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THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Other Works by H. Cameron Gillies^ M.D.
Published by David Nutt, 57-59 Long Acre, London
The Elements of Gaelic Grammar
Second Edition considerably Enlarged Cloth, 3s. 6d.
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"Well hased in a study of the historical development of the language." — Scotsman.
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"Tha an Dotair coir air cur nan Gaidheal fo chomain nihoir." — Mactalla, Cape Breton.
The Interpretation of Disease
Part L The Meaning of Pain. Price is. nett. „ IL The Lessons of Acute Disease. Price is. neU. „ IIL Rest. Price is. nef/.
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Gaelic Names of Disease and Diseased States
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THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
BY
H. CAMERON GILLIES, M.D.
WITH A SHORT PREFACE FROM
HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF ARGYLL
LONDON
DAVID NUTT, 57-59 LONG ACRE
1906
Printed by Bali.an rVNK, HANSON &* Co. At the Ballantyne Press
PREFACE
This seems to me a valuable book, and I am glad the London Argyllshire Association has encouraged the author in what must have been a really hard work. It must be of interest to all branches of the Celtic-speaking people, not only to all the Highlands and all Scotland as well as to Argyll, but to Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany, where the old language is retained, if not always as a spoken tongue, yet always in their own old names from the same or a kindred origin. It may be of interest to even those outside the Celtic circle to learn how much of true and important history lies dormant in the place-names of a country. Argyll is exceptionally complex in its history and therefore very rich in its names, and I am not surprised that the author found many of them to be difficult to explain, and some even impossible.
The several layers of names left by succeeding races come out very clearly. There are the " bottom " names of the pre-Celtic race, variously named " Iberian," "Pictish," and otherwise. These must be difficult to explain, perhaps they never can be explained.
The Gaelic names are by far the most numerous, but they seem to be coming well into the control of Gaelic
128855;-^
o
vi PREFACE
scholars. They are always poetically appropriate to the land-features of the country.
Norse names are surprisingly numerous in some parts, in the islands especially. This shows what a strong hold the conquering Norseman had upon the West, through something like five hundred years.
The chapter upon the names derived from the Columban Church, seated in venerable lona, is especially interesting to all who have watched the influence of the " pure Culdees " in the spreading of Christianity.
I am very glad to accept this work on behalf of the Association, and I hope it will be appreciated by our people as I believe it deserves to be.
CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE V
INTRODUCTION xi
THE COUNTY NAME i
GENERAL TERMS 7
THE DISTRICT NAMES—
KINTYRE 22
GiGHA . . . . . . . • 33
KNAPDALE 34
ARGYLL 39
COWAL 45
LORNE 55
Shuna, Luing, Torsay, Seil, Easdale, Kerrara . 62
APPIN 65
LiSMORE ........ 73
KILMAILLIE 75
ARDGOWER 80
SUNART 83
ARDNAMURCHAN 89
Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna .... 96-100
MORVEN 102
MULL 109
Coll, Tiree, Ulva, Iona . . . . 122-130
vii
viii CONTENTS
THE DISTRICT NAMES {Continued)—
PAGE
JURA 132
COLONSAY AND ORONSAY . . . .140
ISLAY 144
THE CHURCH-NAMES 160
THE GAELIC ELEMENTS IN NAMES . . 186
THE NORSE ELEMENTS 220
SOME NOTES 243
INDEX 252
LIST OF REFERENCES
F. . . . ' . Ftonn, Mr. Henry Whyte.
C. Gr. . . . Carinina Gadelica, Mr. Carmichael.
S. Gr, . . . Sylva Gadelica, Mr. Standish O'Grady.
Mb. . . . Dr. Macbain's Dictionary.
Kal. ... The Calefidar of Allans the Culdee, Stokes.
C Cormac's Glossary.
C. P. S. . . 7"-^!? Chrotiicles of the Picts and Scots. L. B. . . . Leabhar Breac.
0. C. . . . The Materials of Ancient Irish History, O'Cnrry.
Sk Celtic Scotland, Skene.
H. S. D. . . The Gaelic Dictionary of the Highland Society.
Adamn. . . Life of Adamnan,^GGwes.
0. P. . . . Origines Parochiales, Cosmo Innes.
D. L. . . . The Book of the Dean of Lismore. J Dr. Joyce, Place-names of Ireland.
Cleasby's Dictionary of the Old Norse {Icelandic) Tongue, Whitley Stokes' Glosses and other works of his wonderful scholarship, Windisch's Irische Texte, and many more, I have had to draw upon.
DISTRICT REFERENCES
K Knapdale.
K Kintyre.
R Argyll.
0 Cowal.
L Lome.
P Appin.
E Kilmaillie.
G Ardgower.
S Sunart.
A Ardnamurchan.
V Morven.
M Mull.
J Jura.
I Islay.
" ARGYLLSHIRE "
By His Grace The Duke of Argyll Written for the " London Argyllshire Association," April 1902
IVho knows Argyllshire's story
Can tell all Britain's fate, Since there the Romans' glory
Broke, at her Highland gate, To leave to sons of Erin,
To bring the Scottish name, Where blessed by holy Kiaran,
A town has kingly fame.
For there the stone of wonder.
To Eastern Magic known. Was brought, the Oak thwarts under.
Great Britain's Crowning Stone ! Kinloch, Dunadd, Dunstaffnage,
Three forts of old renown. Safe kept that stone, the presage.
Where Scot shall wear the Crown.
"ARGYLLSHIRE"
Once more lona ! waken,
Wiih Choral song the deeps; Lift fear from hearts sin shaken,
Where great Columba sleeps : — Green isle of white sands — bearer
Of happiness and doom — Dyed with a hue yet fairer,
The Red — of Martyrdom !
Argyll's sweet dewy splendour,
Looks over Loch and Sound, Whose purple lights attend her,
Imperially crowned ; And kissed by loving Nature,
In Ocean's arms she lies. Fair fenced with hills whose verdure,
From Isle and Mainland rise.
She knows she gave the cradle, From whence has Empire grown,
And proudly minds the fable,
^^ Scots rule where stands yon Stone.'
INTRODUCTION
I HAVE undertaken this rather difficult piece of work, first, from a feeling that it ought to be done, and did not know of any one else anxious or ready to do it, and second, on behalf of the London Argyllshire Association, who have shown a keen interest in the matter, and readily undertook the considerable expense which the publication entails. I am quite aware that the work is far from perfect. No person could make it perfect ; and certainly no one in my position, with my poor scraps of available time, could do it better. I believe it is as nearly correct as any one could make it. I say this not for myself altogether, but because I have had the constant utmost assistance of competent friends, whose only regret has been that they could not assist me more. Their feeling of weakness, as mine also, has been because in a work of this kind, even fairly com- petent knowledge must fail when the outmost limits of reliable history and language are reached. The scope of such a work as this is practically without definite limits. In the case of Argyll this is peculiarly true. Far beyond the time of the Dalriadic kingdom, there was an intimate contact of the land, now and for so long called Argyll, with the hoary history of Ireland — a contact more easily felt than found out or definitely stated by any one searching in that way ; and far beyond the accepted Norse invasion of the early ninth century
\
xii INTRODUCTION
there is abundant evidence to show that the Norseman was a considerable factor in the historic dawn of the Western Isles and the West Highlands of Scotland. Then there is the great chapter of the Columban Church — one of the cleanest and finest chapters that has ever come into the life of any people — to which we owe more than can be easily measured or ascertained. There is beyond all this the fragmentary record of a past race and people which must have come appreciably into our making, and have left us a few "bed-rock" names, which are the despair of the historian and of the linguistic historian particularly. We know that they long ago passed away ; we know that they have left us a few of their bones in caves and " barrows " ; we beheve that they have left us fragments of their speech in our place- names, and perhaps in our language; we must believe that they have left us a few drops of their blood — and that is all we know or can believe regarding them.
The Gaelic language is the big factor in the place- names of Argyll — and it carries far. It has been there from the " beginning " as we appreciate time and tide. The Church did not detract from it, but rather added to its fulness. The Norseman tried to blot it out, as others have tried in later days, but it has survived and prevailed. It conquered the Norseman and his tongue, and it will do the same to all powers whatsoever. It is written in the rock. The first purpose of my effort is to make the writing intelligible, lovable, indelible — to provide a hand- book to the great original, that all sons and daughters, and even fosterlings, may know and understand the voice of the days that are gone, as spoken for ever by our native hills and streams and lovely valleys. I am sorry that I have had to present it ^m so barrenfform. I
INTRODUCTION xiii
could have clothed it here and there with a fine piece of tradition or romance, but had to refrain for reasons that may be easily understood. Any appreciable attempt in that way would have made the book too large, and would go altogether beyond its intent and purpose. I have no doubt that some day, by some one, my very dry skeleton will be re-covered in every limb with the flesh and blood of its great romance, and so restore its fine, full form.
The plan that I have followed (p. 22) I have found to be very helpful. It has the merit of historical sequence, and it has enabled me to go over this very large ground, as I believe, somewhat effectively. There may be omissions, and there may be errors, but I venture to say that from the one side or from the other, these are not very considerable. A very competent knowledge of old and modern Gaelic, as well as of the old Norse language, is necessary for the full interpretation of Argyll names, and while I may with some justice lay claim to the former, I cannot with anything like so adequate reason lay claim to the latter. Again, a full knowledge of local environment and history and tradition is necessary, which, in respect to some districts, I do not possess intimately. The local pronunciation of names, again, is often a great help, even a necessity — for in- stance, Killarow in Islay is there pronounced as the word shows, with the accent on the second syllable, but in Kintyre the name has the accent correctly on the last syllable, and this at once gives the keynote to the mean- ing of the name (p. 175). The tendency of the accent to come forward is strong to mislead. For all these reasons, error is always possible. Minute knowledge, so far, SQ wide, and so deep, can hardly be expected of any
xiv INTRODUCTION
one person. I have, however, had the help of competent men, natives of such districts as I do not myself know well, so it may be taken that possible error has been guarded against as carefully as it could well be.
Because the body of the book is so very hard and dry, I have thought that it might be well to indicate briefly the method that shows itself in our place-names. English neglected, and that prehistoric element already mentioned, the Gaelic language and the old Norse speech are the sources of nearly all the place-names of Argyll. The mental method, so to put it, of both languages is closely the same. The great number of names, from both sources, consist of two parts — (i) a general or generic part, and (2) an attributive or specific part. Gaelic, as a rule, puts the attributive second, the Norse puts it first, in the name. The Norse has ha-r-bost, the high-steading, or " town " on the high ground, the adjective being first ; but Gaelic has baile-ard for the same name, the adjective coming second. Both lan- guages use the adjective and the attributive noun- genitive, in perhaps the same proportion — the only difference being that just mentioned.
There are exceptions. In old Gaelic the attributive was nearly always first, and remnants of that usage remain in our speech, and especially in our place-names, to the present day — for instance, glais-bheinn, grey- mount ; Mor-vern, the sea-cleft {p. 102).
A few groups of place-name elements stand so dis- tinctly out from the main body of names that I refer to them specially.
INTRODUCTION xv
RIVER-NAMES
The River-names are the oldest, most interesting, and most difficult of all. Names like Fin-e, 6sd-e, Oiid-e, Sheil-e, seem to carry us back to the very limits of our knowledge and understanding. Ath-a, Foll-a, lol-a, belong without doubt to the same class, notwithstanding p. 69. The terminals are identical in sound — which is an indefinite-vowel short sound as near as can be to that of the English u in but. It is quite different from the unquestionably Norse terminal of Aor-&, Shlr-d, Lang-a, which is the full open a, as in English car ; and yet it would be as unsafe to say that these endings have not had a kindred origin in language, as it would be to assert the contrary. All that can be said with certainty is that the ending must mean water, or river, and that the first part is the specific, attributive part, and in these instances extremely difficult. The forms in -aidh, as Lbch-aidh, Mail-idh, Orch-aidh, are also old, perhaps as old as the others, and perhaps akin to them — the sound is that of English y, as it is expressed in Lochy, Maily, Orchy.
The names in -aig, -ail, -ain seem to come nearer to
ourselves, and to be easier understood in both their
parts. Dubhaig, Eachaig, Faochaig, Suileiff, are quite
easy ; so is Gaodhail, Cainneil, Teitheil ; and so also
Fionain and Caolain. These all, and such, are easily
within the reach of the Gaelic language of comparatively
modern time. Glas, as the river-terminal, in Dubh-ghlas,
Fion-ghlas, is certainly old. It seems to be essentially
the colour-adjective glas; and seeing that the old
nominative form is glais-e, there is a strong suggestion
b
xvi INTRODUCTION
that it might be classed withFin-e as a descriptive River- name of the very old time, the meaning of which in later days was forgotten or lost, so that the original compound name was looked upon as a simple word needing a new descriptive, which was supplied by Dubh and Fion. The ending in -lighe, as in Dubh-lighe, Fion- lighe (p. 77), is evidently the same as comes into the stem of Leven and Liver (p. 72). The River-ending in -ir is rare.
HILL-NAMES
The names of Hills are altogether fanciful. Figures and concepts of familiarly near forms and things are thrown against the sky according as resemblances in greater and remoter objects suggest themselves to the imagination. Cruachan (Ben) is the hip of the human body projected, and that greatly. Mam — a frequent name for round, smooth hills — is the human female mam7na, the "breast," or "pap," thrown into big per- spective, as is also Cioch, so finely figured in "The Paps" of Jura. Ceann, the head; Mala, the brow; Aodann, the face; Guala, the shoulder; Uileann, the ^^ elbow" ; and Ton, the podex, are all in the same way. Such names as Buachaill Etive, the Shepherd of Etive ; am Bord Latharnach, the Table of Lorn ; Greideal Fhinn, Fionn's griddle, are all of them, and many others of a similar kind, really fine imagining.
The general and most common names for large mountains are Beinn, Sgurr, Monadh, and Sliabh. Beinn — the English Ben — is always a distinct mountain, rising sharp and definite to a top or point, like Ben Dorain, Ben More, &c. The Sgurr (a variant of Sgorr) is a
INTRODUCTION xvii
scarred Ben, high and distinct as a Ben^ but rough and torn and scarred. Many a Beinn is sufficiently rough and torn to be named a Sgiirr, but when named Sgiirr the mountain name is always pertinent to its character and to the explanation given. The general name Monadh is that of a comparatively high mountain, not rising to a top, but long-extending and of uniform height in all its length. Sliabh is not a very common name in Scottish Hills. It seems to mean as nearly as possible not a definite Hill, but as much of a Monadh as can be seen from one side — with kindred in language to English slope, perhaps.
Maol, a very frequent mountain name, is simply the Gaelic word for bald, used in the same sense, only remotely, as it was used for the ^^ bald," or tonsured, Saints of the old Church (p. 75). The name as applied to Hills is distinctly fanciful. Meall — a Gaelic word also — is simply "a mass," or an indefinite ^^ heap," of a mountain, and has nothing to do with Maol. The N. Mul-r, again, which takes the same form in Gaelic as Maol, seems to have no kinship with the Gaelic word. The Norse word is always applied to a sea-promontory, like t/ze Mull of Kintyre. Many terminals in -mal, -val, are Norse Hill-names from Mul-r possibly sometimes, but certainly often from N. fjall and hvall.
Biod and Stob are not uncommon Hill-names. They are in a sense the opposites of the Gaelic Maol. They are pointed always, and, usually, comparatively high hills.
Torr, which seems to have remained in Cornwall more than in any other of the Keltic districts, is a hill, not very high, but always round and ** flat." The word Torran, the dim., is used of a mound, or even of a small heap or round elevation of even a few feet high.
xviii INTRODUCTION
TuUach is very close to the meaning of Torr, but it is always upon a high ground. It also carries the feeling of having some extension, as in Monadh, but on a smaller scale.
COLOURS
Names with Colour attributives are so very frequent that I have thought a note upon them would be well.
Ban is white, fair, and Geal is white, but there is a very interesting difference in their usage. Each ban, a white horse, is correct, but each geal is impossible in ordinary speech ; and yet the " white horse " of Rev. vi. 2 is each geal, a vivid and powerful picture which would be exceedingly weakened as each ban. Gille ban, a fair youth, is in good taste, but gille geal would be ridiculous and even offensive. On the other hand, nighean bhan is correct for a fair girl, but a certain condition of mind not only excuses but demands the use of geal. A beautiful love song has it —
Ged theireadh each gu'n robh thu dubh Bu gheal 's an gruth learn fh^in thu;
and in a song to "Prince Charlie" he is spoken of as " Mo run geal 6g." It is remarkable that he was almost always referred to, poetically, as a beautiful young woman. The snow is always geal by best right ; ban is geal — in the shade. The old word fionn, white, which is met with in old names, has lost its touch with the modern language.
Glas is of very wide and various usage. Each glas is the only correct expression for a grey horse, but ceann glas for a man's ^r^ ^^«^ would be quite unintelligible.
INTRODUCTION xix
It is always ceann liath. The pale horse of Rev. vi. 8 is rendered as each glas, which one feels to be wrong. The pale horse ridden by anaemic Death is not the grey horse of Gaelic, which is somehow peculiarly and ex- ceptionally in mental association with force and power and strength — and yet we speak of neula glas a' bhais, the pale shadow j or cloud, of death. The Psalmist is made to lie down in the green pastures, air chluainibh glas, and this seems to be an old and reliable value of the word. Islay-men speak ever affectionately of ile ghlas an fheoir, green, grassy I slay. Some may be disposed to think that this seemingly loose use of language shows an indiscriminating and obtuse mind in our language and people. It is not so. The touch and tinge of these words is outside the English language. The glorious gamut of the day-dawn as it comes down from the hill- tops into the valley, and the infinite shades of the even- ing, cannot be cast in even mental moulds nor limited by straight lines, Gaelic is the language of these, which grew from them and is of them — and that is the explana- tion of its fine and indefinite variety of shade.
Gorm and Uaine and Liath merge into each other and even into other shades. Gorm is roughly translated as blue, Uaine as green, and Liath has its most common and most correct usage in the instance already given. All three are used of the waves of the sea, and any one who knows the sea will not ask a reason for this. The blends of colour indicated by dubh-ghorm, liath-ghlas, blue-black and grey-green, while showing an effort to be precise in expression, show also the kinship of the colours so blended. Colours that are dictinctly different are never blended. Dubh-liath, however, is the Gaelic name for the Spleen, but this is not a difficult combina-
XX INTRODUCTION
tion ; it is a fairly correct statement of the colour of the organ.
Buidhe, yellow, has the same wide range of applica- tion as in English. It runs all the way from clay to gold up to the buidheag, "The opening gowan wet wi' dew," and it has most interesting "sidings," which cannot be here entered upon. I have a feeling that Loch-buy, M., is named upon the river, of the -e terminal (p. xiii.), and that this is the base of the name. Carnbuie, Dalbuy, Breidbuidhe, all K., are built upon it.
Dubh is black pure and simple. It needs no explana- tion. In the old language dubh was used as a noun, for ink. In all names it is now used as an adjective. Dorch, dark, seems to be related to dubh as ban is to geal. Geal was the highest white, as dubh was the deepest black. Ban is a degrading from white, as dorch is an aggrading towards black. It is impossible to say where the one ends or where the other begins.
Breac means spotted. A trout is called a breac, because it is "spotted," and so is small-pox, the spotted disease, and so are " freckles " the breaca sianain, the pretty ^^;;z-spots upon the human skin.
Odhar is one of the most difficult words in Gaelic to translate into English. It is usually given to mean " dun," but this dun is itself a Gaelic word, donn, and of quite different meaning. Odhar is a colour frequent in cattle, but rare in horses, in which donn is the pre- vailing colour. Odhar is a deep or dark cream colour ; donn is about half and half red (as red hair is spoken of) and black. The word is not far from the value of English ochre.
Dearg and Ruadh (for which English only gives red) have a wide range, from the colour of the " roe,"
INTRODUCTION xxi
which is the Gaelic ruadh-ag", right up to intensest scarlet. In such names as Bealach-ruadh the adjective refers to the red earth, or to the red appearance of the surface — in this weak sense. The gradation is practically infinite between dearg and ruadh.
Riabhach is usually translated as brmdled. The most exact meaning, however, is that it is the colour of the lark— ihQ riabhag. One of the "titles" of the Devil is an Riabhach mdr, the mighty singed-oney an expression that may help towards a correct understanding of the colour — and of other things.
Grisionn is literally grey-white, from gris, grey, and fionn, white. This also is translated brindled, but they are altogether different colours. The only element common to them is that they are more or less striped — riabhach, red a?id black ; grisionn, grey and white.
THE "DUNS"
The name Dun is always a general term, but some- times it loses its attributive and becomes specific, as an Dim, an Dunan. The primary meaning of the word is simply a heap — in fact, the " midden " or a dung-heap is an dim especially. In place-names the word means a low heap of a hill, or an old stronghold of wdiich the remains are usually to be seen. When the word has the latter meaning, it often has with it the personal name with which its story is associated ; as Dun-Aoidh, Dun- Askain, Dun-Abhertich, Dun-Bhruchlain, Dun-Cholgain, Dun - Domhnaill, Dun-olla(f), Dun - Mhurchaidh, Dun- Rostain, Dun-Sgobuill, &c. When it simply means a hilly the attributive is commonly an adjective — Dun-ban,
xxii INTRODUCTION
Dun-dubh, Dun-glas, or some fanciful association, as in Dun - losgain, Dun nam muc, Dun na muir - gheidh. Whether of the one meaning or the other, the Dun may be named upon its surroundings or neighbourhood, hke Dun- Add, named upon the river Add (which is really Fada, long, with f aspirated away), the fort upon the (river) Add. Dunstaffnage is the Dun fort upon the N. Staff a + nes, Dun-leacainn, the leacann-/^/// (p. i6), Dun-troon = Dun an t-sroin, the hill by the knowe, Dun- Charnain, the fort by the cairn (Fincharn, the white cairn).
THE FORMATION OF NAMES
I have thought that a short statement of the way in which names have been formed might be a help.
1. The simplest form of name would, of course, be a single noun, unqualified — but I have not found any. lie and Muile, and such, would appear at first sight to be of this kind, but they are certainly compound. Rum, which is the only quite naked name I can recall, must have lost its terminal part.
2. Single- Noun Names with the Article are quite numerous — an Calbh, an Cnap, a' Mhaol, na Torran, and so is this combination + the diminutive — an Clachan an t-6ban, an Crianan, na Feannagan. The ending in -an is masculine, that in -ag feminine.
3. Certain regular terminations come into names such as —
-ach {a) as one of the ; {p) the place of the ; {c) as the terminal of quality in adjectives — Breatunn-ach, one of the Britons ; Eirionnach, an Irishman. Names under {b) are referred to (p. 8), and diminutives of the same class. As
INTRODUCTION xxiii
adjectives, such words as biorach point-ed, Gobhlach fork-ed, creagach rock-ed, are everywhere.
-a for N. ey, island^ is constantly met in the island names — Diiir-a, Orons-a, Colons-a.
-a for N. a, river, is also quite familiar — Aor-d,, Shir-^, Lang-a.
-aidh, which has been already referred to in the River-names, has a locative value in such names as Largie, Lorgie, Machrie.
-aig, also a River-ending, is referred to (p. 8).
-ail is an adjective terminal, as well as that of Rivers. It is frequent in description — gaothail, wind-y ; grian-ail, sun-y.
