Clanranald left his ancient stronghold of Castle Tioram to join James VII in 1715. According to MacGregor's knowledge Clanranald set fire to his castle when he left at this time. His account of the fire agrees with Seton Gordon's later version of this story, although some accounts state that the fire was started by accident in the castle kitchen. ClanRanald's pipers were traditionally from a family of MacIntyre's who previously lived at Loch Rannoch. At that time this MacIntyre family were anciently pipers to Menzies of Menzies, and were said to have piped the Menzies forward at Bannockburn, with the famous Faery Pipes which were supposed to have magical properties. Some of these MacIntyres moved to Moidart and became pipers to ClanRanald. Today Archie MacIntyre still plays for MacDonald of ClanRanald. North of Dunvegan on Skye is the peninsula of Vaternish, where stands the ruined church of Trumpan. How it came to be ruined is one of the grim tragedies of the West.Seton Gordon writes, ... Between the MacLeods and the MacDonalds of ClanRanald a bitter feud existed. Perhaps the Macdonalds remembered that black day when many of their clan in Eigg were massacred by the Macleods. Be that as it may, the men of ClanRanald planned a deadly revenge. One Sunday they sailed across the Minch in their galleys from their island territory of South Uist and surprised the MacLeods at worship in the little church. "Picture the dismay of the worshipers when there is a loud shout at the church, and they turn to see the door guarded by armed men, triumphant and without pity, escape is impossible. Resistance is useless for the men are unarmed in the church as the congregation stand against the claymores that guard the narrow door, --- wisps of pungent smoke enter the church. "shrieks and wailings echo through the doomed building, while the chief of ClanRanald's piper plays wild and scornful music, - to drown the cries of the dying.
