Duncan Donnacha Macrae

•Name: Duncan Macrae •Sex: M •Birth: ABT 1502 •Death: ABT 1560 •Reference Number: 257 •Note: Duncan was the progenator of the fair Macraes. p 25 MFH.

Father: Christopher Macrae b: ABT 1485

Marriage 1 Isabell Ban of Glenmorriston •Married: ABT 1536 Children1.Has Children Christopher Macrae b: ABT 1537 2.Has Children John Macrae b: ABT 1538 3.Has No Children Daughter Macrae

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mrcamlen%...

"he was a prominent man in the affairs of Kintail. His descendants are called the “Fair Macraes”. He married the widow of John Matheson, Constable of Ellandonan, who was killed in the siege of 1539. She was a daughter of Duncan Ban of Glenmoriston, and was first married to Sir Dougal Mackenzie, of the Kintail Mackenzies. Duncan Macrae gained great fame by Killing Macdonald of Sleat at the siege of 1539. Donald Gorm Macdonald had already killed Duncan’s uncle Miles Macrae at Kinlochewe, and Sir Dougal Mackenzie, Priest of Kintail, in a raid on Mackenzie territories and John of Killin was naturally exasperated by these unprovoked attacks, so he sent his son to Sleat with a large body of followers to retaliate on the Macdonalds. Subsequently, after further trouble, Donald Gorm heard that Ellandonan Castle was very weakly garrisoned, so he made a sudden raid upon it, hoping to take it by surprise. The rumour that reached him was only too true as John Dubh Matheson, the Constable, recently appointed in succession to Christopher Macrae, and a watchman, were the only two in the Castle. There was no time to gather men from the mainland. It so happened, however, that Duncan Macrae was passing by on his way from Lochalsh, and hearing the cry of alarm, he made the castle with all speed. He arrived there before the enemy and took his stand at the postern gate of the tower and killed several of the crew of the first galley as they were landing. As the enemy crowded upon him in increasing numbers, he made his way into the tower, and barricading the gate behind him, joined the Constable and the watchman in defending the Castle. Donald Gorm began a furious battering of the gate, but it was strongly secured with iron bars on the inside, and they harassed the besiegers so much by dropping stones among them from within, that he was obliged to withdraw his men. Both sides now began to use their bows and arrows. The Macdonalds, suffering heavily themselves aimed at the embrasures, and in this way unfortunately succeeded in killing the Constable. Duncan was now left alone with the watchman and his last arrow to defend the Castle.

After this Duncan went to the country of Lord Lovat, who gave him the lands of Culigeran in Strathglass and later he lived at Crochel, where the Baron of Kintail was his frequent visitor over many years. Duncan had a great affection for Kintail, and in order to keep him Lord Lovat offered him the lands of Clunes which his predecessors formerly held. However in the end he returned to Kintail, where he received the quarter lands of INVERINATE and DORISDUAN. At Inverinate, a romantic spot on the north shore of Loch Duich, he lived for the rest of his days, as did also his descendants for more than two centuries. This family of the INVERINATE MACRAES was the chief family of the CLAN MACRAE. He lived to a good old age."