Neil Macleod was an illegitimate son of Roderick, the last of the Macleod chiefs of Lewis. Roderick had three legitimate and five illegitimate sons who, before and after his death, fought between themselves, and later with the new lords appointed by King James VI in 1598, ‘The Men of Fife’.

Neil and his brother Murdo made life so difficult for these colonists that in 1610 they sold their title, writs and charters to Mackenzie of Kintail for 10,000merks, Mackenzie was a friend and ally of Roderick eldest son Torquil Conanach.

Neil Macleod had used the Island of Berisay, in Loch Roag off Great Bernera, as a safe haven and stored supplies there for times of need. In 1610 he and a band of followers retreated there to escape from Mackenzie and held out for three years.

During that time they would raid Mackenzie lands in Lewis and also became successful sea-robbers (or pirates). As Berisay is a natural island fortress the Mackenzies were unable to eject or capture Macleod even though the Privy Council in Edinburgh wanted it so.

In 1613 Mackenzie was about to give up when a final diabolical plan was hatched. His men rounded up wives, children and relatives of the men on Berisay and at low tide rowed them out to a Skerry close to Berisay and left them there to drown as the Skerry would be covered at high tide.

The men on Berisay could not watch these innocents die and so left Berisay and were captured by Mackenzie.
Taken to Edinburgh Neil Macleod faced trial on 30th March 1613, charged with fire-raising, burning, murder, theft and piracy. He confessed to all crimes and was sentenced to be hanged and his head to be struck from his body and set upon a spike above Nether Bow Port. This was carried out in April of that year.

Today on Berisay there can still be seen outlines of rectangular buildings and some traces of earlier circular ones, there is also a man-made rainwater lochan. The island is still difficult to land on with the feel of being the Island Fortress.