The rebuilt 13th-century Scottish clan boat comes ashore for good to island home

The only replica of the historic and powerful Highland Galley boat has come to rest in a new permanent home

They were the workhorses of the high seas of the Highlands and Islands from the 1200s - and a true symbol of power of the clans.

Now, only one replica of the Highland Galley boat exists with the real remnants of the ships that served as both transport and vessels of war all destroyed as history took its course.

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Last week, the sole replica - called the Aileach - was officialy welcomed into her new permanent home in a specially built galley house at Kildonan Museum in South Uist.

The Highland Galley - or Birlinn - is the only replica of its kind.The Highland Galley - or Birlinn - is the only replica of its kind.
The Highland Galley - or Birlinn - is the only replica of its kind. | Contributed

The replica was first built in the early 1990s in a project co-led by Ranald Macdonald, the 24th Captain of Clanranald and chief of the Macdonalds. He is a direct descendant of Somerled, the Norse-Gaelic lord who became Lord of the Isles - and designer of the Highland galley boat, or birlinn in Gaelic.

Now, after decades of miles, fun, travel and education the Aileach has come to permanent rest at the museum with hopes that interest in the vessel will lead to a greater appreciation of the critical role the galley played in Highland and Island life.

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Andrew Macdonald of Boisdale, is the son of the 24th Chief and member of the Lord of the Isles Galley Trust which helped raise funds for the new boat shed and permanent exhibition on the power and place of the galley boat in Highland history.

Andrew Macdonald of BoisdaleAndrew Macdonald of Boisdale
Andrew Macdonald of Boisdale | Contributed

He said: “This is the only replica highland galley that exists and it is quite extraordinary that on the whole of the west coast there have been no remnants of galleys found. During the 1700s they were all burnt by the English unlike Viking longships, where they are constantly found in Scandinavia.

“That is why we built her - because it is important to keep the research moving forward as it is the heritage of the West Coast of Scotland for 800 years and it is an important thing to understand.

“I know we are all fairly disappointed with Cal Mac but before Cal Mac the galley was the transport , it was the war vehicle, it was everything.”

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His father launched the galley project following an idea from his friend, Wallace Clark, a well-known adventurer and sailor.

The construction was enabled by much detective work to find details of the old ships, much of which was taken from gravestones and tombs linked to clan chiefs.

Mr Macdonald said Somerled came up with the first galley designed around 1120. Derived from Viking longships, they are smaller and have a rudder hung from a straight sternpost which repaces the long and heavy Viking steering oars.

Mr Macdonald said: “Using the new galley, Somerled won the sea battles and got rid of the Vikings in the west coast of Scotland. It is so important to keep this history alive.”

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Named after an Irish princess, the Aileach has made many voyages, including one the Faroe Isles and another from Westportin Ireland to Stornoway. It has appeared at multiple boat gatherings and allowed hundreds of children to take to the water.

“The site of kids understanding and sitting with an oar and understanding what it might have been like in the 15th Century was wonderful,” Mr Macdonald said.

He added: “With the wind behind you, she goes like a rocket

“We have sailed past boats, bigger boats, and they have looked at us and gone’ what is going on/’ as we are just shooting past.

“For me, the whole thing has just been about living history and when I see her in the galley museum there is just a huge pang of feeling.”

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