163-631: Clan Macfie is a Highlands Scottish Clan . Since 1981, the clan has been officially registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon , which is the heraldic authority of Scotland . The clan is considered an armigerous clan because even though the clan is recognised by the Court of the Lord Lyon, it is currently without a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms , the judge of the Court of
326-425: A Stuart restoration, was widely felt. The British government's strategy was to estrange the clan chiefs from their kinsmen and turn their descendants into English-speaking landlords whose main concern was the revenues their estates brought rather than the welfare of those who lived on them. This may have brought peace to the islands, but in the following century it came at a terrible price. The Highland Clearances of
489-619: A Universal Service Obligation to charge a uniform tariff across the UK. This, however, applies only to mail items and not larger packages which are dealt with by its Parcelforce division. The Highlands lie to the north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault , which runs from Arran to Stonehaven . This part of Scotland is largely composed of ancient rocks from the Cambrian and Precambrian periods which were uplifted during
652-816: A challenge to their authority; the Highlands was seen by many as a lawless region. The Scots of the Lowlands viewed the Highlanders as backward and more "Irish". The Highlands were seen as the overspill of Gaelic Ireland. They made this distinction by separating Germanic "Scots" English and the Gaelic by renaming it "Erse" a play on Eire. Following the Union of the Crowns , James VI had the military strength to back up any attempts to impose some control. The result was, in 1609,
815-671: A combined area of 745.4 square kilometres (288 sq mi). This includes the Uists themselves and the islands linked to them by causeways and bridges. Barra is 58.75 square kilometres (23 sq mi) in extent and has a rugged interior, surrounded by machair and extensive beaches. The scenic qualities of the islands are reflected in the fact that three of Scotland's forty national scenic areas (NSAs) are located here. The national scenic areas are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development, and are considered to represent
978-564: A consequence of all this, eviction, as part of the Highland clearances , of many tenants and cottars. Some of those cleared found employment on the new, larger farms, others moved to the accessible towns of the Lowlands. In the West and North, evicted tenants were usually given tenancies in newly created crofting communities, while their former holdings were converted into large sheep farms. Sheep farmers could pay substantially higher rents than
1141-447: A crest: a demi lion rampant, proper . The motto which encircles the crest is: pro rege , which translated from Latin means "for the king". Although today crest badges are more commonly used by clan members, the original badges worn by clansmen were plant badges or clan badges. Clan badges consisted of plants which were worn on a bonnet or attached to a pole or spear. There have been several clan badges attributed to Clan Macfie, and
1304-610: A flower, V-rod and lunar crescent to which has been added a later and somewhat crude cross. Viking raids began on Scottish shores towards the end of the 8th century AD and the Hebrides came under Norse control and settlement during the ensuing decades, especially following the success of Harald Fairhair at the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. In the Western Isles Ketill Flatnose was the dominant figure of
1467-506: A fourteen-year-old girl, who lived across the hill in Glen Dulochan. As time passed Macphee was feared and looked upon by the poor inhabitants of the glen as a seer . Macphee believed himself to have supernatural powers, he weaved charms and cattle were brought to him to be cured. As the years past neighbouring shepherds finally decided to put an end to Macphee's sheep stealing, and the sheriff sent two officers to confront Macphee. As
1630-545: A link between Clan Macfie and the MacNichols of Glenorchy. These MacNichols are considered a sept of Clan Campbell . The origin of the MacNichols of Glenorchy and Glenshira is unknown. Niall Campbell, 10th Duke of Argyll maintained they were originally MacNaughtons of Dunderave. However, local tradition had it that they were originally MacPhees, descended from Nicol MacPhee who left the Cameron controlled Lochaber region in
1793-465: A more enlightened approach, investing in fishing in particular. The historian W. C. MacKenzie was moved to write: At the end of the 17th century, the picture we have of Lewis that of a people pursuing their avocation in peace, but not in plenty. The Seaforths ..., besides establishing orderly Government in the island.. had done a great deal to rescue the people from the slough of ignorance and incivility in which they found themselves immersed. But in
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#17328024616561956-456: A more modern design. The creation of the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the discovery of substantial deposits of North Sea oil in 1965, the establishment of a unitary local authority for the islands in 1975 and more recently the renewables sector have all contributed to a degree of economic stability in recent decades. The Arnish yard has had a chequered history but has been
2119-557: A more secure future for his people". The government of Britain provided some assistance, thanks to Sir Charles Trevelyan , who arranged for food distribution at Portree and Tobermory. The British Association for the Relief of Distress in Ireland and the Highlands and Islands of Scotland also helped as did donations received from North America. The blight struck again over the next two years, requiring an extra tax on landowners to help feed
2282-610: A part of the Western Isles, remains a matter of international dispute. A 2018 development plan divides the Outer Hebrides settlements into four types: Stornoway Core , Main Settlements, Rural Settlements and Outwith Settlements. The Main Settlements are Tarbert , Lochmaddy , Balivanich , Lochboisdale / Daliburgh , Greater Castlebay and Greater Stornoway (excluding Stornoway core). Combining with data from
2445-608: A separate reference to Dumna , which Watson (1926) concludes is unequivocally the Outer Hebrides. Writing about 80 years later, in 140–150 AD, Ptolemy , drawing on the earlier naval expeditions of Agricola , also distinguished between the Ebudes , of which he writes there were only five (and thus possibly meaning the Inner Hebrides ) and Dumna . Dumna is cognate with the Early Celtic dumnos and means
2608-560: A separate whisky producing region.) This massive area has over 30 distilleries, or 47 when the Islands sub-region is included in the count. According to one source, the top five are Macallan , Glenfiddich , Aberlour , Glenfarclas , and Balvenie . While Speyside is geographically within the Highlands, that region is specified as distinct in terms of whisky productions. Speyside single malt whiskies are produced by about 50 distilleries. According to Visit Scotland , Highlands whisky
2771-452: A small population who grew grain and raised cattle, Sula Sgeir is an inhospitable rock. Thousands of northern gannets nest here, and by special arrangement some of their young, known as gugas , are harvested annually by the men of Ness . The status of Rockall , which is 367 kilometres (228 mi) to the west of North Uist and which the Island of Rockall Act 1972 decreed to be
2934-535: A trade of black cattle into Lowland markets, and this was balanced by imports of meal into the area. There was a critical reliance on this trade to provide sufficient food, and it is seen as an essential prerequisite for the population growth that started in the 18th century. Most of the Highlands, particularly in the North and West, was short of the arable land that was essential for the mixed, run rig based, communal farming that existed before agricultural improvement
3097-589: A tradition that the family have been familiar with the fairies in their fairy flights and secret migrations". This family were the North Uist MacCuishes, who also for a time, commonly bore Dubhsith as a given name . There were never many MacCuishes on the Uists , and after a time Dubhsith ceased to be used as a given name there, though it carried on in Cape Breton , Nova Scotia , Canada, taking
3260-401: A transition from these places being perceived as relatively self-sufficient agricultural economies to a view becoming held by both island residents and outsiders alike that they lacked the essential services of a modern industrial economy. There were gradual economic improvements, among the most visible of which was the replacement of the traditional thatched blackhouse with accommodation of
