The O'beolain family were hereditary lay abbots of Applecross, a monastery on the west coast of Scotland opposite the Gaelic island of Raasay-one of the Inner Herbridean Islands, to the East is the Scottish mainland and to the West is The Isle of Skye. The Norse name "Raasay" means Isle of the (Roe) or Red Deer.
| St. Moluag, the patron saint of Argyll as already mentioned, established a significant centre on the Isle of Raasay at Kilmaluag in Clachan. | ||
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About the yeare 673 A.D. Maolrubha arrived in Applecross, or Appercrossan as it was then known, a purely Pictish name. Here he established a centre for his missionary work. In Skye he concentrated his evangelic activity on the south end, and even to this day his name is revered in Strath as the man who brought the tidings of salvation to the people there. At Ashaig Maol Ruaidh he founded his first church on the island, the foundations of which were discovered some years ago while a grave was being prepared. As in the north end the policy of placing chapels in the centres of population was continued. Pabay as the name implies has a burying ground, foundations of a chapel 20 feet in length and the ground-work of a small building called the "Alter". Scalpay has the remains of Tempull Frangaig, externally 26 feet long and with a narrow pillar 4 feet in height bearing an incised Latin Cross on its last face. There are two temples, one at Liveras in Broadford, and one at Borreraig near Torrin, and like Frangaig's probably belonging to a later age. The temple of Borreraig was dedicated to St. Congan and is still referred to as Tempull Chaoin. Congan it will be remembered was one of the two Irish/Pictish companions of Columba on his mission to the stronghold of King Brude at Inverness.
The Hartland abbey and Gardens date c1157. and consecrated by Bishop Bartholomew of Exeter in 1160AD. as a monastery of the regular canons of the Order of St Augustine of Hippo, the monastery serves St. Nectan's Church, Stoke-the parish church of Hartland often referred to as the 'Cathedral of North Devon'. One mile from the Abbey is Hartland Quay and the Atlantic (west) coast. Nectan, as also associated with St. Boniface & King Nectan mac Derile of the Picts (d. 724), also with Saint Moluag. There is however a strong tradition in Kilmuir that at one time there was a nunnery by the north aspect of loch Calum Chille, possibly again a 13th Century establishment of the Benedictine order, so that Culnacnoc may have held an offshoot of nuns, explaining the female designations of the two graveyards: Cill Catriona of which no vestige remains and Caibeal Sine while half a mile away lies the ruins of Cill Eoghain at Culnacnoc.
The Bay of Uig, it is said, had at least three chapels surrounding it and Portree Bay was anciently known as Saint Columba's loch. Kiltaraglen - the old name of Portree, now located to the north of the town bears the name of Talorgan, a Culdee. They were an offshoot of the Irish Church; asceticism, puritanism and stricter monasticism having threefold performed the duties of secular canons arriving in Scotland about the yeare 800 A.D.
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