Description of the Western Isles of Scotland
Description of the Western Isles of Scotland is the oldest known account of the Hebrides and the Islands of the Clyde, two chains of islands off the west coast of Scotland. The author was Donald Monro, a clergyman who used the title of "Dean of the Isles" and who lived through the Scottish Reformation. Monro wrote the original manuscript in 1549, although it was not published in any form until 1582 and was not widely available to the public in its original form until 1774. A more complete version, based on a late 17th-century manuscript written by Sir Robert Sibbald, was first published as late as 1961. Monro wrote in Scots and some of the descriptions are difficult for modern readers to render into English. Although Monro was criticised for publishing folklore and for omitting detail about the affairs of the churches in his diocese, Monro's Description is a valuable historical account and has reappeared in part or in whole in numerous publications, remaining one of the most widely quoted publications about the western islands of Scotland.
of Domhnall Mac Gilleasbuig, crown tenant of Finlaggan during the mid 16th century
Monro also wrote a brief description of the five main branches of Clan Donald that existed in his day under the title "The Genealogies Of The Chief Clans Of The Iles", and this work was included when Description was first published as a stand-alone volume in 1805. The Sibbald manuscript also contains details about the "Council of the Isles" that operated from Eilean na Comhairle in Loch Finlaggan on the island of Islay. This is the most detailed extant account of the supreme judiciary body that had existed under the Lordship of the Isles until its demise in the late fifteenth century.
Author
Donald Monro was born early in the 16th century, the eldest of the six sons of Alexander Monro of Kiltearn and Janet, daughter of Farquhar Maclean of Dochgarroch. His father was a grandson of George Munro, 10th Baron of Foulis. Donald became the vicar of Snizort and Raasay in 1526, and was nominated to the Archdeaconry of the Isles probably in or shortly after 1549. These were troubled times in the Highlands and Islands, with Domhnall Dubh's attempts to resurrect the Lordship of the Isles only failing on his death in 1545. Partly as a result, the See of the Isles was one of the poorest in Scotland and although Monro lists fourteen islands as belonging to its Bishop, in practice rents were hard to collect. In that year, he visited most of the islands on the west coast of Scotland and wrote his manuscript account of them, together with a brief genealogical account of various branches of Clan Donald. He referred to himself as "High Dean of the Isles" and his position was one of considerable influence although the advancing Reformation added further complication to the political landscape in which he was operating.In 1560 the new Confession of Faith was adopted and ten dioceses were created anew, with the Isles shared between Ross and Argyll. Monro converted to Protestantism and was admitted to the new ministry for the parish of Kiltearn, to which he later added the adjacent Lemlair and Alness. He is said to have lived at Castle Craig, commuting across the Cromarty Firth to preach on Sundays. At Lammas 1563 he became one of three special Commissioners under the Bishop of Caithness responsible for creating new kirks. The duties were arduous but he retained his position for 12 years, despite occasional criticism by the General Assembly. The last record of him is dated 1574 and it is assumed he had died by 1576 when new ministers were appointed for Kiltearn, Lemlair and Alness. He never married and no extant stone marks his burial at Kiltearn, his written work being his sole monument.
Previous descriptions
In or shortly before AD 83, a traveller called Demetrius of Tarsus related to Plutarch the tale of an expedition to the west coast of Scotland. He stated that it was a gloomy journey amongst uninhabited islands and that he had visited one which was the retreat of holy men. He mentioned neither the druids nor the name of the island. In his Natural History Pliny the Elder states that there are 30 "Hebudes", and makes a separate reference to "Dumna", which Watson concludes is unequivocally the Outer Hebrides. Writing about 80 years later, in 140–150 AD, Ptolemy, drawing on the earlier naval expeditions of Agricola, also distinguished between the Ebudes, of which he writes there were only five and Dumna.The first written records of native life in the Hebrides begin in the 6th century AD with the founding of the kingdom of Dál Riata. Much of what is known of these times is the product of the monastic sites such as Iona, Lismore, Eigg and Tiree but north of Dál Riata, where the Inner and Outer Hebrides were nominally under Pictish control, the historical record is sparse.
The names of the individual islands reflect a complex linguistic history. The majority are Norse or Gaelic but the roots of some may have a pre-Celtic origin The earliest comprehensive written list of Hebridean island names was undertaken in the 16th century by Monro himself, which in some cases also provides the earliest written form of the island name.
