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In 1645 on May 9th, King Charles’ representative, the Marquis of Montrose, confronted an army of Covenanters led by Sir John Urray, near a village named Auldearn in Scotland. Rain was falling as the battle commenced and among the 3,500 foot and 400 horse assembled under Urray's command, was Ruairidh MacIain Domhnull Bhain MacLennan, Chief of the Clan, defending the standard of Lord Seaforth. A tall, rugged, red-bearded highlander, he fought savagely and desperately in the ensuing clash, during which Urray's forces were slowly overwhelmed by a flanking movement of the Gordon Cavalry. 

Ruairidh and his two brothers were ultimately killed along with many more MacLennans in that segment of the battle. – For the next 330 years, the Clan had no official Chief. During 250 of those years, due to pressures political and financial, many remaining Clansmen and their descendants were forced or chose to leave Scotland to seek survival in newly discovered lands. Many septs with names distorted by usage or altered for practical purposes, have resulted.

In 1969, Ronald George MacLennan declared his intention to claim the position of Chief. Due to the tireless energy of this vital, proud Scot, the Clan recognised his right to the position. Thirty years of tenacious searches and researches were rewarded with the Matriculation of Arms - the acknowledgment of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms of Scotland - and his installation as Chief of the MacLennan Clan at a ceremony in Inverness in 1978, which was the first such ceremony to be performed for at least two centuries.

In 1989, Chief Ronald died of leukaemia, and his 12 year old son, Ruairidh Donald George MacLennan inherited the title to be the Chief of the MacLennan Clan, becoming the youngest Clan Chief in the world. Ruairidh, quietly proud of his heritage, knew throughout his childhood that he would he Chief one day and he is handling the position with dignity and due gravity. 

The Chief's Coat of Arms, with the motto "Dum Spiro Spero" includes two pipers, because like the MacCrimmons, the Clan is noted for its piping. Ruairidh is a very proficient piper and was Pipe Major of the Pipe Band at Fettes College in Edinburgh. Early in 1995 he won the Scottish Schools Piping Competition. He is also a competent rower and sailor, sailing on a Tall Ship from the south of England to Ireland and Scotland as part of his school curriculum. During the summer of 1993 he, with others, did a solo row the length of Loch Ness for Scottish charities. In 2002 Ruairidh graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a Master of Rural Surveying Degree, and was re-commissioned into the Officer Training Corps at Aberdeen as a Piper in their Pipe Band.

Our Chief Ruairidh’s home is on the shore of Loch Ness in the village of Dores, approximately 10 miles from Inverness. He is currently employed by Strutt & Parker at Banchory, in the north-east of Scotland close to Aberdeen, and he is currently involved with the factoring of a number of estates.