Clan MacCallum/Malcolm

The District of Lorn in Argyllshire is the original home of the MacCallums and the Chief of the Clan MacCallum/Malcolm is Robin Neill Lochnell Malcolm, who resides in Duntrune Castle near Kilmartin on the Poltalloch lands chartered to his family in 1510. The name MacCallum, in gaelic, Maol Caluim, means son of Columba. This does not indicate literal descent from the saint, but rather a devotee, and the MacCallums do originate in the ancient kingdom of Dalriada settled by the first Scots from Ireland.

The first written reference to MacCallums is in 1414 when Sir Duncan Campbell granted lands in Craignish to Reginald MacCallum of Corbarron, with the office of hereditary constable of the castles of Lochaffy and Craignish.

In 1510, Maol Caluim had a grant of the lands of Poltalloch, across Loch Craignish from the lands of Craignish Castle. He was succeeded by his son Archibald and by 1562 Donald, son of Archibald was in possession of Poltalloch.

In 1779, when Dugald MacCallum became Chief and Laird of Poltalloch, he changed the family surname to Malcolm, and since that time his descendants have continued to use that name.

John Wingfield Malcolm, 15th Laird, was created Lord Malcolm of Poltalloch in 1896, having distinguished himself as M.P. for Argyll. He died without heirs and the title became extinct. He was succeeded by his brother whose son, Sir Ian Malcolm KCMG, was one of the Directors of the Suez Canal Company. Ian's son, Lt. Col. George Ian Malcolm, was founder of the now famous Edinburgh Tattoo.

George Ian's son Robin, present Chief and 19th Laird, has been repeatedly elected to local offices. His seat is Duntrune Castle, said to be the oldest continually inhabited castle in Scotland. Originally a Campbell stronghold, Duntrune has been in the hands of MacCallum/Malcolms for two hundred years.

The Clan MacCallum/Malcolm Society was founded in 1971 at the Grandfather Mountain Games, Linville, NC, with the late Andrew B. MacCallum (USAF retired) as convenor. The Clan Society, strongly supported by its Chief, now has members from coast to coast as well as in Canada. Its newsletter, The Argent Castle, is published quarterly.