3423-598: Is "fruity, sweet, spicy, malty". Another review states that Northern Highlands single malt is "sweet and full-bodied", the Eastern Highlands and Southern Highlands whiskies tend to be "lighter in texture" while the distilleries in the Western Highlands produce single malts with a "much peatier influence". The Scottish Reformation achieved partial success in the Highlands. Roman Catholicism remained strong in some areas, owing to remote locations and
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#17328024616563586-506: Is 11 kilometres (7 mi) long, and has several large islands in its midst, including Eilean Mòr . Although Loch Suaineabhal has only 25% of Loch Langavat's surface area, it has a mean depth of 33 metres (108 ft) and is the most voluminous on the island. Of Loch Sgadabhagh on North Uist it has been said that "there is probably no other loch in Britain which approaches Loch Scadavay in irregularity and complexity of outline." Loch Bì
3749-452: Is South Uist's largest loch and at 8 kilometres (5 mi) long it all but cuts the island in two. Much of the western coastline of the islands is machair , a fertile low-lying dune pastureland. Lewis is comparatively flat, and largely consists of treeless moors of blanket peat . The highest eminence is Mealisval at 574 m (1,883 ft) in the south west. Most of Harris is mountainous, with large areas of exposed rock and Clisham ,
3912-409: Is confusion and consternation over the scale of the fees charged and the effectiveness of their communication, and the use of the word Mainland in their justification. Since the charges are often based on postcode areas, many far less remote areas, including some which are traditionally considered part of the lowlands, are also subject to these charges. Royal Mail is the only delivery network bound by
4075-428: Is considered the best place in the UK for the aquatic plant Slender Naiad , which is a European Protected Species . There has been considerable controversy over hedgehogs on the Uists. Hedgehogs are not native to the islands but were introduced in the 1970s to reduce garden pests. Their spread posed a threat to the eggs of ground-nesting wading birds. In 2003 Scottish Natural Heritage undertook culls of hedgehogs in
4238-682: Is for Sir Donald MacDuffie, who was abbot of Oronsay when Donald Munro , High Dean of the Isles, toured the Western Isles in 1549. According to a manuscript, written in the 17th century, pertaining to the coronation of the Lords of the Isles , and the Council of the Isles , "MacDuffie, or MacPhie of Colonsay, kept the records of the Isles". In 1463 Macfie of Colonsay was a member of the Council of
4401-689: Is formed along a transform fault which divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands . The entire region was covered by ice sheets during the Pleistocene ice ages, save perhaps for a few nunataks . The complex geomorphology includes incised valleys and lochs carved by the action of mountain streams and ice, and a topography of irregularly distributed mountains whose summits have similar heights above sea-level, but whose bases depend upon
4564-597: Is now one of the most sparsely populated in Europe. At 9.1/km (24/sq mi) in 2012, the population density in the Highlands and Islands is less than one seventh of Scotland's as a whole. The Highland Council is the administrative body for much of the Highlands, with its administrative centre at Inverness . However, the Highlands also includes parts of the council areas of Aberdeenshire , Angus , Argyll and Bute , Moray , North Ayrshire , Perth and Kinross , Stirling and West Dunbartonshire . The Scottish Highlands
4727-417: Is only in recent years that population levels have ceased to decline. Much of the land is now under local control, and commercial activity is based on tourism, crofting , fishing, and weaving. Sea transport is crucial for those who live and work in the Outer Hebrides, and a variety of ferry services operate between the islands and to mainland Scotland. Modern navigation systems now minimise the dangers, but in
4890-514: Is the driest period. Winds are a key feature of the climate and even in summer there are almost constant breezes. According to the writer W. H. Murray if a visitor asks an islander for a weather forecast "he will not, like a mainlander answer dry, wet or sunny, but quote you a figure from the Beaufort Scale ." There are gales one day in six at the Butt of Lewis and small fish are blown onto
5053-607: Is the largest island in Scotland and the third-largest in the British Isles , after Great Britain and Ireland. It incorporates Lewis in the north and Harris in the south, both of which are frequently referred to as individual islands, although they are connected by land. The island does not have a single name in either English or Gaelic, and is referred to as "Lewis and Harris", "Lewis with Harris", "Harris with Lewis" etc. The largest islands are deeply indented by arms of
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5216-653: Is the only area in the British Isles to have the taiga biome as it features concentrated populations of Scots pine forest: see Caledonian Forest . It is the most mountainous part of the United Kingdom . Between the 15th century and the mid-20th century, the area differed from most of the Lowlands in terms of language. In Scottish Gaelic, the region is known as the Gàidhealtachd , because it
5379-832: Is used in elections to the Scottish Parliament : this area includes Orkney and Shetland , as well as the Highland Council local government area, the Western Isles and most of the Argyll and Bute and Moray local government areas. Highlands and Islands has, however, different meanings in different contexts. It means Highland (the local government area), Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles in Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service . Northern , as in Northern Constabulary , refers to
5542-804: The Suðr-eyjar or South Isles encompassing the Hebrides and the Isle of Man ; and the Norðr-eyjar or North Isles of Orkney and Shetland . This situation lasted until the partitioning of the Western Isles in 1156, at which time the Outer Hebrides remained under Norwegian control while the Inner Hebrides broke out under Somerled , the Norse-Celtic kinsman of the Manx royal house. Following
5705-661: The Cairngorms and the Cuillin of Skye . A significant exception to the above are the fossil-bearing beds of Old Red Sandstone found principally along the Moray Firth coast and partially down the Highland Boundary Fault. The Jurassic beds found in isolated locations on Skye and Applecross reflect the complex underlying geology. They are the original source of much North Sea oil . The Great Glen
5868-756: The Church of Scotland . In contrast to the Catholic southern islands, the northern Outer Hebrides islands (Lewis, Harris and North Uist) have an exceptionally high proportion of their population belonging to the Protestant Free Church of Scotland or the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland . The Outer Hebrides have been described as the last bastion of Calvinism in Britain and the Sabbath remains widely observed. Inverness and
6031-452: The Earl of Huntly besieged and captured Stornoway Castle using cannon. In 1540 James V himself conducted a royal tour, forcing the clan chiefs to accompany him. There followed a period of peace, but all too soon the clans were at loggerheads again. In 1598 King James VI authorised some " Gentleman Adventurers" from Fife to civilise the "most barbarous Isle of Lewis". Initially successful,
6194-499: The Hebrides from the 14th century to the late 16th century. Following the forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles in the late 15th century, the clan still attached itself to powerful Macdonalds. In the early 17th century the last chief of the clan was executed as Colonsay was lost to the control of a Macdonald. Without a chief of their own to control their home lands the clan was considered a leaderless "broken clan". From this point on
6357-597: The Irish Land War underway at the same time, where the Irish were intensely politicised through roots in Irish nationalism, while political dimensions were limited. In 1885 three Independent Crofter candidates were elected to Parliament, which listened to their pleas. The results included explicit security for the Scottish smallholders in the "crofting counties"; the legal right to bequeath tenancies to descendants; and
6520-502: The National Records of Scotland , the principal settlements are: 4,800 1,610 870 510 The dispersed settlements consisting of Rural Settlements and Outwith Settlements account for ca. two thirds of the population of the council area, since the total population of the table is about 9,000. Most of the islands have a bedrock formed from Lewisian gneiss . These are amongst the oldest rocks in Europe, having been formed in
6683-680: The Norse kingdom of the Suðreyjar , which lasted for over 400 years, until sovereignty over the Outer Hebrides was transferred to Scotland by the Treaty of Perth in 1266. Control of the islands was then held by clan chiefs, principal amongst whom were the MacLeods , MacDonalds , and the MacNeils . The Highland Clearances of the 19th century had a devastating effect on many communities, and it
