As we celebrate Clan MacKinnon we were excited to be able to speak to the talented author behind the works of 'The Fairy Key'. Shannon MacKinnon is a former member of the Clan MacKinnon Society, and has a deep love for Scotland and the myths, folklore and stories that Scotland is known for. From 'The Fairy Flag' of Dunvegan Castle to the inspiration of her book and blogs, Shannon answers all our burning questions.
You were previously a board member for the Clan MacKinnon Society, what got you interested in joining?
My Scottish ancestry has always interested me but I became aware of the clan societies when I married a bagpiper and started attending the local highland games. At the Seattle Highland Games, I met the Washington State Commissioner Dan DuPont. I admired his knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for all things MacKinnon. I later found out my grandfather was one of the founding members of the Seattle Highland Games and was the president in 1952. My granny helped organize their annual Heather Ball.
Joining a group of MacKinnons sounded fun and it has been! As part of the society my husband and I have travelled to gatherings in Nova Scotia and Chicago and in 2024 we’ll be in Edinburgh with the society to make more memories. We’ve made wonderful friends and learned a ton about our heritage.
What was your inspiration to begin to write your first book, ‘The Fairy Key’?
My sister and I were daydreaming about how fun it would be to write a fictional book set on the Isle of Skye. We mapped out the plot and characters together. She got busy with parenthood and her career and I kept going. The pull to write was so strong I had to continue. I can’t explain it. I never dreamed of being an author but here I am. I wrote two books that will remain in a drawer forever, but the last one I just finished is really fun and I believe worthy of publication. I’m in the process of doing final edits and then I will start querying agents.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed researching fairies, folklore, history and finding out as much as I can about Galtrigill, Borreraig and Glendale, where my great-grandparents were born on the Isle of Skye. The land itself is magical and has been a huge part of the inspiration.
You grew up in a big family with Scottish and Irish roots, did this play a huge part in your love for Scotland?
Absolutely! As a child, my parents owned an apartment complex called “The Isle of Skye Apartments.” We have old family recipes, bagpipes and lots of MacKinnon tartan in our closets. My granny often talked about her travels to Scotland to visit our ‘ice cream’ cousins as well as our family on Skye. On Skye, our cousin still lives in the house of my great grandfather. He is extremely kind, gracious and generous whenever we visit.
Here’s a fun family story. Apparently my Granny and Grandpa went to visit the Isle of Skye in the nineteen fifties. He spoke fluent Gaelic, unbeknownst to the locals who had quite the gossipy conversation about the ‘Yanks’ on the bus. He didn’t say a word until they got up to leave at which point he tipped his hat and said in Gaelic something like “Lovely to meet you all. Have a good day. Goodbye.”
My other cousin I call my “Scottish Mum”. I met her for the first time in 1993. My father had just died in December. I was living in Northern Ireland as an exchange student and wrote to her at the urging of my Granny and my aunt. She invited me to stay and so myself and my two American roommates made the trip and stayed with her family. (Little did she know, I’d keep coming back!) Her kindness, love and compassion hugely impacted my life and I’m sure added to my love of Scotland. She passed away last year. I miss her and I’m so grateful for the years of memories.
There is a DNA memory that wakes up when we go "home". The Scottish Diaspora all over the world know what I’m talking about. My Scottish relatives and friends make fun of us, we who love Scotland, and I get it. We’re not Scottish. We’re Australian or Canadian or American or whatever. Culturally we are different, but at the same time we are connected to Scotland in a way that isn’t rational. It’s like we are orphans who were adopted into a new place, but our blood will always be a part of the landscape of our homeland. It’s hard to describe. The first time I crested the hill into Glendale on Skye, I started crying. It was such a shock to be so emotional about a place I’d never been to, but it was real. I like to think my ancestors were welcoming me home.
You are married to a talented piper, what is your favourite bit of pipe music and why?
