Clan MacNeil Tours of Scotland

Clan MacNeil Tours of Scotland. The Clan MacNeil claims descent from Niall, a descendent of Aodh O'Neil, King of the North of Ireland at the beginning of the eleventh century. Niall came to the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides around 1049, and is thought to be the first chief.

'Barra' means the 'isle of St Barr', but it is uncertain whether this is St Fionnbharr, the founder of Cork, or St Barr, great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages.

The ninth chief, Gilleonan, received a charter of Barra and Boisdale from the Lord of the Isles in 1427. His namesake, the 12th chief, was one of the island lords tricked into attending on James V at Portree. Promised safe conduct, they were promptly arrested and imprisoned.

The Macneils were Jacobites, and Black Roderick led his clansmen to fight for James VII at Killiecrankie in 1689. His two sons, Roderick and James, went into exile in France. They returned on their father's death and, for his Jacobite sympathies, Roderick was consigned to a prison ship, the Royal Sovereign. He was later taken to London and was not released until July 1747.

The clan prospered until the time of the twenty-first chief, General Roderick Macneil, who was forced to sell Barra in 1838. The general had no children, and the chiefship passed to a cousin, whose line had emigrated to America at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Septs of Clan: More than 1000 different spellings of the family name are recognized: Macneil, MacNeil, Macniel, MacNiel, Macneill, MacNeill, Macneal, MacNeal, Macneale, MacNeale, MacNeilage, Macneilage, MacNelly, Macnelly, MacNeally, Macneally, Mcneil, McNeil, Mcniel, McNiel, Mcneill, McNeill, Mcneal, McNeal, Mcneale, McNeale, McNeilage, Mcneilage, McNelly, Mcnelly, McNeally and Mcneally; also: Neil, Neal, Neale, Neill, Niel, O'Neal, O'Neil, O'Niel, Nelson, Neilson and Nielson and variants of these. Other family names recognized as loyal to the proud traditions held by our Chief include: MacGougan, Macgougan, MacGrail, Macgrail, MacGugan, Macgugan, MacGuigan, Macguigan, McGougan, Mcgougan, McGrail, Mcgrail, McGugan, Macgugan, McGuigan, and Mcguigan.

Names associated with the clan: MacNeil Of Barra, Gugan, MacGougan, MacGrail, MacGreal, MacGreil, MacGreill, MacGuckin, MacGugan, MacGuigan, MacGuoga, MacKneale, MacKnilie, MacKnily, MacNail, MacNaill, MacNale, MacNeal, MacNeale, MacNeall, MacNeel, MacNeelie, MacNeil, MacNeill, MacNeille, MacNeillie, MacNeilly, MacNele, MacNelly MacNely MacNeyll MacNial MacNiel MacNielie MacNillie MacNily MacReil MacReill,, MacReull, Magneill, Magreill, Makneill, Maknely, Makneyll, Maknill, Nail, Neal, Neale, Neil, Neill, Neilly, Niall, Niel, MacNeil Of Colonsay.