88-656: The Dunvegan Cup is a wooden ceremonial cup, decorated with silver plates, which dates to 1493. It was created at the request of Caitríona, wife of John Maguire, lord of Fermanagh in Ireland. The cup is an heirloom of the Macleods of Dunvegan, and is held at their seat of Dunvegan Castle in Scotland. There are several traditions attributed to the cup, describing how the Macleods obtained it. But scholars believe that
176-511: A Macleod chief lent support to certain Irish forces rebelling against those supporting Elizabeth I in Ireland. In the summer of 1594, Dòmhnall Gorm Mòr MacDhòmhnaill (chief of the Macdonalds of Sleat ) and Ruairidh Mòr MacLeòid (chief of the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan ) both sailed for Ulster at the head of 500 men each. Their force was intended to support Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill who
264-551: A chain of more than 100 islands and small skerries located about 70 km (45 mi) west of mainland Scotland. Among them, 15 are inhabited. The main inhabited islands include Lewis and Harris , North Uist , Benbecula , South Uist , and Barra . A complication is that there are various descriptions of the scope of the Hebrides. The Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland describes the Inner Hebrides as lying "east of
352-399: A gift for services. Later, R.C. MacLeod stated that a Lady O'Neill claimed in a 1925 letter, that an O'Neill tradition told how the cup passed to the Macleods. The tradition holds that one of the O'Neill chiefs was a close friend of a Macleod chief. When this O'Neill chief visited his friend at Dunvegan, he took along the cup and gave it to Macleod as a present. Historically, during the 1590s,
440-484: A land border. The island does not have a single common name in either English or Gaelic and is referred to as "Lewis and Harris", "Lewis with Harris", "Harris with Lewis" etc. For this reason it is treated as two separate islands below. The derivation of Lewis may be pre-Celtic (see above) and the origin of Harris is no less problematic. In the Ravenna Cosmography , Erimon may refer to Harris (or possibly
528-474: A man named Lurran Casinreach or swift-footed. This man's mother had nursed one of the brothers — she was considered a witch and lived with her son in a small cottage near her foster-son's house. Lurran folded the cows every night in Buaille Rossinish, where during the harvest season it was customary to have them watched. On the first night of the season it was Lurran's turn to watch, and as the place
616-453: A more modern design and with the assistance of Highlands and Islands Enterprise many of the islands' populations have begun to increase after decades of decline. The discovery of substantial deposits of North Sea oil in 1965 and the renewables sector have contributed to a degree of economic stability in recent decades. For example, the Arnish yard has had a chequered history but has been
704-440: A place next the door. After the feast wine was handed round in a beautiful cup, out of which each one drank and then handed it to his neighbour. At last it came to Lurran's turn, who, pitching out the contents, made a dash for the door and escaped, carrying the cup with him, before the company were aware of what he was about. He was hotly pursued but succeeded in reaching his mother's hut, which she immediately charmed so as to prevent
792-575: A result of the 1266 Treaty of Perth . Although their contribution to the islands can still be found in personal and place names, the archaeological record of the Norse period is very limited. The best known find is the Lewis chessmen , which date from the mid 12th century. As the Norse era drew to a close, the Norse-speaking princes were gradually replaced by Gaelic-speaking clan chiefs including
880-443: A significant employer in both the oil and renewables industries. The widespread immigration of mainlanders, particularly non-Gaelic speakers, has been a subject of controversy. Agriculture practised by crofters remained popular in the 21st century in the Hebrides; crofters own a small property but often share a large common grazing area. Various types of funding are available to crofters to help supplement their incomes, including
968-501: A significant number of seals and seabirds. The islands have a combined area of 7,285 km (2,813 sq mi), and, as of 2011 , a combined population of around 45,000. The Hebrides have a diverse geology , ranging in age from Precambrian strata that are amongst the oldest rocks in Europe, to Paleogene igneous intrusions. Raised shore platforms in the Hebrides have been identified as strandflats , possibly formed during
SECTION 10
