The Story of McMartin's Lake

Oct 25, 2024

Highland folklore is rife with tales of honor, betrayal, and vengeance—stories that have been passed down through generations, shaping the identity of Scottish clans. Among these, one of the lesser-known yet deeply tragic legends is that of McMartin’s Lake, a tale of betrayal within the once-powerful Craignish clan. The story revolves around the brutal murder of a young boy and the consequences of unchecked ambition and feuding between clans. As the tale unfolds, we witness the complexity of relationships in the Highlands, where loyalty and bloodlines are sacred, and where the dirk—a short Scottish dagger—becomes the ultimate enforcer of justice.

The Origins of the Feud: Campbells and McMartins

The story of McMartin’s Lake begins with the intermarriage between the two clans—Campbells of Craignish and McMartins of Fincharn—through the union of Dugall Campbell and the daughter of the McEachern chief, who, according to Highland tradition, was the original ruling family of Craignish. After inheriting the lands of Craignish, Dugall Campbell, known in legend as "Mac Dhughaill Chreiginnis," became a prominent figure. The family bonds between these two clans were fragile at best, and trouble soon arose when Dugall's sister married MacMartin, the chief of the McMartins of Fincharn.

As with many Highland marriages, the arrangement was strategic, aimed at strengthening ties between families and securing land and power. However, these alliances were often precarious. The marriage between Dugall’s sister and MacMartin came with a “tocher,” a dowry or portion promised upon the death of Dugall’s father. But when the dowry was withheld, a bitter dispute ensued between Dugall’s son and MacMartin, igniting a blood feud that would echo through the history of Craignish.

The Dark Turn: The Killing of Mac Dhughaill's Nephew

The feud reached its tragic apex with the murder of Mac Dhughaill's nephew, a young boy born from the union between MacMartin and Dugall’s sister. In Highland society, fostering—a practice where children were raised by someone outside their immediate family—was a common tradition, believed to strengthen bonds between clans. The boy was sent to live with one of Mac Dhughaill’s trusted clansmen in Barrackan, a nearby farm, as part of this custom.

One fateful day, the boy accompanied his foster father to the shores of a lake—later named McMartin’s Lake—where the older man was preparing a hide for leatherwork. The child, full of youthful energy and curiosity, found his foster father’s dirk lying nearby. He began to playfully brandish the blade, mimicking the movements of a warrior. Watching the boy’s enthusiasm, the foster father asked him a chilling question: “My little fellow, if you were a man, what would you do with that dirk?”

Without hesitation, the boy replied, “I would drive it into the man who killed my father.”

The foster father, startled by the boy’s response and suddenly gripped by fear, took drastic action. Believing that the child would grow up to avenge his father’s death, the man decided to act before it was too late. In an unthinkable moment of betrayal, he plunged the very dirk the boy had been playing with into the child’s heart, killing him instantly. The boy’s lifeless body was then thrown into the lake, which would forever carry the name "McMartin’s Lake" in memory of the murdered heir.

The Aftermath: A Fugitive’s Flight and the Birth of Clan McCrae

The aftermath of this gruesome murder cast a long shadow over Craignish. The foster father, now a murderer, realized that vengeance would soon follow. He understood Highland law all too well: any man responsible for killing another, especially someone of noble blood, would face immediate retribution. Knowing that Dugall Campbell, the boy’s uncle, would stop at nothing to avenge his nephew’s death, the foster father fled.

In the dead of night, he gathered his family and hastily set off toward the shores of "Creagag chrosgach," now known as Creagtharuinn. There, he launched a boat and began rowing away, desperate to escape the impending wrath of Dugall Campbell. As the boat drifted from the shore, Dugall appeared, calling out to the fleeing man: “Is tusa'm mac rath an diugh!” (“You are the son of good fortune this day!”).

The murderer responded with a dark twist on Dugall’s words, playing on the Gaelic phrase “Mac Rath,” which sounds similar to "McCrae." He proclaimed, “Let me be so called in future.”

The fugitive fled to the northern Highlands, where he took refuge among the McCraes, a clan loyal to the Campbells. In an effort to bury his past and avoid Dugall’s vengeance, he adopted the surname McCrae, thus beginning a new lineage. According to legend, his descendants lived in the McCrae lands for generations, with the story of his treachery fading into obscurity—although the people of Craignish never forgot.

McMartin’s Lake: A Symbol of Highland Justice and Retribution

McMartin’s Lake remains a haunting reminder of the complexities of justice and loyalty in Highland culture. The murder of the young boy and the subsequent flight of the foster father encapsulate the harsh realities of clan life, where honor and vengeance were often intertwined, and where family bonds could be both a source of strength and a cause of downfall.

The lake itself stands as a silent witness to the events that transpired on its shores centuries ago. Its still waters reflect not only the physical landscape of Craignish but also the deep-seated tensions between clans that have shaped Highland history for generations. Though time has moved on and the oral traditions of these tales have faded, the legend of McMartin’s Lake persists in local memory, serving as a potent symbol of both betrayal and justice.

In Highland culture, the dirk is more than just a weapon—it is a symbol of personal and familial honor. In this tale, it becomes the central object of both the boy’s innocent play and his tragic death. The foster father’s decision to murder the boy, driven by fear of retribution, underscores the cyclical nature of vengeance in clan society, where violence often begat more violence.

Conclusion: The Legacy of Highland Feuds

The tale of McMartin’s Lake highlights the importance of storytelling in preserving the history and moral lessons of Scotland’s clans. The blood feud between the Campbells and McMartins was just one of many that defined the relationships between clans in the Highlands, but its lessons of loyalty, honor, and betrayal are universal.

As we reflect on this tragic story, it is essential to remember that Highland history is not merely about the glorification of battle and conquest, but also about the personal sacrifices and emotional scars left by these conflicts. McMartin’s Lake is a poignant reminder of the fragile balance between kinship and enmity, a story that, like the still waters of the lake, runs deep.