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Duncan Ladasach in the Dewar MSS

Dr Ronnie Black, editor of the journal West Highland Notes & Queries, published in "WHNQ-Series-5-No-16-March-2026" a translation of the lines by an unknown poet found on p. 336 of Dewar MSS 7 in the Argyll Estate Archives, Inveraray..

The translated verses included the following lines

That was Peter and Malcolm
Two outstanding men of the district
etc. Those two were outstanding

And that son of Gregor from Roro
Who was in Glen Lyon by blood-right

O good son of Gregor, son of Peter
May the warriors win you victory.

It struck me that “the good son of Gregor, son of Peter” was Donnchadh Ladasach [1] , a particular thorn in the flesh of Cailean Liath, laird of Glenorchy. [2] I disagree with Martin MacGregor’s view that Donnchadh’s father was “the Pŕdraig MacGregor who was apparently tenant of Mamlorn in 1541”. I consider that Pŕdraig was the grandfather of Donnchadh.
My reconstruction of the genealogy is here - https://glendiscovery.com/gregor-genealogy-12.html

Donnchadh eventually fell into the hands of Cailean Liath and was beheaded by him, along with his son Griogar on 15th June 1552. [3] Donnchadh held lands at Corriecharmaig in Glen Lochay, but but also held Ardchoille in Glen Dochart. [4]

Donnchadh is the probable ancestor of the present-day chiefs of Clan Gregor and “Ardchoille” has replaced “Bad Giuthas” as the slogan of Clan Gregor. (Lŕdasach’s descendant, John Murray, having become wealthy, was elected chief of Clan Gregor in 1787 and ennobled by George III as the first Baronet of Lanrick in 1795.)

In Ronnie’s analysis “Peter and Malcolm were identified by Alasdair Duncan as the sons of Patrick Athallach, who were killed in a fight at the Castle of Leny near Callander in 1626.” However Patrick Athallach was the son of Griogar, executed in 1552, and thus the grandson of Donnchadh Lŕdasach. So he is therefore later than the original date of these verses which I believe pre-date 1552. Patrick Athallach himself, (so named because he was raised in Atholl) was executed in January 1604 among the reprisals following the battle of Glen Fruin in 1603 [5]

The dates and locations cited in this discussion all come from the chronicle of James Macgregor, Dean of Lismore. [6]

So why do I believe that Donnchadh Lŕdasach is being referred to in these verses? A notarial instrument of 1551 mentions Duncan Makgregor Mcphatrick in Wester Ardchoille. (see note 4). That record implies that his father was Gregor and grandfather Pŕdraig. The father of Donnchadh Lŕdasach, was probably Gregor Patrickson in Aychincschecall “Gregor M'Phatryk V'Gregor” recorded in the Dean’s Chronicle as having died on 6th March 1547.

Gregor Patrickson’s father was Patrick Macgregor, at Auchinchallane, whose obit was dated July 9 1518. Patrick Malcolmson, the forester of Mamlorn is mentioned in the Exchequer rolls in 1462 and 1463 [7]
From his patronymic, that Patrick’s father was Malcolm, possibly the son of Gregor McAnecham in Glenurquhay (Obit: 1415.) Aychincschecall, Auchinshichallan and Auchinchallane are variants of the same placename - Auch in Strath Fillan – identified as Auch-innis-Challain on the 6th inch map of 1870 - on the western edge of Mamlorn which is the high ground at the head of Glen Lyon and Glen Lochay.

So, reversing the above genealogical sequence we have Malcolm, then Patrick (Peter), then Gregor, the father of Donnchadh Lŕdasach. When I reconstructed the genealogy of this line, there are no obits in the Dean’s chronicle for Malcolm, the son of Gregor McAnecham (obit 1415). Patrick Malcolmson (the forester in Mamlorn in 1462) died in 1518 - “Death of Patrick Macgregor, at Auchinchallane”. Gregor (obit 1547) was the son of Patrick (obit 1518), the son of Malcolm (b~1400) which fits Dewar’s verses.

