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- MacNeil of Barra Ancient (HW033)
- MacNEIL OF BARRA
The Clan MacNeil has strong ties to the Island of Barra and can trace its lineage back to the O’Neils of Ulster who came to Barra from Ireland around the year 1000.
MacNeils can also be found on the inner Hebridean Islands of Colonsay and Gigha around 1427. Clan MacNeil is one of the oldest in Scotland.
Kisimul Castle is the ancestoral seat of the MacNeils and is one of the oldest castles of its type in Britain.
The 35th Chief, Roderick, became known as ‘Roderick the Turbulent’ who, after raiding passing ships, would retreat to the safety of Kisimul. Due to his tradition of sea borne raiding he was sometimes called ‘Last of the Vikings’.
The MacNeils were Jacobites and supported the Rising in 1715 and 1745. In 1746 the 39th Chief was arrested and taken to London and consigned to a prison ship.
In 1838 due to financial hardship the 41st Chief, General Roderick MacNeil was forced to sell the island, thus 80 years of direct rule came to an end.
Many MacNeils went to America and Canada in the Highland clearances and a large number of MacNeils can be found in Nova Scotia.
In 1937 most of Barra and Kisimul was purchased by Robert Lister MacNeil an America citizen. His son Ian Roderick is now 46th Chief of Clan MacNeil.