Publications
Monro's work was first published in Latin in 1582. It forms eleven short chapters of George Buchanan's Rerum Scoticarum Historia with all of the islands listed, although with much omission of the detailed island descriptions. The genealogy section was included. In 1603 the portion in Scots relating to the islands was published in Certayne Matters concerning the Realme of Scotland edited by John Monipennie of Pitmilly in the parish of Kingsbarns, Fife. Following Buchanan, this version gives many of the island names in Latin. Thus Monro's "Heddir Iyle" is Monipennie's "Ericca". The section was republished in the 1612 Scots Chronicles, in which the acknowledgement of Monro's authorship was omitted.The original version of Monro's text has been lost, but a copy made in 1642 by Sir James Balfour of Denmilne and Kinnaird, is still extant. Three sections relating to Islay and Lismore, Tiree and Coll, and Harris were omitted, possibly by careless copying. Some 40 years later Sir Robert Sibbald copied out a complete transcript that included sections missing in Balfour. Entitled Description of the Occidental i.e. Western Isles of Scotland by Mr Donald Monro who travelled through the most of them in Anno 1549 it was acquired by the Advocates Library in Edinburgh in 1733. Walter MacFarlane created a third manuscript in 1749, either from a debased original or directly from Balfour as it has the same defects.
relative to the Outer and Inner Hebrides
Monro's work first came to a wider public when the incomplete version of Description was published in 1774 by William Auld of Edinburgh, along with some supplementary writing about the Hebrides. The full title was Description of the Western Isles of Scotland, called Hybrides; by Mr Donald Monro High Dean of the Isles who travelled through the most of them in the year 1549. With his Geneologies of the chief Clans of the Isles. Description and Genealogies were published together by Archibald Constable of Edinburgh in 1805, which was the first time Monro's work had been published as a stand-alone volume. Miscellanea Scotica, published in Glasgow in 1818 included Description in volume 2 and the Genealogies in volume 4. In this version Description is given the date of 1594 in error. An edition of the 1818 text limited to 250 copies was published by Thomas D. Morison of Glasgow in 1884.
The shorter list was re-published by Peter Hume Brown in his Scotland before 1700, from Contemporary Documents in 1893 and for the first time the text was subject to scrutiny by a professional historian. Walter MacFarlane's text was published by the Scottish History Society in 1908 as part of his Geographical Collections. Eneas Mackay of Stirling included Description and Genealogies in tandem with Martin Martin's 1703 Description of the Western Islands of Scotland in a 1934 publication. R. W. Munro's 1961 re-publication includes the full text of the Sibbald manuscript, a comparison with the shorter Balfour/Auld versions, the recovered text of Monro's description of the Council of the Isles at Finlaggan, George Buchanan's preface to Description in Rerum Scoticarum Historia and scholarly accompanying material.
Some of the discrepancies between the additions are discussed by R. W. Munro. The 1612 version by Monipennie certainly loses both accuracy and detail. For example, his publication has the Flannan Isles "halfe a mile towards the west equinoctiall" from Lewis, whereas the original quoted by the Auld version has them "50 myle in the Occident seas from the coste"— in fact they are west of Lewis.
Critiques
Buchanan was unstinting in his praise for Monro, describing him as "a pious and diligent man". The latter's reputation was secure until 1824 when the geologist John MacCulloch published a lengthy criticism after visiting the islands several times between 1811 and 1821. MacCulloch decried the lack of detail Monro offered on churches and church buildings, going so far as to suggest that he was ignorant of his own diocese, and accusing him of credulity when it came to the recording of folk customs and beliefs. In 1840 the Rev. Alexander Nicolson wrote in the New Statistical Account that "Nothing can show the credulity of the Dean more than his account of the cockles being formed in an embryo on the top of a hill, in a fresh water spring" on Barra. 120 years later R. W. Munro was more generous, noting that the Dean was generally careful to distinguish between the reporting of folk tales and claims as to their veracity and pointing out that MacCulloch's statement that "it is scarcely possible to recognise one in ten" of Munro's island names was unjustified. In 1893 Hume Brown made the first of several modern attempts to identify them and listed 121 out of the 209 on the Monro list he had access to. Description remains one of the most widely quoted publications about the western islands of Scotland.Identity of the islands
Monro originally wrote in Scots, and some of the descriptions are difficult to render into modern English without a working knowledge of this archaic style.Some islands have genuine descriptions, but from time to time there are lists such as:
- Vicreran: Narrest to the iyle of Belnachna layes the small iyle of Vickeran.
- Nagawna: Hard on the iyle Vyckeran layes ther a small iyland, namit in Erische Ellan Nagaruwa.
