Township: Gott

Map Reference: Gott f

Name Type: loch

Meaning:
The most likely reconstruction is ScG Eilean nan Airighean 'the island of the shielings'. There are four turf-covered footings 100 m to the north, marked as roofed buildings on the 1878 first edition OS 25 inch map, that are likely to have been medieval shielings. Airidhean is very common in place names in the Hebrides, e.g. Druim nan Airidhean in Lewis and Rudha nan Airidhean on Mull (SP).

More speculative reconstructions are:
1. ON ærgin ‘the shieling(s)’. Topographically plausible. ‘Ayrean in Orkney: an area far up in the valley of Burn of Woodwick. The name is derived from ON ærgin ‘the shieling(s)’. Palatisation of /g/ before the definite article is common in Orkney Norn (c.f. Burrian, Hayon) and in Norwegian dialects. The word erg, ærgi is one of the rare loans from ScG àirigh’ (Sandnes 2010a 160). For this reconstruction to be correct, this word would have made a remarkable journey: EG airge > ON ærgi > ON ærgin > ScG loan-name *airinn. There are two examples of Ergan in Norway (NG)
2. ON heiðrin ‘the moor’ adopted as a loan-name (see Heren)
3. ScG aoireann, which has come to mean 'ferry' in Argyll. (see Cox 2002, 277 and Dwelly). Modern Gaelic spelling would make this Eilean na h-Aoireinn. See Taigh na h-aoireann in Bute (Márkus 2012, 460) and Row na Heren on Arran (Márkus 2012, 461). It is hard to see how this site would be associated with a ferry.

Cameron proposed Hyring and Èirneal had a common root, but this seems less likely.

Other Forms:

Related Places:

Information:
Marked on the map as relating to an island in Loch Kirkabol, now known as Loch a’ Riadhain. Note the settlement name Hyring marked on the same map as Hyring.

Local Form:

Languages : Gaelic, Obscure

Informants: The map MVLA INSVLA in the Atlas of Scotland, Atlas Novus, by Joan Blaeu, 1654. These mapswere largely based on work by Timothy Pont who mapped Scotland between 1583 and 1596. NLS, 123.