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6846-557: The Precambrian period up to three billion years ago. In addition to the Outer Hebrides, they form basement deposits on the Scottish mainland west of the Moine Thrust and on the islands of Coll and Tiree . These rocks are largely igneous in origin, mixed with metamorphosed marble , quartzite and mica schist and intruded by later basaltic dykes and granite magma. The gneiss's delicate pink colours are exposed throughout
7009-535: The Statutes of Iona which started the process of integrating clan leaders into Scottish society. The gradual changes continued into the 19th century, as clan chiefs thought of themselves less as patriarchal leaders of their people and more as commercial landlords. The first effect on the clansmen who were their tenants was the change to rents being payable in money rather than in kind. Later, rents were increased as Highland landowners sought to increase their income. This
7172-620: The clan system , including bans on the bearing of arms and the wearing of tartan , and limitations on the activities of the Scottish Episcopal Church . Most of this legislation was repealed by the end of the 18th century as the Jacobite threat subsided. There was soon a rehabilitation of Highland culture. Tartan was adopted for Highland regiments in the British Army, which poor Highlanders joined in large numbers in
7335-472: The heraldic crest of the clan chief, encircled with a buckle containing the chief's heraldic motto . However, in the case of Clan Macfie, which does not have a chief, the crest badge is derived from the coat of arms of Macfie of Dreghorn, who was one of the first Macfies to register a coat of arms in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland . The crest badge of Clan Macfie contains as
7498-617: The sugar industry. The heraldic crest within the clan's crest badge is actually derived from the heraldic crest on the coat of arms of Robert Andrew Macfie of Dreghorn. In 1968, Earle Douglas MacPhee of Vancouver , British Columbia , Canada started a movement to have the Clan Macfie officially registered with the Lord Lyon King of Arms. On 10 May 1977, the Macfie Standing Stone on Balaruminmore on Colonsay
7661-547: The "Highland line" distinguished the two Scottish cultures. While the Highland line broadly followed the geography of the Grampians in the south, it continued in the north, cutting off the north-eastern areas, that is Eastern Caithness , Orkney and Shetland , from the more Gaelic Highlands and Hebrides. Historically, the major social unit of the Highlands was the clan . Scottish kings, particularly James VI , saw clans as
7824-415: The "deep-sea isle". Pliny probably took his information from Pytheas of Massilia who visited Britain sometime between 322 and 285 BC. It is possible that Ptolemy did as well, as Agricola's information about the west coast of Scotland was of poor quality. Breeze also suggests that Dumna might be Lewis and Harris , the largest island of the Outer Hebrides although he conflates this single island with
7987-404: The "raiders" but the visiting judge took the view that she had neglected her duties as a landowner and that "long indifference to the necessities of the cottars had gone far to drive them to exasperation". Millennia of continuous occupation notwithstanding, many of the remoter islands were abandoned — Mingulay in 1912, Hirta in 1930, and Ceann Iar in 1942 among them. This process involved
8150-416: The 16th century. According to Somerled MacMillan, there were recently (1971) many MacNichols in Lochaber who were supposed to descend from the members of Clan Macfie. Though they were to have held lands in the Lochaber area since before 1493. Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( Scots : the Hielands ; Scottish Gaelic : a' Ghàidhealtachd [ə ˈɣɛːəl̪ˠt̪ʰəxk] , lit. '
8313-451: The 19th century destroyed communities throughout the Highlands and Islands as the human populations were evicted and replaced with sheep farms. For example, Colonel Gordon of Cluny , owner of Barra, South Uist and Benbecula, evicted thousands of islanders using trickery and cruelty, and even offered to sell Barra to the government as a penal colony. Islands such as Fuaigh Mòr were completely cleared of their populations and even today
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#17328024616568476-556: The Donald first mentioned may be the Donald MacDuffie who is recorded as witnessing a charter by John, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles in 1463. In Celtic Scotland , Skene thought it was possible the mentioned Duffie/Dubshithe was identical to the lector of Iona recorded in 1164 within the Irish annals. Scottish crest badges are used by clan members to show their allegiance to their clan and chief. Much like clan tartans , crest badges owe their popularity to Victorian romanticism . Crest badges are heraldic badges which usually contain
8639-401: The European population. The bumblebee Bombus jonellus var. hebridensis is endemic to the Hebrides and there are local variants of the dark green fritillary and green-veined white butterflies. The St Kilda wren is a subspecies of wren whose range is confined to the islands whose name it bears. The islands' total population was 26,502 at the 2001 census, and the 2011 figure
8802-401: The Fedden in Glengarry, www.clan-cameron.org states "'Crevice Through Which the Winds Blows'. Site of a croft which sat right on a disputed Cameron-Glengarry boundary line, just below Meall an Tagraidh. The elderly woman who lived here managed to divert a stream each time either the Cameron or Glengarry men came to collect the rent. She managed to avoid paying rent for years, claiming her home
8965-513: The Glens agreed with Maclean of Duart to surrender half of his lands on Islay. However, despite his agreement with the Macleans, Macdonald of Dunivaig and the Glens then invaded the Maclean islands of Mull , Tiree , Coll and Luing . Angus Macdonald of Dunivaig and the Glens was aided in the action by Donald Gorm Mor Macdonald of Sleat and many west highland clans such as the Macdonalds of Clanranald , MacIains of Ardnamurchan , Macleods of Lewis , MacNeills of Gigha , MacAlisters of Loup and also
9128-403: The Hebrides. In traditional Scottish geography , the Highlands refers to that part of Scotland north-west of the Highland Boundary Fault , which crosses mainland Scotland in a near-straight line from Helensburgh to Stonehaven . However the flat coastal lands that occupy parts of the counties of Nairnshire , Morayshire, Banffshire and Aberdeenshire are often excluded as they do not share
9291-445: The Highlands is geographically on the British mainland, it is somewhat less accessible than the rest of Britain; thus most UK couriers categorise it separately, alongside Northern Ireland , the Isle of Man , and other offshore islands. They thus charge additional fees for delivery to the Highlands, or exclude the area entirely. While the physical remoteness from the largest population centres inevitably leads to higher transit cost, there
9454-408: The Highlands, wiping out the essential subsistence crop for the overcrowded crofting communities. As the famine struck, the government made clear to landlords that it was their responsibility to provide famine relief for their tenants. The result of the economic downturn had been that a large proportion of Highland estates were sold in the first half of the 19th century. T M Devine points out that in
9617-425: The Isles came after the Norwegian king had conquered Orkney , the Hebrides and the Isle of Man in a swift campaign earlier the same year, directed against the local Norwegian leaders of the various islands‘ petty kingdoms. By capturing the islands Magnus imposed a more direct royal control, although at a price. His skald Bjorn Cripplehand recorded that in Lewis "fire played high in the heaven" as "flame spouted from
9780-429: The Isles, listed as Donald Macduffie, a witness to a charter by John of Islay, Earl of Ross , the last Lord of the Isles, dated 12 April at the Earl's castle of Dingwall . After the fall of the Lordship of the Isles the Macfies followed the MacDonalds of Islay. In 1531, the chief of the clan, "Morphe Makphe de Colwisnay", and many other west highland chiefs were cited for treason and summoned to Parliament as supporters of
9943-463: The Lord Lyon King of Arms as Commander of Clan Macfie on 7 September 1989. In March 2008, the Lord Lyon gave permission for Clan Macfie to convene an ad hoc derbhfine to choose a successor to McPhie, who had by then decided to step down. Iain Morris McFie was chosen to petition the Lord Lyon, and on doing so was later appointed as Commander of Clan Macfie. Today there are nine clan societies associated with Clan Macfie. The societies are located around
