| Clan MacNicol
----------------------------------------------------------- In a district mostly in Ross-shire, anciently known by the name of Ness, there was originally located a small and broken clan, known as the Macnicols. The only districts, according to Skene, which at all answers to the description of Ness, are those of Assynt, Edderachylis, and Duirness.
The Macnicols were descended from one Mackrycul (the letter r in the Gaelic being invariably pronounced like n), who, tradition says, as a reward for having rescued from some Scandinavians a great quantity of cattle carried off from Sutherland, received from one of the ancient thanes of that province, the district of Assynt, then a forest belonging to them. This Mackryeul held that part of the coast of Cogeach, which is called Ullapool. In the MS of 1450, the descent of the clan Nicail is traced in a direct line from a certain Gregall, plainly the Krycul here mentioned, who is supposed to have lived in the twelfth century. He is said to have been the ancestor, besides the MacNicols, of the Nicols and the Nicholsons. When Gregall lived, Sutherland was occupied by Gaelic tribes, and the MacNicols may therefore be considered of Gaelic origin.
About the beginning of the 14th century, the family of the chief ended in an heiress, who married Torquil Macleod, a younger son of Macleod of Lewis. Macleod obtained a crown charter of the district of Assynt and other lands in Wester Ross, which had been the property of the Macnicols. That sept subsequently removed to the Isle of Skye, and the residence of their head or chief was at Scoirebreac, on the margin of the loch near Portree.
Even after their removal to Skye the MacNicols seem to have retained their independence, for tradition relates that on one occasion when the head of this clan, called MacNicol Mor, was engaged in a warm discussion with Macleod of Rasay, carried on in the English language, the servant of the latter coming into the room, imagined they were quarrelling, and drawing his sword mortally wounded Macnicol. To prevent a feud between the two septs, a council of chieftains and elders was held to determine in what manner the Macnicols could be appeased, when, upon some old precedent, it was agreed that the meanest person in the clan Nicol should behead the laird of Rasay. The individual of least note among them was one Lomach, a maker of pannier baskets, and he accordingly cut off the head of the laird of Rasay.
In Argyleshire there were many MacNicols, but the clan may be said to have long been extinct.
Another account of the Clan
Of the ancient races of the West and North which have been dignified with the title of the Great Clans, only one may be said to have fallen entirely to pieces in the course of time. The fact speaks volumes for the vitality of these warrior tribes, and the healthiness of the seemingly hard conditions amid which they lived and struggled. The conclusions of Skene in his Highlanders of Scotland have not always been approved by later writers, but it is worth noting that he identifies Clan Nicol with the Kairinoi of the early geographer Ptolemy. Skene identifies the Ness district of the Norwegian sagas with the region in the north-west of Scotland now known as Edyrachillis, Duirinish, and Assynt, and he declares that "the most ancient Gaelic clan which can be traced as inhabiting these districts is the clan Nicail or MacNicols." In the article on " Assynt "in the Statistical Account of Scotland, the Rev. William Mackenzie records that "Tradition and even documents declare that it was a forest of the ancient Thanes of Sutherland. One of these Prince Thanes gave it in vassalage to one Macrycul, who in ancient times held the coast of Coygeach, that part of it at the place presently called Ullapool. The noble Thane made Assynt over in the above manner, as Mackrycul had recovered a great quantity of cattle carried off from the county of Sutherland by foreign invaders. "Mackenzie adds in a note, Mackrycul is reputed by the people here to be the potent man of whom are descended the Macnicols, Nicols, and Nicolsons." According to the Gaelic genealogical manuscript of 1450, on which Skene founds so much of his writing regarding the clans, this account is probably correct, for in that manuscript the descent of the Clan Nicail is traced in a direct line from a certain Gregall, who is obviously the Krycul of the tradition. Further, as the letters r and n are interchangeable in Gaelic, it can easily be seen how Macrycul became MacNicail or MacNicol, of which the English translation is of course Nicolson. The recovery of the great herd of Sutherland cattle from Norwegian invaders is believed to have been accomplished by Macrycul or MacNicol of Coygeach some time in the twelfth century. To accomplish such a feat he must have been at the head of a considerable army or clan, so the probability is that the race of Krycul or Gregall had been chiefs at Ullapool for a long period before that. This would take their ancestry back to the days of Malcolm Canmore at least.
