Ronald Williams (1)

Ronald Williams has constructed an excellent overview of the people and events of Gaelic Scotland, providing a terrific introduction to Clan Donald and to the Lordship of the Western Isles.

This history book is written in an unusually poetic manner and is an incredibly easy read. It not only covers the important players of each of the eras it covers, it gives enough of an insight into the culture and livelihoods of those who resided in the area at times between the middle of the first milennia AD and the final collapse of the Lordship in the 16th century.

Some might see the work as being from a Gaelic supporting viewpoint but Williams does not shy away from exposing some of the mistakes made by some of the Lords and distances himself from romanticised characterisations of some particularly aggressive characters such as Angus Og of Bloody Bay fame. The fierce rivalries between the MacDonalds and the Stewarts runs through most of the narrative and at times the tale becomes clearly the history of Scotland though given the significance of the Lords of the Isles at times, this is understandable.

The world that Williams brings to life is filled with heroic pageantry and brutal reality of what was a harsh and difficult place to live. From the early communities that formed in the west of Scotland through to the eventual forfeiture and collapse of the lordship, Williams draws from a wide range of sources to spell out the various triumphs and disasters, the rivalries between clans and even within them.

I was a little surprised to hear so little of the Campbells though perhaps not disappointed to see them be sidelined by the narrative. I was also a little sceptical that the work might be slightly out of date given the opening chapter that erroneously discusses the mythical Celtic homeland but I am glad that I did not let that scepticism get in the way of enjoying what is the best historical analysis of the Sons of Conn and the events of Highland & Island Scotland.… (mais)