Placename
Gaelic name: Caman, An
Name in Original Source: Caman, An
English meaning: ?
Placename feature: Field
Notes: This is a much-debated name, and the origin is unclear. It is a field or flat plain at the place where the roads from Toghsgaig (q.v.), An Àird Dhubh (q.v.) and the townships to the north meet. <br /><br />The name has been said to come from the tradition of holding a shinty match there as it was the site of New Year's Day match, probably after the tradition of holding it on An Fhaoileann (q.v.) died out. Camanmeans a shinty stick. It would normally be the Fir Shuas playing against the Fir Shios (the North men v. the South men). It was also a Highland tradition for married men to play against single men.<br /><br />There is also a tradition of the name coming from the stream running beside it having a curve in it, i.e. in Gaelic: Tha cam ann - It has a bend in it.<br /><br />Another derivation was given by Eoghan MacCoinnich, 27th April 2012, as being a place where the sea is forced into a narrow opening. Duncan Murchison, 24th October 2012, suggested that the cultivated area associated with this name was larger in former times.
W. J. Watson's notes:
Map name appears in: Does not appear on maps
Feature Co-ordinates: 57.390289,-5.804322
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