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Home , Ardtalla, Ballygrant, Barra, Islay, Kilchoman, Northern Isles

I. ON PLACE-NAMES CAPTy B . W.F . . L. THOMAS, R.N., F.S.A. Soot. Whe examinatioe nth e Lewith f no s Place-Names—wit e vieth hf wo ascertaining to what extent the Scandinavian influence had been im- pressed there—was finished, it seemed very desirable that the name- system of the Southern , particularly Tslay, should be inquired intoj for comparison with that of Lewis; but having no local acquaint- ance with the island d onlan ,y ver e d mapsb y ba e attemp o t th , d ha t postponed. But having lately the offer of assistance from Mr. Hector Maclean of , Islay, who, besides having a critical knowledge of Gaelic, is thoroughly acquainted with the topography of Islay, it was considered safe to proceed, but without his co-operation this account of Islay Place-Names coul t havdno e been written. This paper must be considered complementary to that on Lewis Place- Names, to which the reader is referred for many remarks bearing on the present subject t whichbu , avoio t , d repetition omittee ar , d here,. formee th n I r pape methoe th r s detailedi whicy db namee hth s them- selves were determined and their analysis performed,—and the same system has been followed in this. To prevent any unconscious selection, and as affordin faia g r exampl e name-systeth f eo mIslayn i lise farmf o th ,t n i s the Valuation Rol f Argyllshiro l s takea basis wa es a n . These names VOL. xvi. Q 2 24 PROCEEDING THF SO E SOCIETY , 18828 Y . MA ,

were compared with suce writte f thear o h s mn Johnston'a o n s (Thom- son's) county maps witd an ,h Stephen M'Dongall' f Islayo p , sma mad n ei 1749-50-51. From these three authoritie e moderth s - nob fors mwa tained, while the charters of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries con- tained in the Origines Parochiales Scotice, and Blaeu's Atlas, with a few other sources, supplied a phonetic spelling of the names, which, although often eccentric, retained sufficien f theio t r original souno t d indicate their etymology. Probably these names were copied (or mis- copied) from supposee oldeb o t r t documentsdno s thai e low t th i t r - fo , country clerks could by any combination of letters known to them repre- sen soune th t wordf do s when uttere Gael.a y db 1 Ther usualls ei y much abbreviatio generie th f no c centurieso e lastermth tw t n i s , particularly such as have ceased to have meaning in common speech, and in a few cases they are altogether suppressed. Thus stadr, in the sixteenth century become vaguelw no ss yi "sta "say,representet d i t an " "bu y "s"db ; fell, after sundry mutations, suc s "field,a h " "vail, figurew no "s a s " ville"; dalr, though sometimes transforme o t "d till, t " no &c. s i , largely altere Gael e soundn di th t , knowinbu , meanino gn "r dalgfo n "i sense th f "o e dale, " have almost always prefixed theiworn row d Gleann; and Aird is quite tautologically prefixed to nes. Many JSTorse topogra- phical terms have become Gaelic, in so far that they have meaning and are in common use; such as sker, Gael, sgeir, English " skerry; " nes, Gael, nis, Eng. "ness;" Metr, Gael, deit; bodi, a breaker ; Gael, boglta, Eng. " bow," " baa." This adoptio f Norso n e terms into Gaelis ha c led some writers to assume that there are hardly any Norse names in . Some Worse terms undergo a curious change; thus holmr becomes a Gaeli s a , c nominative a termination s a , d tulman ; , " am," " um." But this word is subjected to metathesis, and in the Northern

"The spelling of the names in Origines Parochiales does not seem to me to 1 have been done by persons who did not know Gaelic, for it is similar to the spelling od knof di thos o w esomwh e Gaeli n thosci e time founs sa numeroun di s documents. The spelling resembles that in Dean M'Gregor's (of Lismore) Collection of Gaelic Poems, complete 1512,"—n di H. M. ON3 ISLA24 Y PLACE-NAMES.

Hebrides is changed to " mol;" for Kartel-holmr, in , is now " Kisa-mol." Norse Th e vik,1 Gael, Wiic, frequens i t roun e wholdth f Islayeo s i s a ; also gja, Gael, geod/ia creeka = , rift, chasm stakkr,d an ; Gael, stachd,a -lik , Mettr,eOa rock n I Gael. , cle.it, a cliff , f rockfrequeno s i , t occurrence. There is a Gaelic cleit = (a quill), a rock with a hole through . it Thert a perhape r thres o ar e f theso wa o e t tw n Islaysi i e d an ; one time believed that persons afflicted with some diseases were healed puttiny b g them through those rocks.—. HM , Having collected all the forms of the Islay names that could be got, map listd san s were looked ove r cognatfo r e Hebridee nameth n i sd san Wes f Scotlando t d sucan ; h name s wersa e considere f Norso e b e o t d origin were sought for in , , and . Some of the Islay names are identical with names in the Scandinavian Islands; e.g., Ellister in Islay and Shetland; Toradale in Islay, Orkney, .Shetland, and Iceland; Grobolls in Islay and Orkney; Scarrabus in Islay and Caith- nes s; Cattadal n Isla i ed Iceland yan e origina Th . e naml th for f emo was assumed from a comparison with all these sources, and its etymology thereby determined. There was little difficulty with the majority of Gaelic names ; they appear to be in modern Gaelic, and most of them are foune b o n Joyce'dt i s admirable wor Irishn o k Names f Places.o e Th . MacleanH e s sagacit. i th t I Mr o t .f o ye du s i w fe meanina t no f go easo s yt wit no Norse hth e names e attributivth , f maneo y being grossly corrupt; e.g., Nosebridg r Hnaus-borg;fo e however moss a , f theo t e mar found repeate northere th n d i Teutoni e genue nth th islandsf s so a cd an , languages places the generic term at the end of the word, it is not usually o mucs e recognisable,—sb h o disguiset t no s da o e tha b e wor n th t dca relegate s propeit o dt r class, althoug adjective hth hopelessle eb tery mma y obscure. Where the etymology is stated as " probable," it must only be considere provisionas da l until t morupo subjecte go nth e b ligh n .ca t The greatest peculiarit Norse th n ei y name prevalencf e Islaso th s yi e " passes Vikha d into aig, whic evidentls hha y been derived fromuig, fore mth

whiclm'/f1 c would first take in the mouth of the Gael."—If. M. 4 24 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE , 18828 TH Y F .SO MA ,

of bdlstccftr dwelling-place= , homestead t i usuall; y indicates good land. In Islay, " bolstad " include whole sth abouf eo Nors1 t e names,—in

Lewis, only about TV- This recurrenc "bolstad,of e absencthe eand " of vollr r void,o usually Englished "wall," point o somt s e dialectic peculiarity in the Norse " nam-men" or settlers. In the fertile island of Tyree, " bolstad," disguised as " poll," is frequent; but in the con- tiguous Mull, "bolstad" (in Val. Boll) is only represented by Eorabns and Assapol. The reason for this is not evident, but the comparatively barren soil may partly account for it. The difference of Place-Names in Mull and Islay is so marked as to have given rise to a proverb :—

" Ceithir busacha fichead 'an lie, 'S ceithir ardacha flchead 'am Mnile."

" Twenty-four ' busses' in Isl And twenty fou ' ardsr Mull.n i ' " l

But Mr. H. Maclean has only heard it repeated thus :—

" Ceithir ' busa' ficliead an He ; Ceithi ' rtire ' fichea Muilm da e; 'S ceithir 'bailte' flchead an.Oinn-tire." i.e., " Twenty-four ' busses' in Islay ; Twenty-four ' lands Mulln i ' ;

And twenty four ' ballys ' in ." 2 After bolstccSr, dalr—dale 3 is the most common (|) of the Norse generic terms in Islay, and the two together make up one-half of the Norse names there. Stadr and setr (and it is not easy to distinguish

Nicolsori's Gaelic Proverbs,. 79 . p 1 2 The former proverb is the most appropriate. 3 '' Dal, Gaelie th c for dalr,f mo neves i r beginnine founth t da namea f go , ans dha never been borrowe separata s da e case worde samth e Th s ei wit. h aig, from mk." —H. M. ON ISLAY PLACE-NAMES. 245

them when the form of the name is corrupt) are ^ of the Islay Norse names absence Th e comparativaccountee .f b th kletr e o y y b ma lr dfo e smoothness of the surface ; but that of vollr, void,2 Eng. " wall" (noticed above), which, although commo n Orknei n d Shetlandan y f raro es i , occurrence, if at all, in the Hebrides, was to have been expected in this fertile island.3 The attributives of the Norse names are often so corrupt as to render their etymology uncertain ; nevertheless, a large number—such as Aven- lussay, Lurabus, Risabus, Cornabus, Torrabolls, Toradale, Frackerdale, Trotterness, &c.—admit of no doubt. A large number of the Gaelic names of farms in Islay are derived

NOKSE GENEEIC TEEM ISLAN SI Y FAI:M-NAMES.

GENERIC TERMS. Nos. VERBAL FORMS. '

a 1 a, y. bolstaftr 19 bus, bolls, bolsay, bolis, bolse, bols, bos, bol, bolsa, bolshay, bollis, poll, pool, peli, pell, bolss. borg 1 bridge, brig, brigg, burgh. beer 2 by, py. dalr 8 dale, dull, die, dall, dill, tie, till, tell. dal 1 dail, dol. ey 1 ay, a, y. fell 1 ville, voll, uel, foill, field. fjoriSr 2 art, ard, ord. gartSr 1 ker, kere, geir. gil 1 giol. haugr 1 hoe, how, howe. land 3 land, lint ? liug ? nes 1 nisli. setr 5 sha. , sayse , s , sta-Sr 2 ster, ste, ston, sty, say , saidsa , , sitt, set, stuid, stadh, sta. vik 3 aig, op.h, ag, ig.

