-
(dha) fiachail
-
the checking of nets, during the night, for the presence of meshed herring.
Location: [Harris], Scalpay
Category: Iasgach an Sgadain / Herring-Fishing
-
2.2. A clear night sky
-
Location: Na Hearadh, Gòbhaig [Harris, Gobhaig]
Category: Sìde / Weather
-
2.2. A clear night sky
-
Category: Sìde / Weather
-
2.2. A clear night sky
-
Origin: Harris, Horgabost or Harris, Kyles Stockinish
Category: Sìde / Weather
-
2.2. A clear night sky
-
Origin: Mull, Tobermory
Category: Sìde / Weather
-
2.2. A clear night sky
-
Origin: Tiree
Category: Sìde / Weather
-
2.2. A clear night sky
-
Origin: [Barra]
Category: Sìde / Weather
-
Di-luain
-
Quot.: Di-luain traoidht [t̪ɾ[ɤi]tʹ]. Note: the first Monday after the New Year (old reckoning). (The direction of the wind at midnight that night supposed to be the prevailing wind for the rest of the year.)
Origin: [Ness]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
Oidhche Choinnle
-
New Year’s night. Oidhche Choinnle, oidhche shonais, oidhche air am bi … is … / So an tigh ’s a bheil mo gnothuch / ’S chan eil romham dol na’s fhaide. Duan, one of many which could be recited in order to gain admittance on New Year’s Eve.
Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
Urnaigh Oidhche
-
Night Prayer.
Location: South Uist, Daliburgh
Category: An Eaglais / Ecclesiastical Terms
-
[cairis]
-
Bha mi nam chairis fad na h-oidhche. – I sat up all night.
Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[cairís]
-
Bha mi ’n am chairís fad na h-oidhche. – I was up all night.
Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[cuir]
-
Bidh i a’ cuir ann neo a’ cuir as a màireach. – expression which meant that you could expect wind or rain the next day. Not sure as regards the weather conditions of the previous night from which this judgement was made.
Location: South Uist, Stoneybridge
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[fiataidh]
-
Dh’fhalbh i gu fiataidh, falachaidh. – carefully and stealthily making your way somewhere. In this case at night time.
Location: South Uist, Stilligarry
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[foretelling good weather 3]
-
Deep red sky at night.
Origin: Tiree
Category: Sìde / Weather
-
[fuireach]
-
Gu fuireach car oidhche. To stay one night. [NOTE in second hand: To stay for one night or so.]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[fèath]
-
Tha an oidhche ’na feith. The night is calm.
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[iaradh]
-
“Cha deacha iaradh air a bhus fad na h-oidhche.” – He was talking away all night. “Cha deacha abhsadh air a bhus fad na h-oidhche”, a chanadh muinntir an Taoibh Siar, Borgh có dhiu.
Origin: [Lewis, Uig an Iar]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[iomlaid]
-
Chaidh e mar siod ann an iomlaid na h-aon oidhche. – Turned grey, or anything else, in the course of one night.
Origin: [Lewis, Uig an Iar]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[oidhche]
-
An oidhche an nochd. This very night.
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[raoir]
-
Air bho’n raoir. Night before last.
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[saoghal]
-
“Chuir i duine chun an t-saoghail an oidhche sin.” – She gave birth to a child that night.
Origin: [Lewis, Uig an Iar]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[sùil]
-
“Cha robh dùil agam gu’m faiceadh mo shùil an latha.” – I thought I wouldn’t survive (through the night) to see daylight).
Origin: [Lewis, Uig an Iar]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
[tigh-aire]
-
In my childhood, Lochaber, i.e. the Braes of Lochaber, was 95% Catholic. When a death occurred in a house, people flocked to pay their respects and remained to pray. It was customary to lay one’s hand on the forehead of the dead for a moment (the head was normally covered by the sheet but the sheet was turned down momentarily to allow the hand to be laid on the forehead). People took it in turn to remain in the room “’s an tigh-aire” where prayers and litanies were said night and day till the day of the funeral – food was provided for people. On the day of the funeral, the coffin was carried shoulder-high on a bier for the few miles to Cill-a-Chaorail. The ancient church of St. Cyril of Alexandria has been restored of recent times and I understand the burial-service is held there now. [NOTES: the following comment copied from the letter dated 24/03/1977:] In my remarks about funeral practices in a previous letter, I had intended to mention the custom of building cairns. I have understood that when the mourners stopped for a rest and possibly refreshment, each man looked around for a sizeable stone and a cairn was built and was called the deceased’s cairn. With the widening of the roads, I fear the cairns have disappeared on the main roads.
