After his settlement in the western island MacConnal (Iain Mòr MacConuill) is said to have divided his possessions among his seven sons by sending one of them John (Iain) to Glencoe, hence the patronymic Clan of the son of John of Glencoe (Clann ’ic Iain Ghleann-a-comhunn), another son Ronald (Raonull) was sent to Keppoch (a’ Cheapaich), one Allan (Ailean) was sent to Moidart (Mùideart). These were settled on the mainland in the counties of Argyle and Inverness, while the island of Skye was given to another son, Grim Donald of Sleat, (Dòmhnull gorm Shléibhte). Another son got the smaller isles, and another went to Ireland and became Earl of Antrim while the heir remained in Islay and held the adjacent islands as well as portions of the mainland. Of the 700 who returned with his son from Antrim to people the islands after the expulsion of the Norsemen, 22 were heads of families. The person from whom the writer heard this, now above 70 years of age, was certain that Beaton or Bethune was one of the names, but he had forgotten the others.
FAIR LACHLAN, SON OF FAIR NEIL OF DERVAIG.
(Lachunn fionn mac Neill bhàin, Fear Dhearbhaig.)
At the time when Lachlan Kattanach was Chief of MacLean (ri linn Mhic-’illeathain Lachunn Cattanach na gruaige), his wife (a bhantighearna) dreamt about an Irish chief of the name of William O’Power (?) (Uilleam O’ buaidh) and in the same way, at the same time, this Irish Chief dreamt about her. It happened then that they began to communicate with each other. (At that time more trade was carried on with Ireland by these Western Isles than with any other place.) One day MacLean discovered that his wife was keeping on a correspondence, unknown to him, with the Irish Chief, and was much distressed about this injury to his honour. In order to test his wife’s affection for her secret lover, he went to her with a penknife in his hand and said, “There is a present O’ buaidh has sent you.” She looked at the knife and said,
“My darling who sent me the knife
I weary at his delay in coming across the sea,
And may I not enjoy health
If I do love it better than the hand that holds it.”
(M’ eudail ’chuir thugam an sgian
’S fhada leam a thriall thar muir,
’S na ’n a mheall mi mo shlàint’