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#173280246165610106-469: The Lord Lyon. The official clan name Macfie is derived from the Common Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíthe (modern Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic : MacDhubhShìth . This Gaelic patronymic name has been Anglicised into various forms, many of which are considered associated names of the clan. The clan has a long history with the islands of Colonsay and Oronsay in the Scottish Inner Hebrides , and today many monuments to various lairds and churchmen of
10269-419: The Lowlands. This gave impetus to the learning of English, which was seen by many rural Gaelic speakers to be the essential "language of work". Older historiography attributes the collapse of the clan system to the aftermath of the Jacobite risings. This is now thought less influential by historians. Following the Jacobite rising of 1745 the British government enacted a series of laws to try to suppress
10432-433: The Lowlands. When the potato famine ceased in 1856, this established a pattern of more extensive working away from the Highlands. The unequal concentration of land ownership remained an emotional and controversial subject, of enormous importance to the Highland economy, and eventually became a cornerstone of liberal radicalism. The poor crofters were politically powerless, and many of them turned to religion. They embraced
10595-461: The MacIver black . However, it has been said that the colours ( red , green and yellow ) and the general appearance of the Macfie tartan are similar to the Cameron tartan, and that it may allude to the dependence on Clan Cameron of several Macfies after the collapse of their clan. The Clan Cameron Association considers the surnames MacPhee , MacFie and MacVee as a sept (members, or followers) of Clan Cameron. Today there are many variations of
10758-436: The Macfie chief lived on Colonsay, with Colla Ciotach residing at Kiloran and Macfie at Dùn Eibhinn . During this time the two feuded. Judging by the many hiding places which bear his name, such as leab' fhalaich Mhic a Phì ("MacPhee's Hiding Place"), Macfie was chased from one to another for quite sometime. Finally, in 1623, Malcolm Macfie was chased from Colonsay and pursued to Eilean nan Ròn (south-west of Oronsay). There, on
10921-438: The Macfies followed the Macdonalds of Islay, though a branch of the clan was dispersed to lands controlled by Clan Cameron . In the early 19th century Ewen Macphee became a notorious outlaw, "revered and feared by locals and despised by the authorities". Today the modern Clan Macfie is alive with nine associated clan societies located around the world. The 19th-century historian W. F. Skene, stated that members of Clan Macfie were
11084-422: The Macfies of Colonsay. Supporting Maclean of Duart were the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan , MacNeils of Barra , Mackinnons of Strathrodle and the Macquarries of Ulva . In 1609, "Donald Mcfie in Collonsaye" was present at the assembly of island chiefs and gentlemen, who met with the Bishop of the Isles at Iona , when the nine Statutes of Icolmkill were enacted, which were to bring the Western Isles under
11247-399: The Picts in the sixth century AD: "As for Shetland, Orkney, Skye and the Western Isles, their inhabitants, most of whom appear to have been Pictish in culture and speech at this time, are likely to have regarded Bridei as a fairly distant presence." The island of Pabbay is the site of the Pabbay Stone, the only extant Pictish symbol stone in the Outer Hebrides. This 6th century stele shows
11410-443: The Scottish crown led to the forcible dissolution of the Lordship of the Isles by James IV in 1493, but although the king had the power to subdue the organised military might of the Hebrides, he and his immediate successors lacked the will or ability to provide an alternative form of governance. The House of Stuart 's attempts to control the Outer Hebrides were then at first desultory and little more than punitive expeditions. In 1506
11573-453: The Strangers'; Scots : Waster Isles ), sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island (Scottish Gaelic: an t-Eilean Fada ), is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland . The islands form part of the archipelago of the Hebrides , separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch , the Little Minch , and the Sea of the Hebrides . The Outer Hebrides are considered to be
11736-982: The amount of denudation to which the plateau has been subjected in various places. The region is much warmer than other areas at similar latitudes (such as Kamchatka in Russia , or Labrador in Canada ) because of the Gulf Stream making it cool, damp and temperate. The Köppen climate classification is " Cfb " at low elevations, then becoming " Cfc ", " Dfc " and " ET " at higher elevations. 57°07′N 4°43′W / 57.12°N 4.71°W / 57.12; -4.71 Western Isles The Outer Hebrides ( / ˈ h ɛ b r ɪ d iː z / HEB -rid-eez ) or Western Isles ( Scottish Gaelic : na h-Eileanan Siar [nə ˈhelanən ˈʃiəɾ] , na h-Eileanan an Iar [nə ˈhelanən əɲ ˈiəɾ] or na h-Innse Gall , 'Islands of
11899-530: The ancient inhabitants of Colonsay. He also wrote that the clan was one of the seven clans of Siol Alpin , and that "their genealogy, which is preserved in the manuscript of 1450, evinces their connexion by descent with the Macgregors and Mackinnons ". The seven clans of Siol Alpin could, according to Skene, trace their descent from Alpin, father of the traditional first King of Scots: Cináed mac Ailpín . However, even while stating all this, he wrote that there
12062-407: The archipelago's only Corbett , reaches 799 m (2,621 ft) in height. North and South Uist and Benbecula (sometimes collectively referred to as The Uists ) have sandy beaches and wide cultivated areas of machair to the west and virtually uninhabited mountainous areas to the east. The highest peak here is Beinn Mhòr at 620 metres (2,034 ft). The Uists and their immediate outliers have
12225-470: The area, but these were halted in 2007; trapped animals are now relocated to the mainland. Nationally important populations of breeding waders are present in the Outer Hebrides, including common redshank , dunlin , lapwing and ringed plover . The islands also provide a habitat for other important species such as corncrake , hen harrier , golden eagle and otter . Offshore, basking shark and various species of whale and dolphin can often be seen, and
12388-637: The chief was then tied to a stone and summarily shot. Colla Ciotach, and several of his followers, appear in the Council Records in 1623 as being accused of killing the Macfie chief. Because of the death of their chief the Macfies finally lost control of Colonsay. The island then passed to the Macdonalds, as Colla Ciotach took the island for himself, and held it peacefully for many years. The island
12551-680: The choice of many and the archipelago's populations continued to dwindle throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. By 2001 the population of North Uist was only 1,271. The work of the Napier Commission and the Congested Districts Board , and the passing of the Crofting Act of 1886 helped, but social unrest continued. In July 1906 grazing land on Vatersay was raided by landless men from Barra and its isles. Lady Gordon Cathcart took legal action against
12714-401: The clan are found on these islands. The 19th century historian W. F. Skene named the clan as one of the seven clans of Siol Alpin —who according to Skene could all trace their ancestry back to Alpin , father of Cináed mac Ailpín . Little is known of the early history of the clan. However, is certain that the clan served under the Lords of the Isles —descendants of Somerled , who ruled
12877-416: The clan name Macfie , meaning "son of Duibhshíth ". People who bear such surnames are considered members of the clan. Clan Macfie also has historical links with other clans, such as Clan Cameron. As already stated, several members of Clan Macfie emigrated to lands controlled by Clan Cameron in the 17th century, and that Clan Cameron considers certain variations of Macfie as septs of theirs. There may be also
13040-416: The clans shares the use of them with several associated clans. Clan badges attributed to Clan Macfie include: scots pine (Scottish Gaelic: giuthas ), attributed to all seven of the clans of Siol Alpin; oak (Scottish Gaelic: darag ), also attributed to Clan Cameron; crowberry (Scottish Gaelic: dearca fithich ), also attributed to Clan Maclean and Clan Cameron. The clan's official "Clan Macfie Tartan"
13203-438: The climate is mild and oceanic. The 15 inhabited islands had a total population of 26,120 in 2022 and there are more than 50 substantial uninhabited islands. The distance from Barra Head to the Butt of Lewis is roughly 210 kilometres (130 mi). There are various important prehistoric structures, many of which pre-date the first written references to the islands by Roman and Greek authors. The Western Isles became part of
13366-574: The colonists were driven out by local forces commanded by Murdoch and Neil MacLeod, who based their forces on Bearasaigh in Loch Ròg . The colonists tried again in 1605 with the same result but a third attempt in 1607 was more successful, and in due course Stornoway became a Burgh of Barony . By this time Lewis was held by the Mackenzies of Kintail, (later the Earls of Seaforth ), who pursued