#17327804648511056-523: Is 1,100 mm (43 in), and there are between 1,100 and 1,200 hours of sunshine per annum (13%). The summer days are relatively long, and May through August is the driest period. The earliest surviving written references to the islands were made circa 77 AD by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History : He states that there are 30 Hebudes , and makes a separate reference to Dumna , which Watson (1926) concluded refers unequivocally to
1144-427: Is as follows. Scott's rendering of the cup's inscription made him believe that it was a Hebridean drinking cup, dating from the year 993. Scott said that Macleod tradition held that the cup had once belonged to "Neil Ghlune-Dhu, or Black-knee. But who this Neil was, no one pretends to say". In about 1851, Sir Daniel Wilson documented the cup in his The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland , following along
1232-469: Is complex and may also include a pre-Celtic root. Lewis is Ljoðhús in Old Norse. Various suggestions have been made as to possible meanings of the name in Norse (for example, "song house"), but the name is not of Gaelic origin, and the Norse provenance is questionable. The earliest comprehensive written list of Hebridean island names was compiled by Donald Monro in 1549. This list also provides
1320-524: Is not the only one." The Hebrides were settled during the Mesolithic era around 6500 BC or earlier, after the climatic conditions improved enough to sustain human settlement. Occupation at a site on Rùm is dated to 8590 ±95 uncorrected radiocarbon years BP , which is amongst the oldest evidence of occupation in Scotland. There are many examples of structures from the Neolithic period,
1408-464: Is reflected in the various names given to the islands, which are derived from the different languages that have been spoken there at various points in their history. The Hebrides are where much of Scottish Gaelic literature and Gaelic music has historically originated. Today, the economy of the islands is dependent on crofting , fishing, tourism , the oil industry, and renewable energy . The Hebrides have less biodiversity than mainland Scotland, but
1496-583: Is set on the Isle of Skye, part of the Inner Hebrides. In some respects the Hebrides lack biodiversity in comparison to mainland Britain; for example, there are only half as many mammalian species. However, these islands provide breeding grounds for many important seabird species including the world's largest colony of northern gannets . Avian life includes the corncrake , red-throated diver , rock dove , kittiwake , tystie , Atlantic puffin , goldeneye , golden eagle and white-tailed sea eagle . The latter
1584-597: Is the origin of the Gaelic for "Hirta", Hiort , Hirt , or Irt a name for the island that long pre-dates the name "St Kilda". Watson (1926) suggests that it may derive from the Old Irish word hirt ("death"), possibly a reference to the often lethally dangerous surrounding sea. Maclean (1977) notes that an Icelandic saga about an early 13th-century voyage to Ireland refers to "the islands of Hirtir ", which means "stags" in Norse, and suggests that
1672-573: The Crinan and Caledonian canals and other engineering works such as Clachan Bridge improved transport and access. However, in the mid-19th century, the inhabitants of many parts of the Hebrides were devastated by the Clearances , which destroyed communities throughout the Highlands and Islands as the human populations were evicted and replaced with sheep farms. The position was exacerbated by
1760-632: The Highland Clearances . Aonghas Phàdraig Caimbeul , raised on South Uist and described by MacLean as "one of the few really significant living poets in Scotland, writing in any language" ( West Highland Free Press , October 1992) wrote the Scottish Gaelic-language novel An Oidhche Mus do Sheòl Sinn which was voted in the Top Ten of the 100 Best-Ever Books from Scotland. Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse
1848-663: The MacLeods of Lewis and Harris, Clan Donald and MacNeil of Barra . This transition did little to relieve the islands of internecine strife although by the early 14th century the MacDonald Lords of the Isles , based on Islay, were in theory these chiefs' feudal superiors and managed to exert some control. The Lords of the Isles ruled the Inner Hebrides as well as part of the Western Highlands as subjects of
SECTION 20
#17327804648511936-709: The Pliocene period and later modified by the Quaternary glaciations . The Hebrides can be divided into two main groups, separated from one another by the Minch to the north and the Sea of the Hebrides to the south. The Inner Hebrides lie closer to mainland Scotland and include Islay , Jura , Skye , Mull , Raasay , Staffa and the Small Isles . There are 36 inhabited islands in this group. The Outer Hebrides form