The main numbering system is that of R. W. Munro based on the Sibbald MS. The names and numbers used by the 1774 Auld version are also provided. The list is presented in geographical sections for ease of use after Haswell-Smith. The Latinised names used by Monniepennie are also listed along with the modern name, where known, along with various notes where the island's identity is in doubt.
Firth of Clyde, Kintyre and the Slate Islands
Vickeran and Nagvisog are the only two outright unknowns in this section, although there are difficulties with 22–24. If R. W. Munro's identifications are correct Donald Munro excluded the sizeable island of Garbh Eilach, after which the Garvellachs group is named. Insh in the Slate Islands is missing, but the modern name, which means simply "island" is clearly incomplete. Its older names include Eilean nan Caorach and Inis-Capul.Craignish, Taynish, Jura and the Firth of Lorn
R. W. Munro was unable to identify several islands in this group, but Youngson used his local knowledge and research undertaken by Malcolm MacArthur to suggest various small islands offshore from Jura. In a few instances other nearby candidates exist.| No. | Name | No. | Name | Name | Modern name | Modern name | Comments |
| 36 | Iniskenzie | 37 | Inche Kenyth | Skennia | Unidentified | Not mentioned | The name is clearly a variant of "Kenneth's Island" but there are no obvious contenders. |
| 37 | Ellan anthian | 38 | Inchian | Isle Thiania | Unidentified | Shian Island | Shian Island is located north of Loch Tarbert, Jura. There is also Inchaig in Loch Craignish at. Buchanan offers "the isle called Tyan, from an Herb". |
| 38 | Ellan Uderga | 39 | Uderga | Uderga | Unidentified | "An unnamed island offshore from Glenbatrick" | "Ane uther verey small rock". Glenbatrick is on the south shore of Loch Tarbert, Jura and Youngson's suggestion is at. |
| 39 | King's Ile | 40 | King's Iyle | King's Island | Eilean Rìgh | Eileanan Gleann Righ | Eilean Rìgh is a much larger and better known island than the tiny islet at in Loch Tarbert, Jura proposed by Youngson. |
| 40 | Black Ile | 41 | Black Isle | Duffa | Eilean Dubh | Eilean Dubh a' Chumhainn Mhóir | Eilean Dubh in Loch Craignish is at. Youngson's suggestion is in Loch Tarbert at. |
| 41 | Kirk Ile | 42 | Kirke Isle | Island of the Church | Eilean na Cille or Eilean Mor | Eilean an Easbuig | R.W. Munro equivocates: Eilean na Cille is at in Loch Craignish and Eilean Mor, which once had a church, is at the mouth of Loch Sween. Blaeu's Y. na heglish at the head of Loch Tarbert is Youngson's Eilean an Easbuig. |
| 42 | Ellan Chriarache | 43 | Chrearache | Triaracha | Unidentified | Eilean Chraoibhe chaorinn | R. W. Munro notes the existence of Eilean Treadhrach, off Oronsay. Youngson's translation is "hazel wood island", and may be another islet in Loch Tarbert at or possibly Creagach Chrosgach at off the west coast of the Craignish peninsula. |
| 43 | Ellan ard | 44 | Arde | Ardua | Unidentified | Eilean Ard | Eilean Ard is in Loch Tarbert. |
| 44 | Ellan Iisall | 45 | Laich Ile | Humlis | Unidentified | Eilean Iosal, Loch Tarbert | Laich, humilis and ìosal all mean "low". |
| 45 | Glass Ellan | 46 | Greine Ilye | Viridis | Unidentified | Glas Eilean, Sound of Islay | There is also a Glas Eilean in Loch Caolisport, another in the Sound of Islay and an Eilean Glas in Loch Crinan. |
| 46 | Fruech Ellan | 47 | Heddir Iyle | Ericca | Unidentified | Am Fraoch Eilean | Although Monro is almost certainly referring to an Eilean Fraoch, the question is – which one? There is one on the west coast of Luing, another in the Cuan Sound off Torsa, a third at Craobh Haven and another west of the Taynish peninsula at. This last is near Eilean nan Coinean – see below. There is also Youngson's Am Fraoch Eilean in the Sound of Islay. |
| 47 | Ellan na cravich | 48 | Hasil Iyle | Arboraria | Unidentified | Brosdale Island | Brosdale is in the Sound of Islay. Youngson does not offer an explanation for his identification. The Gaelic craobh relates to trees or shrubs and this is also suggested by "Hasil" and "Arboraria". |
| 48 | Ellan na gobhar | 49 | Gatis Iyles | Capraria | Eilean nan Gabhar | Eilean nan Gabhar | Youngson identifies Eilean nan Gabhar in the Small Isles of Jura at. R. W. Munro does not specify the location and there is a second Eilean nan Gabhar, south of Eilean Righ at. |
| 49 | Conyngis Ile | 50 | Conings Ile | Cunicularia | Eilean nan Coinean | Eilean nan Coinean | Youngson is again offering the Small Isles of Jura, but R. W. Munro does not specify the location and there are others at west of Taynish or at just north of Crinan. |
| 50 | Ellan diamhoin | 51 | Idyle Iyle | Isle of Idlemen | Eilean Diomhain | Eilean Diomhain | One of the Small Isles of Jura. |
| 51 | Eisell ellan | 52 | Eisell | Abridita | Pladda | See below | One of the Small Isles of Jura |
| 52 | Ellan Abhridich | 53 | Uridithe | Uridithe | Eilean Bhride | See below | One of the Small Isles of Jura |
| 53 | Lismoir | 54 | Lismoir | Lismora | Lismore | Not mentioned | - |
in the distance
With the exception of Lismore, Monro's "descriptions" in this section are little more than a name recorded in English and "Erische", which makes definitive identifications hard to achieve. Youngson writes that his names "defeat all attempts to identify with Lorn, and turn out to be near Jura" and that "the islands of the Small Isles Bay and to the south of Jura are all easily identified" and turns his attention to numbers 39–44 for a detailed analysis. The strength of Youngson's analysis is that whereas most of these names evaded identification by R. W. Munro, he is able to offer candidates for almost all of them. In his interpretation, the islands round Jura are listed anti-clockwise starting at Eilean Mor, compared to Islay whose islands are listed by Monro clockwise. This would however mean that several large islands are not found anywhere in the Monro list, including Eilean Righ, Island Macaskin and Eilean Mhic Chrion off the Argyll coast. There are also numerous other small islands with these names in this vicinity and it is an odd coincidence that numbers 39–41 all have strong contenders in Loch Craignish, as identified by R. W. Munro.
on Kerrera. The island has "gude fertile fruitfull land" according to Monro.
Youngson does not refer to the section below, which is also missing in its entirety from the Auld and Moniepennie publications.
| No. | Name | Modern name | Comments |
| 54 | Scheip Ile | Eilean nan Caorach | Located in Loch Linnhe |
| 55 | Suina | Shuna | |
| 56 | Ferray Ile | Inn Island? | Just north of the Lismore jetty |
| 57 | Garbh Ellan | Eilean Dubh? | There are numerous islands called Garbh Eilean in Scotland. R. W. Munro's identification is from Bleau's atlas. |
| 58 | Ellan Cloich | Eilean na Cloich | Located near Lismore. |
| 59 | Flada | Pladda Island | R. W. Munro's index mistakenly relists Pladda, Jura, but there is a Pladda, Lismore as well. |
| 60 | Grezay | Creag Island | Located off Lismore |
| 61 | Ellan Moir | Eilean nan Gamhna? | |
| 62 | Ardiasgar | Unidentified | Translates as "the fisherman's height". |
| 63 | Musadill | Eilean Musdile | |
| 64 | Berneray | Bernera | |
| 65 | Ellan Inhologasgyr | Eilean Loch Oscair | Located off Lismore |
