Archaeology Notes

Event ID 672865

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/672865

NL94NE 5 98 45.

St Columba founded a monastery or penitential house in Tiree, soon after his coming to Iona in 563. Adamnan refers to it as being on the 'Campus Navis, id est Maglunga vocatur' - 'Plain of the Ship that is called Maglunga'.

Baithene, Columba's cousin, presided over it; and its burning is noted in 673 and the death of 'Conall de Magh Lunge' in 775. It was obviously a male establishment, so a 11th - 12th c reference to 'Brigit Maigi Luinge' - 'Brigit of Mag Lunga' - is difficult to understand unless the establishment was dedicated to St Brigit, in which case 'Kilbride' (NL94NE 9) may have some relevance as Watson (W J Watson 1926) appears to suggest. 'Port na Luinge' - 'Port of the Long Ships' - (NL 986 415) is also suggested, presumably because of the similarity of the names. In this case 'Cladh Sorobaidh'(NL94NE 6), would be the obvious site. (Since it was founded by St Columba one of the sites at Kirkapoll might also be considered - NM04NW 2 and NM04NW 9 or 1 ).

E Beveridge 1903; W J Watson 1926.

No further information.

Visited by OS (D W R) 26 June 1972.