2024-709: The Western Isles , although this phrase can also be used to refer to the Hebrides in general. The Hebrides have a cool, temperate climate that is remarkably mild and steady for such a northerly latitude , due to the influence of the Gulf Stream . In the Outer Hebrides, the average temperature is 6 °C (44 °F) in January and 14 °C (57 °F) in the summer. The average annual rainfall in Lewis
2112-409: The druids nor the name of the island. The first written records of native life begin in the 6th century AD, when the founding of the kingdom of Dál Riata took place. This encompassed roughly what is now Argyll and Bute and Lochaber in Scotland and County Antrim in Ireland. The figure of Columba looms large in any history of Dál Riata, and his founding of a monastery on Iona ensured that
2200-716: The "Basic Payment Scheme, the suckler beef support scheme, the upland sheep support scheme and the Less Favoured Area support scheme". One reliable source discussed the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme (CAGS) in March 2020: the scheme "pays up to £25,000 per claim in any two-year period, covering 80% of investment costs for those who are under 41 and have had their croft less than five years. Older, more established crofters can get 60% grants". Many contemporary Gaelic musicians have roots in
2288-606: The 1800s, such as " Fear a' bhàta ", " Ailein duinn ", " Hùg air a' bhonaid mhòir " and " Alasdair mhic Cholla Ghasda ". Several of Runrig 's songs are inspired by the archipelago; Calum and Ruaraidh Dòmhnallach were raised on North Uist and Donnie Munro on Skye. The fiddle and violin company Skyinbow is named-after and based in Skye. Their instruments have been played by musicians such as Mairead Nesbitt , Cora Smyth and Eileen Ivers , and have been featured in productions such as Michael Flatley 's Lord of
2376-734: The 1870s and 1880s. This, and her powerful evocation of the Hebrides—she was from Skye—has made her among the most enduring Gaelic poets. Allan MacDonald (1859–1905), who spent his adult life on Eriskay and South Uist , composed hymns and verse in honour of the Blessed Virgin, the Christ Child, and the Eucharist. In his secular poetry, MacDonald praised the beauty of Eriskay and its people. In his verse drama , Parlamaid nan Cailleach ( The Old Wives' Parliament ), he lampooned
2464-533: The 1880s, the " Battle of the Braes " involved a demonstration against unfair land regulation and eviction, stimulating the calling of the Napier Commission . Disturbances continued until the passing of the 1886 Crofters' Act . The residents of the Hebrides have spoken a variety of different languages during the long period of human occupation. It is assumed that Pictish must once have predominated in
2552-596: The 8th century, and the Hebrides came under Norse control and settlement during the ensuing decades, especially following the success of Harald Fairhair at the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. In the Western Isles Ketill Flatnose may have been the dominant figure of the mid 9th century, by which time he had amassed a substantial island realm and made a variety of alliances with other Norse leaders. These princelings nominally owed allegiance to
2640-504: The Dance , Feet of Flames , and Riverdance . The Gaelic poet Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair spent much of his life in the Hebrides and often referred to them in his poetry, including in An Airce and Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill . The best known Gaelic poet of her era, Màiri Mhòr nan Òran ( Mary MacPherson , 1821–98), embodied the spirit of the land agitation of
2728-482: The Dunvegan Cup, although he believed that these traditions were un-historical. The traditions are supposed to relate events which took place during the tenure of Malcolm, the third chief of Clan Macleod, who lived about 1296–1370. In the time of Malcolm, the third Chief, the lands of Luskintyre were possessed by two brothers who were at mortal feud with one another. Their cattle were herded in common, in charge of
Dunvegan Cup - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-632: The Hebrides, including vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Julie Fowlis (North Uist), Catherine-Ann MacPhee (Barra), Kathleen MacInnes of the band Capercaillie (South Uist), and Ishbel MacAskill (Lewis). All of these singers have composed their own music in Scottish Gaelic, with much of their repertoire stemming from Hebridean vocal traditions, such as puirt à beul ("mouth music", similar to Irish lilting ) and òrain luaidh ( waulking songs ). This tradition includes many songs composed by little-known or anonymous poets, well-before