13529-642: The control of the Scottish Parliament. In 1615 Malcolm Macfie of Colonsay supported Sir James Macdonald of Islay, Chief of " Clan Donald South ", after Macdonald had escaped from Edinburgh Castle . Macfie was one of the principal leaders in Macdonald's rebellion against the Government, who had promised Islay to the Campbells . The combined forces of Macfie and Donald Gigach MacIan, who was
13692-607: The creation of a Crofting Commission. The Crofters as a political movement faded away by 1892, and the Liberal Party gained their votes. Today, the Highlands are the largest of Scotland's whisky producing regions; the relevant area runs from Orkney to the Isle of Arran in the south and includes the northern isles and much of Inner and Outer Hebrides, Argyll, Stirlingshire, Arran, as well as sections of Perthshire and Aberdeenshire. (Other sources treat The Islands, except Islay , as
13855-411: The distinctive geographical and cultural features of the rest of the Highlands. The north-east of Caithness , as well as Orkney and Shetland , are also often excluded from the Highlands, although the Hebrides are usually included. The Highland area, as so defined, differed from the Lowlands in language and tradition, having preserved Gaelic speech and customs centuries after the anglicisation of
14018-685: The east of this point. A much wider definition of the Highlands is that used by the Scotch whisky industry. Highland single malts are produced at distilleries north of an imaginary line between Dundee and Greenock , thus including all of Aberdeenshire and Angus . Inverness is regarded as the Capital of the Highlands, although less so in the Highland parts of Aberdeenshire , Angus , Perthshire and Stirlingshire which look more to Aberdeen , Dundee, Perth , and Stirling as their commercial centres. The Highland Council area, created as one of
14181-470: The east. The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands . The Scottish Gaelic name of A' Ghàidhealtachd literally means "the place of the Gaels" and traditionally, from a Gaelic-speaking point of view, includes both the Western Isles and the Highlands. The area is very sparsely populated, with many mountain ranges dominating the region, and includes
14344-473: The efforts of Franciscan missionaries from Ireland, who regularly came to celebrate Mass . There remain significant Catholic strongholds within the Highlands and Islands such as Moidart and Morar on the mainland and South Uist and Barra in the southern Outer Hebrides. The remoteness of the region and the lack of a Gaelic-speaking clergy undermined the missionary efforts of the established church. The later 18th century saw somewhat greater success, owing to
14507-460: The efforts of the SSPCK missionaries and to the disruption of traditional society after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. In the 19th century, the evangelical Free Churches, which were more accepting of Gaelic language and culture, grew rapidly, appealing much more strongly than did the established church. For the most part, however, the Highlands are considered predominantly Protestant, belonging to
14670-523: The era of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1790–1815). Tartan had largely been abandoned by the ordinary people of the region, but in the 1820s, tartan and the kilt were adopted by members of the social elite, not just in Scotland, but across Europe. The international craze for tartan, and for idealising a romanticised Highlands, was set off by the Ossian cycle, and further popularised by
14833-624: The finest example of a stone circle in Scotland, the 13 primary monoliths of between one and five metres high creating a circle about 13 metres (43 ft) in diameter. Cladh Hallan on South Uist , the only site in the UK where prehistoric mummies have been found, and the impressive ruins of Dun Carloway broch on Lewis both date from the Iron Age . In Scotland, the Celtic Iron Age way of life, often troubled but never extinguished by Rome, re-asserted itself when
14996-486: The flight of the Nemed people from Ireland to Domon , which is mentioned in the 12th-century Lebor Gabála Érenn and a 13th-century poem concerning Raghnall mac Gofraidh , then the heir to the throne of Mann and the Isles , who is said to have "broken the gate of Magh Domhna ". Magh Domhna means "the plain of Domhna (or Domon)", but the precise meaning of the text is not clear. In Irish mythology
15159-472: The former Northern Constabulary . These former bodies both covered the Highland council area and the island council areas of Orkney , Shetland and the Western Isles. Highland Council signs in the Pass of Drumochter , between Glen Garry and Dalwhinnie , say "Welcome to the Highlands". Much of the Highlands area overlaps the Highlands and Islands area. An electoral region called Highlands and Islands
15322-428: The forms of Dushie , Duffus and even David . These MacCuishes (of North Uist and Skye ) are considered septs of Clan Donald . In the early 19th century, Skene found and transcribed a 15th-century Gaelic manuscript which gave the genealogies of many Highland clans. He first published his transcriptions and translations of it in the early 19th century Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis , and later with revisions in
15485-559: The grass on top of 190 metre (620 ft) high cliffs at Barra Head during winter storms. The Hebrides were originally settled in the Mesolithic era and have a diversity of important prehistoric sites. Eilean Dòmhnuill in Loch Olabhat on North Uist was constructed around 3200–2800 BC and may be Scotland's earliest crannog (a type of artificial island). The Callanish Stones , dating from about 2900 BC, are
15648-465: The highest mountain in the British Isles , Ben Nevis . During the 18th and early 19th centuries the population of the Highlands rose to around 300,000, but from c. 1841 and for the next 160 years, the natural increase in population was exceeded by emigration (mostly to Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and migration to the industrial cities of Scotland and England.) The area
15811-472: The houses" and that in the Uists "the king dyed his sword red in blood". Thompson (1968) provides a more literal translation: "Fire played in the fig-trees of Liodhus; it mounted up to heaven. Far and wide the people were driven to flight. The fire gushed out of the houses". The Hebrides were now part of Kingdom of the Isles, whose rulers were themselves vassals of the Kings of Norway. The Kingdom had two parts:
15974-570: The ill-fated 1263 expedition of Haakon IV of Norway , the Outer Hebrides along with the Isle of Man, were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland a result of the 1266 Treaty of Perth . Although their contribution to the islands can still be found in personal and placenames, the archaeological record of the Norse period is very limited. The best known find from this time is the Lewis chessmen , which date from
16137-570: The island in 1938 and Taransay hosted the BBC television series Castaway 2000 . Others have played a part in Scottish history. On 4 May 1746, the "Young Pretender" Charles Edward Stuart hid on Eilean Liubhaird with some of his men for four days whilst Royal Navy vessels patrolled the Minch. Smaller isles and skerries and other island groups pepper the North Atlantic surrounding
16300-501: The island of Colonsay, Monro wrote that it had once been held by Macdonald of Kintyre, but was then currently ruled by a "gentle capitane, callit M’Duffyhe" — gentle meaning 'well-born', and captain being the old styling of 'chief'. By 1587, atrocities committed between warring west highland clans had escalated to such an extent that Parliament devised what is known as the General Band in an effort to quell hostilities. The band
16463-416: The island, the majority being of a pre-medieval date. In the 18th century, the population was over fifty, but the last native islanders had left by 1931. The island became completely uninhabited by 1980 with the automation of the lighthouse. Some of the smaller islands continue to contribute to modern culture. The " Mingulay Boat Song ", although evocative of island life, was written after the abandonment of
16626-733: The islands and it is sometimes referred to by geologists as "The Old Boy". Granite intrusions are found in the parish of Barvas in west Lewis, and another forms the summit plateau of the mountain Roineabhal in Harris. The granite here is anorthosite , and is similar in composition to rocks found in the mountains of the Moon . There are relatively small outcrops of Triassic sandstone at Broad Bay near Stornoway. The Shiant Islands and St Kilda are formed from much later tertiary basalt and basalt and gabbros respectively. The sandstone at Broad Bay
