True Stories

[cathy]

there are so many true but obscure stories about Scotland, I thought we would share them here!

[REALMACTAVISH]

hi cathy i am currently researching the 'LADY'S ROCK and have been trying to find the actual location of the dastardly deed .It's all part of MacTavish history. There's definately a story here and as its true will make interesting reading for our folk. It's also the 1st time there's a reference to a MacTavish anglocising his name to Thamson( note the 'a')and that was before 1600!

[cathy]

Really....................where is Lady's Rock??? What what is the tie to Thompson all about????

Curious Cathy

[REALMACTAVISH]

The 'LADY'S ROCK' is reported to be near the rocks off of the Isle of Mull..........and I've found 2-3 likely venues; one jumps out at you though. you have to imagine the site 300 years previous to ......no houses or road. i've actually watched(whilst fishing of course!)the rock submerge under the flowtide. It has to be the place.....i've cross matched all thedata and it fits!

[cathy]

What is the deal with "Thamson"?

!), the spelling
2), what do they have to do with the story???

I am confused, I did not think there were any Thomson?? Thompsons until after Culloden????

Confused Cath

[REALMACTAVISH]

thats hogwash re thompsons and culloden. there was no name changes due to jacobitism we were the jacobites and we're all still called McTavish!dodgy dugald tried to attach himself to us with his usual lies and walter mitty ideas. there was no jacobitism in dunardry no retribution and no name changes to avoid repercussions fact there is soon to be a chapter in truemactavish that destroys that story onceand for all with authorative statements from some important people.
We do have a Thamson though involved in the 'LADY'S ROCK 'affair. the 3 involved were Donald McLean/ ewan MacTawes/ iain thamson

[rhona]

Hiya cousins---are the rocks you speak of opposite Duart castle Real Mac??
I once enjoyed a beautiful sunset evening there watching a pair of dolphins swim past the historic point and couldnt believe such an awful event occurred there ---a poor woman left tied to face the tide because of some feud with the Campbells------

[Misty]

Hi Cathy and REALMACTAVISH,

This is very interesting and I'm dying to know the story of "Lady's Rock" and the name Iain (John?) Thamson.

I've met Cathy through email and I'm happy to make your acquaintance REALMACTAVISH. :D I love your spirit! :D

Misty

[REALMACTAVISH]

cheers misty , my spirit is no stronger than any other mactavish its fuelled by pride and ancestry. we all have so much to be proud of- yourself included. as a soldier i was part of the edinburgh tattoo 4 times in my life and on one occassion i recall the commentator saying over the p a system........'here we are at the tattoo , half the people here are scots.and the other half want to be.
doesnt that make you feel good!
ive workedwith the US troops and they love scottish soldiers and are always keen to tell you of scottish ties, they watch us march into places like Bagdad behind the pipes and their own hearts are full of pride. No wonder the Germans called us 'THE LADYS FROM HELL'

[REALMACTAVISH]

the background to the story to those who dont know it does testify to the fact that the mactavish at dunardry had hot and cold relationships with both the campbells and macleans........ i mean one moment the Mactavish ....well 2 of them are conspiring to murder with the macleans and a few years later at time of monmouth- they hung dunardry(not chief) CHIEFTAIN from battlements of carnasserie castle!

[REALMACTAVISH]

BUT THATS ANOTHER STORY......LETS DO ONE AT A TIME..............

[REALMACTAVISH]

hi rhona good to hear from you.. yes you got the right location.i found 2-3 likely spots but it does seem to be the one facing duart castle.....with the wee lighthouse. i too love to watch the dolphins and seals there i have plenty of time.i dont catch many fish! this story seems to have caused some interest.

i have another story brewing......did you know theres a bar in tarbert that will not serve you today if your names mactavish!!!???because of a murder in the 1930s
keep the flame alive rhona misty and cathy we menfolk owe so much to the strength of our womenfolk

[cathy]

fascinating stuff over here REALMACTAVISH!