2904-429: The Inner Hebrides. These names presumably passed out of usage in the Norse era, and the locations of the islands they refer to are not clear. As an example of the complexity: Rona may originally have had a Celtic name, then later a similar-sounding Norse name, and then still later a name that was essentially Gaelic again, but with a Norse "øy" or "ey" ending. (See Rona , below.) The names of uninhabited islands follow
2992-677: The King of Scots until John MacDonald , fourth Lord of the Isles, squandered the family's powerful position. A rebellion by his nephew, Alexander of Lochalsh provoked an exasperated James IV to forfeit the family's lands in 1493. In 1598, King James VI authorised some "Gentleman Adventurers" from Fife to civilise the "most barbarous Isle of Lewis". Initially successful, the colonists were driven out by local forces commanded by Murdoch and Neil MacLeod, who based their forces on Bearasaigh in Loch Ròg . The colonists tried again in 1605 with
3080-696: The Kings of Norway. This situation lasted until the partitioning of the Western Isles in 1156, at which time the Outer Hebrides remained under Norwegian control while the Inner Hebrides broke out under Somerled , the Norse-Gael kinsman of the Manx royal house. Following the ill-fated 1263 expedition of Haakon IV of Norway , the Outer Hebrides and the Isle of Man were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland as
3168-470: The Minch". This definition would encompass all offshore islands, including those that lie in the sea lochs, such as Eilean Bàn and Eilean Donan , which might not ordinarily be described as "Hebridean". However, no formal definition exists. In the past, the Outer Hebrides were often referred to as the Long Isle ( Scottish Gaelic : An t-Eilean Fada ). Today, they are also sometimes known as
3256-537: The Norwegian crown, although in practice the latter's control was fairly limited. Norse control of the Hebrides was formalised in 1098 when Edgar of Scotland formally signed the islands over to Magnus III of Norway . The Scottish acceptance of Magnus III as King of the Isles came after the Norwegian king had conquered Orkney , the Hebrides and the Isle of Man in a swift campaign earlier the same year, directed against
3344-461: The Outer Hebrides as a whole). This word may derive from the Ancient Greek : ἐρῆμος ( erimos "desert". The origin of Uist ( Old Norse : Ívist ) is similarly unclear. There are various examples of earlier names for Inner Hebridean islands that were Gaelic, but these names have since been completely replaced. For example, Adomnán records Sainea , Elena , Ommon and Oideacha in
3432-540: The Outer Hebrides. About 80 years after Pliny the Elder, in 140–150 AD, Ptolemy (drawing on accounts of the naval expeditions of Agricola ) writes that there are five Ebudes (possibly meaning the Inner Hebrides) and Dumna . Later texts in classical Latin , by writers such as Solinus , use the forms Hebudes and Hæbudes . The name Ebudes (used by Ptolemy) may be pre-Celtic. Ptolemy calls Islay " Epidion ", and
3520-567: The ancient Irish Ulaid tribal name Ibdaig , and also the personal name of a king Iubdán (recorded in the Silva Gadelica ). The names of other individual islands reflect their complex linguistic history. The majority are Norse or Gaelic, but the roots of several other names for Hebrides islands may have a pre-Celtic origin. Adomnán , a 7th-century abbot of Iona, records Colonsay as Colosus and Tiree as Ethica , and both of these may be pre-Celtic names. The etymology of Skye
3608-402: The archipelago's populations continued to dwindle throughout the late 19th century and for much of the 20th century. Lengthy periods of continuous occupation notwithstanding, many of the smaller islands were abandoned. There were, however, continuing gradual economic improvements, among the most visible of which was the replacement of the traditional thatched blackhouse with accommodation of
Dunvegan Cup - Misplaced Pages Continue
3696-405: The cows of one brother all charmed, but those of the other not so fortunate. Of the latter they immediately killed two of the best and fattest and carried away the carcases, leaving the hides filled with froth and slime, resembling bad carrion. In the morning the two cows were found dead, and conjectured to have been killed by lightning. The same thing however occurred for several nights — the cows of
3784-404: The cup came into the possession of the Macleods through the fairies, of which there are one or two legends. F.T. MacLeod said that it is impossible to determine exactly when the Macleods of Dunvegan acquired the cup, but he thought if likely in the 16th or 17th centuries. During this era several Macleod chiefs took part in warring in Ireland. He thought that the cup may have been a prize of war, or
