An Interview with the High Chief of Clan MacDonald

You are the High Chief of Clan Donald but can you give us a little more insight into which branch of MacDonalds you and your family are connected to?

Clan Donald is the largest of the Highland Clans, and although at the moment there are only five of the branches with a chief recognised by Lord Lyon King of Arms, there are at least two more branches with a possible chief hoping to be recognised in the not too distant future. Proving your right to be recognised as a chief of a particular clan, or in our case as chief of a branch, but a clan in its own right, is lengthy and expensive. My family are the senior branch or Clan within Clan Donald, and I belong to the Sleat branch or clan in direct descent from Donald, Lord or King of the Isles. As we are such an enormous clan, with many branches or actual clans within their own right, we are the only clan with a paramount High Chief.

For people who are just discovering they are members of Clan MacDonald, how can they find out which branch of the family they descend from?

Ascertaining which branch they actually belong to, can be very time consuming. They, if they can, need to find out which part within the ancient Lordship, they think their descendants came from. The records in past times were very incomplete, but even a rough idea of ancestry passed down by word of mouth can help.

Can you tell us a little bit more about your role as Clan Chief and what this entails?

My role today as High Chief of Clan Donald is more as an ambassador with a limited part of ceremony. I travel to various countries, on an irregular basis, attending Scottish related events. To a small number of clansfolk round the world, clanship is still very important, and as long as there are people that feel this way, I will endeavour to play my part as a chief or father to his extended family. Peoples roots are very important to them, and a clan is unique in that with a name, such as Macdonald, they know that their forbears originated from a certain part of Scotland. I find this part most rewarding and love the thought of being able to establish a link, however tenuous, with someone who shares my name and a unique bond through a common bloodline established centuries ago.

What do you love most or what is most rewarding about being Chief? Do you have any frustrations or grand plans for the future of Clan Donald?

I have now been High Chief for more than fifty years, having succeeded my father, who in 1947 was recognised as the first modern High Chief. It was always understood that our branch was the senior one, and by his recognition this regularised the situation, which helped build a meaningful hierarchy within the clan. I have over the years as High Chief been able to strengthen the bonds that exist between clansfolk in all English speaking continents of the world. I have also established, through the foundation of the Clan Donald Lands Trust, a worldwide centre for Clan Donald on the Isle of Skye at Armadale. Here we have the largest collection of historical records pertaining to the clan, anywhere in the world. This enables clansfolk to search for their families within the limited information available. However, it is surprising how many of those searching do actually find an important link.

I will be succeeded by my son, and the High Chiefship will remain within my family in perpetuity. I will continue to serve my clansfolk to the best of my ability for as long as I am able. I am immensely proud of my position, and like to think that I have always discharged my duties with a dignity commensurate with this unique position. I am a Highlander and always will be, and I never miss an opportunity to promote our lovely country.

How did it feel growing up knowing you would take the Chiefship over from your father? Is this a role you always looked forward to fulfilling?

My father died when I was just twenty two, so although I was always aware that one day I would succeed him, I never expected that it would happen so soon. I never really had an opportunity to discuss with him what was involved, so when it actually happened, I had only a very sketchy idea of what to do. Over the years I have moulded my own ideas of what a modern Chief should do, primarily to give our clan a modern meaning and purpose in the twenty first century. People, in ignorance, are too quick to brand clanship as anachronistic in this day, but my own experience is very different. Clansfolk all over the world still love to know about their roots and their history, and in these uncertain times, it seems to be more important than ever. Also, with modern communication, it allows those of Highland descent to actually travel to where their forbears came from, and learn about the particular area from whence they came.

What does being a member of Clan MacDonald mean to you and how do you think this translates to your members in different ways?

From a personal point of view, over the years, I have learnt an extraordinary amount about the foreign countries that became the home of those families that left the Highlands so many years ago. In addition, it is humbling to realise just how much those highlanders contributed to the early establishment of democracy and innovation in the new countries to which they moved.

The MacDonald Clan are lucky enough to have a huge choice of tartan variations, but which is your favourite or do you wear a selection of different clan tartans?

There are nineteen different tartans associated with Clan Donald. Each branch has its own distinctive Tartan broken down into various categories. ie Dress, Hunting , Ancient etc. I wear my own Macdonald, Lord of the Isles Tartan. It should only be worn by me and my immediate family, but I willingly give my permission for others to wear it, as it is such a distinctive Tartan, and those wearing it do so with great pride.

As High Chief you also chair the High Council of Clan Donald, can you tell us about your role within the council? Do your responsibilities as Chair differ from that of High Chief, and if so how?

In 1971, I and the Chiefs of Clanranald, Glengarry and Sleat, acting on the advice of Sir Ian Moncrieffe, Albany Herald, and Donald J Macdonald of Castleton, Clan Historian, re established the High Council of Clan Donald. It’s first act was to authorise the establishment of The Clan Donald Lands Trust, as a Scottish Charitable Foundation, and it’s main aim was to acquire a large portion of my family’s estate, which had to be sold for settlement of Estate Duty, and to hold and administer these lands for the benefit of all clansfolk worldwide. In effect, it was the first community owned estate, and is still the only large expanse of land owned by a Highland clan.

Through the High Council and it’s advisors the Chiefs regularly communicate with the High Commissioners in their respective countries, who then communicate through the regions to all interested clan members. We really do try and operate as a large family, bound together by ancient bloodlines coupled with a true interest in our shared history.

I look on myself, and try to be, a father to an enormous family scattered throughout the world. I try, within reasonable perimeters to be available to those that want to communicate, and, if I cannot help personally, then try to pass their various request onto someone who might be able to assist.

I look on myself, and try to be, a father to an enormous family scattered throughout the world. I try, within reasonable perimeters to be available to those that want to communicate, and, if I cannot help personally, then try to pass their various request onto someone who might be able to assist.