John Cathanach MacDonald, 4th of Dunnyveg was a son of
John Mor MacDonald and Sabina, daughter of Felim O'Neill of Clanaboy. His father was charged with treason and refused to surrender to King
James IV of Scotland. With his father and three sons they were captured through the treachery of their kinsman John MacIan of Ardnamurchan. John Cathanach and his sons John Mor, John Og and Donald Balloch were tried, convicted of treason and hung on the Boroughmuir (now
Burgh Muir) in 1499. John Cathanach's son,
Alexander, fled to Ireland and became the next chief of the clan.