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
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