We don't know what the battle was about, if the truth is told we don't even know if there was a battle, but if there wasn't then why do people still mention it? Why was just that section of the river named Red or Dearg in Gaelic? It is mostly guess work, but let's tell you of what we do know and leave the rest to you.
The people of Uig can recount many tales of bloodshed and battles that were fought long ago by their forefathers. Clans were always caught up in conflict, many standing stones, rivers and mysterious mounds bear names that signify the graves of brave warriors or depict a place where a bloody battle was fought. It's in the folk memory of the people of Uig where the original story of the Red River resides,there is another story that has been documented, we offer you both.
This story comes from a letter to the local paper the Stornoway Gazette, 31 May 1929 :
Sir –It may interest some of your readers to know how the Red River, Ardroil, Uig, derived its name. The story runs that the Macaulays disputed the Norse authorities’ right to collect taxes in Uig: no doubt they treated the Norse Colony as ferry loopers. On one occasion two officers were authorised to collect the tax from the Macaulays of Brenish. A messenger was sent requesting him to meet them at Ardroil River, and to come unarmed as his masters were not armed. Macaulay, however, suspecting treachery, provided himself with a short caber which he could conceal about his person. On his arrival at the appointed place he was surprised to find both officers fully armed. Seeing the trap and realising he had to fight for his life, he killed them both and threw their bodies into the river, which was made red with their blood, hence “Amhuinn ath Dhearg”. This apparently was the last attempt by the Norse to collect taxes in Uig.
They must have been in Uig for a long period, if place names are any criterion, yet their language left little or no impression; we have very few Norse phrases in our Gaelic. There are many placenames in Orkney which have their parallel in Uig, such as Pabay, Birsay, Holm, Ness, Lyness, Fea. In Crowlista we have that beauty spot, Glenfeavic, Feavic Haras, Camus Feavic. Most people call the latter Camus Uig but a Crowlista person never does. As I stated in a previous letter I am inclined to think Fea is a personal name.
Yours etc.
KML,
Paisley
16 May 1929!However there is another story, much older than KML from Paisley suggests and that was about a battle. Should anybody have further information (or stories) then please contact
us, we are only repeating the fragmented story we have heard, of which, there is very little!
Nobody could say for certain who was fighting, or even what they were fighting for, however this isn't unusual for Uig as the district is documented to have been the site of many skirmishes. Battles between the Clans was frequent and of course there were the invaders from the sea, Norway ruled the islands for many years, Uig itself is a Norse name for Bay.
What we have been told and what seems to be folk memory is of a fierce battle where prisoners were taken and then murdered (sacrificed) on a large rock. So many died in the battle and prisoners massacred that their blood turned the river red, hence the name Abhainn Dearg or Red River. As mentioned in other parts of this site, only part of the river is Abhainn Dearg and should you look up the Ordinance Survey of the area the river is marked as Abhainn Caslabhat.
The older folk in the area won't come near Abhainn Dearg at night, they are wary and say it's too spooky, but nobody knows exactly why. There is an atmosphere as you walk up the glen and a certain rock set on top of a hillock stands out, even in this rocky landscape, viewed from certain angles it looks set upon a mound. So truth or fiction, we would like to know, wouldn't you?
