27916: Angus Macaulay

Angus, son of Domhnall Cam, was the first of the Macaulays to be a tacksman in Brenish. It is said that he came to an agreement with Alexander Mackenzie of Achilty whereby he was to accept the lands of Brenish from the Mackenzies and marry Achilty’s daughter. According to tradition he was already married to a daughter of Judge Morrison from Ness, whom he subsequently divorced to marry Ann Mackenzie.

Ann was said to have been a domineering woman with a caustic tongue and was not popular in Uig: indeed she is said to have been the reason her husband went to Auldearn where he met his death. Angus supposedly reached Stornoway with the rest of the Uig men (another version maintains that the Uig men left from a jetty at Reef known as Laimhrig Fir Uige – the jetty of the warriors of Uig) but was persuaded to return home so that one member of the family would remain to look after the interests of the clan. He returned but was met by his wife who greeted him with the words; “Dh’fhalbh na fir uile, ‘s dh’fhuirich na fireacha-dide” . Fireachda-dide is a moor peeper — a useless person hiding in the heather. “All the men left and the useless people remained”. Angus turned on his heel and returned to join the rest of the fighting men.

He was killed at the battle of Auldearn.