Clan Irvine: A Legacy of Drum Castle, Holly Leaves and Flourishing in Sun and Shade
Introduction
Clan Irvine, also written Irving, Irwin, Irwine and Irwyn, is a historic Scottish clan with two major identities:
Clan Irvine of Drum — rooted in Aberdeenshire, Drum Castle, Deeside, and the lands granted after the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Clan Irving of Bonshaw — rooted in the Scottish Borders, especially Bonshaw Tower, Dumfriesshire, and the Border Reiver world.
This article focuses mainly on Clan Irvine of Drum, while also noting the closely related Irving of Bonshaw tradition.
The Irvine of Drum motto is:
“Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens”
“Flourishing both in sunshine and in shade.”
The clan crest is:
A sheaf of holly consisting of nine leaves Vert, slipped and banded Gules.
In simpler terms, this is a bundle of nine green holly leaves tied with a red band.
The historic seat is:
Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire.
The current chief is:
Alexander Irvine of Drum
27th Baron of Drum
Chief of Clan Irvine
He became 27th Baron of Drum in 2019.
This article explores the history, people, heritage, tartans, crest, motto, castles, battles, branches and modern legacy of Clan Irvine.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan Irvine
The name Irvine has several possible origins.
One strong Scottish origin connects the name with the lands of Irvine in Ayrshire, where the place-name is often interpreted as meaning something like green river in a Brythonic language.
The clan’s great Aberdeenshire line, however, is most famously connected with William de Irwyn, a follower of Robert the Bruce.
Clan tradition says that William de Irwyn served Bruce faithfully during his years of danger and struggle. After Bruce’s victory and the restoration of Scottish power, William was rewarded with the lands and forest of Drum near Aberdeen. Modern clan summaries state that Drum Castle became the seat of the chief and that the Irvine crest of holly leaves is linked to Bruce’s badge and the tradition of hiding in holly during danger.
Historic spellings and forms include:
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Irvine
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Irving
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Irwin
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Irwine
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Irwyn
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de Irwyn
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Erewine
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Erwin
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Irvine of Drum
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Irving of Bonshaw
The name belongs to both Highland-edge Aberdeenshire and the Border world, depending on the line. That makes Irvine/Irving one of Scotland’s most interesting names: part royal-service clan, part Border surname, part Deeside castle family, part reiver tradition.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan Irvine of Drum’s historic territory includes:
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Drum Castle
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Aberdeenshire
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Royal Deeside
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Drumoak
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The Forest of Drum
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Aberdeen
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Lower Deeside
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The north-east of Scotland
The historic seat is:
Drum Castle
Drum Castle was the seat of the Irvine chiefs for centuries. Modern clan material states that the castle was given into National Trust for Scotland care in the 20th century, while remaining one of the great Irvine heritage sites.
The Irving of Bonshaw tradition is associated with:
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Bonshaw Tower
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Dumfriesshire
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The Scottish Borders
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The Border Reiver country
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Annan and Eskdale
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The Anglo-Scottish frontier
ScotlandShop describes Irving of Bonshaw as a Borders clan whose roots lie at Bonshaw Tower, with a history in the turbulent world of the Border Reivers.
For Irvine of Drum, the heart is Drum Castle.
For Irving of Bonshaw, the heart is Bonshaw Tower.
Together, they show how one surname tradition can carry two powerful Scottish landscapes: Deeside and the Borders.
Chapter III: Important People of Clan Irvine
William de Irwyn
The great heroic ancestor of the Drum line is William de Irwyn, follower of Robert the Bruce.
Clan tradition says he shared Bruce’s hardships and was rewarded after Bruce’s triumph with the Forest of Drum, near Aberdeen. He is remembered as the founder of the Irvines of Drum.
His story gives Clan Irvine a direct connection with the Wars of Scottish Independence and the Bruce cause.
The Irvines of Drum
The Irvines of Drum became the chiefly line of Clan Irvine.
They held Drum Castle for many centuries and became one of the major families of Aberdeenshire and Deeside.
Alexander Irvine, 10th Laird of Drum
During the 17th-century Civil War period, Alexander Irvine, 10th Laird of Drum, supported King Charles I.
Because Aberdeenshire contained many Covenanter sympathisers, Drum Castle suffered. ScotClans notes that Covenanter forces besieged Drum Castle, entered it and looted it.
This made Drum one of the great Royalist houses caught in Scotland’s religious and political civil wars.
David Irvine of Drum
David Irvine of Drum, 26th Baron of Drum, is remembered for helping end the ancient feud between Clan Irvine and Clan Keith.
