in the wood of Letterellan, Leitir Ailein – Allan’s Slope (NN731444) half a mile to the east. Paderlan also frequented another stream much further east near Crianlarich called Allt na Paderlan. Together with Brunaidh an Eilein and Cas-luath, he would waylay folk travelling from Kenmore to the market at Lawers.
Triubhas-dubh lived near Fortingall. Fuath lived further afield, haunting a corrie on Beinn Dorain, Coire Ghamhnan – Corrie of Stirks. Neither of these places can be traced on today’s maps. Likewise, the whereabouts of Babaidh, Catan and Black Amhlagan remain unknown. It is said that the Ùruisgean met annually at Coire na(n) Ùruisgean (NN483077) in the Trossachs below Ben Venue – A’ Bheinn Mheanbh, on the south side of Loch Katrine.
Plate 1: Loch Katrine – Loch Ceiterein from Ben A’an - Am Binnean. Coire na[n] Ùruisgean is the corrie rising from the loch behind the steamboat.
In Neil Gunn’s Young Art and Old Hector, the boy mistakes the bearded and bewhiskered old man for an Ùruisg as he emerges from a mossy cave concealing an illict whisky still.
A Topomnemonic in Glen Dochart
In 1928, William Watson collected a story from Alexander Campbell of Boreland about two British soldiers from Glen Dochart whose paths happened to cross in upper Canada when fighting the French during the mid 18th century. Both men must have been incredulous at this unlikelihood, since one of them asked the other for proof of his provenance and the other replied with a topo-mnemonic riddle. The reply is a recitation of place-names. Except for one or two, all lie within a short distance of one another. The majority are intervisible. The topomnemonic showed that the respondee could articulate his home territory by referring to fieldnames, settlements, chapels, wildlife and natural features (figure 1).
Tha Fas a’ Ghràig an Leathad a’ Charraigh1
Is Coille Chasaidh an Ardchoille2,
Caibeal na Fairc(e)3 an Achadh-loinn4,
Tom an Taghain5 ’s Meall na Samhna6,
Lochan nan Arm7 anns an t-Suidhe8,
Is Tom Ruigh an Innis Eòghain9,
Dail Clachaig am Both Uachdair10,
Is daimh air cruachan Beinne Mòire11.
There’s Fas a’ Ghràig in Leathad a’ Charraigh1
And Coille Chasaidh in Ardchoille2,
Caibeal na Fairc(e)3 in Achadh-loinn4,
Tom an Taghain5 and Meall na Samhna6,
Lochan nan Arm7 in an t-Suidhe8,
And Tom Ruigh in Innis Eòghain9,
Dail Clachaig in Both Uachdair10,
And stags on the shoulder of Beinne Mòire11.
(author’s translation adapted from Watson 1928, 264)
The last line refers to Ben More - Beinn Mhòr (plate 2), which dominates the Glen. As they appear in the text, the following place-names can be found mostly in anglicised form on the OS 1:25000 map as: Ledcharrie1 (plate 3) - Slope of the Stone Pillar (NN506282); Ardchyle2 - Wood Height (NN526294); Caibeal na Fairce3 – a ruined chapel just to the east of Auchlyne and burial place of the Campbells of Auchlyne. It is not mapped, but was once associated with St Fillan.
Plate 2: Ben More - Beinn Mhòr from Ledcharrie - Leathad a’ Charraigh, Glen Dochart, Breadalbane.
Plate 3: Meall na Samhna from Leathad a’ Charraigh - Ledcharrie, Glen Dochart, Breadalbane.
Auchlyne4 (plate 4) – is Pleasant or Fertile Field (NN512296); Tom an Taghain5 (plate 5) - Hillock of the Pine Marten (NN505512), Meall na Samhna6 - Rounded Hill of Hallowtide or All Hallows (NN493325); Innisewan9 is Ewan’s Meadow (NN483283); Bowachter10 - the Upper Hut and Ben More9 (plate 6) – is Big Mountain. An Suidhe8 - the Seat, refers to the burial ground of the Macnabs of Innisewan and the seat of St Fillan (plate 7), opposite the Suie Hotel (NN490280). Again, it is not mapped. Neither are the remaining place-names in the verse. Even their locations cannot be established.
Plate 4: Caibeal na Fairce, Auchlyne, Glen Dochart, Breadalbane.
Plate 5: Tom an Taghain - Hillock of the Pine Martin and Ben More - Beinn Mhòr, Glen Dochart, Breadalbane.
Plate 6: Both Uachdair and Beinn Mhòr - Bowachter & Ben More, Glen Dochart, Breadalbane.
Plate 7: An Suidhe – The Suie, Burial Place of the Macnabs of Innisewan, Glen Dochart, Breadalbane.
There is another version of the rhyme (Robertson Collection MS357). Its first line quotes Eas a’ Ghràig – Waterfall of the Croaking or Shouting, which makes more sense than Fas – meaning a stance or station. It also records that the first soldier responds to the litany of names with: dhìochuimhnich tu Both-bhain! – you forgot Bovain! (White or Fair Hut, but perhaps Both Mheadhain – Middle Hut, which works well with Both Uachdair). Both-bhàin is 2 miles south west of Killin at NN542306 and at some distance from the main group of places cited in central Glen Dochart.
Another name, again at some distance from the others, which otherwise tend to cluster about Auchlyne, is Lochan nan Arm – Lochan of the Weapons (plate 8). It would have been well known in the area. It is still referred to in West Highland Way publicity. Here in 1306 a party of MacDougalls intent on avenging the murder of their chief’s brother-in-law, the Red Comyn, surprised Robert the Bruce and his men. They nearly succeeded, for Bruce lost his plaid brooch to the MacDougalls in the fight. In their haste to escape the boggy ground about the lochan, the future King’s party threw their weapons into the little loch to lighten their load as they fled the scene. This tiny place can be found to the southwest of Tyndrum - Taigh an Droma (NN337287) hidden by, and perched amongst a cluster, of glacial moraines.
Plate 8: Lochan nan Arm, Dail Rìgh, Taigh an Droma - Little Loch of the Weapons,
