The Siol Alpin is the name of a group
of clans traditionally connected by their mutual traditional descent from Kenneth
Mac Alpin (first king of the united kingdom of Picts and Scots in the ninth
century—see Chapter IV), a tradition which simply indicates that they were all of
generally "South Argyle" Dalriadic stock. These families include the MacGregors
(Mac Grioghair), an "outlaw" clan of the Argyle-Perthshire border, many of whom
were forced to assume aliases, and to which clan belonged the famous eighteenth century
adventurer "Rob Roy" MacGregor (alias Campbell); The MacFies or MacPhies (Mac
Dhuibhshithe) of Colonsay; the MacKinnons (Mac Fhionghuin) of Mull, Skye and Iona (the
last abbot of Iona in 1550 was a MacKinnon), and the MacQuarries (Mac Guadhre) of Ulva and
Mull in the Hebrides, who followed the MacLeans after the downfall of the MacDonald lords
of the Isles. The MacFies lost Colonsay after joining in the rebellion of Sir James
MacDonald in 1615, after which some followed the MacDonalds, while others settled in
Lochaber and followed the Camerons. The MacKinnons and MacFies were closely connected with
the Abbey of Iona, being the local clan-stock of the lona area. The MacKinnons became
erenaghs, or hereditary abbots, of Iona after the failure of the original Cineal Conaill
line around 1200. The MacPies may descend from the "Dubhsidhe" who was Iector of
Iona in 1164. The MacFies held part of the Isle of Jura, and sat on the Council of the
Isles advising the MacDonald lords thereof. After the downfall of the Lordship of the
Isles in the late fifteenth century, the main branch of the MacFies followed the
MacDonalds of Islay, and a sixteenth-century branch settled in Ulster.
The Osraighe (including the Ui Duach and the MacGilpatricks) were of
the same stock as the Ulaid, being descended from Oengus Osraigh, ancestor of the Dal
bhFiatach. The Osraighe migrated to Ossory (County Kilkenny), which they gave their name
to, in very early times. For the purpose of incorporating the separate territory of Ossory
within over-kingdom of Leinster, the Osraighe were later given a fake but transparent
descent from the Laigin. The Osraige gave rise to the medieval dynasty of Ossory, the
MacGilpatricks or Fitzpatricks (Mac Giolla Phadraig), and to their collateral kinsmen the
Ui Duach or O’Brennans (0 Braonain). The MacGilpatricks descend from Giolla Phadraig,
son of Donnchadh, lord of Ossory in the tenth century. They originally ruled over all
Kilkenney and part of Leix as well, but after the Anglo-Norman invasion their territory
was greatly encroached upon by the Butlers and others, and afterwards they held a greatly
reduced territory in the very north of County Kilkenny, alongside their kinsmen the
O’Brennans.