1 '' Klstr, taking the form cleit, is frequent in the south of Oa, and has usually Gaelia c attributiv t doe i t giv t sno e bu far y enam; hamlet."—r man o o et H. M. 2 '' Not far from Gruinart is Greiueal (pro. Grainyal). This name perhaps contains Norse th e volr."—H.. M 3 Or. Pr., ii. 276. 246 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 8, 1882.

from ecclesiastical establishments r cille fo aboue ; ar (13 d tigh) tan (2 ) totale th 4th f .o . o Thesmeann y b es _exhaus e monurecore th th t f o d-

GAELIC GENERIC TERM ISLAN SI Y FARM-NAMES.

GENKRIC TF.BMS. Nos. VERBAL TEKMS.

ami 1 airidh 3 ari, are, arre. ard 3 baile 14 bally, balle, bal, bailie, bale, ball, balla, ballar. bealach 1 balloch, balic, beloch. braighe 1 braigh. brudhach 1 brui. bun 1 earn 2 ceaun ' 3 kin, kean, kan, keand, cioun. cille, cil 13 kill, kit. cnoc 3 knock. creag 2 craig. faich 1 ach, ich. ie , garadh 1 garry, gary, garie, gairdh. gleann 2 glen. Sort 9 gart. lag 2 16n 1 1 mullach 1 mull, moul, inul. ochdamh 4 ochtown, ochta, octo, oehton poll 1 bow. bo , port 3 rudha 1 ru, rhu, row. tigh 2 ty, tay. tir 1 tier, teir. torr 2 tor. uisg 1

Note.—It wil propee b l r her correco et erron a t r which occur . 483p f n , o so vol . xi . the Proceedings. It is there stated, "There are at least four islands in the Outer n Skyei Hebrideo ,tw bearind san e namgth e Oransay, evern I . y case that kno1 , the we connecteof y ar wate ree w a anotheo t lo y f rb t a d r island reae lTh . name is Eyrars-ey ; the Eyrr being the connecting reef or bank." This is a mistake ; anlattee th d r sentence should rea reae d: " lTh nam s Orfiris-eyi e ; from or-fjara, Ice. n outgoinga , , ebbing. Orfiris-ey e propeth s i r nam r islandefo s whichw lo t a , water, are joined to the by a reef which is covered at high water." ON7 ISLA24 Y PLACE-NAMES.

ments of former piety, for without including the conterminous , twenty-four are enumerated in the Guide to Islay, and one, Kilbranan is not therein named. Of the secular Gaelic generic terms, baile (14) and gort (9) together mak p moru e e tha e n-wholeth £tf o h. There s oni , e generic term, ocJidamh, which as far as I know is peculiar to Islay and Jura; it certainly does not occur in Lewis. Beside e usuath s l adjectives e attributiveth , e largelar s y f mado p u e personal names, two of which may he noticed; one, because it has a, Gaelic proper name, Scanlan, e attributivth r fo a Nors f eo e term, dalr; the other as having a Gaelic term prefixed to a Norse personal name, Ulf. Throughout this paper " Icelandic," " Norse" are used in the sense of the long word " Scandinavian." The lists or tahles of Islay Place-Names would be -dry reading except to the topographer, but most of the results have been put into a readable form in the present paper. The materials, and the list of authorities from s beewhicha n t i hcomposed , wil e e placeb th l n i d interestee ar thosf o o e e Librarwh thius n di Societe e sth th f clas yr o yfo s of studies.

ISLAY. 19th century, Islay, Isla. Gaelic, lie. 18th „ Hay, Penn, MartinHa . . Islay, O.S.A. 17th „ , Blaeu . Ha YlayYla Pr . d . .Iib ,Ian Or , 16th „ Ilia, . OnPr Ilaa . Hay,ib . Ila. ib , l[e,ib.ib , Iley, ib. Ylay . Islayib , . Yleyib , . Ylaib , . ib , 15th „ Yle. Or. Pr. Ila, ib. Isla, ib. He, Fordun. 14th „ He. Or. Pr. Ysle, ib. Yle, ib. Yla, ib. , 13t, h Yle. Chron Man. Ilar-sund,d IIan Norse Sagas. J 2 In the Gaelic tract of the 15th century, on the Scots of Dalriada, we

1 Unger's Heimskringla, ; Hdkonar 7 64 . p Saga, , 320eh , Bolls. ed ' - Ib., ch. 167, 326 ; Magnuss Saga, cli. 4, Bolls' ed. 248 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 8, 1882.

find inhile, inili, inile,d Ila, jy an 1 undei.e.,Ma n i r Annaltse 740th n ,i of Ulster* The additions to the Irish Nennus, written in the llth century, have Ila and lie? Adamnan, in his life of St. , has Ilea insula ;4 and the Eavenna Geographer (7th century) has " Elaviana " and " Birila,"5 either of which may be a corruption of Ila. Immediately after " Maleos " = Mull, " Epidium " = Islay is placed by e s islandborrowee i namth th t f t bu o e,; no thid s i fros m "Epidium promontorium," now Kintyre.6 The ancient Pictish or Gaelic names of the Hebrides are descriptive, and there can be little doubt-that " Islay " would be in Welsh Y-ledd, and I-leithe in Gaelic, i.e., the Parted or Divided Island, in allusion to it being e oppositth y b eo estuarietw n nearli f t Lochindaao scu y d Locan l h Gruinard. Cf. Dudalay, i.e. Dubh-da-leithe, the man of two sides or parties.7

The mythical Firbol saie havgo ar dt e taken possessio f "no Ila, " along with Man, Rachlin nexe d Arrath tan , d noticnan ;8 s thaei e Pict th t s passed from Ireland "y b He,, "o t .

" They.(the ) passed away from vis, With the splendour of swiftness, To dwell by valour countre lane th th f do n I y beyond He."11

x son si foundeo f Ero e s Owh eth f d (498 kingdoe th ) f Scottismo h Dalriada, three settled in Islay. Angus beag was the first who settled 1 Chron. Picts Scots,d . 210an pp , 311. 3 Ib., p. 357. 3 n., pp. 23, 43. . chapii , Edin, c. . 24 . . ed .L 4 6 L. c., p. 441, ed. Finder and Parthey. Ptol. Geo. Scotland, Pro. 8. A. Scot., vol. xi. p. 201.

76 Joyce, Irish Names of Places, t series1s . 240p , . 8 Chron. Picts . Scots,d 23 an . p '•> Ib., p.. 43. ON9 ISLA24 Y PLAGE-NAMES.

there, apparently at Caillnae; " but small were the lands of the houses of Cinee th l Angu sthirty." d [beag],-viz.an n ma 1 e on , In Islay also was the Cinel Conoridhe, the race of Concriath, the great grandso f Ferguno sf Ere beago n . so , But the most numerous elan wore the descendants of Angus mo'r, son of Eretheid an , r lands were—

Odeich, . . . .xx tech (houses) Freag, . . . . c „ . , , Ix . . Cladrois . , Eos deorand, . . . xxx „ Ardbes, .... xxx „ Loichrois, ... „x xx . Aitha cassil,... . xxx „

Thus, the Cinel Angus mdr had 300 houses (or farms) in Islay, and the Cinel Concridheand Cinel Angus beag had 130 houses between them, —togethe 0 houses armee 43 r Th d. mustee Cineth f lo r Angus, thas i t apparently of the three clans, was 500 men. For naval operations they raised fourteen benches from each twenty houses.2 las e centurh th t6t quarten e I th y f thero r eIleae liveth nn di islan d (Islay), a certain rich man, named Feredach, who was cut off by sudden death. St. Columba had sent Tarain, a noble Pict, for refuge to him ; but Feredach treacherously ordered him to be put to death. Columba foretold—it being then summer—that before Feredach should eat of swine's flesh that had been fattened on the fruit of trees he should be seized by sudden death, and carried off to the infernal regions. Feredach laughe t thisa dd whe an , n killew autumnso da thad d , camha ha t e eh been fattened on the kernels of nuts, and directed that a part of the entrails should be cooked immediately, so that by eating it he might falsif saint'e th y spieca predictiont abous epu intwa o mouts t te ohi H .h when he fell down and expired.3

i Ckron. Picts and Scots, p. 311. 3 lit., pp. 312, 314. 3 Vit. Col.iil, , Edinch24 . . ed. 0 25 PEOCEEDING SOCIETYE TH 8 ,Y F 1882SO MA , .

place th thif f knoe o i st W evenwno t wa t Eileansa na Muice duibhe — Island of the Black Pig, near Duich; nor if the pig was fattened on Eilean Calltuinn Haze= l Island Ardmory b , . Scotce th f o hIris e kinge d Dalriadth th h f an 0 so 56 sn I invaded Islay and carried away much booty,—accordin Foure th o g t Masters e th t ;bu Annals f Ulstero merely name iardoman, e Westh t Country0 74 n I , the Ulster Annals record an earthquake in Hi.1 t doeI t seesno m difficul identifo t t y anciene somth f eo t districtn i s Islay name e supposeb y d abovema d t I that. , with Caillnae, they includ whole eth Islayf eo . Adamnan, in his Life of St. Columba, relates that St. Kenneth having left his staff in lona, he remembered as he was approaching the Oidea- chean island, ad Oidecham insulam, having left it behind him, and was sorely troubledlandinn o t gBu .fro s vessels mgreahi hi o tt , surprise, foune h t i lyind ge littl upoth ture ef nth o f lan d [island f Aithcho ] e (gen. of Aiteach). This is ; the Northmen having dropt the first syllable Ai, Oi = district, d addean d theigenitivn ow r e for generid man c ter —y me island , which then became Teks-ey, Texa. The island may have taken its name from r havo , e give districte s namit nth , eto ,f smalle o whic s wa hr size tha reste th n , containing only twenty house r farmso s . e Odeicb y ma h identified wit districe th h t aroun churce dth h of- Columcillew no e th n i , parish of Kildalton. The southeast end of Islay forms somewhat of a peninsula, and is called ' , in Gaelic spelling An 0, a feminine substantive, the genitive being na h'Oatha, pronounce , NaAw d Hawa. This pronunciation exactly corresponds with the Irish pronunciation of such a word as Aitha the Irish pronounce "a "aw,s "a "aid "an "awi,s " a " (//. M.), thereo s , is no reason to doubt that the modern Oa is a verbal form of Aitha, Atha. Ocoaste s southernit th t a , n extremity ancien n ruie a f th n o s i , t castle, 1 ChrtiH. Picts Seals,d . an 344, pp 357. 8 Vit. Col, ii. ch. 13. ON ISLAY PLACE-NAMES. 251

