Scope and Contents Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael containing material collected mostly in An Apainn/Appin and Lios Mòr/Lismore, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire. A large proportion of the stories and biographical information about Appin was collected from Donald MacColl, foxhunter, Glencreran, who was known as Dòmhnall a' Bhrocair. Amongst the material collected from Dòmhnall a' Bhrocair are proverbs, sayings, customs, stories about local figures and families and historic anecdotes. The other main...

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Fragment of a story collected from Donald MacColl [foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] that the ferryman [Archibald MacInnes] at Fasnacloich, Glencreran [Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] had the second sight, and asked Cailen Glinn-Iur [Cailean Ghlinn Iubhair or Cailean Uaine/Colin Campbell of Glenure] [not to cross over on the day he was murdered into Appin].

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Note about Donald MacColl 'Donul Brocair', [foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] aged 89 or 93 collected from him. On average he would kill, fifty foxes, six wild cats and sixty-six 'martin cats' in a season. He worked for 53 years. The note also mentions that at a fair at Tai-an-ribi [Taigh an Ribidh/Tynribbie, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] the best looking men were from Lismore.

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Note possibly collected from Donald MacColl, foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire, about 'evil' and 'cain' [càin] being put on twenty cows with calves.

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Note probably collected from Donald MacColl [foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] that the tribes 'Na Leonaich' and 'Na Ruitich' fought at Cladh Chuiralain [Cladh Churalain, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] and the people of the glens joined one side but were killed. Notes that Tobar nan Cìioch is used for a sore heart.

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Note about priests preaching on Sgeir a' Phobuil [An Apainn/Appin] and that Cill Mhodain in Ardchattan [Cille Mhaodain/Àird Chatain] was the oldest [priory] in Argyllshire, probably collected from Donald MacColl [foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire]. Also notes that Sir Walter Scott was in Glencreran several times, while Donald was there.

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Note probably collected from Donald MacColl [foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] that there were [wooden] holy statues or images of Curalan [St Cyril], Calum Cille [St Columba] and St Moluag kept in the church on Cuirralan [Beinn Churalain], Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] which were destroyed by 'sgampeoran' [scamps] who came to a bad end as a result and that there was a castle on top of Beinn Chuirailain [Beinn Churalain].

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Note about the brocair (fox hunter), that he used to sleep near to the fox den with his dogs on his chest so that when he awoke in the morning he was warm while others were 'shivering with cold & chattering'.

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Note possibly collected from Donald MacColl, foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire, about the Crearanaich and Abraich preparing to fight near [a cairn in St Cyril's graveyard [Cladh Churalain, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] and a knoll 100 yards due west of it, using bows and Lochaber axes.

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Pencil sketch of a brooch and accompanying description which states that the brooch was made for Mary MacColl, grandmother of the wife of Donald MacColl, [foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire], at Callarst, [Callaird/Callert] in the 1700s. The brooch is of 'good workmanship' with the name on the reverse side. It is noted that Donald's wife died in 1880 aged about eighty-six.