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Superstition

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

Found in 42 Collections and/or Records:

Proverb beginning 'La fheil Moire na Feill Pead[air]' and accompanying note, c1892

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW122/77
Scope and Contents

Proverb which reads 'La fheil[l] Moire na Feill Pead[air] La S mu thig no thainig' and accompanying note which reads '25 March Annunciation Day. When it falls on Good Friday calamitous for Europe - war pestilence &c'.

Dates: c1892
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about a woman's trip to a wise woman for a snaile, 5 Aug 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW116/105
Scope and Contents Story collected from an unnamed woman Carmichael met on the road probably in Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist about her trip to a wise woman for a snaile. She had gone to the wise woman because she had a cow which was unwell and she did not know why. The wise woman or witch friend as Carmichael describes her, told the woman that it was probably because a number of people had 'put the eye' on the cow and gave her two snaile, 'which she kindly showed me each about 6 or 9 inches long and twisted of...
Dates: 5 Aug 1870
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Alastair mac Colla and the 'laogh alla', 1884

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW120/254
Scope and Contents

Story about Alastair mac Colla [Alexander MacDonald] and the 'laogh alla' [wild calf] that when he came to 'Taigh an Tuirn' [possibly Taigh an Trithinn], he tried to put it on fire but he was unable to do so because the laogh alla [wild calf] was there. The laogh alla 'brought a charm to the place he visited'. Notes that 'alla' means wanderer roaming going wild and uncontrolled.

Dates: 1884
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Calum Gobha and the storm, September 1872

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW90/145
Scope and Contents Story about Calum Gobha who was on Bernary [Berneray/Bearnaraigh nera Barra/Barraigh] during the storm of 3 October 1860. The storm was so fierce that the people were very afraid and sent Calum to get the holy water for prayers. Calum found a bottle of whisky next to the holy water, he took a swig of the whisky and then went out and sprinkled it on the people and cattle, he repeated this and the storm abated. In the morning bean Dhonuil Iain (Macintire) [Mrs Donald John MacIntyre] wanted to...
Dates: September 1872
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook of Alexander Carmichael

Story about Clach na Cabaig and a healing stone, September 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW106/58
Scope and Contents Story about Clach na Cabaig that it was 'at Temple in the isle' [Teampull, Bernera Isle, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire] noting the good milk yield of the cows there. If the stone was taken over to the village at night it was found in its rightful place in in the morning. It was once stolen by an Irishman. The grandfather of Macdugal of Dun olla [MacDougall of Dunollie] had a stone called the Leigh, which was carried about to perform water cures. 'Colin Campb[ell's] wifes mother got it fr[om]...
Dates: September 1870
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about murders, a superstition and accompanying place-names, September 1870

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW106/53
Scope and Contents Story about murders describing how in one day seventeen people were killed in Achadun Castle, Lios Mòr/Lismore, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire and that a chàbag 'was a round stone ab[ou]t the buaile which taken away 7 which caused mischance to those who took it. The following place-names are mentioned although it is not clear what the connection between them, the story and the superstition is: Cladh-a ghleannain, Pillebhride, Clachain nam-baintearnan, An Caibeal and Lag a chaibeail [Cladh a'...
Dates: September 1870
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

Story about tinkers and seal hunting on Hasgeir [Heisker], c1875

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/24
Scope and Contents

Story about tinkers and seal hunting on Hasgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles] describing how once tinkers came from Leothas [Eilean Leodhais/Isle of Lewis] and stayed on Heisker for the summer. As long as they were there there were no seals but as soon as they went the seals returned.

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

Story entitled 'A Skye Phrophecy' (sic), c1892

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW122/112
Scope and Contents

Story entitled 'A Skye Phrophecy' (sic) [A Skye Prophecy] which reads 'Cha tig mac an deigh an athair gus an till/tig Mac thasgail a rist ann (to Ebost where Macasgail was murdered by Mac ic Thormaid of Gesto.' [Geusdo, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach/Isle of Skye]

Dates: c1892
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 'Meteor', 1895

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW1/85
Scope and Contents Story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Meteor' describing the first time he saw a meteor. He states that it was in October 1872, and that the meteor 'came down at a very slow rate in a spirally sort of way and leaving a train of faint fire behind it. It was about two miles distant from where I was it fell. Others saw it also and predicted a death within a few days and strange to say a woman died very near the place it fell a few days afterwards.' He...
Dates: 1895
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / The Carmichael-Watson Collection / Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael

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