Gaelic Name:	Mac Ghille Sheathanaich
Motto:	Fide et fortitudine (By fidelity and fortitude)
Badge:	Red whortleberry
Lands:	Strathspey
Origin of Name:	Gaelic, Seaghdha (Pithful)

History
The Shaw clan is derived from Shaw MacDuff, who was a younger son of the Thane of Fife. Shaw was made keeper of the royal castle of Inverness and his heirs became known as the 'Mhic an Toiseach' or the 'sons of the Thane'.

The Shaw family were constantly beset by the belligerent powers of their neighbours, Clan Comyn, and they sought support by allying themselves through marriage to the powerful MacDonalds. From this union emerged the large tribal confederation to be known as the Clan Chattan, and from this the first chief of Clan Shaw.

The clan Shaw went on to become one of the principal septs of Clan Chattan. The second, and best known, chief of the clan was Shaw Macghillechrist Mhic Iain, who was commonly known as 'Sgorghiaclach', which translates as 'bucktooth'. He led the clan Chattan under the notorious Wolf of Badenoch, most notably on the legendary raid on Angus in 1391.

The Clan Chattan took part in a long standing feud with the neighbouring Cameron clan, which threatened the stability of the whole neighbourhood. It was decided to resolve this dispute with a trial by combat of champions. Shaw Bucktooth led the clan Chattan and over sixty Highlanders fought at Perth before an illustrious audience, which included the Dauphin of France.

Today the clan Shaw is recognised as a line of unbroken continuity to the ancient earls of Fife.

Gaelic Name:	MacDhaibhidh
Motto:	Sapienter si sincere, (Wisely if sincerely)
Badge:	Red whortleberry
Origin of Name:	Gaelic Daibhidh (David)
Pipe Music:	Tulloch Castle

History
Before the 1300s the most powerful family Scotland had ever known were the Comyns, dominating the Grampians, Buchan and Moray. It was prudent for many families to associate themselves with the Comyns for protection and prosperity.

With their policies of pure self-interest they were the enemy of Robert the Bruce and in 1306 John, the ‘Red Comyn’, was slain by Bruce ‘at the altar rails’ in Dumfries. Bruce destroyed the family completely by 1308. This left many families without protective association.

Donald Dubh of Invernahaven, having married the daughter of the sixth chief of the MacKintoshes, took his family, the Clan Dhai, as the Davidsons were then known, into association with the MacKintoshes when William was their seventh chief. Dhai was the Gaelic name the family had inherited from their first leader David Dubh.

The MacKintoshes were part of the Clan Chattan confederation and so too became the Davidsons. There were jealousies within the confederation because of favouritism shown to the MacKintoshes by the Captain of Clan Chattan and the Davidsons invariably found themselves called into fights by numerous peers.

In the end the association the family entered, far from benefiting them, almost brought about their extinction.

When several branches of Clan Chattan grouped to fight the Camerons in 1370, the MacPhersons, because of an on-going dispute with the Davidsons, withdrew from the fight while in sight of the enemy, and the Camerons defeated those who stayed. The Davidsons suffered badly in the battle.

In 1396 the Davidsons and MacPhersons fought side by side at the clan battle on the North Inch of Perth. When the combat was over there were only eleven enemy alive and only one Davidson.

The strongest lines of the family became the Davidsons of Tulloch, in Ross-shire, and the Davidsons of Cantray, in Inverness. Tulloch Castle was built in 1466 and a branch of this family can be found in France, where the Livre d’Or shows six generations of nobility before 1629.

Gaelic Name:	Stiùbhard
Motto:	Virescit vulnere virtus (Courage grows strong at a wound)
Badge:	Thistle
Lands:	Renfrewshire, Teviotdale and Lauderdale
Origin of Name:	From the High Steward of Scotland
Pipe Music:	Bratach Bhan nan Stiubhartach (The white banner of the Stewarts)

History
The Stewart family records its traditional descent from Banquo, Thane of Lochaber, who makes an appearance as a character in William Shakespeare's MacBeth. Historically, however, the family appears to be descended from an ancient family who were senechals of Dol in Brittany.

