Quick Review
We now have an overview, in the larger sense, of the travels of our family from the early days of the Celts to the early days of America. We see that family members were not only in the forefront of settling land to the west, but also in searching for a land where they could be free. In the Highlands and Islands they were relatively free for many centuries, although they were plague by constant invasion from other races, including the Vikings, who blended in with the Celts. Harrassment from the East (and South) and promise in the West (and the North to some degree) led to the settlements in these northern lands, to resettlement back in Ireland, and eventually to immigration to America. Now that the bigger picture has been established, I'll focus for awhile on more specific areas.
The Isle of Skye
The Isle of Skye is perhaps Scotland's greatest geographical treasure. It has, in the last several years, become the number one vacation spot for those seeking to get away from the hectic life of the larger cities of Scotland and England.
Skye lies at the upper western region of Scotland and is close enough to the mainland to have a bridge built a few years back. For years there has been a ferry between the mainland and Skye. Now visitors have their choice of access to the island. I have crossed the bridge three times and have taken the ferry, "The Lord of the Isles", once.
Skye is so important to our story because it is here that our family name began. We know this because Hugh was known historically as Hugh of Sleat due to his land holdings on the Sleat Peninsula of Skye. His castle was called Dunscaith and its ruins are still intact.
In truth, Hugh did not become Hugh of Sleat until 1469 and his first son, John Makhuchone, was born before that, probably before 1460. Where John was born is unknown but Hugh's brother, Celestine had possession of Sleat before 1460 so it is likely that Hugh was living in the vicinity of his brother. Regardless, Hugh's son, John, is not mentioned as John Makhuchone until 1494 at which time Hugh was absolutely in control of Dunscaith Castle, in Sleat, in the Isle of Skye.
For lack of any other proof, Dunscaith and Skye seem to share billing as the birthplace of our family name. There is some evidence to show that a new surname could not be established until the third generation after the man, which the family would be named for. In other words, according to Celtic law, the name Makhuchone or McUisdean should not have developed until Hugh's great grandchildren came about. Hugh was likely about 64 or so, when his son, John Makhuchone is mentioned in Scottish history, and it is likely that Hugh could have had great grandchildren by then.
Whatever the case is, concerning the earliest use of the name, Hugh is living in Dunscaith Castle at the time of the first mention of our name and that may be as close as we will ever come to finding a home for the name.
Skye is like the wing of a bird. There are three major points of land with a few lesser feathers, if you will. Two of these points were in control of Clan Uisdean, or the family of Hugh. Sleat is the one mentioned so far and it is at the lower end of Skye. The weather on Sleat is mild due to the last remnants of the Gulf Stream that make the lower section of Skye reasonably pleasant most of the year. In 2000, I was on Skye at the end of January and beginning of February. I saw no snow except that at the top of the mountains. It rained some days and was partly cloudy others. The Sleat Peninsula has earned the name of "Garden of Skye".
The other important peninsula for us is the Trotternish Peninsula at the very top right of Skye. On Trotternish is located another important family castle, one named for our family in fact. It is Caisteal Uisdean! It was built by a descendant of Hugh, whose name was also Hugh. It was the last castle built on Skye (around 1600). Dunscaith, on the other hand, has a history that extends back into the mists of Celtic lore. We have substantial information of both castles, which I will reprint elsewhere.
In the center, more or less, of Skye, is the town of Portree named for a visit by King James of Scotland, in his attempt to settle our family down a little. Port Riagh or "Port Royal" became Portree. The town is marked by brightly colored buildings and fishing boats. The final corner of Skye is the northwest tip where the McLeod family has lived for 1200 years. Their Cullin mountain chain, which was overlooked by Castle Dunscaith, was just recently put up for bids after 1200 years, in order to pay for repairs to their magnificent castle, Dunvegan. This is of interest to us as we have some McLeod blood mixed in, here and there, and they also served as principle enemies to Clan Uisdean in battle over Trotternish.
Skye is the largest of the outer isles and was the center of rule for Clan Donald North in the days of Hugh and his family. A writer, from 1670, Sir Robert Sibbald, wrote the following:
"Skye or Skianath is the greatest of all the Erbudae (Hebrides) or West Isles. It lies from South to North 42 miles in length and 12 miles in breadth, in other parts 8."
"The promontaries whereof are stretched into the sea like wings, for which it is called by some writers Alata, since the word Skia in the old language signifies a wing."
The above was written only a generation or two after Hugh's last direct descendant ruled as Chief of Clan Uisdean, the McDonalds of Skye. The last chief died in 1616. After this man, the title became Baron instead of Chief, until more recent years when it has become Chief once again. The lineal descent from Hugh's last direct successor is a story in and of itself. One more story for a later date.
Another writer, Alexander Smith, had this to say about Skye, in 1865:
"To visit Skye is to turn your back on the present and walk into antiquity. You hear a foreign language; you are surrounded by Macleods, Macdonalds and Nicolsons; you come on grey stones standing upright on the moor - marking the site of a battle, or the burial place of a chief. You listen to traditions of ancient skirmishes; you sit on the ruins of ancient date. The loch yonder was darkened by the banner of King Hako (the Viking King). Prince Charles (Bonnie Charlie, who Flora McDonald, of Clan Uisdean, rescued) wandered over this heath or slept in that cave."
"To what better place, then, can the tired man go? There he will find refreshment and repose.
"There the wind blows out on him from another century."
In Leona McQuiston's book she printed part of a poem by Sir Walter Scott called "Lord of the Isles". Of course, this poem was about our family and how we helped Robert the Bruce become king of Scotland.
Scott places Robert Bruce on Skye, in the care of Hugh's great, great grandfather. Here is Sir Walter's description of this land of our ancient family. Scott begins with a description of the "Road to the Isles". Keep in mind, when you read the very last line that the word Coolin that he mentions is the Cullin Mountains of Skye, faced by Castle Dunscaith, and Coriskin is a tremendous waterfall on the Trotternish Peninsula.
"Stranger! If ever thine ardent step hath traced / The northern realms of ancient Caledonia (Scotland) / Where the proud Queen of Wilderness hath placed / By lake and cataract, her lonely throne; / Sublime but sad delight thy soul hath known, / Gazing on pathless glen and mountain high, / Listening where from the cliffs, the torrents thrown (waterfalls) / Mingle their echoes with the eagle's cry, / And with the sounding lake, and with the morning sky."
"Such are the scenes, where savage grandeur wakes / An awful thrill that softens into sighs; / Such feelings rouse them by dim Rannoch's lakes, / In dark Glencoe such gloomy raptures rise / Or farther, where, beneath Loch Eribol his caverns hoar . . ."
(And here's the part about Skye):
"But, be the minstrel judge, they yield the prize / Of desert dignity to that dread shore / That sees grim Coolin rise, and hears Coriskin roar."
Couldn't have said it better myself.