Exploring Dunvegan Castle Stories On The Isle Of Skye

The Isle of Skye is packed with incredible landscapes, but if you want to uncover stories of real people, then you need to visit Dunvegan Castle. Perched on a small crag above a sea loch, this has been home to Clan MacLeod for over 800 years. It should come as no surprise, that in all that time, Dunvegan Castle has picked up a few stories!

How To Visit Dunvegan Castle

Thankfully, Dunvegan Castle is open for visitors during the tourist season, from April to mid-October. It opens at 10am and closes at 5.30pm, but keep up to date with the latest information here. There’s a big car park for visitors to the castle, as well as a shop and good cafe for lunch.

Getting around the Isle of Skye is far easier with a car, although I know the idea can be a little intimidating. Here’s the best place to find car hire in Scotland and if you are nervous about driving here, this article has everything you need to know!

Other articles you may be interested in:

• 7 Isle of Skye Castles
• A Trip Around Skye
• Where To Find The Isle Of Skye Fairies

The MacLeods and Dunvegan Castle

The stories of Dunvegan Castle are intrinsically linked with the MacLeods, the clan who still call this place home to this day! They trace their lineage all the way back to a man called Leod, Mac meaning “son of” in Gaelic. Tradition states that Leod was son of Olaf the Black, a Norse-Gaelic King of the Isles from the 13th century.

The MacLeods built Dunvegan, although it’s changed a lot in the last 800 years. From the outside, you first make out the Victorian adaptation of the castle’s exterior, but from the inside it becomes a little easier to see different periods. One thing you might not notice – the land bridge used to access the current front door was only built in 1814!

Despite near-constant clan feuds with the MacDonalds for supremacy on Skye and the upheavals of the Jacobite risings, the MacLeods held onto Dunvegan Castle. Today, the 30th Chief of the Clan MacLeod still lives here, amidst a 42,000 acre estate, making Dunvegan much more than just a visitor attraction!

“Hold Fast” – The MacLeod Motto

Every clan has a battle cry, but the MacLeods’ “Hold Fast” is more than just words, it’s part of a typically violent clan story! Typically, you’ll spot it below the head of a bull, just like the one in the entrance hall of Dunvegan Castle, and that’s for a very good reason.

In the 1300s, the 3rd MacLeod chief was an enormous warrior called Malcolm, as handsome as he was strong. He had fallen in love with the beautiful wife of Fraser of Glenelg and would often sneak over to the mainland to try and convince her to leave her husband!

One moonlit night, as he was leaving Glenelg to return to Skye, a wild bull burst from the undergrowth and attacked him. MacLeod’s men, too far away to help, roared at their chief “Hold Fast” as he grappled with its horns. Just in time, the warrior managed to get a hand on his dirk and kill the bull, taking a horn from its head as a trophy.

Malcolm’s lover was so impressed by this show of strength that she agreed to run away to Dunvegan with him! That’s why the MacLeod crest shows a bull above the words “Hold Fast” and also why they never got on with the Frasers!

The Fairy Flag – The Clan’s Greatest Treasure

If there’s one artefact that’s especially important to Clan Macleod and you should look out for while visiting Dunvegan Castle, it’s the Fairy Flag. Kept behind glass, this fragile piece of silk has been treasured for centuries as a clan talisman. However, as the name suggests, this is no ordinary piece of fabric.

The most famous version of its origin tells of a MacLeod chief who fell in love with a fairy princess. Her father wouldn’t let them be married, but allowed a handfasting for a year and a day. By the end of that time, they had a baby son who had to be left behind in the mortal realm.

During one night, the baby cried so loud that his mother heard him in the fairy realm, returning to soothe the boy and wrapping him tightly in a silken shawl. That became the Fairy Flag and as the boy grew older, dreams of his mother revealed that her gift had special powers. If the MacLeod’s were ever in need, all they had to do was fly the flag.

Like most magical objects, the Fairy Flag of Dunvegan only has three uses. So far, the fairies have won a battle for the MacLeods against the MacDonalds and cured their cattle from a terrible sickness. That third use is being kept for an extreme emergency, although MacLeod fighter pilots used a picture of the flag as a talisman during WWII.

