The c. 1800 manuscript related how, on the death of the MacLeod chief Tormod,[8] son of lain Breac, the succession to the chiefship nearly fell to the family of the MacLeods of Talisker. According to Pennant, the flag was named "Braolauch shi", and was given to the MacLeods by Titania the "Ben-shi", wife of Oberon, king of the fairies. On the unfurling of the flag, the MacLeod forces were multiplied by ten. [9][10], The c. 1800 manuscript stated that both the honour and the very existence of Clan MacLeod was thought to have depended upon the preservation of the Fairy Flag. [4] The MacLeod Estate Office (Dunvegan Castle) website claims that experts have dated the flag to the 4th and 7th centuries—hundreds of years before the Crusades. This flag guaranteed victory to whoever owned it. [30], R. C. MacLeod wrote of another tradition which stated that the flag was waved at a battle in Waternish, in about 1580; and of another which told of how it was waved during a time when a cattle plague was raging, and that it stopped the murrain. [1], In 1938, a fire broke out in a wing of Dunvegan Castle, and according to Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, the flames were checked and extinguished when the flag was carried past to safety. Cart Total: £ 0.00. Oh! Unfortunately for both MacLeod clans, the outcome of the battle had already been determined and they were on the losing side. He then came upon a river, and proceeded to cross it at a ford. Clan tradition, preserved in the early 19th century, tells how the Fairy Flag was entrusted to a family of hereditary standard bearers. And it is not just a story — the Fairy Flag exists in its ancient, tattered, and delicate state. N. Macleod recollected that when the flag was examined, bits were taken off it from time to time; so much so, that later in his life he did not believe the flag still existed. It builds a bridge between now and then, because many of the objects still play an important role in the Clan history, and the portraits show members of the Clan until today. It’s a flag, rather tattered, made of faded brown silk and darned in places. [27][28], Another tradition, related by R. C. MacLeod, told of certain events which took place after an heir to the clan's chiefship was born. Up until this point, the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan were on the opposing side of their kinsmen, the MacLeods of Lewis. A movable iron grate rested about two feet from the lid, and the man's body rested upon the grate. not of Clan Kenneth art thou! The flag is covered in small red "elf dots". R. C. MacLeod noted that the prophecy stated that a "John Breac" (Gaelic: Iain Breac, "Iain the speckled") would restore the fortunes of the family. The Flag was her parting gift, given at the Fairy Bridge near Dunvegan. Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the stronghold of the chiefs of the clan for 800 years. One night when there was a feast being held at Dunvegan, a nurse put the Chief’s son in his cradle in the Fairy Tower and joined the party in the Keep. The room was filled with the fairies' song which declared that the flag had the power to save the clan three times. The flag was examined in the early 20th century by A. J. Before she died, she revealed to him the future of his clan, directing him to take her girdle and make a banner of it and to make a staff of her spear. In 1066, King Harald Hardrada of Norway set out to conquer England. Château de Dunvegan Le château de Dunvegan est le fief du clan MacLeod depuis le XIIIe siècle. On his journey homewards, the MacLeod attempted to cross a dangerous mountainous pass on the borders of Palestine. The second time the flag was unfurled to preserve the life of the lady of the clan, and thus saved the clan's heir. The flag is currently on display at Dunvegan Castle and truly worth a visit as such wondrous fairy relics are few and far between. During the Second World War, pilots from the clan carried its picture as a talisman. Dame Flora reportedly offered to wave the flag on the white cliffs of Dover to harness its magical power to repel the German invasion. N. Macleod then asked Buchanan for permission to be present, and was granted leave on the condition that he not tell anyone—especially the chief—what was about to be done. This castle has been in the possession of Clan McLeod for over 800 years, making it Scotland’s oldest Click to find out what you will see inside Dunvegan Castle and Gardens and learn about the fairy flag Grey do thou become duly. Add to basket. The writer stated that of the few shreds that remained, he himself possessed a fragment. Dunvegan Castle occupies the summit of a rock some 50 feet (15 m) above sea level, which projects on to the eastern shore of a north-facing inlet or bay. Although much has been lost, Dunvegan preserves the legends of the famous clan MacLeod which … Legend has it that this sacred banner has miraculous powers and when unfurled in battle, the clan MacLeod would invariably defeat their enemies. [19], R. C. MacLeod, who wrote in the early 20th century, considered that this prophecy seemed to have been fulfilled. Even though the Fairy Flag was later found, both the staff and iron chest were never seen again. According to this version, a MacLeod joined a Crusading army, and went to the Holy Land. It has been examined numerous times in the last two centuries, and its condition has somewhat deteriorated. After a struggle, MacLeod overcame the fairy and passed over the river. [8] Another source of the flag's traditional history is the Bannatyne manuscript, which documents the traditional history of Clan MacLeod. One told how the flag came into the possession of the MacLeods through a fairy. not of Clan Conn. These twelve men, with a sword in hand, would stand just behind the chief who was always put in front. The fairy warned the MacLeod, that if he were to open the box within a year and a day from then, that no crops would grow on his land, no livestock would