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Here is a item of news that
may be of interest to your readers, especially clansmen abroad.
I was engaged in following
up a lead to an historic incident that occurred between a Macfarlane Chief
known as "Anndra am fhiosrachair" ( Andrew the Wizard ) who was a
contemporary of my direct ancestor "Alasdair nan Cleas" ( Alasdair of the
Tricks ) or ledgerdamain ( sleight of hand ).
Andrew was Chief of the
Macfarlanes whose duthus or clan territory is Arrochar, Luss and Loch
Lomond districts of Scotland. The are descended from the Celtic Earls of
Lennox.
As a result, we have
uncovered a clan blood-tie. The Earl of Lennox's daughter Mary married
Alasdair Carragh 1st Chief of Keppoch, Dominus de Lochaber, son of the
Lord of the Isles and Princess Margaret
Stewart, King Robert II eldest daughter...
Alasdair nan Cleas's
daughter was married to Macfarlane of Luss. He and Andrew spent their
youth together both at college in Rome and India where they learned the
"Black Arts". They also spent time together in Lochaber and Arrochar where
they would put their magical skills to the test, in personal challenges,
to see who could outwit the other in performing their tricks and slight of
hand with playing cards. They were also both poets and musicians and very
well educated young men. Alasdair was one of the longest serving Chiefs of
Keppoch, 48 years. He died in 1637.
You probably have
information on the Macfarlane clan on your web site. As a result of our
recent collaboration and correspondence, we have drawn closer together as
a clan. Today, I received 'out of the blue' a generous donation of £100
towards the Keppoch Memorial Fund. They picked up details from my web site
<
www.macdonaldofkeppoch.org >
Yours sincerely
MacDonald of Keppoch |