| 66 | Ellan drynachai | Eilean Droineach | The description "quhair habitation of Bischops and Nobles were in auld times" fits its neighbour Eilean Ramsay much better. |
| 67 | Ransay | Eilean Ramsay | Located off Lismore |
| 68 | Ellan Bhellnagobhan | Eilean Balnagowan | Located off Shuna |
| 69 | Kerveray | Kerrera |
Islay
Monro states "Her begin to circkell Iyla, sune gaittis aboute with litle iyles." The percentage of islands listed is high and must include several very small islets or skerries. This comprehensive listing contrasts with the omission of various larger islands, including a few that are inhabited, in the Outer Hebrides. There are many correspondences between Timothy Pont's map of Islay published by Johan Blaeu and Buchanan's version of Monro's list. It is possible Pont knew of Monro's work and added a few islets on this basis and the correspondence with modern maps and names is not clear in some instances. Some of the linguistic connections between names are also obscure. For example, the Sibbald MS No. 72 is "Hessil" is also "Ellan Natravie" in the Auld version, which names hints at a pronunciation of the Gaelic for "beach" yet Monipennie has "Colurna" and R. W. Munro identifies the island as possibly being Eilean Craobhach.| No. | Name | No. | Name | Name | Modern name | Comments |
| 70 | Ila | 55 | Ila | Yla | Islay | |
| 71 | Ellan charn | 56 | Earne Isle | See note | Am Fraoch Eilean | The relationship of the names is explained by R. W. Munro with reference to Buchanan's text and the ruins of Claig Castle. |
| 72 | Hessil Isle | 57 | Hessil Iyle | Colurna | Eilean Craobhach? | The Auld version has "callit in Erish the Leid Ellan Natravie" but "callit Ellan na caltin" in the Sibbald MS. Calltainn, hessil and colurna are respectively Gaelic, Scots and Latin for "hazel" and Craobhach means "pertaining to trees". |
| 73 | Mullinoris Ile | 58 | Mulmoryris Iyle | Mulvoris | Eilean Mhic Mhaolmhoire | |
| 74 | Ellan Osrum | 59 | Ofrum | Ossuna | Outram | |
| 75 | Brydis Iyle | 60 | Brydes Iyle | Brigidana | Eilean Bhride | At. |
| 76 | Corsker | 61 | Cors Ker | Corskera | Corr Sgeir | Korskyr in Blaeu's atlas west of Dounowaig. |
| 77 | Ellan Isall | 62 | Eisilache | Low island | Iseanach Mòr? | Ìosal and ìseal both mean "low" but Iseanach suggests a different root. |
| 78 | Ellan Imersga | 63 | Imerska | Imersga | Eilean Imersay | |
| 79 | Ellan Nabeathi | 64 | Bethey | Beathia | Unidentified | Blaeu has Bethidh in this general location. |
| 80 | Ellan teggsay | 65 | Tisgay | Texa | Texa | Blaeu's Ylen Teghsa. |
| 81 | Scheips Iyle | 66 | Scheipis Iyle | Ovicularia | Eilean nan Caorach | |
| 82 | Myresnyppis Iyle | 67 | Myresnypes Iyle | Noasiga | Unidentified | "By the Erishe namit Ellan na Naoske". Eilean na Naosg would translate as Snipe or Fieldfare Island. |
| 83 | Ellan Rinard | 68 | Ness Poynte Iyle | Vinarda | Unidentified | "The yle at the west poynt", it is also mentioned by Monro when he describes Islay. Conceivably a poetic reference to Islay itself – Eilean Rinn Àrd – would be "the island of tall Rinns". |
| 84 | Liach Ellan | 69 | Lyart Iyle | Cava | Unidentified | Located off Port nan Gallan, The Oa. There is another tiny Eilean Liath near Kilchiaran Bay, west of the Rhinns. The relationship of Cava to Liach Ellan is not clear. |
| 85 | Tarskeray | 70 | Tairskeray | Tarsheria | Tarr Sgeir | The Ordnance Survey do not appear to name R. W. Munro's identification. |
| 86 | Auchnarra | 71 | Achnarra | Auchnarra | Unidentified | Blaeu offers Achnar, which is cognate with the Gaelic for "field". |