3872-657: The cup has varied designs of triangles and circles. R.C. MacLeod considered these to be representations of the Trinity and Eternity . Ian Finlay described the circled, six-pointed stars as not unlike those on the outer-side of the Domnach Airgid , which is held in the National Museum of Ireland . Empty sockets on the outside of the cup are thought to have once held stones, or glass. Several somewhat smaller sockets still hold beads of coral . The silver legs are in
3960-475: The cup was acquired by the clan sometime in the 16th or 17th century. The Macleod chiefs have several other notable heirlooms kept at Dunvegan Castle, such as the Fairy Flag and Sir Rory Mor's Horn ( all three pictured right ). The Bute Mazer is another medieval Scottish ceremonial cup. The Dunvegan Cup is a wooden ceremonial cup, made of wood and elaborately decorated with silver. It is square shaped at
4048-681: The cup. Maguire of Fermanagh Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.237 via cp1104 cp1104, Varnish XID 211820752 Upstream caches: cp1104 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:54:24 GMT Hebrides The Hebrides ( / ˈ h ɛ b r ɪ d iː z / HEB -rid-eez ; Scottish Gaelic : Innse Gall , pronounced [ˈĩːʃə ˈkaul̪ˠ] ; Old Norse : Suðreyjar , lit. 'Southern isles') are an archipelago off
4136-402: The decisive Battle of Culloden , which effectively ended Jacobite hopes of a Stuart restoration, was widely felt. The British government's strategy was to estrange the clan chiefs from their kinsmen and turn their descendants into English-speaking landlords whose main concern was the revenues their estates brought rather than the welfare of those who lived on them. This may have brought peace to
4224-537: The earliest written reference to the names of some of the islands. The derivations of all the inhabited islands of the Hebrides and some of the larger uninhabited ones are listed below. Lewis and Harris is the largest island in Scotland and the third largest of the British Isles , after Great Britain and Ireland. It incorporates Lewis in the north and Harris in the south, both of which are frequently referred to as individual islands, although they are joined by
4312-412: The end of the 19th century, there were significant populations of monolingual Gaelic speakers, and the Hebrides still contain the highest percentages of Gaelic speakers in Scotland. This is especially true of the Outer Hebrides, where a slim majority speak the language. The Scottish Gaelic college, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig , is based on Skye and Islay. Ironically, given the status of the Western Isles as
4400-641: The failure of the islands' kelp industry that thrived from the 18th century until the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and large scale emigration became endemic. As Iain Mac Fhearchair , a Gaelic poet from South Uist , wrote for his countrymen who were obliged to leave the Hebrides in the late 18th century, emigration was the only alternative to "sinking into slavery" as the Gaels had been unfairly dispossessed by rapacious landlords. In
4488-569: The finest example being the standing stones at Callanish , dating to the 3rd millennium BC. Cladh Hallan , a Bronze Age settlement on South Uist is the only site in the UK where prehistoric mummies have been found. In 55 BC, the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus wrote that there was an island called Hyperborea (which means "beyond the North Wind"), where a round temple stood from which
SECTION 50
#17327804648514576-607: The following lines, in The Lord of the Isles . "Fill me the mighty cup!" he said, "Erst own'd by the royal Somerled : Fill it, till on the studded brim In burning gold and bubbles swim, And every gem of varried shine Glow doubly bright in rosy wine! Scott attempted to transcribe the Latin inscription on the silver rim of the cup. His early attempt at transcribing the inscription differs significantly from later attempts by others. Scott's transcription and translation
4664-406: The form of human legs; and are ornamented with a twisted wire which runs down the front. The feet wear shoes, which are covered in niello, and the legs are gilt. Everywhere except the rim, the silver is very thin, and in consequence has suffered a great deal of damage over the years. The cup has been classified as a mether , a communal drinking cup used at ceremonial events, by its square shape at
4752-404: The gossiping of his female parishioners and local marriage customs. In the 20th century, Murdo Macfarlane of Lewis wrote Cànan nan Gàidheal , a well-known poem about the Gaelic revival in the Outer Hebrides. Sorley MacLean , the most respected 20th-century Gaelic writer, was born and raised on Raasay , where he set his best known poem, Hallaig , about the devastating effect of