-ar -air -aire, as in machair, Conair, Uanaire, is best translated as the place of. Machair has been derived from magh, a field, + tir, land, in the aspirated form of which t disappears. It is not impossible that all these terminal forms have come by this way. It is quite certain that all the fragmentary endings of names are simply withered fuller forms of the old time.
-ain is the gen. form of the dim. -an, as well as a River- ending for abhainn, river, or old ain, Water.
-ad as in leth-ad (p. 21) also means place, or land, as does also -as in Beam-as, the notch place.
-lach and -rach, in Seasg-lach, Muc-lach, and Muc- rach, also mean the place of.
All these terminations are found with the dims, -an and -ag, Luachair-ach-an, Cadal-ad-an, Giubhas-ach-an, Tir Aed-ag-ain.
TPIE NORSE INVASION
The Church chapter (p. 160) carries its own slight thread of continuity. A few more or less reliable facts
c
xxiv INTRODUCTION
will be helpful to run a thread through the Norse names. Our first acceptedly correct knowledge of the Norseman in the West comes from the closing years of the eighth century, when he is known to have robbed and ravaged his way down through the Western Isles as far as Man. It is, however, quite certain that he was in the Isles and the West for a long time before this — perhaps for cen- turies. At first he came for plunder pure and simple, but later on he thought he would come to stay. He took possession of the richer islands and of the fertile valleys especially. Argyll was indeed "the Dales" to the Norse records of the time. In a.d. 852 the Danish kingdom of Dublin was founded by an Olave, son-in-law of Ketil the fiat-nosed (Flatnef), who was at the time supreme in the Isles. A grandson of this Ketil was the man who pushed the Norse power into the mainland. There are two outstanding men in the Norse history of this time, namely, Harold the fair-haired, and Magnus, called Barelegs, because he took to the kilt, the dress of the conquered people. It was A.D. 1098 that Magnus set out for the conquest of the Western Isles, not for his kingdom or people, but for himself. "The terror of the Scots was his glory ; he made the maidens to weep in the Southern Isles ; he made the Manxman to fall." He was killed in Ulster A.D. 1103. From his time on- ward it was incessant feud and faction, until another Magnus, the man who sailed round Kintyre, attempted, in A.D. 1252, to consolidate the kingdom, and he suc- ceeded so far as the Isles were concerned. The Scottish king (Alexander III.), however, determined to have the Isles. Haco of Norway, hearing of this, came south with a great fleet that met with defeat and disaster at the Battle of Largs. This ended the Norse power.
INTRODUCTION xxv
Magnus of the Isles submitted to the Scottish King, A.D. 1264. He died the next year. In 1266 the King- dom of Man and the Isles came into that of Scotland, after at least 500 years of Norse rule.
I have to acknowledge most valuable assistance from my friend Mr. Henry Whyte, of Glasgow (" Fionn "), who has followed every word of the work with almost as much care and anxiety for correctness as myself. I am in- debted also to the Rev, J. G. Macneill, of Cawdor, the Rev. D. J. Macdonald, of Killean (Kintyre), Mr. Angus Sutherland, of the Scottish Fishery Board, and Dr. W. A. Macnaughton, Stonehaven, for their willing and very considerable help.
I offer the work to His Grace the Duke of Argyll, our Chief, who gave me every help that he could ; to Mr. Samuel Greenlees, our good, kind President ; and to the members of the London Argyllshire Association, as my contribution to the patriotic purposes of the Association, with only one regret — that it is not better done than it is. If I can, I may make it better some day.
I have put the groups of smaller islands, Canna, Rum, Eigg, and Muck, under the Ardnamurchan head- ing ; and Coll, Tiree, lona, &c., under Mull — simply for convenience. Working from the Ordnance Survey Map, I strangely enough took in the first group, which since 1891 have belonged to Inverness-shire. I should have been glad not to commit the mistake, for they are not at all easy — but " it is no loss what a friend gets."
My many cross references, although they do not
xxvi INTRODUCTION
improve the look or the readableness of the book, are all for the saving of space. If I did not use them, much explanation would be necessary vv'here they are used.
A few reference marks are wanting in the Gaelic Voc. It would entail a big labour to find them. I shall be thankful to any one who may locate them. I shall also be glad to have my attention directed to omissions or clear errors.
THE COUNTY NAME
ARGYLL, ARGYLE— EARAGHAIDHEAL
This is a very old name. It is much older than Scotia and Scotland, as these are now used. It was not till about the tenth century that the name Scotia got transferred from the north of Ireland to the present Scotland. It is well to keep this in mind ; it will be an interesting side-light upon the explanation to be here offered of the county name. No such name as Scot- land or Scotia is or was known to the Gaelic language or to the Gaelic people. The present Scotland was and is "Alba" always. Ilia regio quae nunc vacatur Scotia antiquitus appellabatur Albania (C. P. S.). Malcolm II. was the first of Scottish kings called " rex ScoticB " [circ. 1030). A writer of 1080 A.D. has " Hibernia Scottorum patria quae nunc Irland dicitur " — H.f the home of the Scots, which is now called Ireland.
Even the leading and great names " Alba " and " Scotia " have not yet been satisfactorily explained, but it is hoped here to be able to explain " Argyll." The Latin form of 'the name in old documents was " Ergadia " most commonly, but "Argathelia" some- times. Upon the first form a most distinguished scholar has based an outrageous interpretation, that the name means nothing more nor less than " cattle-stealers." Whatever of reason, much or little, may have been in the dictum of a Glasgow Judge, not so very long
2 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
ago, that " a man must be a fool to let a cow out of his sight beyond Dumbarton," it must be said that this derivation of the name is weak philologically, and cannot be accepted — even when it comes from Oxford.
The native pronunciation of the name is Eara- ghaidheal, as given, or Araghaidheal in the northern part, which prefers the open voice ; but the name is the same always. It is shown in (D. L., 104) a erle orreir zeil (the vocative, O thou, Earl of Argyll), where z=y, in its correct form ; so there can be no doubt that the true original form is Airir and Oirir-ghaidheal. Now, this first part is shortened from Airthir, or Oirthir, for the two forms are the same word and of the same meaning, and this again breaks up into two parts, air + thir. The last syllable is easy ; it is the word tir with which Gaelic people are very familiar. It means the land, or the earth, and is akin to the Latin word terra, of the same meaning.
The first part, air, or oir, remains in our language to this day in various usages, but all pointing in one certain direction. We speak of oir na sgine, the edge of the knife ; of oir na mara, the border or coast of the sea ; of oir na h-aibhne, the bank of the river — or the edge, border, forepart, always — and when we say an aird an- ear, the east, or eastern " airt," it is the same word that we use. It is the place of the rising sun, the Or-ient, as English people say — using a kindred Latin word. In the very beautiful old Gaelic " Lay of Deirdre," which is at least a thousand years old, the first lines are
Inmain tir an tir ut th-oir Alba cona h-iongantaib.
— a lovely land that land east-ward, Alba with its wonders.
THE COUNTY NAME 3
The forefathers of our Gaelic people were sun-wor- shippers, and in their worship they turned the face, the edge, the front, towards the sun rising from the east. The back was iar, or west-ward, the right hand was deas, or south-ward, and the left hand tuath, or north-ward. Our preposition air, which till lately used to be written iar, means after, or behind, just as it means west. We say air sin, after that, and iarthir, the West-land. To go deiseil, or to the right hand, was a right and luckful action, but to go tuathal, or to the left-hand way, was esteemed a wrong and unfortunate course always. All this is very simple and quite familiar to the Gaelic people, even if they may not all or always know what it signifies.
The oir-thir, therefore, was the " East-land," and oirthir-Ghaidheal was the " East-land of the Gael."
If there may be any doubt still remaining as to the origin and meaning of the name, reference to old Gaelic books and records will make it clear. A few examples will suffice.
Adamnan, or little Adam, who was ninth Abbot of lona after Colum-Cille, the founder, and died in 703 A.D., has left us two notable works : his Vision, called Fis Adhamhnain, and a Life of Colum-Cille. In a GaeHc version of the Life (L. B., p. 31) occurs is amlaid bias ferand inmeic seo .i. aleth fria muir anair (.i. inalbain) 7 aleth fria muir aniar .i. aneirinn — it is thus (or so) is the land (or province) of this son, a half against the sea in the east — in A Iba ; and a half against the sea in the west — in Eirin. This shows also how very close the contact was in this early time between the people of the north of Ireland and the west of Scotland. In a most valuable glossary, written by Cormac MapCullinan, King
4 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
of Munster, about 875 A.D., he says (under word airber), air then is everything eastern, but ir is everything that is western, i.e. Irmuma, West Munster; et ut dicitur Ara airthir, Eastern Arran. Again (under word Mug- eime, " the name of the first lapdog that was in Ireland ") he says, " Cairbre Muse, son of Conaire, brought it from the East, from Britain ; for, when great was the power of the Gael on Britain, they divided Alba between them into two districts, and each knew the residence of his friend, and not less did the Gael dwell on the east side of the sea quam in Scotica. . . . Cairbre Muse was visit- ing his friends and his family in the east, in Alba " — when he procured the dog. The word airther means a dweller in the east; nom. pi., airthir, " anterioruni qui Scotice indairthir nuncupatur" (Kal. Gloss.). Nairn airthir in domain, the saints of the East (land) of the world (F. A. 4) ; and
Sanct martain sser samail Sliab oir iarthair domain,
St. Martin — noble simile
The mount of gold of the West of the world.
— Kal. Nov. II.
It is not necessary to follow the matter any further, however interesting it might be ; there can be no doubt as to the meaning of the name. Argyll is " the East-land of the Gael." Let us take it now that this is clear ; we have still to ask, Who gave this name ? It is a Gaelic name in every part. It was given by a Gaelic people. A people, or rather say the dwellers in any country, are always named by those outside themselves. No people can rightly speak of an eastern land but a people living to west of that land ; and if a western people name an
THE COUNTY NAME 5
eastern land as the East-land of the Gael, it is an ac- knowledgment by them, and a proof to us, that even so early as the time in which the name was not even a name, but a description and a statement of simple fact, the people of the north and east of Ireland knew and recognised that the people of the west of Scotland were of themselves and one in race with them. The name Argyll was given by the Gaels of the north of Ireland for these very good reasons, and for a further and even better reason, if that is possible, namely, that there was no other people or person who could rightly give it.
Argyll was much larger in the old time than it is now. It covered the whole area from the Mull of Kintyre to the Clyde, west of Drum-Alban, as far north as the lower borders of the present Sutherland. The Book of Clan- Ranald speaks of the Isles and all the Oirir from Dun Breatan to Cata — -from Dumbarton to Caithness ; and the northern and the southern oirir is constantly referred to.
The eastern limit was Druim-Albain. The Tractus de situ AlbanicB (which, it must be said, seems to be not genuine) refers to Druim-Albain as " Montes qui divi- dunt Scotiam ab Arregaithel," the mountains which divide Scotland from Argyll. This name was in fact a general term covering the whole west of Scotland, which was, or was supposed to be, inhabited by Gaels — much the same as the word " Highlands " is used, and " the Highlanders " — a general term for all the people inhabiting the //z^//-lands — are spoken of in the present day. There is no " Highlander " in Gaelic ; it is a southern and English name.
In an Act of the Scottish Parliament in the time of William the Lion, Argyll was referred to as consisting of two parts, " Ergadia quae pertinet ad Moravian! " — the
6 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
northern part which pertained to the province of Moray, as against " Ergadia que pertinet ad Scotiam " — the southern part ; and in a statute of Robert the Bruce the same expression, " Ergadia que pertinet ad Scotiam," occurs, and it further refers to " terra comitis de Ros in Nort Argyl," showing that the west at least of Ross came under the name.
By process of a poHtical Hmitation which belongs to general history, Argyll got smaller and smaller until ultimately the present county is of very nearly the same extent as the old kingdom of Dalriada, which never at any time was co-extensive with Argyll in its full mean- ing. Not only this, but the name has come to be now actually limited to that district of the county which lies between Loch Fyne and Loch Awe — north of Crinan. This part is the Argyll, as spoken of by natives of the other districts north and south of it ; they always say "the County of Argyll" when they mean the whole administrative Argyll of the present time.
It may be said that there is nothing in the philological history of the name, either for or against either of the English forms. Argyle is the older form by far; it goes back with slight variations for hundreds of years. The form Argyll has no history, and is very modern.
By Edward H. (1310) : " Potestas datur Johanni de Ergayl recipiendi Galvidienses ad pacem regis Angliae " ; and in the same year : " Donatio terrae de Knapdale facta Johanni de Ergadia et fratribus suis si poterint eam eripere e manibus Scottorum " ; and what is very interesting, this John is " filius Sweinei de Argadia," showing a Norse strain. In a.d. 1255 Henry III. took " Eugenius (Eoghan) de Argoythel " under his protection, and " Duncan de Argatile " signs a document in 1244.
GENERAL TERMS
The words treated in this chapter are old forms which in their first use and application were simply descriptive terms, but which, in later days, have hardened into proper names almost always. It will be easily seen that they could not be adequately explained by the naked translation of the vocabularies, in which, how- ever, they all appear for convenience of reference.
The way in which the names of the different parts of the body come into place-names is very interesting and very instructive. A wise man, Heine I think, said that "the ego equals the non-ego," which means that man in his consciousness is equal to the whole world outside of himself — one of the most completely perfect statements ever put into words ; meaning that man, in fact, takes and makes the outside world to be like him- self, a sort of second self. This is, perhaps, the explana- tion for that the Gael gave the same names to the prominent features of nature as he gave to those of his own body — according as he saw resemblance. He calls one part or place Ceann, a head (which meets us in English forms as Ken-more, Kin-loch, &c.) ; another he calls Claigionn, a skull; Aodann, a face ; Suil, an eye ; Beul, a mouth ; Teanga, a tongtie ; Cluas, aji ear ; Sron, a nose, " knowe " ; Mala, a brow; Amhach, the neck ; Guala, the shoulder ; Achlas, the arm-pit ; Slinnein, the shoulder- blade ; Uileann, the elbow ; Ruighe, the forearm ; Glac,
8 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
the hollow of the hand ; so also Druim, the back, back-bone ; Cliabh, the thorax ; Uchd, the breast; Mam, Brii, Ton, Cruachan, Sliasaid, Gliin, Calpa, Cas, and others— all which are to be found in the vocabulary.
There is an important class of names ending in -ach, all of which are grammatically feminine nouns, and may be closely translated as the place ^-}-the stem. Thus giiibhsach is giubhas, yf r, + ach, the fir-wood, or the place where the fir grows. Fearnach is fearna + ach, the alder-wood ; so Beitheach, the birch-wood ; Droigh- neach, the thorn-wood, and others, named on trees and plants. Animals show in Gamhnach, the place of stirks ; Caipleach, the place of horses ; Mucrach, the place of pigs — from gamhainn, capuU, muc. Carnach, Cluanach, Criadhach, Easach, Lianach, Pollanach, Sgornach, Soc- ach, express the nature of the land or soil. Carnach is the place of the cairns or stone-heaps ; Cluanach, the place of meadows; Criadhach, the place of clay, and so on.
Akin to these, and following the same lines, are forms in -achan — the diminutives of names in -ach. We find Beitheachan G., Giubhsachan, Raineachan S., Luachrachan G.P., Caorachan, Narachan K. All these are grammatically masculine nouns because of the ter- mination— an.
Of the same nature are many names in -aig, -eig, which are diminutive feminine nouns. Clachaig, Creagaig, Driseig, are from clach, creag, dris ; Eachaig, lolaireig, are from each, iolair ; Grianaig, Claonaig, Crossaig, are from grian, claon, cross. Names of this termination are not always easy to distinguish from
GENERAL TERMS 9
names of similar form that come by quite another way. The Norse v/k, a creek or small bay^ appears in Argyll as terminal -aig; for instance, Ormaig, Alsaig, Askaig, are clearly Norse, meaning serpent-bay, eel-bay, ash-bay. Plocaig and Driseig and Dubhaig, on the other hand, are simple Gaelic — from ploc, dris, and dubh. Carsaig, Diseig, and Innseig, are not so definite, but any diffi- culty that may arise in this way can be easily settled by local knowledge. If the place is on an inlet of the sea it is almost certain to be Norse — at least in the terminal part. It is found that as a rule, if one part of a name is Norse, the other part is ; and it is so with Gaelic names also. There are exceptions, however, like Coire- dail, Uamh-dail, Acha-fors, which are distinctly Gaelic in the first part and Norse in the last. There is another very interesting check — a grammatical one. The Gaelic names of this termination are always feminine, but the Norse v/Ar-names are grammatically masculine, even though vik itself is originally feminine. It seems that the grammatical agreement in such cases is with the first element rather than with the second, and that the name should be looked upon as a compound noun. We have Ormsaig mdr and beag A., a form which would be impossible if the terminal was Gaelic. We meet with instances of the same agreement in purely Gaelic names, Cnoc-a'-stapuill m6r and beag K., and Creag- an-tairbh mdr and beag I. show it well. The former is simple — the adjective rightly agrees with Cnoc, or rather with Cnoc-a'-stapuill; the latter is very peculiar. The whole name is masculine, though the first element is feminine, and this for the very good reason that if the agreement of the adjective was with Creag, the right meaning of the name would be altogether changed.
10 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
The grammar of place-names is very instructive, but sometimes very troublesome. For full lists of these names, see p. i86.
Aber, which is so common in Pict-land, on the other side of Druim-Albain, is not met with in Argyll, unless we claim Lochaber. There is an Apper in Mull, but it stands for Eabar, mud. The word is, however, so interesting in itself and in its kinship that I have thought it well to include it. It is taken to mean a confluence^ formed from the old preposition ad with ber, to bring, like Latin af-fer-re = ad-ferre, to bring to or towards. It is important, however, to observe that the Argyll pro- nunciation is obair, not aber, if the word is initial in a name ; for instance, obair-thairbh, Abertarff. This would seem to offer a suggestion that the word may really be made up of od-f-ber, meaning outflow, and good confirmation comes from Comar = com -h ber, which is without doubt the true confluence. It is not likely that two words of different forms would start out from the same origin at the same time to express or describe the same thing. The correct explanation would, there- fore, seem to be that this aber, or preferably obair, is really the out-bear and the opposite of inbher, the in-bear, and that Comar from the same source was and is the com -|- ber, the bringing-together of rivers or streams — that is, the point or place at which the waters meet. It will be found that this explanation always fits the actual natural conditions. The word amar, the channel of a river, does not seem to belong to this family of names.
The adjective Ard, high, which occurs very often, may come at the beginning or at the end of names. Modern usage puts it at the end, the older language had it at the beginning, e.g. Dun-^rd, Ard-airidh.
GENERAL TERMS ii
The noun, Ard, Aird, which also is very common, usually comes first in a name — Ard-namuruchan, Aird- ghobhar, Ard-nahua, Ardincaple, Ardmaddy. It is almost certain that in all these and in all such, it would be more correct to write and to say ^ird always. There are, of course, reasons for the difference in form, but more is lost than is gained by the deference to physio- logical convenience which entails the change.
There is an -art, -airt, coming at the end of names which some have thought to be the same word as Mrd always, but this is open to doubt. There is nothing in Gaelic or in the Gaelic method that can explain the name Call-art, for example, but it can be readily and consistently explained from the Norse kaldr-jart, cold land, the -/art being of the same origin as the English word earth. Some others have thought that all these -arts or -iorts stand for the Norse word fjordr, a frith — the f being aspirated out by the Gaelic influence. There can be no doubt that this is true to a good extent, but that it is true all the way is by no means certain. Suain-eart, as Sweyris fiord, seems to be quite clearly Norse, but Du(bh)-airt, for instance, is as clearly Gaelic.
There are, then, four words which should be kept in mind, namely, Ard, the adjective; Ard and Aird, the noun ; fjordr, the Norse fiord ; and -/ort, -jart, lattd, or a district. There is, too, the word aird, point of the com- pass, as in aird-an-iar, the West, to which the Scots word "airt" is so closely related in form and usage as to prove it almost certainly to be one and the same word. The kinship of these again is with the Teutonic forms {^ov.jord, Ger. erde), rather than with the Gaelic forms starting from ard.
12 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Aoineadh. — This is one of the many words in Gaehc names which the English language cannot convey. The only right and sufficient explanation of the name is to see the place. It is, as nearly as it can be put, a rocky front rising sheer from the sea ; but every such front is not always named Aoineadh. The name usually takes the form Innie in English, and it seems to be akin to the Norse Enni, the forehead.
Aonach, a moor, heath, or high-ground^ is also a very difficult word to translate. The main idea is that of a good stretch of high, or rather say hill-ground ; and whether it is level or a slope does not seem to make a difference. It must, however, be a good stretch of such ground, and not cultivated, to be an Aonach.
B^rr is met with often standing alone, as well as in combinations. The word has a wide range of meaning, from ihQ point of a needle, the tip of the finger, staff, &c., to the top of the head or of trees, and of the head of growing crops. It was used of the " head of hair " in old personal names, e.g. St. Findbarr= White-head. The idea is the same always, and it is not difficult to follow it into the uplands, to which it is now most commonly applied as a place-name. It seems to convey the sense of an arable upland nearly always.
Caigean means a couple (of animals) — a pair of animals coupled by means of a wooden instrument which fixed their heads together. It was specially used for the taming of wild goats. Dr. Macbain's derivation is con + ceann, heads-together. The use of the word as a place- name must be from the resemblance of some natural features to such coupling. The name occurs in Morven, and Caichean occurs in Mull. It is difficult to say whether or not they are one and the same word.
GENERAL TERMS 13
Caipleach (see names in -ach, p. 8) means the place of the capuill, or horses. Capull was a masculine noun in its beginning like the Latin Caballus, but in later days it has come to mean a mare always, although strangely enough even now the grammar of the word is masculine and not feminine. We say Capull m6r, a big mare^ as we say Each m6r, a big horse, the adjective being masculine in both. This is a very interesting survival. Long after the word became, and has remained feminine, its masculine origin is asserted by its grammatical bonds.
Caiseal has more than one possible meaning in names : [i) a bulwark or castle (from Lat. castellum) ;
(2) a hurdle-wall, or a mound in a river for fishing ; and
(3) as Caisleach or Caslach (Cassley), a ford. We have in Islay a double form Atha-caisil.
Camus, a small round bay, from cam, bent or roundly crooked. This is one of the few Gaelic sea-names ; such names are largely Norse — 6b, geodha, bodha, sgeir, &c.
Carnach, a frequent name, is from earn, a heap of stones, a cairn. (See names in -ach, p, 8).
Ceapach, frequent in the English form Keppoch, has been said to refer back to an old Keltic keppo, a garden, akin to the Greek /c^tto? of similar meaning, but this is doubtful. It is clearly a Gaelic name in -ach, with ceap as the stem. Ceap has various meanings, but always in one direction, such as a clod, block, stump ; or Ceapach, the adjective, is given as ^^ abounding in stumps or trunks of trees" (H. S. D.). I am inclined to refer the name to the cloddy character of such lands as are so named.
Cleit, a rocky eminence^ usually by the sea, comes from Norse Jdettr, a cliff.
