Clan Legends

The Resourceful Chief - Hector, 1st Lochbuie

Hector was granted a charter to lands on the Isle of Mull by the Lord of the Isles in the fourteenth century. He was given permission to build a castle at Lochbuie "as big as the skin of an ox". Hector cleverly cut the skin into a continuous thin sliver and laid it end-to-end to establish the size of the castle.

The Archer - Hector, 1st Lochbuie

It is rumored that Hector, first chief of the Maclaines of Lochbuie, once shot an arrow from atop Moy Castle at another clan chief who was on the ground below, eating meat from a bone. The arrow struck the bone and the man fled. Whether Hector was a poor shot and missed the chief or a very good shot and intentionally hit the man's lunch is not known.

Ewan "The Headless"

Members of the Maclaine clan shun the nocturnal sound of clattering hooves and a jingling bridle. They fear the sight of a spectral horse bearing a headless rider who forebodes death. The name of the rider is Ewan, son and heir of Chief Iain Og, 5th Lochbuie. Ewan envied the Chief's wealth and position and this eventually developed into a feud between father and son. In 1538 the two men sought to settle the matter by force of arms. Father and son led their partisans into battle and Ewan was beheaded by one of Iain's followers. From that time on legend has it that Ewan "The Headless" rides to harvest the souls of Lochbuie Maclaines.

The Desperate Chief - Iain Og, 5th Lochbuie

After Ewan was killed, his father Iain Og, 5th Lochbuie, was taken hostage by Maclean of Duart and incarcerated on the fortress island of Cairnburg Mor off the coast of Mull with only an ugly old maidservant as company. In due time the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son and heir, who was named Murdoch. At an early age he was safety taken to Glencannel to be raised by the MacGillivrays. Murdoch later returned to Lochbuie with a bodyguard and was able to recover, by force of arms, the estate and castle of his now dead father.

Biadh is deoch do MhacCormaig

As he grew to manhood, Murdoch, son of Iain Og, 5th Lochbuie, fled to Ireland under the protection of the Earl of Antrim. The Earl later gave Murdoch a band of armed men, led by a MacCormick, and he was able to return to Mull and reclaim Moy Castle and the Lochbuie estate. In gratitude, Murdoch, 6ht Lochbuie had the words Biadh is deoch do Mhac Cormaig carved into the castle door. "Food and Drink For MacCormicks" meant that anyone of this name would always be welcome. Because of this, all MacCormicks hold a special place of honor with the Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie.

The Swordsman - Iain Mor, 7th Lochbuie

John Mor, seventh chief of the clan, was renowned as an excellent swordsman. When an Italian master-at-arms challenged Scottish nobles to meet him in a duel, Iain Mor accepted the challenge. The Maclaine chief fought the Italian in the presence of the King and his court and, to the delight of the King, killed the man.

Moy Well

At the center of the main chamber on the ground floor of Moy Castle is a well that was obviously a source of drinking water for the inhabitants. The well never overflows, and never goes dry! It was carved into the solid rock foundation of the castle and is believed to have existed long before the castle was ever built.

Maclean Skirmish

The Maclaines of Lochbuie occasionally feuded with the Macleans of Duart, but joined forces with them when treatened. One feud was put to rest when the Lochbuie chief and his followers came upon the Duart bunch in the woods. Duart and his followers were asleep, exhausted after losing to the Lochbuie clan in a skirmish that day. Lochbuie's followers wanted to attack immediately but the chief chose to take another approach. Instead, the Lochbuie chief crept up on the Duart chief and twisted Maclean's hair around his dirk before sticking it in the ground. When the Duart chief awoke to find his hair pinned to the ground he recognized the dagger to be that of the Maclaine chief. He was so moved by the act of mercy that he decided to end the feud immediately.