4840-488: The heart. A rush was made by the assembled vassals to seize the murderer, who succeeded in escaping to the top of a rock, which is still shown, where he was brought to bay. He had twelve arrows in his quiver and with each of these he killed one of the Chief's followers. He was then captured and flayed alive; his kindred were outlawed or put to death and all their property confiscated to the Chief who in this way became possessed of
4928-454: The historical record is sparse. Hunter (2000) states that in relation to King Bridei I of the Picts in the sixth century: "As for Shetland, Orkney, Skye and the Western Isles, their inhabitants, most of whom appear to have been Pictish in culture and speech at this time, are likely to have regarded Bridei as a fairly distant presence." Viking raids began on Scottish shores towards the end of
5016-467: The ingress of any spirits, good or bad. Lurran, however, was eventually killed by the fairies for stealing their cup, which his mother then gave to her foster-son, Neil Glundubh. Neil was soon after murdered by his brother, who seized the cup with other property. When the Chief heard of this outrage he had the murderer arrested and put to death at Rowdell . The cup was then taken to Dunvegan, and there it has ever since remained. The second story also mentions
5104-412: The inscription. He gave the woman's name as "Katharina Nig Ry Neil"—Katharina, daughter of King Neil. R.C. MacLeod said that Macleod legend assigned the cup to Niall Glúndub , and that the cup might have passed down to Katharina from him, or the cup may have been attributed to him by his descendants. R.C. MacLeod later claimed that tradition held that the wooden bowl dated from the 10th century, and that it
5192-410: The islands, but in the following century it came at a terrible price. In the wake of the rebellion, the clan system was broken up and islands of the Hebrides became a series of landed estates. The early 19th century was a time of improvement and population growth. Roads and quays were built; the slate industry became a significant employer on Easdale and surrounding islands; and the construction of
5280-570: The kingdom would be of great importance in the spread of Christianity in northern Britain. However, Iona was far from unique. Lismore in the territory of the Cenél Loairn, was sufficiently important for the death of its abbots to be recorded with some frequency and many smaller sites, such as on Eigg , Hinba , and Tiree , are known from the annals. North of Dál Riata, the Inner and Outer Hebrides were nominally under Pictish control, although
5368-400: The last Gaelic-speaking stronghold in Scotland, the Gaelic language name for the islands – Innse Gall – means "isles of the foreigners"; from the time when they were under Norse colonisation. For those who remained, new economic opportunities emerged through the export of cattle, commercial fishing and tourism. Nonetheless, emigration and military service became the choice of many and
SECTION 60
#17327804648515456-502: The late 16th century. Haswell-Smith (2004) notes that the full name "St Kilda" first appears on a Dutch map dated 1666, and that it may derive from the Norse phrase sunt kelda ("sweet wellwater") or from a mistaken Dutch assumption that the spring Tobar Childa was dedicated to a saint. ( Tobar Childa is a tautological placename , consisting of the Gaelic and Norse words for well , i.e., "well well"). Similarly unclear
5544-546: The local Norwegian leaders of the various island petty kingdoms. By capturing the islands Magnus imposed a more direct royal control, although at a price. His skald Bjorn Cripplehand recorded that in Lewis "fire played high in the heaven" as "flame spouted from the houses" and that in the Uists "the king dyed his sword red in blood". The Hebrides were now part of the Kingdom of the Isles , whose rulers were themselves vassals of
5632-435: The main language of the entire Hebridean archipelago. Due to Scots and English being favoured in government and the educational system, the Hebrides have been in a state of diglossia since at least the 17th century. The Highland Clearances of the 19th century accelerated the language shift away from Scottish Gaelic, as did increased migration and the continuing lower status of Gaelic speakers . Nevertheless, as late as
5720-432: The moon appeared only a little distance above the earth every 19 years. This may have been a reference to the stone circle at Callanish. A traveller called Demetrius of Tarsus related to Plutarch the tale of an expedition to the west coast of Scotland in or shortly before 83 AD. He stated it was a gloomy journey amongst uninhabited islands, but he had visited one which was the retreat of holy men. He mentioned neither
