THE M'DONALDS OF KEPPOCH

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 837, 8 June 1910, Page 4

THE M'DONALDS OF KEPPOCH

PASSING .OF A SCIok. The death of Mr. A. M'Donald, of Wanganui, on May 25, severs a' link with the historic past of the Highland M'Donald clans. In a rare work entitled, "History of tho M'Donalds and Lords of tho Isles" (1881), by Alexander Mackenzie, F.S.A., Scotland, the names of the deceased gentleman, his- sister, Miss Juliet' M'Donald, of Wanganui, and Mrs. F.J Back, of Melbourne, widow of Mr. Fred Back, one-time General Manager of Railways, Christchurch . and Hobart, appear as the lineal descendants of the founder of the Clan M'Donald of ICeppoch—Alestair Curraol M'Donald, who was a grandson of Robert 11, King of Scotland. .

On the maternal side the late Mr. M'Donald, of Wanganui, through the chieftain of the warlike House of the M'Donalds of Keppoch, traces his crescent from the Royal blood of Scotland, for his mother was the great granddaughter 'of. the Keppoch chieftain who was killed at the head of his clan. on Cullodeu field. The M'Donald clansmen, filled with strong resentment for having been placed on the left instead of the right of J'rinco Charles Edward, refused to choi-go when ordered by their commander. Chambers, the his-, toriali, recounting (ho event, writes:— "Prom this conduct there was a brilliant exception—the chieftain of Iveppoeh, a man of chivalrous conduct and noted for great private worth, when the clan retreated, oxclaimed with feelings not to be appreciated in modern society, 'Have tlic children of my trite forsaken me!' lie then advanced with pistol and drawn sword, and fell pierced by two bullet-wounds, sacrificing his life, as it wore, to the offending genius of his name. His son Angus, hotly pressed by tho English, endeavoured to hide his sire's sword and dirk in tho moss to tho' west of Keppoch House, where they were discovered 'in IS7S, quite recognisable from the peculiar carving' oil the handlo. It was in this same Keppoch House that the late Mr. M'Donald, of Wanganui, was born. He has had in his possession a chanter belonging to a bagpipe playoi on tho field of' Culloden.