Mamlorn is the high ground at the head of Glen Lochay and Glen Lyon. It was held by this lineage of Clan Gregor, probably from before its mention in the Exchequer Rolls of 1462 until at least 1547

The middle two lines probably refer to another Gregor which explains the mention of Roro - https://glendiscovery.com/gregor-genealogy-37.html
Griogar, the fifth of Roro in Glen Lyon had at least four sons, one of whom must have been the individual mentioned. Presumably Roro men supported Donnchadh Lŕdasach in his rebellion against the Campbells in the 1540s.


[1] A.G.M.MacGregor, “The History of The Clan Gregor” volume i, chapter IX,
For an account of Donnchadh Ladasach see see https://glendiscovery.com/amelia-vol1-chap9.html

[2] M. MacGregor’s unpublished 1989 thesis.
A more extensive account of Donnchadh Ladasach is in Martin MacGregors's thesis. “Our chief source, a poem in Scots titled Duncane Laideus’ Testament, needs to be treated with extreme caution. It was apparently composed for Donnchadh Dubh, chief of the Glen Orchy kindred between 1583 and 1631, and thus at least a generation after the events it purports to narrate, and at a time when the relationship between the Campbells of Glen Orchy and the MacGregors had altered irretrievably; “The poem recounts the life of Donnchadh Lŕdasach, who belonged to a MacGregor lineage principally associated before 1550 with the forest of Mamlorn and Corrycharmaig in Glen Lochay. Donnchadh’s father was named Pŕdraig, probably the Pŕdraig MacGregor who was apparently tenant of Mamlorn in 1541. According to the poem Donnchadh Lŕdasach became an enormously influential figure within the clan in the period between the death of James V in 1542 and his own execution in 1552. It was at his instigation that the MacGregor chief or chiefs carried out separate raids against the MacLarens of Balquhidder and the Robertsons of Struan (whom Donnchadh Lŕdasach averred to be planning an attack on the MacGregors); and an abortive night-attack upon the Campbells of Glen Orchy themselves, which aimed to pave the way for nothing less than the replacement of the latter by the MacGregors as the dominant kindred within Breadalbane.”

[3] Menzies, D.P, Red & White book of Menzies, 1894, pp. 180: 16th June 1552. Interfectio et decaptitatio Duncani M'Gregor et filiorum eius, videlicet, Gregorii, et Malcolmi Roy, per Colium Campbell de Glenurquhay, et per Duncanum Roy Campbell of Glenlyon, et Alexandrum Menzheis of Rannoch, cum suis complicibus, quo die, Joannes Gour M' Duncan, Vc. Alexander Kayr,.

[4] Highland Papers Vol IV, Campbell of Strachur writs, page 32
12 Oct 1551 - Notarial Instrument by Duncan Makgregor Mcphatrick, Grigor Duncanson McGregor and Johne Duncanson McGregor, sons to the said Duncan, relating to the lands of Vestir Ardquhille Voir extending to a five pound land in the barony of Glenfalloch

[5] A.G.M.MacGregor “The History of The Clan Gregor”, volume i, chapter 26, page 318.
At https://glendiscovery.com/amelia-vol1-chap26.html. According to Pitcairn, Five persons executed were executed on January 20 – [including]. Patrick Aldoch MacGregour of Corriechrambie, younger brother of Duncan Abroch and grandson of Duncan Laddosach

[6] For the Dean of Lismore’s Chronicle see https://glendiscovery.com/chronicle.html

[7] The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, Vol VII, 1460-1469, 1884.
Page 112. Anno 1462 - “Et Eidem, per solucionem factam Patricio Malcomesone, forestario de Mamlorne”. There is a similar entry for 1463 but in subsequent years Mamlorne is mentioned but not the name of the forester.