Wikipedia:WikiProject Scottish Islands/Monro's Hebrides

The following draft is now in mainspace as Description of the Western Isles of Scotland. This page is retained as a reference as it contains ye "original research", the use of which is restricted by the powers to quolm Wikipedia is pertained.

Your most obedient servant,

Ben  Mac  Dui  20:03, 21 February 2011 (UTC)

In the tables a linked "WP Name" is given where possible. The others are Ordnance Survey names.

Likelihood that Monro's island has been identified:
 * A - Certain
 * B - Probable
 * C - Possible
 * S - Sheer Speculation
 * U - Unknown

Quotes are Monro unless otherwise noted. The 1774 Auld version was used as a basis for this project page, and various sections are missing from this that are retained in the Sibbald MS, which is the basis of the mainspace article.

R. W. Munro (1961) states that "of the 251 islands listed by Monro, I have been unable to identify 27, and a further 23 cannot be regarded as certain". The modern names of the islands he believes he has identified are listed in the index in alphabetical order, making coordination with the numerical list tiresome.

Referencing

The following is an example of a mainspace entry for Muck:
 * In 1549, Dean Monro wrote: "Be ane haffe myle of sea to this ile, lyes ane ile of twa myle lang, callit in Erische Ellannaneche, that is the Swynes ile, and very fertill and fruitful of cornes and grassing for all store, and verey guid for fishing, inhabit and manurit, a good falcon nest in it. It perteynis to the Bishope of the iles, with ane guid heighland haven in it, the entrey quherof is at the west cheik".

The reference appears in the footnote section as: Monro (1549) "Swynes Ile" no. 102

and the Template:Monro provides the reference of:

Slate Islands (1)

 * Missing: Insh, Eilean Dubh Mòr, Eilean Dubh Beag
 * Note: At high tide the northern tip of Lunga, Firth of Lorn becomes several separate islets with Rubha Fiola to the north, then Fiola Meadhonach, Eilean Ìosal and finally Fiola an Droma closest to Lunga proper. It is not clear how any of those names could become "Fidlachaille or " Fidlavirow"

Craignish, Taynish and Jura
According to Youngson (2001) Monro's "island lists normally seem to deal with a central island and its surrounding islets. However, islands 37-52 defeat all attempts to identify with Lorn and turn out to be near Jura." Youngson bases this on research by Malcolm MacArthur, but the numbers he uses are either from a different version of Monro's list or in error. A problem here is that while the candidates provided by Youngson/MacArthur are credible, for most of this section there are also credible, and in some cases much larger and better known, candidates that lie off the Craignish and Taynish peninsulas. Two lists are therefore presented. The identification of the Small Islands of Jura are more satisfactory. Youngson also states that the islands "to the south of Jura are all easily identified" in Monro although he does not make the connections explicit. He does say that Glas Eilean, Sound of Jura means "grey island" but that it "is really a very green island", hinting perhaps at a connection with Greine Ilye and that Brosdale Island is Monro's "Ellan na cravich" i.e. Hasil Iyle. Youngson's analysis has the advantage of verifiability but seems to involve various leaps of faith. Missing: Eilean Mhic Chrion; Eilean Bhride (conceivably Eisell /Abridita below) and Pladda of the Small Isles, Jura;

Other Argyll
Abridita is mentioned in Habakkuk Bisset's Rolment of courtis, Volume 13. This quotes a note which implies proximity to Lismore, but the likelihood is that Monro is the source.

Islay
Under 56 Monro states "Her begin to circkell Iyla, sune gaittis aboute with litle iyles." The percentage of islands listed is high and must include several very small islets. This apparently comprehensive coverage contrasts with the later absence of Coll and Tiree. Some islands may surround Jura, although there is no hint of this in Monro's text. There are correspondences with Johan Blaeu's 1654 atlas, and either various islets have changed their names in subsequent years or possibly Blaeu knew of Monro's work and added in a few islet's on this basis?

Colonsay and Mull
In the earlier part of this table Monro and Monipennie seem to travel side-by-side. Here they diverge company for a while. The linguistic relationships between "Moroan" and "Rudana" (91) and "Reringe" and "Bernira" (92) are not clear. Both writers seem to refer to Inch Kenneth at 93. After Frosa (94) Monipennie states that "all their isles are subject to Sanct Colme's abbey" and all seems well. At 95 Monro has "Calfa" which could be Calve Island, but Monipennie has "Vilua, five miles of length", which can only be Ulva, "Toluansa" (which could be Little Colonsay) and "Gomatra", which is clearly Gometra. Monipennie then continues with "Staffæ", the two "Kerimburgæ" and other islands that are more easily understood, whilst Monro remains silent. Monro's 96-99 are harder to place but at this point Monipennie is once again congruent with the earlier list.

It is reasonable to conclude from his comment about Eilean Mòr, Lochbuie that Monipennie had not been entertained by, or perhaps even heard of, "M’Gillayne of Lochbuy". Staffa is missing from Monro's list, but it is a small island and in his day it had not achieved its later fame, which did not occur until its late 18th century "discovery". It is fleetingly mentioned by Monipennie and it is clear from his remarks he knows nothing of its actual nature.

Barra and the Barra Isles
Campbell (1936) states that Monro "apparently had visited Barra, but is is clear that he writes of the smaller islands from hearsay alone".

Sound of Barra
Missing: Calvay

Uists
Missing: Numerous islands including Ronay, Stuley, Baleshare, Kirkibost etc.

Benbecula: Monro does mention Benbecula and North Uist. In No 154 he begins by describing "this south part of Ywst" and goes on: "and in the north syde of this there is ane parochin callit Buchagla, perteining to the said Clandonald. At the north end thereof the sea cuts the countrey againe, and that cutting of the sea is called Careynesse, and benorth this countrey is called Kenehnache of Ywst, that is in Englishe, the north head of Ywst." A search for "Buchagla" you will provide google hits stating it is Benbecula and according to the Jan 1866 Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Beandmoyll, Beanweall, and Benvalgha are other variants found "in charters".

Lewis and Harris (1)
Missing: Seaforth Island, Eilean Mhealasta, Eilean Molach & Greineam, on the NW coast

North Highland coast
Missing: Isle Ristol, Handa, Oldany Island

Sound of Harris
Monipennie and Monro diverge in the order of their listings in this section and the above, with Monipennie's making more sense geographically as he starts with the Sound of Harris after Uist and then goes to the isles surrounding Lewis and Harris. He also adds a few islands in the section below that Munro does not have that are listed separately below. The correspondence between Monipennie and Monro in this section is less clear than most e.g. 190 and 191. Monipennie also adds Soa (160) to this section.

Missing:

Monipennie's additions
"All these islands are fruitfull in cornes and store" according to Monipennie and lie between "Velaia" and the "island of Harea". This latter is accurate enough although he includes in his version Monro's 185-191, which are off the west coast of Harris rather than in the Sound of Harris as such.

Missing: Boreray, Sursaigh, Shillay

Loch Roag
Missing: Outer islands including Bearasaigh, Campaigh, Cealasaigh and Seanna Chnoc. Flodaigh, Outer Loch Ròg is also in this group - see above.