Origin: Lochaber
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
aileiridh
-
night wake, ‘for the dead’.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
an luchd faire
-
The wake folk, usually men who were neighbours of the dead, although there were several women present also who provided and served meals as there was feasting going on through the night. This has practically ceased and feasting has given place to a religious service, reading of scripture, singing of Psalms and prayers, each night as long as the dead body is in the house. [NOTES: slipped under ‘luchd faire’. Definition: The wake folk. (See Quest.)]
Origin: Skye
Category: Bàs is Adhlacadh / Death and Burial
-
an sluagh
-
This refers to a belief, not common nowadays, which people observed. It referred to the souls of the deceased rising from their graves in the dead of night, between twelve midnight and three in the morning. Apparently they visited their former dwellings. Moreover and also anyone who was walking at this time of morning bore this in mind and it was the custom to warn such a person that these souls could uplift him whilst on his journey. The phrase “Feuch na glac an sluagh thu” reflects this belief. Unlike the fairies these souls would return you to the original lifting point by three in the morning.
Location: South Uist, Peninerine
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
as
-
Quotation: as t-oidhch’. Notes: at night.
Location: Skye, Kilmuir
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
bad
-
Quotation: “We’ll try a bad.” Notes: ‘Shooting overboard 2 or 3 fathoms of net on a breezy night, as a test for presence of herring.’
Location: Kintyre, Campbeltown
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
balgan-feòir
-
Quot.: “Cha teid thu mach mas beir am balgan-feòir agus an ceithir-chasach ort!” Note: said to young children if they wanted to go out at night.
Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
banais
-
Quotation: banais-chullaich. Notes: a collection of wailing cats at night (Kilmuir).
Location: Raasay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
banais taighe
-
this word supplied by Mrs C. O’Henley, Garrynamonie, South Uist. The night after a wedding reception celebrants invite those friends who could not attend the wedding due to work commitments to a house wedding. Also other friends and favourites invited.
Location: North Uist, Blàsheabhal [Blashaval]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
banais-nan-cearc
-
Notes: held the night before a wedding when the womenfolk collected at the bride’s house to pluck and cook the hens.
Location: Lewis, Barvas
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
bruthainn
-
Quotation: oidhche bhruthainn. Notes: a sultry night.
Location: Skye, Sleat, Calligary
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
brìdeagan
-
Quotation: Chaidh i as a brìdeagan leis an eagal. Notes: She went out of her wits with fright. (See SGS XI, p. 41.) Brìdeag: doll maids made in image of St Bride. On St Bride’s night, maiden was supposed to have this doll or dolls, to go with it to an outhouse in darkness and alone, and stay there till she heard St Bride giving name of future husband.
Origin: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
bàl stòcainn
-
modern equivalent would be a pyjama party. Everyone had to bring socks for the person they would leave with at the end of the night. If they did not have this they would be refused entry. [NOTES: ‘stòcainn’ corrected to ‘stocainn’.]
Location: South Uist, Iochdar, Baile Gharbhaidh [Balgarva]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
bò bò
-
(interj.) to denote a turning away from what is prohibited by a parent or adult for a child to do, as attempting to run into an unsafe place, in particular into the night if he may find a door opened, etc. etc.; to frighten him.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
caithris-na-oidhche
-
awake in the night. A habit or custom perhaps peculiar, adhered to [sic] Lewis and Harris, of courtships, a couple courting courting [sic] through the night.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
ceithir-chasach
-
Quot.: “Cha teid thu mach mas beir am balgan-feòir agus an ceithir-chasach ort!” Note: said to young children if they wanted to go out at night.
Origin: [Barvas]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
ciortalachadh
-
Quotation: a’ ciortalachadh. Notes: covering the fire over, and leaving it to burn for the night.
Location: Skye, Portree
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
claidheamh
-
Notes: bar across a door to lock it at night.
Origin: Port Charlotte
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
coimheadaiche
-
[kɛ̃əd̪i] Notes: part-time shepherd. In summer was responsible for keeping animals away from crops night and morning. Usually got a piece of land in return.
Origin: North Uist
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
coinneamh
-
Quotation: coinneamh uaircneach. Notes: meeting held on the night of the “Coinneamh Mhios”, which was held [at] midday, and to which only members could come (Free Church).
Location: Lewis, Barvas
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
coire bliannain
-
a glittering, scaly substance visible on seaweed at night.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
corp
-
Quotation: Dh’éirich i agus dh’fhalbh i ann an corp na h-oidhche. Notes: at dead of night.
Origin: Applecross
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
cullach
-
Quotation: banais-chullaich. Notes: a collection of cats wailing at night. (Kilmuir)
Location: Raasay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
cèinean
-
[cɛ̃:ṉɑṉ] Note: a game like “falach-fead” played at night.
Origin: [Lewis], Arnol
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
cìop
-
turfs which were taken home and used for keeping the fire alive during the night. This was called – “a’ smàladh an teine”. [NOTES: corrected to ‘cìp’.]