About the time of the battle of Bannockburn the line of the MacNicol chiefs ended in an heiress who married Torquil, a younger son of MacLeod of the Lewis, and the pair obtained a Crown charter of the lands of Assynt and others which had been the MacNicol property. From this marriage descended fourteen successive MacLeod lairds of Assynt. It was one of these MacLeods of Assynt who in 1650 earned the execration of the Highlanders by handing over the Great Marquess of Montrose to the Covenanting Government at whose head was his implacable enemy, the crafty Marquess of Argyll. MacLeod was then in money difficulties, which perhaps explained his willingness to earn the Government reward. Ten years later his chief creditor, the Earl of Seaforth, foreclosed his wadsets and took possession of the Assynt estates. Still later Assynt was purchased by the Sutherland family. The more northern part of the old MacNicol country remained in other hands till MacLeod of Edyrachillis and Morison of Duirinish took occasion to engage in a feud, whereupon their neighbours the MacKays, then at the height of their power, stepped in and wrested these estates from both families, and from that time Edyrachillis and Duirinish became parts of the Lord Reay’s country.
Meanwhile, on the death of the last MacNicol of Coygeach, Assynt, Edyrachillis, and Duirinish, the chiefship of the clan had by patriarchal law, passed to the nearest male of the race, and the seat of this line was afterwards removed to Scoirebreac, a beautiful spot on the coast of Skye near Portree. Here they appear to have shown their piety, prevision, or ostentation by benefactions to the religious house, of which the ruins may yet be seen on an island at the head of Loch Snizort. A small chapel on the south side of the main buildings is still known as MacNicol’s Aisle, and within it is to be seen the effigy of a warrior in conical helmet and long quilted coat or habergeon, who must have been a man of much power in his time.
Of one of these chiefs of Scoirebreac a tradition is recorded which furnishes a curious illustration of the ancient ideas of clan honour and the rules of blood vengeance. The chief concerned, known as MacNicol Mor, from his great size, was one day engaged in a warm discussion with MacLeod of Raasay, his neighbour across the sound. At the height of the debate MacLeod’s servant came into the room. The two were talking in English, so the man did not know the meaning of what was said, but under the impression that a serious quarrel was on foot, he drew his sword and dealt MacNicol a blow from which he died. To decide how the deed should be avenged and a feud between the two families avoided, a meeting of chiefs and elders was at once called. These men of wisdom decided that as the MacNicol chief had been slain, the hand of a menial MacLeod, the Laird of Raasay should be beheaded by the meanest of MacNicol’s clansmen. The humblest of the latter was found to be one Lomach, a maker of horse panniers, and by him Raasay was duly put to death. The execution took place near Snizort. At the fatal moment the victim was in the act of speaking, and so deftly did Lomach take off his head that as it rolled down the hill the onlookers distinctly heard the sounds "ip ip" from its lips. From this circumstance the little mount was afterwards known as Cnoc an h-ip. It is satisfactory to know that the sacrifice of the Laird of Raasay prevented all further shedding of blood between the MacLeods and the MacNicols.
Stories of the MacNicols of Scoirebreac come down to the beginning of the nineteenth century. About that time, according to the author of the letterpress in M’Ian’s Clans of the Scottish Highlands, at a banquet of the clansmen given to celebrate some joyful occasion, there was a call for the bards to come to the upper end of the room. Convinced of the hopelessness of the summons MacNicol of Scoirebreac exclaimed, "The bards are extinct! " He was promptly taken to task by one of the company, Alastair bui’ Mac Ivor, who retorted, "No, they are not extinct, but those who delighted to patronise them are gone."
While the seat of the MacNicol chiefs was in Skye there were many of the name scattered throughout the county of Argyll, and of these there were several individuals whose characteristics or exploits have been perpetuated in tradition. One of them, reputed to be a seer, obtained the name of Gualan Crostadh from his rule never to look behind him. For the same reason he was also known as "an Teallsanach" or the Philosopher. As might be expected of such a personage, a crop of stories was long extant regarding him. Another of the clan, Gillespie MacNicol, attained fame by a rescue he effected at somewhat serious cost to himself. After the last Jacobite rising a widow’s son had fallen into the hands of the "red soldiers," as Government troops were called, and they were carrying him off, when the redoubtable Gillespie came to the rescue. Attacking the soldiers, be slew one or two, put the others to flight, and set the captive free. Unluckily, as he did so, he received a swordstroke in the face which carried off his nose.