In 2002, he met the 13th Earl of Kintore, Chief of Clan Keith, and signed a formal peace treaty between the clans on the banks of the River Dee, roughly 600 years after the Battle of Drumoak in 1402.
This made him an important modern figure in clan reconciliation.
Alexander Irvine of Drum
The current chief is:
Alexander Irvine of Drum
27th Baron of Drum
Chief of Clan Irvine
He became 27th Baron of Drum in 2019.
The Irvings of Bonshaw
The Irvings of Bonshaw are a separate but closely related Border chiefly tradition.
ScotlandShop describes Irving of Bonshaw as rooted in the Scottish Borders, with Bonshaw Tower held by the family since the medieval period.
Their motto is:
“Haud Ullis Labentia Ventis”
“Yielding under no winds.”
Chapter IV: Castles, Towers and Historic Sites
Drum Castle
Drum Castle is the great historic seat of Clan Irvine of Drum.
It stands near Drumoak in Aberdeenshire and is one of the most important castles in Deeside clan history. For centuries, it was the home of the Irvine chiefs.
For Clan Irvine, Drum Castle represents:
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Bruce loyalty
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Aberdeenshire roots
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Chiefship
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Deeside power
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Royalist endurance
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Family continuity
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Clan identity
Drum Castle’s history includes royal grant, siege, looting, long family occupation and eventual preservation as one of Scotland’s great heritage sites.
The Forest of Drum
The Forest of Drum was part of the lands granted to William de Irwyn after his service to Robert the Bruce.
This forested landscape is central to the story of the clan’s rise in Aberdeenshire.
Drumoak
Drumoak is important because of the clan feud with Clan Keith and the Battle of Drumoak in 1402.
The later peace ceremony in 2002 deliberately looked back to this conflict.
Bonshaw Tower
Bonshaw Tower is the historic heart of the Irving of Bonshaw line.
It belongs to the Border Reiver world: towers, horses, raids, feuds and frontier identity. ScotlandShop identifies Bonshaw Tower as central to Irving of Bonshaw history.
The River Dee
The River Dee matters because it runs through the Irvine of Drum landscape and because the 2002 peace treaty with Clan Keith was signed on its banks.
Chapter V: Battles, Wars and Clan Events
Clan Irvine history includes Bruce loyalty, clan feud, civil war, royalist suffering and modern reconciliation.
Service to Robert the Bruce
The foundational military tradition of Clan Irvine is service to Robert the Bruce.
William de Irwyn is remembered as a loyal follower of Bruce, rewarded with Drum after the Bruce victory.
Battle of Drumoak — 1402
The Irvines and Keiths fought at Drumoak in 1402, part of a long feud between the clans.
Clan.com notes that the Irvine feud with Clan Keith lasted for centuries and was only formally settled in 2002.
The Keith Feud
The feud with Clan Keith is one of the defining conflicts in Irvine history.
It reflected the hard realities of north-east Scottish power: land, honour, rivalry, vengeance and local dominance.
The feud’s formal ending in 2002 was a remarkable act of modern clan diplomacy. David Irvine of Drum and the Earl of Kintore exchanged swords and signed a peace treaty, closing roughly six centuries of hostility.
Civil War and the Royalist Cause
During the Civil War period, Alexander Irvine, 10th Laird of Drum, supported Charles I.
Drum Castle was in a region with strong Covenanter sympathy. Covenanter forces besieged, entered and looted the castle.
This chapter shows the cost of royalist loyalty in 17th-century Scotland.
Modern Clan Renewal
The 2002 peace treaty with Clan Keith and the continuation of the Drum chiefly line into the modern era are among the most important recent events in Clan Irvine history.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The Irvine of Drum crest is:
A sheaf of holly consisting of nine leaves Vert, slipped and banded Gules.
In simpler terms, it is a bundle of nine green holly leaves tied with a red band.
ScotlandShop describes the crest as a sheaf of holly with nine green leaves tied by a red band.
The holly suggests:
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Protection
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Endurance
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Loyalty
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Winter resilience
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Shelter in danger
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Bruce tradition
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Family unity
Holly is especially fitting because clan tradition connects the badge to Robert the Bruce and William de Irwyn’s loyalty during the dangerous years before Bruce’s triumph.
Clan Motto
The Irvine of Drum motto is:
“Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens”
This is commonly translated as:
“Flourishing both in sunshine and in shade.”
ScotsConnection gives the motto as Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens, translated as vigorous both under the sun and shade.
This is one of the most elegant mottoes in Scottish clan tradition.
It means the clan survives and grows in both good times and bad.
Sun or shadow.
Fortune or hardship.
Peace or danger.
The Irvine spirit remains green.
