Fairy Flag of Dunvegan

FAIRY FLAG OF DUNVEGAN

I would like to write something light -- about a Fairy Flag and it's magical properties. It is lore from the MacLeod of MacLeods' a cousin member of my Clan Gunn. As a sept to both Clans, I belong to both as my father before me - Clan Gunn and Clan MacLeod. I think this shows the Irish connection of Clan MacLeod of Lewis and Harris, not only in folklore, but due to intermarriage of the Clan with the Irish mainland, as well as the Scots mainland.

There is a tale I would like to share with you on the list. It is a tale about a Castle, a Fairy Flag, and it's lore: ~~

"It has been said that there is no finer castle in all Scotland than that of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. It stands proudly on an eminence a little way from the villege of Dunvegan, and from its towers one can gaze across tree-tops and blue waters to the hills of Duirinish, MacLeod's Tables, Healaval Moor and Healaval Beg, southwards to the Cullins and eastwards across brown rolling moors.

It is not surprising that many legends hae been woven round so impressive and beautiful a fortress which, according to old tales, dates back to the tenth century. But without doubt the best known story is told about the Fairy Flag. This relic is still to be seen hanging in a glass case upon Dunvegan castle wall. It is no more than a faded scrap of cloth, yellow and fragile with age, ready, it would seem, to crumble to dust if touched by human hands.

The orgin of the Fairy Flag must remain unknown. One tale tells of a chieftain of the MacLeods who entered a fairy hill where he met a beautiful maiden. He fell in love with her and begged her to be his wife. The fairy maiden agreed on condition that he would release her from mortal life at the end of twenty years. They lived happily in the great castle until the time came for MacLeod's lady to return to fairyland.

One day as they stood on a little bridge near the castle MacLeod was dismayed to hear her remind him of his promise. He loved her dearly, and the thought of parting grieved him so much that he tried to hold her back. But the call of Fairyland in her ears was stronger even than the love she bore for her lord. She escaped from his embrace, ran into the woods before he could follow and was never seen again. MacLeod was left in sorrow with a scrap of her gown clutched in his hand, and this is said to be the magic Fairy Flag of Dunvegan.

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Another tale claims that the Flag is part of a cover that the fairies laid one day on an infant chieftain to preserve him from evil; while yet another relates its orgin to a crusade undertaken by a chief to the Holy Land. There he encountered a she-devil who fought with him and left the hem of her dress in his fingers before she fled back to the underworld.

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Whatever its origin the Flag was known to have supernatural properties. Three times could its possessors wave it to call for help in distress. It has been waved on two occasions. The first time an infant MacLeod was at the point of death; the Flag was waved and the child recovered. The second time it was waved it rallied MacLeod's men to victory in battle.

The *Flag has yet to be waved for the last time. When that occasion arises it is doubtful if the fabric will do more than fall in dust. Meantime it remains for all to see, an interesting and awe-inspiring reminder of a promise given to the great chiefs of MacLeod by the mysterious wee folk hundreds of years ago".

Taken from 'Folk Tales of the Highlands' by Gregor Ian Smith
Presented to you by Lady Nancy A. MacCorkill, f.s.a.s. of Clans Gunn & MacLeod of Lewis.

*The Fairy flag does indeed reside on the Castle wall, preserved under glass, at Dunvegan Castle. It has many small pieces cut from it about the size of postage stamps. MacLeod warriors cut these pieces to carry into battle with them to protect them. It is said that Scots from Dunvegan carried a small piece of the flag with them into WWII, and came back!

Sounds like an Irish tale does it not? But it was the Scottish Island nation of Skye and Lewis and the Irish influence is a mere six miles away.~~~

Presented for your enjoyment,

Skye in Olden Times

Of late years, and even this present season, much has been written about this interesting Island by tourists and others; yet there are many relics, legends, and subjects of folk-lore connected with the far-famed "Isle of Mist" which have not as yet been fully developed. Such learned and enthusiastic gentlemen as the late Alexander Smith, Sheriff Nicolson of Kirkcudbright, and others, have given vivid descriptions of the unrivalled scenery of this remarkable island; yet still much remains to be explored and detailed as to the origin, history, and antiquity of the numberless duns or forts which once surrounded and protected it. With each and all of these romantic places of defence there is a history connected, and where that history is not reliable and confirmed by facts, the blank is amply supplied by fanciful but interesting legends, handed down from ancient days by tradition, and fostered by the natural feelings and superstitious beliefs of the natives.

How well if the talented "Nether-Lochaber" were located even for a month in this interesting isle, to enjoy the pure hospitality and friendship of its proverbially kind inhabitants. How well were he to roam freely amid its peaked mountains and shaded valleys, to visit its duns and strongholds, and its variegated natural curiousities, and withal to make his magic pen bear upon its archaeological stores and its numberless specimens of interesting folk-lore. My learned friend would feel no ordinary interest in handling, if not in wrapping himself in, the Fairy Flag preserved in Dunvegan Castle. This mystic flag is the palladium of the Macleod chiefs, and if tradition be true, the fortunes of that brave clan depend upon it. Miraculous properties were given to the celebrated banner by a Saracen chief, who presented it to one of the Macleods, or "Siol Tormaid," during the Crusades, with an assurance that so long as it was preserved, no injury would befall the family.

Skye is a lovely isle! Perhaps no other locality in the United Kingdom is so well calculated to afford such a number of romantic and picturesque subjects for the brush of the painter, yet it may be said with equal truth, that there is no other region in our dominions so sure to furnish the pen of the archaeologist with more befitting materials than this winged misty isle.