There are so many great tunes to listen to on the bagpipes I can’t choose just one! Over the Sea to Skye will always move my heart. Amazing Grace will always make me cry. I love the thrill of hearing Scotland the Brave played by massed bands at the end of the highland games. Going Home is a beautiful tune for saying goodbye. I find Pibroch tunes to be interesting and unique. I never tire of hearing the bagpipes.
You have been a teacher for 27 years, do you have the opportunity to teach your school pupils about Scotland and its heritage?
Yes, definitely. I teach physical education so we don’t discuss much at length, but I love to play Scottish musicians like Runrig, The Laurette's or Skerryvore. I often joke-yell at them in a bad Scottish accent when they are complaining to “Quit yer greetin’ and don’t be a baby!” At our cultural assembly my husband played the bagpipes and I wore a kilt. The students loved it! I love to learn about their heritage and share mine. We have students from Samoa, Ukraine, Marshall Islands, Japan, China, Turkey, Mexico, Honduras, Nigeria, Kenya and more. It is a fun way to relate to each other and for me to share that my family came to the United States as immigrants too.
You are a proud part of the MacKinnon clan, do you have a favourite MacKinnon tartan?
I love the MacKinnon Ancient Hunting tartan the best because the colours are natural like the forest. The MacKinnon Red Modern is nice for formal events.
As a lover of Scotland you have visited many times, when is your next trip and what have you got planned?
We plan to go back this summer to listen to live music, visit loved ones and get out into nature! We have been to Scotland over ten times so we will bypass most of the touristy stuff. We love to go hill walking, take in the natural beauty and then enjoy a good session in a pub. Someday, we’d love to see Shetland, Lewis and Harris, Orkney and possibly make our way to Applecross. We recently saw the band Skerryvore here in Washington and can’t wait to see them in Scotland, along with The Laurette's and Skipinnish. In 2018, we were able to go to Runrig's last concert in Stirling and it was a memory of a lifetime. Someday, we are going to make it to the Hebridean Celtic Festival on the Isle of Lewis. It’s on our bucket list for sure.
Can you explain the story and significance of ‘The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan’?
Maybe! I actually wrote a blog post about The Fairy Flag. if you want an elongated reflection about the MacLeod's and their connection to fairies. The Dunvegan Castle and Gardens website has three different origin stories on their website and other bloggers have written about it as well. There is no shortage of opinions out there about this piece of cloth!
In short, it is an ancient piece of fabric, kept in a frame in Dunvegan Castle and has belonged to the Clan MacLeod for centuries. The question is –where did it come from? Was it a gift from a fairy mother before she left the chief she loved to return to the fairy realm? Was it used by a fairy to cover a wee baby during a party or was it a banner used during the Crusades? Whatever version you believe, it is the prized possession of the Clan MacLeod to the point where soldiers carried a photo of it during WWII. It captivated me completely and is a centrepiece of the plot for the three books in my debut series.
If you could travel back in time, what Scottish event would you want to see first hand?
I would love to witness the uprising in Glendale that led to the Crofters Act of 1886. My ancestors were related (by marriage) to John MacPherson, the Glendale Martyr. I can’t imagine the courage it took to collectively stand up to the government like they did! Their bravery and stubborn resilience changed the lives of crofters across the country. I am so inspired by their story and their defiance. It really should be made into a film.
Other events that would be incredible to see first hand would be the MacCrimmon Piping School when it existed or to meet the warrior queen Scáthach of Dunscaith Castle who is said to have trained the Irish hero Cú Chulainn.
Most of all, I would want to meet my great-grandfather and great-grandmother before they left Skye to settle in Seattle. They were both fluent in Gaelic and I have so many questions about their lives. How did they meet? Did he see her at church and then walk over the hill from Fasach to Galtrigill to court her? How did they decide to leave everyone they knew and loved to create a life halfway around the world? What was life like for them?
We would like to thank Shannon MacKinnon for sharing her story with us and talking to us about her upcoming book. Remember to discover our MacKinnon Clan page for more clan content. Have you got a connection to a clan, get in touch as we would love to hear from you.
