Since everything pictured on this monument is significant, and nothing merely decorous, explanations are required.

FRONT:

        The basic style of the Cross shows the Christian Cross ascendant over the Circle, which was the symbol of the pagan sun god Báal, and was a style of Cross attributed to the most ancient Christians in Ireland, perhaps to Saint Patrick, and/or to Saint Columba themselves.  It was the established form of the Cross brought to Scotland by early Irish missionaries to the Highlands.  The "Chi Rho" symbol in the center of the Cross is ancient Greek for the first two letters of Christ's name in Greek, and was used in The British Isles as early as the Second Century, having been found in frescos in Roman villas at Lullingston, carbon dated to that century.  The famous letters are also used in "The Book of Kells."  The Celtic knot work was a druid symbol used for centuries after the coming of Christianity, having no beginning and no end, and used in both Ireland and Scotland as a symbol for the cycle of life.  The Hebridean galley at the bottom of the Cross is the heraldic symbol of the lords of The Isles, chiefs of the MacDonalds, and appears at the bottom of all the surviving grave slabs of the various lords of The Isles, at Saddell, at Finlagan, at Kildalton and at Iona.  The prominent display of the name McDaniel associated with all these Celtic, Christian and MacDonald symbols, clearly shows our relationship to the Clan.

OBVERSE:

        The Irish harp symbolizes the association of our branch of Clan Donald with Ireland for more than three hundred and fifty years, as does the even more prominent Celtic knot work.  The legend on the obverse base speaks for itself.

LEFT BASE:

        The "Cath Buaidh," or MacDonald feudal crest, has been altered to show the Celtic form of the Christian Cross clutched in a mailed fist, rather than the later, Protestant, Saint George's Cross of the Anglican Church, to emphasize our ancient, pre-Catholic, pre-Reformation  Christian roots, as opposed to the Sleate MacDonalds' use of English symbols in order to show their loyalty to the English Crown.  (See our article on "Clan Donald Badges")  To convey the same message, we use the ancient "Fraoch Eilean" (Heathery Isle) motto of our Clan, rather than the later "Per Mare, Per Terras" (By Sea, By Land) motto used by the Sleate MacDonalds, which actually symbolizes the 1507 conquest of the lordship of The Isles by King James IV, Stewart, of Scots by land, and by his Admiral, Andrew Wood by sea..

RIGHT BASE:

        The Celtic Lion Rampant is used to show our direct descent from Somhairle mac Gilliebruide, 1st King of the South Isles, from the Celtic kings of Scots, and from the Dal Cuin kings of the Irish.  The symbol is then supported by the traditional claim: "S'Rioghail Ar Dhream" (Our Blood Is Royal.) Although many MacDonalds are descended from the Stewart kings through John of Islay's second wife, Margaret Stewart, we're not.  Our progenitor, Marcach, had opposed his older brother's divorce of Amie MacRuairidh in the Council and left for Ireland the year after his nephew, Donald, Margaret's son, inherited the lordship.  We are not tarred with that brush.

        We would very much appreciate your impressions of our effort, as well as suggestions for changes, and for an appropriate site  in East Tennessee to place it.  After we have established a cost and the feasibility of the project, we intend to set up a trust to pay for it, to which Clan members may contribute if they wish, perhaps with a separate stone upon which to list individual MacDonalds who warrant recognition.  The final size of the monuments would then be determined by the money raised.