5808-481: The northern Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides. The Scottish Gaelic language arrived from Ireland due to the growing influence of the kingdom of Dál Riata from the 6th century AD onwards, and became the dominant language of the southern Hebrides at that time. For a few centuries, the military might of the Gall-Ghàidheil meant that Old Norse was prevalent in the Hebrides. North of Ardnamurchan ,
5896-595: The old castle in Stornoway. With the implementation of the Treaty of Union in 1707, the Hebrides became part of the new Kingdom of Great Britain , but the clans' loyalties to a distant monarch were not strong. A considerable number of islesmen "came out" in support of the Jacobite Earl of Mar in the 1715 and again in the 1745 rising including Macleod of Dunvegan and MacLea of Lismore. The aftermath of
5984-399: The outline of the island of Hirta resembles the shape of a stag , speculating that therefore the name "Hirta" may be a reference to the island's shape. The etymology of the names of small islands may be no less complex and elusive. In relation to Dubh Artach , Robert Louis Stevenson believed that "black and dismal" was one translation of the name, noting that "as usual, in Gaelic, it
6072-402: The outside of the rim is an engraved inscription in black lettering in two lines. The spaces between the letters are hatched with fine lines, which intersect diagonally. The angels of the rim have strips ornamented with niello . The inside of the rim is plain by comparison; except for the letter I.H.S. repeated on all four sides. This is a Christogram representing Jesus Christ. Each side of
6160-507: The place names that existed prior to the 9th century have been all but obliterated. The Old Norse name for the Hebrides during the Viking occupation was Suðreyjar , which means "Southern Isles"; in contrast to the Norðreyjar , or " Northern Isles " of Orkney and Shetland . South of Ardnamurchan , Gaelic place names are more common, and after the 13th century, Gaelic became
6248-486: The same brother always being selected. Watch was set but none possessed the power of seeing the fairies, while Lurran kept what he had seen a secret from all but his mother. When it again came to Lurran's turn to watch he saw the same thing happen, but this time he joined the crowd and entered the Bruthach unobserved, and found himself in a spacious hall where was prepared a feast of which all partook. Lurran took care to get
6336-415: The same general patterns as the inhabited islands. (See the list, below, of the ten largest islands in the Hebrides and their outliers.) The etymology of the name "St Kilda" , a small archipelago west of the Outer Hebrides, and the name of its main island, " Hirta ," is very complex. No saint is known by the name of Kilda, so various other theories have been proposed for the word's origin, which dates from
6424-401: The same lines as Scott. Wilson made a few minor edits to Scott's rendering of the Latin inscription, but at the time he had not seen the cup. After certain correspondence and the aid of William Forbes Skene , Wilson examined the cup in person and later amended his analysis. His subsequent rendering of the inscription was vastly different from Scott's. In addition, Wilson concluded that the cup
6512-668: The same result, but a third attempt in 1607 was more successful and in due course Stornoway became a Burgh of Barony . By this time, Lewis was held by the Mackenzies of Kintail (later the Earls of Seaforth ), who pursued a more enlightened approach, investing in fishing in particular. The Seaforths' royalist inclinations led to Lewis becoming garrisoned during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms by Cromwell 's troops, who destroyed
6600-573: The siege of MacCostello's Castle, in County Mayo . In light of Ruairidh Mòr's participation in activities in Ireland at the end of the 16th century, R.C. MacLeod concluded that the cup was given to the Macleods through the O'Neill chieftain Shane Ó Neill ; and that these two chieftains were the friends mentioned in the traditional tale related by Lady O'Neill in 1925. In 1927, R.C. MacLeod gave two abridged versions of traditions said to be attributed to
6688-464: The top and rounded at the bottom, and stands on four legs. Sir Walter Scott examined the cup and, in 1815 in The Lord of the Isles , gave its measurements as: 10.5 inches (27 cm) in height on the outside, 9.75 inches (24.8 cm) in depth in the inside, 4.5 inches (11 cm) the extreme breadth over the mouth. In around the 1850s, Alexander Nesbitt gave similar measurements, and added that it
6776-399: The top and rounded bottom. According to F.T. MacLeod, the first published accounts of the cup were made by Sir Walter Scott , and Sir Daniel Wilson in the early 19th century. F.T. MacLeod noted that three earlier visitors to Dunvegan Castle— Samuel Johnson , James Boswell , and Thomas Pennant — made no mention of having seen the cup. Scott mentioned the cup within the explanatory note on