16789-788: The islands for further education or employment purposes". Of the total population, 6,953 people reside in the "Stornoway settlement Laxdale (Lacasdal), Sandwick (Sanndabhaig) and Newmarket" with the balance distributed over 280 townships. In addition to the major North Ford ( Oitir Mhòr ) and South Ford causeways that connect North Uist to Benbecula via the northern of the Grimsays , and another causeway from Benbecula to South Uist, several other islands are linked by smaller causeways or bridges. Great Bernera and Scalpay have bridge connections to Lewis and Harris respectively, with causeways linking Baleshare and Berneray to North Uist; Eriskay to South Uist; Flodaigh , Fraoch-Eilean and
16952-420: The islands of Loch Ròg . In common with the other main island chains of Scotland, many of the more remote islands were abandoned during the 19th and 20th centuries, in some cases after continuous habitation since the prehistoric period. More than 35 such islands have been identified in the Outer Hebrides alone. On Barra Head, for example, Historic Scotland have identified eighty-three archaeological sites on
17115-566: The islands were the home of the Fomorians , described as "huge and ugly" and "ship men of the sea". They were pirates, extracting tribute from the coasts of Ireland and one of their kings was Indech mac Dé Domnand (i.e. Indech, son of the goddess Domnu, who ruled over the deep seas). The islands form an archipelago whose major islands are Lewis and Harris , North Uist , Benbecula , South Uist , and Barra . Lewis and Harris has an area of 2,178.98 square kilometres (841 sq mi) and
17278-542: The landlords in the 1880s through the Highland Land League . Violence erupted, starting on the Isle of Skye , when Highland landlords cleared their lands for sheep and deer parks. It was quietened when the government stepped in, passing the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act, 1886 to reduce rents, guarantee fixity of tenure, and break up large estates to provide crofts for the homeless. This contrasted with
17441-599: The landlords in the Scottish highlands and islands where broken men (or lawless men) dwelt. Despite the Governments actions to secure the peace, about this time Lachlan Mor MacLean of Duart ravaged the MacDonald islands of Islay and Gigha , slaughtering 500–600 men. Maclean of Duart then besieged Angus MacDonald of Dunivaig and the Glens at his Castle Dunivaig . The siege was only lifted when Macdonald of Dunivaig and
17604-697: The late 19th century—in his chief work Celtic Scotland . Today the manuscript, which Skene named MS 1450 and later MS 1467 , is stored in the National Library of Scotland . The manuscript was written by Dubhghall Albanach mac mhic Cathail, in 1467 at Ballybothy, County Tipperary . The following is Skene's versions of the genealogy attributed to the chiefs of Clan Macfie in the manuscript; first as in Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis secondly as in Celtic Scotland . Donald, Niell, and Malcolm
17767-607: The later Caledonian Orogeny . Smaller formations of Lewisian gneiss in the northwest are up to 3 billion years old. The overlying rocks of the Torridon Sandstone form mountains in the Torridon Hills such as Liathach and Beinn Eighe in Wester Ross . These foundations are interspersed with many igneous intrusions of a more recent age, the remnants of which have formed mountain massifs such as
17930-492: The latter; this led to a growing perception of a divide, with the cultural distinction between Highlander and Lowlander first noted towards the end of the 14th century. In Aberdeenshire , the boundary between the Highlands and the Lowlands is not well defined. There is a stone beside the A93 road near the village of Dinnet on Royal Deeside which states 'You are now in the Highlands', although there are areas of Highland character to
18093-490: The leading man on the nearby isle of Jura , contributed a total of 64 men to the Macdonald rebellion. When Sir James Macdonald's force of 400 men landed in at Kinloch ( Campbelton ) in Kintyre , they were made up in part by the "special men" from Islay, Macfie of Colonsay, Donald Gigach of Jura, Allaster MacRanald of Keppoch, and North Islesmen. The Earl of Argyll later secured the submission of Colla Ciotach MacDonald , who
18256-559: The legions abandoned any permanent occupation in 211 AD. Hanson (2003) writes: "For many years it has been almost axiomatic in studies of the period that the Roman conquest must have had some major medium or long-term impact on Scotland. On present evidence that cannot be substantiated either in terms of environment, economy, or, indeed, society. The impact appears to have been very limited. The general picture remains one of broad continuity, not of disruption ... The Roman presence in Scotland
18419-412: The local government regions of Scotland , has been a unitary council area since 1996. The council area excludes a large area of the southern and eastern Highlands, and the Western Isles , but includes Caithness . Highlands is sometimes used, however, as a name for the council area, as in the former Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service . Northern is also used to refer to the area, as in
18582-420: The main islands. Some are not geologically part of the Outer Hebrides, but are administratively and in most cases culturally, part of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar . 73 kilometres (45 mi) to the west of Lewis lies St Kilda , now uninhabited except for a small military base. A similar distance to the north of Lewis are North Rona and Sula Sgeir , two small and remote islands. While Rona used to support
18745-724: The mid 12th century. As the Norse era drew to a close the Norse-speaking princes were gradually replaced by Gaelic-speaking clan chiefs including the MacLeods of Lewis and Harris, the MacDonalds of the Uists and MacNeil of Barra . This transition did little to relieve the islands of internecine strife although by the early 14th century the MacDonald Lords of the Isles , based on Islay , were in theory these chiefs' feudal superiors and managed to exert some control. The growing threat that Clan Donald posed to
18908-518: The mid 9th century, by which time he had amassed a substantial island realm and made a variety of alliances with other Norse leaders. These princelings nominally owed allegiance to the Norwegian crown, although in practice the latter's control was fairly limited. Norse control of the Hebrides was formalised in 1098 when Edgar, King of Scotland formally signed the islands over to Magnus III of Norway . The Scottish acceptance of Magnus III as King of
19071-456: The most significant role in famine relief. Some landowners also provided a great deal of assistance, according to one history of the region: "MacLeod of Dunvegan bought in food for his people, some eight thousand of them" ... MacLean of Ardgour provided food, and introduced new crops into the area - peas, cabbages and carrots ... Sir James Matheson on Lewis spent £329,000 (Equivalent to £37,000,000 in 2024 ) on improving his lands, hoping to provide
19234-484: The name "Long Island". Watson (1926) states that the meaning of Ptolemy's Eboudai is unknown and that the root may be pre-Celtic. Murray (1966) claims that Ptolemy's Ebudae was originally derived from the Old Norse Havbredey , meaning "isles on the edge of the sea". This idea is often repeated but no firm evidence of this derivation has emerged. Other early written references include
19397-514: The new ideas taught in Scottish universities. Highland landowners, many of whom were burdened with chronic debts, were generally receptive to the advice they offered and keen to increase the income from their land. In the East and South the resulting change was similar to that in the Lowlands, with the creation of larger farms with single tenants, enclosure of the old run rig fields, introduction of new crops (such as turnips ), land drainage and, as
19560-463: The officers rowed to his island they were fired upon by Macphee's wife and the officers fled. A week later an armed party was then sent and Ewan Macphee was finally arrested and taken to prison, where he eventually died. In 1864, the first Macfies to have coats of arms registered in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland were Robert Macfie of Langhouse and Airds and Robert Andrew Macfie of Dreghorn—two highly successful businessmen in
19723-481: The past the stormy seas in the region have claimed many ships. The Gaelic language, religion, music and sport are important aspects of local culture, and there are numerous designated conservation areas to protect the natural environment. The earliest surviving written references relating to the islands were made by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History , in which he states that there are 30 Hebudes , and makes
19886-541: The place of the Gaels ' ) is a historical region of Scotland . Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period , when Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands. The term is also used for the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault , although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to
