Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

THE
Celtic Magazine.
No. L. DECEMBER, 1879. Vol. V.
HISTORY OF THE MACDONALDS,
AND
THE LORDS OF THE ISLES.
By the Editor.
II.
From the death of Suibiie to the accession of Gillebride, father of Somer-
led, little or nothing is known of the ancestors of the Macdonalds. Gille-
bride was expelled from his possessions in the Scottish Higlilands by the
Danes and the Fiongalls, whereupon he took refuge in Ireland, and after-
wards prevailed upon the descendants of Colla, to assist him in an attempt
to obtain possession of his ancient inheritance in Scotland. Four or five
hundred of these joined him and accompanied him to Alban, but he was
unsuccessful and failed to secure his object. It was only after this, that
Somerled for the first time, comes into notice. He appears to have been
of a very dili'erent temper to liis father. At first he lived in retirement,
musing in silent solitude, over the ruined fortunes of his family. He,
when a favourable opportunity presented itself, as already stated, placed
himself at the head of the people of Morven ; attacked the Norwegians,
whom, after a long and desperate struggle, he expeUed from the district ;
and ultimately made himself master, in addition to Morven, of Lochaber
and Argyle. When David the First, in 1135, expeUed the Norwegians
from Man, Arran, and Bute, Somerled obtained a grant of those islands
from the king. " But finding himself unable to contend with the Nor-
wegians of the Isles, whose power remained unbroken, he resolved to re-
cover by policy what he despaired of acquiring by force of arms;" and,
with this view, he succeeded in obtaining, about 1140, the hand of
Ragnhildis, daughter of Olave, surnamed the Red, then the Norwegian
King of the Isles. The following curious account relating how Somerled
secured the daughter of Olave the Red, is recorded in the Macdonald MS. :
• — " Olay encamped at Loch Stoma, Sommerled came to the other side of
the loch, and cried out if Olay was there, and how he fared] Olay re-
plied that he was well. Then said Sommerled, I come from Sommerled,
Thane of Argyle, who promises to assist you conditionally, in your expedi-
tion i)rovided you bestow your daughter on him. Olay answered that he
•would not give him his daughter, and that he knew he himself was the
man ; but that he and his men should follow him in his expedition. So
D