Comarach, a sanctuary, or place of safety, looks as if it might be related to Comar, a confluence, and this is not
14 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
impossible. The old "Sanctuaries" may have been situated at Comars by choice or accident ; but the old forms of the language do not encourage this origin of the name. Comairche is the old word for protection generally, but in later times it got specialised to the " Sanctuary " of a place of worship to which accused persons might flee for refuge, as to the old Hebrew city (Num. xxxv. 12). The root idea in the word is arc, defend^ which we have in adh-arc, a horn, and in treasairg = to + ess + arc, save.
Corpach is from corp (Lat. corpus), a body. There is a Corpach in Lochaber and in Jura ; and I have it from intelligent natives of both places that the name came from the fact that corpses on the way to burial — in the one case to Eilean Fhianain in Loch Shiel, and in the other to Colonsay — were rested temporarily at these places, because of weather or of time and distance. There is a Corparsk (!) in C. which looks like the same name.
Corran is a diminutive formed from cbrr, excess, out- growth. The name is applied to small, blunt promon- tories at which the tidal current runs swift. Some have thought that the name has had origin from Corran, a sickle, and the shape of the various Corrans helped to support this view ; so far as the word is, however, con- cerned, this must be given up, but as regards the fact, being descriptive, the error, if it is an error, is still a help. There is, indeed, no reason apparent why the two words may not have had a common origin. It is the same root we find in Corr-ag, the thumb.
Doire, a grove. The old form was daire (Derry), coming by the same way as dar-ach, oak, which itself is the genitive of old dair. The tree-names of early language are very mixed. The Latin larix and the
GENERAL TERMS 15
English larch are, in fact, the same words as the Gaelic darach, and the word tree itself is perhaps from the same source.
Doirlinn, an isthmus y or rather a neck of shore which the tide leaves dry at ebb. These are numerous. The elements in the word are do + air + ling, from an old verb lingim, I jumpy or spring, from which leum, a jump, perhaps because the tide came in so quickly as to juvip over the place.
Druim (Lat. Dorsum), a back, ridge. The word has many meanings, or rather say values. Druim- Albain, Druim - uachdair, and such, are very large dorsums, but between them and the many and small Drum-begs there is a long gradation. There is a Tigh an droma in Islay ; but it is, in a sense, a small affair compared with the Tigh an droma which stands on the back-bone of Scotland — upon Druim Albain. The essential meaning is, however, always the same.
Faodhail, a hollow in the sandy shore, retaining a considerable quantity of water after the tide has gone back. There are some good examples in North Ardna- murchan and in Islay. The word has taken a peculiar shape in the name Benbecula, which stands for Beinn na faodh'la. It seems to mean a ford also, and perhaps that is its value in this last name. This is a very good example of a word, the clear significance of which cannot be determined through philology, but only by the facts and circumstances of its position as a name.
Gart, Gort, and the diminutive Goirtean are of the same origin as the English gard-en cindgarth, an enclosure. It has nearly the same meaning at the beginning of names as -garry has at the end. The Norse is gardr, an enclosure. The Gaelic order has it first in compound
i6 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
names as Gart an doill, the blind man's enclosure, or patch of land ; Goirtean Mhuirrein S., Murrins enclosure ; the Norse has it second, as Olosary M., Kynagarry L, Olaf's farm and Queen's town.
The nearest value of the present usage is a fallow upland field, or a field or once-enclosed ground now gone out of cultivation, even if there is no enclosure now. In the old language f^r-gort, a grass-garden, and luib- gort, herb-garden, are met with, which suggests that the two ideas of enclosure and cultivation are contained in the word.
Leacann is applied to a hillside, from a portion of which the earth has been washed away, exposing a smooth surface of flat rock. The stem of the name is without doubt leac, a flag-stone, although it has been referred to leac, a cheek — a word with which I am not familiar. It seems to occur in the older language. The old form was lec. There was another word lecht, which meant a grave, according to Stokes, Windisch, and others — trusting, as would seem, to Cormac's Glos- sary. Leac is, however, the most common name for the headstone of a grave (usually a slab of slate or of freestone), and it is the name especially for the slab that covers a grave. So when Stokes translates relicc lechtaig, Mod. reilig leacaich, of a grave - abounding cemetery, one wonders whether he might not have come nearer the verbal meaning if he had put grave- slab instead of grave. It is, at any rate, quite certain that in the later language there is only one word, namely, leac, a slab of, or a flat stone, and that the other leac and lecht, if they ever had independent existence, are now lost, or merged in the remaining word.
Learg, the slope of a hill-side, gives Leargach K., which
GENERAL TERMS 17
has been softened to Largie, in Kintyre especially. It occurs also as Largy and Larki ; and in the Isle of Man as Largee, Lhargee, Largy. A good deal of this seeming softening of the terminal is due to the Locative form of the names.
There is another word Lairig", of closely the same meaning, the form in -ach of which would give these softened forms more readily, but I have not met with it.
There is a Lorgie K., but I prefer to take this from the form in -ach of lorg", the footprint of an animal, or a fath.
Machair, afield, carse, either by analogy with Largie, or from its own genitive in -ach, has also taken the softened form — Machri-hanish, Machri-m6r and-beag, K.
Maol is primarily the Gaelic adjective bald, though it is almost always used as a noun in place-names. The Norse tnul-r, ajtitting crag, takes the same form maol in Gaelic, and is frequent on the sea-coast. It may not always be easy to distinguish the one from the other, but local knowledge will give the necessary light. The Gaelic word carries the idea of bluntness and roundness of shape, especially in the names of inland mountains. The two words have merged in their grammar, both being feminine nouns in the later Gaelic, although the Norse word was originally masculine.
Morbhach, land over which the high tide comes ; literally muir + magh, or sea-field — a level stretch of land from which the sea has receded, but over which exceptionally high tides may come. Such land is covered with the short green grass and herbage characteristic of sea- land. Another sea-word, Muireach, has been confused with morbhach; but they are certainly different words. Mr. Moore, in his " Manx Names," says that for the
B
i8 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Mooragh at Ramsey the best rendering is the shingle bank, and with this I am disposed to agree, from what I know of places so named myself.
Peighinn, literally a penny, in names always means a penny-land, and Lephin (leth-pheighinn), a half-penny-land, as in Pennygown (Peighinn a' ghobhainn), the smith's penny-land ; and Lephincorrach, the steep, rugged, half- pen7iy-land. The old land-names are very interesting. The names in the West of Scotland were the Davoch, which contained twenty penny-lands, and the Tirung, the Ounce-land, which came by the Norseman, whose stan- dard measure of land value was an ounce of silver [eyrir). We meet with terra unciata constantly in old charters. The Tirung was nearly of the same size as the Davoch, for it contained eighteen or twenty penny-lands, which were so called because under the Norwegian rule each homestead paid a penny as scat or tax.
Ceathranih and ochdamh are also land - measures which come frequently into names, the one meaning a quarter of a Davoch, the other an eighth, coming into English form as Kera, Kirrie, Oct, Ocht, &c.
The whole subject of old land values and measures stands in need of correct investigation — and deserves it.
Rath is an old Gaelic name for a stronghold, or for a " residence," which in these early times evidently had to be well protected. It is common in Gaelic place-names, but more so in Ireland than in Scotland. It is found far away in the Gaulish names, Argento-ra/wj, silver-town. Cormac says it was " a circular earthen fort." There is an extremely interesting note in " S. T." — quoted from Curry : " A Dun is an elevated circular enclosing wall or bank, within which a dwelling-house was erected. A Dun required to be surrounded by a wet fosse or
GENERAL TERMS 19
trench to distinguish it from the Rath, which had no trench."
Ruighe, a shelling (H. S. D.), the outstretched base of a mountain (Mb), is almost certainly from the same origin as ruighe, the fore-arm, and the infinitive ruighe-achd, to reach ; hence, a stretch of high or of low ground to which cattle were sent in the summer-time to graze. There is not much difference in meaning between this word and airidh, for we meet with Airidh-shamhraidh and Ruighe-samhraidh in almost equal numbers. The airidh points to a high ground always, the ruighe to the low ground.
Ros, a promontory y " a point extending into the sea or into a lake" (C. 141). It means a wood also. In one place it means the one, in other places the other, and it has been suggested that the word may have originally and essentially meant a zuood-covered promontory. There is many a Ros that is not wooded, but most of them are. There is a Coille-ros, in Kilmaillie, which must mean the wooded Ros — a very correct description, although the form of the name is not familiar Gaelic ; so there is a possibility that the modern Coille, a wood, has been pre- fixed to an old ros, meaning the same thing — a process that is very common in the names of England, and which is not unknown in Gaelic ; for instance, Atha-Caisil (Islay). The Ross of Mull is a woodless promontory ; Coille-ros, in Kilmaillie, is a wood without much promon- tory— but "promontorium nemorosum " remains the nearest meaning of the true Ros. The two ideas are contained in the word — to the native understanding.
S^ilean is sail-linne, according to H. S. D., but this is not tenable. The grammar is against it. Linne being feminine would with the article be an t-sail-linne, which
20 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
is never heard. It is an s^ilean always — in masculine form. The stem is of course saile, tlie sea or sea-water^ and the name comes on exactly the same lines as clach-an, s6ileach-an, &c. Strangely enough, there is a Sailean on Loch Shiel where there is no saile. I must not risk any speculation upon the name, but it is extremely interesting.
Stalla, ^^ an overhanging^ shelfing, beetling precipice" — another of the words which cannot be fittingly trans- lated. It seems to be the Norse word stall-r, a block, or shelf, upon which another thing rests, and this idea closely accords with the nature of the places so named, In Ardnamurchan we meet with a very interesting old plural form, na Stallacha dubha, the black stallas, one sight of which would explain the word far better than any statement in words that can possibly be given. Tier upon tier of shelving rocks is the picture and the fact in the name.
Tairbeart, usually translated an isthmus, means more than that. The word is made up of tar+bert, the preposition tar, across, and ber, to carry, bear — quite close to the meaning of the Latin trans-fer. It is the isthmus over which, in early times, the people used to drag their boats from sea to sea. An isthmus need not be a Tarbert, but it is not likely that it would become a Tarbert were it not an isthmus. A look of the various Tarberts even on the map will explain them all at once. Although the name is Gaelic — old Gaelic — there may be a suspicion that it had origin in fact, though not in language, from the Norseman. When the " Western Isles" were conceded to Magnus of Norway in the end of the eleventh century, Kintyre was included in the " Isles " because he sailed round it by carrying his boats across
GENERAL TERMS 21
the Tarbert. I have not been able to make sure if Tarbert was so named before this event, but it certainly was afterwards. It may be so with other Tarberts also. As to the meaning and signification there can be no doubt.
Leth, a half, comes into place-names in interesting ways. Leith-ead is a brae, usually not facing another brae, and leideag is the diminutive of this = leathad-ag. Then Leitir, a very common name (Eng. Letter), is for leth-tir, half-land — always perfectly descriptive, meaning a hill-side without another opposite. Leth-allt is a single Burn, where, for natural reasons, two might be looked for ; so also Leth-bheinn, half -mountain, where there is a felt want of another. There are many other such words and names. In body-part names, which are also extended to the land, the word comes in very interestingly, and as a very good side-light upon the general names just mentioned. Leth-cheann is half-head, or a cheek ; Leth- shuil is one-eye (lit. half-eye) ; Leth-lamh (ach) is a man with only one arm ; Leth-chas is (having only) one foot. It is the same idea throughout.
THE DISTRICT NAMES
In this chapter I examine the several districts of the county from Kintyre northwards, and I shall keep as closely as I can to the following order : —
I. An examination of the meaning of the district name.
II. A reference to the English names in the district. III. Observations upon peculiarities of the grammar of Gaelic names, and upon difficult names. IV. Norse Names. V. Church-Names. VI. Personal Names. The names which I have classed as "difficult" are not all of them difficult ; but even the easier of them are such as I have thought to be worthy of a special note. Some are, of course, difficult in the fullest sense, and a few, I fear, are quite hopeless — at any rate, they are beyond me, for the present.
The simple Gaelic names, and those plainly Norse, can be easily determined from the vocabularies.
KINTYRE— CINN-TIRE
I. This is a purely Gaelic name. It means Land's- end, like French Finisterre = Lat. Finis-terrcs. The Cinn is a case form of ceann, a head, Point, or end, and -tire is the genitive of tir, land. The form Cinn has been called the locative case, because it is only met with in
KINTYRE 23
place - names, such as Kintra = Cinn-tr^gha A., Kin- gairloch = Cinn a' ghearr loch V., Kingussie = Cinn a' ghiubhsaich, Kintail = Cinn t-saile.
The treatment given by the Survey to the names of Kintyre is as bad as it is conceivably possible for bad work to be. It is altogether most contorted and ignorant and careless. There is hardly a name right. The Gaelic names are hopelessly bad in spelling and in grammar. Cockalane and Pollywillin are comically stupid renderings of Cnoc-alainn and Poll a' mhuilinn. Rhu-point and Pluck-point and Eden = aodan show pure ignorance ; Achabrad and Achavraid, Gartavaich and Achavae, Achaluskin and Gartloskin, for Achadh- braghad and Achadh-bhraghaid, Gart a' bhathaich and Achadh a' bhathaich, Achadh - losgainn and Gart-los- gainn, within short distances of each other, show extreme carelessness.
II. English Names come in two ways — as original names like Campbeltown, Carolina, &c., or as transla- tions, like Pointhouse, Oatfield, Whinhill, Todhill, and the like. This class of names will not have much attention. It is to be distinctly regretted that translations have ever been attempted or permitted. The old Gaelic names were poetical ; the translations are not. It is, however, fortunate that the Survey could only translate the very simplest names, which might even now, and with advantage, be restored. The old names they could not understand nor translate, and these therefore remain.
Difficult Names
III. For purposes of reference and of local interest and because the local circumstances are more clearly in
24 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
my own view, I have thought well to deal with " difficult " names in smaller areas than full districts, when I have thought it necessar)', and I put the names in alphabetical order. I mention the Norse and Church-names.
Crossie, Hervie, Largie, Lorgie, Machrie, and such, are forms that are almost peculiar to Kintyre. They all look like diminutives, but they really are not, at any rate not always, as may be seen under Learg (p. 1.6).
Norse Names are also numerous. All the -t/a/, or -dale names, are clearly Norse : Borgadale = Fort-dale, Cattadale = Cat-dale, Saddell = Sand-dale, Torris dale = Thor s-dale. These, with such as Ormsaryy Skipness, Cleit, &c., are all plain ; but still, Norse names present many difficulties.
Church-Names are very frequent, more so indeed than in any other district, and more so than in any other part of Scotland. The reason for this will be apparent from the special chapter on these names.
The Land-Names, especially in South Kintyre, are very interesting. There is the Pennyland and Penny- gown and Pennysearach, and Peninver, with Lephin- corrach, Lephingaver, and Lephinstrath. There is also Kerran, Kerafuar, Keramenach, and Deucheran, all which are explained in their place.
(i) From the South to Campbeltown
Amod is not a common name, but it occurs twice in K. It is applied to a green plain almost encircled by the bend of a river, or perhaps better to the meeting of two waters = N. d-mot, river meet-ing.
Achincorvey = achadh na-cairbhe (note).
Achinhoan = achadh nan uan, lamd-Jield.
KINTYRE 25
Arinarach = airidh nathrach (nathair). Arinascavach = airidh na sgabhach = Mridh+sgabh,
sawdust.
Ballygreggan and Ballygroggan are Survey render- ings of Bail' a' chreagain and Bail' a' chrogain (creag and crog).
Breackerie is for breac + Mridh and Breacklate for breac + leathad (pp. 19, 21).
Brunerican is part Norse part Gaelic — Brun (N), the brow^ or brae, of Brie, with the Gaelic dim. -an added.
Carrine, with caibeal Carrine, seems to refer to St. Ciaran.
Carskie = craskie (crasg), with the loc. ending (see Crasg and Learg).
Chiscan = sescenn, boggy land.
Christlach, Cristalloch (1695). Eng. crystal + ach.
Coiydrain seems to be coille-droighinn, thornwood ; but in Manx names a similar form is derived from Kuldi-rani, Cold-hill, where rani means a hog-backed hill.
Corylach is coire-chlach, stoney-corrie, or, even better, coire + lach. See p. 27.
Culanlongairt is clearly all of it Gaelic ; still it is difficult. Ciil is certainly the back, an is of, the gen, sing. masc. of the article, and long would seem to be a ship + art, one of the "arts" (p. 11). But, strangely enough, in old Gaelic, there is a word longphort, that through *' attrition " might come to this form of Longairt, which has been explained (glossed) as " castrum," a camp, ov fort, and there is, in fact, a *' fort " in close proximity to the name in K. The supreme scholar in our time, not only of Gaelic but of all languages, has failed with the word, and I do not venture to be conclusive. It may be mentioned, however, m this connection, that there are
26 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
several inland names in K. which look like Norse sea-words — for instance, lang-a, sker-oblln^ skernishy
and most likely this was a coast name in its beginning.
Ourrach is a level plain, a marsh, bog, or fen. It has come latterly to be applied to a race-course, but this is because it is a level plain, and not for any connec- tion with racing.
Davaar (island), which has been thought difficult to explain, is in my opinion certainly Gaelic = da bharr = da, two, and barr, which is explained at p. 12. The real difficulty is in finding the reason for the name. I suggest one of the following two reasons as probable : (i) that the island shows, as I am told, two points, or rather say prominences, on its summit, especially as viewed from the sea side ; and (2) that the island may have been named with reference to two Barrs, features or names, on the mainland opposite to it. This is a very common way of naming islands — compare Eilean Ghrianain, named on Grianan on land opposite — and if I could find two such Barrs I would favour this explanation ; but, though Barr-askomill is there quite fittingly, I cannot find the other ; whether it is there, or was there in the past but is not now, I am not able to say.
Feorlan is one of the land-names (p. 18). Feoirling is a farthing, therefore a farthing-land. The H. S. D. has feorlinn, the fourth part of a farm, but this rendering is doubtful.
Feochaig is based upon the stem of feoch-adan, the corn-thistle (see names in -aig", p. 8).
Gartnagerach (see gart and gearr).
Beinn Ghiiilean is most likely from gualann, shoulders.
Glecknahavil = glac na sabhal, or perhaps better glac an t-sabhail, with irregular Agreement.
KINTYRE 27
Glemanuil is not easy. Glem is not Gaelic, although the other parts seem to be. It may be a metathesis of Gleann-amail {note).
Glenhervie = gleann + thairbhidh (tarbh).
Glenahanty = gleann + shean-tighe, the glen (of) the Old-house.
Gleann na muclach is the Glen of the pig-kind. Muc \s a pig {ox 2^ boar), and -lach is a termination, meaning an aggregate or collection of the entities represented in the stem, for example, teaghlach, a family = teg, a house + lach, therefore a household, so with oglach = q%, young (men) + lach, &c. It is interesting to observe the frequency of the muc-names in Argyll — possibly suggesting the time when the " wild boar " was there,
Keprigan has same stem as in Keppoch (p. 13) + air-ag-an. Ceapair is "a piece" of oatcake on which the butter is spread thick and generous, in fact the best of the kind was spread with the thumb, " in heaps ; " and with an equally generous super-stratification of brown sugar, it has been known not to hurt the feelings o^^ hungry boys.
Remuil = ruighe + maol.
Sanish, in Loch Sanish, Machrihanish, is from sean- innse, Old-inch or haugh. Sanas, a whisper, or warning, is possible, but the former is correct.
Rudha-stathish contains the same Norse stem as in Staffa and Dunstaffnish. The -ish is for nes, with a Gaelic inflection of the genitive,
Trodigal is difficult. It is not Gaelic. It was Tradi- gill in 1695, and may therefore mean trddi + giil, the pen (fold) ravine.
IV. The Norse Names in this part are somewhat mixed. Borgadale (the "Fort" is there) is pure Norse =
28 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Fort-dale. So is Cattadale, Carradale, Ormsary; but Gleil' A'dale, Loch- oro- dale, Skerry Fell fada, Drum." lemble, Glen- ramskill, are mixtures. Glen-d-dale shows a very common form of hybrid word and name. The Glen may have been called gleann, long before the Norseman came. It may have been even called Gleann-abhann, Glenavon. When the Norseman came he called the glen d'dale, or Riverdale ; when he left, the native re- verted to his Glen, but kept the whole Norse form along with it, not understanding, nor perhaps at all thinking, of the meaning of these things.
V. Church-Names are Keil (high and low), Kilblaan = Cill-Bhlathain (p. 175), Kilchrist = Cill-Chriosd, Kil- chattan = Cill-Chatain (p. 175), Kilkivan and St. Coivin's Chapel = Cill-Chaomhain (p. 183), Kildavie is the Kil of David, Kilellan is Cill-Ellain, Kileonain is Cill- Adhamhnain (p. 179), Kilkerran is Cill-Chiarain (p. 170) Kilmashanachan (p. 184), Kilwhipnach seems to be named upon one of the old "Flagellants," Killypole is not a cill but coille, a wood.
VI. The only Personal Names are Johnstone's Point and Tir-Fergus = Fergus' land, and Rudha MacShannuich. I cannot, of course, give the origin of these, no more than I am likely to be able to give the origin of a good many such names that will meet us. Campbeltown was so named in 1680 as a compliment to the Argyll family.
(2) Campbeltown to Carradale
II. Translations are frequent : Hillside, Sealrock, Thornisle, Westport, Whitehill, Whitestone. Backs and Craigs are bac and creag, with the English plural form in s; Moy is quasi-English for magh, afield.
KINTYRE 29
III. The Gaelic Names are very badly done. I prefer to recast them than to explain them at length.
Achalochy = achadh-locha, loch-field, not Lochy.
Ardnacross = ard na croise, the aird of the Cross.
Aross (see N.), likely an imported name. There is no river here ; but aros is Gaelic for a dwelling.
Ballivain = bail' a' mheadhoin, middle-town.
Bealochgair = bealach-gearr, the short pass.
Breckachy = breac-achadh, the spotted field.
Bunlarie = bun larach— in loc. form.
Callyburn, or Killipole, clearly for coille, not for cill. Although both forms are corrupt, the one explains the other in a very interesting way.
Carrick (Point) = carraig, a rock.
Clackfin (Glen) = clach-fionn, white-stone.
Clochkel = clach gheal, white-stone also.
Crossiebeg = an crossadh beag, the small crossing,
Darlochan seems to refer to Durry = doire, a grove which is close by, therefore doire-lochan. Of course d^ir is possible, and even eadar ; and if there were two lochans I should prefer this last.
Drumgarve = druim garbh, the rough Druim.
Easach (Hill) = eas, a waterfall ■\- ach (p. 8).
Gartgunnal = gart + dhuineil {note).
Gobagrenan = gob a' ghrianain (grian).
Lagalgorve = N. lag-r- voll-r + garbh.
Langa would do for Norse langa + 4, long river, or langa + ey, if an island. It is most likely a late and imported name, like say Carolina, and has no local significance ; but it may refer to Barr Water which cer- tainly is a long river.
Leckyvroun = leac a' bhroin (fiat) stone of lamentation !
Maol a' chiiir (Hill-names).
30 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Peninver = Peighinn an inbhir, the Inver penny-land.
Puball {V>\\x\\)^te7it-biirn.