Strangely enough, notwithstanding the evident importance of the MacNicols in their early days, the clan seems never to have had a tartan. After the beginning of the fourteenth century, when the heiress of the early line of chiefs married a MacLeod, they seem to have merged in the following of that clan, and probably they adopted the MacLeod tartan.
Among members of the clan who have attained more than local repute was the Rev. Donald MacNicol, whose best known work was his defence of the Highlands against the accusations made by Dr. Samuel Johnson in his Journey to the Hebrides. Of the same period also were the Rev. Francis Nicoll, D.D., Principal of St. Leonard’s and St. Salvator’s Colleges, St. Andrews, and Robert Nicoll, the poet who became editor of the Leeds Times in 1836. Still later were the Nichols, father and son, professors, one of astronomy and the other of English literature at Glasgow University. There was also Alexander Nicolson, the Gaelic scholar who died Sheriff-Substitute of Greenock in 1893. He is chiefly remembered by his revision of the Gaelic Bible and his collection of Gaelic proverbs. One of the ablest journalists of recent times, too, was Sir William Robertson Nicol, founder of The British Weekly and "discoverer " of Sir J. M. Barrie and other well-known writers.
It should be noted that the lowland name Nicholson, once represented by the Nicholsons of Carnock, a family now merged, with the Shaws of Greenock, in that of the Stewarts of Blackhall and Ardgowan, are not of the MacNicol clan. Their name, like that of the English Nicholls, is derived from the original form Nicholas.
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Thanks to Murray Nicolson for this explanation on how MacNicol and Nicolson became two separate clans.
I am the former President of Clan MacNicol in the USA, where I founded the Society about 14 years ago. I'm originally from Edinburgh, went to the Royal High School and the University, and then emigrated to the Boston area in the USA.
To explain why there are two clans: I've always been interested in genealogy, and in the early 80's got in touch with the fellow who is the Clan Chief in Australia, Ian Nicolson. His ancestor had emigrated from the Isle of Skye about 1825, from Scorrybreck near Portree. The family had lived at Portree for many generations before that, and had entertained Bonnie Prince Charlie during his flight in 1746 - he was hidden in their cow shed! I and a lady in Australia decided to get the Clan societies up and going, but in the process of stirring things up a rival emerged - Lord Carnock, AKA Sir David Nicolson of that Ilk claimed the title of Chief of Clan Nicolson, by virtue of an ancestor who was given the title of John Nicolson of that Ilk and a Baronet of Lasswade in 1629. He was recognised as Chief of Clan Nicolson by the Lord Lyon in 1984. We discussed the clear claim of the Nicolsons of Scorrybreck to have a Chief, and in 1988 the Lord Lyon decided that our man could be titled Ian MacNeacail of MacNeacail and Scorrybreac, Chief of the Highland Clan MacNeacail. This required Ian to change his surname officially to MacNeacail from Nicolson - one is the Gaelic form of the other. This resulted in there being the two clans, and hence your problem about distinguishing them.
To establish the foundation of Clan MacNeacail, we commissioned a book to be written which was published in 1999, entitled The Highland Clan MacNeacail (MacNicol), by W.D.H. Sellar and Alasdair Maclean. Copies can be obtained from our Clan Society. We have branches in Scotland, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand. We also own 130 acres of land that we bought in 1987 near Portree.
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A OLD RENDERING OF THE MACNICOL CASTLE RUINS IN STORNOWAY! Stornoway Castle was destroyed by Cromwell's forces in 1653 and the last remains of it removed in the 1800s to provide foundations for a pier. Its site lies somewhere near the ferry terminal. From 1661, Lewis became part of Ross-shire and was administered from distant Dingwall, an arrangement that was to last until the creation of the Western Isles Council in 1975.
Stornoway is said to have begun as a Viking settlement that progressively grew in a lovely natural harbor. The town's name is believed to come from the word 'Stjornavgr', which means “Steering Bay” in Norse. Some time in the 1100s a castle was built proudly overlooking the town by the MacNicol family. Stornoway Castle was annexed by Leod, predecessor to the MacLeods of Lewis. The Middle Ages saw much fighting amongst clans and the MacLeod family was much despised by the government in Edinburgh. King James VI attempted to remove their influence in 1597, but did not succeed. In the 1600s the castle of Stornoway was crushed by forces led by Oliver Cromwell. The town came under control of the MacKenzies.