be born, as well as no children. The second was that when it was spread upon a nuptial bed, it ensured fertility. [8], The c. 1800 manuscript related that the spell of the banner meant that it would vanish when it was displayed for the third time. Only the eldest male of this family was ever allowed to unfurl the flag; the first such hereditary standard bearer was given the honour of being buried inside the tomb of the chiefs, on the sacred isle of Iona. [4], 19th-century manuscript accounts of the flag, Reported partial fulfilment prophecy around 1800, Supposed powers of the flag in the 20th century, "Notes on the Relics preserved in Dunvegan Castle, Skye, and the Heraldry of the Family of MacLeod of MacLeod", Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, "HMS Excellent – The HMS Queen Charlotte Figurehead", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fairy_Flag&oldid=999138266, Pages incorrectly using the quote template, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 8 January 2021, at 17:47. Achetez et téléchargez ebook The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle (English Edition): Boutique Kindle - Children's & Teens : Amazon.fr We did drive down to the castle, hoping … He stated that the flag was by then so tattered that Titania did not seem to think it worth taking back. No products in the cart. Late in his life, the writer Norman Macleod (1783–1862) related to one of his daughters of having heard an old Gaelic prophecy concerning the flag, and of events which took place in his childhood which were reported as examples of the prophecy being partially fulfilled. Made in the UK. Gifts MacLeod Clan Crest … The precious Fairy Flag of Dunvegan is the most treasured possession of the Clan. Descendant of a race more esteemed; that of the Clan Leod of swords and armour, whose fathers' native land was Lochlann. There are numerous traditions and stories associated with the flag, most of which deal with its magical properties and mysterious origins. [15], The c. 1800 manuscript presented a legend of the Fairy Flag's origin. After the flag had been examined, it was placed back into its case. When unfurled in battle, the clan would invariably snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Related Products. Later stories tell of a faery wrapping an infant chieftain in the Flag, or of a faery lullaby sung to quiet the child. They parted company at Fairy Bridge near Dunvegan. A period of 200 years then passed before any chief had been born within the castle, and the custom of singing the fairy's lullaby ceased to be followed—but according to R. C. MacLeod, not completely forgotten. She bade farewell to the chief at the Fairy Bridge (which stands about 3 miles or 5 kilometres from Dunvegan) and gave him the flag. The family of "Clan y Faitter" had the task of bearing the flag, and in return for their services, they possessed free lands in Bracadale. Another 19th-century tradition linked the flag to a prophecy which foretold the downfall of Clan MacLeod; but it also prophesied that, in the "far distant future", the clan would regain its power and raise its honour higher than ever before. The first of these traditions related by R. C. MacLeod tells how one of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod married a fairy; however, after twenty years she is forced to leave him and return to fairyland. Just at this moment, the mother of Alasdair Crotach, chief of the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan, ordered the Fairy Flag to be unfurled. [3] In 1927, Roderick Charles MacLeod described the flag as then being square and brown. Meanwhile, the clansmen banqueting below demanded to see the child and the maid was ordered to bring him forth. The final unfurling of the banner would either gain the clan a complete victory over their enemies or meant that the clan was to suffer total extinction. Pennant also noted the belief of the MacLeod's Norse ancestry and the magical raven banners said to have been used by the Vikings in the British Isles. In time, she gave birth to Tormod, the next chief. The writer of the Bannatyne manuscript states that each successive flag bearer was buried within this tomb, and that the writer's own grandfather saw the old ceremony performed for the last time, in the 18th century. In the early part of the 19th century, the flag was also marked with small crosses, but these have since disappeared. It is held in the Clan’s ancestral home, Dunvegan Castle. Jan 2, 2014 - The Fairy Flag is an heirloom passed down in the McLeods of Dunvegan family for generations. The pair were determined to marry but the King of the fairies forbade the union. Legends are rarely without some trace of historical fact. The spirit then gave the Macleod her girdle, telling him to convert it into a banner. Oh that I could behold thy team of horses; men following them; serving women returning home and the Catanaich sowing the corn. The MacLeods of Dunvegan can trace their ancestry back to Harald and have in their possession a tattered silk flag called the Fairy Flag. The flag is made of silk, is yellow or brown in colour, and is a square of side about 18 inches (45 centimetres). A similar tradition relates of a fairy-lullaby. Pennant then declared that the flag was unfurled a third time to save his own life. A priest then ordered the flag's bearer, Murcha Breac, to unfurl the Fairy Flag to rally the clan. When the MacLeod returned home he gave the box to the chief's wife. It was his opinion that the flag, in its original state, would have been quite precious, possibly a relic like the shirt of a saint. Click to find out what you will see inside Dunvegan Castle and Gardens and learn about the fairy flag The Fairy Flag of Dunvegen Castle is such a well-known artifact that it transcends the fairy community. Login / Register. R. C. MacLeod also observed that several tears in the flag had been carefully mended.[1]. 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