Origin: Uibhist a Tuath [North Uist]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
dealachadh nan tràithean
-
when day becomes night.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
dròbhach na h-oidhche
-
working secretly by night.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
duatharrach
-
[d̪u̟əhɑrɑx] Quotation: oidhche dhuatharrach. Notes: dark moonless night.
Origin: North Uist
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
dubhaganaich
-
[d̪u̟əɡɑṉiç] Quotation: dubhaganaich na h-oidhche. Notes: night-fall.
Location: Skye, Kilmuir
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
dubhar
-
Quot.: “dubhar na h-oidhche”. Note: dead of night.
Origin: Ness
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
eun-ghuireag
-
Note: seems to be applied to the snipe on the wing from the description of the sound it makes at night.
Origin: Scarista
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
fach
-
shearwater; also shelter for the night, fàch oidhche.
Location: Cluer
Category: Maorach / Shellfish
-
falamhanaiche na h-oidhche
-
someone who liked to wonder alone during the night.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
falcag-oidhche
-
night hawk. I don’t think this bird name [is?] among your list.
Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
fatradh
-
[fɑt̪ɾɑɣ] Quotation: Fhuair e fatradh ann. Notes: shelter, accommodation for the night.
Location: Tiree
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
fionnairidh
-
night watching.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
fiughair
-
Quotation: (1) Bha fiughair agam ris an raoir. (2) Dé a bha fiughair agad ris? Notes: (1) I expected him last night. (2) What were you expecting? (H. Meek) Also Rinn e fiughair ris: He showed pleasure at seeing him.
Location: Tiree, Cornaigbeg
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
fàradh
-
Quotation: Bithidh sinn a’ fàradh [fɑ:rə]. Notes: working all night when going fishing.
Origin: Carradale
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
gabh
-
Quotation: a’ gabhail mu’n teine. Notes: banking up the fire at night.
Location: Sutherland, Portskerra
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
gathan-ganaisg
-
Notes: rough sedge grass. On Halloween night the young men went around with torches of g-g or put them under women’s skirts – where they could! Supposed to bring fertility.
Location: Skye, Strath
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
grislich
-
[ɡɾiʃlʹiç] Quot.: “Cha do ghrislich mi fad na h-oidhche.” Note: I didn’t stir all night (asleep).
Origin: [Ness]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
ionnaraidh
-
night watch.
Location: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
ionnaraidh
-
night shift.
Location: Barra, Northbay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
leabaidh laighe
-
night quarters, sheltered dell for cattle to spend the night, sheiling.
Location: Lewis, Arnol
Category: Crodh / Cattle
-
leurach
-
“The marriage customs were these: When a young pair had got through the leurach, or contract, and had agreed to get married with the consent of their relatives, a night was appointed for the reite, when the friends met and a feast was prepared, of which all were hearty partakers.” (page 199)
Origin: [Lewis, Uig an Iar]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
locair
-
Quotation: Cha d’fhuair mi locair cadail fad na h-oidhche. Notes: I didn’t get a wink of sleep all night.
Location: Canada, Cape Breton, Boisdale
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
losgadh
-
phosphorescence. (Burning, the burning in Tarbert English.) This reveals the presence of herring at night, hence ‘Gheobh sinn iad ’san losgadh.’
Origin: [Kintyre, Tarbert]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
lòchran
-
located in Roman Catholic chapels. Usually located beside the tabernacle. A red coloured glass cylinder with a candle burning inside at night.
Location: South Uist, Geirinish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
oidhche
-
Quotation: as t-oidhch’. Notes: at night.
Location: Skye, Kilmuir
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
oidhche
-
Quotation: oidhche nighe-nan-cas. Notes: the custom of washing the feet of the bride and bridegroom the night before the wedding.
Location: Sutherland, Portskerra
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
oidhche
-
Quot.: “oidhche nan trì suipearan”. Note: longest night (winter solstice).
Origin: Uig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
oidhche
-
Quot.: Oidhche nan Seachd Suipearan. Note: the longest night in the year.
Origin: [Lewis], Arnol
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
oidhche
-
Quot.: oidhche nan cearc. Note: the night before a village wedding when hens were killed, plucked and cooked. Drink, music and dancing usually involved.
Origin: [Lewis], Arnol
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
oidhche na h-imrich
-
Notes: the final night at the shieling, the eve of returning home, a night of feasting, singing, dancing, courting (e.g. the youth of Achmore and Luerbost would gather at the Keose shielings, between Soval and Cliascro.) Not in Dw.
Location: Lewis
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
plumach
-
Quotation: oidhche phlumach fhliuch. Notes: a dark, wet night. Also “anns a’ phlumachdainn”.
Location: Ross-shire, Aultbea
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
ròthanaich na mara
-
sound of sea carried on a still night.