Dunad Addn Du , , Dunaid, Dunayut,—the Aitha Irise cassith hf o ltract , have w e d her e curiouan eth s circumstanc e samth f ee o wor d being pro- nounced after the Irish mode when applied to the district, but with the t not aspirated (Aiba, Ata), when applied to the dun. The hill on which the fort stands is a promontory, very steep on every side, and approached b ya ver y narrow nec f land.—o k (H. M.). Ther s anotheei r Dunan i d , which is described in Pro. S. A. Scot., vol. xiii. p. 28, but the etymolog e namth f eyo there stated mus e giveb t. Thernup s alsi e o another in , now Dunnet, but which in the 13th century was written Dunotf, whic vers hi y nea Englise th r h spellin f AdHgo ;a and , beside e exampleth s s give Originesn ni Parochiales, name th writtes ei n Dounet, Dunnatt e 17tth hn i ,century. t I mus1 t have bee nplaca f eo importance, for it has retained its Gaelic name, although surrounded Norse-namey b d farms t therbu ;noticpositio e o en th seeme f b eo no t s of the dun. The ancient distric f "o t a cassil probabls "wa y coincident with the modern Oa, the former parish of Kilnachton. Oa, Add, Aithe appear to be contracted forms of Adkbha, ASb a, Gael, palacea , house, fortress (O'Keilly) wor e anciens th ha dd an ;t authority, for " Adhbha othna — & house built of clay and stones," occurs in Cormac's Glossary. alss i ot I so-callee foun th n di d prophec . BerchaSt f yo n :—

Locs "O h Adhbha bhia leacht;sa " i.e., " On Loch Adhbha shall be his grave."2

e corruptionTh f .tho se wor e strangelar d y . deviousSkenMr r efo , identifies Loch Adbha with Loch-eye, nea rpossibls i Scone, t i d ean 8 that Loch Awe, Argyll, has the same derivation. The western portio f Islao a nlarg s yi e peninsula callew e no ,th d Einns of Islay, in Gaelic An Roinn; genitive, Raima; rinn, being the

Peterldn's Orkney. 27 Rentals,, 86 . pp 1 " Chron. Picts and Scots, p. 85. " Coronation Stone," 1'ro. S. A. Scot., vol. viii. p. 93. 3 252 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 8, 1882.

equivalen ancien e f rospromontorya th o t = f o t o districtTw . Islan i s y are Lochrois and Cladrois. There is a large lake, called Loch Guirm = Blue Lake, containing a fortress on an island, which would be very appropriately calle r Einndo furthed Lochrois,s an ;Eo e rLake th th f eo south is Cladach, with which Cladrois, Cladach-rois, the Shore of the Ros, may be identified,—corresponding to the former parish of Kilkerran; while Lochrois s containewa d withi anciene th n tparise limith f f o ho t . " Kos deorand" is no doubt the ros or south end of Jura, which is written Dure, Dewre, in the 14th century, and may be the corrupt " Susura " of the Eavenna Geographer. " Frea r threo districga o e"s i tw time f o t s more importance thay nan otherse oth f , fo t i container e hundreon d r 120(o d ) houses t i there-; fore cannot be identified with Proaig, although the names are almost identical; for Proaig is a barren place of no importance ; nor with Laph- roaig thar fo , t mus includee b t "a Odech.dL " Amon lande gth Islayn si , grante Queey db n Mar 1562n i y sever fo , n years, to " James" Makconnel of Dunnovaig and Glennis," at an annual rent of 13s. 4d. for every markland, is the 16s. 8d. land1 of " Ochton- affraiche," which transliterated into Gaelic orthography s Ochdamhi , na Fraiche, octave th f Fracheo . No plac thif eo sknown w namno t s ei bu , the position of Ochton-affrache is indicated by Kynagaery, and Bar being named immediately before it, while it is followed by Killewrenan (Kil- branan), Arregoware and Ardechay. On the farm of Dail, which adjoins Kilbrannan, there is a round lime- stone hill whicn o , h ther hill-forta s ei f whico , remaine he walth th lf so are visible buils rougf wa o t t i ; h stones, without mortar appeared an , n di some placee aboub o 3 t feestn ova a t f l thicko e forshape s i Th t . , and by roughly pacing seemed to be 60 feet long and 50 wide. There .are the remains of outworks on the side of the hill, which is sur- rounde nativa y b d e woo f mountaio d n ash, sloe, hazel d soman , e dwarf

1 The 16s. 8d., land ; i.e., the eighth part of a ten markland.—Inues' Legal Antqs., p. 279. ON ISLA.Y PLACE-NAMES. 253

fina ease s th ei toaks o undulatinT . g glade named Buaile a'Chathe th , " Cow-pe Battle;e th f ther nd o reportes i "an t ei tenantd d ol tha e sth t sometime t nigha n w arma tssa y whose sword d armouan s r glitteren i d moonshinee th . The fort is named Dun Bruchlatn in the Guide to Islay, but Mr. H. Maclean—from whom I hav e receive e foregointh d g description—ona recent visit to the fort, met at Tirvagain a woman who was about 80 year saio dswh youna thaold d s d peoplan ,t gol wa whe gire e eth sh nl used to call the fort Dun Pruchrais. She also said there was a cavern in the hill, to which there was an entrance by a hole above, and that she remembered walls going round the base of the hill, but which are now destroyed. The fort had been converted into a burying ground for unchristened children, and the old woman remembers children having been buried there. Mr. Maclean consider n Pruchrais a corruptioDu s e n b Du o t f o n Pruclilais, the Castle of the Den or Hole ; for Pruclilais signifies a den ; Irise th an hn d i Bibl t ei occur n Nahasi . m12lionuamlmo a ii e D :s le ereich agusa phruchlais le fuadach—"He has filled his caves with prey dens hi sd witan h ravin. wore Th d" pruchlais seemcompoundee b o t s d of prucli, a cavern (in Welsh, proc, a penetration or piercing through), lios,d enclosuren an a , fortifie domesticr do . Pruch probabls ha y come from fruch, for there are many instances of / provected into p. As stated above, the fort is called Dun Bhruchlain in the Guide to Islay, of which nominative th doubo n s ei t Fruchlan ,resolve e whicb y hma d into frog, a hole, and lann, an enclosure. We may therefore assume that the dun of Fruch-lios, Ochdame Cavernee th th n i s f Frachho Li d gives ha , n name, Freag (pronounced Fraug), to the Middleward of Islay in the 7th century. There remain the districts of Caillnae and Ardbes, which can only be identifie pury db e guess. Caillnae Wooe th , f Naedo , wil mose b l t suit- ably applie lane th do dt abou t Kildaltonproper Ardbesd an ; exhausy b , - tion must be. placed in the north end of Islay, corresponding roughly with the parish of Kilmeny. The foregoing results are shown in the following table :— to Ol

ANCIENT TERRITORIAL DIVISION F ISLAYO S .

Me f Albano , Valuation Roll. Macfarlane 's Collections, Dean Monro, .0 Chron. Picts Position. o 1872-3. vol. iii. p. 218. 1549. and Scvfs. Houses .

Caillnae. 30 About Kildalton proper ; the Lantean. O CO

Kildalton. Kildalton. Larki. Kildalton. Odeicli. 20 District around Kilcolmkill, Kildalton. affi Oa. Kilnathan. Hoo. Aitha cassil. 30 The Oa. CO O Q Killarow. Middlevard. Kilmoruin. Freag. 100 roughly Killarow.

Kilmeny. Harie. Kilmhony. Ardbes. 30 roughly Kilmeny.

Kilchoman, Kilchonan. Khinns [N. end]. Kilchoman. Lochrois. 30 North Ein Islayf no .

Kilcherran. „ [S. end]. Cladrois. 60 South Kinn of Islay. ON ISLAY PLACE-NAMES/ 255

SCANDINAVIAN NAME FARMF SO TOWNLANDR SO ISLAYN SI .

A, Cl.1—a river. A farm, Avenlussa, is named from the river of that name. Lussa, written e sixteentLassth n yi h centiiry a softenin s i , f go Norsee th , Laxd •= Kiver. A, having loss meaninit t g wite th h Gael, amhuinn has been prefixed, so that Avenlussa, when translated, is Salmon-river River. Laxd takes the form of Lussa, in Jura ; Lussay, in ; Lissa Norse Mulln th i , t e bu ;for s preservemi Lachsayn di , Skye ; Lacasdle, Harris ; Laxay and Laxdale, Lewis. Kelsay may be named from a river.2 Bolstctir, Cl.—a homestead. This generic term is so peculiarly attached Norse th o et farm-name Islahavn o i st s yea given risprovera o et b quoted tere ante. ms rarTh i Icelandn ei s commoi t bu , Shetlandn ni d stilan , l morOrkneyn i o es . Lurabus, in Kildalton, was Learabolsay in the sixteenth century, which well preserve Norse th s e form Leirubolsfa'Sr Claye= r Muddyo y Farr mo Homestead; from Mr, Ice. mud, clay; and bdlstaftr. There is another Lyrabu Killarown si t occurI . Leurboss sa Lewisn i t . Kinnabu n Kildaltoni s d Kinnabollsan , , name y M'Dougallb d n i , Killarow KinnarMlsta$rr fo e ar , = Cheek Homestead; from Jcinn, Ice.—a cheek.3 " Both places abound in smooth cliff sides or smooth perpen- dicular rocky faces."—PI. M. Coilabus in Kildalton, and Coulabus in Kilchoman, appear to stand for Kollabolsta^r Kolli= s Homestead ; from Kolli, propea r name.

