Audio cassette recording of David MacClounnan of Balephuil talking to John Donald MacLean in February 1998.
David MacClounnan (Dàibhidh na Croige) of Balephuil talks to John Donald MacLean (Teòn Dòmhnall a’ Mhuilinn) about fishing for cod and herring, drying fish, the fishing smacks of West Hynish, the construction of the thatched house in Bail’ Ur and their owners, old stories about fairies, the Old New Year, gathering seafood, the piper who went into the cave at Kennavara, a water diviner, place-names in East and West Hynish, the Norsemen, World War I and Skerryvore. Tha Dàibhidh na Croige a Baile Phuill a’ bruidhinn ri Teòn Dòmhnall a’ Mhuilinn mu iasgach truisg agus sgadan, tiormachadh èisg, bàtaichean èisg nan Cuiltean, na taighean-tugha a chaidh a thogail anns a’ Bhail’ Ùr agus na daoine a bu leis iad, seann naidheachdan mu shìthichean, an t-seann Bliadhna Ùr, a’ cruinneachadh biadh-cladaich, am pìobair a chaidh a steach don uaimh aig Ceann a’ Bhara, fàistinneach-uisge, ainmeannan-aite ann am Ear ’s ann Iar Haoidhnis, na Lochlannaich, a’ Cheud Chogadh agus an Sgeir Mhòr.
Audio cassette recording of Hugh MacLean of Barrapol talking to John Donald MacLean in May 1998.
Hugh MacLean (Eòghann Dhòmhnaill Eòghainn Mhòir) of Barrapol talks to John Donald MacLean (Teòn Dòmhnall a’ Mhuilinn) about shipwrecks around the Tiree coasts, seamen’s burial grounds, fishing, shooting cormorants and geese, seaweed as food, the changes in people’s diet and children’s toys, his first bike, self-taught pipers and fiddlers, the genealogy of Pipe Major John MacDonald, the names of Kennavara’s cliffs and caves, and Heylipol School. Tha Eòghann Dhòmhnaill Eòghainn Mhòir a Goirtean Dòmhnall a’ bruidhinn ri Teòn Dòmhnall a’ Mhuilinn mu na luing-bhriste a tha mun cuairt cladaichean Thiriodh, cladha na maraiche, iasgach, a’ sealg sgairbh agus geòidh, ùis feamainn na biadh, na h-atharrachaidhean ann an biadh dhaoine agus dèideagan cloinne, a’ cheud rothair a bha aige fhèin, pìobairean agus fidhlearan a ionnsaich iad fhèin, Màidsear Pìobaireachd Iain Mhic Dhòmhnaill, ainmeannan agus uaimh Cheann a’ Bhara agus Sgoil na Mòintich.
Audio cassette recording of Hugh MacLeod, Cornaigbeg, talking to Maggie Campbell on 19/6/2001.
Hugh MacLeod of Cornaigbeg talks to Maggie Campbell in June 2001 about Charles and Archie (Èairdsidh Tuairnear) MacLean of Cornaigmore, where Archie lived, his work as a wood turner, the equipment he used and the furniture, spinning wheels and coffins he made; Hugh also talks about Garaphail, Lag na Gruachan, Druimbuidhe and Whitehouse farms.
Audio cassette recording of Hector Campbell of Garaphail interviewed by Margaret Bennett of the School of Scottish Studies.
Hector Campbell of Garaphail and Comrie talks to Margaret Bennett of the School of Scottish Studies about Gaelic songs and poetry, the music sailors from Ireland and the islands made at sea, the connections between Tiree and Skye, his boyhood, New Year, Halloween and May Day, superstitions, the weather, herbal remedies, fishing, seaweed as food, the changes in crofting practice, what happened when someone died, dances, washing days and health.
In a conversation with Alasdair Sinclair of Brock recorded in January 2004, Duncan Grant of Ruaig tells a humorous story about his relative, Dan MacLeod, who played a practical joke on Alasdair’s great-uncles, William, Donald and Neil MacKinnon.
In the days before television, neighbours would regularly visit each other ‘air chèilidh’- for the ‘crack’. Alasdair’s Uncle William was a great story-teller and would entertain the township children with ghost stories.
Duncan’s mother, Mary Flora MacLeod, remembered a particularly scary story about ‘cròg mòr fada liath, liath le aois’ (a long grey claw-like hand, grey with age). She and her sister would be so scared of leaving in the dark they would race the twenty yards home.
Audio cassette recording of a BBC programme with Alasdair MacNeill interviewed by Kenneth MacQuarrie.
Kenneth MacQuarrie interviews Alasdair MacNeill of Balevullin who sings a song about the Crofters’ War, talks about his early days as a farm-hand in Ayrshire, his sea-faring days and transporting the first 3000 American soldiers to join World War I from New York to Liverpool, going to New Zealand in 1924 where he worked as a farm-hand, his experience aboard the sinking ship Ventura en route from New Zealand to America in 1931 and finally sings a song he remembers from his childhood. Tha Coinneach Mhic Guaire a’ còmhdhail ri Alasdair Mhic Nèill a Bail’ a’ Mhuilinn a tha a’ seinn òran mu Chogadh nan Croitearan agus a’ bruidhinn air mar a thòisich e air obair na fhear-oibre-fearainn ann an Àir, a làithean aig fairge agus a’ giùlain trì mìle saighdear a bha dol gun Cheud Chogadh bho New York gu Liverpool, dol don Seallainn Nuadh ann an 1924 far an robh e ag obair na fhear-oibre-fearainn a’ buain meuran nan cailleach marbh, mar a chaidh am bàta Ventura fodha air an rathad as an Seallainn Nuadh gu Ameireaga ann an 1931; tha e sin a’ seinn òran air an robh cuimhne aige bho làithean leanabais.
John and Donald MacDonald with a sunfish on Gott Bay pier
Photograph of John and Donald MacDonald with a sunfish on Gott Bay pier.
Courtesy of Dr John MacDonald
John MacDonald of Heanish and his son Donald were photographed with a sunfish on Gott Bay pier in the late 1920s or early 1930s. The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, is the most massive bony fish in the world and can grow over three metres in length.
Sunfish feed on jellyfish, plankton and small fish. They stay primarily in open waters, but can often be seen near kelp beds, large expanses of which surround Tiree. Its name ‘mola’ is Latin for ‘millstone’ which the fish is said to resemble in shape, colour and texture.
They propel themselves by flapping their large fins from side to side. Sometimes they are seen floating sideways in the water and it is commonly thought that they are basking in the sun. They are more often to be found further south in the waters round Cornwall and Wales.
Black and white photograph of John MacDonald on Gott Bay pier in the 1920s.
L-R: John `Nonian` MacDonald of Heanish and his son Donald with a sunfish on Gott Bay pier in the late 1920s or early 1930s. Donald jumped ship in Australia and lived there. (Donald is the brother of Jean MacEwan.)
Black and white photograph of Malcolm and Isabel Lamont`s house in Cornaigmore.
Malcolm (Calum Alasdair) and Isabel Lamont`s house in Cornaigmore. Isabel was a weaver and had her loom in the byre. They were the parents of Donald Lamont of Caoles and the grandparents of Malcolm MacLean of Salum (Calum Salum).
