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Stone discovered on Canna is Scotland's first known example of a bullaun "cursing stone"

I thought that this would be right up your street - from 2012 in Scotland:

• 19 May - the ] announce that the first ] to be found in the country, dated to circa 800, was discovered on ]<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-18130259|title='Cursing stone' found on Isle of Canna|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=20 May 2012}}</ref>

Cheers.--Mais oui! (talk) 05:57, 20 May 2012 (UTC)

Nice one. Ben MacDui 16:47, 20 May 2012 (UTC)

Category:Villages in Skye

I have removed the nomination of Category:Villages in Skye at the speedy renaming page because it was opposed, and remained so without change, for more than two weeks. Your comment left me with the impression that you have a certain knowledge of or familiarity with these categories, and so I wanted to bring two categories to your attention: Category:Villages on Seil, which you mentioned in your comment, and Category:Villages in the Isle of Arran, which deviates from the 'Villages on the Isle of ...' format used for the Isles of Bute and Mull. I'd be grateful if you would share your thoughts on what needs to be done with them. Thank you, -- Black Falcon 20:01, 22 May 2012 (UTC)

Thank-you for the opportunity to comment. It is a tricky issue as there are various options and to some extent the desire for consistency may conflict with common usage.

• The parent cat is Category:Villages on Scottish islands - I don't think "in" would work here.
• the subcats are all "Category:Villages in Foo" except as you mention "Villages on the Isle of Bute" and "Villages on the Isle of Mull", which follow their own articles in using the "isle of" nomenclature, but which are not consistent with "Category:Villages in the Isle of Arran", and as you point out the new Category:Villages on Seil.
• the subcats for Shetland both use "in"
• we also have Category:Populated places in Skye for the 80 settlements this island has articles about that are smaller than villages.

Issues

"In" and "on" are fairly interchangebale in common usage. The larger the island, the more likely it is to be thought of as a district, so use of "in" will probably be more common. For a smaller island like Seil, "on" is likely to be more frequently used.

Use of "Isle of" makes the use of "on" much more likely in common use.

Suggested options

1 Maximum consistency: don't use the redundant "Isle of" for cat names and make them all "in";

2 Maximum consistency: do use the redundant "Isle of" for cat names but make them all "in" anyway;

3 Maximum common use: Keep them all the way they are except Arran, which (having once been "Villages in Arran" I think) would be "Villages on the Isle of Arran";

4 Maximum consistency but weak common use: Make them all "on".

• 1 is my preference but we can probably rule it out as it conflicts with the "cats follow articles" rule.
• 3 is I think a little clumsy
• 4 is also consistent but means moving almost all the cats and I am not much in favour of it.
• There would seem to be no perfect solution, but 2 may be the least worst as it is always consistent in using "in" and does not significantly conflict with common usage.

Ben MacDui 08:27, 23 May 2012 (UTC)

Macduff!

Hope you are well. I see you have been busy saving that medieval Scotland article from the chop. I have to thank you for that, a burden I left behind to the community ... though even if I'd been wikipresent I'd just have let it go. Doing that article back in the day was me as an undergrad getting to grips with the subject for the first time, but it badly needed rewritten if for no other reason several big books came out in the intervening period. How is everything else? Deacon of Pndapetzim (Talk) 16:54, 30 May 2012 (UTC)

Well what a very pleasant surprise! I thought you might have permanently vanished. Re medieval Scotland, it was bit worrisome that having read J.D. Mackie at some point in the last century and a few Donnchadh Ó Corráin articles in the present one that I am now what passes for an expert in these parts. No serious harm done I hope. As for everything else - well this little blank was good news although I see an old chum is in the news this week. Mais oui! has been spreading fear and alarm at WP Scotland, although I am sure he too will be bouyed up by your return. I have been listening to local lass Emeli Sandé, visiting the west coast and wondering if I will get around to another GA this summer. Still looking for Duanaire na Sracaire incidentally. Hope you are well. Ben MacDui 19:20, 30 May 2012 (UTC)

Do you need anything from Duanaire na Sracaire? Deacon of Pndapetzim (Talk) 12:34, 31 May 2012 (UTC)

Indeed yes. At Domhnall mac Raghnaill we read of a praise poem reviewed by McLeod & Bateman pp. 502-3. Apparently Old MacDonald is a "Descendant of Gofraidh, descendant of Amhlaibh Fionn" and there is some speculation therein as to who these ancestors may be. This strikes me as potentially interesting but I lack a copy and don't much feel like buying one for what may be two lines of interesting text. Ben MacDui 18:49, 31 May 2012 (UTC)

We read that: A recently rediscovered poem — though from a 17th century manuscript written by Niall MacMhuirich — was addressed to one Domhnall mac Raghnaill, Rosg Mall ("Domhnall mac Raghnaill, of the Stately Gaze"). It is possible that this may refer to the Domhnall mac Raghnaill a claim made by its recent editor.{McLeod & Bateman, Duanaire na Sracaire, p. 75.} The poem includes these lines.

