Stories in an Island Landscape
Over 3,300 place names have been recorded on Tiree. Generally speaking, there are five historical ‘layers’.
The oldest layer is likely to have come from the Iron Age people living on the island before AD 500. There are a few names which do not seem obviously Gaelic or Norse – names such as Cadruim (in Balemartine), or *Taelk (an old name for the Iron Age fort in Balephetrish) – that may belong to this period.
The next oldest group comes from the Gaelic used by the Dál Riata, the earliest Gaelic settlers from Ireland, who arrived on Tiree around AD 500. Cnoc na h-Anaid ‘hillock of the church’, in Milton) and place names using the word cill – ‘church’, like Cill Moluag (Kilmoluaig), possibly date from this time.
When the Vikings came to Tiree after 800 they settled much, if not all, of the island. Around 250 Norse place names survive on Tiree: Barabol, Grianal and Dìubadal. The Viking name for the island was Týrvist, from which the modern Gaelic name for an islander, Tiristeach, is derived. My book, Longships on the Sand, contains much more detail.
Sometime between 1300 and 1400, Gaelic again became the dominant language on Tiree. Most names on Tiree come from this period. Cnoc an Lìn, Cnoc a’ Mhurain and Cnoc nan Eisg remind us today of hillocks where flax, marram grass and fish were dried. Tobar an Dèididh ‘the well of toothache’ is where water reputed to be a cure for toothache could be collected. Pàirc nan Each ‘the field of the horse’ was where horses were grazed and A’ Chroit Dhubh was the black, or peaty, croft.
Gradually, in the middle of the nineteenth century English crept in. Milton ‘mill town’, in Caolas, and The Green in Kilmoluaig were probably the first two. Sometimes English was combined with Gaelic, as in Port na Mistress in Caolas. It has now started to replace older names, as at Happy Valley (Lag na Clèite, Hynish), The Maze (Tràigh Thorosdail, Hough) and The Camp (part of Crossapol).
Dr John Holliday
![[map of Tiree]](https://www.tireeplacenames.org/wp-content/uploads/maps/tiree_names_map.gif "[map of Tiree]")
Excellent website! I look forward to spending some time looking through all this. I’ll announce it on Tiree online and on my blogs. Thanks.
I am ninety-one years old and have lived all my live in Manitoba, Canada. I have been to the Isle of Tiree twice, visiting uncles, brothers of my Mother and loved every minute of it. My Mother and two of her sisters came to Canada in 1910 and also have returned to visit the beautiful Island. I enjoy very much getting information about Tiree and people who live/lived there. Thank you very much. Although my relatives are now all deceased, they would have been thrilled to be able to get this information now and learn of the many changes of the Island of their birth.
Sincerely
Have just been looking at this website and found it extremely interesting. Having spent 5 years of my childhood in Moss, I found the places marked in this township of particular interest. Excellent website.
I came to this site via the articles you’ve been doing in An Tirisdeach. Any chance of posting them here?
They are wonderful: gripping and very moving, as they explore Tiree’s people’s history through Tiree’s topography. Such a brilliant idea, for making both subjects – and the language, too – come alive.
I know you and my mother have talked about the area in Caoles/Milton around Port Ban, and she’s written up her notes. Are you going to enlarge on what’s on your sketch maps – a huge labour, I can imagine.
But how we all would benefit and enjoy it!
Many thanks
Alex
This is a really remarkable piece of work, and our whole family want to congratulate Dr Holliday most warmly. It will increase all our understanding of the wonderful piece of ground and its surroundings on Tiree that we have enjoyed for so many years, as well as our appreciation of the island as a whole. Thank you.
This is a wonderful site – thank you so much. We have been visiting Tiree for a number of years and often ask the “I wonder what that means?” question about places on the island. Your work will provide hours of fascinating browsing and make next year’s visit even more interesting.
An Sgeir Biorach was west of Sgibinis and not east.
Dear Dr Holliday
I have been unable to match a name with any on the site and was wondering if you may be able to offer any suggestions.
My ancestor Lauchlan McLean younger of Grishipol (Coll) was bailee on Tiree to Duart. and subsequently the Earl of Argyle after he took possession. Following raids by the Macleans in 1675, the Privy Council issued a Writ of Fire and Sword against Lauchlan Maclaine of Brolas, his brother & others. Part of that writ states; “Lauchlan Maclaine of Brolois, and David Ramsay Commissary of the Islea, and their followers,being in Tirie Aprile last, and oppressing the tenants there,, by quartering & forning upon them, and causing bring meal and provision frae the tenants and possessors of Kendway in Tirie, and others, to Lauchlan Maclaine Baillie in Tirie, his house in Kilseile; and lastly” etc.
It is “Kilseile” that I have had trouble finding.I am positive that it would have been located in Tiree, as apart from being Bailee, Lauchlan also had the tacks of Ruaig and Vuill and the rental of the mill at Hulliboll. I have allowed for the fact that Kilseile has been misplelt, but can’t seem to find anywhere that is even close.
Thank you for reading this, any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks John.
What a wonderful source of genealogical information. Thank you so much for the time & effort it took/takes to compile this knowledge. I am enjoying & shall continue to enjoy the research on our McPhails & McKinnons of Tiree. Again, thank you & keep up the good work. Barbara
I just discovered the Isle of Tiree. I’m fairly certain my family has roots in Scotland and after discovering a place called “Baugh” on the island the intrigue has exploded! There may or may not be a connection between my name and Tiree but I’d very much like to find out!