Scope and Contents Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael containing primarily songs and stories collected in Miùghlaigh/Mingulay, Barraigh/Barra, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist and Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis. The main informants are Roderick MacNeil or Ruairidh an Rùma from Mingulay and Penelope MacLellan of Ormacleit/Ormaclete. The bulk of the material from MacNeil relates to the southernmost islands of the Hebrides and covers topics such as bird-fowling, the island way of life, place-names,...

Scope and Contents

Note collected from Mary MacMillan, Lionacuidhe/Liniquie, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist about Sgeir na h-iollan stating that it is below Balemore Iocar [Ìochdar] and that the top half of it can be seen at half tide. 'The àth and corn yard are quite visible. A deep caolas with most rapid tide.' The text has been scored through in ink as if transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents

Notes on the earrasaid and the breid collected from Mary MacMillan, Lianacui, Iocar [Lionacuidhe/Liniquie, Ìochdar, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist] tling how the earrasaid was a blanket taken from the bed and describing the manner in which it was worn. 'Blankets were finely made with scarlet borders. Every housewife tried to excel in her blankets'. The breid is described as being a yard of fine linen with 3 bans on the shoulder and back with 'no sewing upon it.'

Scope and Contents Song collected from Mary MacMillan, Lionacuidhe/Liniquie, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist beginning 'Horo bhodachan horo, Nuair thig mo bhodachesa dhach[aidh]' . The song is composed of twenty six lines, one of which has been scored through in pencil as if deleted. There are a number of amendments to the text which has been scored through in ink as if to indicate it has been transcribed elsewhere. Two notes have been written transversely, one across the text which reads 'Corucam a Tarasaidh Harris...

Scope and Contents

Song collected from Mary MacMillan, Lionacuidhe/Liniquie, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist beginning 'Och nan och mar tha mi fhein, Mun coga[dh] treun gun m uc[hd] ri arm'. The song is composed of eight lines some of which have annotations or amendments. A note states that there are eight verses to the song.

Scope and Contents

Song beginning 'Thug i brian mor an Ard Righ' probably collected from Mairi Nic GilleMhaoil [Mary MacMillan] Lianacui, Iocar [Lionacuidhe and Ìochdar, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist]. Text has been scored through as if the text has been transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents Song entitled 'Donl Mhic Iain Ic Sheumas' beginning 'Eir fara la o air farala o', collected from Mairi Nic GilleMhaoil [Mary MacMillan] Lianacui, Iocar [Lionacuidhe and Ìochdar, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist]. 'Heard this from Mairiread Nic Àigh [Margaret MacKay] Benbecula Gearrabeag [Gearraidh Beag, Beinn na Faoghla]. She was about 60 or 65. She had it best of any in the plac[e].' Text has been scored through and a note on folio 63v reads 'B[ook] 2 p Transcribed May 6 1869 A[lexander]...

Scope and Contents Song entitled 'Donnacha mac Chuilean' collected from Mary MacMillan, Lionacuidhe/Liniquie, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist beginning 'Na hoieabh o hoille bhi, Na ho ibh a hao ri haoro'. The accompanying notes state that the first part of the song relates to a girl who lost her snood and the second part to the encroachment of the sea. The caibeal or chapel referred to are those at Howmore South Uist [Tobha Mòr, Uibhist a Deas], with 'Hough-more said to mean Tung-Moire Mòr being a dau[gh]t[er] of...

Scope and Contents Song entitled 'Oran Si - Mhuracha mac Iain' collected from Mary MacMillan, Lionacuidhe/Liniquie, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist beginning 'Hi-ri-ri-ri u o, S olc an obair fir turais'. The song is composed of twenty-eight lines, the last of which have been written transversely over part of the preceding lines. The accompanying story states that the song was composed by a fairy woman, who had been promised in marriage to Murchadh mac Iain but he married another woman. His wife died in childbirth...

Scope and Contents Story collected from Mary MacMillan, Lionacuidhe/Liniquie, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist telling how a man chose between two sweethearts but the spurned got vengeance by stranding the wife on the rocks at An Leumaire-rua below Ru-thiorinnis [An Leumaire Ruadh and Rubha Thornais/Hornish Point]. The man then married the other woman but while she was milking and the song beginning 'Sin do chas dhomh hug o, Sin do lamh dhomh' he heard her and realised what had happened and left her. The informant...