Putachan, Putachantuy, Corr-putachan, are all from put, a young moor-fozul, akin to pullei, and Fr. poiilet + achan (p. 8). The an in the first and third names is the diminutive, but an in the second name is the gen. article, with suidhe, a sitting, or sitting-place y so that -antuy = an t-suidhe. Cnoc-suidhe is quite near.
Sgreadan (hill) = sgriodan = N. skriCta.
Skeroblin, Skeroblingarry, Skeroblinraid — I am not able to explain satisfactorily {note).
Strathdugh (Water), rightly srath dubh.
Tangy = Norse tangi, a tongue of land, but the Gaelic teanga would do as well.
IV. Bauvr-askomill, Carradale, Gleann-/ussa, Guesdale, Ifferdale, Rhonadale, Torrisdale, Smerby, Ugadale (High and Low) are, as indicated, Norse.
V. Church-names are Killarrow (p. 174), Cill-Ch§,maig (p. 171), Kildonald, Kilkenzie = Cill Choinnich (p. 171), Kilmaho = Cill mo Choe (p. 181), Kilmaluag (p. 179), and Kilmichael. Killocraw and Killagruar are Coille Chno and Coiir a' ghriithair, the Nut-wood and the Brewer s- wood.
VL Personal Names. — Port Corbet, Cnoc Eoghain (p. 32), and Mac-Cringan's Point. The last is Rudha Mhic Naomhain, MacNiven's Point. It is the sequence of c and n that brings out the r in the Survey form given. Cn6 is in Gaelic always /r. Cro. See Killocraw above.
(3) Carradale to Tarbert
In this part the names are distinctly clearer and less troublesome.
II. Names like Queenhill, Rockfield, Scotmill, Stewart-
KINTYRE 31
field, are either English names or translations. Braids is Gaelic braghad with the English plural.
III. Achinadrian = achadh nan droigheann.
Achinafaud = achadh nam fod (see f^d).
Achavae = achadh a' bhathaich, byre-field.
Achnancarranan = achadh + nan, gen. pi. of Article + carran, spurrey + an unnecessary plural ending -an.
Achenrioch = achaidhean (pi.) riabhach.
Altgalvalsh = allt gailbheach {p.), furious-stream.
Ballachroy = Baile a' chruidh (see crodh), or, perhaps better Bealach ruadh (P.).
Beachmore = Beitheach mhor (beithe).
Cour (and Bay and Island), see Hill-names.
Deucheran=diubh chea(th)r(amhn)an (ceathramh).
Eascairt and Eascaird = eas -f ag + aird.
Freasdal, compare Glen Risdell = gleann-fhreasdail.
Garrachroit = garbh, rough + croit, a croft.
Garveoline = garadh {garth) Bheblain itiote).
Grogport is English. I do not know the history.
Kirnashie — is this the beautiful Coire na sith of Gaelic tales ; it looks like it — the fairy corrie^ or the corrie of peace !
Laoghscan (Cnoc) = laoighcionn {note).
Leamnamuic is for leum na muice, the pi^s jump.
Leanagboyach = lianag bhoidheach.
Refliuch = ruighe flinch, the wet ruighe (p. 19).
Reileiridhe = ruighe -j- leiridh {note).
Ronachan = ron, a seal + achan (p. 8).
Skible (Glen) is N. Skip-bol, ship-town — in the vicinity of Skip-ness =N.sA:/pa-/ies.
Taychromain = tigh a' chromain (crom).
Taynchoisin = tigh an choisin, little cave.
Taynloan = tigh an loin (16n).
32 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Tayntruan = tigh an t-sruthain.
Toitdubh = N. toft, a clearing -\- Gael., dubh, or per- haps better, doid, a croft, + dubh (F.).
IV. The purely Norse names are Crubasdal, perhaps Crossaig, DIrigadalj Muasdale, Rhonadale, Skipness, Sunadale, Ulgadal; but a' Chlelt, Rhu-na-/iao/r-ine, Povit, and l-alla-toll are mixed with Gaelic. Rhunahaoirine Point, for instance = Gaelic rudha, a point -{-Jidi. + 'N. eyrr, a gravelly beach, with a double Gaelic genitive ending -in + e. This is a most instructive name. Its growth must have been somewhat as follows : — (i) Whatever the old name was, when the Norseman came he called the Point eyr-r, the gravelly or sandy beach. (2) When he left, the Gaelic inhabitants, recognising that the place was a Point, and being familiar with the Norse name, they prefixed their own Rudha, from which would come Rudha na h-eyrr + their own necessary genitive termina- tion -in, and later still they added the final e which the gen. fem. of the language seeks after, although in long names it is commonly dropped. As a matter of fact, the name is always spoken as Rudha na h-aoirinn, with- out the terminal e. Later still the name of the sea-Point was transferred to a land farm, and when the English Survey-man came, he named the promontory upon the farm, and called it Rhunahaoirine Point.
V. Balnakill = baile na cille (with clachan), Kil- berry = Cill-Bhairre (p. 172), Kilchamaig, Killean = Cill- Sheathain, and Kilmichael = Cill-Mhicheil, are all the Church-names.
VI. The only new name apart from Church-names is in Eilean Eoghain, which has been explained to mean "well-born," like Gr. evyevrj'i.
KINTYRE 33
(4) GiGHA (Island)
I. The name of the island is Norse, gja + ey, rift-island.
II. There are a few English names, like Highfield and Newhouse, which are probably translations. There is a good example of a doirlinn between the Island and Eilean garbh ; of gamhna, sticks, as applied to island rocks, north of the Island ; and of a Tarbert between the northern portion and the southern and larger part of the island.
III. Airdaily = aird + aillidh, beautiful.
Allaidhe (Port), the stranger's port, or harbour. The root in the word is th-all, over, or across sea, or foreign. It occurs in Madadh-allaidh, fierce, or foreign, dog — the wolf ; and in All-mhurach, across-sea man, foreigner. Every foreigner was fierce and wild to the native " conceit." We made Brahma, the god of the Indian, our Bramain, the devil, and that the same faculty is exercised nearer home " is muckle pity."
Drumyeon = druim eoin (eun, a bird), or personal name, Eoin, fohn.
Ghlamaidh (Meall a') and Ardlamey = Aird a' ghla- maidh, from glam, devour, gobble.
Kinerarach = cinn + ear, east, + ar-ach.
Sgiathain (Port an), figurative from sgiath, a wing.
IV. Acha>-mbinlsh, CaXh-sgeIr, Grob -bagh are mixed Norse. Cara and Craro also are almost certainly Norse. Gigalum (island) is peculiar = gja + holm-r.
V. Cairvickuie = cathair, the chair, or seat, of MacKay.
VI. There is Port na cille, on Cara Island, but there is no indication of an old church.
34 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
KNAPDALE— ONAPADAL
I. This name is pure Norse — knapp-r+dal-r. The word cnap is, however, so very old in Gaelic and so general in European language, that it need not be looked upon as necessarily or essentially Norse, but there can- not be a doubt that this name came by that way. It is the same word as English knolf, or its older form knop. The Anglo-Saxon had it as cncBp, extremely close to the Gaelic sound. The Dutch and the German have it as knop, and there is in Cowal an gnob.
The cnap which gives the name to the district is the south point of the land between Loch Caolasport and Loch Sween, which rises very sharply to a rounded height of three hundred feet.
The dal-r, or dak, which gives the second part of the name, is without doubt the valley of the Abhainn-mh6r, or Great-river, which runs inland from the cnap for some six or seven miles. It is most interesting to notice that the middle a of the native pronunciation of the district name represents the old Norse r of knapp-r, which is now but rarely heard. There are other cnaps in Argyll district and in Lome.
II. The Enghsh names are few and of no importance. Ashens and Erins are hybrid English plural forms. Cruach na Bren-field is a very bad mixture ; Bren-field is for breun-achadh, vile-field.
III. The difficult Gaelic names from Loch Tarbert to Crinan are not many.
Achadh da mhillein = achadh + da -f- dim. of meaU.
KNAPDALE 35
Achachoish = achadh a' chois, a cave, or hollow.
Ardnackaig, perhaps fern, of Neachtan (p. 62). I cannot offer any other explanation.
Artilligain is the Ard of Uilleagan, whoever he was. The name contains two dims., -ag + an. Compare Tir- fet-ag-ain, Leac-oUagain, &c., perhaps Uilleam(h)-agan, a certain William.
Bailevaurgain = baile a' bhorgain, the farm of the little fort (N.).
Baranlongairt (see p. 25) ; but the position of the name here makes the simple rendering of long-airt quite possible.
Barnaguy = Barr na gaoithe, the windy Barr.
Barnashalig = Barr na seilg, the Barr of the hunt.
Baun is for bann, a band, or bond, which the position of the name also makes appropriate.
Cainikain = caineachain, dim. of canach.
Caoirain (Burn) is almost certainly caorunn, the rowan.
Caolas-port (Loch) = caolas (caol) + port.
Car-mor and Cour a' mhaim. See Hill-names.
Craiglin = creag linne, the rock by the pool.
Crear is criathar, a sieve, not an uncommon name for streams which " filter " through their course — one time below the surface, next in the open.
Cretshengan = croit sheangan, ant-croft.
Cuil-ghaltro = cuil -f gen. pi. of N. golt-r, a boar.
Daltot = dail + tobhta, turf-field.
Duarman (Cnoc nan) — same as torman, murmur.
Eilthireach (Cnoc nan) = eile, other, + tir-each, other- landers — therefore a pilgrim, or an emigrant.
Errol (Loch) is possibly Norse, but see p. 43.
Ghallagain (Eilean da) is for E. d^ Ghall-ag-ain, the island of the two {little) Lowlafiders, or strangers.
36 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Gleannralloch is most interesting. It is gleann (eada)r (dh)a loch, the gleji between the tzvo lochs (Tarbert). The r is all that is left of eadar, and the a is all of dha. Rowany (Manx) = eadar dha mhoine, between two turbaries {note).
lolaireig is iolair, the eagle, + aig. See p. 8.
Leirg (Gleann da) = the glen of the two leargs. See p. i6.
Naomhachd (Eilean), the island of holiness.
Odhain (Tigh), or omhan, the froth of milk, or whey (H. S. D.).
Orran = oirean, edges, borders, or limits ; pi. of oir.
Sgreagach (Lochan), scraggy, dry, parched.
Stighseir (Cnoc), based on Eng. stance.
Tayvallich = tigh a' bhealaich, the house on the pass.
Tiobairt (Blar an) the field of the well — the gen. of tipra, Old Gaelic ; mod. tobar.
Tiretagain = tir + Aed, now Aodh + ag-an, Aed or Hughie^s land,
IV. Norse names are few and they are mixed. Car- saig, Danna, Fascadal, Ormsary, Scotnish (Loch), Stor- naway, Ulva, seem pure Norse, but Ardminish, Ardnoe, Airidh-staic, Bailivaurgain, are mixtures. A.Td.-my-Des = Ard-niidge-ness, Ard-a,n- haug-r, the aird of the howe, ^iridh + stakk-r, Baile a' bhorg-a,m. Loch Sween (Suain), Loch Racadail, and Lussa are quite open to doubt. If the Norseman had never come to Knapdale, Loch Sween would be the beautiful Gaelic Loch Suain (as it is locally named) the loch of peace, or of sleep — so very appropriate. Racadal is Gaelic for horse-radish, coming by a metathesis of rotacal from Sc. rot-coll, which Jamie- son says means the burning root — but I prefer to look upon the name as Norse, in both its parts, rakki, a dog,
KNAPDALE 37
+ dal-r, dog-dale. Lussa also is no doubt Norse, but it is a little troublesome to find Cruach-lusach (the herb-abound- ing Mountain) standing some 1600 feet high immediately over the stream named Lussa. Cruach-lusach is quite good and pertinent Gaelic. Did this name pass down to the stream, or did a Norse stream-name get trans- ferred to the mountain ? The one and the other is possible. It is, however, perhaps safer to believe that Cruach-lusach comes by the local philologer, who did not know Norse or the Norseman, but took the mountain- name from the river.
V. Church-names are Killanaish = Cill Aonghais = Kil- Angus, Kilcalmonel = Cill Cholmain Ella (p. 169), Kilberry = Cill Bhaire, Kilmahumag = Cill mo chumag, Kimaluag = Cill mo Lu-ag (p. 179), Kilmory = Cill Mhoire = Kil-Mary. Kilmichael is evident, and there are such kindred names as lochan a' Chille Bhlathain, Cruach Cille Bheagain, and achadh Cill Bhrannain, although there is not now, if ever there was, any indication of their churches in the neighbourhood of these names.
VI. Personal names are : —
Domhnaill (Dun), Dun-Donald. This is one of the very old Gaelic personal names. Its elements and its existence as a name can be traced far away into the earliest forms of Keltic speech. The name means world- ruler — domno -f- val.
Dhonnchadh (Sgeir) is another of the old names — Duncan — from donn, brown or dun -j- cath, warrior, now battle.
Dughaill (Lochan). This name comes from the north. It means black- stranger, dubh + Gall, as against Finn-Gall, the fair stranger; the one was the Dane, the other the Norwegian of the Northern invasion.
38 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Imheir (Cnoc) = Ivor, Ivaar (N.) — as in Mac-Iver.
MacKay (Loch), a translation of Mac-Aoidh. See Tiretigan.
Bheathain (Port Mhic), Macbean, from beatha, life ; "son of life."
Eunlaig (Loch Mhic). It is almost certainly Loch Mhic-Eanlaig, which I am told means MacNeilage, locally.
E6in (Cladh) = E5in John's + cladh, burial-place. This is the same name as occurs in Cill (Sh)eathain, John's church (I.), and in the surname Maclean = Mac-(gh)ille- (Sh)eathaiii. The form Iain is modern Gaelic iov John.
Mh^rtain (Eilean) = Martins isle. This is common now, as name and as surname. The great Martin was Martin of Tours (p. i6i), and perhaps we may refer the name to him, all the way. The idea in the name is that in mart-ial and in Mars. It is from him we have Martin- mas, an f h^ill-Mhartain.
Thormaid (Barr) = Normans Barr, or high-land. A Norse name, Thdrr + mod:r, Thorr's wrath. By an extremely peculiar deviation it has become Norman, really a North-man in English form. Whether there is any bond of fact or imagination between the two words I am not able to say.
ARGYLL 39
ARGYLL— EARAGHAIDHEAL
I. This is the name given by natives of other parts of the county to the district extending from Crinan northwards, having Loch Craignish and Loch Awe on the one side, and Loch Fyne on the other. Why the old and far-reaching name came to be Umited to this district, I am not able to say, but it is the same name as that of the whole county.
(i) From Crinan to Furnace
n. English names are comparatively numerous, especially on Loch Fyne, in the south — Scotstown, New- house, Pointhouse, Birdfield, Rowanfield, &c. Most English names here are translations. Craigens and Tunns are Gaelic, creagan and tunna, with the English plural added.
III. Gaelic names are fairly well stated, but the grammar is sometimes different from that of the names of the northern part of the county, and from that ordi- narily accepted. Tigh an traigh, for instance, and Cruach a' bhearraich are in masculine form, though ordinarily, and perhaps more correctly, they should take the femi- nine forms, tigh na traighe and cruach na bearraiche (the latter, from beithir, a monster^ and not from bearach, a dog-fishy would be better spelled beathrach). On the other hand, Dalnahasaig is feminine, though it is usually masculine : dail an aisig, the field by the ferry.
Achagoyle = achadh gaothail, windy field. Achnaleppin = achadh na leth-pheighinn, half-penny {\a,nd) field.
40 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Barnakill is Barr na coille. Though the name shows the form of -killy there is no church there. If one is not famihar with a locaHty and even with its history, this -kill form may mislead. I spent months in looking for St, O'Craw, as I thought he was commemorated in Kilo- craw K., but he was not " among the Saints," for the name is simply Coille-chnb, the nut-wood!
Baroile = Barr aoil — the Barr where there is lime.
Barsailleach = mod. Barr seileach, the willow Barr. The old form was sail — compare Salachan.
Carnassary = Cam -f- asaraidh, pasturage.
Carron is on one of the sharp twists of the River Add, so it may have origin from Car, a twist, and an, which is a frequent formation of names. It is difficult to give the ordinary explanation of a rough river to the name here, even if we supposed that the name may have applied to even a part of the river here, where in fact it flows faster than in any other portion of its course. See Carlonan.
Crarae. Although the name looks crooked, it may be very simple. There is Craleckan = cra-leacann close to it, and Leacann River and Loch, which suggests that the Cra-leacann is the starting point ; from which it might be inferred that Cra was adjectival in both names, and that -rai = reidh, or smooth., or level (land), in the name Crarae.
Crinan = crion, small, withered + an, on same lines as Corr-an. Crion-ach is dry brushwood.
Deora (Port an), the Port of the exile. This is the source of the name Dewar — Bail' an deora (p. 58).
Drynlea cannot be anything but droigheann liath.
Ducharnan = dubh-charn, with dim., an.
Edderline = eadar linne, between the pools,
Eurach = iubhrach, the yew-wood.
ARGYLL 41
Gallanach = gallan, a branch; poetically a youth {note) — also a rock, standing stone + ach.
Garvanchy = garbh, rough, + an + ach + aidh.
Gilp (Loch), See Nant, p. 60.
Glassary = glas + ^iridh, grey or green^ ^iridh.
Karnes = Camus, a bay ; a very frequent name.
Kiarnan = Cea(th)r(amh)nan. See Kerran and Kirn.
Largie. See p. 16.
Lecknary = leac nathrach, the (flat) stone of the serpent. See p. 16,
Lochgair = loch gearr, surely an appropriate name, short loch.
Minard is for min-Mrd, the smooth dird. See p. 11,
Otter is oitir = od + tir. See p. 44.
Poltalloch = poll + taobh + loch {note).
Stronesker = sron iasgair, the fisher's knowe.
Tayness is tigh an eas, the house by the waterfall.
Tibbertich, a name in -ach, from tipra. See Voc. and p. 36.
Tomdow = torn dubh, the black hillock.
TuUochgorm, the green hillock = tullach -f gorm.
Uillian for uileann, the elbow. See p. 7.
IV. The Norse names are few. There is Scodalg from skoda, to scout + vik, Ortnaig=orm-r + vik, Rudale, and Inver-ae, in part.
V. The Church-names are Kilmartin = Cill Mh^rtain (p, 161), Kilbride == Cill Brigide (p. 160), Kilmichael = Cill Mhicheil, Killineuar = Cill an iubhair, yew church ; Cill Eoin, fohn's church.
VI. Eilean Aoghain is the same as Aodh + ain.
42 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
(2) From Furnace to the River Orchy
In this large area the names are almost altogether Gaelic, and, upon the whole, fairly good Gaelic. Such a name as torn an sgalaig transgresses the ordinary grammar, and yet strangely enough it cannot be con- sidered altogether wrong. The form of the word is grammatically feminine, but the meaning of the word is masculine, a farm-servant.
II. English names are very few. Ladyfield is English, but it may be a translation for dail na bain-tigheama, and Kenmore is only quasi-English for Ceann m6r.
III. The more or less difficult Gaelic names are : — Achanafanndach. See Fanans, p. 59. Achindrain = achadh an droighinn, thorn-field. Achintiobairt = achadh an tiobairt, well-field. Achnangonl = achadh nan gobhal, fork-field {note). Ardchonnel is Mrd -h coingheal. See p. 59. Ardteatle = Mrd -I- teitheil. See p. 70.
Bail' a' ghobhainn, the smith's farm. Balantyre = Bail' an t-saoir, the carpenter s farm. Barran is the dim. of barr, the small Barr. Beochlich (Allt) = beo -I- chloich, living stone {note). Bocaird = boc + Mrd, the aird or high-land of bucks. Bochyle is b6 -f choille, the cow-wood, Brackley = breac -{- leathad. Braevallich = braigh a' bhealaich. Brenachoil, almost certainly braigh na coille. Caolaran = caol, narrow^ -f- ar-an. Carlonan = car, a twist, or bend, + lonan. Chonnain (Innis), Connan's isle. He had a bad reputation among his fellows of the F6inn {note).
ARGYLL 43
Chroisg (Allt a'), a genitive form of crasg, which see.
Claonairt = claon + aird, the sloping height.
Corrbhile (Bun) = corr + bile, an edge.
Craim (Loch na) = loch na creamha.
Craleckan = cr^, red, bloody + leacann, or cr^dh.
Currach (a'). This ought to be an currach. See p. 26.
Dalmally = dail mMlidh, with Uachdar m^ilidh, sug- gests that the name has origin from the stream, which is the usual way. The name would therefore point to a very old origin, which has not yet been clearly determined {note). KilmaiUie is almost certainly from a different source, see p. 75.
Dailchenna = dail Choinnich, Kenneth's field.
Dougflas (river), an exceptionally old Gaelic name Dubh, blackj is yet in common speech, but glas for a stream is not, and has not been for a very long time. The name, however, like Finglas, fionn-ghlas, white, or bright, stream, is thoroughly Keltic, e.g. Douglas (here), Douglas (Man), Dowlais (Wales), Dub-glaissi, gen. (L. na h-Uidhre), which are all the same, and from the same source.
Drumlee = druim liath (Colours).
Drumork and Archan (river) seem to contain the same root, and the same as Aircaig (river), namely, old arc, black.
Drynich (Innis) = innis droighnich, the isle of, or by the thorn-wood, or Druidhnich, Druids.
Dychlie can hardly be other than dubh-choille, dark wood.
Earalach (Lochan), the gen. of earail, a warning, caution. Is this a dangerous lochan?
Eredinn. There is nothing in Gaelic that will explain the name but eiridinn, which means attendance upon.
44 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
or nursing of, the sick. There is hardly room to doubt that this is the same word, but why the place was so named is difficult to say.
Lobhair (abhainn) is leper-river, but in old usage lobhar was any diseased person. It is almost certain that this should be labhar, loud-sounding.
Oitir is the name given as "Otter," a sloping land by the sea — a /c»-land ; for old od, ad + tir, land, there- fore od-tir. It is Uitir in Luing.
Pennymore = a' pheighinn mh6r, the large penny-land.
Sallachry is saileach-^iridh, mod. seileach, willow.
Saunach from samh, sorrel = samhnach is the same name as
Sonachan (with dim. an).
Sgornach (ruadh) = sgor, Sc. scaur, Eng. scar, a cliff or a sharp rock -f- ruadh, red.
IV. The Norse names are few. Inverary named upon the River Aray is hybrid, the Inbher being Gaelic (p. lo), — aray Norse. More than one word is possible for the first part of — dor-d, e.g. ar, an oar, as-r, a ewe., and eyr-r, a gravelly beach, or bank. I prefer the last, therefore the Inbher of the sandy-banked river — for there can be no doubt regarding the final A = river. Shira (River and Loch) is also Norse.
V. Kilblaan (p. 175), Caibeal Ohiarain (p. 170), Kil- maillie (p. 75), Kilmun (p. 163), and Clachan, the stone church, are all the Church-names.
VI. Lochan Mhic Dhiarmaid = dia -|- ermit (are- ment, on-minding). Eng. Dermot means " God-reverenc- ing," and p. 95.
Cmach Mhic Ghaolie is not familiar Gaelic, if it is not for Mac fhaolaidh = MacLellan, " Wolf-son.'*
COWAL 45
COWAL— CbMHGHAL
I. The whole of the district between Loch Fyne and Loch Long is included under this name, for convenience, even if it may not be strictly correct. The district has been thought to have been named upon Comhghal, son of Domangairt and grandson of Fergus M6r MacErc, the founder of the Dalriadic kingdom — as Lome was sup- posed to have been named upon Loarn, brother of Fergus M6r. All this tradition, however, is open to doubt [note).
