Little evidence exists today of a Viking presence in Appin and the surrounding area; however, remnants remain within the place-name
s, dating back to a Norse influence from the 9th through to the 13th centuries.
Glenstockdale contains the old Norse dalr, meaning valley, the Island of Shuna derives from the name Sjon-oy, meaning a lookout or eye Island, and on Lismore are the ruins of a castle known as Coeffin, a Gaelicisation of Caifen, a Viking Prince. It’s believed that this castle was built on top of an older Viking fortress and was the residence of Beothail, a young princess.
Though the Viking presence was generally despised, local tradition suggests that Beothail was well-liked and respected by the local community. Beothail was the daughter of a Norse chieftain and the sister of Caifen. She had long golden hair and was very much in love with a young Viking warrior.
Their romance was cut short when he returned to Scandinavia to fight and was killed in battle. Upon hearing the news, Beothail was overcome with grief. She never recovered from her loss and eventually died of a broken heart. Beothail had wished to be buried with her lover but was instead buried in Lismore.
Soon afterwards, a terrifying wailing began to echo along the coast. Whenever the winds blew across Loch Linnhe, a ghostly voice could be heard, and according to folklore, it was Beothail calling to her brother, Caifen.
Eventually, Caifen exhumed her earthly remains and washed her bones in a well at Clachan, near St Moluag’s Cathedral, known today as Tobar Cnamh Beothail (the Well of Beothail’s Bones). Her skeleton was blessed before sailing from Lismore over the North Sea to Norway, and eventually buried with her lover.
This should have been the end of the saga, but the wailing continued with the voice of Beothail calling out to her brother in the wind. Realising something was wrong, Caifen dredged the bottom of the well where he had previously washed his sister’s bones. There, in the sediment of the well, he found a small fragment of bone belonging to Beothail’s toe.
Caifen made another voyage overseas to Scandinavia and interred the remaining bone. Once the final bone was laid in Norwegian soil, the wailing stopped.
However, some have said, while standing within the ruins of Castle Coeffin while the wind blows over the Firth of Lorn, a soft whisper can still be heard of a heartbroken maiden’s sigh.