Place name in Dunoon & Kilmun

[Albagen]

Am searching the name of Lennie from Innismannusg in Dunoon & Kilmun in circa 1784.  Does anyone recognise the place of Innismannusg, and if so, can they tell me where I can find this on a map of Scotland.  I suspect it is either a small fishing hamlet or a croft/house but am not sure.
Many thanks - Albagen

[museum man 2]

Hello. I am Manager of the Castle house Museum in Dunoon. The place name you refer to is a former name for the  Benmore Estate which is 6 miles away from Dunoon. This name has not been used for many  many years and it is only because I was looking for some early information that I came upon it.
Innis -na -rusg  and a good few alternative spellings     ....  the sheltered vale or valley of the fleece.

Hope this helps.

[Heather Jean]

Hello,

I'm also looking for a place name in the Parish of Dunoon & Kilmun. The spelling on the certificates I have is varied but my best quesses are:
Ballincoun
Bailegour
Bailegourn

John Weir and his wife Catherine White came from there and they had a son Duncan Weir of Invervegain. Duncan married Janet Harkness (1775) whose father was from Glenkin. I hoped that these place names might help to narrow the search but so far have had no luck in locating my missing place-name.

I would be grateful for any suggestions,

Regards and thanks,
Heather Jean

[museum man 2]

Hello Heather Jean . We have been in touch before.

I am confident (albeit without seeing the original) that the place you are looking for is now spelled BALAGOWAN and will be readily Googled as there is a venison producer there.

This  name is a somewhat anglicised version of the Gaelic for    place of the smith. The original would have been more like Bailegobhan.

Apparently it used to be called Stronafian a name which continues locally to the present day.

Hope this helps.

[Heather Jean]

Hello Museum Man 2.

Yes, we have been in contact before and it has proved very helpful to me. I'm still following up on the leads that have opened up as a result and building a wonderful picture of my ancestors and their lives. I will be adding more queries here in the future as a result.

Thank you for this latest information - that fits well with other information that I had but I would never have found it without help - the names have changed so much over time.

Thanks again.
Heather Jean

[andygr62]

Question for Museum Man2 - re Stronafian

Would you have a Gaelic derivation for Stronafian?; or alternatively from whence I could find out? My wife and I are moving there very shortly plus an Irish friend was also curious as to the derivation.

Many thanks and I hope this isn't too much of a bother.

[museum man 2]

Hello,
I can do no better than quote from Angus McLean's Place names of Cowal

STRONAFIAN   from Sron   a Nose or Point and Fhionn, meaning fair or white
or less likely nam fintag the black heath berry. There were two farms of this name the present one and the other now named Balagowan.

Hope this helps.