Chiefs of Clan MacNeil
Current chief: Roderick "Rory" Wilson Macneil of Barra, The Macneil of Barra, Chief of Clan Niall and 27th of Barra, Baron of Barra.
The chiefs of Clan MacNeil, are reckoned from Niall Noigíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), from whom all the MacNeil chiefs claim descent. The clan claims Niall Noigíallach as its first chief, while the current chief is reckoned as the 46th chief.
| # | Name | Notes | Year of death |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niall Noigíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages) | High King of Ireland also a member of the Connachta dynasty and ancestor of the Uí Néill dynastic family. Married to Rignach | 405 |
| 2 | Eógan mac Néill | King of Aileach and Prince of Ulster, also the ancestor of the Cenél nEógain dynasty and their septs (O'Neill, O'Docherty, O'Boyle, MacNeill, etc.). Founded the kingdom of Tír Eógain in the 5th century. Married to Indorb Fionn 'the White' | 465 |
| 3 | Muiredach mac Eógain | King of Aileach and Prince of Ulster. Married to Eirc | 480 |
| 4 | Muirchertach mac Muiredaig | High King of Ireland in 487, King of Aileach. Married to Duaibhseach | |
| 5 | Domnall mac Muirchertaig | High King of Ireland in 559, King of Aileach | 561 |
| 6 | Áed Uaridnach | High King of Ireland 599, King of Aileach | 607 |
| 7 | Máel Fithrich mac Áedo) | King of Aileach, Prince of Ulster | 626–630 |
| 8 | Máel Dúin mac Máele Fithrich | King of Aileach, Prince of Ulster. Married to Cacht | 706 |
| 9 | Fergal mac Máele Dúin | High King of Ireland 709, King of Aileach. Married to Athiocht | 718 |
| 10 | Niall Frossach | High King of Ireland 759, King of Aileach. Married to Eithne | 773 |
| 11 | Áed Oirdnide mac Néill | High King of Ireland 793, King of Aileach. Married to Maebh | 818 |
| 12 | Niall Caille mac Áeda | High King of Ireland 832, King of Aileach and Ulster. Married to Gormfhlaith Macdonell | 845 |
| 13 | Aed Finliath | High King of Ireland 861, King of Aileach and Ulster. Married to Máel Muire, daughter of Kenneth MacAlpin, King of Scots | 878 |
| 14 | Niall Glúndub | High King of Ireland 878, King of Aileach and Ulster. Married to Gormflaith | 916 |
| 15 | Muirceartach na Cochall Croiceann (Muirchertach mac Néill) | High King of Ireland 937, King of Aileach and Ulster | 943 |
| 16 | Domnall ua Néill | High King of Ireland 954, King of Aileach and Ulster | 978 |
| 17 | Muirceartach na Midhe | Prince of Ulster and Tyrone | 975 |
| 18 | Flaithbertach Ua Néill | King of Aileach and Ulster and Prince of Tyrone | |
| 19 | Aodh Athlamh | King of Aileach and Ulster and Prince of Tyrone | |
| 20 | Aodh Aonrachan | King of Aileach, Prince of Aileach and Argyll, resigned kingship to brother Domhnall in 1033 | aft 1047 |
| 21 | Niall of the Castle | Prince of Argyll and the Norse Council of the Isles. Began construction of Kisimul Castle | |
| 22 | Aodh | Prince of the Norse Council of the Isles | aft 1090 |
| 23 | Donald | Prince of the Norse Council of the Isles | |
| 24 | Muirceartach | Prince of the Norse Council of the Isles | |
| 25 | Niall | Prince of the Norse Council of the Isles | aft 1263 |
| 26 | Niall Og | Received first charter for Barra from Robert the Bruce | aft 1314 |
| 27 | Muirceartach | ||
| 28 | Roderick | aft 1409 | |
| 29 | Gilleonan Roderick Muchard Macneil | Received first recorded charter for Barra from Alexander, Lord of the Isles in 1427. Married to Fynvola (Flora) MacLeod, daughter of Iain Borb MacLeod (6th chief of Clan MacLeod). | aft 1427 |
| 30 | Roderick | ||
| 31 | Gilleonan | aft 1495 | |
| 32 | Gilleonan | ||
| 33 | Gilleonan | aft 1578 | |
| 34 | Roderick Og | Married to Mary MacLeod, the 10th chief and first female chief of Clan MacLeod | |
| 35 | Roderick "the Turbulent" | Married to a woman from Clan MacLean of Dowart(Duart) and later to a woman named Marion MacDonald. The children from both of these marriages fought over the title of chief of Clan MacNeil | aft 1601 |
| 36 | Niall Og | Married to Margaret MacLean | aft 1651 |
| 37 | Gilleonan | Married to Catherine MacDonald | |
| 38 | Roderick Dhu | Baron of Barra. Married to Isobel (Isabella) MacLeod | 1715 |
| 39 | Roderick "Dove of the West" | Baron of Barra. Married to Alice MacLeod | 1763 |
| 40 | Roderick "the Gentle" | Baron of Barra. Married to Jean Cameron. | 1822 |
| 41 | Roderick "the General" | Baron of Barra, lost the Barony and Estate of Barra in 1838. Married to Isabella Brownlow When he died, the chiefship passed to a cousin (descendant of Gilleonan) who had emigrated during the mass emigrations to Canada in 1802. | 1863 |
| 42 | Donald McGougan Macneil | Baron of Barra | 1880 |
| 43 | Iain Macneil | Baron of Barra | 1893 |
| 44 | Roderick Ambrose Macneil | Baron of Barra. Bequeathed the title of chief upon his second son, Robert Lister | 1914 |
| 45 | Robert Lister Macneil (Photo) | Baron of Barra. An American, bought the Barra estate in 1937 and restored Kisimul Castle before his death. | 1970 |
| 46 | Ian Roderick Macneil (Photo) | Baron of Barra. An American-born, Harvard educated law professor. Gifted Kisimul Castle to Historic Scotland for 1000 years in 2001 and gifted the estate of Barra to Scottish Ministers in 2004. Married to Nancy Wilson of Ottawa, Canada | 2010 |
| 47 | Roderick "Rory" Wilson Macneil | Baron of Barra. Married to Sau Ming Kwan of Hong Kong. | |
| Ruari Iain Macneil (heir) |
Read more about this topic: Clan MacNeil
Famous quotes containing the words chiefs of, chiefs and/or clan:
“Fashion understands itself; good-breeding and personal superiority of whatever country readily fraternize with those of every other. The chiefs of savage tribes have distinguished themselves in London and Paris, by the purity of their tournure.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
““Hear me,” he said to the white commander. “I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. Our chiefs are dead; the little children are freezing. My people have no blankets, no food. From where the sun stands, I will fight no more forever.””
—For the State of Montana, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“We cannot think of a legitimate argument why ... whites and blacks need be affected by the knowledge that an aggregate difference in measured intelligence is genetic instead of environmental.... Given a chance, each clan ... will encounter the world with confidence in its own worth and, most importantly, will be unconcerned about comparing its accomplishments line-by-line with those of any other clan. This is wise ethnocentricism.”
—Richard Herrnstein (1930–1994)