Article
Munro
Motto: Dread God
This Munro Clan’s Gaelic name is Clann Roich or Roich/Rothich. They claim descent from Donald, son of O’Ceann who lived in the time of MacBeth. They were known, as a result, as Fearrann Donull (Donald’s country). Their lands were traditionally set on the north side of the Cromarty Firth and were regarded as vassels of the Rosses. A charter granted to Robert de Munro, 1341-1372, who was Chief of the Clan, is the first evidence of the Clan’s connection to that area, although clan tradition makes the not unreasonable claim of an older establishment, being originally from Ireland, deriving their name from a mount on the river Roe in County Derry.
In Scotland the clan spread into Sutherland and were given a charter for lands in Strathspey in 1309. The Chiefs were Bailies to the MacDonalds, Earls of Ross and Lord of the Isles. During the 17th century the Chief and many of his men were in the service of the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus and King Christian IV of Denmark, for whom they fought in defence of Protestantism.
During the Jacobite period the Munroes were Government supporters, and it was Munro of Foulis who was one of the original commanders of the six independent companies when they were raised in 1725. When the Companies were regimented in 1739 Sir Robert Munro was appointed Lieutenant Colonel under the earl of Crawford and Lindsay.
The first count of this tartan is known by most people by the name of Black Watch, 42nd or Government tartan. The claim is that the Munros gave their tartan to the Black Watch at their inception in 1739. The Black Watch claims that the Munros adopted their tartan as a hunting sett. This is also the argument which applies to the Grants (hunting tartan) and the Campbells. There is no conclusive case for the claims. There are several counts for this tartan.
Choose from one of the Munro tartans listed below:
