The Massacre of the MacDonalds of Eigg, Scotland, 1577

A gruesome fate befell the MacDonalds of Eigg, at the hands of Clan MacLeod. The MacLeods, who belonged to the Western Islands, about the end of the 16th century were a very powerful clan, and had subdued a great part of Harris and Lewis, the largest of the Hebridean islands. On one occasion a boat manned by some young MacLeod males, reached the island of Eigg, populated by the Macdonalds, they were kindly received. But having treated some of the young women of the island with incivility, the MacLeods so exasperated the MacDonalds that they seized them, and having bound them hand and foot placed them in their boat and cast it adrift. Fortunately for the MacLeods their boat was picked up by another manned by their clan. They were taken to Dungevan, in Skye, where the Laird of the MacLeods lived, and in his ears they detailed the insult they had received from the MacDonalds of Eigg.  MacLeod was in a great rage when he heard the story, and at once put to sea with his galley and a strong force of men. The MacDonald’s, when they became aware that the MacLeods were approaching against them, had no hope that they would be able to give them battle, but they thought they might escape their vengeance by hiding in a cave by the seashore. This cave, which bore the name of Uamba Fhraine, or cave of Francis, had a small entrance, so small, indeed, that a person had to crawl on hands and knees to be able to enter. It got no wider for a distance of twelve feet in, but then gradually opened out to its full capacity. Its length was 213 feet, its breadth 22, and its height 27. A rill of water fell from the rock above, and almost completely hid the entrance. Here the MacDonald’s fancied they would be safe, and the whole number on the island, with the exception of three, who took other places of refuge, and a boat crew which was at the time in Glasgow, hastened thereto, and took advantage of the concealment it afforded. The MacLeod’s arrived on the island but were chagrined to find no trace of the MacDonald’s. Not one was to be discovered so they destroyed their huts and plundered their property.  They wreaked their vengeance on whatever they could lay their hands on, but still they were far from being satisfied. In fact, it added not a little to their chagrin that they believed that the inhabitants were actually concealed somewhere on the island out of their reach. For three days they searched, and had appointed the following morning for leaving. In the grey of the morning the MacLeods were actually aboard to leave when one of their men spotted a figure on the island. This was a spy which the MacDonalds had sent to learn whether the MacLeods had left. When the poor fellow saw himself discovered he ran with all his might to the place of concealment to prevent the pursuers discovering where he had entered the cave. But his efforts were all in vain. He was tracked to the entrance by the MacLeods.  The MacLeods then summoned those within to deliver up the individuals who had maltreated their men to be disposed of at their pleasure. The MacDonalds, still confident of the security of their cave, declined to give up the offending clansmen. The MacLeods, determined to be revenged, then commenced a work of brutal atrocity. They cut a ditch above the rock, and carried away the water from the mouth of the Cave.  They then gathered their men together to find all the fuel that could be found on the island.  Peats, turf, wood, and heather were collected and piled up against the entrance. They then lit the pile, and kept up an immense fire for many hours, during which period the smoke penetrated every cranny of the cave, and suffocated every living creature within, killing an estimated 395 members of the clan.

In 1578 the MacDonalds of Sleat, in eight ships, headed to Skye to avenge the murder of their kin.  They entered Ardmore Bay and found a number of MacLeods at a church service in Trumpan.  They set the church on fire killing all inside but one.  The MacLeods sent their fighting men to confront the MacDonalds.  The MacDonalds were completely massacred after trying to unsuccessfully escape in their boats.  It is known as the battle of the Spoiling Dyke due to the fact that the slaughtered MacDonalds were buried under turf dyke.