Scottish Clans

This episode tells the story of Clan McCulloch, a proud Galloway family with deep Celtic ties but a surprising genetic signature. We examine their documented beginnings in 1296, loyalty to the Balliols, violent rivalries (especially the long feud with the Gordons that ended in a public execution), key alliances, and roles in Scottish history. Recent DNA results show the senior Myretoun line belongs to haplogroup R1a-BY32010 – a marker more common in Eastern Europe than typical Scottish Gaelic lines – challenging old origin tales. Though chief-less and with most ancestral estates lost, the McCullochs remain connected through societies, research, and diaspora pride.The Scottish Clans WebsiteMy Sponsor - USA KiltsContribute to the Cause on Patreon!Get your Clandana and Battle Shirts Here!

In this episode of Scottish Clans, we delve into Clan MacLellan, a powerhouse of medieval Galloway whose story is one of meteoric rise, bloody feuds, and tragic decline through unyielding loyalty. Emerging in the late 13th century as devotees of St. Fillan (their name from Gaelic MacGilleFhaolain), the MacLellans swiftly claimed lands around Balmaclellan, Raeberry, and Bombie in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. Scholar Graeme M. Mackenzie proposes an intriguing shared origin with Clan MacMillan, tracing both to 12th-century Bishop Cormac mac Airbertach – a theory bolstered by adjacent settlements in the Glenkens and early heraldic similarities. From Balliol supporters in the Wars of Independence to staunch royalists against the Black Douglases, the MacLellans earned a fearsome reputation as one of Galloway's toughest clans.Links:Scottish Clans Website Contribute to the CauseGet your Clandana and Battle ShirtsFor Speaking Engagements, email me at [email protected] of the MacLellans by Graeme Mackenzie

In this second installment of our series on the Gaelic clans of Galloway, we dig deeper into a pattern that kept surfacing in every clan’s story: their consistent support for the Balliol side during the Scottish Wars of Independence. Building on Episode One’s overview of Galloway’s early history, this episode explains the political, cultural, and regional forces that shaped Galloway’s loyalties. Understanding this context sets the stage for future episodes where we’ll explore individual Galloway clans in greater depth and uncover their roles in Scottish clan history.Sponsor - USA KiltsScottish Clans Merch - Battle Shirts and ClandanasSources:The Origin of the MacLellansMICHAEL MCGORTH AND THE CLAN AFRENGAILL, GÀIDHEIL, GALL-GHÀIDHEIL AND THE CENÉLA OF GREATER GALLOWAYThe Gall-Ghàidheil and GallowayGALL-GAIDHIL AND GALWWAYScottish Clans Website

Join us on Scottish Clans as we journey to the wild cliffs of Trotternish on the Isle of Skye and uncover the remarkable tale of the Martins – a proud sept of Clan Donald whose story begins with the legendary seafarer Aonghas na Gaoithe, winds through centuries of loyal service to the MacDonalds of Sleat, and reaches its brightest moment with the celebrated 17th-century traveller and author Martin Martin, whose Description of the Western Islands remains one of the greatest windows into Gaelic life ever written. From sea-born Gaelic wanderers to Jacobite warriors and Enlightenment chroniclers, discover how this small Skye kindred left an outsized mark on Highland history.Visit https://scottishclans.info for more resources.Grab your clan Battle Shirts and Clandanas at https://stores.inksoft.com/the_scottish_clans/shop/homeMain source: The Clan Donald, Volume III (1904) – read the full Martin of Trotternish section free at https://archive.org/details/clandonald03macd/page/n9/mode/2upRead more on the MartinsContribute to the Cause at

When people talk about the Gaelic clans of Scotland, they usually picture the Highlands and the Isles. But what about Galloway? In this episode, I dive into the rich, overlooked story of the Gaelic clans of Galloway — a region whose people shared the same ethnic and cultural roots as the clans of the Hebrides.We’ll explore their origins, language, and leadership structures, and highlight some of the key families that played vital roles in medieval Scotland — clans too often forgotten in popular retellings of Scottish history.If you want to understand how the Galloway clans fit into the broader story of Gaelic Scotland, this episode is for you.Explore More:🕯️ Website: https://scottishclans.info📺 YouTube Channel: The Scottish Clans👕 Merch:• Clandanas and Battle Shirts🎙️ Support the Show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/thescottishclans📧 Contact: [email protected]