booe 1Th k cited goes unde e namth r f Cleasby'seo Icelandic Dictionary, s bui t i t the work of Dr. G. Vigfuson. 2 " Kelsay, in Gaelic Ccallsa (pro. K-yalsa), a has the sound of a in far, as it has in all the place-names of Islay of Norse origin, which are named from streams or streamlets. There is a stream at Kelsay."—H. M. 3 " Kinnabus, Kilarrow. This place-nam nearlw no ys i e obsoletesout e th hn I . of this townland e hea th f Lochindaal o dt a , a cragg s i , y hill called Carnaann i ; Gaelic darn-dine, ' Cragg y hil f light.o l ' Ain, Solas (light).—O'Dawren's Glossary. This word is wrongly translated 'heat' in the Society's Dictionary. This hill was evidentl nameo ys accounn do f fireo t s being lighted ther servo t e e purposeth e of a in olden times."—II. M. 6 25 PKocEEDijref SOCIETYE , issz.8 TH Y F SO MA ,

Bisalms, for Hrisbolsta&r => Brush wood Homestead; from hris, Ice.— copsewood. There are many islands of this name, Hrfsey, in the Hebrides; tere th m also occurmainlane th n so Eisgarrys da , i.e., HrisgarSr Ardnan ,i - murchan; and in Kilcolmonel as Glenrysadell, i.e., Hrisdalr. Cornabus, in a charter of 1562, Cornbolsay, for KornabolstaSr = Corn Homestead; from Jcorn, Ice.—corn. There is Cornaig, Kornvilt, in Tyree ; also Cornquoy, Orkney; Cornhill, Shetland; Kbrnhaugr and Kornsa in Iceland. Torrabus, Kildalton yorisbolsta&rr fo , Thorir'= s Homestead; from •ponV, Ice.—a proper name. Cf. Toradale, Kildalton.1 Ealabus, formerly Ellabolls, Alabqlls, for Alabolxtaftr = Ali's, Oil's Homestead. Ther s Alladaleei , Kintyr e; AHasdale. , Barra: Alibustar, Orkney ; Oligart, Shetland. Robolls, Robolse Rauftcibolstaftrr fo , Homesteadd Re = . Roudle, Harris, is cognate ; and the adjective, as Eothe, Ku, Eoe, is common- in the northern islands. Carrabus, Karabol, ioiKjarraboMaftr = Copsewood Homestead. "There was much'copsewood here formerly therd an , soms ei e yet,"— . HM .Car - bost, Skye, is another form of the same name. Garnish, in Lewis and ; Carness, Orkney; Karane d Kjarradalran s , Icelandl froal me ar , Icjarr, Ice.—copsewood—in the of birch and willow. Scarrabus, Scarrabolsa, for SkdraboMaftr = Skauri's Homestead ; from Sk.dri, which, besides being the name for a young gull (of. , Tyree), is also a proper name. It occurs as Scarista in , and as SkarastaSr in Iceland. Scarrabus has become in Caith- ness, which represents SMmbolstaftr. Eorabus, Eurobolshay, for JSyrarbolstaSr = Beach Homestead; from eyrr, Ice.—a gravelly bank of a river or seashore. The only "bus" in Mul Eorabuss i l . Eyrr take Varietsa e Hebridesf formyth o n i s ; Eori, Eora, Ear, Ire, Jure, Hyr n Orknei ; d Shetlan an ys frequentl i t i d y "Air;" in Iceland, Eyri. Craigabus, Crocobus, for KrakaMMa^r; from Krald, Ice.—a pale, 1 "Ther Torrabnss ei parise , alsth Kilmenyf n ohi o , sout Ardnahoe."—f ho . HM . ON ISLAY PLACE-NAMES. 257

stake. " On this farm, upon a knoll, there is a pillar-stone, with some smaller stones around it, and a kistvaen at the foot of the pillar-stone. It is called Cam Chonnachain, and the adjoining field is Achadh Chonna- cliain, Connachan's Field. Connaohan was the strongest of the Fenians. The others were envious of'him, and learned from his mother that nothing would t womeweakebu strond m nan nhi g drink. They f brougho t lo a t handsome women from d danceIrelandha d s an ,ever s ywa night e H . plied with strong drink, and invited to make up to as many of the women as he liked. In a month's time he became so weak that he was easily mastered and killed, and they buried him in the . Perhaps the old cairn, wit Oarraghs hit (pillar-stone) throy ma ,w som eetymoe lighth n o tn of Cragabus."—. HM . Grobolls, Grobolsay, for Groubolstaftr = Groa's Homestead ; from Groa, Ice.—a feminine proper name. The same name occurs in Orkney as Gro- bustar cognata d an , e for Icelandmn i , GroustafSr. Persebus, Persebollis, a metathesis of Presabus, for Presto,bolstaftr = Priest's Homestead. Ther Presgarts ei Shetlandn hi (threed an , ) Presthus in Iceland. Torrabolls, Killarow; sam Torabuss ea , supra. Corsopoll, for KrossbolstccSr = Cross Homestead. There is Crossipoll, ; Corsapoll, ; Crossapeill, Kintyre; Crasopollie,p Mulle Th . disappears wher e Scandinaviath e n element becomes strongere th d an , name is Crossbost, Lewis; Crosebister, Shetland. The cognate name in Icelan s Krossbcer,di KrossastccSr. Nerabolls, Narrabolse r KnarraUlstaforfo , Shi= p Homestead; from knorr, Ice.—a kind of merchant ship; in Iceland, Knarrahofn. Knbrr is also a proper name. Borg, 01.—castle, fortress. Thi sHebridee terth mn i s often indicates locatioe th n o Pictisfa h tower. Gaelic'in I 1 t becomes Borgh, gen. Bhuirgh;

" Dunvorrerick hila , l forLassin o t t farGaelicn i Blioraraig.m n ; Du , Ahoua t

mil1 e south-eas shore creeth a t s ei a t k named Port Bhoraraig. unaspiratee Th d form of the last part of the word is Boraraig, which is seemingly derived from Borg-uik. The metamorphosed Boraraig into a Northman's name. Boraraig, according R VOL. XVI. '258 PROCEEEING SOCIETYE , 18828 TH Y F SO . MA ,

Hebridee th bu n i t meanine sth borgf go castleforgottens = i n du , '&c.,d an , is put before it: thus, Dun Bhuirgh = Castle—castle. The etymolog f "yo Nosebridg e " would have bee puzzlinna g affair hail ther t beeeno n other name formth f e; o whes n speaking Gaeli name cth e is Noinka&brugh, pro. Nawasbrug (H. M.); and in a charter of 1545 it is written Navisburgh , e "wher brugh Th u.= v e n Gaelici " , like th e Scotch word " brough," is formed by metathesis from borg. Nosebridge is a quite recent corruption, as it is written Nosbrig, Nosbrigg in- recent maps. "The dun is a fine ruin, 'all earth-work,' situated on a round craggy hill."—H. M. Nosebridge is for Hnausborg = Turfburgh ; from hnavs, Ice.—sod, turf, cespes. It would appear that even at the time of Norse th e dominatio wern du e e walldilapidatede th nth f so . This fort is called Dun Chlamhain = Clement's Castle, in the Guide to Islay. Beer, byr, Cl.—a village ; a farm, landed estate. This term "by " is not common in the Isles; there are few villages even now, and they are not likely to have been more numerous under the Norse domination. Nerby, Nereby, perhaps for Knorrlxer = Knorr's-by ; from Knorr, Ice. —a proper name. In the Orcadian Rental for 1503 we find "Nerstaith," whic becom d 159n hi ha 5 e " Knarstane." Conispy, Quennesby, for Konnungsbcer = King's Village. This is the same wor Cannesbays a d , Caithness d cognatan , e with Cunningsburgh, Shetland. Dalr, Cl.—valley, glen. This term is widely spread not only over the western and northern groups of islands, but also on the mainland of Scot- northere lanth n di n shore upod westere san nth n s presenccoastsit d an , e serve indicato t s e e Norsextenth eth f eo t dominatio d settlementan n . Where Gaeli s spokenci meanine th f dalrgo s unknowni supere th d - an , fluous term, gleann, is prefixed both to valley and farm. The Gaelic term dal = a part, division, is quite another word, and is almost always prefixed"

to their tradition, built the eastle, and from him both castle and creek are named ! North of Port Bhoraraig is Grianaig, jutting in between two high rocks, and washing the shore of a beautiful green plot of ground. This would seem to be the same name as Greenwich, and perhaps Greenock."—H. M. ON 9 ISLA25 Y FLACK-NAMES. s attributive,it o t 1 whil e Norsth e e term dalr s alwayi s suffixedt Bu . when Dalr, Ice. r Dcdr,o , Ice ; Dal,. Gael r Dail,o , Gael. e usear ,d simply, ther nothins feature e i lan th whicth y b dt f o ego knobu t h w from which language the name is derived. Toradale r iJ>0r»'sdafofo , Thorir's-dale= ' . This same name occurn i s Kintyre, Orkney, Shetland, and Iceland. Frackadale, Wreggoge 1 for Frakkadalr = Frakkis-dale; from FrdkJci, Ice.—a proper name. Ther anothes ei r Frackadal Mulln ei Frackerd an , - sai Lismoren gi t ca I e proven.b d tha Northmee th t n sometimes altered the Gaelic names of places, which of course conveyed no ideas to them, into other words whic meanind hha theilanguagn n gi row t thi bu s e; must alway mose sb t difficul demonstrato t t e wher e Gaelieth c t originano s ha l been preserved. Frackadale look f them.so like eon 2 Glenegeidle, Glenagadill, may be for (Glen) Eikardalr - (Glen) Oak- dale; or (Glen) A'ikardalr = f'K\AAa\s,; where akr, Ice.—a cornfield. Koidalema Kvidalrr fo e yb Quoydale= ; from Kvi, Ice.—an enclosure, field, pen. Quayhous d Queenessan e , Orkney; Kuchouse otherwise Quoyhouse, Shetland, see havmo t same eth e attributive.3 Scanlastle Scanlannsdalrr fo , Scanlannsdal= e; wher e " Scanlanna "s i Gaelic proper name. Three ecclesiastics of that name were connected with Downpatrick ;4 and Scanlann, son of Cathal, king of the Eogha- nach Locf o t h Lein (Killarney) killebattle s th wa ,t f Clontarf.dea o 5 Cattadale, for Kattardalr Catsdale= ; from Kottr, Ice.—a cat. There