Origins according to the Indweller of Lewis
In the late seventeenth century the origin of the MacAulays was documented among an historical account of Lewis. John Morisone, Indweller of Lewis, wrote between about 1678 and 1688,[5] that the ancient inhabitants of Lewis were three men from three separate races:
The first and most antient Inhabitants of this Countrie were three men of three severall races viz. Mores the son of Kenannus whom the Irish historiance call Makurich whom they make to be Naturall Sone to one of the Kings of Noruvay. some of whose posteritie remains in the land to this day. All Morisones in Scotland may challenge there descent from this man. The second was Iskair Mac.Awlay ane Irish man whose posteritie remain likvise to this day in the Lews. The third was Macknaicle whose onlie daughter Torquill the first of that name (and sone to Claudius the sone of Olipheous, who likewise is said to be the King of Noruway his sone,) did violentlie espouse, and cutt off Immediatlie the whole race of Macknaicle and possessed himself with the whole Lews and continueth to his posteritie (Macleud of Lews) dureing 13 or 14 generations and so extinct before, or at least about the year 1600 the maner of his decay I omitt because I intend no historie but a descriptione.[6]
– John Morisone, A Descriptione of the Lews | | 
Chief John MacNeacail and his wife Jenni John MacNeacail of MacNeacail and Scorrybreac, Chief of the Highland Clan MacNeacail... Clan MacNeacail is a very ancient highland clan based on the Isle of Skye, but a Clan which is very active today. The clan now has a strong membership in Scotland, England, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. Its clan societies around the world are members of The Highland Clan MacNeacail Federation. Clan newsletters are published quarterly in Scotland, Australia and North America. John became chief on the death of his father, Iain, in October 2003. He resides in Ballina, NSW, with his wife, Jenni, and they have two sons, the Clan tanist, Luke, born in Canberra in 1979, and Adam, born in Pambula, NSW in 1983. As Skye traditions strongly suggest that there are twenty eight MacNeacail chiefs buried on St. Columba's Island, and assuming that the last or 28th chief to be buried there was Donald, who died about 1825, the last chief to die in Skye, John could thus be considered to be the 34th chief
John is a company director and investor with interests in real estate agencies and property in northern NSW and Queensland.
Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh)
Undiscovered Scotland: The Ultimate Online Guide
The name of Stornoway comes from the Norse for "Steering Bay", an indication of the very early origins of the town. As the best natural harbour in the Western Isles it was an obvious focus for development, and Stornoway Castle was built as early as 1100 by the MacNicol family. The castle was later captured by a Viking called Leod, who founded the dynasty that later became the MacLeods of Lewis.
ORDNANCE GAZETTEER OF SCOTLAND: A SURVEY OF SCOTTISH TOPOGRAPHY,
EDITED BY, FRANCIS H GROÓME,
ASSISTANT EDITOR OF 'THE GLOBE ENCYCLOPEDIA.'
VOLUME VI.
EDINBURGH:
THOMAS C. JACK, CHANGE PUBLISHING WORKS.
LONDON: 45 LUDGATE HILL. GLASGOW: 48 GORDON STREET. 1885.
A snippet taken from this book about Stornoway
At the head of the Harbour stands a small fragment of the old Castle Macnicol, which is said to have been built before the Norse conquest of the Hebrides, and to have been taken from the Macnicols by a Scandinavian leader named Leod, from whom the Macleods of Lewis sprung. Near it was a small fort erected by Cromwell, the garrison of which, tradition says, were all slain by the people of the island
Caithness Field Club Bulletin
1978 - October
HISTORIC CASTLES AND FAMILIES OF THE NORTH
8. Ardvreck Castle - The MacNicols and Macleods of Assynt
D. B. Miller
The road leading from Lairg to Lochinver in the South-West corner of Sutherland where it enters the parish of Assynt passes through some of the most magnificently grand scenery in Scotland. Towering, rugged mountains some of them rising to over 3000 feet surround the traveller in awe inspiring splendour.
Near Inchnadamph on the left the first glimpse of beautiful Loch Assynt can be seen and for the next ten miles or so the winding road is never far from the northern shore of the loch as sometimes the traveller can see panoramic views of the water and the next minute mere glimpses through the screen of trees. Not far from the eastern end of loch Assynt on a peninsula jutting out into the waters of the loch stand the picturesque ruins of Ardvreck Castle. Had this ancient stronghold been restored as Eilean Donan had been restored it would undoubtedly have rivalled it as the most photographed castle in Scotland.
