Skip to main content

Kentangaval Isle of Barra Inverness-shire Scotland

 Subject

Staff Only
Subject Source: Local sources

Found in 47 Collections and/or Records:

Song entitled 'Oran Sith', 23 March 1871

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW119/4
Scope and Contents

Song entitled 'Oran Sith' [Fairy Song] collected from John Pearson [or John MacPherson], Ceanntangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra, beginning 'M'fheadan us m eoin us m uighean, Mo leanaban beag ban m bru'. The song is composed of eight lines and has been scored through in ink. The title has been written a second time in ink and there is one annotation.

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

Song entitled 'Taladh Mhic Leoid' and vocabulary note, 26 September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/130
Scope and Contents

Song entitled 'Taladh Mhic Leoid' [MacLeod's Lullaby] collected from '"Seumas Chailein" Caimbeul' [James Campbell] , Ceant[angabhal] [Ceanntangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] beginning 'Se mo leana[bh] milenach, Seac milein[each] [th]u 7 m' uaill[eanach [th]u'. The informant states that he heard the song from his mother Mary Burke. The vocabulary note reads 'Gairm = Doran = Otter'.

Dates: 26 September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Song entitled 'Tuirream Torraidh' and accompanying note about funeral customs, 24 September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/96
Scope and Contents Song entitled 'Tuirream Torraidh' collected from Iain Pearson [John MacPherson, cottar, Ceanntangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] beginning 'S grad a fhuair [th]u m bas, A ghrai[dh] cha ruige tu le[a]s'. An accompanying note states that 'bean thuiream' was a woman whose duty it was to 'sing the tuiream after the coffin & striking the coffin with her hands like a drum. All the man's virtues were sung out & his geanaology (sic) back to Noah praised.' Song has been scored...
Dates: 24 September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about a lament [probably Cumha Mhic an Toisich], September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/128
Scope and Contents

Story about a lament [probably Cumha Mhic an Tòisich] probably collected from Marion MacNeil, Ceanntangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra, telling how it was composed by a lady whose husband was killed on his return from being married. His death by a black horse had been predicted so he struck the black horse with his pistol and took a white horse instead but he was careless and his feet got tangled in the stirrups and he was dragged along the ground by the horse and was killed.

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

Story about a large fish, 23 March 1877

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW108/20
Scope and Contents

Story probably collected from Anthony Campbell, Kentangval [Ceann Tangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Barra] about a large fish the 'size of a spinning wheel' seen by a man named MacLeod from Grimsay [Griomasaigh, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist].

Dates: 23 March 1877
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about an encounter with a fairy while gathering plants for healing, 24 September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/93
Scope and Contents Story about an encounter with a fairy while gathering plants for healing and accompanying song collected from Catrine Pearson [Catherine MacFarlane née MacPherson, Ceanntangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra]. The story tells how Niall Pearson of Bruarnis [Neil MacPherson, Bruairnis/Bruernish] was at Drollam [Drolum] cutting cairst-leanna or braonan-a-choin [cairt-leamhna or braonan-nan-con, tuberous bitter vetch or dog carmillion], which is good for diahorrea or tanning leather, and...
Dates: 24 September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Calum Cille [St Columba] and his travels around the islands of Scotland and Blàr na Cuigeal, September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/131
Scope and Contents Story about Calum Cille [St Columba] and his travels around the islands of Scotland probably collected from James Campbell, fisherman, Ceanntangabhal/Kentangval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra. The story notes that the castle on Loch Tangasdail was built by St Clair [Dùn Mhic Leòid, Loch Tangasdale, Barraigh/Isle of Barra], that St Clair married a woman from Kintail [Ceann Tàile, Ros is Cromba/Ross and Cromarty] and that he had eight hundred men who fought for him, although none of the men were from...
Dates: September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Coinneach nan Tarbh and the Luideag, 23 March 1871

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW119/5
Scope and Contents Tale concerning Coinneach nan Tarbh and the Luideag, probably told by John Pearson or John MacPherson, cottar, Ceann Tangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Barra. Coinneach caught the Luideag, the Barra equivalent of the Glaistig or Bean-nighidh, at a stream and would not release her until she promised to herd his cattle safely for a year and a day. She promised to do so, and for this time the cattle were herded by a white dog, whining, accompanied by an incessant lament. The cattle fold door would...
Dates: 23 March 1871
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about Donl Gorm Mor Shleibhte and accompanying note, 23 March 1871

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW119/8
Scope and Contents Story probably told by John Pearson or MacPherson, cottar, Ceann Tangabhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra, concerning the supernatural visitation of Donl Gorm Mor Shleibhte [Sir Donald Gorm Mòr MacDonald of Sleat], who had apparently died on campaign, to his son Donald Gorm Og, uttering a threatening rhyme. The ghost's foster-brother told the son to turn every chair to the wall and light the fir candles. The story is interrupted by a note which reads 'The moil [shingle] on the west...
Dates: 23 March 1871
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

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