Of royal roots, the MacLachlans trace a descent from the Irish royal house of O’Neill which, in turn, traced a descent from the fifth century Irish king Niall of the Nine Hostages.
• The shores of Loch Fyne became the territory of the MacLachlans after their ancestors had crossed the sea from Ireland to the west coast of Scotland, and this is reflected in the landscape through the place names Strathlachlan and Lachlan Bay.
• Allied to the Campbells of Argyll, they were frequently in their retinue during times of both war and peace.