The MacNicols
The earliest lairds of Assynt were the ancient family of MacNicol. They are traditionally believed to be descended from one Macrycul (the letter 'r' in Gaelic being invariably pronounced like an 'n') who, as a reward for having rescued from some Scandinavians a great number of cattle carried off from Sutherland, received from one of the ancient thanes of that province, the district of Assynt, then a forest belonging to them. This Macrycul also held a large part of neighbouring Ross-shire around what is now Ullapool. In a manuscript dated 1450 the descent of the Clan Nicol is traced in a direct line from a certain Gregall, believed to be the same person as Macrycul. This descent is corroborated by the local traditions as stated in the New Statisti6al Account of Scotland. Gregall or Macrycul is said to be the ancestor besides the MacNicols, of the Nicols, and the Nicolsons. Gregall is supposed to have flourished in the twelfth century.
At the beginning of the fourteenth century the Chief's line of MacNicol ended with an heiress who married Torquil MacLeod a younger son of MacLeod of Lewis. MacLeod obtained a crown charter of the district of Assynt and the other lands in Wester Ross which had been the property of the MacNicols. The Chieftainship of the MacNicols at this time passed to the heir male whose line subsequently settled in Skye with a residence at Scorebreac near Portree.
The MacLeods
The MacLeods of Assynt became one of the most powerful families in the North-West Highlands and during the next two and a half centuries fourteen successive Chiefs of the line ruled there in feudal splendour, playing a full part in the turbulent events of these times.
In 1588 the then MacLeod of Assynt accompanied the Earl of Sutherland, MacKay of Strathnaver and other Chiefs on a great raid into Caithness known in Gaelic as "La na creachmore" or "The great spoil" during which the town of Wick was burnt, the old parish church there, although spared the flames was ransacked, Girnigoe Castle was besieged for twelve days (although without effect) and the county ravished as far as Duncansby.
In May 1646 the boot was on the other foot for in that year Ardvreck Castle itself was besieged by the MacKenzies, but Domhnall Ban MacLeod the laird of the time successfully defended it against the invaders.
Senchus Fer nAlban
History of the Men of Alba (Scotland)
10th century
Genealogy of the Nicolsons Genelach mic Nicail
John son of Eoin mic
Ewen son of Eogain mic
John son of Eoin mic
Nicail son of Nicail mic
Aigi son of Aigi mic
Neailb son of Neailb mic
Nicail son of Nicail mic
Gregill son of Gregill son of
Gillemure son of Gillemure mic
Sealbar son of Sealbar mic
Toircinn son of Toircinn mic
Tottha son of Tottha mic
Trostain son of Trostain mic (a Pictish name)
Sdacaill son of Sdacaill mic
Erble, from whom Mac Erble, Erble o fuiled ic Erble
son of mic
Harald son of Arailt
Murechach son of Murechaich mic
Fogacail son of Fogacail mic
Paul son of Poil mic
Allan son of Ailin mic
Airfin son of Airfin mic
Teague son of Taidg mic
Amlaimh son of Amlaim mic
Turcinn of Dublin, son of Turcinn Atacliath mic
Harald son of Arailt mic
Asmainn son of Asmainn mic
Airdil. Airdil.
Gaelic Ms. of 1450
Collectanea De Rebus Albanicis (Iona Club) No. 1
Genealogies of the Highland Clans
For a complete discussion of these genealogies,
see Skene's "Celtic Scotland", Vol. 3; and
"The Highland Clans," Vol. 2.
A discussion of the clans in descent from Clan Donald
in Argyle may be found in "Memorials of Argyleshire."
The general deduction from the MS. genealogies of the Highland clans is, that the various clans were divided into five great tribes, the clans forming each of these separate tribes being deduced by the genealogies from a common ancestor, while a marked distinction is drawn between the different tribes, and indications can at the same time be traced in each tribe, which identify them with the earldoms or maormorships into which the north of Scotland was anciently divided.
This will appear from the following table of the distribution of the clans by the old genealogies into five major tribes:—
I. Descendants of Conn of the Hundred Battles
The Maclauchlans
The Lords of the Isles, or MacDonalds
The MacDougals
The Macneills
The Maclauchlans
The Macewens
The Maclaisrichs
The Maceacherns
II. The Descendants of Ferchar Fata Mac Feradaig
The Old Maormors of Moray.
