing side. R. C. MacLeod also wondered if it had been waved in 1600, when the clan was in a desperate state in the midst of warring with the
Macdonalds of Sleat
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hamburger st ...
.
Supposed powers of the flag in the 20th century
In 1938, a fire broke out in a wing of Dunvegan Castle, and according to Sir
Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk
Sir Rupert Iain Kay Moncreiffe of that Ilk, 11th Baronet (9 April 1919 – 27 February 1985), Chief of Clan Moncreiffe, was a British Officer of Arms and genealogist.
Biography
Moncreiffe was the son of Lieutenant-Commander Gerald Moncreif ...
, the flames were checked and extinguished when the flag was carried past to safety.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the chief of the clan,
Dame
''Dame'' is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system and those of several oth ...
Flora MacLeod of MacLeod
Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, (3 February 1878 – 4 November 1976) was the 28th Chief of Clan MacLeod.
Biography
Flora Louisa Cecilia MacLeod was born at 10 Downing Street, London, in 1878, the home of her grandfather Sir Stafford Northco ...
, received a letter from a member of the clan who attributed his luck during
bombing missions over Germany to a photo of the flag which he carried in his pocket.
Notes
References
{{Good article
Clan Macleod heirlooms
Fairies
Flag controversies
Flags of Scotland
Magic (supernatural)
Mythological powers
Scottish folklore
Isle of Skye
Silk
History of the Scottish Highlands