Map Reference: Sandaig b
Name Type: house
Meaning: The seer's house
Other Forms:
Related Places: Croit an Taibhse; See Taigh an t-Saighdeir.
Information:Bailtean is Ath-Ghairmean, Townships and Echoes by Niall M Brownlie, Argyll Publishing, 1995, p 64:
Sandaig had a famous seer by the name of John MacKinnon. Stories of his premonitions are still told on the island. He had a son Donald who was an exceptionally fine fiddle player and who was referred to on the island as 'am Fidhlear' ('the Fiddler).
"I knew him well. I was two or three years serving in Greenhill farm when it was a one man farm, and the Taibhse's house was next door. I knew the taibhse as well as I knew myself....John MacKinnon, Iain Chaluim 'ic Dhomhnaill Bhain, he was the sightseer, the Taibhse. He would look at the sky and he would say, 'There's a lot of blood spilled in that sky today.' Some were saying the man was getting daft, they were keeping away from him. He was seeing the sky battles. A crofter from Balephuil [Alan MacDonald], he bought a mare up at Kilkenneth, a young mare, and he was leading her home on a rope, and who met him going by but the Taibhse. 'She'll put you in good profit. There are six foals following her.' The man that was going home, he listened to him but he didn't see anything. Well, she had six foals. That was the Taibhse for you. I remember the Taibhse well. His house was next door to me." Original Tape ID: SA1971.084, Donald Sinclair, West Hynish, talking to Eric Cregeen.
The seer's house site is south of the Plumber's. It later became a shop run by Fionghala Bhàn.
Local Form:
Languages : GaelicInformants: Donald MacKinnon (The Plumber), Sandaig, 2/1995
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