Although there is no documentary evidence, one legend recounts that a Grand Uncle during his minority Niall Mor Maclean acted as his guardian.
At this time Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean renewed the old quarrel with Coll, in order to compel obedience to his chiefship.
After some annoyance, an old warrior named Domhnall Mugach, seeing the perplexity of his leader, stepped forward, took off his bonnet, and pointing to his bald head exclaimed: "This will do for our standard, and I promise it will not go back a foot till night."
Niall Mor Maclean fled with Sir Lachlan's men in pursuit, and overtook him at Clachan Dubh, in northern Mull, where they slew him.
He appeared before the privy council in 1616, which bound him to exhibit annually one of his principal kinsmen; that he should reside at his castle at Breachacha, and that he should not keep more than one tun of wine.
These people not only kept possession of the land, but became violent, and among other things murdered Lachlan's natural son, called Ian Gallda Maclean.
He went to Ardnamurchan upon some private business, when a party of MacIans attacked the boat in landing, and killed Iain (also translated as John or Ewen), and with great difficulty his servants carried off the body, which had thirteen arrows through it.