Township: Scarinish

Map Reference: Scarinish 54

Name Type: shore

Meaning: Gott pier; or Loch Gott pier

Other Forms: Cidhe Ghot - AMcL

Related Places:

Information:Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bàin) worked at the construction of the new Gott Bay pier. He would leave his house in West Hynish at 2 am to start work at 4 am. Once, a crane broke and crashed into some scaffolding at the side of the pier. All the men on it were thrown into the sea, although no one was hurt. The crane had been set up by Neil Òg Sinclair, Balephuil. By the end of the contract, Neil had returned to sea, and no one could dismantle it. In the end they just blew it up. The pier was built with jute bags filled with concrete and rubble. Donald John Kennedy, West Hynish, 5/2008.

When Gott Bay pier was finished, the builders left a pile of materials and tools for Kenneth MacKenzie to sell. His uncle Sandy was looking around and asked if he could buy the jaws of a huge rock crusher. “If you can carry it away, you can have it,” said Kenneth. He lifted it on his own into the cart, and not only that, he lifted it right over the wheel! It lay in the yard at Caolas and Angus once tried to lift it as a young man. He just managed it but swore never to do it again! Angus MacLean, Scarinish, 5/2009.

This pier is in the wrong place. Its position was decided by Sleven, the manager of the Sandaig seaweed factory, and McDiarmid, the factor. It had a railway down the middle with a small bogey drawn by the horse of Alan MacFadyen, Gott. It was a busy place after the First World War as many of the returned soldiers were building houses - JAMcL.

The bogey would run down the pier by itself but Ailean mac Dhonnchaidh's horse would pull t back up. The rest of the time the horse woud work on the roads. The piermasters were Kenneth MacKenzie, Iain 'Noan' MacDonald, Donald Kennedy, Johnny O'Neill, Lachaln MacKinon, Brock, and Alan Campbell, Diobadal - Annie Kenedy, Scarinish, 5/1998.

Local Form: Ceidhe (Loch) Ghot

Languages : Norse, Gaelic

Informants: John Archie MacLean, Crois, 6/1995

Informant 2: Angus MacLean, Scarinish, 11/1996