Skip to main content

Isle of Lewis Ross and Cromarty Scotland

 Subject
Subject Source: Local sources

Found in 110 Collections and/or Records:

Story about Lews men being chased off Tarasaigh/Taransay, 10 July 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/65
Scope and Contents Story collected on Tarasaigh/Taransay telling how a boatful of men from Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis came ashore at Ru chinige [Rubha Hinnigeodha] on the west of Taransay and travelled across the island. 'The natives took a caber off tai[gh] sheac cial & met the Lews men & drove them to Sgeir Bhualta' [Sgeir a' Bhuallt], they only allowed two men to escape and they did so by swimming to Sgeir Cè and Sgeir Eowin [Sgeir Eoin] 'One of these had an arrow in his buttock and an[other] in...
Dates: 10 July 1870

Story about 'MacCallain' and 'Frith making', 1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/65
Scope and Contents Story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula about Duncan McInnes [MacInnes], Balavanaich [Baile a Mhanaich/Balivanich, Beinn an Faoghla/Benbecula] also known as MacCallain [Mac Ailein] who was well-known for making 'frith' [making incantations for a missing person]. Once a boat was caught in a winter storm returning from Uig, Lewis [Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis] and with no wreckage or people it and its crew were thought lost. Mac Ailein was approached for frith and...
Dates: 1895

Story about MacLeod of Lewis, c1862

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/12
Scope and Contents Story about MacLeod of Lewis probably collected from Kenneth Morrison, Trithean/Trien, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach/Isle of Skye. MacLeod of Lewis was a very bad man, who divorced his wife and was related to Am Britheamh Leothasach [Leòdhasach]. The king had sent word to MacLeod of Lewis but MacLeod ignored him and so the king gave the Isle of Lewis to people from Fife. The Fifers began to build Stioirnebha [Steòrnabhagh/Stornoway] but Am Britheamh Leòdhasach had them and their helpers killed.An...
Dates: c1862

Story about Mr Auladh, 10 July 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/49
Scope and Contents

Story telling how Mrs MacDonald of Taransay's great grandfather died leaving one son. The child's mother being ill and unsure if she would put him into the care of Mr Auladh [Rev Aulay MacAulay] leaving him 'mile marag (mark)' for the son's education. MacAulay sent him to Stornoway [Steòrnabhagh/Stornoway, Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis] for three years and then taught him Latin himself, thus faithfully carrying out his duties.

Dates: 10 July 1870

Story about Sìne nighean MhicLeòid, 20 January 1871

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/142
Scope and Contents Story collected from Eachann Macleoid [Hector MacLeod], aged 85, at Caisteal Bhuiri, Lianacleit [Caisteal Bhuirgh/Borve Castle, Lionacleit/Linaclate, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula]. His patronymic is given as 'Each[ann] mac Dhonul ic 'Urchai ic Neil ic Coinnich ic Iain ic Ruari ic Thormaid ic Uilleam ic Thorcail ic Leoid Leothais'. Hector states that he is the same age as Clanranald and that his great grandfather Niall mac Leoid [Neil MacLeod] came with Sine ni[gh]ean mhic Leoid Leodhais...
Dates: 20 January 1871

Story about sithichean [fairy hills] in Ness district, 27 October 1873

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW115/12
Scope and Contents Story about sithichean [fairy hills] in Ness district [Nis, Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis] and that they fell down when the fairies came out to hear 'ceol an t' Satain' [Satan's music?]. It adds that the fairies are also fir-chlis [the northern lights]. Carmichael notes that two other long stories were relayed one about 'Conn Dearg Torcal Oighre & Torc[al] Canallach [Conanach]' [MacLeods of Eòropaidh/Eoropie] and the other about how Rònaidh/North Rona was won and lost, but the details of...
Dates: 27 October 1873

Story about Temple Thòmais, 27 October 1873

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW115/9
Scope and Contents

Story about Temple Thòmais [Suainebost, Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis] probably collected from Angus Gunn or Ann MacDonald née Gunn, Dail bho Thuath/North Dell, Nis/Ness, that its location was on the machair at Suainebost but that stones were taken from it to lengthen Teampull Pheadair.

Dates: 27 October 1873

Story about the fate of Angus MacAulay, Lewis, 1874 and 1891

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW108/153
Scope and Contents

Story about Angus MacAulay from the Isle of Lewis [Eilean Leòdhais ] who was called up to fight under the Duke of Montrose but who was sent back to look after the womenfolk at home. He did not want to go because he 'had a thorough shrew for his wife'. His wife met him at a place called 'Clach Aonais' reproached him and so he turned around and immediately went back to the fighting. He was killed at the Battle of Auldearn [9 May 1645].

Dates: 1874 and 1891

Story about the lack of rats on Tarasaigh/Taransay, 9 July 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/40
Scope and Contents Story collected from Don MacInnon [Donald MacKinnon] about the lack of rats on Tarasaigh/Taransay, telling how a Taransay man went to live in Lews [Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis] but was plagued with rats. An old woman said she could send the rats to Taransay for him which she 'greatly to his relief' did and after a a short while of being on Taransay they were all dead. MacKinnon also notes that some rats were brought ashore by fishermen but were found dead at Aird nan Ceall...
Dates: 9 July 1870

Story about the MacLeods and Stewarts as proprietors of Harris, 10 July 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/53
Scope and Contents Story about the MacLeods and Stewarts as proprietors of Harris [Na Hearadh/Isle of Harris], telling how the last MacLeod was 'simple' and 'easily advised' and was persuaded by Donald Stewart a shepherd from Perthshire living in Pairc/Park, Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis to make him the factor. From there he got Loscintir and 'soon extend[ed] his pos[session]' clearing 'Sheilebost, Nisebost and the Borves - Na Buiridh' [Losgaintir/Luskentyre, Seilebost, Niosabost and Na Buirgh]. 'Even the...
Dates: 10 July 1870