Skip to main content

Tales

 Subject

Staff Only
Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Scope Note: Created For = CW

Found in 1040 Collections and/or Records:

Story about Mac Thomais building part of Teampull na Trionaid, 20 January 1871

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/161
Scope and Contents

Story collected from Alexander MacDonald, Cladach Chirceboist/Claddach Kirkibost, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist which tells how Mac Thomais [Mac Thòmais] came home and built the west gable of the Temple [Teampull na Trionaid/Temple of the Trinity]. He meant to reroof the building too but Moraire Ban [Morair Bàn] would not let him. He adds that 'Sgeir ioc Thomais (?Ceiseam) is below the Temple' [Sgeir ic Coiseam].

Dates: 20 January 1871
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Mac Uistean under the heading 'Roin', c1875

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/23
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...
Dates: c1875
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Transcription notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about 'MacCallain' and 'Frith making', 1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/65
Scope and Contents Story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula about Duncan McInnes [MacInnes], Balavanaich [Baile a Mhanaich/Balivanich, Beinn an Faoghla/Benbecula] also known as MacCallain [Mac Ailein] who was well-known for making 'frith' [making incantations for a missing person]. Once a boat was caught in a winter storm returning from Uig, Lewis [Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis] and with no wreckage or people it and its crew were thought lost. Mac Ailein was approached for frith and...
Dates: 1895
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about MacLeod of Lewis, c1862

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/12
Scope and Contents Story about MacLeod of Lewis probably collected from Kenneth Morrison, Trithean/Trien, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach/Isle of Skye. MacLeod of Lewis was a very bad man, who divorced his wife and was related to Am Britheamh Leothasach [Leòdhasach]. The king had sent word to MacLeod of Lewis but MacLeod ignored him and so the king gave the Isle of Lewis to people from Fife. The Fifers began to build Stioirnebha [Steòrnabhagh/Stornoway] but Am Britheamh Leòdhasach had them and their helpers killed.An...
Dates: c1862
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Transcription notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about MacMhuirich winning a shirt from O' Neil, 1871

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW119/40
Scope and Contents

Story telling how O' Neil had a 'magnificent shirt' made which he would give to the person who composed the best poem. No one was able to win it from O' Neil until MacMhuirich arrived and he won it by reciting a poem beginning 'Thin[ig] mi a Al[ba] do dh Eir[inn], A dheo[gh] mhic O Nil a chois cliu'.

Dates: 1871
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

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

Story about MacUistean and the fairies, September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW106/92
Scope and Contents Story about MacUistean, Griminish, North Uist [Griminis, Uibhist a Tuath] describing how he had a cairiste and as he was passing the big fairy hill in Griminish on his way to inspect the sheep-shearing, he heard a baby crying and a fairy inviting him to come in, take a seat and he would get everything. He immediately went home where the baker was baking for the cairiste but the oven was so full that bits of dough were falling over it. She was going to pick the bits up but MacUistean stamped...
Dates: September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about 'Màiri Bhoidheach', Mary MacQueen, 1877

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW108/47
Scope and Contents

Story entitled 'Màiri Bhoidheach' about Màiri NicCuinn [Mary MacQueen] daughter of Reverend Alan MacCuinn [Alan MacQueen] son of Reverend Donul MacCuinn [Donald MacQueen], Taighearry [Tigh a' Ghearraidh/Tigharry, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist], who had a song composed for her by Alexander Stewart, school master at Baileanloch [Baile Loch, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist]. Mary 'took such a dislike to the man [Stewart] that she could never bear to hear the song'.

Dates: 1877
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Mairi ("ni Raoil") NicNeill, dairy woman to the MacNeill of Barra, 1885

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW87/43
Scope and Contents Story about Mairi ("ni Raoil") NicNeill [Mary MacNeill née MacDonald], dairy woman to the MacNeil of Barra, [Bruairnis/Bruernish, Eòlaigearraidh/Eoligarry, Barraigh/Barra]. The story tells of how, when General Roderick MacNeil was at war in India, the factor 'would not allow her her own mode of feeding the calfs'. When MacNeil returned he asked for Mary but was told by the factor that she had left. MacNeil reproached him saying that his cattle was famous long before a factor ever saw them...
Dates: 1885
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Transcription notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Major MacDonald, baillie and a dispute between two men from Mingulay, 1869

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW107/15
Scope and Contents

Story about two men who come from Mingulay [Miùghlaigh] to get advice from Major MacDonald, baillie on Barra [Barraigh] to settle a dispute. The major offers to settle the matter there and then but the men insist that they all go to the landlord's house in Eoligarry [Eòligearraidh] to have it settled there.

Dates: 1869
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael