Pillage and murder in the Small Isles

One of the more bloody events in the Small Isles was Lachlan MacLean of Duart’s invasion of the islands in 1588.

He had been feuding with the MacIans of Ardnamurchan and Clanranald so the whole group was attacked. He had managed to procure a hundred soldiers from the Spanish Armada's ship Juan de Sicilia in exchange for provisions after the ship had taken shelter in Tobermory bay. MacLean is alleged to have plundered and burnt all the dwellings on the islands and put to the sword all those who survived the fires. He ended up in jail in Edinburgh but his main crime was using foreign soldiers, not the murder of the citizens!

Two places on Muck are associated with this massacre: Tobar na Ceann (the Well of the Heads) which is south east of the Marquis park and Linne na Marbh (the Pool of the Dead) which is where the burn comes down to the shore East of Gallanach farmhouse. The island would have been quickly repopulated with (Clanranald) people from Ardnamurchan as it was renowned for its fertility.

Contributed by Catriona White, farmer and local historian

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