70219: Lachlan MacKillop

Lachlan MacKillop was the son of John MacKillop and Margaret Munro. Born in old Ruisgarry in 1842, he moved to the croft at 6 Ruisgarry (Beasdaire) which his father was allotted in 1850. Lachlan became a fisherman and then a crofter. Croft 6 was passed to him following his father’s death in 1887. Lachlan married Ann MacLeod with whom he had eight children. In 1900 Lachlan obtained 2 Borve, where the family built a new home. 6 Ruisgarry (Beasdaire) was passed to Peter MacAskill.

Lachlan was a good friend of the bard Malcolm MacAskill. The historian Alick Morrison, in the introduction to Orain Chaluim recounts how, whenever the bard ran short of peat fuel, Lachlan

‘at once despatched his two sons, Norman and Callum Bàn, with a well-laden bag to his house. In return, the bard took down the violin and regaled them for some hours with his choicest Gaelic melodies.’