It is believed that the name is derived from Gaelic and that the BARRI was originally written BARRA - originating from the island of Barra. This would mean that the family has its roots in the MacNeill clan.  Certainly the family, around the turn of the 20th century, were to be found on the Western coast of mainland Scotland, adjacent to the island of Barra.



Gaelic Name: MacNeill
Motto: Badge: Buaidhi no bas (To conquer or die)
Lands: Dryas Barra
Origin of Name: Gaelic, MacNeill (Son of Neil, champion)

This clan claims descent from Niall, a descendent of Aodh O'Neill, a king of Northern Ireland at the beginning of the eleventh century. Niall came to the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides around 1094 and is commonly held to be the first chief of the clan.

Barra itself is thought to take its name either from St. Fionnbharr, the founder of Cork, or from St. Barr, the great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages - a famous king of Ireland.

Of the two branches of the MacNeill clan, the Barra line is now generally recognised as the chief line. Neil MacNeill, 5th of Barra, was recognised as a “Prince” at a council of the Isles in 1252, a great honour for the family.

The fifteenth chief of the MacNeills, Ruadhri “The Turbulent” has been described as “the last of the Vikings”, carrying out raiding trips from his island stronghold of Kisimul.

When he was arrested for piracy of an English ship at the end of the sixteenth century, he successfully excused himself to James VI by asserting that he thought it “would be deemed good service to harass the subjects of the woman who killed his sovereign's mother!”. Ruadhri was eventually captured by his own nephews and his eldest son, Neil Og, became chief.

The clan prospered until 1838 when the 21st chief was forced to sell Barra. The chiefship passed to a cousin in the United States of America, and it was from America that the father of the present chief returned to reclaim the Castle of Kisimul. He devoted his life the restoration of the house, which is once again the home of the chiefs of the clan MacNeill.