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Dec 26, 2025 22 min

The Galloway Clans: MacLellan

from Scottish Clans Hosted by Clint Edwards

In this episode of Scottish Clans, we delve into Clan MacLellan, a powerhouse of medieval Galloway whose story is one of meteoric rise, bloody feuds, and tragic decline through unyielding loyalty. Emerging in the late 13th century as devotees of St. Fillan (their name from Gaelic MacGilleFhaolain), the MacLellans swiftly claimed lands around Balmaclellan, Raeberry, and Bombie in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. Scholar Graeme M. Mackenzie proposes an intriguing shared origin with Clan MacMillan, tracing both to 12th-century Bishop Cormac mac Airbertach – a theory bolstered by adjacent settlements in the Glenkens and early heraldic similarities. From Balliol supporters in the Wars of Independence to staunch royalists against the Black Douglases, the MacLellans earned a fearsome reputation as one of Galloway's toughest clans. Links: Scottish Clans Website Contribute to the Cause Get your Clandana and Battle Shirts For Speaking Engagements, email me at [email protected]. Origins of the MacLellans by Graeme Mackenzie

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This episode is 22 minutes long.

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This episode was published on December 26, 2025.

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