Scottish Clans - Clan MacNAB

SCOTTISH CLANS - MacNAB


MOTTO LET FEAR BE FAR FROM ALL	CLAN TARTAN MacNAB TARTAN

From the Gaelic, ‘Mhic An Aba’, MacNab means sons (children) of the Abbot. Originally abbots could be lay ministers and tradition has it that the MacNabs are descended from the younger son of Kenneth MacAlpine, King of the Scots who united the Picts and Scots. Kenneth was also Abbot of Glendochart and Strathearn. MacNabs are part of a larger clan grouping, called Clan MacAlpine, with MacGregors, MacKinnons, Grants, MacQuarries and MacAuleys.

Clan MacNab is bound up historically with St. Fillan, son of Feradach or Feriach who was Abbot of Kilmun then moved to Glendochart. He died in January in 703AD. His pastoral staff was carried before the clan into battle. The MacNab influence was felt from Tyndrum, west into Argyll and east from Glendochart to Killin, where the clan seat was MacNab Castle on Eilan Ran, an island on River Lochay.

The name MacNab was first recorded in a document during the reign of David I. The MacNabs were kinsmen of the Comyns and angry at the murder of Red Comyn, by Robert the Bruce, aligned themselves with the Comyns. After Bannockburn, clan lands were forfeited, but after 1336, Gilbert of Bovain received a charter from David II. He is regarded by the Lord Lyon as the first Chief of the MacNabs. The MacNabs had an ongoing feud with the Neishes but in 1612 some of the clan ambushed them in their lair and beheaded some of the slain, including the old chief. Thereafter there was no more trouble from the Neishes.

The MacNabs fought with Montrose in support of the Civil War, led by Smooth John MacNab, who was later captured defending unsuccessfully Kincardine Castle, home of the Duke of Montrose. He escaped while waiting to be executed but was killed shortly afterwards by marauding commonwealth soldiers. In 1654 the castle of Eilan Ran was burned by the English. Some of the clan supported the 1715 and 1745 uprisings. Prince Charles gave a ruby ring and sword to the Chief’s brother-in-law which was presented to the National Museum in Edinburgh by the 18th Chief, Sarah Anne MacNab.

The island of Inchbuie, containing the clan burial ground, is the only remaining clan land in clan hands. A trust has been set up to ensure it exists in perpetuity as the burial ground of clan chiefs.