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Blàr Chàirinis agus Teampall na Trianaid.

Date October 1962
Track ID 37446
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1962.44.B3

Original Tape ID

SA1962.044

Summary

The Battle of Carinish and Teampall na Trianaid.

Mac Iain 'ic Sheumais was the chief of the MacDonalds and Mac Dhòmhnaill Ghlais was the chief of the MacLeods of Harris. The Harris people used to come ashore in Locheport to plunder. One day, when Mac Iain 'ic Sheumais was in Benbecula, the Harris people came. His stepmother in Carinish shouted as loud as she could and he heard her in Benbecula. He took the MacDonalds with him across the ford. The two armies met at Eilean na Còmhraig and later at Leathad na Buaile. Mac Iain 'ic Sheumais was wounded.

The Harris people were routed. Mac Dhòmhnaill Ghlais set off in the direction of Baleshare until he reached the headland. Mac Iain Mhòir from Illeray chased him and killed him there. This place is named Oitir Mhic Dhòmhnaill Ghlais. The contributor thinks that his head, which was very big, could be seen above the ground in the graveyard at the Trinity Temple. He remembers seeing this when he was aged about seven.

A group of plunderers from Harris were in the temple and, having killed and roasted a cow, were partaking of it. One of them spoke in defiance and was also abusive of the image of the Trinity. An arrow came and he was instantly killed.

When the gable end of the temple fell, the image of the Trinity broke. Robert Ferguson took home some of the stones and used them for partitions between his cattle in the byre.

Item Location

County - Inverness-shire

Parish - North Uist

Island - North Uist

Village/Place - Carinish

Language

Gaelic

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good