They acquired lands in England after the Norman conquest and moved to Scotland when David I ascended to the throne of Scotland. The family were granted extensive estates in Renfrewshire and East Lothian and the office of High Steward was made hereditary in the family.

It is through marriage with the daughter of Robert the Bruce that we can begin to trace the descent of the Royal House of Stewart. The royal line of male Stewarts continued uninterrupted until the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. As a family, the Royal Stewarts held the throne of Scotland, and later that of England, in the direct line until the death of Queen Anne in 1714. In fact, the present Royal family still has Stewart blood links.

The Stewart tartan is worn by the regimental pipers of the Scots Guards and was referred to by King George V as "my personal tartan". Known as the "Royal Tartan", it is still traditionally the official tartan of the Royal House of Scotland.

The Stewarts of Appin form the West Highland branch of the great Royal family of Stewart, and have come to form a branch clan of considerable importance. Through marriage with the family of Lorne they became firstly Lords of Lorne and subsequently received a grant of lands at Appin. It was at Appin that was built the family seat of the Stewarts of Appin Castle Stalker, on the Cormorant's Rock at Loch Linnhe. It is from this location that was derived the rallying cry of the clan 'Creag an Sgairbh', or in English 'Cormorant's Rock'. Castle Stalker was built as a seat for royal hunting and fowling expeditions and is still one of Scotland's finest sights.

The Stewarts of Appin were staunchly Jacobite and in the aftermath of the 1745 rising, the famous Appin murder took place. This incident is immortalised by Robert Louis Stevenson in his novel 'Kidnapped'. The chief of clan Appin, Allan Breck Stewart was the main suspect for the killing of Colin Campbell. He escaped justice however, and his half brother was arrested and tried by jury composed entirely of Campbell men. Not surprisingly, he was convicted and was later hanged. Today a cairn marks the place of his execution.

Another famous branch are the Stewarts of Atholl are directly descended from one of the most notorious Stewarts of the fourteenth century Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, more commonly known as 'The Wolf of Badenoch'. Alexander is most widely known for leading the raid which led to the burning of Elgin Cathedral in 1391. Later he built his stronghold the Castle of Garth and settled there. The descendants of Alexander Stewart became known as Athollmen and gave their allegiance to the new Murray Earls of Atholl.

In 1822 an estimate was recorded that there were upwards of 4,000 Stewarts living in the province of Atholl, all descended from this one individual. The Atholl Stewarts were renowned for their fighting strength, and were able to raise a fighting force of 1,500 men during the reign of William of Orange.

They were also present in force at the Battle of Killiecrankie.This prowess in battle is celebrated by the fact that the present Duke of Atholl maintains the Atholl Highlanders as the only private army in the kingdom.

Gaelic Name:	MacIain
Motto:	Nunquam non paratus (Never unprepared)
Badge:	Red Hawthorn
Lands:	Borders and Aberdeenshire
Origin of Name:	John's son

History
Whenever there has been a Borders battle, the Johnstons have never been far away.

The first person recorded with this name was John Johnston, who, in 1174, gave his name to the land in Annandale, Dumfries-shire which he had been granted. He had a son Gilbert, whose name appears in records from 1194. Gilbert’s grandson was Sir John of Johnston, a knight of the county of Dumfries. When the Ragman Roll was drawn up to carry the names of those swearing fealty to England’s Edward I in 1296, Sir John signed.

However, Perth was at that time known as St Johnston, and Johnstonburn in East Lothian was then called Jonystoun. From these areas too records began to show families taking the Johnston name as their own. Thirdly, from Strathspey in the Highlands, Stephen the Clerk and Margaret, heiress of Sir Andrew Garioch, would marry and start a family which would eventually be known as Johnston.

But it was the fighting Johnstons of the Western Borders who would proliferate and develop their power greatest. Sir John’s great-great-grandson, Adam, was Laird of Johnston around 1413, and in 1448 fought in the Battle of Sark.

Adam’s son supported James II in putting down the Douglases, and won their lands of Buittle and Sannoch near Threave Castle as reward.

John, eldest son of Adam, was progenitor of the Annandale branch and his brother Matthew, marrying the daughter of the Earl of Angus, was progenitor of the Westerhall branch. John’s offspring would become the main Johnston family.

