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Sgeulachd mu bhodach Ròcabarra.

Date January 1963
Track ID 65461
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1963.89.A1

Original Tape ID

SA1963.089

Summary

The story of the old man of Rocabarra.

The contributor recounts a story he heard in the cèilidh houses when he was younger. There was a man who was out fishing when his boat became lost in fog. He came to land in Uist. He married there and had three sons. Many years passed and the man began to lose his sight. His three sons began to make a living from fishing. One day they caught an unusual fish, the likes of which they had never seen before. Their father recognised the shape of the fish. He asked them to take him out to sea the next time they went fishing. They sailed a great distance and, after coming through fog, came to the island of Rocabarra. This was where the old man had left from many years before.

Item Notes

Cf. SA1974.051.

Rocabarra is a mythical island and its appearance is thought to be an omen of the end of the world: "Nuair a thig Ròcabarra ris, 's ann a thèid an saoghal sgrios" [When Rocabarra appears, the world will be destroyed].

Recording Location

County - Lanarkshire

Parish - Glasgow

Village/Place - Glasgow

Language

Gaelic

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good