Tartan Samples

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A Brief History Clan MacDonald

Clan MacDonald (or Donald) is one of the oldest and largest clans in Scotland. It is a highland clan and their motto is ‘Per mare per terras’ ('By sea and by land'). 

The name MacDonald means “children of Donald” and is derived from Donald, grandson of Somerled, who was a 12th-century Gaelic hero and Lord of the Isles.

The MacDonalds' lands covered most of west Scotland during their largest period, and their chief was almost as powerful as the king.

The MacDonalds are infamous for their defeat in the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, but they were no strangers to violence, often attacking Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. In 1545 they looted the castle, taking its furniture, a cannon, and a gate.

A notable figure in the clan’s history was Flora, who was remembered for aiding Bonnie Prince Charlie on his journey from the island of Benbecula to Skye following his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Finlaggan Castle on Islay and Armadale Castle on Skye are regarded as the spiritual homes of the clan.

The MacDonald tartan is composed of greens and blues overlaid with a bright red sett pattern. The tartan is available in both ancient and modern, the latter using darker shades of green and blue. With over 40 tartans, it encompasses the senior branches of Keppoch, Sleat, Clanranald, Glengarry, and Glencoe.