How the MacDonalds Got possession of Dailaneas Dalness - is this another Naoise name?
(From the Gaelic of Archibald Campbell, Benderloch. Supplied by "D.")
DAILANEAS is situated at the head of Glenetive, and includes the magnificent twin mountains called the Herds (Buachaillean\ which, rising from the same base, and having between them only the narrow pass of Laraig-ghartain, stand like giant sentinels at the head of the glen. It lies contiguous to Black Mount (Am Monadk Dubli), and has from time immemorial been famed as a deer-forest.
The traveller enters here on ground that has been made classical by the genius of Duncan ban Maclntyre.
To the east of the Herds is the rocky Creisean, and to the north-east of the Creisean is Beinn-a-bhuiridh. Behind the Herds is Beinn-Chrulaist, extending from Allt-na-feidh at the head of Glencoe (Gleann-comJianit) to near King's House (Tigh-an-rigli).
In front of Dailaneas House stands Beinn-Ceitilein, with its grassy glen. Through all, rolls, and winds, and brawls the river Etive, forming in its course two fine waterfalls, and entering Loch Etive (Loch-tite) at a distance of five miles from Dailaneas. These mountains and places are glorified in the poems and songs of Duncan ban. We quote the following from his song to his gun called Nic-C6iseam :
"Ghiulain mi 'Ghleann-eit' thu;
Thog mi ris na Creisean thu.
'S e' mheud 's a thug mi 'speis dhuit
A dh' fhag mo cheum cho luaineach.
'S math am Meall-a-bhuiridh thu,
Cha mhiosa 'm Beinn-a-Chrulaist thu.
'S trie a loisg mi fudar leat An coire cul na Cruaiche.
Thug mi 'Lairig-ghartain thu. !
's aluinn an coir-altruim e,
'S na feidh a' deanamh leapaichean
Air creachainn ghlais a' Bhuachaill."
Translation.
"I carried thee to Glenetive;
I ascended the Creisean with thee.
It is the greatness of my regard for thee That has made my step so restless. Thou art good in Meall-a-bhuiridh, And not worse in Beinn-a-Chrulaist.
Often have I burned powder with thee In the corrie behind the Cruach.
I brought thee to Laraig-ghartain.
O ! it is a lovely rearing corrie,
While the deer make beds On the grey rocky top of the Herd."
With these topographical notes by way of introduction, we pass on to our tale about the manner in which the MacDonalds are said to have got possession of Dailaneas.
The property of Dailaneas belonged at one time to the Livingstons of Achanacree (Acha-na-crithe) in Benderloch (Meadarloch}, a family that appears to have held a good position in their day.
We find one of them married to a daughter of Colin, fourth son of John Gorm, the first Campbell of Lochnell (Loch-nan-eala).
Like many other Highland families, the Livingstons of Achanacree are long ago extinct.
Their lands in Benderloch are now the property of the laird of Lochnell. But to our tale.
On a certain day Livingston's three sons went to Dailaneas to hunt deer. On the same day one of the MacDonalds of Glencoe went there for a similar purpose with this difference, that he was a trespasser.
By careful stalking he succeeded in killing a deer. In their wanderings through the forest the Livingstons came upon him, and saw what he had done. Leaving the deer behind him, he immediately took to flight, making for the hill with all the speed of which he was capable. The Livingstons set off in pursuit, animated thereto perhaps by the recollection of former depredations, if not by clan animosity. When they found that he was likely to outstrip them, one of them bent his bow and shot an arrow, which entered MacDonald's heel. Plucking it out, Macdonald, though suffering keenly from the wound, fled with unabated speed till he came to the declivity that leads down to Achatriochadain. The sons of the laird of Achatriochadain having observed the plight their clansman was in, hid themselves till the Livingstons were past them. They then closed in on them, cut off their retreat to Dailaneas, and took them prisoners. The first impulse of the MacDonalds was to kill the Livingstons, but this the wounded hunter would not permit. " Let us," said he, "take measures with them that will be of greater advantage than killing them. Let two of them be detained as prisoners, and the other sent to
Achanacree for the charters of Dailaneas." This was done. In the course
of a few days the charters arrived, and the property of Dailaneas passed for ever out of the hands of the Livingstons. The three young men were then allowed to return home.
Note, The first of the Livingstons is said to have been forester of the Royal forest of Dail-an-eas in the time of one of the Stewart kings. On an occasion when the king was on a visit to the forest he went out to shoot deer, accompanied by Livingston, who killed a deer in Laraig-ghartain. On that day the king gave him Dail-an-eas, on condition of his sending a deer once a year to the Royal household. D.
We are creating the skeleton of this wiki for the community, near and far, to work together to develop an encyclopedia of the natural, family and social history of Ardchattan.
Please bear with us as we develop this site, and please join in to contribute any images, information, or questions you have on any location or topic. Email images / records / documents to ku.gro.nattahcdra|evihcra#ku.gro.nattahcdra|evihcra
you can add questions and information for this page here