| 87 | Ellan moir | 72 | Grait Iyle | The great island | Eileanan Mòra | Located near the Mull of Oa. Blaeu has Ylen Moir. |
| 88 | Ellan deallach dune | 73 | The Iyle of the Man's Figure | the island made like a man | Eilean Dealbh Duine | West of The Oa and south of Eileanan Mòra. |
| 89 | Ellan Ian | 74 | Jhone's Iyle | The isle of John | Eilean Eoin | Located in Port nan Gallan, The Oa. |
| 90 | Ellan Stagbadis | 75 | Starbeades | Slakebadis | Stac Bheatais | West of The Oa near Eilean Dealbh Duine. Blaeu has Stackchabhada near The Oa. |
| 91 | Oversay | 76 | Onersay | Oversa | Orsay | |
| 92 | Keanichis Ile | 77 | Merchands Iyle | The Marchants island | Eilean Mhic Coinnich | "Callit by the Erische Ellan Kenyth". |
| 93 | Usabrast | 78 | Usabrast | Usabrasta | Unidentified | Frenchman's Rocks, one of the few contenders in this area, lie just north of Eilean Mhic Coinnich between it and Eilean an Tannais-sgeir. |
| 94 | Ellan Tanest | 79 | Tanefte | Tanasta | Eilean an Tannais-sgeir | At. |
| 95 | Ellean Nefe | 80 | Nese | Nesa | Nave Island | "Beside the entresse of Lochgrunord". |
| 96 | Webstaris Ile | 81 | Vebster | The Weavers island | Unidentified | "Callit by the Erische themselves Ellan Nabaney". |
Colonsay and Mull
| No. | Name | No. | Name | Name | Modern name | Comments |
| 97 | Orvansay | 82 | Ornansay | Ornansa | Oronsay | |
| 98 | Ellan na muk | 83 | Ellan Namuche | Swines island | Eilean Ghaoideamal | "Half ane myle lang". |
| 99 | Colvansay | 84 | Colnansay | Coluansa | Colonsay | |
| 100 | Mule | 85 | Mull | Mule | Mull | |
| 101 | Eilean challmain | 86 | The Dow Iyle | Columbaria | Eilean Challmain | Eilean a' Chalmain is southwest of Erraid. |
| 102 | Erray | 87 | Erray | Era | Erraid | |
| 103 | Saint Colms Ile | 88 | Colmkill | Island of Sanct Colme | Iona | |
| 104 | Soa | 89 | Soa | Soa | Soa Island | |
| 105 | Ellan namban | 90 | Naban | Isle of Women | Eilean nam Ban | |
| 106 | Ellan murudhain | 91 | Moroan | Rudana | Eilean Annraidh? | At the northern tip of Iona. |
| 107 | Ellan Reryng | 92 | Reringe | Bernira | Rèidh Eilean? | Suggestion by Hume Brown and appears on Bleau's map as a large island west of Iona. |
| 108 | Iniskenzie | 93 | Inche Kenzie | Skennia | Inch Kenneth | |
| 109 | Eorsay | 94 | Eorsay | Frosa | Eorsa |
, also known as the "Dutchman's Cap"
Here the shorter Auld version has another missing passage. After Frosa Monipennie states that "all their isles are subject to Sanct Colme's abbey".
| No. | Name | Name | Modern name | Comments |
| 110 | Ulvay | Vilua | Ulva | "five miles of length". |
| 111 | Colvansay | Toluansa | Little Colonsay | |
| 112 | Gomatra | Gomatra | Gometra | "about 300 paces from this island" |
| 113 | Stafay | Staffæ | Staffa | Monipennie has "four mile southward, lye the two Staffæ both full of havening places". There is but one Staffa and by modern standards the anchorages are inadequate. |
| 114 | Kerniborg moir and Kerniborg beg | the two Kerimburgæ | Cairn na Burgh Mòr and Cairn na Burgh Beag | |
| 115 | Ellan na monadh | Fladda, Treshnish Isles | Monipennie has "One mile from them lyes an island, the whole earth is blacke, whereof the people make peates for their fire". | |
| 116 | Lungay | Longa | Lunga, Treshnish Isles | |
| 117 | Bak | Bacha | Bac Mòr | Bac Beag is also a possibility |
| 118 | Thiridh | Tiria | Tiree | |
| 119 | Gunna | Sunna | Gunna | |
| 120 | Coll | Colla | Coll |
Re Staffa above, it is a small island and in Monro's day it had not achieved its later fame, which did not occur until its late 18th century "discovery". The Auld version joins Sibbald here again and Moniepennie adds Mekle Viridis and Little Viridis to the list.
