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Benbecula Inverness-shire Scotland

 Subject
Subject Source: Local sources

Found in 61 Collections and/or Records:

Note entitled 'Bionach or Biorach', 1894

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/48
Scope and Contents Note written by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Bionach or Biorach' describing different words used for horses at different stages of their lives in An t-Eilean Sgitheanach/Isle of Skye, Na Hearadh/Isle of Harris, Uibhist/Uist and Barraigh/Isle of Barra, including how Bionach' in the Isle of Skye becomes 'Biorach' in Uist and Barra. Also the use of 'Isean an eich' for a foal until six months of age when they become 'Spriodach' or 'foal searach'. He states that a horse...
Dates: 1894

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

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

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

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

Note entitled 'Granet, Granite', 25 February 1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/89
Scope and Contents

Note written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Granet, Granite' which reads 'Greoid is the gaelic (sic) in Lews (sic) for Granite, There is fine granite in Dalbeg in Barvas, but in Uig there is only the usual bastard granite.' [Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis]

Dates: 25 February 1895

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

Note entitled 'Lus an acrais', 1894

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/43
Scope and Contents

Note by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Lus an acrais' describing it as a 'dangerous plant' which will sicken people. 'it grows from "Night Soil" produced from food taken without grace or other signs of thankfulness. If a person step[s] over or very near it, it has effect on them.' Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1894

Note entitled 'Mian-fuail', 1894

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/44
Scope and Contents

Note by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Mian-fuail' describing it as 'a drop of "fual" or "wine" direct from either sex if put in any eatables would create or kindle a spark of flaming love in the bosom of the party taking it.' Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: 1894

Note entitled 'Nine, Naodh', 14 January 1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/71
Scope and Contents

Note written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Nine, Naodh' describing how the fairies are said to be 'nine nines of years sucking the breast' and the same number of years each at boyhood, young hood, middle manhood, old manhood and at 'the bre[a]st of death "ri uchd bais"'.

Dates: 14 January 1895