Clan Badge
The plant badge of Clan Irvine is:
Holly
The crest itself makes holly the central plant symbol of the clan.
For Clan Irvine, the strongest symbols are:
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The holly sheaf
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The motto “Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens”
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Drum Castle
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The Bruce connection
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The Irvine tartan
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The peace with Clan Keith
Chapter VII: Clan Tartans
Clan Irvine has a recognised tartan tradition.
Irvine of Drum Tartan
The Irvine of Drum tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1858.
This is the principal tartan associated with the Irvine of Drum line.
Irving of Bonshaw Tartan
The Irving of Bonshaw tartan is separately recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 1859.
The register notes that it is the official tartan recognised by the Chief of the Name and Arms of Irving of Bonshaw.
Irvine and Irving Tartan Distinction
The Clan Irving site states that there are two Clan/Family tartans formally registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans for the Irvine/Irving name traditions, while other Irvine and Irving tartans are registered as personal tartans.
This is important for accuracy.
Irvine of Drum and Irving of Bonshaw are related surname traditions but have distinct chiefly and tartan identities.
Irvine Ancient and Modern Tartans
Modern tartan suppliers often offer Irvine tartans in:
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Ancient
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Modern
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Weathered
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Muted
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Dress or variant forms where available
The usual difference is dye shade:
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Ancient colours are softer and lighter.
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Modern colours are deeper and stronger.
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Weathered colours are muted and aged.
The Meaning of Irvine Tartan Today
For modern Irvine descendants, tartan represents:
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Drum Castle
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Aberdeenshire roots
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Bruce loyalty
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Holly symbolism
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The motto “Flourishing both in sunshine and shade”
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Clan endurance
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Family pride and diaspora identity
The Irvine tartan gives the clan’s history a visible and wearable form.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan Irvine represents a proud Scottish identity built on loyalty, resilience, holly, royal service and survival through changing fortune.
Its story includes:
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Possible Ayrshire place-name roots
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William de Irwyn and Robert the Bruce
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Drum Castle
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The Forest of Drum
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The Irvines of Drum
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The Irvings of Bonshaw
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The feud with Clan Keith
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The 2002 peace treaty
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The holly crest
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The motto “Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens”
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Irvine of Drum tartan
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Irving of Bonshaw tartan
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A living Irvine chief
Associated names and spellings include:
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Irvine
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Irving
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Irwin
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Irwine
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Irwyn
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Erwin
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Erewine
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Ervine
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Irving of Bonshaw
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Irvine of Drum
The Irvine story is one of Scotland’s great examples of loyalty rewarded, hardship survived and honour restored.
It is a clan of holly: green in sun, green in shadow.
Chapter IX: Clan Irvine Today
Today, Clan Irvine of Drum remains a recognised Scottish clan with a living chief.
The current chief is:
Alexander Irvine of Drum
27th Baron of Drum
Chief of Clan Irvine
He became chief and Baron of Drum in 2019.
Modern Clan Irvine identity can be found through:
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Family history research
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Tartan wearing
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Visits to Drum Castle
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Scottish heritage events
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Study of Bruce and Deeside history
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Interest in the Irvine-Keith feud
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Genealogy projects
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Diaspora communities across the world
The Irving of Bonshaw line also remains active as a separate Border clan identity, with its own motto and tartan tradition. ScotlandShop describes Irving of Bonshaw as rooted in the Scottish Borders and gives the motto “Haud Ullis Labentia Ventis”, meaning “Yielding under no winds.”
The clan stands today as a symbol of loyalty, resilience, reconciliation, Aberdeenshire heritage and Scottish family pride.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Irvine
The story of Clan Irvine begins with loyalty.
William de Irwyn followed Robert the Bruce through danger and uncertainty. When Bruce triumphed, that loyalty was rewarded with Drum.
From that gift grew centuries of Irvine history.
Its crest, the nine holly leaves, speaks of protection, unity and endurance.
Its motto gives the clan its voice:
Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens — Flourishing both in sunshine and in shade.
That phrase captures the Irvine spirit: strong in fortune, strong in hardship, green in every season.
From Drum Castle to Deeside, from Bruce’s cause to the peace with Clan Keith, from Aberdeenshire to descendants across the world, Clan Irvine continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, holly, castle stone, royal service, family records and the pride of those who still honour the name.
Tartan Time Machine Closing Paragraph
At Tartan Time Machine, we bring Scotland’s past into the present by exploring the clans, castles, battles, kirkyards, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan Irvine is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Bruce loyalty, Drum Castle, holly leaves, Deeside roots, tartans, clan reconciliation and the enduring power to flourish both in sunshine and in shade.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com