On 7th December 1593 was the Battle of Dryfe Sands near Lockerbie after a long-time feud between the Johnstons and the Maxwells. The Maxwells fared badly that day and Lord Maxwell, most powerful man in southern Scotland, was slain. A meeting of reconciliation in 1608 was where the ninth Lord Maxwell avenged his father with Johnston’s life. In 1614 he was brought to book and hanged.

By the start of the 1700s the chief of the Johnstons had been raised to rank of Marquess of Annandale and Secretary of State and John, 2nd of Westerhall, was a baronet of Nova Scotia

Gaelic Name:	MacLaomainn
Motto:	Ne parcas nec spernas (Neither spare nor dispose)
Badge:	Crab Apple Tree
Lands:	Argyll and Cowal
Origin of Name:	Norse, Lawman

History
This clan descends from the original Scots who crossed the sea from Ireland, where their original name meant ‘lawgiver’, to found the kingdom of Dalriada. The kindred of Comgall is mentioned as one of the three principal kindreds in the ancient 'Account Of The Men Of Scotland'. Its territory, Cowal, still known by that name although once stretching to Bute and Arran, had in 1200 a chief called Fearchar.

His sons Duncan and Malcolm granted lands to the monks of Paisley.

The name Lamont was formed from that of Malcolm’s son Ladman . Duncan and Malcolm established their chief seats at the strong Castles of Toward and Ascog.

The powerful Campbells, neighbours of the Lamonts, had steadily encroached on the Lordship of Cowal and after Montrose’s great victory at Inverlochy in 1645, the Lamonts seized the opportunity and laid waste to Campbell territory at Kilmun.

The next year a powerful Campbell army invaded, taking Toward and Ascog. After being promised fair terms for himself and his people, Sir James Lamont surrendered. However, the dishonourable Campbells then slaughtered over two hundred Lamont men, women and children.

One tree was said to have carried thirty five bodies from its branches. Elsewhere thirty six men were buried alive. The two castles were decimated and Sir James was thrown into a dungeon for five years.

A precious national heirloom which has survived from 1464 till today is the Lamont Harp. It is the oldest existing example of Scotland’s earliest musical instrument. It measures thirty-eight inches by sixteen inches and resides with the Robertsons of Lude in Perthshire.

The last clan lands were sold in 1893 and the present clan chief lives in Australia.

Gaelic Name:	MacUalraig, Ceannaideach
Motto:	Avise la fin (Consider the end)
Badge:	Oak
Lands:	Carrick, Ayrshire, Lochaber and Skye
Origin of Name:	Gaelic ceannaideach (Ugly head)

History
Kennedy comes from the flattering Gaelic word cinneidigh, which in ancient Ireland meant "ugly headed". Crossing the Irish Sea to settle in an area of Dalriada now called Carrick in Ayrshire, they were probably led by Gilbert, whose son Duncan became the 1st Earl of Carrick in the 12th century.

They supported the Bruces before and through the Wars of Independence and were rewarded. Around 1360 John Kennedy became owner of lands at Cassillis and in 1457 his descendant, Gilbert, was created Lord Kennedy. Gilbert's younger brother James was Bishop of St Andrews and founder of Scotland's first university, the University of St Andrews.

To evade the law, Ulric Kennedy fled Ayrshire for Lochaber where began the Clan Ulric. From them came the Kennedys of Skye. These families became a sept of the Clan Cameron.

Many Scots fought for the French through the Auld Alliance. At the English siege of Orleans Hugh Kennedy of Ardstinchar was a commander fighting for Joan of Arc. The saint is represented on the Kennedy of Bargany coat of arms.

In 1509 the third Lord Kennedy became the 1st Earl of Cassillis, losing his life on Flodden field in 1513.

The death warrant of Scotland's first Protestant martyr, Patrick Hamilton, was signed, under pressure, by the 3rd Earl, Gilbert, when twelve years old. He was poisoned at Dieppe and the Earldom went to another Gilbert, celebrated for roasting the Abbot of Crossraguel slowly over a fire to gain his land. The Abbot was saved by the Kennedys of Bargany but not before being horribly crippled.

