Clan Donald Magazine No11 (1987) Online
The Well of the Heads (Tobar Nan Ceann)
Work of restoration is to commence on
the monument which was erected at the instance of Colonel Alasdair
Ranaldson MacDonell, 15th Chief of Glengarry, in 1812, on the bank
of Loch Oich, over the well near Invergarry where, according to
tradition, the severed heads of the seven murderers of Alexander,
13th Chief of Keppoch and his brother Ranald were washed by Iain Lom,
the Gaelic Poet Laureate of Scotland and himself a kinsman of the
victims.
Unfortunately the details given in the
inscription on the monument, which is in Gaelic, Latin, French and
English respectively on its four sides, is inaccurate both regarding
the time and details of the event. The Murder took place at Keppoch
on 25th September, 1663, and is said to have been committed by
Alexander MacDonald of Inverlair and his six sons who had been set
up by other prominent members of the Clan to rid them of a chief
whose reforming methods were more than they could or were willing to
endure.
Iain Lom, incensed that no efforts were
being made to punish the culprits, first appealed to Lord MacDonell
and Aros, Chief of Glengarry, at that time looked upon by the Scots
Privy Council as High Chief of Clan Donald, to exact retribution for
the crime, but in vain. The Bard then turned his attention to Sir
James MacDonald of Sleat but that Chief too hesitated to become
involved in the internal affairs of a brother clan. The Bard of
Keppoch then resolved to visit Sir James in person at his Castle of
Duntulm, where the murdered Chief of Keppoch and his brother had
been fostered, and on his arrival, Sir James asked in Gaelic "Where
do you come from?" "From Laodicea" answered Iain. "Are they cold or
hot in that place?" enquired Sir James. "Abel is cold and his blood
is crying in vain for vengeance. Cain is hot and red-handed and
hundreds are lukewarm as the black goat's milk," replied Iain.
The Bard's personal appeal was
successful. Sir James applied to the Privy Council for a commission
to proceed against the murderers and a Royal Commission to that
effect was granted on 29th July, 1665, instructing Sir James to
apprehend "Allan MacDonald, eldest son of the Tutor of Keppoch, his
brother Donald Gorm, Alexander Mac Dougall (MacDonald) in Inverlair,
in the Brae of Lochaber, John Roy Mac Dougall (MacDonald) brother to
the said Alexander, Donald Orie Mac Coull there, Dugall Mac Coull in
Tallie, Patrick Dunbar there and others for ... setting upon
Alexander MacDonald of Keppoch and MacDonald his brother, by giving
the said Alexander 33 great wounds and the said (Ranald) MacDonald
his brother 28 wounds of which they immediately died upon the
place."
The command of the expedition sent to
execute the commission was given to Sir James' brother Archibald,
known as An Ciaran Mabach, the warrior poet, who, with a party of 50
picked men and guided by Iain Lom surprised the murderers at their
residence in Inverlair who after a stiff resistance were all slain
and their heads cut off by the Bard who wrapped them in his plaid
and set out for Invergarry to exhibit them before lord MacDonell and
Aros, washing them en route in the aforementioned well which has
ever since borne the name of Tobar nan Ceann i.e. The Well of the
Heads.
The inscription on the monument by the Celtic scholar, Ewen
MacLachlan, which states that the event took place in the 16th
century and that it was avenged by Glengarry is, as already stated,
totally inaccurate. It is therefore worthy of consideration that a
plaque be erected beside the monument giving a more accurate if
brief account of the event and its aftermath.
The estimated cost of the work of restoration is �7,500, almost half
of which is being provided by the Glencoe Foundation Inc. of the
USA, which was set up by Ellice McDonald, Jr., CBE (Hon.) and the
remainder by the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the
Highland Regional Council. The Clan Donald Society of Edinburgh has
also made a donation of �100. The actual work of restoration will be
carried out at the instance of the Clan Donald Lands trust through
its international Director, Rob McDonald Parker.
N.H.M.
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