Lairds of Glenlyon

122 THE LAIRDS OF GLENLYON.
Ghilleasbaig mhic Dhonnachaidh,
Thilg thu 'n urchair ud ceart,
Killamhairrchc 's Gleannlioinhunn,
Dh" aon sgriob ann ad chairt.
THE CLAN GREGOR
While we have a good deal of literature, both prose and verse, in
English and Gaelic about the long war waged by the Clan Gregor against
the State, and the persecution they suffered in consequence of that war,
it still remains for Mr. Skene, or some other historical antiquary, to
throw light upon the origin of the war, and of the clan itself. The Mac-
gregors claim descent from Kenneth and Alpin, but, as far as we can
learn from records, their surname only dates from the beginning of the
fifteenth century. No doubt the Dean of Lismore, or his curate, puts
down in the Chronicle of Fortingall the death of John Gregory — that
is, son of Gregor — of Glenorchy in 1390, but we suspect very strongly
that this was a reflex name, and that John's son, Gregor, who died in
1414, was the chief from whom his tribe took their surname. But by
what designation were they known before ? The Robertsons, who
were called Clan Donnachaidh from the time of Bannockburn till 1440,
then called themselves after their chief, Robert, of fighting celebrity.
Such changes of clan surnames were, indeed, rather conmon ; but the
curious thing about the Macgregors is that their history antecedent to
the end of the fourteenth century cannot be traced at all, and that in
the next century they are found to be a very large scattered tribe war-
ring with society, and developing a great deal of heroism and poetry
in their state of lawless savagery. Donnacha Beag— little Duncan —
he grandfather of that John who died in 1390, and who therefore prob-
ably lived as late as 1370, was the first of the line of chiefs of whom
the bard, Mac Gilliondaig, " am fear dan," ever heard. Now Mac
Gilliondaig composed his song in praise of Malcolm, the then chief of
the clan, at least twenty years before the Dean of Lismore's brother
Duncan wrote down the pedigree of John, the grandson of Malcolm,
"from the books of the genealogists of the Kings," as he says, and it
is Duncan whom we first find putting forth the claim of descent from
King Kenneth Mac Alpin, of which the older bard makes no mention
whatever. Duncan's pedigree is absurd on the face of it. Backward
from the then living chief, Black John (who died in 15 19), he gives the
links right enough to Donnacha Beag. Here they are ; — "John the