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.
2000.61.36
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.
2000.61.19
CD Pròiseact Thiriodh CD-SA1968-32.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil talks about poultry feed and flour, gives two proverbs, talks about women wrestling in Tiree, sings a song about the Campbells and MacLeans, talks about Hogmanay rhymes and traditions, sings ‘Calum Bàn’ and ‘Duain Callain’, talks about choosing a dog, about bards and sings two songs miscalling a Moss Bard and sings ‘Maighdeannan na h-Airigh’, talks about weaving patterns and dyeing, using hen dung for washing, sings a waulking song and a lullaby, talks bout using urine for waulking, washing, drying and finishing wool, barn dances, the words used during the process of turning wool to cloth, tailors and weavers.
2000.61.37
Mini-disk 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.
2000.61.45
Mini-disk SA1968/32.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chaluim Bhàin) of Balephuil talks about poultry feed and flour, gives two proverbs, talks about women wrestling in Tiree, sings a song about the Campbells and MacLeans, talks about Hogmanay rhymes and traditions, sings ‘Calum Bàn’ and ‘Duain Callain’, talks about choosing a dog, about bards and sings two songs miscalling a Moss Bard and sings ‘Maighdeannan na h-Airigh’, talks about weaving patterns and dyeing, using hen dung for washing, sings a waulking song and a lullaby, talks bout using urine for waulking, washing, drying and finishing wool, barn dances, the words used during the process of turning wool to cloth, tailors and weavers.
2000.61.1
CD Pròiseact Thiriodh CD-SA1953-54.
Donald Sinclair (Dòmhnall Chluim Bhain) of Balephuil talks about old stories; Murdo MacDonald plays some accordion tunes; children sing a Gaelic song; Hector MacLean tells a traditional story about a curse put on the factor; humerous song by an unknown artist; two stories told by John MacIntyre of Mull.