IL In the Loch-Fyne third of Cowal, English names are very few and of no interest.
in. The Gaelic names are very corrupt, especially on the south and east, where the English of the Low- lands comes into close contact. There are some names that are positive gems. Meall-an-T, for instance, is for meall an t-suidhe, with Coirantee for coire an t-suidhe in the near neighbourhood, as gloss and explanation.
I have, for convenience of reference, divided the dis- trict into three parts.
(i) From Loch Fyne to the Kyles, Loch Riddon,
AND GlENDARUEL
Achadalvory = achadh dail Mhoire. Dail-Mhoire is
the earlier name, with achadh added later.
Achagoyl = achadh gaothail, windy-field.
Achanelid = achadh an eilid, hindfield—W\ih Agree- ment exceptional.
Acharossan = achadh -I- the dim. plural of ros.
Achnaskioch = achadh na sg^theach, haw-thorn field.
Ardgaddan = aird ghad-an, the plural of gad.
Ardlamont is the Aird of the Lamonts = N. logmenn^ law-men — locally Aird Mhic-Laomuinn.
46 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Ardmarnock = Mrd mo Ern-oc. See Church-names, p. 184.
Ballochandrain = bealach an droighinn.
Broighleig (Cruach na), the C. (Hill-names) of the whortle-berry.
Callow = cala, bay^ cove — a very appropriate name, by circumstances.
Camuilt (Cruach) is cruach a' cham-uillt, winding stream (cam + allt).
Chamchuairt (a') = cam -f cuairt, a circling. Cuairt is used as a noun, a circuity with cam as adj., here meaning crooked, although essentially, and as a rule, it means simply bent.
Chuilceachan (Cruach and Lochan) is a peculiar plural form, from cuilc, a reed.
Corachria seems to be corr -f criadh, with wrong Agreement. Rudha m6r de chorachria, quite close, seems to prove this rendering.
Corr-mheall. See corr and meall.
Craignafeich = creag nam fitheach, ravens' -rock.
Dailinglongairt, which occurs twice at the head of Holy Loch, may quite well have its easy meaning from long + airt — in this position.
Evanachan = Eoghan + ach-an. This is doubtful, and exceptional even if right.
Ganuisg (Barr) = gann, scarce, + uisge, water. It is a very dry Barr.
Inens, on the Kyles of Bute, is the English plural of aoineadh = na h-aoinidh, p. 12.
Largiemore = an leargach mh6r (p. 16).
Lephinchapel = leth-pheighinn chapuU {q.v.), not Eng. chapel. Cf. Lephinsearrach, K.
Lindsai^ = N. //n, Gen. ///i-s-J-aig= v/A ; but see note.
COWAL 47
Meldalloch (Loch na) = the Gen. of mil, i.e. meala + the old Gen. of dail, therefore the Loch of the honey- Jield.
Peilige (Rudha na), Porpoise-point — "A species of sea-animals most destructive of the salmon . . . are found playing in the Clyde off the Castle. These are called buckers, pellocks, or porpoises " (St. Ac. — Dunbarton).
Portavaidue is for Port a' mhadaidh, dog-port.
Riddon (Loch) seems named upon a river {note).
Sgat (bheag and mhor), the small and the little skate (shaped) islands.
Stillaig is the -aig form with Gen. of steall, a spout, squirt, or drop. Eng. dis -stil. Better Stiallaig, from Stiall, a strip (of land),
Tilgidh (Carn an) from tilg, throw — the cairn of the throwing, perhaps of the shooting,
(2) Between (i) and Loch Striven, Glen Kin, and Loch Eck to Strachur
n. English names and translations are frequent. Southall and Springfield may be original English names ; but Milton, Salthouse, Loch-head (L. Striven), Midhill, and Little (River) must be translations.
in. The Gaelic names are, upon the whole, good, although there are a few that need correction.
Achnagarran = achadh nan gearran (see ge&rr), gelding-field.
Altgaltraig is allt + N. goltr, a boar, + aig. The re- currence of these ^6/^r-names, taken with the prevalence of the muc-names in Argyll, is very interesting. We may wonder whether the Norseman translated an old native
48 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Gaelic muc-name, or whether the wild-boar existed in the Norseman's time. According to Boyd-Dawkins, the wild boar was not extinct in Britain until well into the eighteenth century.
Ardantraive and Colintraive are for Aird an t-snaimh and Caol an t-snaimh, referring to the fact that cattle used to be made to swim, across this the narrowest part of the Eastern Kyle (Caol) into Bute.
Ballochyle = BaU' a' Ohaoil (p. 67).
Bemice is for Gael. Be^mach, or Beamas (F.).
Braingortan = braigh nan goirtean.
Branter (Gleann) is gleann a' bhranndair, gridiron^ but why ?
Conchra = con 4- chea(th)ra(mh), dogs' quarter (land), p. 18, or con, together^ + pi. of cro, a fold {note).
Coraddie = coire fada, the long corrie — the adjectival part being aspirated out, that is, fh is silent.
Corparsk — is it Corpach ? (p. 14).
Corrachaive = coire a' chaitheamh.
Craigandaive = creag an daimh, ox-craig.
Cruach (and Allt) Neuran is for cruach an fhiurain, the Cruach (Hill-names) of the sapling. Fh is silent, and n of the article fixes on the beginning.
Duilater = an dubh-leitir. See p. 21.
Feorlean is iht farthing land. See p. 18.
Finnart = fionn, zuhite (Old Gael, find), -f ^ird. Cf Finglas. This adjective is not now in use ; its place is taken by geal. See clachfin and clochkel.
Garrachra = garbh+chea(th)ra(mh), the rough quarter (land), p. 18.
Garvie refers primarily to the rough stream on which the farm is situated. It is from garbh, rough, so common as garbh alt, rough stream.
COWAL ' 49
Glendaruel, said to be gleann d^ ruadh-thuil, the glen of the two red floods or rivers [note).
Glenlean = gleann leathan, the broad glen, and Glen Kin, gleann cumhang, the narrow glen.
Inbherchaolain = Inbher + caol, narrow, + ain = a(bha)inn, river — the Inver of the river called narrow — an extremely descriptive name. Cf. Inverinan, p. 57.
Lephinkill = leth-pheighinn na cille, with the Clachan of Glendaruel, and the modern church, close by.
Robuic (Allt) = allt an ruadh-bhuic, roebuck Water.
Striven (Loch) is Loch Straven (1695). There is a strong disposition towards the narrow vowel in this district. I therefore prefer the old form {note).
Srondavain = sron damh, an ox, stag + dim., ain.
Sronafian = sr6n nam flan ; fian(t)ag is the berry of Empetrum nigrum, the black crow-berry, or Crake- berry (Hooker), or the Fingalians Knowe (F.).
Sgarach m6r (mountain), a variant of Sg6r and Sgiir, a scarred, notched, or jagged hill (Hill-names).
Tamhaisg (Creag an), the rock of the ^^ brownie!' This is from amhasg with the t of the article fixed on, like Tamhnach, from samhnach.
Tamhnach (Burn). This form comes of the Article, which has fallen out, an t-samhnach, from samh, sorrel. The same thing occurs in Morven. This t of the Article is the remnant of a longer word, which led to the aspira- tion and silencing of s.
Vegain (Abhainn and Inbher). This is again a name in which the terminal -ain = abhainn. Cf. Inbher chao- lain — the first part is beag, little, aspirated, therefore the small river.
50 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
(3) East of (2) to Loch Long
IL English names are numerous, as might be ex- pected. Southhall, Springfield, Salt-house, Midhill, need no explanation. Milton, Burnt Islands, River Little, are clear translations. Couston and Troustan are distinctly irregular.
in. The Gaelic names in the south are strongly perverted, and in some cases it is difficult to get them straight. In the northern part of the district the Gaelic names are good.
Ardchyline is aird a' chuilinn, the Air d of the holly.
Ardhallow is ard, the adj. high + talamh, land, there- fore the high-land.
Ardentinny = aird an teine, the Aird of the fire. I am not able to say whether the basis of the name is in the old Bealltuin or May-day need fires ^ or in the very common faire or watch fires. There can be no doubt as to the verbal meaning.
Ardnadam. Although the English influence is driving this name into something like Ard-in-adam, it is almost certainly aird nan damh, ox or stag height, but plural.
Ardnahien = aird na h-aibhne, the Aird of the river.
Ardyne (Point and Burn) with Glenfyne. The element here is Fyne the river = Fin-e, the bright river — the same as in Loch Fine. Compare Sheil-e.
Badd (The), a Hill-name from Gael, bad, a thicket.
Beach = beitheach, the birch-wood.
Blairmore is the blar mor, the great field, or moss.
ButhkoUidar. The first part of the name is biith, now meaning shop, but in older usage a hut, or booth, as in Eng. booth, Gael, bothan -^ coille( d)air, a woodman
COWAL 51
— therefore, the place of the woodman's hut. The first part meets us in other parts of Scotland as Boath, Both, and Bo(h).
Cluniter is for claon-leitir, the inclining or oblique leitir, p. 21. The 1 has dropped out because nl is not an acceptable sequence. It is the n that usually disappears, but the 1 in the first syllable has caused the retention of n rather than of 1 in the second.
Corlarach = corr + larach.
Corrow = an coire, the corrie (perhaps pi.)
Coylet is the caol-leathad, p. 21.
Cuilmuich is cuil (na) muice, the pig's recess or nook.
Donich (River, Beinn, and Inbher). Inveronich has the d aspirated out, as in Toberonchy for tobar-Dhonn- chaidh.
Dunoon is Gael. Dun-omhan, with nasal short 6. This is why I have given this spelling of the name. Some have said that the second part may be the same element as in Loch Awe, Gael. Loch Obha, with open short 0, but this is quite impossible. The form strongly suggests that the terminal is a noun feminine, and most probably a river name, which would be good enough if we knew that the name of the stream flowing at the foot of the hill was anything like this — and, even if we do not know the stream-name, the suggestion remains. Compare Dun-add, the fort on the (river) Add = fhada, or the long river. The form not being a Masc. gen, does away with the possibility of a personal name like Dun-Domhnaill, or Diin-Rostain, K., and also with the possibility of a descriptive second term like Dun-Mrneig, or Dun chreagaig, R. It must be a gen. Sing, fem. or a gen. Plur. masc, — the latter most unlikely. The whole feeling is towards a river-name in -an, and there is
52 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
nothing in the form against odhan, foam, as the base of the name. Omna is old Gael, for oak-tree.
Dornoch (Point) is a name in -ach, from dorn, a fist, therefore the place of pebbles, or round stones of the size of the fist.
Drumsynie = druim sine, from sian, a storm, therefore the stormy Druim. Cf. Loch Fyne, &c.
Eachaig" (River) and district also, seems to point to the district Eachaig, or the place of horses, as the origin of the name for all its connections, with the River and with Loch Eck = L. Echaig {note).
Finbracken = fionn + bhreac + an. Fionn is old Adj. white, clear, or bright, and breacan is a descriptive name in -an (p. 8), from breac, spotted or striped — the same as breacan, a tartan plaid. Compare Dubh-aig, and Liath-aig, L.
Gairletter = ge^rr-leitir (p. 21).
Gantocks. Gamhn(t)aich is a favourite name for stirk- shaped small island rocks. There is no clear reason against this rendering here.
Garrowchorran = garbh, rough, + corr-an.
Gailich (Ard na) is (aird na) gaillich, which means a place where cattle were wont to contract a disease of this name — an inflammatory swelling of the gums. Cf. Achinarnich, flux-field (in cattle also).
Glenfyne. See Ardyne. This is the same word, with f aspirated out, as it always is in the Masc. Genitive.
Glenkinglas is gleann + cinn-glas, the^/^« named on the head of the river — glas. See Finglas. It is not possible to derive the name from Fin-glas, although the suggestion is apparent. Ard-Kinglas is at the mouth of the river on Loch Fine.
Inellan. There can be no doubt that this name is
COWAL " 53
1-an-eilean, although it is not at all easy to be sure of the value of the first element ; and there is the further difficulty that there is no island within nameable distance, except The Perch, which is a very small thing now, even if it may have been considerably larger in the past. If the Norseman was not so remarkably absent from the names on the Clyde, and of this district, a duplication of the island n^iVCiQ might be offered as explanation — N. ey and G. eilean with the Gaelic article.
Inverchapel = inbher chapuU.
Laglingartan must be a Genitive form, from longairt (p. 25) = lag luingairt + an.
Letter may is either Leitir mhaith or L. mhaighe, the good (land) L. or the Moy-leitir.
Mhuinne (Goirtean a')— rightly Goirtean a' bhuinne, a stream, rapid current.
Miseag (Cruach nam) = minnseag, a yearling she- goat, from meann, a kid.
Poll Chorkan = pi. of core, a knife, or Eng. cork.
Restil (Loch). See Freasdal (p. 31).
Riachain (Eas) is from riach, tear., + ain, as in Inver- inain.
Sron bhochlan = sron bhuachaillean, shepherds' knowe.
IV. Norse names are not numerous. Ascog and Ormidale are pure Norse ; Ardlamont and AUtghaltraig are hybrids ; Abhainn Osde and Bagh Osde are also mix- tures. It is distinctly remarkable how few Norse names are in this district and upon the Firth of Clyde. It would seem that there was some check upon the Norseman in this direction, which he endeavoured to remove at the battle of Largs (October 2, 1263), and failed.
V. The Church is not very frequent in Cowal. There is Kilfinan and Kilmun, both famous churches, and
54 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
perhaps named upon one and the same Saint. In Kal. (Oct. 21 n) occurs Fintan .i. nomen artus .i. Mundu = mofhindu .i. Fintan, i.e. his name at first, i.e. Mundu my Findu, i.e. Fintan. So it is not unlikely that the whole district of Cowal came under this one religious name and influence from Kilmun as centre (p. 165). There is Kilbride also, and Kildavaig and Kilail, but I am not sure that the last two are at all Gills. There are several names about Dunoon which probably have a Ghurch origin, such as Gleann Moraig, Ard Fillayn, Kilbride Hill, and the Bishop's Seat. There is Kil- marnock Hill on Loch Striven = Gill mo Ern-oc, but there is no indication of his church.
VL Personal names, with exception of those in Eng- lish, are quite wanting. This shows the commendable good taste of the inhabitants of Gowal. It may indeed be said that Argyll altogether compares to great advantage in this way with other counties, some of which have been vulgarised exceedingly by "this craving after immor- tality" of small people.
LORNE 55
LORNE— LATHARNA
I. In this district is included all that part between Loch Awe and the sea on the west, from the foot of Loch Awe to Loch Etive. The usual and traditional explana- tion of the name is that it is that of Loarn, son of Ere and brother of Fergus Mor of the early Dalriads. A similar explanation is given of Cowal — that it was named after Comgal, a grandson of Fergus Mor. I am far from satisfied with this explanation, but I have none other to offer, better or worse. The old forms are no help. They are Ladharna, Lagharna, Laverna, without any plan or suggestion {note).
II. There are not many English names. Hayfield, Kirkton, Midmuir, may be translations ; Australia and New York are clearly imports.
(i) From the Foot of Loch Awe to Abhainn-
FHIONAIN
III. This district is nearly all Gaelic, and it is fairly well done, so that the exceptional names are not numerous. It is a little troublesome because of its broken west coast with its many small islands. On this west side there is a good deal of Norse.
Achinarnich = achadh an eamaich, murrain-field.
Avich (Loch, river, Dail-) = amhaich {of) the neck, most appropriate to the neck of land between the northern end of Loch Avich and Loch Awe.
Bailivicair is the vicar s farm — of Kilbrandon, no doubt.
Barnacarry = barr na cairidh. Cairidh is a mound,
56 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
or a semi-circle of stone, thrown round the mouth of a river, or at the end of a sea-loch, so that fish getting in there on full tide are left stranded on the ebb.
Barnaline = barr an ailean, the meadow Barr.
Barmaddy = barr a' mhadaidh, the dog's Barr.
Bhulais (Lochan a'), biilas is a pot-hook.
Biirrich-bean seems to be a double corruption of Beinn a' bhiiiridh. Buireadh means generally roaring or bellowing, but it is specially applied to the rutting season of deer.
Caddletown is perhaps a hybrid cadal, sleep, + town, for an old Bail' a' chadail, sleepy town, or farm. It is an Cadal-ad-an locally — of same meaning.
Cheallair (Loch a'), (of) the cellarer, or steward, of the (Monastery ?) Church of Kilmelfort.
Craignamoraig = creag na M6raig, Sarah's rock. The article is not as a rule used in personal place-names.
Craignish is Gael, creag + N. nes, rock-ness.
Dailermaig = dail + Dhiarmaid, which is locally pro- nounced Dhiarmaig (F.).
Dalachulish = dail a' chaolais (caol), the field by the Narrow.
Doirlin (on Loch Avich) is peculiar, where there is no tide— but compare Sailean on Loch Shell, p. 87. Of course fresh water lakes have their rise and fall, and analogy may account for the name.
Earna (Eilean na h-), one of the many forms of N. Eyr-r.
Eleraig and Elerig, and Eleric P., have their best explanation from lolaireig, p. 8.
Garraron = garbh-shron, rough-knowe, or nose.
Gemmil = geum, lowing, + ail (?)
Innie (on Loch Tralaig) is interesting as an Aoineadh
LORNE 57
on an inland lake, but there is a fine example on Loch Awe.
Inverinan = inbher-fhion-abhainn, the Inver of the bright river. There is abhainn fhionain, but it is almost certain that there is a repetition of abhainn here, and that fionain itself is fion-abhainn. Compare Glenfinnan = gleann fhion-abhainn.
Kilmhealaird is as nearly as possible the correct native pronunciation of Kilmelfort — perhaps Cill a' Mhill aird. See Meall (Hills).
Lagalochan = lag an lochain. It is quite a common thing that n of the Gaelic article drops out before 1.
LeacoUagain is leac + a personal name + the double diminutive ag-an, leac 01a(fh)-again.
Lergychoniemore = learg a' chonnaidh-mor. For the grammar of this see p. 9.
Lome (Corrie) must be referred to the same source as the district name.
Maolachy = maol-achadh, bald or bare field.
Mhadail (Sron) = mhadaidh + ail.
Oude (river). Compare Fin-e, Seil-e, &c. {note).
Pollanduich = poll an dubhaidh (dubh) — in I slay also.
Seil (Sound of, and Oban, and Loch). A now name- less river, Saoil (locally), may have been the starting- point of the names, but Saoil is applied to the whole island cut off by the Sounds of Seil and Clachan {note).
Tralaig (Loch), also based upon a river-name, tradh, a fish spear .^ ail + aig.
Turnalt = turn, a turn, + allt, a burn.
58 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
(2) From FioN-ABHAiNN to Loch Etive
Achcasdle = achadh a' chaisteil, castle-field.
Achleven = achadh leamhain, elmfield.
Achnamaddy = na madadh, dog (k'mdyfield.
Annat is the parent church of a monastery. Bishop Forbes thought the name was that of a heathen goddess ! This was the Annat of Kilchrenain.
Ardnaskie = aird an fhasgaidh, tke Aird of shelter.
Ariogan = airidh Eogain, Hughie's airidh.
Awe (Loch, river, Inver), are locally Loch-obha, but the river is Atha and Bun-atha — a very peculiar differ- ence (note).
Balindore = baile an deora, pilgrim-town {note).
Balinoe is a hybrid, baile an haug-r, or perhaps better, am Baile nodha, new town (F.).
Barachander = barr a' channtair. Was this the Barr of the cantor of Kilchrenan ?
Braglenmore and -beg — braigh-ghleann, "brae "-glen. The adjectival part being first makes the name a com- pound noun, and therefore takes the masc. adjectives
m6r and beag.
Cathlun is a lumpy an excrescence — a figurative name.
Ghaineachain (Lochan a') is the dim. of canach, eirio- phorum (Bot.)
Clachadow = clacha dubha, the black, or dark, stones.
Cleugh is a lowland Scots import. It is quite common in Lowland names, meaning a rocky precipice, or a cliff, and sometimes a glen. See Jamieson.
Cnoclomain = cnoc + lorn, naked, + dim. an. Loman is a naked, or needy, one, therefore the cnoc of the needy one, unless lom applies to the cnoc itself as being naked or bare.
LORNE 59
Coillenaish is coille + Nais, an old Gaelic personal name — Naish's wood.
Conflicts, at junction of Loch Awe, with river Awe and other streams, is simply a translation of coingheal, whirlpools, or meetings of waters.
Corachadh and Corlarach are corr + achadh and + l^rach.
Ghoromaig (Allt a') is either gen. of the personal name Cormac, or from cothrom, level. This last word is most interesting. It in fact means equal weight, ihdii which holds the beam level; therefore, the watershed, where streams flow, in a sense, equally towards both sides of the cothrom, or watershed.
Crutten (Glen), natively Gleann cruitein, is evidently named on the stream {note).
Dorlin, on Loch Avich, a fresh-water lake, is peculiar, see p. 15 ; but it is not more so than Ceann mara on Loch Awe, or Sailean, Loch Shell.
Fanans = na Fans., gentle slopes, pi. of fan. It comes into a bhan = a (bh) fan, downwards.
Feochain (Loch, and Rivers — mor and beag). The name has (xigin from the river, locally Faoch-ain. Faoch is a winkle, but the essential idea is in the shape — a whorl, and whirl-pool, the latter being a characteristic of these rivers.
Glenamachrie = gleann na machrach, the field- or carse-glen.
Killhounich, for Cill Choinnich (p. 171).
Kilvarie is coille a bharra (gen. of barr), the Barr- wood.
Livir (Abhainn and Inver) has in it the root lighe, a flood (p. 77). This terminal is not common in river- names. Cf. Leven.
6o THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Nant (Loch and Gleann). This is a very exceptional name. It is without doubt the same word that is met with so very often in Welsh names ; for instance, Nant (Denbigh), and Nant-Clywd, Nant-ddu (Brecon), Nant- garw (Glamorgan), Nant-mor (Merioneth), and many more. It is the same in meaning as Gael, gleann, and when we say Gleann-Nant we simply say Glen-glen. The word can be followed into Continental names. The point of great interest is how the name got there, a purely Cymric or Cymro-British word, from the lan- guage of a people that have never been thought to have entered the Highlands. There, however, the name is, and its origin cannot be doubted, and perhaps it is not the only one. More may underlie this than can rightly be inquired into here. Loch-gilp, for instance, may have its best interpretation through Welsh, as Loch-gwlyb, or as it was in Old Welsh, gulip, the wet^ damp, or swampy loch, which is not at all unfitting. There are, and there have been, other Argyll names which distinctly suggest that the Britons of Strathclyde went "beyond Dum- barton." The only Gaelic word which comes near the name, gilb, a chisel, does not seem pertinent.
Nell (Loch). This is simply Loch nan eala, swan- lake.
Pennyfuar is the Peighinn fhuar, the cold penny- land.
Siar (Loch) is the Western loch (p. 78).
Taymore = tigh mor, the big house.