The Macintoshes The Macphersons
The Macnauchtons
III. Descendants of Cormac Mac Oirbertaig
The Old Earls of Ross
The Mackenzies
The Mathiesons
The Macgregors The Mackinnons
The Macquarries
The Macnabs
The Macduffies
IV. Descendants of Fergus Leith Dearg
The Macleods The Campells
V. Descendants of Krycul
The Macnicols
A Short Story of the Nicholson Clan
By Donald A. Nicholson of Lynn, Massachusetts
Great Grandson of Angus Nicholson, who left Isle of Skye, Scotland in 1845 to settle in Prince Edward Island. Served with the R. A. M. C. in France during the World War. Discharged with the rank of Sargent Major.
John Macfarlane & Co., Printers Lynn, Massachusetts 1933
The Nicholson clan is one of the oldest of Scottish clans. The earliest record we have of the clan is a map made by the Greek historian, Ptolemy in 300 BC. He shows the whole Scotland divided into tribes, and our tribe is designated as Kairinoi, meaning men of Kai.
In 147 BC, Tacitus, the Roman general made a map and gave our people the name Caereni, which is the Latin equivalent of the Greek Kairinoi.
The first Gaelic name of our tribe was Kai, spelled Quith. This tribe held the district of Ness, which was virtually the whole northwestern Scotland from Morven Hills to Loch Broom.
There are records of this in the Norse Sagas, the Irish Annals and the Roman records, which cover the period from 300 BC to 1100 AD. The district was made up of the parts of Scotland now called Edderachylis, Duirnes, Assint and Coygach.
Our people made alliances with the Norse after the Norsemen took the Orkney Islands and made them a naval base for their raids in Great Britain.
The district of Ness belonging to the Kairinoi is nearly opposite the Orkneys, so naturally the Norse tried to conquer them but were unsuccessful. Finally, they formed an alliance.
There are many records of the Norse passing through Ness when they had business on the main land, and our people often went with them on their plundering expeditions. This alliance is probably the reason for the name Norman being so common in our family. The particular aptitude of our people for sudden forays into enemy country gave us the hawks head for our coat of arms.
One particular ancestor of ours was so famous for his fighting ability that the whole clan took his name as their own and gradually the tradition grew that we were all descendants of this great warrior. His name Krycul and the clan called themselves Sons of Krycul or MacKrycul. The Gaelic for the name Nicholson is MacKrycul or MacKreacuil, for in Gaelic Ni is pronounced Krea.
The Picts, a Gaelic speaking people; the Northern Picts, who lived in the Highlands and the Southern Picts, who lived in the Lowlands, originally inhabited all of Scotland. These Picts were called in Gaelic "Albanicle." These were divided into ten clans, of which the McCrycul was one. These clans united to fight the Romans, who consequently never could get into Scotland.
After the Romans left England the Picts of the North and South became more or less separated by inter clan wars, and the Saxons and Danes made inroads in the Lowlands and settled there. Gradually the Lowlands became more Gothic or Teutonic than Pictish and they lost the strength that was retained by the pure Picts of Gaelic Highlanders.
In 731 AD the Scots, a Celtic tribe, came from Ireland and, with the help of the Irish Kings, conquered and held Argyllshire. These Scots spoke Gaelic, as did the Picts. Then, to solidify their position, these Irish Scots made treaties or alliances with the Highlanders. Immediately there started a series of wars between the Lowlanders and the Scots of Ireland.
The English or Anglo-Saxons now joined the Lowlanders and the Highlanders joined with the Irish Scots. To make the situation more complicated the Norse kept raiding England and most of Scotland. Life became just one continued war. With the retirement of the powerful Norse raiders in 1064, when a great storm wrecked their fleet off Ireland, at tempts were made to put a King over the whole of Scotland.
First, a Lowland King was appointed with the support of the Anglo-Saxons and when they thought everything was serene, there would be another war and a Scot King would be raised with the support of the Highlanders.
We hear of MacKrycul, chief of the MacKryculs, supporting a Scots King, David the second, in the twelfth century; and receiving a charter from the king making him a Baron.
The real reason for the dispute over kings was the Gaels have a different method of inheritance than the Gothic or Teutonic races. The Gothic peoples inherit from the eldest son to the eldest son. The Gaels inherit from brother to brother and then the eldest son.
