Carinish

Human settlement in Scotland

Carinish

* Scottish Gaelic: Càirinis

Free Church at Cairinis

Carinish

Location within the Outer Hebrides

Language| Scottish Gaelic
English
OS grid reference| NF820604
Civil parish|

* North Uist

Council area|

* Na h-Eileanan Siar

Lieutenancy area|

* Western Isles

Country| Scotland
Sovereign state| United Kingdom
Post town| ISLE OF NORTH UIST
Postcode district| HS6
Dialling code| 01876
Police| Scotland
Fire| Scottish
Ambulance| Scottish
UK Parliament|

* Na h-Eileanan an Iar

Scottish Parliament|

* Na h-Eileanan an Iar

List of places

Scotland

57°31′19″N 7°18′43″W﻿ / ﻿57.522°N 7.312°W﻿ / 57.522; -7.312

Carinish (Scottish Gaelic: Càirinis), is a hamlet on North Uist, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is in the south of the island, about two miles (three kilometres) from the causeway to Benbecula. The hamlet is known for the Carinish Stone Circle and the Trinity Temple. Carinish is within the parish of North Uist[1] and is situated on the A865.[2]

## History

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### Carinish Stone Circle

[edit]

Carinish Stone Circle is not in good condition – it has the A865 main road running almost through the middle of it.[3] About 50 metres to the north, a Neolithic settlement was found.

### Trinity Temple

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Main article: Teampull na Trionaid

Trinity Temple or Teampall na Trionad is the ruins of a 13th-century Augustinian nunnery and "college of learning". It is written in the Red Book of Clanranald that the nunnery was founded by Bethóc, the Prioress of Iona Nunnery and the daughter of Somerled, the ancestor of the Chiefs of Clan MacDougall, the Lords of the Isles, Clan Donald, Clan MacRory, and Clan MacAlister.[4][5] After probably being enlarged in the late 14th century by Amy MacRuari, divorcee of John, Lord of the Isles,[5] it was again enlarged in the 16th century, and restored in the 19th century, after it was destroyed during the Scottish Reformation. Admission is free and it is open at all times.

### Battle of Carinish

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The Battle of Carinish, which was fought between the warriors of Clan MacDonald of Sleat and Clan MacLeod of Dunvegan, took place near the ruins of the nunnery in 1601.[6]

## People connected with Carinish

[edit]

* Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna (1887-1967), during his childhood, the Scottish Gaelic Bard and war poet, attended the district school at Carinish, as he later described in his poem Òran na Sgoilearan ("The Song of the Schoolchildren").[7]

## Carinish Inn

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Carinish contains the modern Carinish Inn, once a landmark hotel in North Uist, which in 2008 was sold to the Free Church of Scotland to be transformed into a church.[8]

## Gallery

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* Carinish with the battlefield

* The Teampull na Trionad

* The Graveyard of the Teampull na Trionad

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Details of Carinish". Scottish Places. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
2. ^ "A865/North Uist". Sabre. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
3. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "North Uist, Carinish (Site no. NF86SW 1)". Retrieved 1 July 2025.
4. ^ Bill Lawson (2004), North Uist in History and Legend, Birlinn. Page 79.
5. ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland. "North Uist, Carinish, Teampull Na Trionaid (Site no. NF86SW 24)". Retrieved 1 July 2025.
6. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "North Uist, Carinish, Feith Na Fala (Site no. NF86SW 30)". Retrieved 1 July 2025.
7. ^ Domhnall Ruadh Choruna, (1995), pages 144-147.
8. ^ "19 November 2008: Carinish Inn, North Uist, Western Isles". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 24 December 2014.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carinish.

* Undiscovered Scotland - Carinish
* Historic Environment Scotland. "North Uist, Carinish (Site no. NF86SW 57)".
* Historic Environment Scotland. "North Uist, Carinish, Caravat Barp (Site no. NF86SW 14)".

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* t
* e

Prehistoric Western Isles

Callanish Sites|

* Callanish I
* Callanish II
* Callanish III
* Callanish IV
* Callanish V
* Callanish VI
* Callanish VIII
* Callanish X

Other Neolithic Sites|

* Barpa Langass
* Carinish
* Clach an Trushal
* Eilean Dòmhnuill
* Fir Bhreige
* Pobull Fhinn
* Steinacleit
* St Kilda

Bronze and Iron Age Sites|

* Allasdale
* Cladh Hallan
* Dun an Sticir
* Dun Bharabhat
* Dun Carloway
* Dùn Èistean
* Dun Vulan

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