6864-459: The two brothers, but differs in all other details. It relates how the chief held a great banquet at Rowdell in Harris . ... the son of one of these same brothers having been insulted at a feast by Magnus, (the Chief's fifth son) rose from the table to leave the room, muttering threats of vengeance. Magnus sprang up and opposed his exit, on which the offended vassal drew his dirk and stabbed Magnus to
6952-431: The use of the letter "p" suggests a Brythonic or Pictish tribal name, Epidii , because the root is not Gaelic. Woolf (2012) has suggested that Ebudes may be "an Irish attempt to reproduce the word Epidii phonetically, rather than by translating it", and that the tribe's name may come from the root epos , meaning "horse". Watson (1926) also notes a possible relationship between Ebudes and
7040-526: The west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebrides . These islands have a long history of occupation (dating back to the Mesolithic period), and the culture of the inhabitants has been successively influenced by the cultures of Celtic-speaking , Norse-speaking , and English-speaking peoples. This diversity
7128-582: The woman's name as "Katherina ingen ui Neill"; this made her an O'Neill, rather than a MacRannal. Nesbitt noted that John Maguire is recorded several times in the Annals of the Four Masters ; and that he became one of the chiefs of the Maguires in 1484. Nesbitt stated that John Maguire died in 1503; and that he could not find Katharine O'Neill, within the annals. Later, Roderick Charles MacLeod transcribed
7216-529: Was besieging Enniskillen Castle . After landing at Loch Foyle, the Hebridean chieftains were entertained by Ó Domhnaill for three days and three nights. MacDhòmhnaill returned to the Hebrides and left his men behind in Ireland; however, MacLeòid stayed and was present at the fall of Enniskillen Castle in October 1594. He was still in Ireland the next year at the head of 600 Hebrideans, alongside Ó Domhnaill at
7304-445: Was 5.5 inches (14 cm) at the broadest point of the cup, which is somewhat below the middle. The cup is constructed mostly of wood. Scott thought it was possibly oak . Nesbitt later surmised that the wood was either yew or alder . The cup is covered with mountings of silver, wrought in filigree and decorated with niello and gilding . The mouth of the cup has a rim of solid silver-gilt , 2 inches (5.1 cm) in depth. On
7392-562: Was a product of Irish craftsmanship, rather than of Scottish origin. Wilson's new rendering of the inscription had the cup belonging to a "Katharina nig Ryneill"; and he considered that the John, son of the Maguire, who was mentioned in the transcription, was the same as the one mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters in the year 1484. Wilson said that this John died in 1511, and that his wife
7480-403: Was considered to be a resort of fairies, Lurran's mother took the precaution to charm all her foster-son's cows, as well as her son Lurran on whom she uttered a spell, proof against the devil himself. About midnight Lurran saw the Bruthach (or mound) open, and an immense concourse of people issue from it. They proceeded towards the fold where they began to converse and examine the cattle. They found
7568-648: Was re-introduced to Rùm in 1975 and has successfully spread to various neighbouring islands, including Mull. There is a small population of red-billed chough concentrated on the islands of Islay and Colonsay . Red deer are common on the hills and the grey seal and common seal are present around the coasts of Scotland. Colonies of seals are found on Oronsay and the Treshnish Isles. The rich freshwater streams contain brown trout , Atlantic salmon and water shrew . Offshore, minke whales , orcas , basking sharks , porpoises and dolphins are among
7656-508: Was the property of Niall Glúndub, the 10th-century Irish king of Cenél nEógain , R.C. MacLeod does not rule out the possibility of the ornamentation having been added to the cup at a later date; the silver work has been dated to the 14th century at the earliest. The dated inscription puts it at 1493. In about 1913, Fred T. MacLeod stated that he could find no reference to the cup in the Dunvegan records. He said that Macleod tradition held that
7744-495: Was unknown; but that a Catherine, who was the daughter of MacRannal, was married to a Maguire. She was noted as dying in 1490. At about the same time, Eugene O'Curry , of the Brehon Law Commission, examined the cup and transcribed the inscription. Alexander Nesbitt noted O'Curry's transcription and pointed out that the last part of the inscription was from the fifteenth verse of the 145th Psalm . O'Curry rendered
#850149