20049-449: The popularly oriented, fervently evangelical Presbyterian revival after 1800. Most joined the breakaway "Free Church" after 1843. This evangelical movement was led by lay preachers who themselves came from the lower strata, and whose preaching was implicitly critical of the established order. The religious change energised the crofters and separated them from the landlords; it helped prepare them for their successful and violent challenge to
20212-488: The population. The British government began encouraging mass emigration. For those who remained new economic opportunities emerged through the export of cattle, commercial fishing and tourism. During the summer season in the 1860s and 1870s five thousand inhabitants of Lewis could be found in Wick on the mainland of Scotland, employed on the fishing boats and at the quaysides. Nonetheless emigration and military service became
20375-549: The processed product during the Napoleonic wars. When the Napoleonic wars finished in 1815, the Highland industries were affected by the return to a peacetime economy. The price of black cattle fell, nearly halving between 1810 and the 1830s. Kelp prices had peaked in 1810, but reduced from £9 a ton in 1823 to £3 13s 4d a ton in 1828. Wool prices were also badly affected. This worsened the financial problems of debt-encumbered landlords. Then, in 1846, potato blight arrived in
20538-417: The rebellious Alexander MacDonald of Dunivaig and the Glens. This Macfie chief died in 1539 and his impressive tombstone can still be seen ( pictured left ). Donald Munro, High Dean of the Isles, in his A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland Called Hybrides , in 1549, described the island of Jura as partly controlled by Maclean of Duart , Maclaine of Lochbuie , and Macfie of Colonsay. In describing
20701-493: The region most affected by the potato famine, by 1846, 70 per cent of the landowners were new purchasers who had not owned Highland property before 1800. More landlords were obliged to sell due to the cost of famine relief. Those who were protected from the worst of the crisis were those with extensive rental income from sheep farms. Government loans were made available for drainage works, road building and other improvements and many crofters became temporary migrants – taking work in
20864-522: The remoter islands' seabird populations are of international significance. St Kilda has 60,000 northern gannets , amounting to 24% of the world population; 49,000 breeding pairs of Leach's petrel , up to 90% of the European population; and 136,000 pairs of puffin and 67,000 northern fulmar pairs, about 30% and 13% of the respective UK totals. Mingulay is an important breeding ground for razorbills , with 9,514 pairs, 6.3% of
21027-400: The run rig farmers and were much less prone to falling into arrears. Each croft was limited in size so that the tenants would have to find work elsewhere. The major alternatives were fishing and the kelp industry. Landlords took control of the kelp shores, deducting the wages earned by their tenants from the rent due and retaining the large profits that could be earned at the high prices paid for
21190-632: The same area as that covered by the fire and rescue service. There have been trackways from the Lowlands to the Highlands since prehistoric times. Many traverse the Mounth , a spur of mountainous land that extends from the higher inland range to the North Sea slightly north of Stonehaven . The most well-known and historically important trackways are the Causey Mounth , Elsick Mounth , Cryne Corse Mounth and Cairnamounth . Although most of
21353-430: The sea such as Loch Ròg , Loch Seaforth and Loch nam Madadh . There are also more than 7,500 freshwater lochs in the Outer Hebrides, about 24% of the total for the whole of Scotland. North and South Uist and Lewis, in particular, have landscapes with a high percentage of fresh water and a maze and complexity of loch shapes. Harris has fewer large bodies of water but has innumerable small lochans. Loch Langavat on Lewis
21516-487: The south-western corner of Eilean nan Ròn, called an t Eilean Iarach , he was spotted and taken by the MacDonalds. Popular lore has it that the Macfie chief was finally discovered when his hiding place amongst the seaweed was given away by a gull . As it hovered over Macfie's position, Colla Ciotach's men were alerted by its cry and spotted the clan chief on a ledge of rock at the edge of the sea. After being apprehended,
21679-605: The southern Grimsay to Benbecula; and the Vatersay Causeway linking Vatersay to Barra. This means that all the inhabited islands are now connected to at least one other island by a land transport route. There are more than fifty uninhabited islands greater in size than 40 hectares (99 acres) in the Outer Hebrides, including the Barra Isles , Flannan Isles , Monach Islands , the Shiant Islands and
21842-584: The sphere of economics their policy apparently was of little service to the community. The Seaforth's royalist inclinations led to Lewis becoming garrisoned during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms by Cromwell's troops, who destroyed the old castle in Stornoway and in 1645 Lewismen fought on the royalist side at the Battle of Auldearn . A new era of Hebridean involvement in the affairs of the wider world
22005-521: The subject is recalled with bitterness and resentment in some areas. The position was exacerbated by the failure of the islands' kelp industry, which thrived from the 18th century until the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and large scale emigration became endemic. For example, hundreds left North Uist for Cape Breton , Nova Scotia . The pre-clearance population of the island had been almost 5,000, although by 1841 it had fallen to 3,870 and
22168-460: The surrounding area has a majority Protestant population, with most locals belonging to either The Kirk or the Free Church of Scotland . The church maintains a noticeable presence within the area, with church attendance notably higher than in other parts of Scotland. Religion continues to play an important role in Highland culture, with Sabbath observance still widely practised, particularly in
22331-563: The three sons of Gillespic son of ...... son of Gilchrist son of Malcolm son of Dugald mor son of Duffie son of Murdoch son of Finlay the rash, son of Murdoch son of Ferchar son of Cormac son of Oirbertaigh son of Ferchar fada son of Feredach. Donald and Niall and Malcolm the three sons of, Gillespic son of, Gillchrist son of, Malcolm son of, Dougall mor son of, Dubshithe son of, Murdoch son of, Finlaech cas son of, Murdoch son of, Ferchard son of, Cormac son of, Airbertach son of, Feradach . According to Skene in Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis ,
22494-410: The tombstones of MacDuffie (or Macfie , a former chief of the clan) and the cadets of his family. The principal stone bore the engraving of a birlinn , two handed claymore and the inscription " Hic jacit Malcolumbus MacDuffie de Collonsay " ("Here lies Malcolumbus MacDuffie of Colonsay"). The burial place of the Macfies was a small chapel, on the south side of the church on Oronsay. Another stone
22657-502: The traditional heartland of the Gaelic language. The islands form one of the 32 council areas of Scotland , which since 1998 has used only the Gaelic form of its name, including in English language contexts. The council area is called Na h-Eileanan an Iar ('the Western Isles') and its council is Comhairle nan Eilean Siar ('Council of the Western Isles'). Most of the islands have a bedrock formed from ancient metamorphic rocks, and
22820-455: The type of scenic beauty "popularly associated with Scotland and for which it is renowned". The three NSA within the Outer Hebrides are: Much of the archipelago is a protected habitat, including both the islands and the surrounding waters. There are 53 Sites of Special Scientific Interest of which the largest are Loch an Duin, North Uist (151 square kilometres (37,000 acres)) and North Harris (127 square kilometres (31,000 acres)). South Uist
22983-408: The works of Walter Scott . His "staging" of the visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822 and the king's wearing of tartan resulted in a massive upsurge in demand for kilts and tartans that could not be met by the Scottish woollen industry. Individual clan tartans were largely designated in this period and they became a major symbol of Scottish identity. This "Highlandism", by which all of Scotland
23146-682: The world in Australia , Canada , New Zealand , Scotland, Sweden , and the United States of America . The origin of name Macfie (and its variations) is from the Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíthe , which means "son of Duibhshíth ". This Gaelic personal name is composed of two elements: dubh ("black") + síth ("peace"). An early bearer of this personal name is recorded in the Annals of Ulster . This Dub Sidhe (Dubshidhe)
23309-407: Was 27,684. During the same period Scottish island populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702. The largest settlement in the Outer Hebrides is Stornoway on Lewis, which has a population of about 8,100. The population estimate for 2019 was 26,720 according to a Comhairle nan Eilean Siar report which added that "the population of the Outer Hebrides is ageing" and that "young adults [...] leave