An antiques expert once told the 27th Chief that he believed the flag had been brought back from Crusade by one of the MacLeod’s Viking ancestors. MacLeod politely replied, “You may believe that, but I know that it was given to my ancestor by the fairies.” The expert wisely said, “Sir Reginald, I bow to your superior knowledge’.

Rory Mor’s Drinking Horn – A Test of Courage

There are many more relics to uncover on a visit to Dunvegan Castle and one of my personal favourites is Rory Mor’s drinking horn. Rory was one of the clan’s greatest chiefs from in the late 16th century, famed for his strength and hospitality. He may have been the one to begin a tradition that carries on to this day.

On coming of age, all future MacLeod chiefs are challenged to drink a hornful of wine in one go. Holding two pints, over a litre, means this is no mean feat! When Queen Elizabeth II visited Dunvegan, she was treated to a performance by John MacLeod, the current chief’s father who finished the horn in under 2 minutes!

Some think the horn was created by Rory in the 16th century and others have claimed it as a Viking relic. I agree with those who believe this was the horn taken as a trophy by William MacLeod in the 13th century. It would have been a fitting way to use his memento!

The Cup Of Dunvegan Castle

Dating to the late 15th century, the Cup of Dunvegan Castle is another special object linked with Rory Mor. It’s a beautiful thing, made from wood, decorated with silver plates and a Latin inscription. Efforts to translate the words have produced different results, but it’s thought to mention Katharina daughter of King Neil.

There’s no famous story involved with the Cup of Dunvegan, but it was likely a thank you gift from the O’Neills of Ireland. In the late 1500s, Rory Mor MacLeod led 500 men to fight for rebels against the English occupation of Ireland.

The Great Sword Of Dunvegan

In the depths of the castle, you’ll find a terrifyingly beautiful piece of weaponry known as the Great Sword of Dunvegan. Easily missed when visiting, this was one of the most important heirlooms for Clan MacLeod. It’s over 500 years old, probably from the late 15th century, made for the Uilleam Dubh, otherwise known as William ‘Long Sword’ MacLeod.

William was the 7th Chief of the MacLeods of Dunvegan Castle, leading the clan from his home on Skye, but travelling far and wide. He led raids in Orkney, attended councils in Islay and eventually died in Mull.

That happened during a rebellion in the Hebrides, as Angus Og MacDonald fought his father John for the position of Lord Of The Isles. William’s clan fought for John while the MacLeods of Lewis followed Angus, with skirmishes taking place across the Hebrides.

Sadly, even with the Great Sword Of Dunvegan in his hands, William was killed during the Battle of Bloody Bay, the climax of the conflict which saw Angus Og victorious. William’s body was taken to Iona, the last of the MacLeod chiefs to be buried at the abbey there. You can find depictions of the Great Sword of Dunvegan on the tombs of his son Alasdair Crotach and subsequent chiefs!

Are There Dunvegan Castle Ghost Stories?

When it comes to 800 year old castles, you might expect there to be a few restless spirits found in the walls. However, try as I might, I can’t find any real ghost stories from Dunvegan Castle!

Guides who worked there have mentioned uneasy feelings and some are convinced that the place is haunted, but that’s as far as it goes. There’s none of the usual ghostly pipers or green ladies to give you a fright. Maybe there are just too many stories of fairies to leave room for the ghosts!

Stories Of St Kilda

Keep your eyes open for a cupboard full of artefacts not from Dunvegan Castle, but from the islands of St Kilda! This tiny archipelago sits 40 miles off the coast of the Outer Hebrides, a long way from Skye, but came under control of the MacLeods. The islanders paid their rents to the chief in feathers, bird oil and eggs during an annual visit from the MacLeod factor.

Without much space to farm, the St Kildans lived mostly off seabirds that they caught on soaring cliffs. They were ingenious, hardy folks who lived a tough life and you can see some of their story in this case of objects. If you want to learn more, then have a read of this article about my epic visit to St Kilda in 2024!

An Incredible Castle on the Edge of the Sea

Unlike most of the castles on Skye, Dunvegan is still standing and full of life. The MacLeods have kept it going throughout the centuries, modernising it but keeping its stories to the fore. Hopefully, you’ll find the time to visit during your trip to Skye, so leave me a comment to let me know if you did!