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Isle of Barra Inverness-shire Scotland

 Subject

Staff Only
Subject Source: Local sources

Found in 280 Collections and/or Records:

Story about Nighean Mhic Gillechalum Rarsay, 23 March 1871

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW119/9
Scope and Contents

Story probably collected from John Pearson or John MacPherson, Ceanntangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra, Historical tale about NIghean Mhic Gillechaluim Rarsay or the daughter of MacLeod of Raasay/Ratharsair, who drowned a ship through witchcraft. Aged only 18, she was bled to death by her two brothers, both doctors, at her father's request, on the grounds that she was 'worse than Nic a Phie Cholasay' [MacPhee of Colbhasa/Colonsay. The brothers afterwards went to India.

Dates: 23 March 1871
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about Pearsan Mòr, 24 September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/111
Scope and Contents Story about Pearsan Mòr, chaplain and son to MacNeil of Barra, who lived at Ciolla [Chiall, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] that his wife, concerned that he might be interested in a woman who lived at Cliat [Cliaid], arranged for him to be ambushed by the other woman's servants on his return from hunting on Àird Ghrèin at Ciste nan Cli'eann. Pearsan Mòr killed ten of the twelve men although two of them lived until the morning. He fought them until he fell at Meallach where he was buried and a chapel...
Dates: 24 September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Ruai Mhor, daughter of Rìgh Lochlann, and duns on the Isle of Barra, 24 September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/104
Scope and Contents Story about Ruai Mhor, daughter of Rìgh Lochlann, that Dun Loch Nic an Ruaidh [Dùn Loch nic Ruaidhe, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] was built for her as she was sought by many Lochlann heroes: 'They would come to the slope opposite & look on & wi[th] great delight to get a look at her even at a distance. They lived at Dun a' Bhairp [Dùn Bharpa]'. Carmichael also notes down Dun a ghlinne, Auin an Duin and Lamruig an Duin, [Dùn a' Ghlinne, Abhainn an Dùin and Lamraig an Dùin, all...
Dates: 24 September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about son of MacPhee of Colonsay and how he came to live in Miùghlaigh/Mingulay, 23 March 1871

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW119/6
Scope and Contents Tale, probably told by John Pearson or John MacPherson, cottar, Ceann Tangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Barra, concerning the son of MacPhee of Colbhasa/Colonsay and how he and his descendants came to inhabit Miùghlaigh/Mingulay. Having been dispossessed of Colonsay, MacPhee's son came to Barra where he found employment as MacNeil's manager. No boat had been coming from Mingulay, so MacPhee's son was sent there. When he found all the islanders dead of plague, the crew would not allow him back...
Dates: 23 March 1871
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about the building of Ciosmaol, 1867

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW114/46
Scope and Contents Story about the building of Ciosmaol [Caisteal Chiosmuil/Kisimul Castle, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] naming Cul and Biann as responsible for the building after whom Baghan Chul Biain is named. The water for the castle is taken from 'Aird-ghlais in lead pipes to the centre of the rock within the castle' [possibly Rubha Glas]. The story concludes with a note saying that MacNeil of Barra was married to the Earl of Bute's daughter and once when MacNeil was away from home and her father was coming to...
Dates: 1867
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about the killing of the wren after the Battle of the Boyne, 1901

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW110/36
Scope and Contents

Story about the killing of the wren after the Battle of the Boyne noting that it tapped its beak on the drum of the Protestants, waking them, and that [the wrens] are killed everywhere by Catholics. The text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1901
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about the Lochlannaich [Vikings] and MacNeils, 24 September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/99
Scope and Contents Story about the Lochlannaich [Vikings] and MacNeils which tells how the Lochlannaich built Caisteal Loch Thangastail [Dùn Mhic Leòid, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] and MacNeil's daughter married one of them and lived in the dun there. MacNeil wanted to kill the Lochlannaich because they were getting on in the country so he found out from his daughter what their weakness was and subsequently attacked them at night killing them all. MacNeil's daughter was pregnant and bore a son called Cailein or...
Dates: 24 September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about the man at Airi Mhic Cuanain, 8 May 1877

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW108/63
Scope and Contents

Story about men who were disputing where to mark a march between Barra [Barraigh] and South Uist [Uibhist a Deas] and saw a man standing at Airi Mhic Cuanain at Cairval [À irigh Mhic Cuanain, -] so put the march there. The man was often seen there and sometimes told of the future.

Dates: 8 May 1877
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about the prophecy of a young man's death, 1901

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW110/89
Scope and Contents Story about the prophecy of a young man's death probably collected on Barraigh/Isle of Barra. The young man and his father were out on the hill when a little old man met them. He said that within a year the young man would have 'am foid tha fo chas na cluasaig fo chean' [the sod under his feet as a pillow for his head] and disappeared. The father cut the sod that was beneath his son's feet and threw it out to sea. In the summer, the son was swimming with friends in the sea at Airdbhuridh...
Dates: 1901
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about the Saidearan Dugha on Barraigh/Isle of Barra, September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/167
Scope and Contents

Story about the Saidearan Dugha [Saighdearan Dubha, Jacobite soldiers] on Barraigh/Isle of Barra in which they were pursuing young men who had fled Àird Ghrèin and hidden in a cave. They met an old man and told him they would spare his life if he showed them where the young men were. In self-preservation he showed them and they killed them by setting fire to the cave.

Dates: September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael