Why You Should Visit Scotland
Visiting Scotland for the first time was in 2011 with dear sisters-in-law from a previous marriage, Susan, Peggy and Debbie. Peggy and I flew overnight from Chicago into London Heathrow, meeting up with Susan and Debbie who were already in the country. After attending a wonderful concert at Saint Martin and the Fields and enjoying a quick nightcap in the hotel lobby, we spent the first night in London, boarding a train to Glasgow the next day. To quote Susan, we were all “pretty crispy” upon our arrival in Scotland! No big surprise that as I stepped off the train and onto Scottish soil (OK, it was pavement, but SCOTTISH pavement!) all the jet-lagged emotions exploded from my heart and burst out of my bonnie blue eyes, depositing “sloppery” tears on Debbie’s offered shoulder as she served up soft comforting pats on my back. It was unlike any other feeling to at last connect with the McIntyre heritage that runs deep in my veins and DNA. I knew very little of GGGGreat Grandfather Alexander, but quickly became determined to find out more. Although no one was playing “Scotland the Brave” on the pipes, the moment was truly overwhelming memorable and life changing!
Welcome to Scotland lass, welcome home.
Several years later we returned, this time bringing along my daughter Kelly Kennedy and two of her cousins, Peggy’s daughters Sarah and Anna. Kelly is an expert photographer and her beautiful images certainly capture the magnificence that is Scotland. The textured landscapes dotted with the right amount of shimmering sea-lochs, earthy aroma and glorious midnight sunsets are precious memories preserved by her artful eye and soul. One of my favorite locations was Loch Maree in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. We stayed in the cozy Loch Maree Hotel where Queen Victoria stayed in September of 1877. We were truly treated as cherished guests as well!!
Queen Victoria Monument at the Loch Maree Hotel, Scotland
Inscribed in Scots Gaelic and translated as :
"On the twelfth day of the middle month of autumn 1877 Queen Victoria
came to see Loch Maree and the surrounding areas. She spent a night
here in yonder hotel and kindly agreed to this memorial to the pleasure
she gained from visiting this part of Ross"
Although this area of Scotland is not where Alexander and his family lived, these images lend substance to what the lush damp landscape may have been like. The Macintyre ancestral grounds have been established as in and around Loch Etive, north of Oban, in western Scotland and about a 5 hour drive south of Loch Maree. Alexander’s family was born in and around Blair Atholl, where the darker colored dot is on the map below. Scotland is such a breathtaking and beautiful country!!
One can only imagine how the beauty of the countryside may have been a comfort to behold, contrasted with the hardships of their lives. What prompted Alexander to leave his beloved homeland and forge new waters to an unknown land is speculative. However, given the cost of rent and taxes, uncertain political turmoil, clan disputes and poverty, it is not a stretch to understand what motivation he may have had to leave. The website link below is full of information regarding the Blair Atholl region at this time period. The site portrays a stark image of what this community struggled with. The Parish many imposed fees on their people, as the session minutes lists will reveal. For example, when someone dies, there were fees based on the quality of “mort-cloth”, a death covering, that could be chosen for the deceased. There are listing of fines imposed for engaging in illicit affairs, fathering a child out of wedlock, or having received charitable benefits from the local Parish.
What I found fascinating on this site was how the population was comprised of Robertson, Gow, McDonald, Campbell, McIntyre, McGregor and Stewart surnames. On some entries it was noted if they could speak English or not. Perhaps they spoke Scot’s Gaelic!! Suas leis a’ Ghàidhlig!!
There is so much “old” or said more politely, “historic” in Scotland as is the case in much of Europe. Experiencing the old and ancient is easy while visiting Scotland’s castles and ruins. Each location exudes history of lives that lived and died so long ago. One of my favorite castles in the most famous of all, Eilean Donan, a short distance from the Isle of Skye.
I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the castle on several occasion and each time reminded of the fragile delicacy of it’s history. As you can read in the link below, the fascinating summary of Eilean Donan’s history and how the castle has suffered at the hands of many battles and the hardships of time, she has been restored to the present state without compromising her aging elegance. According to the site,
“Eilean Donan also played a role in the Jacobite risings of the 17th and 18th centuries, which ultimately culminated in the castle’s destruction…In 1719 the castle was garrisoned by 46 Spanish soldiers who were supporting the Jacobites. They had established a magazine of gunpowder, and were awaiting the delivery of weapons and cannons from Spain. The English Government caught wind of the intended uprising and sent three heavily armed frigates, The Flamborough, The Worcester, and The Enterprise to quell matters. The bombardment of the castle lasted three days, though met with limited success due to the enormity of the castle walls, which in some places are up to 14 feet thick. Finally, Captain Herman of The Enterprise sent his men ashore and overwhelmed the Spanish defenders. Following the surrender, the government troops discovered the magazine of 343 barrels of gunpowder which was then used to blow up what had remained from the bombardment…”
None of us will ever know if Alexander witnessed the ruins of Eilean Donan during his life in Scotland. However this castle and many other ruins and artifacts like it, certainly embody the landscape and monuments during his lifetime. It was the experience of being in this proximal space and historical time that affirmed a tangible significance and connection to my long-ago Great Grandfather Alexander, my dearest Scottish ancestor.
Thank you for coming along on this journey to Scotland and hopefully it has encouraged you to visit the homeland of our ancestors. More to explore so keep your backpacks handy! In the meantime, make your reservations to visit Scotland. It truly is a magical place!!
