Person:Aonghas Mór (1)

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Aonghus Mór mac Domhnaill (died 1293) was a leading figure in the thirteenth-century kingdoms of the Isles and Scotland. He was a son of Domhnall mac Raghnaill, the eponym of Clann Domhnaill, a branch of Clann Somhairle. Aonghus Mór appears to have succeeded his father in the mid part of the thirteenth century. At the time, the rulers of the Isles were fiercely independent of the Scottish Crown, and owed nominal allegiance to the distant Norwegian Crown. Aonghus Mór's first certain appearance in the historical record seems to evince his involvement in aiding native Irish kindreds against the consolidation of Anglo-Irish authority in the north-west Ireland. Such cooperation could have been undertaken in the context of overseas kindreds like Clann Domhnaill constructing Irish alliances to gain assistance against Scottish encroachment.

Scottish aggression against the Isles seems to have precipitated the Norwegian Crown's campaign against the Scots in 1263. Like other leading members of Clann Somhairle, Aonghus Mór supported the Norwegian cause against Alexander III, King of Scotland. However, the fact that Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway had to force Aonghus Mór's submission, suggests that his support was rendered somewhat grudgingly. Nevertheless, the Norwegian campaign was ultimately a failure, and the Islesmen were compelled to submit to the Scots after a retaliatory campaign the following year. As for Aonghus Mór, he was forced to hand over his son, likely Alasdair Óg, as a hostage of the Scottish Crown. By 1266, the Isles were officially annexed by the Scots.

In the decades that followed, Aonghus Mór and his Clann Somhairle kinsmen integrated themselves into the Scottish realm. For example, Aonghus Mór was one of three members of the kindred to attended an important government council at Scone in which Alexander III's granddaughter, Margaret, was recognised as the king's rightful heir. Following Alexander III's unexpected death two years later, Aonghus Mór and Alasdair Óg were signatories of the Turnberry Band, a pact between several Scottish and Anglo-Irish magnates. One aspect of this bond may have concerned the continued resistance to Anglo-Irish domination in north-west Ireland. This could indicate that Aonghus Mór was made a party to the pact as a means of limiting his kindred's support of the native opponents of the Anglo-Irish. Whatever the case, Aonghus Mór died in about 1293, and was succeeded by Alasdair Óg as Lord of Islay. Aonghus Mór was married to a member of the Caimbéalaigh kindred. Besides Alasdair Óg, Aonghus Mór had two sons, Aonghus Óg and Eóin Sprangach. He also had a daughter who married Domhnall Óg Ó Domhnaill, King of Tír Chonaill, and another who married Hugh Bisset.

4 ANGUS MOR

   (Engull) 1250 

-1292 son of Donald, the first of his family to acknowledge himself a subject of the Kings of Scotland, A letter was addressed, in 1292, to Anegus, the son of Dovenald of the Isles, and Alexander, his eldest son, respecting their comporting themselves well and faithfully towards the Edward I of England. Angus died soon afterwards, leaving three sons.

When Angus Mor died between 1292 and 1300, Alasdair inherited Islay and part of Knapdale while Angus Og was left most of Kintyre and a claim to the Isle of Mull, although the latter was still in the hands of their cousins of Clan Dougall. Angus Og is said to have been a short dark haired man with a cheerful disposition and Cailein Mor's son Sir Neil Cambel of Lochawe was his uncle, being his mother's brother.

Angus Og's elder brother Alasdair Og married his cousin, the sister of the MacDougall of Lorne, but through this alliance he was obliged to oppose Robert the Bruce in alliance with Clan Dougall whose kinsman the Red Comyn Bruce had murdered. However Angus Og, after supporting the English in 1301, joined Sir Neil Campbell in assisting the Bruce in his flight through Argyll in 1306, and on his return journey from Rathlin in 1307, Angus provided men for an unsuccessful attempt to re-capture the Bruce lands in Arran.

