Battle of Bloody Bay

Battle of Bloody Bay
Part of Clan MacDonald internal conflicts
Bloody Bay
Date c. 1480 or 1483 Location North end of the Sound of Mull, Scotland grid reference NM4858 Result Victory for Angus Og MacDonald
Belligerents
Clan Donald Clan MacLean Clan MacLeod Clan MacNeil	Clan Donald Clan MacDonald of Clanranald Clan MacDonald of Keppoch,
Commanders and leaders
John of Islay, Earl of Ross (also Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald)	Angus Og Macdonald (son of John of Islay)
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The Battle of Bloody Bay, or Blàr Bàgh na Fala in Scottish Gaelic, was a naval battle fought near Tobermory, Scotland. It was fought on the coast of Mull two miles north of Tobermory, between John of Islay, Earl of Ross, the Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald; and his son, Angus Og Macdonald. The precise date of the battle varies in sources, from 1480 to 1483.

Battle

John of Islay, Earl of Ross, was supported by men from the Clan MacLean, Clan MacLeod, and Clan MacNeil. He was opposed by his son, Angus Og Macdonald, who was supported by Allan Macruari, chief of the Clan MacDonald of Clanranald, and Domhnall Mac Aonghais (Donald Mac Angus) and the chief of the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch as well as the MacLeods of Lewis.

Hector Odhar Maclean, the chief of Clan MacLean and John of Islay's naval commander, was taken prisoner. William Dubh MacLeod, chief of Clan MacLeod, was killed along with many of his clan.

Aftermath

After the battle, Angus Og Macdonald took over power from his father, and held it for a decade until he was murdered. Nearly half the clan's fleet had been sunk, and as a result the power of the Lords of the Isles was diminished.

See also

• Fairy Flag, a MacLeod banner with supposed magical properties, is traditionally said to have been used at the battle.

External links

• BBC Scotland - there's a 4 minute video on the battle at the bottom of the page, recorded near the Rubha nan Gall lighthouse.