Keep the stories coming!
Cathy

[Misty]

Originally posted by REALMACTAVISH@Aug 10 2006, 12:08 AM
hi rhona good to hear from you.. yes you got the right location.i found 2-3 likely spots but it does seem to be the one facing duart castle.....with the wee lighthouse. i too love to watch the dolphins and seals there i have plenty of time.i dont catch many fish! this story seems to have caused some interest.

i have another story brewing......did you know theres a bar in tarbert that will not serve you today if your names mactavish!!!???because of a murder in the 1930s
keep the flame alive rhona misty and cathy we menfolk owe so much to the strength of our womenfolk
That's funny, I've had Duart castle as my wallpaper on my computer for a couple of years. Would love to hear the whole story.

Tell us about the muder that caused MacTavish to be banned from the bar in Tarbet. :o

Misty

[REALMACTAVISH]

me and a kinsman walked into the Ferry bar in tarbert both wearing mactavish kilts for lunch. 'youre mactavish 'the man behind the bar said'i cant serve you
now i dont look like thekind of person you'd want to argue with so was taken aback
'why not'
in the 30s 2 of your kinsmen got into a fight and a man was killed
oh
they smashed the bar up and picked one man up and threw him down the stairs. he broke his kneck. they were tried for murder but were saved from hanging and had sentences commuted to life in gaol
'that was a long time ago i said
it was made a rule that no mactavish would ever be served here again.[/[B]B]its become a sort of custom rather than a rule, gives the bar a talking point
a compromise was reached that we would eat and drink on the tables outside and we promised to not wreck his bar.

[cathy]

Well REAL MACTAVISH...................knowing you I bet that took some restraint not to mess up the place anyway. What a goulish story!

[REALMACTAVISH]

THE LADY'S ROCK STORY IS EQUALLY GHOULISH.
A MACLEAN CHIEF BECAME ESTRANGED AND DISENCHANTED WITH HIS WIFE SO MUCH THAT HE CONTRIVED TO BE RID OF HER. HIS TRUSTED KINSMAN DONALD MACLEAN OBLIGED AND HE ENLISTED HIS 2 CLOSE FRIENDS EWAN MACTAWSE (THE LATIN VERSION OF MACTAVISH) AND IAIN(YES MISTY-JOHN)THAMSON(A VERY EARLY INSTANCE OF ANGLOCISATION OF MACTAVISH)
THE POOR WOMAN WAS TIED TO THE ROCKS NEAR DUART CASTLE AND AWAITED DEATH AS THE TIDE SWAMPED OVER HER. LUCKILY FISHERMEN SAVED HER AND TOOK HER TO HER FATHER; A CAMPBELL CHIEFTAIN.
THINKING THE DEED WAS DONE THE HUSBAND REPORTED HIS WIFE'S DEATH TO HER FATHER ONLY TO BE PRESENTED WITH EXIBIT A - HIS LIVING WIFE. A DEAL WAS STRUCK AND THE HAPLESS HUSBAND WAS CONDEMNED TO CONTINUE MARRIED LIFE UNTIL HIS MYSTERIOUS DEATH SOON AFTER! EWAN AND IAIN??? THEY KEPT A LOW PROFILE AND WERE PROBABLY QUITE RELIEVED WHEN THE GOOD NATURED SPELL OF BON AM'E WAS DROPPED FOR A FEUDAL ONE WITH THE MACLEANS!

