Scottish Clans - Clan MacQUARRIE

SCOTTISH CLANS - MacQUARRIE


MOTTO THE RED TARTANED ARMY	CLAN TARTAN MacQUARRIE TARTAN

The name MacQuarrie is from ‘Guaire’, which is the gaelic word meaning noble. The Macquarrie clan is a branch of the mighty MacAlpine clan and it is also linked to the MacKinnon clan from a common descendant. Both clans were supporters of the Lord of the Isles. There is an effigy of one of the ancient Macquarrie chiefs in the chapel of St. Oran in Iona, denoting the importance of the clan at one time.

The seat of the clan was Ulva, close to the island of Mull on the west coast of Scotland. A portion of Mull was also owned by the MacQuarrie clan. The first record of a chief of the clan is in 1463, when Ian, Chief of Ulva, witnessed a charter for the Lord of the Isles. In 1609, the Chief had to put his signature to a document which would effectively put an end to the power of the Lord of the Isles. This was the Statutes of Iona which James VI forced the clans, allied to the Macdonalds, to sign.

The MacQuarrie clan fought with the MacLeans on the side of Charles II. This led to the death of many of the clan along with the Chief, Allan, at Inverkeithing in 1651. This defeat gave Cromwell entry to the north of Scotland. During the 18th century, Dr. Johnson and Boswell visited the Chief of the MacQuarries in Ulva and found him to be charming and hospitable. Unfortunately a few years later the Chief had to sell the clan seat out of financial necessity. He later joined the army and at the age of 63 took part in the American War. He died in 1808 at the age of 103.

Perhaps the most famous of the clan was Lachlan, cousin to the last chief of the MacQuarries. He was the Governor of New South Wales after the dismissal of Captain Bligh. The city of Sydney was founded on the prosperity which Lachlan encouraged and guided in the colony. Despite the excellent work he did there, he was recalled to London in 1821 because his policy of improving the conditions of the convicts, was criticised. He bought back Ulva and was buried there when he died in 1824.