Clan MacNeacail
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Clan MacNeacail, or Clan MacNicol, is a Highland Scottish clan long associated with the Isle of Skye.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Origins of the Clan
The supposed progenitor of the the Clan MacNeacail is first recorded as Mackrycul. MacNeacail (Scottish Gaelic), is anglicized as MacNicol, Nicholson/Nicolson and literally means "Son of Nicol." Nicol, a diminutive of Nicholas (Greek: Νικόλαος "Victory People"), was first brought to the British Isles by the Normans,[1] and was a very common medieval name.[2]
There was a tradition that the MacNeacails were situated in Lewis in ancient times. The Indweller of Lewis wrote around 1678 and 1688 of such tradition.[3] He stated that the first and most ancient inhabitants of Lewis were three men of three different races; Mores, Iskair MacAulay, and Macnaicle. Also, it was through marriage to Macnaicle's daughter that the Macleods became dominant in Lewis.[4]
On Lewis the ravine seperating Dùn Othail from the mainland is called "Leum Mhac Nicol" (Scottish Gaelic), Nicholson's Leap. Legend was that a MacNicol for a certain crime was sentenced by the chief of Lewis to be castrated. In revenge he ran off with the chief's only child to the ravine and leaped across the chasm. MacNicol threatened to throw the child into the sea unless the chief himself agreed to be mutilated as well. Attempts at rescuing the child failed and the chief finally agreed to the mans terms. Just as the chief consented MacNicol leaped over the cliff and into the sea with the child crying out in gaelic. "I shall have no heir, and he shall have no heir."[5]
The first MacNeacail chief on record in Scotland was John, son of Neacal in the early fourteenth century. He appears in the company of leading Hebridean chiefs, Macdonald, Macdougald and Macruairi, descendants of Somerled who had wrested control of the southern Hebrides. In Skye, home of the MacNeacail chieftains, an accommodation was eventually reached in which the Mac Neacail became administrators, or "tacksmen," for the MacLeods. When a Skye sheriff named Nicolson retired in the 1980's, it was noted locally as the end of a chain of Mac Neacail leadership going back almost a thousand years on that island.
[edit] Wars of Scottish Independence
in the 14th century during the Wars of Scottish Independence the Clan MacNeacil fought against the English for King Robert I of Scotland at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
[edit] 15th Century
The Clan MacNeacail are known to have supported the Clan Donald and their chief who was Lord of the Isles. The MacNeacils were considerd important enough to sit on the MacDonald's council.
[edit] Clan Profile
- Gaelic Names: MacNeacail (Surname) & Clann 'icNeacail (Collective).
- Motto: Meminisse sed Providere.
- Slogan: "Scorrybreac".
- Crest: A hawk’s head erased Gules
- Plant badge: Bramble in Flower Proper
- Arms: Or, a chevron between three hawk's heads erased Gules
- Chief: John MacNeacail of MacNeacail and Scorrybreac. The Chief resides in Ballina, NSW, Australia.
[edit] Clan Seat
- Scorrybreac, Isle of Skye, Scotland
[edit] Septs of Clan MacNeacail
- Nicolson
- Nicholson
- MacNicol
- Nicol
- Nicoll
- Nichol
- Nicolls
- Nicholls
- Nickel
- Nickell
[edit] Notes
- ^ Black, George Fraser, The Surnames of Scotland : Their Origin, Meaning and History, p.628-629
- ^ Reaney, Percy H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, p.322
- ^ Thomas, Capt., F. W. L., "Traditions of the MacAulays of Lewis", Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland., Vol.14., p.364-365
- ^ Maidment, James, The Spottiswoode Miscellany: A Collection of Original Papers and Tracts, Illustrative Chiefly of the Civil And Ecclesiastical History Of Scotland., Vol.2., p.341
- ^ Thomas, Capt. F. W. L., "On the Duns of the Outer Hebrides". Archaeologica Scotica: Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland., Vol.5 (1890), p.371
[edit] References
- History of MacNicol, Nicolson, Nicholson. History. Retrieved on 04/04, 2005.
- Black, George Fraser. (1946). The Surnames of Scotland : Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York.
- Maidment, James. (1844). The Spottiswoode Miscellany: A Collection of Original Papers and Tracts, Illustrative Chiefly of the Civil And Ecclesiastical History Of Scotland., Vol.2., The Spottiswoode society
- Reaney, Percy H. (2005). A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0192806637
- Thomas, Capt., F. W. L. (1880). "Traditions of the MacAulays of Lewis". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland., Vol.14.
- Thomas, Capt., F. W. L. (1890). "On the Duns of the Outer Hebrides". Archaeologica Scotica: Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland., Vol.5.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Clan MacNicol in North America
- Clan MacNicol Australia
- Canadian Clan MacNicol Society
- Clan MacNeacail {MyClan}
- Clan Nicolson Genealogy", by James L. Nicolson.
