The Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart, 1598

The Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1598 on the Isle of Islay between Clan Donald and Clan Maclean. The conflict was over the possession of the Rhinns, a region on the island that Clan Maclean claimed had been given to their leader Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean’s wife as a dowry in 1566 by Angus MacDonald, the chief of Clan Donald South. However, Angus later gave the land to Brian Vicar MacKay, a lieutenant to Clan Donald. Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean decided to invade Islay and do battle with Angus’s son, Sir James MacDonald, in order to secure the Rhinns for his own sons.

The two clans lined up for battle on the shores of Loch Ghruineart, with the Macleans expecting to charge down the hill and force Clan Donald to defend themselves uphill. However, Sir James MacDonald had learned different tactics while in Edinburgh and split his men into three groups, with the main group fighting uphill while the other two sneaked around behind the hill and charged down on the Macleans at a signal. This tactic was successful, and the Macleans were defeated, with Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean and around 280 of his men killed in the fight. The MacDonalds also suffered significant losses, with about 30 dead and 60 wounded. Some Maclean soldiers sought refuge in the Kilnave Chapel, but it was burned down, killing all but one of the men inside.

After the battle, King James VI awarded the MacDonald lands to Clan Campbell, leading to an extension of the feud between the two clans. Clan Donald’s reign on Islay came to an end in 1612 when Angus MacDonald, 8th of Dunnyveg, sold the land to Sir John Campbell of Cawdor of Clan Campbell of Cawdor. The Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart marked the end of significant clan battles on the Isle of Islay.