Finlaggan facts for kids
Finlaggan is a very old and important place in Scotland. It is found on a small island called Eilean Mòr, which is inside a lake called Loch Finlaggan. This lake, island, and the ruins of Finlaggan Castle are about 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) northwest of a village called Ballygrant on the island of Islay.
Finlaggan was once the main home and meeting place for the powerful Lords of the Isles and their family, Clan Donald. From the 13th to the 15th centuries, two islands in Loch Finlaggan, Eilean Mòr (meaning "large island") and Eilean na Comhairle (meaning "council island"), were the center of their rule. This lasted until 1493, when the Lordship of the Isles came under the control of James IV of Scotland.
Today, the Finlaggan Trust looks after this historic site. They have also turned an old building into a museum. Inside, you can see many interesting objects found during digs, like parts of old armor and an ancient cross linked to the Lords.
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Exploring Finlaggan's Past
Finlaggan has been studied a lot by archaeologists. These are people who learn about the past by digging up old things. In 1995, a TV show called Time Team even visited the site!
In 2008, the museum was made bigger and better. The old stone walls of a medieval chapel (a small church) on Eilean Mòr have been made safe. You can also see several graves from the 1500s, protected by large glass panels.
Virtual Finlaggan: A Trip Back in Time
In 2019, experts from the University of St Andrews, working with the Finlaggan Trust and the National Museum of Scotland, created something amazing. They made a virtual reality (VR) version of what Finlaggan looked like in the early 1400s. This VR experience is based on all the archaeological information they found. You can see this special reconstruction when you visit the center.
Finlaggan Castle: A Stronghold of Power
Finlaggan Castle is a ruined fortified house on Eilean Mòr in Loch Finlaggan, Islay, Scotland. It was once a very important home and strong fort for the Lord of the Isles and Clan Donald.
Early Beginnings: Monks and Forts
In the early 600s, a group of monks started a religious community on Eilean Mòr. This community was possibly founded by or dedicated to St. Findlugan, an Irish monk who lived around the same time as St. Columba.
The castle ruins you see today were built in the 1200s using strong stone walls. Before that, an earlier building, probably made of wood, was put up in 1138 by Somerled. He was a powerful leader and the first "Lord of the Isles." It's even possible that this 12th-century building was built on top of an even older fort from the Iron Age.
A Meeting Place for Chiefs
The Lords of the Isles used Finlaggan Castle as their main court and a place where all the clan chiefs would meet. It was a very important center for their power and decisions.
Over time, the castle saw many events. For example, in the 1500s, two important leaders, Iain Mor MacDonald and his son Iain Cathanach MacDonald, were captured at Finlaggan Castle. They were later taken to Edinburgh and executed. By the 15th or 16th century, the castle seems to have been pulled down.
See also
In Spanish: Finlaggan para niños