Speaking of duns and forts, there were three in the island which surpassed all others in their strong and almost impregnable defensive fortifications. These were Dunskaich, in the parish of Sleat (a fort alluded to by Ossian), and Duntulm Castle, in the parish of Kilmuir, both of which are now in complete ruins; and the third was Dunvegan Castle, in the parish of Duirinish, which is still inhabited by the Macleods of Macleod. These forts were almost impregnable, having been provided with wide moats and strong drawbridges, and all the implements of warfare used in these remote and warlike times.

Duntulm was the stronghold of the Lords of the Isles, the powerful "Clann Domhnuill," before they removed to Monkstadt, and Armadale Castle in the parish of Sleat. In the same way Dunvegan Castle was the stronghold of "Clann Tormaid," that is the Macleods of Macleod, who were likewise great warriors and very powerful as a clan.

These two septs or clans had extensive possessions and steadfast retainers. They never wanted their distinctive race of pipers and bards. The Macdonalds had the Macarthurs for ages in this capacity, while the Macleods of Dunvegan had the far-famed MacCrimmons for a long succession of centuries.

Bloody feuds existed very frequently between these rebellious clans as well as between them and the surrounding chiefs on the mainland, such as the Mackenzies, the Macleans, the Macdonalds of Clanranald, and many others.

Some centuries ago one of the chieftains of Sleat had a daughter married to Macleod of Dunvegan, but unfortunately they did not live happily together. On one occasion the quarrel betwixt husband and wife became so desperate, that Macleod sent her home to her father, when the father in return sent her back to her husband.

Much about this time a number of Highland chiefs met at Dunvegan Castle to hold a sort of council with Macleod relative to some feudal differences. There were present Macdonald of the Isles, Mackinnon of Strathswordale, Maclean of Duart and of Lochbui, Macleod of Lewis, MacGhillechalluim of Raasay, and others. Each chieftain had his piper and bard along with him. In this conclave it was interalia agreed that the bard who made the best "rann" or rhyme in praise of his own master was to receive a prize or badge of honour immediately after breakfast the next day.

Macdonald of the Isles had Macarthur, his own piper and bard, there with the rest. He was commonly called "Uilleam MacBeathaig." Lady Macleod having come to understand that the competition was to take place, felt a deep interest in the success of "MacBeathaig," her father's bard. She had a private interview with him, and told him that he behoved to compose a "rann" or poem setting forth that she, as daughter of the Lord of the Isles, was of higher descent and of nobler blood than Macleod her husband, who strongly maintained the reverse. As a reward for his services, the good lady promised him a "triubhas" of "clodh breac scarlaid"; being a cloth that she herself had prepared for her husband. MacBeathaig said but little to the lady at the time, but requested her to tell him when breakfast was over next morning.

During the rest of that day, MacBeathaig remained pensively silent, while the other bards taunted him by saying, "Come on, William, come on, my man, you do not attempt any preparation to praise your master at all. You see and hear how we are exerting ourselves." MacBeathaig retorted and said:-

"Se sinn fein a mholamaid,
Mar linne loma-lan;
Na h-uile sruthain a's tana,
'S iad a's airde gair."

"Our praise of self
Is like a full flood;
While all the shallowest streams
Will make the loudest noise."

MacBeathaig in bold, firm language expressed himself in the following emphatic terms:-

"Cha'n fheudar beannailt ri luchd nan
combladh, 'S ann de'm ioghnadh;
Fhuair sibh tigh agus leth Alba,
Le neart bhur daoine;
MacIonmhuinn, MacIlleatghan, 's Macleod Leothais,
Truir bha 'feitheamh dreuchd
A'n teachd Mhic Dhomhnuill;
Fear-ionaid MhicLeoid a'Dunbhegain -
Dorsair seomair, -
'S bu mhath an inbh dha
Bhi 'feitheamh comhlaidh;
Morair Hundaidh nan each seanga,
Dha 'm biodh mor-shluagh,-
Bhiodh esan am freasdail stiorraip
'N am tearnaidh;
Fhuair iad duais mhaith a' cheann sin,
'Badenach o cheann gu ceann di,-
Aca tha i - aca tha i."

Macleod attentively listened to the rhyme, but, furious with rage, he addressed the bard saying, "A chon bhodaich, rinn thu luchd-muinntir uile dhinn" (You churlish dog, you made servants of us all). The bard said nothing, but, turning on his heel, went to his own chamber.

Macleod knowing well that MacBeathaig's poem was the best, soon followed him with the badge, promised to the best bard, in his hand, and, having entered the room, said, "Thig an so, a 'MhicBeathaig, agus gabh do dhuais" (Come hither, acBeathaig, and receive your badge).

The bard, according to the following emphatic words, looked upon the badge with scorn, and told Macleod plainly, but sarcastically, that he would receive a badge or reward in the halls of music and song from his own great heroic chief, "Domhnull Gorm;" and not only so, but would enjoy that distinguished hero's hospitality in all manner of profuseness and comfort. -

" 'S ann a gheibhinn mo dhuais
Ann an talla nan teud,
Bho Dhomhnull Gorm, an t'armunn treun
ceum,
Bho Dhomhnull Gorm, bu clonhnard
Fodh chomhrag arm,-
Bho Dhomhnull Gorm, 'nan cliar 's nan
creach,
Mo bhiadh 's mo dheoch,
M' uisge-beatha 's m'fhion gu moch,
'S mo ghrian air loch."