Kisimul Castle Barra Inverness-shire Scotland
Subject
Subject Source: Local sources
Found in 12 Collections and/or Records:
Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael, 1864 to
Series
Identifier: Coll-97/CW114
Scope and Contents
Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael, noted as being 'Bought at St Columb, Cornwall, 30 Nov[ember] 1864 pr[ice] 2/3'. The back inside cover contains a note probably collected as part of excise duties which reads 'Rod[erick] MacPhie Mast of boat 21.8 [-] 1.2½ [-]'. The notebook contains one insertion. The majority of the notebook contains lore relating to Miùlaigh/Mingulay mostly collected from Roderick MacNeil, crofter, aged 88, known as Ruairidh an Rùma. Roderick MacNeil also...
Dates:
1864 to
Note about a dun on Loch Beag Keantangval, 1869
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW107/16
Scope and Contents
Note that a dun on Loch Beag Keantangval [Bàgh Beag, Ceanntangbhal/Kentangaval, Barraigh/Barra] was where Ciosmaol Castle [Caisteal Chiosmuil/Kisimul Castle] was to have been built but it was found to be unsuitable as 'This is an arm of the sea so narrow at the mouth that a per[son] c[ou]ld almost leap across'.
Dates:
1869
Note about the building of Ciosmal [Kisimul Castle], 1901
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW110/53
Scope and Contents
Note about the building of Ciosmal [Caisteal Chiosmuil/Kisimul Castle, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] which reads 'Ciosmal built about 1440 or thereby - by an earl of Bute for his daughter married to a MacNeill of Barra'. The text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.
Dates:
1901
Note about the use of scallop shells on the roofs of the Chapel at Notre Dame and Kisimul Castle, 1887
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW120/333
Scope and Contents
Note about the use of scallop shells on the roofs of the Chapel at Notre Dame [Paris] and Kisimul Castle [Caisteal Chiosmul, Barraigh/Barra].
Dates:
1887
Note and story about Ciosmaol, 1867
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW114/58
Scope and Contents
Note and story about Ciosmaol [Caisteal Chiosmuil/Kisimul Castle, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] collected from Roderick MacNeil, aged 88, crofter, Miùghlaigh/Mingulay stating that it was built by a Ruari Breac and was left by Ruari Breac [both Roderick MacNeil of Barra]. The first was married to a daughter of the Earl of Bute who was visited by a woman from Boradh [Borgh/Borve] with some new butter [as payment to her landlady]. She complained of having to live on a rock in the sea where she could...
Dates:
1867
Place-name story for Sloc na Beiste, 1867
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW114/44
Scope and Contents
Place-name story for Sloc na Beiste [Sloc na Bèiste, Beàrnaraigh/Berneray] probably collected from Roderick MacNeil, aged 88, crofter, Miùghlaigh/Mingulay, telling how when Berneray was uninhabited, the crew of a boat came ashore for water but left behind a young man called MacGillecharra who had fallen asleep. Finding himself he went to Ciosamul [Kisimul Castle, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] and met MacNeil of Barra's wife who happened to be a MacLean and of the same kin. She gave him a wife and...
Dates:
1867
Song beginning 'Hu ru o na hi oro' and accompanying story, 21 May 1869
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW150/11
Scope and Contents
Song collected from Donald MacPhee, blacksmith, Brèibhig/Breivig, Barraigh/Isle of Barra, beginning 'Hu ru o na hi oro, Na nam faite Seathain ri fhuasgla[dh]' [Seathan Mac Rìgh Èireann] composed of fifteen lines. The story tells how the song was composed by an aunt of MacLeod of Harris to MacNeill Dhun an t-Sleibh [Dùn an t-Sleibh, Barraigh/Isle of Barra], her husband. She alleged that a priest had tried to take advantage of her in the confessional the response to which was that the priest...
Dates:
21 May 1869
Story about MacNeil, MacDonald and MacConnell and accompanying verse, c1875
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW105/29
Scope and Contents
Story about MacNeil, MacDonald and MacConnell [MacDonald, Lord of the Isles] in which they are all on a boat and MacDonald, running out of food, chooses to give MacNeil the food on the understanding that he will see Kisimul Castle [Caisteal Chiosmuil, Barraigh/Barra]. They reach Castlebay [Bàgh a' Chaisteil] in a storm and are running out of water so MacNeil orders his butler to give water to his own men and whisky to MacDonald's men. The accompanying verse begins, 'S mithich dhuinne nis bhi...
Dates:
c1875
Story about the building of Ciosmaol, 1867
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW114/46
Scope and Contents
Story about the building of Ciosmaol [Caisteal Chiosmuil/Kisimul Castle, Barraigh/Isle of Barra] naming Cul and Biann as responsible for the building after whom Baghan Chul Biain is named. The water for the castle is taken from 'Aird-ghlais in lead pipes to the centre of the rock within the castle' [possibly Rubha Glas]. The story concludes with a note saying that MacNeil of Barra was married to the Earl of Bute's daughter and once when MacNeil was away from home and her father was coming to...
Dates:
1867
Story entitled 'Mac a' Chreachaire, faisneachd Clann Neill', 21 May 1869
Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW150/14
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...
Dates:
21 May 1869