Clan MacLaren

Welcome back to "A Clan A Day Podcast," brought to you by bagtownclans.com. I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we explore the Highland origins and fascinating history of Clan MacLaren, a name rooted in the ancient lands of Balquhidder and tied to tales of resilience, loyalty, and fierce independence.

Clan MacLaren, or Cinneadh MacLabhrainn in Scottish Gaelic, claims its heartland in Balquhidder, an area often known as "MacLaren Country." This rugged region, covering over 54,000 acres, includes the villages of Lochearnhead and Strathyre. It’s a place where legends and landscapes intertwine, and Creag an Tuirc, or "The Boar’s Rock," stands as the clan’s ancient gathering point.

The MacLarens trace their lineage to Loarn mac Eirc, believed to have ruled the ancient kingdom of Dál Riata. However, the clan's founder in Balquhidder is generally recognized as Abbot Labhran of Achtow in the 13th century. The MacLaren heraldry hints at a connection to the Earls of Strathearn, whose princely title once included Balquhidder. Over centuries, these lands remained a vital base for the clan, even as neighboring clans often sought to encroach upon them.

Clan MacLaren first entered historical records during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Three MacLarens—Maurice of Tiree, Conan of Balquhidder, and Leurin of Ardveche—swore fealty to Edward I of England in 1296, appearing in the infamous Ragman Rolls. But true to Highland loyalty, MacLarens likely fought under Malise, Earl of Strathearn, supporting Robert the Bruce’s cause at the Battle of Bannockburn. This battle in 1314 was a turning point for Scottish independence, and the MacLarens stood among the victorious, defending their lands and Scotland’s sovereignty.

Through the 15th and 16th centuries, the MacLarens formed strong alliances, most notably with the Stewarts of Appin. They fought beside them at both the Battle of Stalc in 1468 and the Battle of Black Mount in 1497. But times grew turbulent as the MacLarens found themselves dispossessed. When James IV appointed a Stewart as the royal bailie over Balquhidder in 1490, the MacLaren chief’s lands were reallocated to new baronies, leaving the clan under the stewardship of more powerful neighbors.

One of the darkest chapters in MacLaren history was their tragic feud with Clan Gregor. In 1558, the MacGregors, facing persecution and pressure on their own lands, forced their way into Balquhidder. They plundered MacLaren farms, slaughtering eighteen MacLaren households in a brutal midnight raid. The survivors, particularly the elderly and children, perished in an attack so horrifying it still echoes through Scottish lore. In the Balquhidder kirkyard, a stone memorial commemorates those lost in the massacre, and the tale serves as a reminder of the clan’s resilience despite great hardship.

When the Scottish Civil War erupted, the MacLarens remained loyal to the royalist cause, rallying behind James Graham, the Marquis of Montrose, in his battles for King Charles I. Later, in the 1689 Jacobite uprising, MacLarens again rose to support the Stuart cause under Viscount Dundee at the Battle of Killiecrankie, standing firmly with the Highland Jacobites.

The MacLarens’ support for the Jacobite cause continued into the 18th century. During the Jacobite rising of 1715, they fought at the Battle of Sheriffmuir, and in 1745, they joined Prince Charles Edward Stuart at the battles of Prestonpans and Falkirk Muir, where the Jacobites emerged victorious. At Culloden in 1746, however, the tide turned. The MacLarens, who had joined forces with both the Appin Regiment and the Atholl Brigade, suffered severe losses. Clan leader Donald MacLaren, a captain in the Atholl Regiment, was injured but managed a daring escape. Captured by British forces, he broke free in a memorable flight through the Devil’s Beef Tub, evading capture and surviving as a fugitive until the amnesty of 1757.

Throughout these turbulent times, Clan MacLaren was also associated with the emerging cultural and intellectual scene in Scotland. Two members, John and Colin MacLaren, achieved notable fame. John MacLaren became a distinguished Church of Scotland minister, while Colin MacLaren made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics. Appointed professor at both Aberdeen and Edinburgh, Colin’s contributions earned him respect across Britain, and he became a celebrated figure in the intellectual circles of the time.

Clan MacLaren’s crest features a lion’s head crowned with an antique crown, representing strength and nobility. The clan’s slogan, "Creag an Tuirc," honors their gathering place and rallying cry. The MacLaren tartan, adopted by the Scouts in 1921 as a tribute to clan member William de Bois Maclaren, features deep green, blue, yellow, red, and black—colors representing loyalty and connection to the land. This tartan, and the clan badge of laurel, is proudly worn by scouts worldwide, continuing the legacy of a Highland clan devoted to kinship and community.

Despite losing much of their ancestral lands in the centuries following Culloden, the MacLarens’ spirit endured. In 1957, Donald MacLaren of MacLaren and Achleskine successfully registered his arms, reestablishing his title and purchasing land in Balquhidder, including Creag an Tuirc. When Donald passed in 2023, the chiefship was passed to his son, restoring a lineage that had survived countless trials through the centuries.

Today, Clan MacLaren remains a symbol of resilience, loyalty, and pride. Their story of survival amid betrayal and devastation, and of loyalty to family and country, represents the enduring strength of the Highland clans.

Thank you for joining us on "A Clan A Day Podcast." Join us again tomorrow as we uncover another chapter of Scotland's rich clan history. I'm Colin MacDonald, and as always, Go n-éirí an bóthar leat.