In 1775 the 10th Earl of Cassillis was David, who commissioned Robert Adam to build the stunning Culzean Castle. The half gothic, half classical masterpiece looks across the Firth of Clyde to the Ailsa Craig and was offered for use as a retreat to Eisenhower in gratitude for his war achievements.

The earldom passed across the Atlantic to Royal Naval officer Captain Archibald Kennedy who, on top of his Hoboken estates, owned more New York property than any other man. During the War of Independence he tried to sit on the fence. This left him few friends and half of his estates were confiscated afterwards, George Washington taking No. 1 Broadway for himself.

Culzean Castle was given to the National Trust by the 5th Marquess. The family chiefs still live in Ayrshire at Culzean and Cassillis.

History
Of ecclesiastic origin, this is a name derived from the gaelic Macaphersein, meaning "Son of the Parson". The clan itself is reputed to have been founded by Murdo Cattenach, a priest of Kingussie in Badenoch.

The MacPhersons formed part of the great Clan Chattan, and frequently disputed the leadership of this federation with the MacKintosh family. They finally did acknowledge the MacKintosh claim to "Captain of Clan Chattan", but showed them little loyalty in the ensuing years.

Tradition states that Robert the Bruce promised to grant the lands of Badenoch to the chief of the MacPhersons, on condition that he destroy the Bruce's bitter enemies, the Comyns. This murderous deed was carried out by the chief, Ewan Ban MacMhuirich, and his three sons. In recognition of this event, the clan MacPherson is often referred to as "the Clan of the three brothers".

There are many branches of the MacPherson family but the Cluny family emerged as the most important, with Euan MacPherson of Cluny becoming a famous Highland leader in the '45 rebellion. Renowned as one the most spectacular fighters in the Scottish forces, he was forced to live in hiding for nine years, after his property had been burnt to the ground. Despite a reward of £1,000 on his head, he was supported by his loyal clansmen, eventually escaping to France in 1755.

Euan's son, Duncan MacPherson of Cluny, fought for the government during the American Wars of Independence, before returning to claim the forfeited MacPherson estates in 1784. The clan seat today is a fine castle at Blairgowrie.

Gaelic Name:	Camshron
Motto:	Aonaibh ri chéile (Unite)
Badge:	Crowberry
Lands:	Lochiel
Origin of Name:	Gaelic Camshron from cam (wry) and sron (nose)

History
Described as ‘fiercer than fierceness itself’, the Clan Cameron is said to be one of the most ancient of Scottish clans. One theory for their inception is that they are descended from a son of the Danish King Camchron.

There were numerous names circulating in the 13th century which would appear to be the progenitors of the name Cameron, all evolving from the Gaelic terms for a crooked hill and a crooked nose. The more probable theory is that their first known chief, Donald Dubh, who may have been the 11th by 1411, was a descendant of either the MacGillonies or the family Cambrun of Ballegarno in mediaeval Fife.

He married an heiress of the MacMartins of Letterfinlay and his respected leadership and strengths enabled him to bring together the confederation of tribes which would, by the end of that century, be known as the Clan Cameron, and Lochaber their territory.

In 1528 King James V granted a charter whereby the ‘Captain of Clan Cameron’ had his lands erected into the barony of Lochiel. It is from this point that we had a Captain of Cameron of Lochiel.

Achnacarry Castle was built as the home of the Camerons of Lochiel by Sir Ewen, 17th of Lochiel. It was Sir Ewen who was such a thorn in Cromwell’s side, continually waging war against his troops. Finally, on Sir Ewen's word to live peaceably, the Camerons were allowed to retain their arms.

Remembered as “The Gentle Lochiel”, Donald, 19th of Lochiel, displayed such bravery during “the ‘45” that he is regarded as the noblest of the Highland Chiefs. He is said to have saved Glasgow from being ravaged by the occupying Jacobite army of 1745. His descendants, however, had none of his honour and they treated their clansmen inhumanely during the Highland clearances.

Families were evicted and their lands auctioned off to raise money for the complete rebuilding of Achnacarry Castle. In 1803, as the evictions began, Allan Cameron wrote: ‘Lochiel’s lands are in the papers to be let at Whitsuntide first, nothing but spurring and hauling, and, I am afraid, the tenantry have no chance... the grand castle at Achnacarry is going on with great speed.’