“Faire na h’Oidhche – Eilean Donan” (Night Watch – Island of Donan)

This depiction of the historic Eileen Donan Castle in Loch Duich; with the Five Sisters of Kintail mountains in the background, has a strategic advantage for it converges with Loch Long and Loch Alsh to the south of Skye. This was home to St. Donnan in the seventh century. The structure was badly damaged numerous times over the centuries and was given by Robert The Bruce to the clan MacKenzie who in turn gave it to the MacRaes, who were the foot soldiers of It was destroyed on May 10, 1719, by the English during a Jacobite uprising and lay in ruins for over 200 years. Restoration to the castle began in the early 1900’s, including the use of Douglas Fir timbers, donated by the MacRae clan on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. The property is owned by the Conchra Charitable Trust, under the control of the MacRaes. The grounds and portions of the castle are open to public. Mr. Wright visited the area in the early 1990’s and it was an image he felt compelled to capture on canvas. He states that the style he used in this painting is considered “magic realism”.