High Council of Clan Donald

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The Earl of Antrim??? A Chief??? By who's recognition??? No doubt he's an Earl (rather like the Earl of Stockton is an Earl, but not the chief of his clan). This may seem to enhance the status of the "High Council", and awe the clansfolk, but as far I can recall there never was a "MacDonald" (of any spelling) of "Antrim".

To be sure there was (and is) a MacDonnell of the Glens (Mac Iain Mor) as recognized by the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland about thirty years ago. He was succeeded by his son, the present Count Randal MacDonnell of the Glens, who now lives in Dublin.

Antrim, a very nice chap by all accounts, is, I believe, descended from a junior branch, through the female line (actually, this may not be the case, as I can't lay hands on my M'Donald genealogies at the moment and I may be confusing him with one of the other MacDonald Chiefs.). And, if this "high council" is supposed to represent all of the branches of the Clan, where is the opera singing, former hearing aid salesman, recently recognized by Lyon as Chief of the MacDonnells of Keppoch? Isn't he grand enough for the "High Council"?

Ignoring two rightful chiefs and putting in a "placeman", no matter how well their intentions may be, calls the whole "High Council" into question.