Information on religion and community life in Barra.
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1974.100.B7
Original Tape ID
Summary
Information on religion and community life in Barra.
The family said prayers individually. The Rosary was recited at home, not in different houses. The contributor tells of a woman commenting about her father's morning prayer, and his response about feeding the soul before the body.
Her father never missed Mass. The only church was in Craigston. People walked three miles there. They used to fast from midnight before communion, and didn't even drink water. Fr William MacKenzie got their local church built. People went straight home from church. The Eoligarry people came barefoot, and put socks and shoes on near church.
People went to Eoligarry from all over the island. They got crofts there. They later built houses, and now [1974] there is a church. The land belonged to the MacGillivrays. The contributor tells of a woman who came across Tràigh Mhòr, regardless of the tide, to get to church.
The contributor's parents had a hard life. They had nine children. He mother worked at the herring gutting in Castlebay. Her father worked at lobster fishing etc. He also worked in Glasgow at times, because he was one of the few in the community who spoke English. He got a few informal lessons in a house.
Information is given about the Buchanans. They were clever people, and included a doctor and a schoolmaster. One of the family spoke seven languages. The contributor was related to them. Her parents used to tell the family about olden times, as well as teaching them prayers.
Item Location
County - Inverness-shire
Parish - Barra
Island - Barra
Language
English
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good