Township: An Àird a Deas,Caolas

Map Reference: Ardeas 33

Name Type: shore

Meaning: This is a Norse headland name in ON nes ‘promontory’. The initial h- has been projected from the first element, ScG Tràigh. The specific is plausibly ON austr 'east' (CV, 35). This is topographically very appropriate as the most easterly point on Tiree. The phonetic development au > o: is quite common on Tiree: for example, ON haugr > Hògh (see section 17.4.2.1).
This derivation has been proposed for *Oshmal on Islay (Macniven 2015, 201); Eastafea, Eastaquoy and Estiber 'east rock' are names on Rousay (Marwick 1995 (1947), 50); Austeneset and Østnes are found in Norway (NG); Austur- is a common specific in Iceland, as in Austurhlíð (SAM).

Other Forms:

Related Places:

Information:

Local Form:

Languages : Norse, Gaelic

Informants: Willie MacIntosh, Caolas, 1/1994

Informant 2: Angus MacLean, Scarinish, 5/1996

Informant 3: Professor Donald Meek, Caolas, 8/2019