Читать книгу Reading the Gaelic Landscape онлайн

11 страница из 56

In 1609, the Privy Council of Scotland passed laws, which became known as The Statutes of Iona. These were intended to establish the rule of central government in the Highlands (Cathcart 2009). Amongst other things, they required Highland chiefs to send their eldest sons to English-speaking, Protestant schools in the Lowlands. At a court convened on Iona, some Highland chiefs signed the documents. A secondary consequence of the Statutes of Iona was the fragmentation of traditional Gaelic culture and tradition (ibid). Nine chiefs were signatories:

‘Angus Macdonald of Dunivaig in Islay, Hector Maclean of Duart in Mull, Donald Gorm Macdonald of Sleat in Skye, Rory Macleod of Harris, Rory MacKinnon of Strathordaill in Skye, Lauchlan MacLean of Coll, Donald Macdonald of Ylanterim (Eilean Tioram) in Moydart (Captain of Clanranald), Lauchlan Maclean of Lochbuy in Mull, and Gillespie MacQuharrie of Ulva.’

The other MacDonald clans of Clanranald, Keppoch, Glengarry and Glencoe did not sign and continued to adhere to the Catholic faith.Two clauses of the Statutes relate to bardic tradition and education.