Neish Island facts for kids
Neish Island is a small island located in Loch Earn, a beautiful lake in Scotland. It's known for its interesting history, especially its connection to the Clan Neish.
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Island History
Neish Island has a long and exciting past, filled with stories of clans and battles.
Early Days and Royal Orders
Back in 1490, James IV of Scotland, the King at the time, gave an order about Neish Island. He told Lord Drummond to tear down the main house on the island. The King also wanted them to destroy any defenses and take away the island's only boat. The Neishes were known to have the only boat on Loch Earn. Even after their home was destroyed, the Neishes managed to fix it and continued to live there. They also owned much of the land nearby, stretching from St Fillans to Tyndrum.
Clan Feuds and Battles
The Neishes were often involved in feuds, which were long-standing fights between different clans. They are sometimes seen as a part of the Clan Gregor.
One important event happened in 1522. The Neishes were defeated by the Clan Macnab at a place called the Battle of Glenboultachan. After this defeat, the Neishes reportedly found safety by hiding on Neish Island.
Later, in 1612, another part of this feud took place. The Neishes had robbed the Macnabs. To get revenge, the Macnabs attacked the Neishes on their island. According to the story, almost everyone on the island was killed. Only one small boy survived by hiding under a bed. It's said that all people named Neish today are descended from that one boy.
The Macnabs' Clever Plan
There's a famous tradition about how the Macnabs reached the island. The Neishes believed they were safe because they had the only boat on the loch. But the Macnabs were determined! They carried their own boat on their shoulders. They even carried it over the Grampian Mountains just to get to Loch Earn and reach the island.
The Island's Remains
Today, you can still see the ruins of a small castle on Neish Island. This castle was a square building with thick walls, divided into different rooms. There's also a small harbor and a place where boats could land on the east side of the island. For many years, even into the early 1900s, people could still see parts of the boat that the Macnabs supposedly left behind after their raid.
