Clan Hay

John Hay, 2nd Earl and 1st Marquis of Tweeddale (1626-97)
A supporter of the Covenant, Hay was later a supporter of Charles I and fought at Preston for him. He was imprisoned for speaking out against the execution of James Guthrie. Then in 1663 he was a sponsor of the Indulgences.

The sway of his moderate views is a good indicator for the feelings of moderates across Scotland. He was for William of Orange, and was created a Marquis in 1694. The inquiry over the Massacre of Glencoe was given to Hay, the result of which showed King William and Dalrymple of Stair as responsible.

While Dalrymple took on all the condemnation for the murders, William tried to improve his name north of the border with the promise of a Scottish trading company. Hay was moved into a governing role for this but when William destroyed the Darien Venture, it was Hay who had to take the blame, and the dismissal in 1697.

John MacDougall Hay (1881-1919)
Born in Tarbet in Loch Lomond, Hay graduated from Glasgow University and became a teacher in Stornoway and Ullapool. Always troubled by ill health, he moved back to Glasgow and was soon a Govan minister.

He wrote as a freelance journalist whilst working on his first and most acclaimed novel. “Gillespie” was published in 1914. He completed two more novels before his death at thirty-eight.

George Campbell Hay (1915-84)
George Campbell Hay was the son of John MacDougall Hay. George did not speak Gaelic until he was a teenager but persisted with it to become an important Gaelic poet.

His first published collection was “Fuaran Slèibh” (The Upland Spring) in 1947. The works were of nature, love, politics and philosophy. His later work became increasingly political.

In the second half of his life he was troubled by mental illness. His last great work, begun in the 1940s, was released in 1982, and called “Mochtàr is Dùghall” (Mokhtar and Dougall).