Tarlogan/ Talorcan (7th century)

(also Talarican/Talorgan/Tarquin/Tarloc/Tarlork/Tarloga/Tarkin)

Here is another name with many variations. It was a common Pictish name. He was a follower of Donan and was with him on Eigg. He is said to have been ordained by Pope Gregory. He founded a chapel at Fordyce in Banffshire and is associated with Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire where Beauly Priory is; a burial ground to the north of Portree and the outer islands. In Caithness, he is remembered at Watten, Tarlogan’s hill (Torr Tharlogain) and Tarlogan’s church (Teampull Tharlogain), Halkirk.

See Woodside p. 53, Towill p. 230, Cat p. 35, Ecc Hist p. 9, 59, 80 and 334.

Thomas (?12th century)

Situated about 1/3 mile to the NE of Skinnet Farm and about 4m S of Thurso, are the ruins of the chapel of St Thomas. This is the original site of the Skinnet stone. There may have been two ecclesiastical buildings at Skinnet - a church dedicated to St Thomas and an abbey. Gaelic speakers referred to the site as An Abair, (Abbey), showing a superseded Celtic foundation. This is quite possible, as Thomas a Becket had been a friend of King William (1165 to 1214), when the king was in exile in England and the king encouraged dedications to him.

See Cat p. 37, Ecc Hist p. 42-43 and 61, Inv no 91 and 445. Towill p. 231.

Triduana/Traddles/Tredwell/Tradwell/Trallew/Trallen/Trollhaena (Norse)

There are legends of Triduana coming from Greece with St Rule (4th century) and with St Boniface (8th century). She settled at Rescobie, Angus She is associated with Edinburgh and the Highlands.  A legend of her plucking out her eyes to repel an unwanted suitor is very similar to that of St Bridget. She is famed for curing eye diseases. She is mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga as curing Bishop John, who had had his eyes plucked out but had them restored when he was taken to her resting place at Ballachly, Achavanich near Loch Stemster.  Part of the adjoining land was known in ancient times as Croit Trolla, the croft of St Triduana. (This resting place would have been the site of a relic, not her grave, which has been excavated at Restalrig, Edinburgh.) Her gravesite used to be a place of pilgrimage and has recently been restored. There are dedications to her at a chapel in Kintradwell (Loth, South of Helmsdale), the House of Peace at Dunbeath and Papa Westray, Orkney.

See Towill p. 183, Cat p. 36, Woodside p. 60, Ecc Hist p. 63 and 64.

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‘Beside Loch Stemster there is a group of ancient standing stones with a gate leading to rough tracks to Ballachly farm and nearby the walled and tree shaded Ballachly burial ground.

From Caithness Field Club April ‘82

Now up at Ballachly off the Causewaymire there is a burial ground and the remains of what is supposed to be a Catholic chapel dedicated to Saint Trollhalna. This is the saint who is supposed to have brought the relics of St. Andrew from Constantinople to Scotland in 337. She settled in Forfar and became a recluse but a neighbouring prince swore that he would marry her. The saint heard this and to prove that she really was a recluse and would marry no one, she plucked out her eyes and sent them to him saying,

"Now I no longer see you".

After this she was credited with being able to cure eye troubles. Later on she is said to have come north and in the Orkneyinga Saga it is said that after Bishop John had had his eyes pierced he prayed to St. Trollhalna and then went to a certain place where a woman offered to help him and with her help he recovered both his speech and sight. It is believed that it was to this chapel at Ballachly that the Bishop was taken.