Any Clan Donald experts out there?

[Nathan]

The viking ancestors in Clan Donald mostly came from Norway but where I know not. One thing we do know is that Somerled developed the Highland Galley and chased the Norweigians off thus establishing the Kingdom (later Lordship) of the Isles.

I'd love to see a flow chart of the various branches of Clan Donald. I always see it in written paragraph form and it gets confusing due to the repetition of names throughout the generations. I know about John of Islay's split from Amy MacRuari and how Clanranald came to be but with so many splits, a graphic representation with the current status of Chiefship would be most useful.

Incidentally, given the amount of MacDonalds on Cape Breton specifically or even Nova Scotia more broadly, I wonder what the process of being recognized as a new branch would be, if one, in fact exists. A new "MacDonald of Cape Breton" branch would certainly boast as many numbers as many of the other branches.

Just as an FYI in case anyone has a connection:
My Ancestor Malcolm MacDonald left the Isle of Lewis in 1804 three children. His two sons Angus and John and a daughter that died enroute. He arrived at Pictou. His son Angus married the daughter of Roderick MacDougall and inherited his land in Maryvale, Antigonish County. He donated part of that land for the construction of St. Mary's Church. The church was destroyed by a fire in 2011:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...le-church.html
and restored and reconsecrated in 2012. http://maryvalechurchbuildingfund.com/

Malcolm's descendants quickly spread to Arisaig, Malignant Cove, Malignant Brook, Maryvale, New Glasgow and Bras d'or. My great grandfather Angus J. eventually made his way to Port Morien, Cape Breton.

My avatar is of a grave site on the Maryvale Church grounds with the MacDonald of Clanranald badge carved into the headstone.

N