" Ddl, gen. dala, divisiona Lochn i s a , na D&la. Dail (pro. dal) gen, dalach,

a field1 . An old lady, a native of Killin, Glendochart, tells me that in her country dail always signifie flata s , smooth field. Croit, leothaid, othed an r name e givesar n grouno t t absolutelno d y levele worTh d. entirele seemb o t s y absent from Irish topography; for in Dalriada and Dalaradia (Dal-riada, Dal-Araidhe) we have dal and not dail."—H. M. 2 Of. Bolfracks, near Taymouth, &c. 3 "InNorth Kintyre dal is the equivalentof 'field.' Almost every ploughed field is called dal—such as Dal-ruadh, Dalantobair, Dalchrom, &c."—Rev. D. Graham. 4 Reeve's Ecc. Antqs., . 144pp , 145, 146. Ther s als wa oa eScanlann , kinf o g Dalaradia, c. 612, ib., p, 245. 5 Todd' Goedhilofthe War s with Gaill,the 209p. . 260 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE , 18828 TH Y F SO . MA ,

is Cattadill, Kintyre; and Catagil, Arran; both relating to cats; but Catfirth, Shetland ; Catasand, Orkney; refer to kati, Ice.—a small ship. Tormisdale, Ormsa, for Ormsdalr = Ormsdale; from Ormr, Ice.—a proper name. T is placed before " Orm " to make a Gaelic noun in the nom. case.1 Ther s Ormysdilli e , Arran; Ormsaig (Ormsvik), and ; Ormiclet, Uist; Ormissary (Ormsgarftr), ICintyre. It is translated into "Wormadale, Shetland; and the original form, Ormsdalr, occur Icelandn si . Ardenistle, Ardinisdail attributive dalr.r fo Th , obscures ei . Dml, CL—a little dale. Bail, for Dcel — DelL There is Daal, , and four " Dales " in Lewis,—al lattee sharth le rar p little valleys. Ey., Cl.—an island. When Norse names are written in Gaelic, ey is represented by '-aibh." Ardimersay, shoul e Airb d d Imersa,y,—the point takin s namgit e from the island Imersay, lying off it. The attributive is obscure; but it ma e noteyb d that the- Ember-goos r Northero e n n diveShetlandi , is r , called the Immer-goose; in Iceland, Himbrin or Himbrimi. Texa e Yleth , n Teghs f Blaeuo a , Ellan Teggsa r Tigsao y f Deao y n Monro, and Helantexa of Fordun. See ante, p. 250. It is said to be a part of Ireland, because no reptiles are found in it. Fell, Cl.—fell, hill. The only "fell" having place in the Valuation Eoll appears as Claud- ville; and the history of the name is instructive. In 1749 M'Dougall writes "Gladivoll, "Klaiuels i t i t "bu " (meaning Kladivel n Blaeu'i ) s chartee Atlasth n 156f I o rGladilfoils i . t 2i Cladefieldr o l , which shows tha reae th tl nam Cladachfels ei Hil = l f Cladach,—Cladaco l h beine gth

1 "Tormisdale Gaelin i ; c the'nam Tormasdadh.w t necessarno no s es i i t I n yi n heri t mako t e t Gaeli pu a nominative o t c t s hfrequentli bu e; y requirea r fo d fulcrum before vowels ; so in the case of such a phrase as Tuath Armasdail, it would be pronounced Tuath h-Orinas&ail (the tenantr f Ormisdale)yo . Through time eth h would be considered part of the word, .and as it is the same in sound with th, the aspirat mattea s I,f a eo f coursero , Tormasdal would becom nominativew ne ea n I . a similar way, the Gaelic togsaicl, a hogshead, is derived from hogshead."—H. M. ON1 1SLA26 Y PLACE-NAMES.

name of the adjacent townland. Claudville, i.e., Cladachfell, is notice- able from havin gGaelia c attributive prefixe Norsa o dt e term. Fjorftr, Cl.—, estuary. Many are the mutations which, this word undergoe e Westerth n si n Isles t perhapbu , s the. most singula thas i r f to Knut-Jyuf&r, writte n Englisi n h Knoidert t pronouncebu , n Gaelii d c Crodurst. In almost all cases the rSr offjordr may be traced as " rt," "rd." Gruinarfc, which helps on the north to make this island I-leithe, the Divided Island t greatlno s i , y different from Grunn-fjorftr — Shallow-firth, which describes it. Leckgruinart Lcekjar-Gfrunnfjorftrr fo , Shallowrfirth-broo= k ; from loelcr, Ice.—brook, rivulet . LackleeOf . r LasJejar-HliS,fo , Harris. Garftr, Cl.—a courtyard, court and premises, &c. This term, when local name e writtear s n Englishi n s frequentli , y spelled "garry,d an " when the attributive is a proper name it is difficult to tell to what languag t belongsei . Duisker, in 1562 Dowasgir, is probably DysgarSr = Cairn-farm ; from dys, Ice.—" a cairn, a heap of stones less than a haugr." " There is a f Duiskeo p to e rcair Hill."—th n no H. M. Other form Dessabrecke sar , Orkney; and Dysjar, Iceland. Gil, Cl.—a deep narrow glen, ravine. The topography of Islay does not supply many "gills," and as a farm-name it only oecurs in the simple form, Giol, Gill = Gil. " There is a deep ravine from the houses to the shore."—. HM . Haugr, Cl.—a how, mound, cairn. It is interesting to find this term so far south as Islay, though somewhat disguised as Ardnahoe,1 which by a false etymology has been written Aird na h'Uamha. In 1542 the place is called "Owo;" and we find "How," "Howe" (which is the usual form of haugr in the northern islands) in the 17th century; but as mentiones i t i d with Salligo place th , e Kilchoman n appeari e b o t s . "A haug or how, a sepulchral mound, is certainly there. I know nothing of any Ardnaho n Kilchomai e n parishplace Th o whict e . I hrefe s i r 1 "Ardnahoe Gaelin i , c Aird hugliadha n (pro. Ardj-na hoo-ugh), heighe th f o t haugr."—H. M. 262 PROCEEDINGS OF.THE SOCIETY, MAY 8, 1882.

Ardnaho norte th f Islayhn o ei , abou coupla t f mileeo s from Portaskaig. The other nam obsolete."—s ei H. M. Land, .Cl.—lan d; .countr y; estate . Tallant, Tallanta, Tallaland; apparently Talamh-land. Talamh, Gael.— earth, soil; talamlianta, Gael.—earthy. Talamh-land Lan= goof do d soil. Sunderland, written Schynnerll (for Schynnerlan chartersd ol d n V)i d an , written Sionnarlainn Gaelic n "Shinardi e th s i , " of Blaeu engrave.s i "t I d '. Sinderland' on tombstones at Kilchoman of the time of Charles II."— . M Sunderland . H , perhap Sjundalaud,r sfo from Sjundi, Ice.—a proper name. Foreland, Forling r For-lendifo , Foreland= ; from For-lendi, Ice.—the land between the sea and the hills. This name occurs in a greatly disguised fore Wes th n Arramf i Scotland o d t s "an na Knock t bu ; - vorlan dBenbecula n "i "d Forelanan , d Orkne"n i Shetlandd yan . Gruilenbeg, Grulint. Thero ancienn s i e t authorit r thifo ys name, o doubn whic s tha h suffered from abbreviation e generith t cbu , term appears to be land. Nes, Cl.—a onle nessTh y farm-nama .nes s a Islan ei Trudernishs yi , Ardtrutnise th f Blaeuho Truddirned an , e chartea th f s o i f 1545t o rI . same nam Trbtternishs ea , Skye botd foe an ;rhar Tryllder-nes = Enchan- ted Ness; from trylla, Ice.—to enchant, bewitch, charm. Trudernish is mostly trap, and the Gaelic name for basaltic trap is Saothair an Daoi = The LabouEvie th lf o Oner . Ther a vitrifie s i e shore d th f foreo n o t the ness.—H. M, ' • Setr, Cl.—seat, residence. Ardeliste n Kildaltoni r d Ellistean , n Kilchomani r , belon o thit g s genus, and are the same as Ellishadder, Skye; Ellister, Shetland. The attributive may be a proper name, but Ellerholm, Orkney ; and Hellis-dalr, Hellisfjorftr, Iceland l froal me ar ,hellir, Ice.—a cave. Staoshines corruptioa , f Steinshano whicd an , s writtei h n Staynsan yi the charters, is for Steinseir = Stoneseat. " Here is to be seen in a rivulet a large white pillar-stone, which clearly explains the name. A stream flows from Loch Staisha into Loch Finlagan and Lochindaald an ; ON ISLAY PLACE-NAMES. 263 another from Loch Staisha int Soune oth f Islaydo ; henccommoa s i t ei n saying that ' the trouts divide the island.'"—H. M. Cultorsay, perhaps for Kuldasetr = Coldseat, Coldfarm; from kuldi, Ice.—cold. Keppols, Keapolsay, for Kapalsetr = Horseseat; from Jcapall, Ice.— a nag, hack. Skerrols, Skerolsay of Elaeu, for Skurhdlasetr = Scoredhill-seat, from skura, Ice.—a score, trench; holl, a hill . Scarale, Skarrell, Eothesays i , probabl same yth e nam "s a Scarth e: commos i t "i Orkneyn ni . Stadr, Cl.—a stead, place, abode. Eresaid, Areset, in the charter of 1562 : Herrestuid belongs to this genus d seemcognate b an , o t s e with Arebustar, Arisdale, Orkney; Aris- dale, Shetland. Olistadh, Olista, for Olafstadr = Olafs-stead. There is Olisdale, Skye; Aucholadill, Aresaig; Oligar Ollagarthd tan , Shetland; Olafs dalr, Olafs- vik, Iceland Vile, Cl.—wick smala , l creek, inlet, bay. Portaskaig, Port Escock, probably for (Port) Askavik = Askwick, from askr, Ice.—a small ship (built of ash). There is Ascock, Lorn ; Askak, Kilinan; Ascog, Bute.1 Sanaigmore, Sannag, for SandmJt = Sand wick. This disguised form occur s Sannaiga s , Sannak, Jura; Senok, Sennoc, Arran; Sandaig, Glenelg; Sandig, Sandwick, Lewis. It may be remarked that the Norse form becomes more apparen proceee w s a t d north. Smaull, Smallaig, for Smalvik= Sheepwick, Cattlewick; from smali, Ice.—sheep or cattle. Of. The Smalls, Pembrokeshire; and Smail- , .

