I learned my new fact for the day, and it was a good one! I was looking online to see if I had a family tartan at all, for a Scottish lassie costume I want to do. I knew my family name is derived from the Gaelic MacAscaidh, and there are distant family members in Ireland and Scotland. Well, as I learned more, I became fascinated. Evidently, the family name comes from Askell, the last Norse King of Dublin, and descendants of him were based on the Isle of Skye, and then moved into the mainland of Scotland. There, the family became known as the MacAskills, or McCaskills, and were a sept (family unit) allied with the MacLeod clan. Of course, there are many spelling variations of the surname, mine being one of them. Because of this allegiance, I can wear the MacLeod tartan, as well as the MacAskill tartan.

Here is a picture of the MacAskill tartan:



Unfortunately, the tartan itself is too expensive for me to purchase (right now, anyway). I would need about 7 yards for my outfit, and it goes for about $75-78 a yard or meter. Ouch! Granted, it is handmade in Scotland, but yeah, that's pretty expensive. So I am currently looking for cheaper versions on ebay and other sites of the MacLeod tartan. I'm hoping I can get it for less, being a more popular and well-known tartan.

But, so, yep, my lifelong love of Scotland and Ireland definitely makes sense now. No wonder I felt so at home in the Highlands. And I'm descended from a king, too!