MacRury, John Ewen, c1853-1909 (Torlum | Benbecula) | University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

Custom and saying entitled 'Spilling Milk', 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/60

Scope and Contents

Custom and saying recorded by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Spilling Milk' describing how if someone spilt milk they would say 'Coma libh dheth tha bial feumach a feathamh air' [It doesn't matter, there's a needy mouth waiting for it] and that the thirsty party would get their thirst quenched. Text has been scored thorugh as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1895

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Custom and story entitled 'Souming', 15 December 1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/55

Scope and Contents Custom and story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Souming' [number and type of stock an individual croft can graze on a common grazings] describing the ages at which cows were included in the 'leibhidh' [levy], how in 1810 Lord MacDonald and MacCoinnich Bodhar of Lewis [MacKenzie of Seaforth, Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis] introduced new rules while Clanranald had no souming until 1820. MacRury states that in 1830 his grandfather had to send five...

Dates: 15 December 1894

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Custom entitled 'Goisteachd' and 'Blood Brotherhood', 9 January 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/70

Scope and Contents Custom written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Goisteachd' and additionally entitled 'Blood Brotherhood' by Alexander Carmichael. MacRury recalls how if two boys drew blood while playing then one would put blood on the back of the hand of the other and say 'roinn [rinn] mi goisteachd riut' and that would mean that they 'were friends in all plays henceforth', although frequently the bond was short-lived MacRury remarks 'there was something in it as the...

Dates: 9 January 1895

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Custom entitled 'Togal an Doinis' [Togail an Donais], 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/67

Scope and Contents Custom written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Togal an Doinis' [Togail an Donais] describing how if something was stolen and the culprit not known, the suspects names were written on a piece of paper and if the person performing the charm could not write then a symbol was drawn to represent each suspect. The paper was folded longways, rubbed between the hands and dropped into a bowl of water. If the culprit's name was on the paper it would sink to the bottom...

Dates: 1895

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Customs relating to cattle herding, 1895

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/69

Scope and Contents

Customs written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula relating to cattle herding, describing how when herding cattle to or from the house a number of cattle were allowed to follow behind the herder to avoid the evil eye. Also, if someone praised the cattle, the herder had to praise the cattle even higher. Text has been scored through in pencil as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1895

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Note entitled 'Butterfly', 1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/45

Scope and Contents

Note by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Butterfly' describing how the 'Dalan De' of golden colour if seen flying over a corpse signifies that their spirit is in heaven. The superstition only applies to this particular kind of butterfly. Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1894

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Note entitled 'Coithean or Cuman', 1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/50

Scope and Contents Note by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Coithean or Cuman' about making pails for milking. The size of the 'bleoghean' varied according to the number of cattle to be milked in the fold. 'There were twelve staves in it a black and white in succession and the twelveth (sic) was five or six inches higher and thicker at the top. It was the handle.' If the staves of a 'Coithean' showed their original colour then the milkmaid was deemed 'clean and tidy and qualified to make...

Dates: 1894

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Note entitled 'Cuthag' [cuckoo], 1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/42

Scope and Contents

Note by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Cuthag' [cuckoo] describing how if early in that morning a cuckoo called between two houses occupied by the same family, one or more of them sleeping an outhouse, then ''there was a separation & coolness to exhist between them'. Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1894

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Note entitled 'Fuath', 1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/41

Scope and Contents

Note by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Fuath' describing it as a invisible spirit deemed an omen that a family will lose all their possessions shortly. It appears in a whirl wind, secluded places or 'at wakes of wicked people'. Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1894

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Note entitled 'La Feill Mhicheil', 1894

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/49

Scope and Contents Note written by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'La Feill Mhicheil' [St Michael's Day or Michaelmas] describing how it was observed all over the country. Some of the traditions entailed, pregnant women visiting burial grounds 'Believing that the sanctimonious odour of the graves was sufficient to prevent premature birth' and that similarly mares in foal would go 'deasal a chlaidh' [sunwise around the graveyard] unbridled. 'Aodhstar' is noted as headgear for...

Dates: 1894

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

MacRury, John Ewen, c1853-1909 (Torlum | Benbecula)

Found in 19 Collections and/or Records:

Custom and saying entitled 'Spilling Milk', 1895

Custom and story entitled 'Souming', 15 December 1894

Custom entitled 'Goisteachd' and 'Blood Brotherhood', 9 January 1895

Custom entitled 'Togal an Doinis' [Togail an Donais], 1895

Customs relating to cattle herding, 1895

Note entitled 'Butterfly', 1894

Note entitled 'Coithean or Cuman', 1894

Note entitled 'Cuthag' [cuckoo], 1894

Note entitled 'Fuath', 1894

Note entitled 'La Feill Mhicheil', 1894

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