1 "I believe 'Askaig s connectei ' d wite Celtith h c asaig = . Askomul, Mull, and Askomil, Campbelton, appear to mean 'Ferrj'-point.'"—2tev. D. Graham. '' Aisig restoro t , recoverr eo , signifie t ferro thit bu w sy; extendeno s d meaninf go the word is not old."—H. M. 264 PROCEEDINGS SOCIETYE , 18828 TH Y F . O . MA ,

GAELIC NAMES OF FARMS OR TOWNLODS IN ISLAY. Aird, H. S.1—a height or promontory. Ardmore, for Aird mhor Grea= t Headland. d GrasingAr r Aird:—fo , '_ Ardmadh r Aird-ruadhfo , r Russeo d =tRe Promontory. This place

appears as " Ochtownruche, i.e., Oehdamh-ruadh2 = ih.e Bed Octave in e charteth f 1494o r ' . , Ardnave, for Aird na Naomh Promontor= Saintse th f yo . This place is named from Eilean na Naomh = Island of the Saints ; the saints being dwelo wh thole n ther th Cdlumbaa y me n ei n monastery. Ardbeag, for Aird bheag — Lesser Headland. Airidh, H. S. —a shealing, a hill-grazing, or summer residence for herds- men or cattle. Arivulchallum, for Airidh Mliaolchalum = Malcolm's Shieling or Arry ; from Maolchalum — Servant or Disciple of Columba, Arighuary, for Airidh Ghutharaidh = Godred's Shieling; near which is Dun Ghutharaidh = Godred's Fort or Castle.—H. M. Corrary, for Cbrr-airidh = Shieling of the Bound Hill; as in Gnocan- cbrr Roun= d Knoll; Corra-lheinn Roun= d Mountain; Loch C6rr= Round Lake,—al Islay.—n i l . HM . Ard, IL S.—high, lofty. , Ardhallowane, for Ard Thalmhuinn = Height of (good or true) Soil. Vide Tallant, p. 262. Ardlaroch, for Ard Larach = High Site or Ruinj from Larach, Gael.— the site of a building or ruin. Baile, . S.—1H a town. a village . 2 ; . Ther hardle ar etowny yan s or village Islese th d baile n an ,si there mean sa townlan farmr do , which commonly was let to several families as; tenants. Ballynaughton, Baileneachtan; thes wordo esoundetw e sar d alikr fo e; Baile 'Neachtain = Neachtan's Townland. H. S., i.e., Highland Society's Gaelic Dictionary.

21 " Aird-ruadJi is not a promontory ; it is flat elevated ground, at least 14 mile fro sea,"—//e mth . II. ON5 ISLA26 Y PLACE-NAMES. Bally vicar, Bailebeorra, for Bade a' Bhiocair = Townland of the Vicar ; or Baile Beam = Townland of the Judge. Baileeliatrican, for Baile Chatrighan = Ga.tngba,ris Townland. The Cathraighe gave nam Cathregia,o et territora e diocesth n yi f Connor. eo 1 Baletarsin, fox Baile-tarsuinn = Transverse Townland; from tarsuinn, Gael.—across, aslant, athwart. Balole, for Baile Ola = Olafs Townland; from Olafr, Ice.^-a proper name. Ballimartin, for Baile Mhartain = Martin's Townland. Ballichlavin, for Baile Chleamhain Clement'= s Townland. Balulbe r Bailefo , Uilbh — 'Ulfs Townland; from Ulf, Ice.—•& proper name. Balligillan Bailer ,fo (r/w'Zfeza wGillean'= s Townland; from Gille-Iain, Gael.—Servant (Disciple) of (St.) John. This is the origin of Maclean. Ballygrant n Gaelii , c Baile a' Ghranna Townlan= f (kiln-dried?o d ) Corn.2 Baliachdrach, for Baile iochdarach — Nether Townland ; from iochdar ach, Gael.—nether, lower. Ballinahy Bailer fo ,Abba n a = Townlan Abbote Farr do th f mo . Ballimoney, Balevannich, for Baile Mhanaich = Townland of the Monks. Achnanclach, Ballyclach, for Baile-clachach = Stony Townland. The name appears to be a recent translation of Staynbolshay; for Steinbol- stufcr. Bealach, H. S.—a pass, &c. Ballachroy Bealach-ruadhr fo , Russe= t Pass. Brudliacli, H. S.—an ascent, acclivity. Bruicladich, for Brudhacli a Oliladaich = of tbe Shore; from eladqch, Gael.—a (stony) beach. Brdiglie, . S.—thH e upper part.

1 Reeve's Ecc. Antqs., p.. 281. 2 "Baile Ghranna.a modere Granth n i n Gaeli signifiey c ofMa s kiln-Jried corn; but in Lhuyd's Anlisaologia Britannica, Gran is defined corn."—,H. M. 266: PROCEEDING THF SO E SOCIETY , 18828 Y . MA ,

Braighunassry, Ardinassary, for Braighe an fh&s-airidh = Upland of the Vacant Shieling (H. M.); or Braighe na Sheisreach = Upland of the Plowland.1 Bun, . S.—footH , bottom, &c. Bunansuisg ,Uisgen a misprin Foon = Bu tf (Moutho t e Streath f o )r m o Eiver. Cam, H. S.—a heap or pile of stones. Carnbeg, for Cam beag =•= Little (Townland of) Cam. Cairndonachy r Camfo , Donnachaidh D\mca,v.'s= Cam. Ceann, H. S.— 1. head; 2. an end, extremity. Kintour, for Ceann-tun'a = Tor-head; " so called from a tor or knowe of loose gravelly stuff intermixed with round stones. Hear Ballygrant is Torr garbh = Bugged Heap ; and about a mile from the village is Torr an Tuirc = the Boar's Heap."—IT. M . Kintra, for Ceann traglia, — Head of the Strand.2 Kindrochit r Ceannfo , drochaid e BridgeHea= th f do . Cille, Cill, H. S.—a cell, church.. Columkill Ciller ,fo Chalumchille Churc= h. Columba oSt f . There ear (or were) three churches dedicated to St. Columba in Islay. Kilbride r Cillefo , Bhrighde Churc= f St.ho . Bridget.. Kilean r Cillfo , Aodhan . M.).(H Joyc s Kileaneha . Ther more ear e than seventy of that name in Ireland; for Oillin = a little church.3 Kildalton, probably for Cille Dalian = Church of the Dalta (of our Lord), i.e., St. John, to whom the church was dedicated.4 Killarow r Cillefo . Maoilnibha Churc= . Maolrubha.St f ho 6

1 Joyce t serie1s , s pts., 232. 2 " Near Kintra is Knock-Angle; in Gaelic, Cnoc-Angail, a corruption of Cnoc- g-il, Hill of Light. Aingeal, sunshine, light."—Lhuyd's Archasologia Britannica. "Thi judgy ma ese frohillw namee f mth i , , serve purpose th d e .olighthousa f n ei • forme. r times."—. . HM . 3 L. c., 1st ser., p. 304. churc4 e . Joh "Evangeliste St Th f nth ho , called Kildaltan Islay."—n ei Or. Pr.,

. 269.p . ii . 5 Keeve's. "St. Maolrubha," Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., 'iii. 258-296. ON ISLAY PLACE-NAMES. 267 Killinallin, for Cille n'Fhaelan = St. Faelan's Church; or Cillean Fhae- lain Littl= e Churc . FaelanSt f ho . Kilnieny, Kilvennie r Cillefo , M.anaich e ChurcMonksth = f o h. "Manach Irisn a s h"i proper saino name n f tha o t t tbu ,e b nam n eca Calendare founth a di . Keils, an English plural of Kill, Gael. Cille, pi. Cealla = Churches. Keils was formerly called Killcolumkill. Kilinan, Kileenane r Cillfo , Enain Churc= . EnanSt f ho . Kilclevan, misprint of Kilslevan; for Cille Sleubhain = Church of St. Slebhine. Kilnave, for Cille na Naoimh = Church of the Saints. Kilchoman, Killem Eomman,—" a form of the name which appears to connect the dedication of the parish with Lugne Mocumin." x Kilchiaran r Cillefo , Ciarain Churc= . KieranSt f ho . Cnoc, H. S.—a hill, knoll, hillock. Knockdon r Cnocfo , donn Brow= n Hill. Knocklearock r Cnoofo , Cleircaeh=1l\l\ e Clericsth f o . "Thera s ei tradition thaclerico tw t s wer whicn eo hangedy hda d thathee an ,th ty were hange remarkabls dwa s beeyha stormynbywora t i o S Islan di . y ever since I remember, when a cold, stormy day came on;—Is measa an la'ndingh na'n latlia a chrochadh na cleirich—'This day is worse than, the day on which the clerics were hanged.' At Knocklearach are two monoliths called Na Cleirich, ' The Clerics,' and under these tradi- tion relates the two clerics were buried."—H. M. Mulreesh, i.e., Knock Mulreesh, for Cnoc Mhaol-rlse = M.a,ol-iis&'s Hill; where Maol-rise Gaeln i s i . —a proper name. placClose th eo et there is the ruin of a house called Tigh an t-Sagairt = House of the Priest; and near it is a burying-ground, wherein there is the ruin of a circular old place of worship built without lime, called Cill Fhe'ileagan.—H. M. Cf. " Falinghan," Blaeu. This is of course St. Findlugan,2 who appears to have had the synonym of " Maol-rise."

