Rocabarraigh

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Rocabarra or Rocabarraigh is a phantom island or rock in Scottish Gaelic myth, which is supposed to appear three times, the last being at the end of the world.

"Nuair a thig Rocabarra ris, is dual gun tèid an Saoghal a sgrios".

(When Rocabarra returns, the world will likely come to be destroyed/ruined)

The name confusingly has also been used to refer to Rockall, a very real rock in the North Atlantic. For example, when Martin Martin visited St Kilda in 1716, he refers to it as Rockoll, but goes on to mention that the locals also knew Rockall as Rockabarra (Rocabarraigh).

The name has hints of a Norse origin, barraigh (bar-ey) being a common element in Irish placenames. Roca may come from the Gaelic rocail meaning crashing or roaring.

See also

• Rockall

References

• Martin Martin A Description of the Western isles of Scotland (1716)
• This article incorporates text from “Dwelly’s [Scottish] Gaelic Dictionary” (1911)

 

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