Seals (Animals)

Scope and Contents

Note under the heading 'Roin' about seals from Causmal [Causmal, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] under the heading 'Roin' stating that they belong to Baile rathail, Peighinne mhoir and Hougearaidh [Baile Raghnaill/Balranald, Peighinn Mhòr/Penmore and Hogha Gearraidh/Hougharry]. It gives the names of the different seals which go to the minister, the blacksmith and the people of Boreray [Boraraigh].

Scope and Contents

Note about seals on Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker] including their dispersal to various places in Uist [Uibhist] and the preparation of 'Cuilein Micheil' [roast seal] on Michaelmas night. Text has been scored through and a note reads 'Transcribed into No I p.181 Creagory [Creag Ghoraidh/Creagorry, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] 7 October 1875'.

Scope and Contents

Note entitled 'Roinn Nan Ron' describing the manner in which hunted seals were divided amongst the people in Peighinn mhor Ghriminnis, Scolpaig and Cille-Pheadair [Peighinn Mhòr, Griminis/Griminish and Kilpheder all Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist]

Scope and Contents

Note under the heading 'Roin' on how the Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles] seals were divided up between Peighinn-mhor, Griminish, Peign'nne-moire, Scolpaig and Cill-a Pheadair [Peighinn Mhòr, Griminis, Peighinn Mhoire, Cille Pheadair/Kilpheder, all Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist]. Also how there would be about 37 pints of oil in some seals and that 'Cuilein Micheil' was a seal roasted on Lath-fheill-Micheil [Latha Feille Mìcheil or Michealmas].

Scope and Contents Note under the heading 'Roin' entitled 'Cousmal' [Causmal] collected from an unnamed old man in Scolpaig, Uist a Chinn Tuath [Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] in 1865, giving names for seals from Causmal according to who receives them so that the minister of Cille-mhoire's [Kilmuir] seals are 'cuilein Moire', the laird's 'cuilean maoirneac', the smith's 'cuilein goibhneac' and the Boidhreidh [Boraraigh/Boreray people] the 'biast Bhoireach' since Boreray is close to Haisgeir...

Scope and Contents

Poem beginning 'An Caolas ad Odrum, Far an caidil na roin' and accompanying note, which states that Caolas Odrum 'between the isle of Heisgeir and the isle of Sheilley, North Uist' [Theisgeir/Heisker and Siolaigh/Shillay, Uibhist a Tuath]. Carmichael also notes that 'Shielly' comes from 'Seal (roin) + ay' and 'Heisgeir from h-aoi isthmus and ey - an isle'.

Scope and Contents

Rhyme about sea creatures beginning 'Seac[hd] sgadain sa brad[ain] seac[hd] brad[ain] sa roin'. Text has been scored through as if the text has been transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents Story about a seal in the form of a woman which tells how a number of seals were caught on Taisgeir [Eilean Hasgeir/Haskeir Island] and a woman in Paible [Paibeil, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] was boiling the seal's bones when another woman came in. The first woman did not recognise her but offered her a seat but she stood staring at the pot. All of a sudden she started singing a song beginning 'Smeirig s an tir s smeirig san tir is, (Far) n ichear na daoine a rioc a bhidh'. After this she...

Scope and Contents Story about an old seal on Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles] collected from Doul Donnullach [Donald MacDonald], tailor, aged 75 years at Cladach-Chircebost, Uist a Chinne Tuath [Cladach Chirceboist/Claddach Kirkibost, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] on 6 July 1866. Donald went hunting on Heisker every year for seven years and his father had been every year for thirty years before that. There was one seal which was seen every yearfor forty years on Staca Mhic Iain Mhaoil and was never...

Scope and Contents Story about Mac Uistean under the heading 'Roin' and how when he was very old he could no longer go seal hunting on Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles]. Michaelmas Day, when seals were the key part of the feast, was very stomy and no one could go to Heisker seal hunting so MacUistean was agitated because there would be no slanruith to hang above the fire. That night, however after a ball in Griminnis [Griminis/Griminish, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] it got warm and the men went hunting...