1 Vit. Col, . 325p , Edin. ed. 8 Fit. Col., . chii . xxv. Ediu. cd. 2,68 PBOCEEDING THf 3Of E SOCIETY 8Y , 1882MA , . . Oreag, . S.—H a rock. Craigfin Creagfhionnr fo , Whit= e Roc r Cliffko . Craigfad, for Creagfhada — Long Eock or Cliff. Eilean, . S.—aH n island. Island, Ellennumamukduff Eileanr fo , na Muice duibhe Islane = th f do Black Pig. Faich, H. S.—a field, green. -Gearach, for Gearr-fliaich Shor= soute th t f Fieln o h i . M.) t (H dbu ; Ireland "Gearagh" means a copse or shrubbery.1 Garadh, H. S.—1. a garden; 2. a wall, , or mound. Kyngarry, Coinigarry, Kinnigarry, probably from Caoingaradh; from caoin, O'Eeilly ; dry, smooth. " There is a curious legend connected with Kyngarry. It is said the Norwegians (Lochlannaich). here built a mocking-house, Tigh-magaidh. In this house seats were arranged having tubd barrelsan s concealed under them r women o d when o an ; nme wh , ^. t downcamsa , ein , they fell int placee oth s below sucn i , h manner that, besides exposing their persons accounn drese o , th f s o twhic h they wore, they got heartily ducked. It seems, however, the house was never roofed,—why, I do not remember having been told; but there is a byword respecting the affair repeated to those who are given to scoffing: Gha deachaidh ceanm riamli r tighai a, mJiagaidh e mockin—'Th g house was never roofed.' "—H. M. Gleann, H. S.—valley, glen. Glenastle, Glenawstill, Glenapstol r Gleannfo , Apstr/l —e th Glen f o Apostles: so written in a Gaelic charter of 1408, but it is probably a pan upo "originae nth l Norse name, which terminate dalr.n di Glemnachry r Gleannfo , a'Mhachaire, Gael.—Gle e Macharth f no . Gorf, H. S.—field, garden.

1 Joyce, t ser. . 1s 480 p , . considerabl"A e stream flows west through secone Glenastlth seae d dth , an o et 2 part of the word apstol or -awstill is seemingly a corruption of a Norse name, from a and dalr, denoting river-dale, to which the Gaelic gleann is prefixed as a gloss." — H. M. ON9 ISLA26 Y PLACE-NAMES. Gartbreck r Gortfo , breac Spotte= d Field. Gartmain r Gortfo , meadhoim — Middle Field. Gartloisk, for Gortloisgeach = Scorched Field; " said to be so named from its liability to be burnt up in summer."—H. M. Gartachrossan, corruption of Gortachossan, for Gort a'C/iosnamh = Field of the Battle. "Above this place, and forming part of the farm, is SliaWi a'Chath = Field of the Battle."—/?. M. Gortanilvorie, for Goirtean Ghillemhuire = Morrison's Small Field; from goirtean, dim f gori, .o Gittemhuired an Servan= f Maryo t Engn i ; - lish, Gilmore and Morrison. Gartness, for Gort nan Eos = Field of the Waterfalls. Gartnagaul, Qartnahalla, perhaps for Gort nan Gall= Field of the Foreigners or Englishmen. Gartachara Gorr fo , t a'Charrag Pillar-stonee hFiel= th f do . Gorten, Gortentoid, Teid r Goirtean-tada;fo , o e doubnamn th s i et Tada; Ice.—infield, homefield o whict , h Goirtean, Gael.—a small field, • has been added by the Gael. Lag, H. S.—a hollow, or cavity. Laphroaig r Lag-Phroaigfo , Hollo= w Phroai r Proaio g g Hollow; see Proaig. Lagavullin a'Mhuilinng La r fo , Mil= l Hollow. Loch, seae . S.—th H .f o a m lakear n a ; Lochindaal, for Loch no, Dala Dividin= g Loc h; from dal, Gael.—a division, parting, separation Norse Th e. name woul Deildare db Fjorftr. This locLocd han h Grunord, which together almos t througtcu lande hth , has caused this large islancallee b o dt d I-loithe Dividee th = d Island. (There is no farm called Lochindaal, but the name is included here as t occuri Valuatioe th n si n Roll.) There is another " Loch an Daal," in Skye, having the same topogra- phical charateristics. Lbn, . S.—H a marsh, morass, pond meadow;a . Loanban, for Lon-ban = "White Morass. Mullock, H. S.—top, summit. 270 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 8, 1882. Mullindry Mullachr fo , t'Srathan a Strathe th Top f = o . house "Th e of MacDonal y stoo Ma feue d timf e th do her d th f eo t wite a h MacLean." — H. M. • Ochdamli, Gael. — an Eighth. The term " Octa," as a valuation of land, i16s sa land. peculiars Jurai d 8d . t Hebrides,e I an whic .th y n i , Ma h o t , eighte marks.n isth te f ho 1 Octamore r OchdamJi-mbrfo , Grea= t Octave. Octavullin, for Ochdamli a'Mhuillin = Mill Octave. Ochtownruche, for Ochdamh ruadh = Red Octave ; Ardruadh in Valua- tion Eoll. Octofad r Ochdamhfo , fada Lon= g Octave. (" Ochtonaffrache ") appears in the charters : see p. 252. Poll, H. S.— pool, &c. , corruptio f Pottno mor Grea= t Pool. " Whe churce nth h and first housee villagth f o se (Bowmore) were built, Lowland Scotch artisans were brought to the island, and it would be quite natural for Lowlanders speaking Scotc corrupo ht t Pollmdr into Bowmore." —. H.M Port, . 8.H — a por harbour o t r [ofte landing-place]na . Portinatruan Portr t-Struthainfo n , a Brooke Porth = f o t . Portfor , na-li-Aibhne Eiver Porthe = of t. Portanellan, for Port an Eilean = Port of the Island ; the landing-place from Eilean Finlagan. RudJia, H. S. — a point, promontory. Ehuvaal, for Rudha a Mhail = Point of the Mal. " The hill from which Ehuvaal takes its name is called Am Mal ; it resembles in shape the bag of a bagpipe, with its large end towards the sea. Mdl or Mala is bagpipe.a f o g ba " Gaeli—e th . H. r M c fo Tigli, . SH . — a house. Tyndrum, for Tigh Draman a HousEidgee = th f eo . Tayanock, for Tigh nan, Cnoe = Hillhouse. Tir, H. S. — land, country. Tiraragain, for Tir Mhathagain = Mathagan's Land. " Mathagan is a . 278 Pr.,p . . . ii 1Or ON ISLAY PLACE-NAMES. 271 diminutiv f Matha,eo Mathew. MacMJiath, anglicises i d Matheson."— //. M.. Tbrr, H. S.—a hill or mountain of an abrupt or conical form. Torronich, for Tbrr-rainicli - Fernyhill , Torra, i.e., Torlissay, for Torr Laxd- = Laxay-tor. Vide Laxa. Uisg, . S.—waterH . Uiskentine, a misprint for Uiskentuie; for Uisge-an-t-suidhe = Water of the Seat or Resting-place. " Here by the side of a stream, people attend- a funera g in l from Kilarro r Kilmenwo o Kilchomayt n churchyart sa d down to take refreshment of bread, cheese, and . I myself attended several funerals from this neighhourhood (Ballygrant)n o d an , every one of these occasions those attending the procession sat down there to refresh themselves; the distance is about nine miles."—H. M. e followinTh g Gaelic simple nameth r n f emphatii farmeo o s e ar s c form, and have no attributive or limiting term. Proaig, from frog, O'Keilly a pen; , march a pitfall; , hole, cleft; frogacli, O'Eeilly, fenny; full of holes. "Proaig is surrounded by moorlan d mountain a veran d s i y d barrean , n region."— . HM Vide. Preag, p. 252. Cognate names appear to be " Strounefreg," Kilmadon; and perhaps Glen Affrich, -shire. There is also Lleprog Fawr and Lleprog Fechan, in North , named in Pennant's Tour} but I fin furtheo dn r mentio f themno . Laorim; therancieno n s ei t authorit thir yfo s name, which looks af si it were Lareen, dim. of Lathair, Gael.—a site, stead; but Mr. Maclean thinks the name is Norse; if so, it might be Leirin, Ice.—The Loam- field. Machry, for Machaire, Gael.—a sandy plain, links, downs. "Machaire Leargoar-riabhach = Machar of the tawny Hillside, which is of a heathery d brownish-grean calleo s y s colouro distinguisi t d d an , t i hfroe mth learga or slope extending on the south-east from Oa to Lanndaigh, The name Learga riabhach obsolete."—w no s i . HM . Duich, from Dtimhach, Gael.—a sandbank. 1 Loc. cit., . 409volp . i .. 2 27 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE , 18828 TH Y .F SO MA ,

Laggan; the Gaelic for"a "small hollow;" there are two in May. Oa, for Adhbha : videp 251. Cruach, Gael.-^a stack-like hill. Courilach r "Curralachfo , , contracted from Currach-laoh, Gael.—a place aboundin fenn gd i inarches an s ; from currach, Gael.—; a n bogfe , lack,d an Gael.—a postfix denoting abounding m."-^-H. M. Barr, Gael.—top. Losset—there are two—for Lot-aid, Gael.—a kneading-trough; so called on account of its fertility. Bhinns, Eenis, for Rinn, pi. RinneCm, H. S. (Koinn, H, Jf.)—-a pro- montory rareA . wor n Scottisi d h topography t i occur; Arrain i s d an i Lochbroom n Gallowayi wels a ,s a l , Rathad na Mamie, Ruaidhe cJiun na Ranna = " The road of the Busset Mull (Mull of Kin tyre) to the Ehinns " (of Islay); said in Islay when a person goes iii a wrong direc- tion.. M —. H Coul, Cowle r eld,fo , Gael.—th e topographicath t Bu e . backS l. H , application of this word = recess. Cladich, for Qladach, Gael.'—a stony beach or shore; This name has probably a long history, for it appears to commemorate one of the ancient division Islayf so , Cladrois r Cladach-Roisfo , Shor= Eosf eo Ehinnr so . Claggain, for Glaigionn, Gael.—the best arable land of a district.— M'Alpine. Clagganeverich, for Glaigionn-eararach — Eastern Tilled-land; Staonie. Staoin, Gael.—juniper n IslayI . ,S junipe. H , s iubhari r beanne = Mountain Yew. Eannochmore, for Raineaeli mhbr, Gael.—Great Ferny-place. Laogin, Laygane, in Gaelic Laoigi.nn. " There is a large marsh in this tovvnland, and the name may be perhaps a corruption of Leoiginn, Gael. —a marshy place."—. HM . Eskinish, Eskillis, " probably derived from casg, Gael, —a narrow, natu- ral, marshy ditch."—H. M. Of. easgaigh, O'B.j a quagmire. Strongaig, error for Storgaig, Storachdaig. " Storraahd or Sturrachd Gael.—is a lumpish, stony hillock or ridge; the plural is Sturraiclidean ON 1SLAY PLACE-NAMES. 273

