Fortingall local history: Martinmas bonfire; antiquities and...

Original Track ID

SA1965.20

Original Tape ID

SA1965.020

Summary

Fortingall local history: Martinmas bonfire; antiquities and traditions; a kelpie explained away; the Dean of Lismore.

There used to be a big bonfire in Fortingall on 11th November. This continued until about 1924. The children gathered whins for months beforehand and saved shavings in an old tar barrel. At the bonfire, the young people joined hands and danced around it. There was a dance in the hotel afterwards. The bonfire ended because Sir Donald Curry's gamekeeper objected to the cover of whins being stripped from the hill.

Human bones were found under the wooden floor when the old church in Fortingall was pulled down, and an old bell under the floor of the pulpit. Anne Ross has heard of people dipping a hand or foot into an old font before entering the church but Duncan MacGregor thinks this unlikely. There was supposed to be a kelpie in the [Allt Our?] burn. Duncan MacGregor's mother put this belief down to a moaning sound that was heard before rain. Local standing stones and cup stones are discussed. [Balnald?] was the residence of the Dean of Lismore. There are no local traditions about the Dean, but there is a pool on the burn [stream] called Linne a'Bhiocair (the vicar's pool). Anne Ross asks Mr MacGregor, as session clerk, about the location of the church records.

Item Notes

'The Book of the Dean of Lismore' is an important early 16th century collection of poetry, mainly in Gaelic.

Item Subject/Person

MacGregor, James [Dean of Lismore] [MacGriogair, Seumas]

Item Location

Language

English

Genre

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good