The article goes on to say that "is not clear who Gofraidh or Amhlaibh Fionn are, but they may refer to some of the Norse-Gaelic rulers of Mann and Dublin, possibly Amhlaibh Conung and Gofraidh Crobhán." {McLeod & Bateman, Duanaire na Sracaire, pp. 502-3.}

This last ref notes Prof. Woolf's 2005 observation that the origin of "Clan Gothefray" I.e. Clan Donald may be a reference to Crovan. Fair enough, but..... If we take as read that Amhlaibh Fionn is "Amlaib Conung" then:

• this is an interesting piece of evidence in the good old Amhlaibh/Olafr inn hvitti debate and
• one read's that the order of appearance in texts is indicative of relative seniority and it isn't immediately obvious why Godred Crovan and Amhlaibh would appear either in this order or indeed together. Without a wise authority getting there first it is surely OR to suggest that Gofraid of Lochlainn, to my mind the obvious contender, is who the poem refers to. I therefore wonder if you, or anyone watching this space has any further insight. Ben MacDui 10:07, 6 June 2012 (UTC)

Somerled's actual genealogy doesn't look reliable beyond the Suibne character.p.3 By Donald's time, they probably hadn't a clue who their ancestor was, but it was beneficial to claim descent from those Ui Imair guys in order to boost their claim to rule the isles. Deacon of Pndapetzim (Talk) 15:30, 7 June 2012 (UTC)

I can't disagree - but whilst it is possible that they didn't have any real idea of who Gofraid or Amlaibh were as historical figures, they must surely have had some idea of their significance as part of their mythology. I think what I am asking is - given that McLeod & Bateman seem disinclined to speculate, has anyone else? It seems to me only a matter of time before something appears in print. I note that Clan Donald is silent on the whole Clan Gothofred business. Ben MacDui 12:24, 9 June 2012 (UTC)

Those guys here would then be ancestors of the Manx family, "old money" when the MacSorleys were establishing themselves. But to my knowledge there has been little recent speculation. If there's nothing in McDonald, try Skene (whose works are online).

Happy Saint Calum's Day btw! Deacon of Pndapetzim (Talk) 12:54, 9 June 2012 (UTC)

Changed my mind

Further to your request in April that I take contact with you via email, I have decided to accept your suggestion now. You have mail. --Mais oui! (talk) 13:01, 21 June 2012 (UTC)

The Highlands are beautiful

I saw a charming documentary on life in medieval Scotland today. Many beautiful scenes of the Highlands too. Hope all is well with you, Ruhrfisch _><>° 21:49, 23 June 2012 (UTC)

They are indeed gorgeous and I believe the west coast (pictured) was the prototype for Slartibartfast's award-winning design of Norway. I also hear that the film has had good reviews and that although it is not on release here until August, VisitScotland are getting exited. Incidentally, if the rain here keeps up I shall find myself at a loose end this summer and may finally get round to offering another island at FAC. Am I right in thinking that the galleries created by this well-meaning edit won't pass muster? Ben MacDui 08:37, 24 June 2012 (UTC)

PS When you say "life in medieval Scotland today" - you do know we have stuff like electricity now?

I guess "prototype" means something like "draft", but even if I'm living in the part of the world for which Slartibartfast won his award I'll admit the draft is a pretty good one ;) Some day I hope to get to see that charming documentary on life in medieval Scotland too, but not today :P Finn Rindahl (talk) 16:58, 24 June 2012 (UTC)

Sorry to be unclear - I meant I had seen the film "today" (Saturday, though it opened in the US on Friday). I was pretty sure from another documentary that modern Scotland had electricity and other modern conveniences. There was a very cool circle of Standing Stones in the first film - if it is not based on something real, perhaps Visit Scotland can build one like it for the tourists, ;-=) Ruhrfisch _><>° 20:29, 24 June 2012 (UTC)

PS I looked at the older and newer versions of the article. FAC usually does not like galleries, although per Misplaced Pages:Galleries there are a few cases where they are OK - I do not think the current galleries really meet these criteria, though. I also think the older version (no galleries) had some issues with image sandwiching text, which is also to be avoided per the MOS. However, usually when an article is expanded for FAC, it gets more text and has more room for better spacing of the existing images. Ruhrfisch _><>° 01:45, 25 June 2012 (UTC)

Note

You have been, in part, referred to here in relation to one or more comments you may have made. Ncmvocalist (talk) 12:45, 25 June 2012 (UTC)

Highly unpleasant behaviour

Take a look at this disgraceful tactic: leaving a foul personal attack and then covering the tracks so that you have to delve in the history to uncover it. It is perfectly clear who the stalker is here and who is being stalked, and I can prove it with literally hundreds of examples of User:Tim! following around after me removing country cats from categories I have created in my WikiProject Scotland work. I have exhibited tolerance and restraint I barely knew I possessed, but I draw the line at another User using blatant double standards, and then defending themselves by accusing me of something that they themselves are guilty of.--Mais oui! (talk) 10:19, 8 July 2012 (UTC)