Cnoc Leodair NF 88938 72586
Knock This site sits in an historic corner of Loch nam Madadh close to Dùn Torcuill, one of the best preserved dùn sites on North Uist. The area is full of Norse place names. The loch to the W is referred to in bird watching circles as Loch na Sithean, 'Loch of the fairy knoll' but no fairy knoll was apparent. These knolls are often sites of prehistoric origins and are used as assembly places.
In 2021 however the photo below was posted on Facebook and it was recorded as 'the fairy knoll' with the local name given as Cnoc Leodair. This clearly shared a root with the Knock Alioter on the OS 1st edtion above and Aileodair on the modern OS mapping.
Carmichael in the OS name book produced an alternative spelling of Ath-leodair and with ScG ath = 'ford' this would make sense, 'the ford of Leodair'. The OS name book also describes it as 'a prominent but small Knoll'. Unfortunately it was quarried away by the 80s to build the Loch Portain road.
This hugely distinctive feature is clearly natural and sits on a peninsula. The root of the name probably includes ON ljóð- = 'the common people' perhaps with a generic of ON eið = 'isthmus'. The development of ON jó > ScG eò is regular.
'Island of the common people' would be a good name for a perfect position for a Norse thing assembly site.
In 2021 however the photo below was posted on Facebook and it was recorded as 'the fairy knoll' with the local name given as Cnoc Leodair. This clearly shared a root with the Knock Alioter on the OS 1st edtion above and Aileodair on the modern OS mapping.
Carmichael in the OS name book produced an alternative spelling of Ath-leodair and with ScG ath = 'ford' this would make sense, 'the ford of Leodair'. The OS name book also describes it as 'a prominent but small Knoll'. Unfortunately it was quarried away by the 80s to build the Loch Portain road.
This hugely distinctive feature is clearly natural and sits on a peninsula. The root of the name probably includes ON ljóð- = 'the common people' perhaps with a generic of ON eið = 'isthmus'. The development of ON jó > ScG eò is regular.
'Island of the common people' would be a good name for a perfect position for a Norse thing assembly site.