| No. | Name | No. | Name | Name | Modern name | Comments |
| 121 | Calf | 95 | Calfa | Culsa | Calve Island | "Upon the narrest coste of Mull layes ane iyle callit Calfe, ane myle of lenthe, full of woods, with ane sufficient raid for shipes, perteyning to M'Gillayne of Doward." |
| 122 | Glass Ellan moir and Glass Ellan beg | 96 | The Glasse Iles | Glassæ | Glas Eileanan | Glas Eileanan is just off Rubha an Ridire. R. W. Munro also mentions Eileanan Glass further up the Sound of Mull at |
| 123 | Ellan Ardan rider | 97 | Ardin Rider | Arden Eider | Eilean Rubha an Ridire | A small isle at close to Glas Eileanan. |
| 124 | Ellan amhadi | 98 | Ellan Madie | Luparia or "Wolfe island" | Eilean a' Mhadaidh, Loch Don | |
| 125 | Ellan moir | 99 | Ellan Moir | A great isle | Eilean Mòr, Lochbuie | "Upon the shore of Mull, lyes ane ile, callit by the Erishe Ellan-moir, guid for store and for fishing, pertening to M'Gillayne of Lochbuy." |
Small Isles
| No. | Name | No. | Name | Name | Modern name | Comments |
| 126 | Rum | 100 | Ronin | Ruma | Rùm | |
| 127 | Ellan na neach | 101 | The Horse Iyle | Horse island | Eilean nan Each | Off Muck |
| 128 | Ellan na muk | 102 | Swynes Ile | Swine island | Muck | |
| 129 | Cannay | 103 | Kannay | Canna | Canna | |
| 130 | Egge | 104 | Egga | Egga | Eigg |
Skye
No 117 is an additional but unnamed island in Auld. "Four myle of sea fra this ile Tuilin, northwart, lyes an ile callit -----."Barra and the Uists
states that Monro "apparently had visited Barra, but it is clear that he writes of the smaller islands from hearsay alone". Nos 156–64 are also known as the Bishop's Isles. Monro does not treat Benbecula, South Uist and North Uist as separate islands. Under Ywst he states: "and in the north syde of this there is ane parochin callit Buchagla, perteining to the said Clandonald. At the north end thereof the sea cuts the countrey againe, and that cutting of the sea is called Careynesse, and benorth this countrey is called Kenehnache of Ywst, that is in Englishe, the north head of Ywst."| No. | Name | No. | Name | Name | Modern name | Comments |
| 156 | Lingay | 130 | Lingay | Linga | Lingeigh | |
| 157 | Gigarmen | 131 | Gigarun | Gigarmena | Greanamul | According to Campbell Hume Brown made this identification in his 1893 publication Scotland before 1700. |
| 158 | Berneray | 132 | Berneray | Benera | Barra Head | |
| 159 | Megalay | 133 | Megaly | Megela | Mingulay | |
| 160 | Pabay | 134 | Pabay | Paua | Pabbay, Barra | |
| 161 | Fladay | 135 | Fladay | Flada | Flodday near Vatersay | |
| 162 | Scarpay na mult | 136 | Scarpnamutt | Scarpa | Muldoanich | Monipennie adds "Vernecum" here. Edward MacQueen suggested Lianamul in 1794. |
| 163 | Sanderay | 137 | Sanderay | Sandera | Sandray | |
| 164 | Vatersay | 138 | Wattersay | Vatersa | Vatersay | |
| 165 | Barray | 139 | Barray | Barra | Barra | |
| 166 | Orbandsay | 140 | Orvansay | Oronsa | Orosay | |
| 167 | Ellan nahaonchaorach | 141 | Nahacharrach | Onia | Unidentified | "In Englishe the Sheipes ile, ane little ile full of gerssing and store, perteining to M'Neill of Barray." "Not known" according to Campbell, but conceivably Fiaraidh, which means "grass" or "pasture" island and which Campbell assigns to 177. |
| 168 | Ellan nahakersait | 142 | Nahakersait | Hakerseta | Heilen | "Not known" by Campbell. The names looks like a corruption of na h-acarsaid, "of the anchorage", and Munro probably refers to Sheileam/Healam in the bay of "An Acarsaid" at the end of the Bruairnis peninsula on Barra. |
| 169 | Garvlanga | 143 | Garnlanga | Garnlanga | Garbh Lingeigh | Also identified by Campbell. |
| 170 | Fladay | 144 | Flada | Flada | Flodday, Sound of Barra | |
| 171 | Buyabeg | 145 | Bwyabeg | Little Buya | Eilean Sheumais | "Not known" according to Campbell, but R. W. Munro states that an earlier name for Eilean Sheumais was Fuidheidh Beag and that it was renamed "after a fugitive from the mainland". |
| 172 | Buya moir | 146 | Bywa-moir | Great Buya | Fuiay | "Not known" according to Campbell. |
| 173 | Hay | 147 | Hay | Haya | Unidentified | Fuiay according to Campbell. |
| 174 | Hellisay | 148 | Hettesay | Hell sea | Hellisay | |
| 175 | Gigay | 149 | Gigay | Gigaia | Gighay | |
| 176 | Lingay | 150 | Lingay | Lingaia | Lingay | There are other contenders: Lingeigh and Garbh Lingeigh off Fuiay. |
| 177 | Feray | 151 | Feray | Foraia | Fiaraidh | |
| 178 | Fuday | 152 | Fuday | Fudaia | Fuday | |
| 179 | Eriskay | 153 | Eriskeray | Eriscaia | Eriskay | |
| 180 | Vyist | 154 | Ywst | Vistus | Uist | |
| 181 | Blank | 155 | ||||
| 182 | Helsker na caillach | 156 | Helsker Nagaillon | Helsther Wetularum | Monach Isles | In the 18th century Lady Grange was kidnapped and conveyed to the Monach Isles. She wrote that "I was in great miserie in the Husker". |
| 183 | Haifsker | 157 | Haysker | Haneskera | Haskeir | "Northwast fra this Kentnache of Ywst, be twalve myle of sea". |
| 184 | Hirta | 158 | Hirta | Hirta | Hirta | |
| 185 | Valay | 159 | Valay | Velaia | Vallay |
Numerous islands are missing from the lists including Ronay, Stuley, Baleshare, Kirkibost and Calvay.
