Language Notes

Sources

This name was gathered as part of a local research project on the place-names of Strath, Isle of Skye and was published in a booklet by SNH and AÀA. The Following quote appears in that booklet:

“Found on the map near Kyleakin are Corran na Mudlaich and Mudalach, which should be Corran na Maodalaich and A’ Mhaodalach respectively. Maodalach here represents a stout or fat person. It can also mean a paunch, so A’ Mhaodalach could represent a hill in the shape of a paunch. There was a Gaelic saying on Skye when cutting peat: ‘cuir thusa a-nall an gille bàrr puill, ’s cuiridh mise a-null a’ mhaodalach bheag airson seocaireachd’, ‘you throw the first cutting over, and I’ll throw the wee pile over for drying’. Seocaireachd mentioned in the quote above is a local word which possibly relates to seacadh, ‘drying’, but it does not seem to appear in any dictionaries.”

Gaelic in the Landscape: Place-names of Strath, Isle of Skye (Scottish Natural Heritage 2015): 8

Alternative Forms