Cornstacks near Tulloch Ard in Brenish: Kenny Maclean (Kenny Point) and his cousin Henry Bethune in the foreground; Finlay Maclean (Point) on the ladder and DA Macritchie (Doidh) standing.
Read more →Letter to the Gazette, 5 May 1921: Sir – I observed in your columns the other week an interesting article re the origin of the Clan Macaulay and Lord Macaulay’s ancestors. We have no definite historical proof that the Macaulays are of a Scandinavian origin. The name Macaulay is admittedly pure Norse, also their appearance […]
Read more →As we’re in Crowlista… thanks to Donald and Cathie Mary for the list of names. Teachers Miss Ann Macdonald Stornoway and Mrs Catherine Finlayson Ardroil. Back: 1. Iain Morrison Brenish (Dola) 2. Chris-Ann Maclean Brenish 3. Pat Matheson 4 Ardroil 4. Joan Maclean Brenish 5. Chrissie M Matheson 4 Ardroil 6. Jessie Margaret Maclean Brenish […]
Read more →Extracts from the Evidence presented to the Dewar Commission in 1912, regarding medical service in the Highlands and Islands. Among the people interviewed was Dr Victor Alexander Ross, doctor at Garynahine who served Uig from 1900. The commission was chaired by Sir John Dewar MP (he of Dewar’s whisky) and included Charles Orrock, Chamberlain of the […]
Read more →To go with the picture of Sgail and his crowd of excursionists, part of an article from the Uig News: In the 1930s there were four cars in Uig. The two ministers both had cars – one was a Vauxhall. The Doctor had a car and so did Norman Mackay, the Public Assistance Officer – he […]
Read more →From Joni Buchanan’s The Lewis Land Struggle (Acair 1996): On Christmas Day 1908, 46 crofters and squatters met at the schoolhouse in Brenish (known as Islivig School) and passed eight resolutions demanding the breakup of Mangersta and Carnish farms: “So that without leaving the locality where they were born and where all associations and kinships that […]
Read more →Rev William Matheson, Mac Gille Chaluim, gives the following about Angus Beag and his departure for Auldearn, which seems to have been precipitated by the harsh words of his wife who accused him of unmanliness (see also the previous note.) Angus Macaulay’s conduct before the departure of the men of Lewis to Auldean in the Spring of 1645 […]
Read more →From the Kirk Session records, 13 September 1825: At the Church of Uig 13th September 1825 the Session having met and constituted, Angus Maclean and Peggy Macaulay from Brenish were interrogated respecting a previous information made to the Session of their having used very improper and foul language against each other both to their own […]
Read more →Alexander Mackay (Alasdair Dhomhnaill Aonghais) was born in 1868, a son of Donald and Annie nee Matheson, 18 Valtos. He married Christina Maclennan 15 Valtos (Caristiona Chaluim Ille Mhoire) and after a period as cottars at 21 Valtos, Ailig became the third tenant of No. 15. They had four children – Dolina, Ceit, Donald and Calum. Ailig served in the RNR and […]
Read more →I am informed that this is not the real Clach Aonghais Bhig, and the real one is situated up the valley, perched on the south rim… has anyone got a picture? It is certainly true that you don’t get much of a view of Brenish from the top of this one. Some maintain that Angus Beag lived […]
Read more →On Saturday, 12 March, 1932, a north westerly gale was blowing and a heavy Atlantic swell was running. When Angus MacKinnon, skipper of the lobster boat, Margaret, saw the inclement weather conditions, he woke his father, Cain, and requested his assistance as an extra hand on the boat. Though retired from fishing, Cain agreed. Angus’s […]
Read more →Willie Matheson (Mac Gille Chaluim) wrote in his Families of Lewis series that Nicolson was “perhaps the oldest surname in Lewis” and that the Macleods came into possession of the island by marriage into the family. The name disappears and does not surface again until the 18th century, when Angus Nicolson is on record as a joint-tacksman […]
Read more →Years ago a dead whale was spotted drifting offshore by some of the Islivig bodachs. It was just a bit south of the Islivig/Brenish boundary and was drifting further south. They launched a boat and managed to attach a rope and then proceeded to tow the carcase to Camus Islivig. The Brenish bodachs […]
Read more →As told by Rev Donald Macaulay. English text follows the Gaelic. Photo of Brenish by Chris Murray. Bha an cogadh a dol bliadhnaichean agus am màrbhadh eadar Clann ‘ic Leòid, Clann Choinnich agus na Moireasdanaich agus an deidh dha Clann Choinnich an t-eilean fhaiginn mu dheireadh dhaibh b’fhèin agus thàinig siothladh de shìth anns […]
Read more →Click through for the full-size image. The odd name is missing; if you can identify, please do via the comments box.
Read more →From the 1851 Diary of John Munro Mackenzie, Chamberlain of the Lews. Carnish was cleared in the 1850s and the land added to Ardroil Farm. The small tenants at Mangersta moved to Doune Carloway in 1872/3, at their own request as the salt gales were damaging their crops. Both townships were resettled, Mangersta in 1911 and Carnish […]
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