Lewis and Harris and the north west
is the largest of Scotland's islands and the third largest in the British Isles, after Great Britain and Ireland. It incorporates Lewis in the north and Harris in the south, both of which are frequently referred to as individual islands, although they are joined by a land border. The island does not have a common name in either English or Gaelic and is referred to as "Lewis and Harris", "Lewis with Harris", "Harris with Lewis" etc. The first sub-section contains another group not listed by the 1774 Auld version. The ordering of the Sibbald MS is in places slightly different from Moniepennie's and the correspondence is not always obvious. The former's numbers 197 and 201 appear to have been omitted completely in the latter.Harris
Loch Ròg
Some small outer islands are missing including Bearasaigh and Cealasaigh.Lewis
Various islands are apparently missing including Seaforth Island, Eilean Mhealasta and Boreray.North Highland coast
Missing are Isle Ristol, Handa and Oldany Island.Lewis and Harris
| No. | Name | No. | Name | Name | Modern name | Comments |
| 249 | Haray and Leozus | 207 | Harrey | Hary and Lewis | Lewis and Harris | |
| 250 | Ronay | 208 | Ronay | Rona | North Rona | |
| 251 | Swilskeray | 209 | Suilskeray | Suilkeraia | Sula Sgeir |
Genealogies
Monro provides a brief description of the five main branches of Clan Donald that existed in his day under the title "Heir Followis The Geneologies Of The Chieff Clans Of The Iles".- Clan Macdonald of Sleat whose chief in Monro's day was Donald Gormeson, a descendant of Hugh of Sleat.
- Clan Eanmore of Dunnyveg.
- Clan Ragnald led by John Moidartach.
- Clan-Ean of Ardnamorachin
- The House of Alexander Carrath, described by Monro as "the fairest hared man of aney that ever was".
This Somerle wes the sone of Gillebryde M'Gilleadam, name Vic Sella, Vic Mearshaighe, Vic Swyffine, Vic Malgheussa, Vic Eacime, Vic Gothefred, fra quhome they were called at that time Clan Gothofred, that is, Clan Gotheray in Hybers Leid, and they were very grate men in that tymes zeire.
The name "Gofraid" also appears in numerous other versions of Somerled's ancestry.
Council of the Isles
Finlaggan was the site of the court of the Buachaille nan Eileanan, the chief of Clan Donald. Eilean na Comhairle was originally a timber framed crannog constructed in the 1st century BC, just offshore from Eilean Mòr, which was known as the Island of St Findlugán during the Medieval period.The Auld version of Monro's text has under No 55 "Ila" only "Ellan Forlagan, in the middle of Ila, ane faire iyle in fresche water" as the concluding sentence and there is no specific reference to the Council. Monipennie provides a slightly longer text as a translation from Buchanan about the government of the Isles that operated from Eilean na Comhairle at Finlaggan. However the Sibbald MS has a much longer description, the earliest and most detailed of the three main texts that have persisted into the modern era. Monro describes the membership of the Council, comprising "14 of the Iles best Barons" and its role as the supreme court of justice.
After the forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles by James IV in 1493 Finlaggan's buildings were razed and its coronation stone destroyed to discourage any attempts at restoration of the Lordship. The Council was briefly revived during Domhnall Dubh's 1545 rebellion, just four years before Monro's text was written. The barons listed by Monro are:
, the seat of MacNeil of Barra
- Maclean of Duart
- Maclean of Lochbuie
- MacLeod of Harris
- MacLeod of Lewis
- Mackinnon
- McNaie
- MacNeill of Gigha
- MacNeil of Barra
- MacDonald of Dunnyveg
- MacDonald of Ardnamurchan
- Clanranald
- MacDonald of Lochaber
- Bishop of the Isles
- Abbot of Iona