From a collection of photographs relating to Balephuil.
Men L-R: John MacKay, Donald Sinclair, Willie MacNeill, Duncan MacDonald
Girls L-R: Betty Daff, Mina Lindsay
2024.20.1
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Associated People: Sinclair, Mr Donald, Balephuil (1885 - 1975)
2015.9.1
Typed transcript of Donald Sinclair, West Hynish, singing about a boat named `Eilidh a` Chuain`, 1968
Transcript of Eric Gregeen interviewing Donald Sinclair, West Hynish, in 1968. Donald sings an old song in Gaelic about a trading boat named `Eilidh a` Chuain / Helen of the Seas`, which mentions the Isle of Mann. He doesn`t know its exact origin, only that it was passed down orally through generations of his family. Created on A3 paper using a typewriter. The transcript is labelled SA 1968/246/A1, suggesting that it may also be available on CD from Pròiseact Thiriodh, School of Scottish Studies, Edinburgh.
2014.39.1
Notes regarding audio recordings made on Tiree in 1972 and 1974
Two folders of handwritten notes made by Eric Cregeen while he was recording Tiree people speaking onto cassette tape during 1972 and 1974, plus a map of Balephuil, Balinoe and Barrapol annotated with the names of people living in each house. People recorded in notes: Donald Sinclair, Hector Kennedy – Balephuil, John Brown – Balephuil, John MacLean – Kilmoluaig, John MacLean – Cornaigbeg. Subjects covered include ancestry, Gaelic prose and songs, people living nearby, second sight, place names, shebeens, building construction, poverty, weather, schools, food, shops, water supplies, emigrants, rents, skeleton, confrontations, ferries and ships, literacy, crofts, Pairc na Coille, wars, Land Leagues, churches, illnesses.
2000.61.35
Mini-disk SA1966/103
Hector MacLean (Eachann Bàn) repeats a New Year rhyme; Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil sings a satirical song by the Balemartine bard against factors and dukes; Hugh Campbell (Eòghann Nèill) sings a song in praise of Tiree; Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin tells a story about the cooper from Coll and the witches, sings a song about a drowning in Balephuil, talks about the family of Rev. Donald MacDougall, tells stories about the roasting of a witch, a CalMac captain’s lucky escape, the man who married a skull, his grandfather Alasdair Òg and the fairies, a fairy woman milking cows, sings the milking song sung by the fairy woman, talks about a minister’s view of Satan and the fairies, tells a story about fairy milk maids, sings a hunting song, talks about Rob Don MacKay’s schooldays, sings a song about Mac Ruary’s trousers and another about Culloden, tells the story of Iain Lom and the battle of Inverlochy and another about Ailean Dall (blind Alan) and sings a song miscalling Ailean Dall’s wife.
2000.61.43
Mini-disk SA1968/30.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil sings four Gaelic songs two of them love songs, tells two Fenian tales, three stories about ghosts, two about second sight, stories about his uncle Niall Òg, talks about Island House and Baca na Croicheadh, tells a story about a fairy cow and a cattle thief from Islay, sings a milking song, talks about good and bad luck, the superstitions of fishermen, how to heal the evil eye, weather forecasting and gives the names of the inside of a small boat.
2000.61.10
CD Pròiseact Thiriodh CD-SA1966-104.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil sings a song about the Battle of Falkirk in 1746, a love song and a verse of satire by Duncan Bàn, talks about Iain Mac Ailein experiences in North America, his own relations particularly the Blacks from Lismore, sings an elegy to Colin Campbell, talks about Ailean Breac and the death of Colin Campbell, the meeting of the MacLeans of Duart and Ailean nan Sop, cattle raiding, a saying attributed to Thomas the Rhymer, the killing by Glengarry of his son-in-law, sings a song composed by Gilleasbuig MacPhail, talks about bards and their immunity from law, evil and protective charms, island witches, the song ‘Pilot the Dog’ and the bards involved in its composition and sings a song in praise of Mull by Dugald MacPhail.
2000.61.18
CD Pròiseact Thiriodh CD-SA1968-31.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil sings a Gaelic love song, recites a fragment of ‘Ruaig ’s an Caolas’, gives popular sayings used on Tiree, sings ‘Air Lorg an Fheidh’, ‘Oran an t-Saighdeir’, ‘Mo Bhreacan’, ‘O ho ro ’ille dhuinn’, ‘Duthaich Mhic Leoid’ and another love song, gives the meanings of words used on Tiree, sings a sea-faring song, talks about harvest customs, sings a song about a Mull man looking for a wife, talks about different birds, sings ‘Oran na Tì’ and a cradle song, talks about wind direction when going to sea, a belief that there’s gold buried in Dùn Shiadair, sings a humorous song about a man needing help with spring work, tells a story about a horse in a bard’s house, talks about thatched houses, sings a song for a teacher, talks about tuberculosis, sings a sailor’s song and talks about fishermen’s landmarks.
2000.61.36
Mini-disk SA1966/104.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil sings a song about the Battle of Falkirk in 1746, a love song and a verse of satire by Duncan Bàn, talks about Iain Mac Ailein experiences in North America, his own relations particularly the Blacks from Lismore, sings an elegy to Colin Campbell, talks about Ailean Breac and the death of Colin Campbell, the meeting of the MacLeans of Duart and Ailean nan Sop, cattle raiding, a saying attributed to Thomas the Rhymer, the killing by Glengarry of his son-in-law, sings a song composed by Gilleasbuig MacPhail, talks about bards and their immunity from law, evil and protective charms, island witches, the song ‘Pilot the Dog’ and the bards involved in its composition and sings a song in praise of Mull by Dugald MacPhail.
2000.61.44
Mini-disk SA1968/31.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil sings a Gaelic love song, recites a fragment of ‘Ruaig ’s an Caolas’, gives popular sayings used on Tiree, sings ‘Air Lorg an Fheidh’, ‘Oran an t-Saighdeir’, ‘Mo Bhreacan’, ‘O ho ro ’ille dhuinn’, ‘Duthaich Mhic Leoid’ and another love song, gives the meanings of words used on Tiree, sings a sea-faring song, talks about harvest customs, sings a song about a Mull man looking for a wife, talks about different birds, sings ‘Oran na Tì’ and a cradle song, talks about wind direction when going to sea, a belief that there’s gold buried in Dùn Shiadair, sings a humorous song about a man needing help with spring work, tells a story about a horse in a bard’s house, talks about thatched houses, sings a song for a teacher, talks about tuberculosis, sings a sailor’s song and talks about fishermen’s landmarks.
2000.61.11
CD Pròiseact Thiriodh CD-SA1968-21.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil tells an anecdote about the supernatural, the deathbed comments of his uncle, a dream by Dòmhnall an Oir, the story of a corpse who spoke in the coffin, the use of urine and seeds against spells and fairies, stories about the fairy mound An Cnoc Glas, where his great-grandmother used milk cows, the evil eye, a story about blood on a floor that couldn’t be cleaned, a song written by the Balemartine bard about a reputed witch, the fatigue after supernatural cures, the work and equipment for horses, sports before church, a vision seen by an old man and the meaning of some Gaelic words.