Coat of Arms
In Scotland, all coats of arms belong to a single person. The coat of arms typically attributed to clan MacNeil belongs solely to the current chief of the clan. A depiction of the coat of arms is painted in the Great Hall of Kisimul Castle in Castlebay, Barra, Scotland.
This coat of arms is divided into quarters:
- Upper Left: Lion Rampant (mimicking the Royal Standard of the King of Scotland)
- Upper Right: Castle in the water (symbolizing Kisimul Castle in Castlebay)
- Lower Left: 3-masted ship (Representing either the seafaring nature of the clan or the migration of the clan from the Ulster, Ireland to Barra, Scotland
- Lower Right: Red Hand of Ulster surrounded by nine shackles representing Niall of the Nine Hostages
Surrounding the Coat of Arms :
- Crest: a Rock (same as on the clan badge)
- Chapeau: Red velvet cap lined with ermine, symbolic of a Baron
- Helm: Height of the Helmet is determined by rank
- Mantle: Fabric surrounding the Arms
- Supporters: Two lions rampant
- Compartment: The base of the Arms, made of Dryas flowers (the clan badge)
Read more about this topic: Clan MacNeil
Famous quotes containing the words coat and/or arms:
“While yet it is cold January, and snow and ice are thick and solid, the prudent landlord comes from the village to get ice to cool his summer drink; impressively, even pathetically, wise, to foresee the heat and thirst of July now in January,—wearing a thick coat and mittens! when so many things are not provided for. It may be that he lays up no treasures in this world which will cool his summer drink in the next.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“In Arms not worse, in foresight much advanc’t,
We may with more successful hope resolve
To wage by force or guile eternal Warr
Irreconcileable, to our grand Foe,”
—John Milton (1608–1674)