132 



The Eev. Dr. Eeeves read the following paper : — 



OlSr THE ISLAl^D OF SaNDA. 



The little island of Sanda, lying some three miles off the southern coast 

 of Cantyre, is about four miles in circumference. The Mull of Cantyre, 

 which is situate on its west, is the point where Scotland is nearest to 

 Ireland, being only eleven miles and a half distant from Tor Head, in the 

 county of Antrim.^'' It formerly belonged to the parish of Kilblane ; but, 

 together with it, and Kilcolmkill, is now comprehended in the paro- 

 chial union of Southend. This being the route by which the early Scotic 

 immigration from Ireland passed over to Alba, the whole district is 

 strongly impressed with social and ecclesiastical features of an Irish 

 character. The language always bore the name of the colonists, and the 

 term Erse of the modern day is only a modification of it.f The tradi- 

 tional associations of the people all looked westward, and the titles of 

 nearly all the adjacent parishes are commemorative of illustrious wor- 

 thies of the Irish church. J' Kilcolmkill, Kilblane, Kilkivan, Kilchen^ie, 

 Kilkerran, Kilmarow, and Kilcalmonel, bear the impress of St.Columba's, 

 St. Blaan's, St. Kevin's, St. Cainnech's, St. Kieran's, St. Maolrubha's, 

 and St. Colman-elo's veneration. We may expect, therefore, to find in 

 the historical scrap which has been handed down to us regarding the 

 island of Sanda sufficient matter to interest an Irishman, and render its 

 notice a suitable subject for the consideration of the Academy. 



The received name of the island is of JNTorse origin ; but the Irish 

 name is Ahhuimi, of which Aven, as it is known among the Highlanders, 

 is merely a variety. Eordun, in the fifteenth century, calls it Insula 

 Awyn;^ Dean Monro, at the close of the sixteenth, Avoi/n;\\ while 

 George Buchanan latinizes it Avona, which he interprets " portuosa," 

 as if a defiexion of "haven."^ 



stantine, are other tombs, and in the same province some megaliths (dolmens') ; in Ka- 

 bylia, one or more cromlechs, and others in the regency of Tmiis; and in the Zengur 

 district, Dr. Earth speaks of a trilithon 10 feet high, with a lintel 6 feet 6 inches in length," 

 —See "Journal of Archteological Society," March 31, 1862, p. 43. 



* New Statistical Accomit of Scotland," vol. viL, pt. 2, p. 414. 



f See Adamnan's " Columba" (Irish Archseol. and Celtic Soc), p. xxxix. 

 ■ j The contrast between the parochial nomenclature on the east and west sides of 

 Scotland is very striking. On the east, the names are for the most part secular, and de- 

 rived from the Pictish age ; on the west, they are generally ecclesiastical in their origin, 

 combining with the prefix Kill the name of some commemorated Irish saint. 



§ " Insula Awyn, ubi cella sancti Adamnani, ibique pro transgressoribus refugiura." 

 Scotichron., lib. ii. cap. 10 (vol. i. p. 45, ed. Goodall). 



II "Before the south poynt of the promontory of Kyntyre, lyes be ane myle of sea, 

 ane iyle neire ane myle lange, callit the iyle Avoyn, quhilk iyle is obtained that name 

 fra the armies of Denmark, quhilkis armies callit it in their leid Havin. It is inhabit 

 and manurit, and guid for shipps to lay one ankers." — Description of Western Isles, 

 1594. 



% Hist. Scot., lib. i. cap. 35. See Extracta e Var. Chron. Scot., p. 9 ; Orig. Paroch. 

 Scoties, vol. ii. pt. 1, p. 9, and p^. 2, p. 820 ; Old Statist. Acct. of Scotland, vol. iii. p. 866 



