Sources

Loch Hourn:

Loχ-urN’ Diack MS2276

Loch shu’irn, Loch Uthairn: Robertson

Loch Uthairn nam Fuar Beann: Songs of John MacCodrum

L. Shuirn LòKu:rnˈ Dieckhoff

“Loch Hourn has been mentioned of which more than etymology popular and otherwise has been propounded. Mr Diack suggests yet another, He writes the Gaelic as Loch Shubhairne and gives the pronunciation as Loch-u’irn. That is the Hourn part of the name is in Gaelic a word of two syllables. That is correct and is fatal to the derivations from sorn gen. suirn or carn gen. cuirn, nor does the popular iutharn though it is a disyllable for the pronunciation. It is to the credit of John MacKenzie of the “Beauties” that he wrote the name Loch Uthairn as he did more than once. If I mistake not, the pronunciation is more exactly Loch-hu’irn though the aspirate might be attributed to the preceding ch. The Dean of Lismore’s spelling Sowyrrni seems decisive that the correct Gaelic spelling is Loch Shubhairne (or Shubhairn). But then arises one of those puzzling questions so often met with in connection with place-names. Why does Loch cause aspiration of the initial of Subhairne when it does not cause aspiration in the case of other names with the same other initials? No one says Loch Sheile or Loch Gharaidh. Why then is it Loch Shubhairne and not Loch Subhairne? The derivation suggested by Mr Diack is a comparison with the Gaulish tribal name Suebri which has been explained to mean “the very violent”. Perhaps “easily or quickly made violent” would better represent the analysis given of the tribal name. If Loch Hourn is like other West Highland lochs that are embosomed as it is among lofty peaks and deep glens – John MacCodrum sang of “ceann Loch-Uthairn nam fuar-bheann” then it must be subject to sudden and violent squalls and the aptness of a name meaning “easily or quickly made violent” will come home to those who have lived in such places.” Robertson Review of Diack