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Customs

 Subject
Subject Source: Sss
Scope Note: Created For = CW

Found in 215 Collections and/or Records:

Story and customs about Leac na gruagaich, December 1894

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/57
Scope and Contents Story and customs written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula about Leac na gruagaich [Leac na Gruagaich, Beinn na Faoghla, Benbecula], a stone which was on the croft of Angus MacAulay, Liniclate [Lionacleit] at 'Rudha Chuidh Oib or Cuidh an Obain', an old cattle fold. The tradition was to pour a little milk into the hollow of the stone to prevent the gruagaich letting the cattle out of the fold and into the corn. MacRury tells how Raoghnull MacRuaraidh 'a Cuial decendant...
Dates: December 1894
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story and customs relating to religious sites and customs around Ness, 27 October 1873

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW115/11
Scope and Contents

Story and customs relating to religious sites and customs around Ness, including Teampull na Cno Naoimh, which is said to have been built by a 'Sassanach' [Englishman]; Cruisle nam Bàn Torrach at Teampull Mholuaidh, which opens into the temple; that 'Human bones are all over the braes on West side of Ness [Nis]'; and that when fishing, boats always turn sunwise and nets are always thrown out on the south side of the boat. [All places Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis].

Dates: 27 October 1873
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story and notes about burials and archaeological finds on Tarasaigh/Taransay, 8 July 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/12
Scope and Contents Story and notes about burials and archaeological finds on Tarasaigh/Taransay telling how a large, thick skull with a piece cut out of the back of it as if by a sword was seen at Teamp[ull] Charrain or Tharrain [Teampull Tharain/St Tarran's Chapel]. He describes the skull and a large skeleton found near it. He records how men and women were buried separately, the men at Teampull Tharrain and the women at Teamp[ull] Che [Teampull Chè] although the two places are fifty yards apart. The story...
Dates: 8 July 1870
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story and notes on MacNeil of Barra's rentals on Mingulay, 23 May 1869

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW150/35
Scope and Contents Story and notes collected from Roderick MacNeil, Miùghlaigh/Mingulay telling how 'Barra one year made a rent of £14,000' and how MacNeill [MacNeil of Barra] came over fourteen days before Lunasdal stayed until '14 days of Foghar'. No one dared to go to Lianamal [Liànamul] before he came. The measurements of feorlig and peighinn are noted according to how many [barrels] are paid in rent according to feorlig or peighinn. The story states that 'All were taken from Lianamal. After that MacNeill...
Dates: 23 May 1869
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story and traditions about seals under the heading 'Roin', c1875

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/28
Scope and Contents Story and traditions about seals under the heading 'Roin' collected from Major James A Macrae of Valley and Griminish, North Uist [Bhàlaigh/Vallay Griminis, Uibhist a Tuath]. The story tells how Odar was a Viking warrior who raided the west coast after the Norsemen had been expelled by MacDonald, Lord of the Isles. MacDonald put up a reward for whoever brought him Odar's head, dead or alive. Mac Uistean [Mac Uisdean] captured Odar at Caisteal Odar and decapitated him and took MacDonald...
Dates: c1875
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Transcription notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story entitled 'An Dist Nabi', September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/138
Scope and Contents

Story entitled 'An Dist Nabi' [An Dithist Nàbhaidh, The Two Neighbours] probably collected on Barraigh/Isle of Barra. The story tells of two servants competing with one another to finish the harvest. One of them cheats by getting four women to work through the night and reminds them to leave a small bit at the end as was the custom. He wins the competition but is suspected of cheating and this is demonstrated by the request for bread and cheese. The text is unclear.

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

Story entitled 'Dealan De' [Yellow Butterfly], 30 January 1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/83
Scope and Contents Story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Dealan De' [Dealan-DèYellow Butterfly]. MacRury tells how there are many kinds of Dealan-Dè but this particular kind is uncommon and did not exist until Christ had risen from the dead. They all came out of Christ's tomb. He gives a lengthy, romantic physical description of the butterfly and tells how they are never seen around wrong-doers or where there is bad language. It is good luck for the butterfly to be seen...
Dates: 30 January 1895
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story entitled 'Eoan Og Bhalai agus Eoan Og Hosta', 10 May 1867

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW114/23
Scope and Contents Story entitled 'Eoan Og Bhalai agus Eoan Og Hosta' [Eòghan Òg Bhàlaigh agus Eòghan Òg Hosta] collected from Calum MacLeoid [Malcolm MacLeod], Lochnammadadh [Bhàlaigh/Vallay, Homhsta and Loch nam Madadh/Lochmaddy, all Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist]. The story tells how Eòghan Og Hosta had a fierce dog which would attack people on the road which runs through the glen at Amhain Ialai [Abhainn Ealay]. One day it attacked Eòghan Òg Bhàlaigh who cut its head off with a sword, this turned into a fight...
Dates: 10 May 1867
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story entitled 'Iron and Lightning', c1875

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/49
Scope and Contents

Story entitled 'Iron and Lightning' telling how Highlanders knew 'The power of iron over lightning' long ago, describing how when a storm began the sister of a man in Benbecula [Beinn na Faoghla] knelt and prayed for the storm to stop while he heated iron tongs on the fire and hung them on the pot chain. 'If the lightning came into the house the heated tongs attracted it and carried it up the luitheir or farlos'. The text looks as if it may be incomplete.

Dates: c1875
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Transcription notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story entitled 'La-fheil bride' about Mrs Major MacLeod, c1875

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/48
Scope and Contents Story entitled 'La-fheil bride' [Latha Fheille Bhrìde or St Bridget's Day] telling how on hearing that it was St Bridget's Day, Mrs Major MacLeod, the daughter of Flora MacDonald, 'started up got a stocking put something in it probably a piece of peat and proceded to pound it down with a mallet' repeating a rhyme beginning 'La-fheil-Bride thig niean Imhir as an toll'. This was a custom believed to stop snakes from stinging the person who did this for the whole year. St Bridget's Day was when...
Dates: c1875
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Transcription notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

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