Ranald MacDonald was the eponymous ancestor of the
MacDonalds of Clanranald. He was a son of
John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles (d. 1386), and his first wife
Amie MacRory. John granted Ranald the lands of
Garmoran
Garmoran is an area of western Scotland. It lies at the south-western edge of the present Highland Region. It includes Knoydart, Morar, Moidart, Ardnamurchan, and the Small Isles.
History
The medieval lordship of Garmoran was ruled by the MacRuar ...
, which he had acquired through his marriage to Amie. This grant may have been a form of compensation for Ranald's exclusion from the main inheritance of the family, which fell to
Donald
Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the ...
, the eldest son of John's second marriage (to Margaret, daughter of
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390) was King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. The son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and Marjorie, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, he was the first monarch of the House of Stewa ...
). The
Uists
"Uist" is a group of six islands and are part of the Outer Hebridean Archipelago, part of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
North Uist and South Uist ( or ; gd, Uibhist ) are two of the islands and are linked by causeways running via the isles of ...
were later detached from Garmoran and given to Ranald's younger brother, Godfrey.
Ranald died at
Tioram Castle
Castle Tioram () ( gd, Caisteal Tioram, meaning "dry castle") is a ruined castle that sits on the tidal island Eilean Tioram in Loch Moidart, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. It is located west of Acharacle, approximately from Fort William. Thou ...
in 1386, and was buried on
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 ...
. A cross-shaft found on
Texa
Texa (Scottish Gaelic: Teacsa) is a small island directly south of Islay, in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. It reaches a height of at its highest point, Ceann Garbh. It is part of the parish of Kildalton on Islay. The distilleries of Laphroa ...
bears the following
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
inscription: ''HEC EST CRUX REGNALDI JOHIS DE ISLA'' ("this is the cross of Ranald
on of
On, on, or ON may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* On (band), a solo project of Ken Andrews
* ''On'' (EP), a 1993 EP by Aphex Twin
* ''On'' (Echobelly album), 1995
* ''On'' (Gary Glitter album), 2001
* ''On'' (Imperial Teen album), 200 ...
John of Islay"). The shaft depicts a Hebridean warrior armed with an axe, which may well be the earliest surviving depiction of a MacDonald. From Ranald descend the MacDonalds of Clanranald, and the
MacDonells of Glengarry
Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry ( gd, Clann Dòmhnaill Ghlinne Garaidh) is a Scottish clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Donald.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl o ...
.
[ Munro; Munro 2004.]
Citations
References
*.
*
*{{citation , last=Oram , first=Richard D. , author-link=Richard Oram , contribution=The Lordship of the Isles: 1336–1545 , title=The Argyll book , editor1-last=Omand , editor1-first=Donald , publisher=
Birlinn
The birlinn ( gd, bìrlinn) or West Highland galley was a wooden vessel propelled by sail and oar, used extensively in the Hebrides and West Highlands of Scotland from the Middle Ages on. Variants of the name in English and Lowland Scots inclu ...
, year=2004 , isbn=1-84158-253-0 , pages=123–139 , ref=O1 .
Clan Donald
Clan MacDonald of Clanranald