Gaelic Name: MacDhùghaill
Motto: Buaidh no bàs (Victory or death)
Badge: Bell heath
The Gaelic “dubh gall” means “dark stranger” and it may have distinguished the darker Danes from the fair-haired Norwegians. The first Dougall (or more correctly Dugall) was descended from Somerled, Lord of the Isles, at a time when the Western Isles were part of Norway. He was given the islands of Mull, Jura, Tiree, Coll, Kerrara and parts of Argyll and Lorn. At that time the islands were part of Norway and the mainland was ruled by the king of Scots.
According to MacLysaght, this is the Irish form of the name of the Scottish clan McDougall, borne by a branch which went to Ireland from the Hebrides as mercenaries.
