English / Map Form: Blarmachfoldach
Gaelic Form: Blàr Magh Faoilteach
Location: Lochaber, Highland
Post Town: FORT WILLIAM
County: Inverness-shire
Local Authority: Highland
Nearest Main Roads: A82
English / Map Form: Blarmachfoldach
Gaelic Form: Blàr Magh Faoilteach
Language Notes
G nom. sg. blàr masc. ‘plain’ + magh masc., ‘plain’ + faoilteach, an obscure element.Element Meaning
Possibly G blàr ~ plain; magh ~ plain; faoilteach, an obscure element
Sources
| Blairmackfoylach | c. 1590 Pont map 13 |
| Blarmakveltrich | 1642 RMS ix no. 1254 |
| Blairmackfueillach | 1654 Blaeu Map (Breadalbane) |
| Blarmacfhuildaich | 1791-1799 OSA (Kilmallie), 123 |
| Blairmachyldach | 1810 Williams’ Natural History of the Mineral Kingdom, 407 |
| Blairmacphaoildeachd | 1820 Thomson |
| Blarmacfoldich | 1841 Census SCT1841/179 ED 5, Kilmallie et al |
| Blarmachfoldach | 1873 OS 6 inch 1st edn. |
| Blar mach-foilteach (elsewhere faoilteach) | Livingstone, 265 |
| Blarmach-fhuildaich | 1912 Bartholomew Atlas |
| Blàr mac faoil-teach | MacMillan, 254 |
| Blàr Mac Faoilteach | MacKinnon, 13 |
| Blar mac(he)faoilteach; Braigh mac Fhaoilleach ao half long, Blàr mac Fhaoilleach; Blàr-mac-fadhailteach | Robertson |
| Blàr Magh Faoilteach | informant TM |
| Blàr Magh Faoilteach | informant AK |
Additional Information
MacKinnon states that the name has not been explained satisfactorily. MacMillan notes that the name is not easy to define and suggests ‘field of the hospitable sons’.
The old forms suggest an evolution from mac to magh. Informants TM and AK were clear that the element in question was magh not mac, although the name was not transparent to either. A similar form is found in the neighbouring Blairmacdrynie (NN115684) whose meaning is also unclear, but the final element points to droighnich ~ place of thorns.