Language Notes

Element Meaning

Sources

Cill Earradail: Robertson

The most common and present pronunciation in Gaelic is Gill Earnadail. A later spelling is Kilaridil (Blaeu), and Cill Earradail is also heard in Gaelic now… Local tradition has it that Earnadail or Earradail lived in Islay, and left instructions that his body should be conveyed to Jura, and borne onwards until a patch of mist should be seen, and buried in the spot where the mist appeared. His body was landed at Leac Earradail, and buried in the parish graveyard at Killemandale. Watson 1926, 83

Cill Earradail received its name from Earradail who lived in Islay and expressed his wish that when he died his remains should be taken to Jura and carried onwards until a cloud (patch) of mist – bad ceò – should be seen, and that they should be interred at the spot over which the mist was seen. His remains accordingly were landed in Jura at “Leac Earradail” at Daimhsgeir, and were committed to the earth where the first cloud of mist was seen at “Cill Earradail”. – Dugald Buie
Neil Buie (brother of Dugald) related exactly the same story, but with only one if the names above except “Leac Àirnneadail”: Robertson MS460 p 1

Additional Information

There seems to have been some folk etymology concerning the saint Ernan to make this as if ‘Ernan’s dale’. Nonetheless it seems to be of a different derivation from Erradale ~ Eàrradal.

Alternative Forms