The Clan MacKrycul had one fatal failing, they liked to fight too well, and by the fourteenth centuryall the cheifs of the clan had been killed. There was left only Margaret MacNichol or MacKrycul, a daughter of the last chief. She married Torquil Macleod. He was a younger son of the chief of the MacLeod Clan.
This originated the clan of MacLeod of Lewis, most of the land controlled by them was originally under the control of our family, and our clan became a sept of the MacLeod of Lewis
This MacLeod also acquired land in the Isle of Skye at this time, by marrying a son into the Norse family that was dying out and owned considerable land in Skye. Irish slaves under Norse rule had farmed this land, but it had been left unoccupied when the Norse lost their power and the inhabitants escaped to Ireland. So most of our people followed their new chieftain and his bride when they went to Skye and Rassay to live. The family seat was established at Skorrybreach on Rassay and at Guie near Greshornish on Skye.
The MacDonalds of the Islands as well as the MacLeods held territory on Skye and ever since the time our clan settled there, we have been closely connected with both the MacDonalds and the MacLeods. These clans, which controlled the islands off the west coast of Scotland, became known as the lords of the Isles and they formed a federation in which the Nicholsons were represented by Nicholson of Portree and Skorrybreach.
At this time, the trouble with the English commenced. As the chiefs of most the other clans had died, the most powerful organization in the Highlands was the lords of the Isles. However, by the dissension in its own ranks the federation gradually became under the domination of the English government through the Lowland Scottish lords who were favorable to the English.
Several attempts were made to re-establish the Highland clans and England suffered several sharp defeats and a bad scare in 1715. After that, England began to take steps to subdue the Highlanders. English troops were garrisoned and military roads were established. Arms were confiscated; the estates of rebellious Highlanders were taken over. That greatly aroused the Highlanders.
In 1745 Charles Stuart came over from France and, appearing on the west coast of Scotland, raised a small army and started a drive that went clear down into England and didn’t stop until they were ninety mile from London. After defeating several superior forces of English troops, they were finally defeated at Culloden by dissension among themselves.
Charles Stuart escaped with part of his officers to Skye and was hidden at Nicholson’s Rock at Skorrybreach for a time and finally through the assistance of Flora MacDonald made good his escape.
In 1746, the British government commenced the military persecution that lasted nearly a hundred years, concentrating especially on the Isle of Skye and the surrounding territory. Every effort was made to degrade and harm the Highlanders. Their lands were taken from them, their tartans and kilts were forbidden along with the bagpipe. Their homes were burned and their women and children were treated barbarously. They were compelled to emigrate to different parts of the British Colonies, with only a few in each group. The Gaelic was forbidden and everyone had to use English names. That is the reason that there are so many different spellings of Nicholson, i.e. Nicolson, MacNicol, Mac Nichol, Nichols and MacNicail.
Thirty thousand clansmen left Skye and ten thousand of them were Nicholson’s. They were allowed to take almost nothing with them and were given no help in their new homesteads. Some of the clan settled in Lincolnshire, England, some in Dublin, Ireland, others came to America and settled in Virginia, Georgia, Connecticut and some went to Australia, and some went to Prince Edward Island. To complete their overthrow their farms to turn over to sheep raising by the new English landlords and those that remained and tried to live through the English atrocities were finally driven away by hunger.
The great famine in 1845 ended the whole dreadful business. Our own particular family was the last to leave in 1846, when they came to Prince Edward Island on the Mayflower and started all over again.
There were five brothers and two sisters; Norman, Angus, Samuel, Donald, Malcom, Margaret and Catherine. Two of the brothers, Donald and Malcom remained in Skye and became anglers, and I saw their descendents when I was in Skye.
There are only a few hundred of our clan left in Skye, those who crept back to their ruined villages and tried to exist until after the hundred years of persecution ended. They did nobly during the World War as did all men of Skye, for more soldiers and sailors have come from Skye than from any other part of the British Empire, in proportion to its population.
For years soldiers were recruited for the crack regiments of Europe, such as the Scots Guards of France, the Imperial Scottish Foot Guards of the Russians and most of them came from Skye and the surrounding country.
Nicholson’s will be found all over the world for they are great travelers. There have some prominent ones; look in "Who’s Who" or the "Encyclopedia Britannica" and you’ll be proud of them. But prominent or not, they have all been brave, and ready to stand up for what they thought was right.
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