| History of the Clan Maclean |
An ancient and proud people, the Macleans' history is as long as it is rich in history and color. There is an old saying in gaelic, 'Ged tha mi bochd tha mi uasal; buidheachas do Dhia is ann de Chlann 'Ill Eathain mi', which translates 'Though I am poor I am noble; thank God I am a Maclean'—it is a sentiment that echos throughout the ups and downs of the clan's history. OriginDescended from the Royal House of Loarn which ruled the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata and immigrated from Ulster in 503AD, the Clan Maclean takes it's name from its first chief, Gilleain na Tuaighe (translated, Gillean of the Battle-Axe). "Gilleain" means "the Servant of [St.] John". The name 'Maclean' literally means 'Son of Gillean' or "Son of the Servant of [St.] John."
The Macleans of Duart are first mentioned in a papal dispensation of 1367 which allowed Lachlan Lubanach Maclean to marry Mary Macdonald, the daughter of the Lord of the Isles and the granddaughter of Robert II, King of Scots. This marriage included her dowry, Duart Castle, which was officially chartered in 1390.
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The direct lineage of the Maclean Chiefs can be traced to Gillean's great-grandfather, Old Dugald of Scone. Born c 1050, during the reign of King Macbeth, Dugald of Scone served as a Judge and Councillor to 
