Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 3

THE CELTIC MAGAZINE. 131
been slain, and the family of Fowlis lost eleven members of tlieir house
alone, with many of the leading men of their clan.* No authority has
ever identified the Baron of KintaU, or Clann Choinnich, with this deadly
skirmish, and it is quite evident from this that the Clan Tarlich, or Mac-
lennans, and the Macraes, although usually following the banner of
the Llackenzies, were at that time independent septs. It also points to a
reversion of ancient animosities between those tribes from the west, and
those of Brae Boss, in the east, with wliich the personal followers of the
Chief of Clan Kenneth could have had nothing to do ; and besides, by
aU accounts, Alexander of Kintail was absent from home attending to his
duties at Court, attempting a reconciliation between the King and the
Earl of Boss ; and, even if at home, he was usually found more zealous
and successful in the past in suppressing such disturbances of the King's
peace than in fomenting them.
There has been a considerable difference of opinion as to the date of
this desperate encounter, but it is now finally set at rest by the discovery
of a positive date in the Fowlis papers, where it is said that " George, the
IV. Laird, and his son, begotten on Balnagown's daughter, were killed at
the conflict of Beallach na Brog, in the year 1452, and Ding^vaU of Kil-
dun, with several or their friends and followers, in taking back the Earl
of Boss's second son from Clan Iver, Clan Tarlich or Maclennans, and
Clan Leod."t
Angus Og, after many bloody conflicts with his father, finally over-
threw him at the battle of the Bloody Bay,J at Ardnamurchan, obtained
possession of all the extensive territories of his clan, and was recognised
as its legitimate head. He was now determined to punish Mackenzie for
having taken his father's part at Court, and otherwise, during the rebellion,
and swore that he would recover from him the great possessions which
originally belonged to his predecessors, the Lords of the Isles, but noAV
secured by Eoyal charter to the Baron of Kintad. With this view he
marched to attack him, and made for Inverness, where he expected to
meet the now aged Mackenzie returning from his attendance at Court.
He, however, reckoned without his host, and instead of killing Mackenzie,
he was himself assassinated by an Irish hai-per. This foul, but well-
merited, tragic close to such a diabolical career, is recorded in the " Bed
Book " of Clanranald as follows : — " Donald, the son of Angus that was
kiUed at Inverness by his own harper, son of John of the Isles, son of
Alexander, sou of Donald, son of John, son of Angus Og." This must
have occurred about 1485. Alexander was the first who lived at Kinellan,
whUe he had Brahan as a " maines," or farm, both of which his successors
held from the King for a yearly rent until Kenneth feued Brahan and
Colin, his son, feued Kinellan. The Earl of Sutheiland had show n many
* "AmoHg the rest ther wer slain eleven Monroes of the House of FouUs, that wer
to succeed one after another ; so that the succeshit.n of Foulls fell unto a cLiyld then
lying in his cradle." — Hir Eohert Gordon's History of the Earldom of Hutherland, p. 3l3.
+ The Earl of Cromarty gives a ditferent version, and says that the battle or skir-
mish took place in the year immediately after the Battle of Harlavv. In this he is
manifestly incorrect. The Highlanders to defend themselves from the airuvps of their
enemies, with their belts tied their shoes ou their breasts, hence the name " Bealach nam
Brog," or the Pass of the Shoes.
X Tobermory.