Suc placehe th hillock r rathe t o ,a e rsar suc ridga h e passes through it." —H . SturracJi,. Cf M. O'E., uneven. Coalisla r Gaol-liefo , Isla= y Strait, "formerly called Freepora y b t ruining company s Gaeliit t cbu ; nam s Buadh-pliorti e mbr, Gael.—the larger Eed Port or landing place."—H. M. Lergbaw, for Lorg-ba = Cow's foot-print. " Said to take its name from holloa a fla n wti rock neae houseth r s resemblin princow'e a gth f o ts foot."—. HM . Cultoon r Odl-tuinidhefo , e Denth ^a,fi]/i = f o ; fro m ail, Gael.—back, recess tuineadh,d an ; Gael.—a den. Ther a dee d narros ei p an w glen, in which there is a cavern.—H. M. The result of the foregoing examination is, that in the Valuation Koll of Islay there are—excluding English Names—162 entries, i.e.— Entries. Norse. Gaelic. Kildalton, ... 46 15 31 Killarow, ... 73 23 50 Kilchoman, 43 17 26 Totals, 162 55 107 Hence the Norse names, those which have been given by those who spoke the Norse speech, are almost exactly one-third of the whole; in other words Gaelie th , c names e almosar t exactly twic e s manea th s ya Norse.1 Thidifferena s si t result from that obtaine Lewisn di , where, whee nth English, name rejectede sar Norse th , three-fourthe ear remaindere th f o s , and the proportion of Norse to Gaelic is as four to one. It follows that the Scandinavian element, when compared with the Gaelic, is eight times stronger in Lewis than in Islay. Many causes have contribute thio t d s a formeresult n I .r papeI r have sketched the main points in the early history of the Isles. Till the close of the eighth century they were inhabited by a Celtic population,

1 Mr. Dougall's Map of Islay contains 40 Place-Names which ai-e uot ifl the Valua- tio Norsee n ar Roll 5 Gaelie thesf 1 .ar o , d 5 e2 can VOL. XVI. . x 4 27 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH 8 ,Y F 1882SO MA , . who were apparently Scotch (i.e., Irish) in the southern, and Pictish in the northern divisions of the Isles. In 794 the Northmen began their devastation, ravaging like wolves among sheep. There was no central power to afford the Islesmen protection, and the political situation was e navath f i sucl e supremacwouls b ha w dno f Britaiyo n were effacedd an , the Isles were attacked by a fleet of Turkish .gunboats manned by Bashi-- bazouks t lon o pracno gs ag . e sam-wa th Thei s s ea wa r r methowa f o d f independenceGreeo e tiser th n wa ki d Celtie Th c. islanders, taken i n detail and unable to make effectual resistance, fled, leaving those, who wear o escapeo t d k ol wer o o slaughtert ,e to , their home d cattlan s o et pillage d theian , r houses i d n cropdestroyee b san ma o st e firey On b d . honourably mentioned as the " Child's-man,"1 because he would not join in the sport of throwing an infant into the air and catching it on the points of spears lessee Th r. islands were immediately desolate abandonedd dan , and the cry of Loingeas cogaidh aunns a ehaolas—" Pirates in the Sound,"- must have often brought disma wretchee th o yt d people. e Beforth 2 87 e Northmen had settled in the Isles, and Grim (several), Bjorn (several), Ulf, Gudmund, Eric, Hermund, Kellack, Sornerlid, Groa, Gellird ha , taken possession of the smaller islands which still bear their names. In largee th r island inhabitante th s everd sha y mean escapf so e int forese oth t and scrub, which then grew along the water-courses, into natural strong- holds, or into doons of uncemented masonry. But these papers will show how completely the original inhabitants were displaced. One of the discoverers (or rather re-discoverers) of Iceland, GafSarr,3 had property in the Isles; and the son of another Swede, Helgi, was fostered in the t upofa . t it n Abouban a ge 0 f t piratedo 87 no t d s di Islesdwel t bu , t 1 " Olver Barnakarl .....; hann var viklngr mikill; hann Ut eigi Jienda lorn a' spj6ta oddum, seni ]pd var tnkingum tilt []>vi var hann barnakarl Tcalladr] ;" i. c.," Olver Barnakar wa. e . h ;. grea sa . . lt wicking catct no h; d lichildreedi n on the points of spears, as then was customary with the wiekings [from that he was called Barnakarl], (Childs-man)."—Landndma-bok, pt. v. ch. 11. 2 Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., vol. x. p. 704. 3 Hann for til Sif&reyja at heimta fifSurarf Jconu sinnar ; i.e., " He went to the Hebride fetco st inheritance e hth , fro r fatherwife."—s mhe hi f o , Lcmdndma-b6k. pt , . 1 . ch . i ON ISLAY PLAGE-NAMES. 275

Barrs there inth wa eat i thaisles d a noblt an , e lady, Alfdi Barrae th s - girl, was born, who was afterwards married in Iceland to Olafr feilan, grandso kina f Dublinf ngo o . Icelan largels wa d y stocke Islesmey db n of Norther plaia s i n nt i race inferencd an , e that almost every Gaelic name of a farm in the Isles has been bestowed within the last six centuries. e e middlnintth th y f ho B e centur e Christiath y n faitd beeha hn adopted by many of the Northmen, and their first teachers must of neces- sity have been Gaelic. About this tim originae eth l churches would have been rebuil d establishedan t d a sa consequenc an , traditione eth e th f so early Church would take root amon Northmene gth face th tthiy n I swa . explainee b y ma d tha namee manpre-Norse o s th t th f f yo so e foundations are known to us. Quite lately the zeal and sagacious industry of Mr. A. Carmichael, s beeha , n rewarde bringiny b d ligho gt mosa t t interesting e Norsrecorth f eo d inhabitant f Barrao s . When searching in his usual manner about Kilbar, " a deserted o' its rigging," he gooe th dd fortunba discoveo et flaa r t stone, having engrave side on e n do a curiously ornamented cross, and on the obverse an inscription in the Eunic alphabet stone effecth e memorn p eth i Thur d u o t,t t an thase r yU t of Easkur, and that Christ might save his soul. The date is fixed by . StephenG elevente . th Dr o t s h century. 157n I 1 6Alexn a ther s - ewa ander Ur in Orkney.2 From a most interesting collection of Skaldic poetry, edited by -Dr. Gudhrand Vigfusson leare w , n thabanquea t ta t Eeekholera t Icelandn ,i , in 1120, the poems of a Barra man formed part of the entertainment, for e priesth t Ingirmund repeate e tal f th Ormdo e e Barrth , a poet, with many verses. Unfortunately the saga is lost, and but a few scraps of the poetry of Orm, the Barra skald, remain. He seems to have been a good Christian; for he says, " I know that the king of the Wain-path (Christ) is might ywhed ; "an figurativele nh y tells tha tbloo e "th f Yrndo i (the Sea) is surging upon the eyrr," we feel sure that he is thinking of the roar breakere oth f s upo e Otter-vore.nth 8 1 Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., vol. xv. p. 33. - Reg. Pr. Council, vol. ii. p. 737. 3 Loc. cit., vol. ii. p. 53. 6 27 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH 8 ,Y F 1882SO MA , .

With settlement would come cultivation t a onlsmal bu ,n yo l scale, for the population was scanty and animal food abundant, besides, those who stole both their brea d thei an dneeo r n placo mea t dd eha t much dependence on agriculture. The crews of their galleys would be supple- mente Gaeliy db o suct n extent a ho coverbeat no serfss a t t e bu ,th r Northmen in numbers or language. The pirate colony in Barra of course spoke Norse, and so must , (malgre, his Gaelic name) in Coll, who was present in Orkney at the Yule feast, and married a sister of Earl Siguard.1 Harald Gille a futur, e Kin Norwaygof was who , most probably nurture dIslese inth , spoke Norse t witbu , provinciaha l accent and manner.2 The enumeration of the Place-Names in two of the principal islands proves tha Norse th t e languag dominants ewa , although tha n Islai te subsequenyth t inhabitatio s somewhaha n t blurree th d record. In 1156 the Isles south of Ardnamurchan, excepting Man, were ceded to Argyll, and from that time Islay has had Gaelic lords. The land, too s wel,wa l fittefarm w r cultivationt Gaeline fo d go s e th c d an , names s proximitit ; d connectioyan n with Ireland would give strength to the Gaelic element. In Lewis all the good land, which is of small extent, was enclosed under (or before) the Norse domination, and the subsequent farms or townlands, bearing Gaelic designations, are upon a soil, and of small value. In Levvis there is every reason to believe that the Liotulfsons or Macleod, Olafsons or Macaulay, Marysons or Gillernhuire—who till lately (1600) wer n possession—ari e e descend- ants of the original Norse stock. In Islay, on the accession of the Mac Somerlids e Norsth , e speech would, quickle remotth e out t di ye bu , situation of Lewis and its possession by the old- Norse families would cause a lingering existence of the northern speech for a long time after its cessio Scotlano t n remaine th n 1266i d d f whicho san , , though greatly obscure Gaeliy db c gramma orthographyd an r stily tracede lb ma , . OrTc. Saga, p. 324, Roll's ed. 1 Stirt var honum norrcent mat, kylfftiok mjok or~Sanna,til liofduok margir 2 menn }>at injolc atspotti; i.e., e Nors th "Stif s e wa speecf o himt h d hesitatean , d much in speaking, and many men had much sport at that."—Unger's Heimskringla, p. 663.