An Historical Account of the Macdonnells of Antrim: Including Notices of Some other Septs, Irish and Scottish By Rev. George Hill Editor of the Montgomery Manuscripts 1873

The author states that the geneaglogists Mac Firbis and O'Flaherty say that the MacDonnell's descend from the Irish prince named Uais Colla or the Noble.He was the eldest of three distinguished brothers, living in the earlier part of the 4th century. The were sons of Eochaidh Doimhlain, brother of the king and Aileach, daughter of Ubdaire, king of Alba. The author states that there was an ancient poem written about the coming of this Scottish princess and her taking rsidence at the castle of Aileach named for her. She is described as a mild, true woman, modest, blooming till the love of the Gael disturbed her and she passed with him from the midst of Chind-Tiri (Cantire) to the land of Uladh. Her palace of Aileach in the present county of Donegal, became the residence of the Northern Ui Neill princes and continued as such until the English invasion. The names of hers sons were: Cairell, Muredhach, and Aedh, known as the three Collas.

The original form of the surname was Domhnaill, pronounced Donnell, without the D on the end and quotes Gregory's History of The Western Highlands and Isles of Scotland pp. 85, 417, as the source of this information.

In 327 Colla Uaish was on the Throne of Ireland for about 4 years until forced to relenquish it to his cousin. Colla Uaish and his brothers were sent to laed an expedition and the Ultonians or Ustermen and they were successful. Fergus, the king of Ulster was salin and his forces were driven into the area of Down and Antrim, from where they never returned. Uaish and his brothers were granted what is now Armagh, Louth, Monaghan, Fermanagh. This territory was held by their descendants the Mac Guires, Mac Mahons, O' Hanlons and others until the confiscation of Ulster under King James I.

Author states that Fergus was the son of Eirc, who was the son of Colla Uaish. Fergus had brother named Loarn and one named Angus. Angus' people occupied the islands of Isla, Jura and Iona. Looarn's people occupied the territory of that name and Fergus occupied Cantire, Cowal, and Argyl. Fergus survived his brothers and united the territories and became king. Before Fergus left Ireland, he granted land he owned in area of Armoy, to St. Patrick to build the first Christian church. Fergus is reported by the chroniclers to have brought the Lia Fail, or Stone of Fate with him.

Fergus governed the Dalraidic throne for 25 years and then traveled back to Ulster, Ireland. It was either to settle some disputes in Ulster or because he wanted to bathe in some medicinal waters from a well in a rock where the castle Carrickfergus is now. The ship he was on wrecked on or near this rock and he was drowned. The place is now called carrig-Fergus. His body was located and burried at Ballymanach, near Carrickfergus.

The next important ancestor of the MacDonnells's mentioned in the book is Somerled. He quotes the chronicler, Hugh McDonald as giving the children of Somerled as Dugall, whom Hugh believed to be illegitimate, but the author says other authorities say he was the eldest legitimate son by the daughter of Olav the Red, King of Man; Rginald or Randal and a daughter Beatrix, who was the prioress of Icolumkill. It may have been her name given to her on joining the order and not her birth name.

The Annals of The Four Masters say that in 1211, Thomas MacUchtry and the sons of Raghnall, son of Somhairle, came to Doire-Cholium-Chille (Derry) with seventy ships and the town was greatly injured of them. O'Domnhaill and they went together to Inis Eoghain and they completely destroyed the country.

The author states that from Randall's tweo sons Donnell and Rorie rose two clans. The one from Donnell styled MacDonnell and the one from Rorie styled Macruari or Macrories. The both used the title De Insulis, of the Isles. The descendants or Rorie inherited the isle of Bute and part of Cantire and several smaller islands north of Ardnamurchan Point. Gregory's History of the Western Highlands and Isles pp. 18

Donnell was succeeded by Angus More, who was on the throne for 50 years. Had to defend his territory and that of his uncle for a time from the Scottish King Alexander III, who did not like that the rulers of the Isles owed allegiance to the Norwegians and coveted the islands for himself.

Angus Mor's son was also named Angus Mor'. He was a supporter of Bruce. Barbour states that Angus brought 10,000 men to Bannockburn to fight with Bruce. During the struggle, the MacDoughalls, Lords of Lorne, were closely allied to the Comyn's and Balliol's. The MacDoughall's forfeited their lands because of this and in reward for his services, Angus was granted the Isles of Mull, Jura, Coll, and Tiree.. They had previously been disputed over by Angus and Alastair, Lord of Lorne.Angus also obtained half of the lordship of Lochaber, forfeited by the Comyn's.

1.   Aonghas Mór, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.