Taynuilt = tigh an uillt, tlie house by the burn.
Tervin is most likely tairbhein, from tarbh, a bull — a masculine form on the same lines as feminine -aig names.
Thanahine = tigh na h-aibhne, the house by the river.
Tromlee (Loch) is peculiar. Trom-lighe is night-mare.
LORNE 6i
which this name almost certainly is ; but why so is beyond me. There is, however, lighe, a flood {t^. 77).
IV. On the west coast of Lome there is quite a number of Norse names, but there are not many inland. Almost all the numerous small islands here are Norse in name : Ars-a, Fladd-a, Luing, On-a, Orms-a, Shun-a, Tors-a ; and Asknish, Degnlsh, Eardale, are coast names. Rarey and Scamadale are inland.
V. The Church-names are Annat, Bailevicair with others, and Kilbrandon = Cill Bhrannain (p. 175), Kil- bride =Cill Brigide (p. 160), Kilchattan = Cill Ohatain (p. 175), Kilchoan = Cill Chomhghain (p. 178), Kilchrenan = Cill Chrethamhnain (p. 177), Kilmahu = Cill mo Choe, Kilmaronog = Oill mo R6nag (p. 182), Kilmelfort (p. 57), Kilmore = Cill Mhoire, Kilmary, Kilmun = Cill Mhunna
(p. 53)-
VI. Personal names are : —
Chaiscin (Loch Mhic), perhaps better Mhic-Ascain ; most probably a Norse name, akin to, if not the same as Mac-Askil, formed from as-kettil = ans-kettil, the sacri- ficial vessel {kettle) of the Norse Anses, or gods.
Ciaran (Eilean Mhic) is the dusky one (see Colours). This is the name and meaning of the two St. Kiarans. See p. 170.
Ghoinnich (Lochan diol). Cain-neach is the fair one, akin to the Can-nach and Cainneachain {Eiriophorum), or bogwool-plant. Diol here means revetige or satisfaction, and the name doubtless contains a history.
Guaraig (Lochan Mhic), the name Kennedy — of old Mac-Ualraig, from older Walrick. Mac-Quarrie, Mac- Wharrie, is a GaeHc name from guaire, proud, noble.
Isaac (Port Mhic) is a Biblical name.
Lachlainn (Bagh) is a Norse name in origin, very
62 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
likely Loch-lann, or fiord-la?id, itself ; therefore, Mac- Lachlan = a son of Scandinavia.
Mhartain (Loch Mhic). Martin was the famous Saint " of Tours " (p. i6i). The fox is strangely enough called an gille Martain, perhaps because March (Martius mensis) is his favourite time of activity.
Nechtain (Airidh). This is a Pictish name. It comes to us now as Macnaughton.
Roich (Lochan Mhic a'). Munro, which is of terri- torial origin, from Bun-roe, the foot of Roe (Ruaidh), a river in co. Derry, from which the family is said to have had origin (Mb).
(3) The Islands. — i Shuna, 2 Luing, 3 Torsay, 4 Seil, 5 Easdale, 6 Kerrara.
I. These are all Norse names.
II. There are no English names, excepting the per- sistent translations. Island, Sound, Point.
III. The Island in which a name occurs is indicated by its figure, as above given.
AchafoUa (2) = achadh + pholla, the gen. pi. of poll, puddle ^ pool. There is no kinship with Inver-folla.
Airdintrive (6) is Aird an t-snaimh, the point at which, as in C, cattle swam across to the mainland.
Aireig (Sgeir na h-) (2), most likely fanciful — the gland-shaped skerry.
Airdanamair (2), Aird -I- an + amair, the bed of a river, or stream channel.
Airdchoric (6) = aird a' choirce, oats- or corn-aird.
Bach (island) (6) = bac, a bank, hip, ledge of rock. N. bak, of same meaning. It is used with the Art. am bac.
Ballahuan (2) = baile a' chuain, lit. ocean steading or
LORNE 63
farm, which is quite pertinent, but the shade of differ- ence in sound between Cuan and Cumhang, narrow, which also is appropriate, is very small.
B^rr-driseig (2) = Barr + dris, bramble, + aig.
Bhearnaig (Port a') (6), particularly fitting to the Port or bay, which is exactly a notch or a bite.
Bhreaslaig (Rudha) (6)= Breasail (pers. name) + aig.
Cr6 (Port nan) {1), pen {io\d)port.
Ciiise (Sgeir na) (2). It seems impossible to give this any meaning, but through cos, a hollow, or a cave, even if this gen. form is not familiar.
Diar (Sgeir) (2). With Sgeir hhmdhQ, yellow skerry, Dubh sgeir, black skerry, and Glas-eilean all around it, one might readily think that this was Ciar sgeir, hoary skerry, especially because Eilean mhic Ciarain is next to it, within a quarter of a mile. I venture, however, to suggest that it is an(d)iar sgeir, the west skerry, with the old d of the art. reasserting itself, as we have it in deigh = an(d)eigh, the ice, dearc = an(d)earc, ///^j/><?^i^/^^(one), and in many other words.
Ellery (Hill) (6). See Eleraig (p. 56).
Feundain (Rudha na) (6), almost certainly funntain, the benunibment from cold. It is to be noticed that many Points are named in this way — from the exposure entailed in " negotiating " them. Compare Rudha nan Amhlais- tean, V.
Figheadair (Sgeir nam) (2), the weavers' skerry.
Furachail (Binnein) (2), the hill of watchfulness, or the watch-hill.
Griaraidh (Sgeir) (2), from griadhradh, roasting.
Gylen (na) (6) for gillean, lads — figurative.
Lkir-bhan (i), the white mare — on the same lines as the gamhna, rocks, which are so frequently thus named.
64 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Redegich (Rudha) (6) — almost certainly for r^itichidh, from r^idh, smooth^ r^itich, put things smooth, straight^ correct, ready.
Scanach (Rudha) (6). The word is Gaelic, but not now familiar. The root idea is in Sgan, disperse, scatter.
Seoul (Eilean) (2) — most likely N. skval, a squall. It is not Gaelic.
Slatrach (6) is from slat, a rod, or twig, + ar-ach, the place of twigs, doubtless from the woody growth there.
Toberonochy (2) = tobar Dhonnchaidh, Duncan's well.
IV. Orosaig (Eilean) (6) is Norse, and possibly Culli- pol (2).
V. The Church appears, perhaps, in Eilean mhic Ciarain (2), and in Port Phatruic (6).
VI. Rudha mhic Mharcuis — Mac-Marquis, from old Gael, marc, a horse, still remaining in the spoken language as marc-aich, a rider.
Lachlainn (Bagh). See p. 61.
APPIN 65
APPIN— AN APUINN
I have for convenience of reference included in this name the whole district from the River Awe to Loch Leven. I know that in doing so I am doing wrong, because the real Appin was never so extensive as this ; but as my purpose is only to examine names, I hope this transgression may be overlooked.
I. The meaning of the district name is clearly the Abbey lands pertaining to the Abbacy of Lismore — of Cill-mo-Luag — to which full reference is made under the Church-names. The older form of the name is Abdaine. It is frequent all over the range of the Columban Church. It takes the Lat. form Abbatia and Abthania in old documents. The Gaelic p comes of the double b — Coromarbhsat in Apaidh et xv viros do Sruithibh na Cille (I on a). An. Ulst., a.d. 986.
II. There are not many English names in this large area. Such names as Black-crofts are translations. Sea- bank is a new name. Dallens is an English plural form, added to an already plural Gaelic name — dail-ean, fields.
For purposes of reference, I divide the district into two parts.
(i) West of Loch Etive to the Sea
The names here are easily understood by one who knows them, but many of them have been spoiled exceedingly by an English affectation, which, strangely enough, has come from within and not from that outside
E
66 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
pressure which is so excusable on the Clyde border, for instance. Hardly a name has escaped this perversion on the low ground. This is now, however, done with. The names are as beautiful as ever when stripped of their outlandish garments.
Achacha is achadh a' chadha, the field of the path.
Achnacone is Achadh-nan-con, the dogfield.
Achnacree is Achadh-na-craoibhe, treefield.
Ardentinny is aird an teine, the fire height {note).
Ardtur = ard an tiiir, the height of the tower.
Acharra = achadh a' charraigh, the field of the standing stones, from carragh. The standing stones are there now.
Ardochay is ardach, with the loc. ending -aidh, from ard, high, + ach + aidh.
Ardseile = ard + seile. This last part is very old. Adamnan, in his Life of St. Columba, calls the Ardna- murchan river Sale, and it is Selli in D. L. The source of the name is akin to, or the same as, that of seile, saliva, still remaining in the Gaelic-spoken language — e.g. a' ghlas sheile, the water-brash. Although there is no river named Seile near this name now, it may almost be taken for certain that the stream flowing into Kintalen = Cinn an t-sailean, was so named in the past. The word must have been a general term, much the same as " Water " is used now in Kintyre — but very long ago.
Baileveolain = baile a' bheol-ain, from baile + a dim. of beul, a mouth, or Beolan, a person name.
Balloch, with accent on the first syllable, is bealach, a pass.
Barcaldine = am Barr calltuinn, the hazel- Barr.
Benderloch is beinn (ea)dar(dha)loch, the ben between the two lochs — Loch Etive and Loch Creran. This is now the district name, but it must have had origin from
APPIN 67
some mountain, almost certainly the very fine beinn bhreac (2324). Compare Beinn-ralloch and Beinn- mhor-luich — the Ben of the great loch (Lomond) — which shows a peculiar genitive, the same as in Beochlich.
Bhocain (Torr a') ^^ bogie" hill {sqq Hill-names).
Blarcreen = blar + crithinn, aspen-field.
Camus anfhais is, growth Bay, a reference, no doubt, to the good growth which one sees in a specially sheltered Camus. This is a very fine example of a Camus.
Chrinlet (Eas a'). Eas a' chrin-leathaid, from crion, very small, and leathad; p. 21.
Creran (Loch), named upon the river {note\
Cuirte (Camus na), court-bay. I cannot say why it is so named.
Culcharan = Ctil, the back of, + c^rn in pi.
Churalain (Beinn) = Cur (Hill-names) + al + ain.
Dalachulish = dail a' Chaolais, the field by the Narrow (Caolas) on Loch Creran.
Dalnatrat = dail na traghad, the field by the shore. This is an old genitive form. We find traighe, and even traigh, frequently in recent names, but tragha and this traghad are the old genitives.
Duirinnis is Norse, = dfr, a deer, or wild animal, + ties, and I have wondered if the best explanation of Duror may not be found in the same direction ; as d^r+k-r, with some word lost at the beginning — some word governing the genitive form.
Etive (Loch, River, and Glen). This is not an easy name. Many explanations have been offered, but none has been satisfactory. If we examine the name, one or two things are clear. First, the name is Gaelic essentially in sound and form. The terminal part, which we should expect to take the genitive form, is doubtless the locative
68 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
case-form, with which the GaeHc ear is quite familiar, The stem, then, is the only difficulty. There are several possibilities. There is 6ite and 6it-eadh, a stretching or extending, referred to the same root as is found in Lat. i-re, to go. This is quite pertinent and appropriate to this fine far-extending river and glen. There is again eit-ich, fierce, or gloomy, although this, being an adjective, seems to be out of the question. And there is dit-eag, a white pebble, which could easily give name to the river. I prefer to offer another rendering. The old Gaelic for cattle was ^t and even ^t-ibh, the exact form as it stands. This is the root element in feudail, cattle, in even the present-day speech = (f)-^t-ail. My defence of this in- terpretation, or rather my great witness, is that the grand Buachaill-Etive, the herdsman of Etive, is there looking after his cattle in the fine valley below. The name comes, as is almost always the case, from the river, and comparative instances are abundant — eg. Echaig and Gour, from horse and goat, in the rivers of that name.
Faodhail (Loch). See General Terms, p. 15.
Fasnacloich = fasadh na cloiche. The first part is a fairly common element in names. It carries the mean- ing of a point of land, level always and green, with a dwelling-house, or steading, upon it. The Fasadh- fe^ma on Loch-Eil is a good instance,
Fiannaidh (Sgorr nam) = sgorr nam JBann(t)-aidh, the heath-berry, Sgorr.
Fraochaidh is the heather-y place ; a good example of the locative form, which usually appears with terminal -ie and -y, as in Largie, Lorgie, Tangy, &c.
Gaoirean (Allt nan). It is strange not to find this word in the dictionaries, but it is a well-known Gaelic word. It means the dry dung of animals.
APPIN 69
Invernahyle = inbher na h-iola. lola here takes a Gaelic genitive form, but whether the word itself is Gaelic is open to doubt. lola is Gaelic for a fishing-rock, and it is quite possible here, but it is not probable. It is very interesting to notice that while this name takes the Gaelic article, Inverfolla does not. The river Folia is not now so named, although Inverfolla is there, show- ing without doubt that Foll-a was the name of the stream which joins the lola, about a mile up. There are one or two points of interest. lola, Illie, and Isla are frequent river-names. They are very old, and they almost certainly convey the same meaning. The root idea has been referred to the same as that in Lat. i-re, to go, or in this, to flow. The name may, therefore, be old Keltic. On the other hand, we must observe that the Norseman shows himself distinctly in this neighbour- hood. There is Erlska and Shuna, and especially Glen- stocka-dale in the next valley, so that with the terminal -d, the Norse for river, in both lola and Folia, we may be excused a suspicion that both names are really Norse.
Kintalen is Cinn an t-sailean, the head of the Sailean, and a very good example of a Sailean.
Lair (Lochan an), level ground, a plain, a floor, in the sense that "the floor of the glen" is spoken of — in fact lar is the same word 2iS floor in origin.
Leich is for leth-ach, and leideag is of the same kind = leth-ad-ag, where leth is a half, or a side, of a valley or district.
Lora is "Ossianic" and modern.
Lurgan (Beinn mo), a shank, shin-bone, tibia. One of the body-names (p. 7), although it is awkward to find the accent on mo in the Survey rendering.
70 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Muidhe (Leac nam) is a churn — the flag-stone of the churns.
PoUanach = poll, a vmd-hole or pool 4- an-ach.
Salachail = saile, willow^ -\- choill, wood.
Selma is from the same source as Lora.
Sgluich (Beinn) and Sguiliaird (Beinn) I am not able to explain satisfactorily.
Shenvalie = sean-bhaile, old farm. This is Shambelly, in Bute 1
Sian = sithean, a fairy-know e.
Stairchaol = staidhir, a stair, -f- caol.
Teitheil (Rudha and River) is from teth, hot, ■\- ail = (s)amhail, similis. This is most likely the explanation of the curious name Teatle (p. 72).
Trilleachan (Ard and Beinn), the pied oyster-catcher.
Triochadain (Loch and Achadh), trioch, a stripe, + ad -1- an.
Tynribbie = tigh an ribidh. Ribe is a snare, from verb rib, snare, therefore the house of the snaring, without doubt ; but what is the history of this house ?
(2) East of Loch Etive
Ceitlein (Allt and Beinn) — cannot now explain.
CochuU is the same essentially as Lat. cucullus, a hood, but in Gaelic usage it is applied to the outer skin, or husk, of fruit, as cochuU end, a nut husk.
Coileter = coill, wood + leitir (p. 21).
Copagach (Meall). Cop -H ag-ach, the docken-d^ah., the place of the cop-ag, which is dim. of cop, a top, or head, akin to German kopf, a head, referring doubtless to the floral head of the plant.
APPIN 71
Crulaist. The H. S. D. says a rocky hilly and Mb. suggests a derivation from cruaidh, hard.
Dalmally is certainly from a different source from that of KilmaiUie, which is explained (p. 75). The native pronunciation encourages the interpretation of a wet land, which is, in all instances, apparently correct.
Dalness is dail an eas, the field by the (rough) stream.
Dochaird = doch + aird, from dabhach, an old land- measure at first, and meaning a vat, but in some peculiar way has got transferred to be a measure of land, as, say, so much as a vat of corn would sow.
Dychlie = dubh + choille, the dark wood.
Eilde (Lairig). Lairig (p. 17) + eilde, gen. sing, of eilid, a hind.
Eileandonich is eilean + d6mhnaich, Lat. dominica.
Eunaich (Beinn) is from eun, a bird ; so, eunach is a birding, therefore a shooting.
Fiodhan (River) = fiodh, wood, + an, which last part is frequent in river-names. This is the wooded river. This same word is the name for the strong wooden frame in which the native cheese is, or at any rate used to be, shaped.
Gearr (Eas na) is the rough mountain stream (eas) of the hare. The word gearr, for hare, is not commonly used in Argyll, but in this name I think it is unquestionable. The word is really the Adj. gearr, short ; and in old Gaelic the hare was gearr-fhiadh, short deer. The adjective only now remains for the whole name.
Ghartain (Lairig and Allt a'), a variant of goirtean.
Glenorchy is in Gaelic gleann iirchaidh [note).
Glenure is gleann iubhair, the glen of the yew-tree.
Inion is na h-inghnean, the nails of the hand, another of the body-names. This is more likely the correct rendering of Inens, C.
72 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Innishail, said to be Pauls island {note).
Inveresragan = inbher + eas-ar-ag-ain. Eas is a rough mountain stream, and a water-fall.
Inverfolla. See Invernahyle.
Glenstrae = gleann + s(t)rath ? {note).
Hallater (AUt) = allt thaobh, side, + leitir.
Inver-ghiubhsachain = inbher + guibhsach + ain. See Fiodhain for meaning of terminal -ain.
Inverkinglas is another inver, and points to a Fin- glas, although it is then difficult to account for the k in the name, unless it be for Cinn-glas, the end, or the old inver of the glas = river.
Inverlochy, another inver, of loch-aidh, the terminal being a common river-ending, like -aig and -ain. Loch is an old Gaelic word for dark ; therefore, the inver of the dark river.
Leven and Liver, from lighe, a flood, stream, overflow
(PP- 59; 77)-
Mhoirlich (Meall a') the gen. of m6r + loch.
Oe (Abhainn and Gleann). " Fionn," who knows, if any one does, assures me that this is Abhainn and Gleann nodha, nodha meaning, of course, new, or recent. If there was any distinct change in the river course the name would be sufficiently explained. If there may be funda- mental objection to this, which I certainly cannot see, we must fall back upon the Norse haug-r^ a ^^ howe," mound, or cairn, as the essential part.
Riaghain (Meall). Riagh is a snare (round the neck), and riaghan is, therefore, the gallows. I do not know the local history.
Starav (Beinn). This can only be the same stem as in Starabhanach, a strongs stout person, or even animal.
Teatle (River and Aird). See Teitheil, p. 70.
APPIN 73
IV. The Norse names in this district are few. They are all on the west : Erlska, Shuna, Glen-stocka-dal,
Dlurlnnis. The last two are hybrids — the last taking the Gaelic innis instead of the Norse -& = ey.
V. Church-names also are not numerous. There is a nameless Kiel, and Ard-Chattain (p. 175), and Eilean Choinnich, and Eilean Mhuinde, and Beinn Mhaol- Chaluim, and that is all.
VI. The Personal names are in Baile mhic Cailein, the farm of Mac-Cailein. The names here need not have reference to the family of Argyll, although Mac-Cailein is the familiar Gaelic name for the Duke of Argyll. The name is simply Colin s son.
Dhomhnaill (Sgorr) — already explained.
Fhionnlaigh (Beinn), Mount-Finlay. The name seems to be Gaelic in both parts = fionn,y^z>, + laoch, a hero.
Ghoiridh (Coire). This name is common, especially among the Macleods and Macdonalds of the Western Isles, which would suggest that its origin was Norse, as it almost certainly was, even if it travelled all the way round from the Teutonic Gott-fried, ^'God's peace," or its forebears.
(3) LiSMORE = Lios-Mor
I. The name of the island is Gaelic in both parts — lAo^, a garden, and the adj. mor. This is the ordinary and local acceptance, but in older Gaelic lios was a stronghold, or fort ; and, for so small an island, it is remarkable how many Duns, ov forts, are there : an Dun, the fort ; Sean Dun, the old fort ; Dun m6r, the great fort, from which perhaps the name ; Dun-chruban, Diin- cuilein, and Acha-Dun, fort-field, from a nameless fort
74 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
on the west coast — so that a suspicion arises whether the name may not be from the great fort.
IL There are no English names.
in. Bachuill seems to be ba + choill, cattle-wood, but in a district so full of the Church it is not impossible that this is from gen. of bachuU, a crozier, with some governing word fallen out.
Balnasack = baile nan sac, sack-farm,
Choirce (Tlr a'), the corn-land.
Dobhrain (Bagh clach an), otter-stone Bay.
Eithir (Sloe an), from eathar, a ship, boat.
Faire (Tom na), watching, guarding — the watch-hill.
Sgeir sgoraig, the notch (sgor), skerry, both parts possibly Norse sker and skor + aig.
IV. Bemera (island), Frackersaig, and Pladda (island) are Norse ; Rudha kicd-Sirianish, Eilean Musdile, Eilean Loch Oscairj and Lochan TreshtU are mixtures.
V. The Church names are numerous, for the size of the island. Oill-ma-luag was the name of the principal church, and there is Port-ma-luag on the north-east coast (see p. 172). There is also Port Cill-chiarain, Killean = Cill-sheathain = John, Killandrist = Oill-And- rais, and Sloe a' Bhrigide and Ach-na-croise, the field of the cross, and the remains of a chapel on Bernera.
VI. Personal names are wanting.
KILMAILLIE 75
KILMAILLIE— CILL A' MHAILUIBH
I. This name has hitherto been made into Kilmary, but it is quite impossible to accept this rendering. The natives always call the district Cill a' mh^iluibh, as given above, a name which is well worth examining. There can be no doubt that the first syllable is an old AT/Z-name ; and because of that the second part must be in genitive form. It is so. The Article is in the genitive, and so also must be the Noun following, with which it agrees, and both forms are masculine, and not feminine. The part now written m^il is old mael, the tonsured one (Lat. calvus), which we have remaining with us in the name Macmillan (Macmhaoilean, or Mac(a'gh)-ille mhaoil) to this day. The terminal syllable is the only difficulty. Its form would suggest a dative plural case, but that is quite impossible when all the rest is a gen. sing, mas- culine. This compels us to see that this part cannot then be a Noun, but an Adjective, and without doubt dubh, black. The name, therefore, means the Kil of the black monk^ or of Maeldubh, for though the term is clearly a general term in its origin, it seems to have hardened into the personal name of certain men of the brotherhood, and that long ago.
It is surely interesting to find that Fintan, whose name is so well known in this neighbourhood, was a mael-dubh. In Kal. under Oct. 20, we find pais eutaic lafintan maeldubh, the passion of Eutychius with Fintan Maeldubh. This seems to be as suggestive as anything can well be, from that long time, that Fin(t)an of Eilean Fhianain was the founder of the Black-friars' Church of Kilmaillie, of which, even to this day, part of the walls remains in the old churchyard. He may have been
76 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
called Maeldubh from personal appearance, but far more likely, as I have suggested, from the habit of the brother- hood. Those black-friars were the historical forebears of the present Benedictines. It was Maeldubh, or a mael-dubh, who founded the famous Benedictine Abbey at Glastonbury, in Somerset, which, according to Cormac, was "a town of Alban," and which, strangely enough, has a very large place in very old Gaelic tradition. A Mailduff also was founder of Malmesbury, in Wilts, the very fine abbey of which still includes part of the walls of the old monastery. The old name of Malmesbury was Mailduff's-burg.
