Neil MacAskill was born in 1842, the eldest son of Chelsea pensioner Donald MacAskill and Effie MacKinnon of Sheabie. Following his father’s death, Neil’s widowed mother moved to Pol an Oir with her sons. Neil became a fisherman and in 1876 had a son, John, with neighbour Mary Ann MacAskill.

His mother died in 1877, and Neil was passed the house, Taigh an t-Saighdeir. In 1881 he married Kate Effie MacCuish, with whom he was to have three children. By 1911 he was working as the Borve township herd, presumably alongside his work as a fisherman.

Close to his home is a knoll, Cnoc Nèill Shaighdear, named for Neil. Following his death in 1926 the house was passed to son Alexander.