Kilmallie Community Council

Comhairle Coimhearsnachd Cill Mhálaidh

Kilmallie Community Council

Comhairle Coimhearsnachd Cill Mhàlaidh 

Local Placenames

Much of this info is gleaned from the Clan Cameron website pages on placenames where there’s masses more fascinating info about local place names and where almost every burn, bay and hillock in our area is identified.

Have we got any of the translations or the spellings wrong?   Do you know any stories about our local place names?   Have we missed some important ones?  Please email the website editor if you have any comments or further info.

Settlements

CamaghaelCam DhailCrooked Field
Achdalieu Thy Liubha’s Field. (in memory of a saint)
Achanellan??? Achadh an Eilean
or ??? Achadh An Fheallain acc to Clan Cameron website.
The OS map here shows a sizeable pocket of land completely surrounded by water, where the River Loy diverges and converges again.   Island Field seems a much more plausible explanation than Clan Cameron website’s suggested Field of the Fellon.   Thank you to David Mee for this info.
AnnatAnnaidThe site of an early church or chapel
BadabrieBad AbrachMarshy thicket
BanavieBanbhaidhvarious possible meanings – Fair Pass, Pig Stream, High Place, Fallow Land, Young Suckling Pig, Land Unplowed for a Year, Place of the Pigs???
Barr Summit or height
CamusnahaCamus Na H-AthaBay of the Kiln
CorpachA’ ChorpaichPlace of the corpses (where the ‘noble dead’ were brought overland to await a boat to take them to Iona for burial.
CorribegCoire BeagThe Little Corrie
DrumsallieDruim Na SaileachWillow Ridge
ErrachtErrachdPlace of Assembly
FassfernAn Fasadh FearnaPlace of the Alders
Inverskilavulin Confluence of the Mill Burn
KilmallieCill MhàlaidhChurch of Saint Mhalaidh
KinlocheilCeann Loch IalHead of Loch Eil
MoyMoighPlain
MuirshearlichMagh SiorlaichPlain of Broom-rape
Puiteachan The Swelling Knoll or Young Moorfowl Place???
StroneAn T-SronNose-shaped promontory
TomonieTom MoineHillock of the Peat Moss
TorcastleTorr A’ ChaisteilCastle of the Bluff Rock

Lochs, rivers and burns

Loch EilLoch IalLoch of the Glint of Sunlight
 Allt Coire MhuillinThe Mill Burn
 Allt DoghaBurdock Burn (also known as Annat Burn)
 Allt SheangainAnt Stream
 Eas Nam FitheachWaterfall of the Ravens (NE of Fassfern)
 Eas Nan LongWaterfall of the Ships
River LochyAbhainn LochaidhRiver of the Dark Goddess
Bridge of ShameDrochaid Sgainnirsupposedly named after the murder of a cattle drover by the Macleans from Gleann Dubh Lighe

Islands

 Eilean A’ BhealaidhBroom Island
 Eilean Na CreichBooty/Plunder Island
 Eilean Nan CraobhIsland of the Trees

Hills, glens and bogs

 Am MamThe Low Hill
 Beinn An T-SneachdaMountain of the Snow
 Coille MhorLarge Wood
 Coire FadaThe Long Corrie
 Coire OdharDun Corrie
 Druim FadaThe Long Ridge
GulvainGaor BheinnShoulder Mountain, Mountain of the Lurcher, Windy Mountain???
 Gleann Dubh LigheGlen of the Black Flood
 Gleann LaragainGlen of the Little Pass
Glen LoyGleann LaoighCalf’s Glen
Blar MorBlàr MòrThe Big Peat Moss
also commonly called Cprpach Moss.
There is confusion over the correct spelling.   It is sometimes referred to (including in Highland Council signage) as Blar Mhor, but this is incorrect.
 Gleann SuileagSallow Glen, Glen of the Deep Pool, Glen of the notched/serrated eye???
 Gleann Fionn LigheRiver of a White Rocky Place?
 Sron LiathGrey Point
 Stob A’ GhriananMountain of the Sunny Hillock

Other places of interest

The Cat Rapids, The Cat Pool, and the Field of the CatBuinn’ A’ Chait and Dail A’ ChaitAccording to www.clan-cameron.org, “legend has it that on the advice of Gormshuil, the Witch of Moy, Ewen MacAllan Cameron, XIII Chief of Clan Cameron, slowly roasted a stray Lochaber cat in a hut in this field to learn his penance for past “indiscretions.” Soon the “King of Cats,” Cam Dubh, arrived and agreed to tell Ewen his penance if he released the smoldering cat.  When the cat was freed, it was said to have sprinted to the cliffs near Torcastle and leapt into the River Lochy.”
Banquo’s WalkSraid Bhancoreferring to the Thane of Lochaber
 Carn PhailPaul’s Grave