Barra Inverness-shire Scotland

Scope and Contents Story about Mac a Chreachain probably collected from Roderick MacNeil, aged 88, crofter, Miùghlaigh/Mingulay. In it Mac a' Chreachain prophesies that Ciosmaol [Caisteal Chiosmuil/Kisimul Castle, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] will be 'na garrai beiste dugh' [a cave for a black beast] and is sent to Maol donaich [Maol Dòmhnaich] as a punishment. He threw a stone into the sea and later caught a fish which had swallowed the same stone. He predicted that Barrai [Barraigh/Isle of Barra] would be full of...

Scope and Contents Story entitled 'Mac a' Chreachaire, faisneachd Clann Neill' collected from Donald MacPhee, blacksmith, Brèibhig/Breivig, Barraigh/Isle of Barra telling of the man who lived at Ciosmal Castle [Caisteal Chiosmuil/Kisimul Castle] with the MacNeils who made prophecies. When he prophesied that the castle 'would yet be a garrai biasta dugha' MacNeil was so angry with him, that he banished him to Maoldonaich [Maol Dòmhnaich] where he lived and died. 'The to[bh]ta he had & the plot he...

Scope and Contents Story entitled 'Mac Righ Sorach' collected from Alasdair Mac Neil [Alexander MacNeil], Ceantangbhall [Ceanntangabhal/Kentagaval, Barraigh/Isle of Barra]. The story tells of how Mac Rìgh Sorach wanted to build [stepping stones?] between Maol-donach and Bhatarsa [Maol Dòmhnaich and Bhatarsaigh/Vatersay]. He and his servant each took a stone but he noticed that his servants was much bigger than his. Realising that his servant was much stronger than he was he stopped the work. The two stones can...

Scope and Contents

Story entitled 'Starsach Meall Vat[ersay]', which tells how a father [presumably at Am Meall, Bhatarsaigh/Vatersay] sent his son to Maoldonaich [Maol Dòmhnaich] for leagan [leacan or large, flat stones] to put under a slab that was going to be made into a doorstep [starsach] and when he saw that the son's stone was larger than his he killed his son.