The old names, or forms, of the Lochaber Kilmaillie are : Kilmalduff (1304), Kilmald (1372), Kilmalzhe (1492), Kilmalye (1493), Kilmalyhe (1495), Kilmailzie (1695) — all which goes to show that the origin of the name here offered is almost certainly correct.
In a confirmation by Robert III. of certain lands in this district to " Reginal de Insulis," there occurs "terra de Kylmald," with a stroke across the stem of the d, indicating a final vocalic syllable which was not written. This again suggests that the gen. of dubh is the last part of the name, and this finally gives the native pronuncia- tion to complete exactness.
It must, however, be mentioned that the stream flow- ing by the church and churchyard of Kilmaillie is Allt Ciiil a' Chiarain, the burn flowing by Si. Ciaran's Retreat. If I knew that Ciaran was a mael dubh, which he most likely was, I should have put him for Fintan in all that goes before. The Annaid, quite near, with other things, gives the suggestion that there must have been a considerable monastery near to where now stands the parish church.
KILMAILLIE 77
II. There are no English names, but there has been a steady tendency to give English form to the native names."
III. There are some very interesting and old names. Achdaliew is locally pronounced achadh d^ leth-6,
with this last sound short, the only doubtful part of the name. With leth-bheinn, implying clearly another leth- bheinn, or half-hill^ or hill on one side with another opposite, standing over the achadh, I offer Achadh da leth-(th)aobh, the field with the two (half) hill-sides.
Banavie = banbh-aidh, ///^ //«^^ ^/z'^j. One reliable authority gives banbh as name for land left unploughed for a year — but there is little room to doubt the meaning here given. The end part is that so often met as -ie, and -y.
Chamaghail is for cam + dail, therefore rightly a' cham(a)dhail the curved field; it is in a bend of the river Lochy.
Chl^ireig (Aodann), is clearly aodann, a face (p. 7) + a stream name now lost. Compare Beag-aig, Suil-eig, quite near.
Corpach, see p. 14.
Dogha (Allt) and macan-dogha is burdock.
Drumnasaille is druim + saill, fat^ rather than saile, willow — evidently a good farm,
Dubh-lighe and Fionn-lighe, the black and the white rivers. This lighe is not now used in the spoken lan- guage, but the root li- is frequent in river-names. In Welsh, a stream or flood is Hi, which indicates the Gaelic pronunciation even better than the native form.
Gulvain = gaothail + bheinn, windy mount.
Loy (river and Glen) = laoigh, from \zsi^,calf. Com- pare Gour, Eachaig, Tairbh, &c., into which animal
78 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
names come. The river is really outside Argyll, but I have taken it in as an illustration.
Laragain (Gleann) must be from lar, floor (p. 69), or from lairig", which is doubtful.
Muirshirlich is very interesting. The correct native name is mor-, or, perhaps better, mur-siar-luich, and I venture a peculiar rendering. I take the last syllable to be the gen. of loch, as in Ben Vorlich = beinn a' mhor- luich ; siar is west — the motion-to form ; and the mur is, I suggest, for old mul, an eminence, and I think I have met the name so spelled in records. This is the first point from which a traveller coming down the Great Glen sees the western sea — Loch-Linnhe ; therefore, the eminence of the Western Loch (Linnhe) — Se non ^ vero k ton trovato !
Onfhaidh (Meall) is stormy hill.
Putachan. See in K. (p. 30).
Srachdach (an), better Sracach, from srac, tear; there- fore, the torn hill.
Siiileig (river), is from siiil, the eye, perhaps having re- ference to the " eye " of its source. This is the gen. form of siiil-eag, governed by, say abhainn and gleann.
Uamhachan (na h-) = na h-uamh + ach-an, a peculiar form of the plural not now used much. The Survey has the name as Wauchan ! It is Nahoacho in a grant of James IV. (1493), which perhaps deserves quoting. The grant is to Johannus Makgilleoun de Lochboye of lands (i) "in dominio de Morwarn " he gives the lands of Achenbeg, Yecomys, Kowelkelis, Achafors, Achena- gawyn, Henyng beg, Areangus, Corosmedyll, Cleynland, Carmawin.
(2) "In Locheale infra dominium de Lochabria" — terras de Banvy, Mikeannich, Fyelin, Creglong, Corpich,
KILMAILLIE 79
Inverate, Achido, Killmalye, Achmoleag, Drumfair- molach, Faneworwille, Fasefarna,StonsonIeak,Correbeag, Achitolleoun, Drumnasalze, Culenape, Nahoacho, Clere- chaik, Mischerolach, Crew, Salachan, et dimidiam Lyn- dally.
(3) And Achlenan, Drummyn, Achywale, Auchtycht, in Arnfflane, Aldachonnych, Dowderre, Yaore, Derna- mart, Barr — " in dominio de Moravia (sic.) Vic, In- verness."
This is a very good example of the very mixed forms of these old documents. They are wretchedly done, by persons who knew nothing at all of the names nor of their meanings, and evidently were not keen to know. One can see at a glance that there is not much to be learned from documents such as this, and certainly nothing adequate to the time wasted in examining them. One breath of the native speech, guided by the true native ear and understanding, is worth more than "departments" of this stuff — for the present purpose, and perhaps for any or every purpose.
IV. There are no Norse names in Kilmaillie.
V. No Church-names — except the district name, and one or two side-names already mentioned.
VI. There is not one Personal name, and that surely is not because there was not a man in Kilmaillie or Lochaber worth naming in this way. There were many.
8o THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
ARD-GOWER— AlRD-GHOBHAR
I. The first part of the name is aird certainly, and the second part has been always taken to be the gen. plural of gobhar, a goat. The meaning of the name would thus, and therefore, be the height of the goats, or the high goat- land, and there is nothing in the name to contradict this rendering. Some have, however, raised doubts, because the natives say Gleann na gobhar, so making the word gobhar, or the word so pronounced, apply primarily to the river, from which it was, as is almost always the case, carried on to the land-names of the Glen and the district. I have heard Corran dirde goibhre spoken of locally, which would seem to be confirmation that gobhar, a goat, is the essential in the name, unless indeed it may be taken to point another way. This expression uses the singular genitive ; the district name uses a plural. The singular form, without doubt, refers to the river- name as singular, and whether it is a piece of folk etymology is not easy to determine. The river-names of Gaelic are feminine, but that may be because they follow the grammatical gender of abhainn, a river, which is feminine always. The river-name of the district is the Gour, assumed to be gobhar, and this is neither im- possible nor improbable. It is remarkable how many rivers are named upon animals. A difficulty has been raised in that the natives say Gleann na gobhar, which would throw the whole burden of the name upon the river, and would leave the meaning of the river-name in doubt ; but, on the other hand, it has been denied altogether that the article na appears in the name, but only a bridge- tone, as Gleann (a) gobhar which helps, or is necessary
ARD-GOWER 81
to, the pronunciation. Lochan nan gobhar is on the river course, and regarding this or its clear meaning there can be no doubt. So it is almost quite safe to say that the Gaelic gobhar, a goaty is here the principal element in the name.
II. There are no English names, and no attempt to translate.
III. The grammar and form of names are good. In fact, one wonders whether the touch of a vanished hand, that of the lovely man and scholar of Kilmaillie, is not yet visible in these names on both sides of Loch Eil. There are not many troublesome names.
Achafubil = achadh a' phubaill, tent-field (Lat. papilio ; Eng. pavilion).
Arihoulan = ^iridh Ualain = Valentines ^iridh, a name which was not uncommon in the old time.
Beathaig (Mam), a stream-name + mam (Hills).
Bheitheachain (Creag) is beithe, birch, + ach-ain.
Blathaich = blath, warm, sheltered^ + aidh.
Callop = calpa, the calf of the leg — a body-name.
Chreagain (Sron a'), would point to the rock — i.e. knowe — but the local pronunciation is Sron a' chrith-eag- ain, which would, if that was possible, and I am not able to say, make the name aspen-tree knowe or nose.
Clovulin = cladh, burial-place by the mill.
Conaghleann = the river-name + gleann {note).
Conaire, from con, dogs, or con, together {note).
Duisky = dubh-uisge, black water stream.
Garbhan = garbh, rough, + dim. -an (p. 41).
lall (Loch), from iall (pi.), a thong {note).
Salachan = seileach-an, the place of the willows, -f- dim. -an.
Sleaghach (Doire), from sleagh, a spear, + ach.
F
82 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Tarbert, here, as in other places, is from Loch (Eil) to Loch (Shiel). See p. 20.
IV. There are a few Norse names along the coast. Camus nan Gall and Eilean nan Gall are a memorial of the Viking-r. Trlsleig is a Norse-named bay. Inver- scaddle, which is inbher-sca^-cfa//, is Norse in its last two parts. The river may have been named Scat by the Norseman, whence Scat-dale, which the native thought was the river-name, and he prefixed his own inbher. The only Norse word which seems to fit the name is scat, a tax, or rent, and therefore it might be rent-dale, for some reason of Viking=r economics that perhaps can never be known. Inversanda = inbher sand -\- a, river. Feith, a bog — Feith-raoiceadail suggests Norse, but it is a simple and common Gaelic form from raoic, roar, or bellow.
V. There is only one Church-name, Kiel, in the district.
VI. Bheathain (Stob mhic) is in English form Macbean, Macbain, Macvean, &c., from beatha, life — therefore, " son of life."
Eacharn (Sgorr mhic). The name comes from each, horse, -f tighearna, lord., or knight. There is in the Book of Leinster^ referring to a raid into Kintyre, tain teora nerc ecdach, with which it is surely interesting to compare Ptolemy's Epidium Proinontorium, and Prof. MacKinnon's observation that this was the primal home of the MacEacherns.
Mhic a' Phee (his Camus). This is one of the oldest personal Gaelic names in existence. It is dubh + sith, the black (one) of peace. It is in Irish names common as Duffy. Its plan and concept go far away beyond those of even our old names.
SUNART 83
S U N ART— SU AINE ART
I. This is a purely Norse nd.me = Sweyn's fjord or /rt/A. The name is found as Swynwort (1392), Swyn- fiurd (1499), Soynfort (1505), Swnorthe (1517), Swynfurd (1543), called "Isle of Shunard" (1667), and Swenard (1723) — all of which leaves no doubt as to the origin of the name. The "Isle of Shunard" has its ex- planation in "TheTarbert" from Loch Linne to Loch Sunart, although it does not make an isle of Sunart but of Morven — in the same sense as Kintyre was made an island (p. 20). It often happens that a sea-name is transferred to the land and is again, as here, also carried back to the sea. Suaineart was a sea-name at first ; then, the district was named Suaineart, and then the district name was again carried back to the sea — as Loch Sunart. There is a Suaine-port a few miles down the loch, and Loch Sween in K. is almost certainly of the same origin. The Sweyn who made his mark was a Dane, father of the Canute of British history. He overcame Norway about A.D. 1000, and England some years later, and in the meantime the whole west of Scotland.
II. The English names are few, and they are mostly all translations, hke Longrigg,for lomaire fada and Wood- end for old Ceann na coille. Scotstown is a memory of the time when Lowlanders went there to work the lead-mines. It is remarkable that they were looked upon as " Scots " and strangers. Bellgrove is modern, and strongly out of place.
III. The Gaelic names are good. They are not well rendered by the Survey, but to me, knowing them
84 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
well, they present no difBculty. Some are, however, of sufficient interest for note.
Achnanlia on Loch Sunart, even if familiar, offers suggestions. There is old lia, a stone, which fits it perfectly, and there is liagh, a ladle, which also is quite possible, if we remember the constant factor of imagination and of accident in these names — therefore, achadh nan lia, stone-field, or achadh nan liagh, ladle- field.
Albannaich (Beinn an) and Sron a' Bhreatunnaich are peculiar, in that the "Scot" and the "Briton" are marked and commemorated as outsiders. The whole history of Argyll is consistent with this feeling. The "Scot" is historically supposed to have come from Ireland — from the Irish Scotia — but one thing is ab- solutely certain, that he has not left a single fragment of his name in Argyll, and it is certain also that he was looked upon as coming from east of Drum-Alban, whatever the explanation may be, rather than from the west. It is almost certain that the Briton of Strath- Clyde found his way more or less effectively into the county, as many of the names show.
Aisridh (Meall an) is for ais-ruighe. The ais here is only heard in a few phrases of the language now, usually with Verbs of Motion, e.g. thainig e air ais, chaidh h air ais, he came (or wejit) back. The best rendering would be something like counter-rm^'^, with which may be compared oi(d)-tir, and frith-allt, and many other names.
Anaheilt is for ath, the ford of the eilid (6ilde) a hind.
Camusine is for Camus eidhinn. Ivy-bay.
Ceanna garbh, on Loch Shiel, shows a peculiar development in the final a of the first part. There is
SUNART 85
no reason to look upon the form as plural, and this a is very rarely met with in singular forms, unless it be in river (glen) names, such as Gleann(a) Comhann, Gleann(a) M^ilidh, Gleanii(a) Cingidh, in which I have myself ventured to suggest that the Article appeared — Gleann na Comhann, Gleann na Mailidh, Gleann na Cingidh, and 1 must say that I am even now more strongly of this mind. The meaning of Ceanna garbh is the rough hmd-\a,nd, which is quite descriptive.
C6mh-dhail — pr. co-ail (Carn m6r na) is 1800 feet up, on the western shoulder of big Ben Resipol, the big cairn of the meeting, the great cairn which marked the meeting- place where the kind people of Moidart and Loch Shiel "met the body" on its way to Eilean Fhianain, borne so far upon the strong shoulders of the men of the Sunart side. The poor clay, whatever its merit or de- merit in life, became in death the sacred common property and responsibility of all, when he who was the strongest and best forgave most, and forgot every- thing but his duty to the highest. This name remains, and let us hope the Cam m6r, for ever, as the memory and memorial of an exquisite humanity, and of a man- liness which "the miserable sons of arithmetic and of prudence" have not understood, and have not now any hope of ever being able to understand. " Mar ghath soluis do m' anam f^in tha sgeula na h-aimsir a dh- fhalbh."
an Crasg, on Loch Shiel, is an across-\?Lnd. It is from the same source as cross and cross-ag, which latter would be possible only for the grammatical gender-form, which for crasg here is Masculine, and makes crass-ag not possible.
Dig is here always a ditch There are three of them
86 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
flowing into the lower end of Loch Shiel — Dig na criche, the march ditch, Dig a' bhogha, the bow ditch, and Dig an sgulain, the ditcJi of the wicker-basket.
Crudh an eich, also on Loch Shiel, is the horse-shoe, simply descriptive of the shape of the Point. There is another at Kerrara.
Loch an Duileat is for Loch an duibh-leathaid, named upon the leitir dhubh rising from it.
Creag an Eighich is the rock of the echo — although, in speech, the first syllable of eighich has become short, where it is naturally long.
Frith-allt (Leac nam), the leac of the parallel streams, or the streams against each other. This frith is the old Gaelic Preposition, which now remains in the language as ri, e.g. riumsa = frith-um-sa, Lat. vers-us me. There are about twenty of these streams within a mile and a half, beyond Goirtean-Mhoirein, flowing practically parallel into Loch Shiel.
Lochan bac an lochain is a peculiar Gaelic repetition. The bac is named on the lochan, and then again the Lochan is named on Bac an lochain.
Torran nam mial shows a peculiar change in the value of a word. Mial now is a louse always, but in old com- binations it simply means an animal, or, rather, a wild animal, whence mial-chii, a deer-hound, or wild animal hound. The name was applied to a deer, hare, whale, &c.
Meille (Coire na) is the "corrie" of the cheek-^vdiO.. Meill is old Gaelic for the cheeky and with the name may be compared the Norse name Kina-bus, Chin-town, I. This meille is the genitive of meill.
Polloch = poll (an) locha, Loch-pool.
Resaurie = (an) ruighe samhraidh, the summer shelling (see p. 19).
SUNART 87
Sailean (see p. 19), There are three Saileans in the west-southern corner of Sunart — the Sailean proper, Sailean nan cuileag (J//^^-Sailean), and Sailean an e6ma, the dar/ej'Sa,ilea,n. They are all good examples. The Sailean Dubh, on Loch Shiel, is interesting as a Sailean where there is no s^ile — that is, no sea-water, It is either a comparison with, or an imitation of, the sea-name, or is it a memory of the time, long ago, when Loch Shiel itself was sea. This last is altogether unlikely.
Slinndrich (Torr na). This word is not given in our dictionaries, but it means, as nearly as possible, the ''jingling" of a chain, or a sound of that kind. The "clanking" of a heavy chain is not near the meaning, nor the " tinkling " of a small chain. It is the medium sound — which I have heard applied to the noise pro- duced by shells on the sea-shore falling and rubbing over each other.
IV. Norse names are not many. Sunart itself, and Resipol, and Scamtnadal are clearly Norse. The Cnap need not be looked upon as Norse, and Ariundail is doubtful.
V. The Church names are all on Loch Shiel. Eilean Fhianain (St. Finan's Isle) is there, about six miles up the loch, and his Chapel is on the island, and his Well is on the mainland (Tobar Fhianain). In the near neighbour- hood are Camus-Bhlathain (p. 175), Goirtean Mhoirean (p. 185), and Allt MhicCiarain. The name of Glenfinnan is not related to the name of St. Finnan. It is Gleann Fhion-abhainn, the glen of the clear, or bright, river, pro- nounced natively, as nearly as possible, the same as the name MacKinnon = Mac find-gen =/rtz>-(^c?r«. See Fion- abhainn and Inverinan.
VI. There is quite a number of Personal names. No
88 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
man in the history of time has had a more magnificent monument to his memory than the man immortalised in the name of Sgurr(a) Dhomhnaill, and yet this man is as utterly unknown as death can make him. A Donald, surely of some sort of importance in his day — perhaps a Lochiel, perhaps a zany — but now indistinguishably lost. There is Eilean mhic Dhomh'aill duibh, on Loch Shiel, down below, and Lochan Mhic'ille dhuibh half way between,
Ruighe-Raonaill gives a Norse name from rdgn-valdr, a ruler from the gods, with the Gaelic ruighe.
AUt-Eachain might suggest the name Eachann, now rendered Hector, but I am confident that the name is Each + -ain, horse-Water, with which compare Each-aig and others. The distinguishing point here is most diffi- cult to convey. The Gaelic ear will recognise at once the small but essential tinge of difference between AUt- Eachain and AUt-Eachuinn. The two names are the same in the first part, Each = //^rj^. It is in the second they differ, the one being a stream, the other a warrior,
Ciarain (Lochan mhic) should perhaps be referred to the Church-names. See Ciaran, p. 170. The name is from ciar, dusky — therefore, the dusky one — a personal characteristic.
ARDNAMURCHAN 89
ARDNAMURCHAN— ARDNAMURUCHAN
This name is Gaelic in all its parts, and still it is not understood by even the Gaelic people. The first part Ard, a height, has been explained (p. 10) ; the nam, of which the m disappears by overlapping with the other following, is the gen. pi. of the article ; the end part — muruchan — itself of necessity a gen. pi. — is the difficult part. Some have said that the name is Ard na mor chuan, the height of the great seas, and others that it may be Ard nam murchon, the height of the sea-hounds, the Gaelic form being an old name for whales. The name is, however, locally and correctly pronounced as a word of five syllables, corresponding as nearly as possible to the Gaelic form given above. I have therefore thought that there is not any word in Gaelic, neither now nor in the older language, which more fitly fills the place and fits the circumstances, than the word mnrdhuchan, which has been rendered as mermaids, sea-nymphs, or sirens, or, as might be said, the sighing sad-ones (dubhach-an) of the sea, for that was the Gaelic concept of the mermaid-kind. In a land full of poetic imagination and expression, this rendering is not only possibly true but is very likely to be so. There certainly cannot be any fault to find with it from the side of language. Ard na mur(dh)uchan, the height of the sea-nymphs, is there- fore offered as the best interpretation of the name that I can give. In an old Gaelic text, Cath Fitttragha, the word is finely used : Is ann sin imoro ro eirgeadar na gaetha ocus roardaigheadar na tonna conach cualadar- san enni acht imall mear maithreac na murdhucann, and then indeed arose the winds, and the waves o^rew hisrh.
90 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
so that they heard nothing but the furious mad sporting of the mermaids.
A new meaning of the name has been suggested lately by the distinguished scholar who is Bodley's librarian at Oxford. Adamnan, in his Life of St. Columba, has occasion to mention Ardnamurchan a few times. In one place he writes the name Ardtamuirchol, and in another place he gives the dative form Ardtaibmuirchol. The interest is in the last syllable of this form of the name. Dr. Reeves, in his magnificent rendering of Adamnan's work, explained -col as hazel, the present call-tunn. This would be quite acceptable if we were compelled to believe that Adamnan's form was correct. Mr. Nicholson, however, gives another meaning. He says that this is the height of the sea (or Passage) of ^oll, the island, which lies some ten miles west and south of the Point. This, however, is exposed to the further and fatal objection that if, as is almost certain, the Norseman gave its name to Coll, then it was not so named in Adamnan's time. It is perfectly safe to trust the native spoken transmission of the name, for any length of time, especially in a place so far removed from outside influences as this is, and there never has been any suggestion of Adamnan's form in the native speech. Old written forms of the name are Ardenmurich (1293), Ardnamurchin (1307), Ardnamurchan (1336), Ardna- murcho (1478), Ardmurquhane (1494), Ardnamurchane (1515), Ardnamurquhan (1519), Ardnamorquhy (1550). "The Clan Ean Murguenich were the old inhabitants," we are told by one of the best writers upon Scottish history — Cosmo Innes. He did not know Gaelic, nor the Gaelic method. There never was any such clan. The Muruchanaich were, and are, the native people,
ARDNAMURCHAN 91
named upon the place in shortened form, the same way as Lochaber men and Kintyre men are spoken of as Abaraich and Tirich. Ian Murchanach was one of the Ardnamurchan people, the chief among them almost certainly, and they were named his clan because he was their Chief, as we have the Clan Ronalds and others.
II. English names are few. Shielfoot is simply the foot of Shiel river. It is Bun na h-abhann locally ; but there is the other genitive in Meall bun na h-aibhne. Newton, Braehouse, Camphouse, Horsgate, Raelands, are of no interest, unless the last is a hybrid of Gaelic with English =reidh, levels + lands, which is appropriate.
III. The grammar of names is here, upon the whole, good. Lochan na caisil and Loch a' chaisil, the one Fern, the other Masc, within a short distance of each other, is, however, peculiar. The difference can only be explained by full local knowledge. There is a Gaelic Fem. noun which fits the first name and conditions well, and there IS a Masc. noun of the same form, caiseal, but meaning a castle, which fits the second name, if the local history fits. It is very difficult to believe that two different forms or grammatical genders of the same word can have grown within five miles of each other. Port na croisg' is almost certainly the same name as Crask on Loch Shiel, but this is Fem., the other Masc. Rudha a' choit is here Masc., but in the north the word is usually Fem. — "an aite na coit drochaid-Bhana." Lochan a' churra again is out of the common usage, the noun being usually Feminine.
