Torquil MacNeill facts for kids
Torquil MacNeill (in Scottish Gaelic: Torcall MacNèill) was an important leader, called a "clan chief," in Scotland during the mid-1500s. He was part of the MacNeill clan, a group of families who lived together and shared a common ancestor.
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Torquil MacNeill: A Clan Chief's Story
How Torquil Became a Leader
In the 1500s, a branch of the MacNeill clan lived on the island of Gigha. Around 1530, their chief, Niall MacNeill, passed away. He didn't have any sons to take his place. While his land went to his daughter, the important role of clan chief went to his second cousin, Torquil MacNeill.
In 1531, official records show Torquil as the "chief and leader of the clan and family of Maknelis." Later, in 1542, the King gave the clan's lands to Niall, who was the son of the first Niall MacNeill of Gigha. Even in 1553, Torquil was still seen as the main chief. Records from that year describe him as the "principal or first leader of the MacNeille family." They also mention he was very unwell.
Historian John Bannerman believes that when Torquil died, the role of clan chief officially passed to Niall MacNeill of Gigha. This Niall was the one who already owned the clan's lands.
Another View of Torquil's Role
A Scottish expert from the 1800s, William Forbes Skene, had a different idea about Torquil. Skene thought Torquil was not from the MacNeill clan on Gigha, nor from the MacNeill clan on Barra. (Even though Skene believed both clans came from the same ancient family.)
Skene noticed that around 1530, both the Gigha and Barra clans had their own chiefs. He thought Torquil must have been the chief of a different MacNeill group, perhaps an older or more important one. Skene also pointed out that Torquil wasn't linked to any specific land. He guessed that the chiefs of Torquil's clan were the traditional guardians of Castle Sween.
Earlier, in 1472, a person named Hector Mactorquill Macneill was recorded as the keeper of Castle Sween. Skene thought this Hector was the first known chief of Torquil's specific clan.
What Happened to Torquil's Clan?
Skene also believed that Torquil might have been the last chief in his family line. He suggested that a female heir from Torquil's clan might have passed their family's traditional possessions to the MacMillans. The MacMillans are later recorded as owning Castle Sween and some land around it.
After Torquil's time, the most important MacNeill chiefs were those from the Barra clan, rather than the Gigha clan.