23472-600: Was a Ewan Macphee who lived as an outlaw. Described as Scotland's last outlaw, he recognised no landowner, stole sheep, and raised a family upon a small island. Ewan Macphee was a young man when he was enlisted by his landlord into a Highland Regiment of the British Army . Macphee was said to have been an able soldier but he soon deserted the Army and fled to his native Glengarry, where he hid living in Feddan with his sister. For
23635-533: Was about to commence. With the implementation of the Treaty of Union in 1707 the Hebrides became part of the new Kingdom of Great Britain , but the clans' loyalties to a distant monarch were not strong. A considerable number of islandmen "came out" in support of the Jacobite Earl of Mar in the "15" although the response to the 1745 rising was muted. Nonetheless the aftermath of the decisive Battle of Culloden , which effectively ended Jacobite hopes of
23798-572: Was another chief of Clan Donald South. Colla Ciotach then captured Malcolm Macfie of Colonsay, among eighteen others, and handed them over to the Earl of Argyll. Malcolm Macfie, along with another rebel leader, received assurance for their lives by serving on the Government's side against the rebels while in the company of the Earl of Argyll. The Earl, in late 1615, presented the captured to the Privy Council . For several years both Colla Ciotach and
23961-466: Was dedicated as a memorial to the last chief of the clan, who was executed against it in 1623. In May 1981, Clan Macfie was formally recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms and later in November of that year, Earle MacPhee was appointed as Commander of Clan Macfie by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Following Earle MacPhee's death in 1982, Alexander (Sandy) Carpendale McPhie of Australia was appointed by
24124-574: Was followed, mostly in the period 1760–1850, by agricultural improvement that often (particularly in the Western Highlands) involved clearance of the population to make way for large scale sheep farms. Displaced tenants were set up in crofting communities in the process. The crofts were intended not to provide all the needs of their occupiers; they were expected to work in other industries such as kelping and fishing. Crofters came to rely substantially on seasonal migrant work, particularly in
24287-411: Was identified with the culture of the Highlands, was cemented by Queen Victoria's interest in the country, her adoption of Balmoral as a major royal retreat, and her interest in "tartenry". Recurrent famine affected the Highlands for much of its history, with significant instances as late as 1817 in the Eastern Highlands and the early 1850s in the West. Over the 18th century, the region had developed
24450-401: Was introduced into the region. Between the 1760s and the 1830s there was a substantial trade in unlicensed whisky that had been distilled in the Highlands. Lowland distillers (who were not able to avoid the heavy taxation of this product) complained that Highland whisky made up more than half the market. The development of the cattle trade is taken as evidence that the pre-improvement Highlands
24613-530: Was later to be absorbed into the earldom of Argyll , until it was sold in 1701 to McNeill or Crear. Without its own chief the clan became a "broken clan" and for the most part followed the Macdonalds of Islay, with Macfies/Macphees making up only a small proportion of the total population of Colonsay. A branch of the clan, after the collapse of the clan, settled in Lochaber and followed Cameron of Lochiel, chief of Clan Cameron . A Macfie (a Macphee of Clan Cameron)
24776-485: Was listed being the lector of the monastic community at Iona in the year 1164. The name Macfie (and its variations) is rendered as Mac a' Phì in modern Scottish Gaelic. According to a passage in the Carmina Gadelica , which was a collection of Gaelic folkloric poems from 1855 to 1910, there was a family on North Uist which was known as Dubh-sith (translation from Gaelic: "black fairy"), "from
24939-447: Was little more than a series of brief interludes within a longer continuum of indigenous development." The Romans' direct impact on the Highlands and Islands was scant and there is no evidence that they ever actually landed in the Outer Hebrides. The later Iron Age inhabitants of the northern and western Hebrides were probably Pictish , although the historical record is sparse. Hunter (2000) states that in relation to King Bridei I of
25102-402: Was not an immutable system, but did exploit the economic opportunities that came its way. The illicit whisky trade demonstrates the entrepreneurial ability of the peasant classes. Agricultural improvement reached the Highlands mostly over the period 1760 to 1850. Agricultural advisors, factors , land surveyors and others educated in the thinking of Adam Smith were keen to put into practice
25265-438: Was nothing known about the early history of Clan Macfie. Over a century after Skene, W. D. H. Sellar wrote that according to later Gaelic tradition, Dubside, ancestor of Clan Macfie, fostered Aonghas Mór , Lord of Islay (Sellar describes Aonghas Mór as the first MacDonald ). Martin , in his A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland of 1703, wrote that on the south side of the church of St. Columba on Oronsay, were
25428-581: Was on the other side of the boundary stream". His Regiment then sent a troop of soldiers to arrest him for desertion , though just as Macphee was about to be taken handcuffed aboard a steamer at Corpach, he managed to escape and fled his captors. Ewan Macphee lived for two years around the shores of Loch Arkaig before building a bothy on a small island in Loch Quoich , which has since born his name: Eilen Mhic Phee (translation from Scottish Gaelic : "MacPhee's island"). Macphee then took for his wife
25591-529: Was once thought to be Torridonian or Old Red Sandstone . The Outer Hebrides have a cool temperate climate that is remarkably mild and steady for such a northerly latitude , due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current . The average temperature for the year is 6 °C (44 °F) in January and 14 °C (57 °F) in summer. The average annual rainfall in Lewis is 1,100 millimetres (43 in) and sunshine hours range from 1,100 to 1,200 per year. The summer days are relatively long and May to August
25754-415: Was one of the two pipers at Glenfinnan , when on 19 August 1745 Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard and claimed both the Scottish and English throne in the name of his father James Francis Edward Stuart . The following year Macfies were among the Camerons, who were on the right flank at the Jacobite Army at the Battle of Culloden . A well-known character in Inverness-shire , in the 19th century,
25917-418: Was only 2,349 by 1931. The Highland potato famine (Gaiseadh a’ bhuntàta, in Scottish Gaelic), caused by a blight, started in 1846 and had a serious impact, because many islanders were crofters; potatoes were a staple of their diet. Violent riots became common. Charities, encouraged by George Pole and others in the Commissariat (a military agency) encouraged charities to come to the rescue. The Free Church
26080-430: Was particularly helpful, "delivering oatmeal to famine-affected families all across the West Highlands and Islands", according to one report. Another report states that the Church "was prompt in organising an efficient system of private charity across the Hebrides and on the Western seaboard. It cooperated with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Relief Committees". An interdenominational charity was in place by early 1847 and took
26243-411: Was registered in the Books of the Court of the Lord Lyon King of Arms on 29 August 1991. It is possible the tartan may date back to about the time of the first Macfie coats of arms were registered in the mid 19th century. However, it was first recorded in 1906, in Johnston's The Tartans of the Clans and Septs of Scotland . The tartan is very similar to the MacIver tartan – swapping the colour green for
26406-400: Was signed by landowners throughout the Scottish highlands , borders and the islands , requiring them to be responsible for the men who lived within their lands. The signing chiefs were required to come up with sureties equal to their wealth and lands for the peaceful conduct of their followers. In it the laird of Colonsay, "M'Fee of Collowsay" (Murdoch Macfie of Colonsay), is listed as one of
26569-416: Was traditionally the Gaelic-speaking part of Scotland, although the language is now largely confined to The Hebrides . The terms are sometimes used interchangeably but have different meanings in their respective languages. Scottish English (in its Highland form ) is the predominant language of the area today, though Highland English has been influenced by Gaelic speech to a significant extent. Historically,
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