There are not many difficult Gaelic names. Ariveagaig is on a nameless stream, which must have been called Beagaig, the small river, for this -aig is quite a common river-ending, cf Aircaig, Eachaig, &c.
92 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Borrodale (Glen) is Norse = feorg- + cfaZ-r, fort-dale. The Survey, or some wise person, thought that Borrodale was some great man, after whom the place was named, and they here mark his grave ! Borrodale was not, however, a man, but the fine Borg-ar-dale, tlie castle-dale, the "larach" of which may be seen there to the present day as the caisteal breac, or grey castle. Tom a' chadail, the sleeping hillock, in the near neighbourhood, is almost certainly Tom a' chaisteil, castle-hill.
Bourblaig has a very foreign feeling, and most likely has its explanation in Camus nan Geall, which see.
Briaghlann = breagh, fine., + lann, enclosure.
Camusinas is camus + Aonghas, a certain Angus.
Camus-nan-geall should clearly be Camus nan Gall, the bay of the strangers — the Norsemen, without doubt. It is easily possible that this was the Bourblaig = 6or^ + bol-^vik, of the strangers themselves — the fort-steading Bay — and that the natives, after the departure of the strangers, made this appropriate if not literal translation of the name, which now remains as that of the farm close by.
Eididh (Sgeir an). Eideadh is Gaelic for clothes, but it is almost certain that this should be Sgeir an t-s6ididh, from s^id, blow (of the wind), therefore Sgeir an t-s4ididh, the windy skerry, with an " eclipsis " which is not common so far south {note).
Ghallain (Dun). The Norseman is strongly evident in this part, so that Dun a' Ghall-ain is probably the best rendering. Gallan means a branch, and poetically a youth, but with Port nan Gall, the Port of the strangers immediately next the Dim, I think this rendering is safe.
Ard-druimnich (Rudha — twice) is ard + druim + an -aich. — See Druim.
ARDNAMURCHAN 93
Ghanntair (Tom a') — gainntir, a prison (Voc).
Branault = braigh nan allt, the brae of the streams.
Faodhail (bhan and dhubh) are very good examples and illustrations of this name and its signification (see p. 15).
Fiann (Lochan nam) and Greideal Fhinn, Fionn's griddle^ ox grille, speak of Fingalian times and traditions. Those who are disposed to discredit Macpherson, and to look upon his Poems of Ossian as a baseless and fraudulent imposture, have much to learn from the place-names of the Highlands — which were before Macpherson. We can no more believe that Macpherson knew of these names than that he made them,
Glendrian = gleann nan droigheann, thorn-woods' glen.
Gruagaich (Loch na). The name is here feminine, although in the elf-tradition of the Highlands it is usually masculine. Gruag means the hair of the heady and Gruagach means one with an abundance of hair. It is now finely applied to a young woman on this account, and not with any reference to the gruagach of Elf-dom and Fingalian tradition. For a full and most interesting description of the life and functions of the Gruagach, consult Mr. Carmichael's Carniina Gadelica, vol. ii. p. 289. Compare maldag (p. 121).
Imeilte (Beinn na h-), is Gaelic, but it is uncommon. It seems to be akin to iomall, a border, or boundary, like early Irish imbel and Welsh ymyl of the same meaning.
Kintra is for Cinn-tragha, a good example of the locative form (see p. 92), with an interesting old genitive form in tragha, the head of the land, so far as the tide reached, and which was left dry at ebb.
Luingeanach (Rudha), is from long, a ship — there- fore, the place so oiiQn frequented by ships.
94 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Mhadaidh riabhaich (Lochan a'). Madadh is the generic term for the dog-kind. The madadh-ruadh is the red dog — the fox. The madadh-allaidh is the wild dog — the wolf. The otter has been called, among other things, the madadh donn, the dun-dog — without regard to zoology. The madadh riabhach, the brindled dog may be, simply a local dog.
Sligneach (Mhor and Bheag), are two small islands, named from slige, a shell, in which they presumably abounded. It is very interesting to observe that Ard- slignish, on the mainland, has taken and kept the Norse nes for the Point. The Norsemen must have kept the Gaelic name and added their aes, or the natives must have become so familiar with the Norse tongue as to have affixed the nes themselves.
Shianta (Beinn), is the charmed or blessed mountain. The word is akin to Lat. signum, " the sign of the Cross," and it is impossible to say how the name may be related to the church of Cill-Chomhghain, which it almost certainly is.
Spainteach (Port nan), the Spaniards Port, is a memory, without doubt, of the Spanish Armada, of which so very interesting relics have been lately dis- covered in the bay of Tobermory.
na Stallacha dubha, the black ledges (p. 20), is a very good instance of the way in which the native Gaelic has assimilated the pertinent Norse names. The name is from N. stalUr a block (of rock), or a shelf, and in this case it is perfectly descriptive.
Tairbeart here, near Salen, is peculiar, for there is no isthmus, unless the name is a little displaced, and properly refers to the narrow part from Salen to Loch Shiel, which it almost certainly does.
ARDNAMURCHAN 95
IV. Norse names are numerous. Some are pure, like EUagadal, Fascadal, Groudle, Qirigadal, Laga, Ockle, Ormsaig, Risga, Suairdail; some are mixed like Ardt-oe, Bogha-CQ,o\ kr6., Camus-^orsa, Gleann-feorroda//, Sualne- port; and some like Acairseid, Cnap, and Stallacha dubha, are so much at home in the native language that they need not be looked upon as outsiders.
V. There are only a few Church-names : — Kilchoain = Cill-Chomhghain (p. 178), Kilmory and Cill Mhairi (the same), St. Columba's Well and Cladh Chaluim (the same), and Cladh Chattain (p. 175).
VI. The Personal names are : —
Cathair Mhic Dhiarmaid, tAe son of Diarrnad's ckair. The chair is figurative, like Greideal Fhinn, am Bord Latharnach, &c. The name Diarmad gives its fundamental strain to the family of the Dukes of Argyll. The Diarmad of history was son of Fergus Cerr-beoil, whose stronghold, as monarch of Erin, was Kells, in the early time of St, Columba. It is surely interesting to remark that not only has the Diarmad element remained for so long in the Argyll tradition, but the Cerr-beoil also, although it is now Cam-beul — the same thing — the wry mouth. It was in the time of Fergus Cerr-beoil that "Tara's Halls" were cursed and ruined. Diarmad is said to have died A.D. 550.
Farquhar's Point — Rudha Fhearchair in Gaelic — is named after a certain Farquhar. Who he was I cannot say. The name is an old Keltic name = Ver-car-os (Mb.), ** super-di^2LX one." The elements remain in the language still — the Prep, air, old for + car, as in car-aid, a friend.
Maclean's Nose is a very fine nose — a perfect instance of the imaginative transport of the body-part to the
96 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
land. It is natively called Sron mhor, the big nose, and rightly so, for it rises upon the lines of a good nose from the sea to the height of over a thousand feet.
Diin-Mhurchaidh is the stronghold of Murdoch, the first of whose name was Muri-cat-os, " sea- warrior " — the muri part being the familiar muir, the sea, and the second part is cat, which remains in cath, battle, ox fight. See Donnchadh, p. 37,
Neill (Sgeir), Neilfs rock, is on the south coast near Glenborrodale, and Eilean mhic Neill is on the north coast. This name too is old. It carries the essential idea of " warrior," or " brave," still remaining in the Adj. ni-ata, courageous.
Rum
I. The name is not clear. It does not seem to be Gaelic. The N. rym-r, aroaring, seems possible and not quite improbable, because of its many roaring waterfalls. I have not met the name with terminal -i, but as -e.
II. There are no English names. Schooner Point, and Wreck Bay, on the east coast, are the memory of a comparatively recent event. Waterfall occurs often, but it is a translation of eas.
III. Rum is remarkable in that the later Gaelic restoration of names has almost altogether cleared the Norse names away and replaced them, all but on the highest hills — Allival, Ashval, Tralllval, &c.
Airidh na maith innse, the airidh (p. 20) 0/ the fruitful " haughy
Atha (Camus na h-), the bay of the ford.
Barr-saibh, the grassy Barr. Feur-saibh is scytJie-grasS) or grass that is or may be cut with a scythe, but there
ARDNAMURCHAN 97
would not seem to be any connection between the words saibh and scythe, although they are close to each other in sound.
Dornabac = dorna, gen. of dorn, the fist, + bac, a bank — a figurative name, following the Norse order of having the attributive part of the name first.
Fiadh-innis, deer-haugh ; innis as above, and again in the Norse order, or as well say that of earlier Gaelic.
Fionn-chr6, the white-pen, ox fold.
Gillean (Sgurr nan), pi. of gille, a lad. Compare Gylen.
Harris (Gleann). This has nothing to do with the Island of Harris. It is simply the across glen, thairis, which goes nearly across the island. Harris, at the mouth of the glen, may, of course, be a hybrid — ba-r, high, + Gael, innis, a haugh, or inch.
Laimhrig and Fearann Laimhrige, a landing place, harbour (p. 117).
Mharagach (a'). N. mbrk, a march, forest, + ach.
Mhiltich (Monadh a'), strong viountain-grass,
Roinne (Rudha na). Ruinn is a sharp Point. In A. it has gen. sing, ranna, and it has the English plural in Islay, the Rhinns. This form in Rum suggests that the word is of the same origin as roinn, division, which is most likely correct.
Samhnan innsir is very interesting. The first part is the same as in Samhnach V., Sonachan L., and innsir is almost certainly a gen. of innis, already referred to.
Shleitir (Lag) is lag leitir (p. 21).
Snidhe (Sgorr an t-), a dropping — water falling in drops.
Stac (Beinn n-a.n), precipice (pi.) N. stakk-r.
IV. AWval, Ashvalf Asklval, Barkeval, Dibidil,
G
98 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Qiurdil, Mlnishall, Orval, Papadil, Pliasgaig, Raonapol, Rhangail, Ruinsival, Scresort, (Loch) Sgaoirishall, Trail val, are all Norse.
V. Kilmory = Gill mhoire, in the north, is the only Church-name. There is at the south point Inbher cille and the Norse Papadil, which are very interesting as showing (i) that this nameless Kil- survived the severe Norse occupation, and (2) that the Norseman turned an old Achadh an t-sagairt, perhaps, or priest's fields into his own form of Papa-\-daI-r.
VL There are no Personal names.
EiGG — Eige
L The name of the island is Norse egg (fem.), an edge, + ey, island. The last syllable remains in the Gaelic name, though it does not show in the English form. The name is extremely appropriate to the north-east coast, which would be the part to give the Norseman his first impression.
IL There are no English names.
III. Beinn-tighe, the mountain with the house upon it.
Clith (Bealach), the left-hand pass. It is always so to a person going north from Kildonan. There are two such on the way, and Cleadale is almost certainly from the same source.
Chuagach (a'), the place of the cuckoo, or it may be from cuag, a " kink!' The heel of a shoe is said to be cuag- ach when it is down at one side, so this name may bear a resemblance to a lop-sided place.
Curach (Bogha na), a coracle, or boat of the old time. See Port na curach (lona). See Tancaird, p. 99.
ARDNAMURCHAN 99
Dorchadais (Glac an), the dell of darkness, from dorcha.
Dubhachais (Poll an), the poll of blackness, or sorrow, from dubh, black.
Fharaidh (Sgurr an). Faradh is a ladder — referring to the ladder-'^ steepness of the hill.
Grulin (iochdarach, lower, and uachdarach, upper).
Sandavoure = Sa/7c/a-mh6r, a mixed name, sand-r+a 4- mh6r.
Sgaileach (Sgurr), the sAadj/ sgurr (Hills) — sgMle, a shade,
Tancaird (Rudha an) is very suspicious. It is very like English tankard, but Bogha Thangairidh, on the same west coast, a few miles farther north, seems to redeem it. The bogha here, as in other places, should be bodha for N. bodl, a sunken rock, + tangi + garCt-r.
IV. Charadail (Gleann), Eskernish (Sgeir), Flodsgeir, Qalmisdale, Laig, Thalasgalr (Dun), and Taltn, with Eilean Thailm, are Norse.
V. The Church, Cill Donnain, is the greatest factor by far in the history of Eigg (see p. 177). There is Tobar Chaluim-Chille in the north of the island, and Crois Moraig = Moire + aig in the south. Rudha na crannaige at Kildonan is surely reminiscent of an old preaching station, for it cannot well be for an archaeological lake- " Crannag," in this position.
VI. Alasdair (Clach), Alexander's rock. This name comes to us from Greek Akk^avhpo^, " defending-man," through the Latin form Alexander.
{Bodha) Mhic Ghilliosa, Gillies's sunken rock. The name means " Servant of Jesus," as Gilchrist is servant of Christ, and Gillespie, servant of the Bishop — Gille- Chriosd, and Gill' Easbuig.
100 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Muck (Island) = Eilean nam Muc
L The island name is Gaelic, It means the isle of pigs ; an old reputation which it is understood to deserve even now, for superior pigs are reared there.
II. The names are all Gaelic. There is nothing of Norse, and no Church-names.
Creadha (Port na), day-port.
Earrair (Beinn) is the eastern or east-ward mounts from ear, east.
Eag na maoile, the notch on the Mull — the northern point of the island.
Gallanach (an), p. 41.
Ghodag a' (island-rock), about a mile north from the island. The word means a flirt, coquette, therefore a fancy.
Teis (Sron an) is the gen. of teas, heat — perhaps where the cattle took to in hot weather.
Canna— Canaidh
L This is a Norse name. The terminal -ey shows in both English and Gaelic, and the stem seems to be from the verb kunna, to know, " ken.^^ On the north coast Cam a' Ghoill suggests a watching hill. Compare Eilean sjon-d the sight{ing), or watch, island, and the frequent Cnoc-faire of Gaelic.
II. There is one English name, Compass Hill, of which I cannot give the history ; and there is one name- less Kil-, with a stone cross and other indications of its old existence.
ARDNAMURCHAN loi
III. Bre-sgorr and lola-sgorr = braigh, upper part^ and lola (p. 69) + sgorr (Hills).
Carr-innis, the rough islajid. The carr here is the root in carraig, a rocky and perhaps in Carron (river).
Conagearaidh = con, dogs, + aig + airidh [note).
Ghoill (Carn a), the stranger s cairn.
Haslam is N. hasl, hazel, + holw-r, islet.
Oban (an t-), the Oban, or small bay. N. h6p.
Ruail (Sron), from ruadh, red, + ail. See Glendaruel, p. 49, and note.
St^idh (an), a foundation, figurative of the island-rock on the south coast of the island.
Stdl (an), the ^^ stool" or seat, and Bod an st6il, a figurative body-name.
Tarbert, as in other places, but there is a peculiar form in Camus Thairbarnish, Tarbert-ness Bay, on the north side of the Tarbert.
Tighe (Beinn), the same as in Eigg.
IV. Carrisdale, Langanish, Sanday, are Norse. Ealaish is doubtful.
V. The Kil- and Cross mentioned, and Sgor nam ban naomha, the rock of the holy women, are all that pertain to the Church.
VI. There are no Personal names.
102 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
MORVEN— a' MHORAIRNE or MORVERN— or a' MHARAIRNE
The name is not settled. It has been thought to mean a' Mhor-bheinn, the great mounts a rendering which has found ready acceptance outside, but never within the district itself, nor with its near neighbours. The local feeling has always been towards a' Mhor-earran, the great division (of land), and the etymological bias has been so strong in this direction as to cause a wrong lengthening of the vowel in the first syllable, which is without doubt naturally short. The mor, or mar, is certainly short, and is almost certainly the same as muir, the sea. The strong " infection " by the initial a of the second part easily explains the native sound of the first part, which is represented as nearly as possible by the second Gaelic form given above. A very competent scholar, and a Highlander — which in such work as this is must always count for much — has thought that the name stands for a' Mhuir-bhearna, the sea cleft. The rendering is good in several ways. It is good Gaelic, which the name certainly is, whatever may be the inter- pretation. It can bear the recognised changes of language, or rather of form, which would carry it into the present a' Mharairne. It goes a good way to meet old forms of the name ; and it is consistent with its explanation in the actual form of the land. There is a bearna, or cleft, running right through the district, divid- ing it nearly into two distinct parts. The cleft is made up of Loch Teacuis, Loch Doire na mart, Loch-airidh Aonghais, the river of Gleann dubh with Loch-uisge, and abhainn na C6inniche into Loch a' Choire — and
MORVEN 103
there is only half a mile, or less, of break in the cleft from sea to sea, a distance of nearly thirty miles. I am therefore disposed to commend this interpretation of the name (given by the Rev. Dr. George Henderson) as the best, in my judgment, that has been proposed up till now. It is of interest to notice that the better English form, Morvern, gives a distinct support to this rendering ; and the old records point the same way — Morwarne (1510, 1545), Morwerne (15 17), Morverne (1671).
II. There are no English names worth mentioning.
III. Achafors is a hybrid = Gaelic achadh + N. fors, a rushing current.
Achadh-lianain = achadh + lian-ain, a small meadow.
Airbhe (Camus na h-) is an old word meaning a fence, wall, or enclosure. It is pronounced eirbhe, with the e short. There is another word meaning movement, or disturbance, which is quite consistent with the position of this Camus, into which the flood-tide comes with great force causing something like a whirlpool. The Norse eyrr, gen. eyr-ar, a gravelly bank, \sd.\so 3. ch2iV3iCiQv\s{\Q, of the bay. I, however, prefer the first of these renderings.
Aire (Torr na h-) = tdrr na(fh)aire, the watch hill, at the mouth of Loch Aline.
Arcain (Bol) seems to be Norse, as I have supposed, for Haco-stead, but a native suggests that it is Bodha- Lorcainn. The N. boSi part is certainly preferable, but in that case I can offer no explanation of the second part. The name is natively pronounced as I give it, and it is so on the Survey map.
Ardtornish is a mixed name = ard, a height, + N. Thbfs nes.
Arienas = ^iridh Aonghais, Angus's ^iridh.
104 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
Auliston (Point, and farm) is locally rudha nan amhlaistean. The sea-name has been carried to the farm on the mainland. The word is quite familiar to me as meaning tricks, or circuni-ventions, and it certainly contains the old preposition ambi, around. It may, therefore, express some acts or difficulties of sailing round this very difficult Point.
Beitheach (Coire). This is the Adj. birchy, and not the Noun beitheach, a birch-wood.
Beathrach (Beinn na). See p. 39.
Chairn (Achadh a') is a peculiar genitive. It disobeys the ordinary rule, as does also Tigh a' Chnoic — but they are none the worse for that. Achadh a' chiiim and Tigh a' cnuich are the regular forms of later Gaelic.
Chaise (Meall a') is cheese-mount.
Chaisil (Beinn a') is evidently named from Lochan a' Chaisil, and the word here means a ford. See
P- 13-
Cheallaich (Allt a'), the Burn of the Cell-man, or
Monk, of Kilmalieu — without doubt. It is a name of
very long ago, bearing for all time the anonymous
immortality of some worthy man.
Kingairloch = Cinn a' ghearr-loch, the head of the short loch — perfectly descriptive. The only point remarkable about the name (apart from the locative form of Cinn) is that loch is not in the genitive.
Claigionn (An) is a skull, and is figurative. It is said that the name is used for a good field, or for the best field — in Islay — but that does not seem to apply here.
Claon leathad = claon + leathad. It is written Clounlad in the Survey mao. Claon means awry, or sloping.
MORVEN 105
Croise (Camus na) is the Bay of the Cross, doubtless an old Cross of the Church of Kilmalieu = Cill mo Libha (p. 184).
Doirenamast is doire na mart, cow-grove — a Mull- man's rendering of the name.
Rudha na droma buidhe shows exceptional grammar, for druim is usually masculine ; it is here feminine.
Druimeannan (na) is a peculiar plural, from druim, a back.
Earnaich (Rudha Aird) is locally aird l^irionnaich, which I believe is right, but N. eyrr-ar, + Gael, -naich, is quite appropriate.
Eiligair, from eilig", the willow-herb {Epilobium, Onagr.), or possibly N. elgr, the elk, though this is unlikely.
Eug (an t-allt) ; ^ug means death.
Fionary = fionn, white, or fair, + airidh.
Gearr-chreag is short rock = gearr + creag.
Guda (Gleann na), named upon the river, itself being named from guda, gudgeon-fish.
ladain (Beinn) and Itharlain (Beinn). The two are like Personal names. I cannot explain them otherwise.
Inntreadh (an t-), the entrance — which is very des- criptive,
Lurga, or Lurgann (an), the shank, shin bone.
Luachran (Poll) = luachair, rushes, + ar-an.
Lundie = lundaidh, akin to Ion, a marsh, and this is nearly the meaning always.
Meinn (Allt na) is English a mine, therefore Mineburn.
Mhonmhuir (Bealach a'), an imitative word, the same as English murmur, referring, almost certainly, to the murmuring sound of a stream.
Mucrach (and Coire nam) = muc, pigs, + ar-ach.
PoU-airinis has a Norse feeling, and Ard-ness, close
io6 THE PLACE-NAMES OF ARGYLL
by, suggests its meaning — the pool of Ard-nes, a mixed name in genitive form — Poll-airde-/i/s.
Rapaiche (Sithean na) is the noisy, rabbley place — fem. gen. from rapach, noisy.
Saighde (Leac na), from saighead, an arrow.
Samhairidh (Savary) = samh, sorrel, + airidh. Samh is also the Gaelic for juniper ; and there is samhnan, or samhnachan, a large trout, and this would do well for AUt na Samhnach, if it did not seem to be more correctly referable to the Samhnach near it, as the next stream, AUt na Socaich is, without doubt, to its Socach.
Seasglaich (Coire an t-) = seasg, dry, used of a cow not giving milk, + lach. See p. 27.
Sleaghach (and Dunan na) is clearly from sleagh, a spear — a figurative name applied to the hill.
Sleibhtecoire = coire + the gen. of sliabh, a hill. It is a word thoroughly familiar in the language, though not nearly so much used in Scottish names as it is in Ireland.
Slabhaig (Coire). Slabhag is the pith of a horn. When the horn of an animal — of a cow, for instance — is struck off, the core part which remains is the slabhag.
Sorn is a furnace, flue, or veyit, so this is possibly all Gaelic as, -ag -an, certainly is. See p. 139.
Sruthan na creige bain airde is a good bit of grammar, showing a correct agreement of two Adjectives in the genitive case.
Streang (an) is imitative, and is the same as English string. It is on the same lines as Loch-Iall.
Stuadh (an), a gable, pinnacle — figurative.
Teacuis (Loch) is more correctly, according to local rendering, Loch-tiacais [note).
MORVEN 107
Tearnail (Loch) is the sheltered or protected loch — a most appropriate description.
Tiobairt (Ard an). See p. 36.
Uileann (an), the elbow, is another of the body-names, which are exceptionally numerous in Morven.
IV. Eignaig, Laudal, Liddesdal, Mungasdal, Suar- dail, with the islands of Carna, Oronsa, Risga, are pure Norse; Airidh-anncfa//, Co'ire-bhorodaiJ, AWt-easgadall, Acha-/ors, Gle&nn-galmaaail, Abha,imi-ghardaII, Gleann- sanda, Ard-tbrnlsh, are mixed ; Bol-arcain, Poll- airinnis, Miadar, Loch Teacuis, Sornagan, and Uamh- dail are not quite certain. All the