[Misty]

Thanks Real MacTavish for the "barred from the Bar" story :lol: and the "Lady's Rock" story, how sad, mean and horrible that one was. :( I hope the MacLean Chief got what was coming to him. :angry:

Misty

[REALMACTAVISH]

yes misty, he came to a very sticky end soon afterwards.the campbells are often scorned in Scotland......but it was never wise to mess with their kin!
while on the subect.i think i'll start a new topic re campbells

[REALMACTAVISH]

THERES A FAMOUS TALE IN ARGYLL ABOUT A MAN WHO WANTED TO BUY A MOTOR CAR. I CAN VALIDATE THIS STORY,I WAS CLOSELY RELATED TO THE MAN AND WAS PRIVY TO EVENTS AS A VERY SMALL BOY.
ROBBIE MACTAVISH WANTED TO BUY A MOTOR CAR-LIKE THE ONE SONA MCPHEE; THE DISTRICT NURSE HAD. THE SHRAPNEL IN HIS THIGH CAUSED PAIN WHEN HE WALKED. HE WOULD GO TO OBAN AND GET ONE FROM DOOLIES . ARMED WITH ONLY A KNOWLEDGE OF TRACTORS HE INSPECTED CARS ON THE FORECOURT AND THEN THE SALESMAN TOLD HIM PRICES BEYOND HIS EXPECTATIONS. HIS HEART SANK BUT HE CHEEREDWHEN THE SALESMAN MENTIONED MONTHLY TERMS. IT SEEMED HE WOULD HAVE HIS MOTOR CAR AFTER ALL. HE WAS LED INTO AN OFFICE WHERE THE SALESMAN ASKED HIM TO SIGN A FORM....
FOR WHY? ROBBIE ASKED.
' TO SAY YOU AGREE TO PAY MONEY EVERY MONTH' HE WAS TOLD
ROBBIES VEINS STUCK OUT IN HIS NECK. THE PEN SNAPPED IN HIS FINGERS.
'SINCE WHEN WASN'T THE WORD OF A HIGHLAND GENTLEMAN NOT ENOUGH?'
HE STORMED OUT OF THE OFFICE. HE PASSED ME, A WEE BOY SAT ON THE WALL.
'NEVER TRUST A MAN THAT SITS WITH HIS LEGS CROSSED' HE TOLD ME.

I WOULD PONDER ON THE STATEMENT'SMEANING IN LATER LIFE AND REALISED HE MEANT NOT TO TRUST A NON KILT WEARER; YOU CAN'T SIT CROSSED LEGGED IN A KILT

[cathy]

Well I for one would not mind watching you try to sit cross legged in kilt!

what you say Packer71???

[REALMACTAVISH]

THATSWHY SOME OF US NEED LONGER SPORRANS THAN OTHERS............IN CASE WE FORGET OURSELVES AND TRY TO SIT CROSSED LEGGED.

[REALMACTAVISH]

DONT FORGET CATHY AND PACKER.I LIVED FOR QUITE A WHILE IN FLORIDA AND NORTH CAROLINA AS WELL AS LONG SPELLS IN NY. I AM FAMILIAR WITH AMOROUS US WOMEN WHEN THEY SEE A KILTIE! I ALSO RECALL I COULDNT PAY FOR A DRINK ANYWHERE- SOMEONE WOULD SAY "I'LL GET THAT" or"YOUR MONEY'S NO GOOD IN HERE" SAME WITH FOOD- EVERYONE WANTED TO TAKE ME HOME AND FEED ME; ESPECIALLY THE AMOROUS WOMEN!

[cathy]

So you all know I am from Wisconsin,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,home of the University of Wisconsin and it's great college football team, the Badgers............so after a Minnesota Wisconsin game, in which the Badgers beat the Gophers.....(what sort of name for a team is that), there walks by a man in a kilt, speaking in an awful Scottish accent..................being who I am and after a few drinks, I needed to introduce myself and my heritage.........he said he was from Glasgow, my sister thought, Glasgow, Minnesota,...............and so forth, well two people down decided to check what was under that kilt.................and you all know the answer to that!

(I thought it looked like a bunny......................big cheeks, and a long nose.......)


Cathy

[REALMACTAVISH]

YOU WINSCONSIN WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGABLE

[cathy]

and we thank you for that comment!