Location: [Harris], Leverburgh, Kintulavaig
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
salach gheallach
-
dimly lit night. “Oidhche na sallaich gheallaich”.
Location: Harris, Kyles Stockinish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
seabhag-oidhche
-
night hawk. [See falcag-oidhche.]
Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
seall
-
Quotation: Chaidh mi ga shealltainn. Bha mi ga shealltainn an raoir. Notes: I went to see him. I visited him last night.
Location: Tiree, Caolis
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
sgeith runnaig
-
a shooting star indicating bad weather. Could be seen in the late afternoon or at night. A shower of bright sparks would follow this star.
Location: South Uist, South Boisdale
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
sguab fhraoich
-
a brush made of heather used to sweep the sand of the floor every Saturday night to be replaced by new sand. On having done this the house was then said to be – “air a dhreasaigeadh”.
Origin: Na Hearadh [Harris]
Category: Taigh Gàidhealach / House and Furnishings
-
sheafaraidh
-
horses tied on a tether in this bit of land which could be on the croft. Would be tethered here at night. [NOTES: corrected to ‘seafaraidh’.]
Location: South Uist, Kildonan
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
sil
-
Quot.: “Bha clò air fhàgail air a phasgadh fad na h-oidhche ’n deidh a nighe gus a sileadh e a’ bhoinne”. Note: Tweed, after being washed in a stream and folded was left all night until it shed the surplus water. Then it was spread out to dry.
Location: Harris, Quidinish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
sireap
-
syrup. Syrup and hot water mixed was used for cold, drinking it before retiring at night.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
siubhal-oidhche
-
night marauding.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
smàl
-
Quotation: a’ smàladh an teine. Notes: bank up the fire at night. Barvas: “a’ tasgadh an teine” or “a’ cuir tasgadh dhan an teine”.
Origin: North Uist
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
taghairm
-
Notes: consulting invisible oracle. Offering of cats to devil in return for prosperity or worldly wealth. A reality, 3 forms: 1. taghairm nan cat, where cats offered; 2. taghairm nan radan, where rats used; 3. if people wanted to know the future, rolled up man in hide. Left between waterfall and rock, given the problem and left alone all night when he was supposed to have exact answer from friend in the Otherworld. See Occult Elements Common to Celtic and Oriental Folklore. Parallels in Classical lore.
Origin: Skye
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
tasgadh
-
Quotation: a’ tasgadh an teine. Notes: covering the fire over and leaving it to burn for the night.
Location: Skye, Portree
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
tasgadh-oidhche
-
a night banking of the fire. In the old black-house the peat fire was banked before retiring at night.
Location: Na Hearadh, Scalpaigh [Harris, Scalpay]
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
teine-fòid
-
the peat from the fire burning on the sickle (or any convenient item) was stuck in it to serve as a handle etc. and the burning peat as a lantern on a dark night, Highland of Scotland.
Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
tein’-éilt
-
[tʹɛ̃ṉe:lʹtʹ] Notes: electrical flashes in the sky on a clear night.
Origin: Kinlochourn
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
tinneas-air-ais
-
Quot.: “an tinneas-air-ais”. Note: epilepsy. Cure: a black cock with no white feathers was killed and buried at the spot where the fits had first taken place. The patient then had to sleep there for one night.
Origin: [Lewis], Arnol
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
tonn
-
Quot.: “a’ cur a’ chlò air a thonnan [hon̪əṉ]”. Note: folding the tweed after it was washed. Left all night “gus a sileadh e a’ bhoinne”. Then spread to dry.
Location: Harris, Quidinish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
tràth marbh na h-oidhche
-
the dead of night, i.e. between twelve midnight and three in the morning.
Location: South Uist, Peninerine
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
uair mharbh na h-oidhche
-
the dead of night, between 12 and 3 in the morning.
Location: South Uist, Garrynamonie
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
uaircneach
-
[ũ̜ɑ̃ɾcṉɑx] Quotation: coinneamh uaircneach. Notes: meeting held on the night of the monthly meeting in the Free Church, to which only members could come.
Location: Lewis, Barvas
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
uisge-beatha
-
whisky. Was used also for toothache – leaving some whisky in the mouth for a while. Whisky and oatmeal was considered as tonic, as was rum and eggs mixed. Whisky was recommended for faints, weaknesses. Whisky and hot water being retiring [sic] at night was a stimulating [sic], recommended stimulant for colds, that is for counteracting colds. Whisky and hot water, so hot as the patient could accept: it was known as ‘totaidh’.
Location: Harris, Scalpay
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous
-
àmhailte
-
[ɑ̃:ılʹtʹə] Quot.: “Cuir thuige àmhailte dha!” Note: a peat, half of it burning, used as a torch, e.g. when going home at night from a céilidh.
Location: Harris, Quidinish
Category: Measgaichte / Miscellaneous