280 Stoneykirk Place-Names. 



further south still is Port Gill, the ravine harbour, or Gill's 

 harbour. This Norse chieftain or another seems to have had his 

 fort two or three miles inland east from Kirklauchin, at a place 

 now called Kirk ma gill. The farm across a gully is Dalvaddie, 

 said to be from the Norse for ford in the glen. A height a mile 

 off is Eldrick — Eldshrygg== ridge of fire. One of the highest 

 farms in the middle of the parish in the north is Eldrick, a likely 

 place for a warning beacon — looking up the Firth of Clyde — 

 when the Norse held sway on the west. North from Kirkmagill 

 and Dalvaddie are farms Threemark and Twomark— the names 

 indicating the rental paid the superior, a method of naming 

 land said to have come from Norse customs. These and simi- 

 larly named farms are in the neighbourhood of Norse settle- 

 ments once in the parish. 



Gaelic-speaking people lived in the parish 1000 years ago ; 

 for half that time they were probably the dominant race. The 

 names show the people to have been Irish and Scottish Gaels. 

 The western limb of the county is called Rhinns — headland, said 

 to be thoroughly Irish. The eastern is Machars, said to be 

 Scottish. Side by side in the parish are two farms, Mye (Magh) 

 and Blair, both level. Blair is said not to be at all in Irish — 

 circumstances that seem to point to Irish-Scots and other Scots 

 peaceably intermingling. From the abundance of Gaelic names 

 and the known characteristics of the race we can gather much 

 more about the parish in their day than their mere presence, 

 possessions, and means of defence. There is a Craig Dermott 

 and a Knockalpin, these two being no doubt so pre-eminent as 

 to cause them to be remembered by place-names. The land was 

 more associated with the church and with its products than with 

 its owners. In a space of five square miles are five places 

 associated with Saints. Stoneykirk (Stainie Kirk, Stephankirk), 

 Kirkmadryne (Draighen?), Ringuinea (Ringenvie, Ninian's head- 

 land), Kildonan, and Kirkmabreck. Kirkmadryne and Kirk- 

 mabreck are not a mile apart. Bricius was an opponent of 

 Martin, uncle and teacher of Ninian. Did a supporter endow a 

 chapel to him close to a chapel from Ninian's priory? It is worthy 

 of note that kirk is final in one case and initial in the three others, 

 indicating that Stephen was honoured or trusted later than the 

 others. In all cases, however. Kirk wants the accent. Names 

 were attached to a place from its connection with the offices and 



