Township: Ruaig,Sothaigh

Map Reference: Soay 300

Name Type: island

Meaning: See Soa in Longships on the Sand.

Other Forms:

Related Places:

Information:The Gaelic Otherworld, ed Ronald Black, p45:
A boy, a mere child, was left alone for a few minutes in the islet of Soa, near Tiree. The mother was making kelp there at the time, and in her absence the Fairies came and gave the child's legs such a twist that it was lame (liùgach) ever after.

Even in my time [the 1940s] reference was made to fairies in Soay. My easy disbelief in the Brock household was followed in silence by Alasdair Dhomhnaill Bhain which left me wondering if indeed he really gave credence to them - Duncan Grant, Ruaig, 4/2013.

Alasdair Dhòmhnaill Bhàin had a small square dinghy called the Coffin to pick up people stranded on Soay. Alasdair Sinclair, Brock, 6/2004.

Hugh Lamont, postman in Ruaig, was Eòghann Iain Eòghainn na Hongs. Angus MacLean, Scarinish, 9/2008.

Hugh Lamont was collecting wood on Soay, a very good place for flotsam, one day in world war two. Busy in his work he missed the fact that the tide had come in and cut him off. He took off his clothes, tied them up in his braces, and swam to the shore. He had been taught how to swim in school by the teacher Gunn. Donald MacIntyre, Gott, 8/2006.

Hugh Lamont, the postman, ran alongside his bike, often barefoot. He was a very active man. He was very keen on flotsam and would sometimes stay out on Soay all night if there was a good haul, for example pit props or polaichean, to be had, even though the island was overrun with rats. If he saw someone else coming along the beach while he was waiting for the tide to ebb so he could cross to Soay, he would take his trousers off and wade over! Hughie MacKinnon, Torr a’ Bhaile, Ruaig, 6/2008.


Local Form:

Languages : Norse

Informants: OS