Donald Monro (priest)

Donald Monro was born early in the 16th century, the eldest of the six sons of Alexander Munro of Kiltearn, by Janet, daughter of Farquhar Maclean of Dochgarroch.

[4] Monro became the vicar of Snizort and Raasay in 1526[5] later noting that although the latter (and the adjacent island of Rona) pertained to the Bishop of the Isles "by heritage" that in practice it was held by "M'Gyllychallan of Raarsay be the sword".

Partly as a result, the See of the Isles was one of the poorest in Scotland and although Monro lists fourteen islands as belonging to its Bishop, in practice rents were hard to collect.

[2] Monro called himself "Sir Donald", a standard style at the time for a priest who lacked a university degree, and also referred to himself as "High Dean of the Isles".

At Lammas in the same year he was appointed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to act as one of three special Commissioners of Ross under the Bishop of Caithness responsible for creating new kirks.

Castle Craig on the Black Isle , with the Cromarty Firth beyond. Donald Monro may have lived here in the 1560s. [ 1 ]
The ruins of Brochel Castle, Raasay . Monro wrote that it was one of two castles on the island and had a "fair orchard". [ 5 ]
Sula Sgeir from the south west. Donald Monro wrote that the men of Ness sailed there in their small craft to "fetche hame thair boatful of dry wild fowls", [ 14 ] a tradition that continues. [ 15 ]