Eoin of the Isles

Jeanette Wickham (Jay), by email from Australia, October 2004:

"Eoin was the son of Angus Og, Lord of Islay, a contemporary of Robert the Bruce. It was the Bruce that persuaded Angus to resign his lands in Kintyre in favour of Mull, Coll, Tiree, Morvern, Ardnamurchan, Duror, Glencoe and part of Lochaber. Angus gave Ardnamurchan to a younger brother Ian Sprangach (forebear of the MacIans). Angus already had Islay, Jura, Gigha and Colonsay. You probably realise that most of these lands ended up in Maclean hands at one time or another! Eoin's mother was said to have been Aine ni Cathan, daughter of Cu-maige na nGal O Cathan (head of an important Irish kindred near Derry)

Eoin succeeded to his father's possessions about 1330, and gained further from his two wives: Amie MacRuari who he divorced and Margaret Stewart. Robert II confirmed his possession in 1371/2, after which he gave Glencoe to his brother Iain Fraoch. About this time (I think) he declared himself Lord of the Isles. He founded the Augustinian priory of Oronsay and was thus also known as good John of Islay. He died in 1387.

Margaret was the mother of three sons -

The eldest was Donald, Lord of the Isles who also claimed the Earldom of Ross on behalf of his wife (Mariota or Mary Leslie), sister of the late Earl of Ross whose only surviving child, Euphemia had become a nun. Her brother inherited the title from their mother, Euphemia, Countess of Ross. It was the argument with her uncle Robert, Duke of Albany, who wanted the title for his son, John Earl of Buchan, that precipitated the Battle of Harlaw (1411). MB notes Donald succeeded to his father's estate in 14 Jul 1388 and died sometime after Dec 1421.

The second son Iain, was the forebear of the MacDonnells of Islay and Antrim. Alasdair the third son, was the forebear of the MacDonnells of Keppoch. Do not know Alasdair's wife's name but their son Angus married Mary Stewart, dau of Malcolm, Earl of Lennox and their daughter Mary married Allan, 11th Cameron of Lochiel. Mary and Allan were the parents of Ewen Cameron, whose daughter married Allan of Ardgour... and so the connections continue ...

I know of two daughters of Eoin and Margaret - Mary who married Lachlan Lubanach of Duart and Margaret who married Roderic, son of Torquil, 1st Macleod of Lewis (or Lewes these days).

Eoin also had a natural son Celestine de Insulis or de Lochalsh, who married Fionovala (or Finvola) daughter of Lachlan Bronnoch of Duart as his third wife. The dispensation for them to do so, is dated 30th December 1454 (MB)."