Township: Balephuil

Map Reference: Balephuil 5

Name Type: sub-township

Meaning: The new township

Other Forms: Baile nam Bàrd - Township of the bards - SA1971/88/A5b

Related Places: See Taigh Mairi Bhàn and Taigh Fhearchair, West Hynish.

Information:"Nuair dh'fhag mi mo bheannachd aig 'Baile nam Bard'" - Na Baird Thirisdeach, ed. Rev Hector Cameron, An Comunn Thirisdeach, 1932, p227.

There were fifteen lads and men ceilidhing in Taigh Chailein Fhearchair in the Bail’ Ùr one night. Each made up a verse of a song and the cailleach of the house finished the verse for them. Balephuil was called Baile nam Bàrd after that. John MacPhail, Balephuil, 9/2004.

"There were five poets in the minister's house alone - the minister, Duncan MacDougall, his three sons and daughter - Calum, the brother of my grandfather; Iain maciain 'ic eachainn, Gilleasbuig Brown; two down at the loch; down this road they were all poets. There were seventeen or eighteen poets in Bailephuil." Donald Sinclair, West Hynish, SA1966.107

"But of course at one time this very township that we're in here, they were the wittiest people on the island of Tiree. And there were so many poets among them. There was sixteen poets in Balephuil at one time. But no wonder they were witty when they would sit together at night. A song was composed in five minutes. Aye, you would make your own verse, and I would make a verse and inside five minutes the song was completed. They were all poets. That's why Balephuil over there is called 'the town of the poets', Baile nam Bàrd. Donald Sinclair in 'Recollections of an Argyllshire Drover', Eric Cregeen, ed Margaret Bennett, John Donald, 2004, p109.


The term Baile nam Bàrd really referred just to the sliabh of Balephuil. The Bail’ Ur was known as Bail’ a' Ghràis. David McClounnnan, Balephuil, unknown date.

The Sraid Ruadh and Bail’ Ur were created by MacQuarrie, Fear Haodhnis, who cleared east and west Hynish to make room for his sheep farm. David McClounnan, Balephuil, 8/2002





Local Form:

Languages : Gaelic

Informants: David McClounnan, Balephuil, 4/1994