Hi Peter, I have what you have on your family group : You are well informed as to the where you should visit but dont miss out Nerabus another stonghold of McDermids and Variations. Below is a List of the rentals of Torronich or Torony you may find interesting : I was also interesting that you referred to Archibald McDiarmid being a tall white man. I met Donald McDiarmid at Nerabus now passed away, he was a fascinating man with loads of McDiarmid family history. He was told by his father Iain McDiarmid that his family were descended from Royal Irish family and Viking descent and that his father stood over 6 foot tall with blond hair. Now is that not spooky? - A cluster of houses, origionally a farmsteading but now occupied by Cottars, situated about 2 miles South West of Port Charlotte (B of N 34/p186) Torronich for 'Torr-rainich' meaning Fernyhill. Gaelic generic term in Islay Names 'torr', 'tor'. (Islay Place Names Captain F.W.L. Thomas, R.N., F.SA. Scot.1822). Grid Ref NR East 2360 5619 1686 Rental of Torrenich to Gillichreist McWilliam 6/-, Patrik Robertsone 6/-, Patrik McFail 1 kerrowrane payes - £47 6s 8d Wethers 3, Geese 2, Hens 2 - 2 dozen eggs, Sheip 1, Lambis 1, Buttir 2 quartis, Stirkis half, Beir & Meill 1 boll. 1722 Rental of Torronich 047. 06s. 08d.Extent £0 16s 8d 1 auchten part, Wethers 1 - £2 6s 8d, Geese 2 - £1 2s 0d, Hens 2 - 2 dozen eggs, Sheep 1, Lambs 1, Butter 2 quarts - £2 0s 0d, Multer 1 boll, Stotts 1/2- £12 0s 0d, Cows 20, Horses 8, Corn 20, Barley 3. 1733 Rental of Toronich to Alexander Stewart 18 part land, Old Rent £65 02s 00d, New Rent £77 02s 00d, Gressum Sterling £8 00s 00d, New Rent Sterling £6 08s 06d, Stotts 1/2. 1741 Rental 1/18th part land of Torronich to Robert Montgomery £7. 00s 00d. 1749 McDougall Survey of Torronich 68 arable acres, 21 green pasture acres, 134 heathy pasture acres. 1754 Rental of Torronich Extent 1/2. 1779 Rental of Torronich 1774 Crop Rent £7 5s new rent £14 10s to Neil McCore. 1780 Rental £25 10s 00d of Torranich to Duncan M'Currie, Angus M'Currie & Neil M'Currie. 1799 Rental £26 17s 00d of Torronich to George Campbell & others. The old set expires Whitsunday 1800 Let to McLelan & sons at £35. 1811 Rental of Torronich to Malcolm McLellan and sons. 1817 Rental of Torronoich to Alexander MacLellan, Charles MacLellan, Donald MacLellan and Peter MacDearmid. 1828 Rental of Torronich to Alexander McLellan, Charles McLellan, the heirs of Donald McLellan and Peter McDearmid. 1836 Rental of Torronich to Dearmid McDearmid, Alexander Johnston, Charles McLellan, Malcolm McLergan, George McDearmid, Donald McDearmid. 1848 Rental of Torronich to Dermid M'Dermid at £15.0s.0d., Donald M'Dermid £16.10s.0d., John & A. Sinclair £42.10s.0d., 1848. 1851 Census registers 9 families resident at Torronish. 1852 Dugald Ferguson MacFayden, a Merchant at Port Charlotte and Tayvullin, said there were fifteen crofters in Killinallan besides the large farmer, about 40 years ago (1852). In Gearach seven tenants, in Oalistach eight, in Cam six and at Toronay five. 1876/7 Rental of Torronich to James McTaggart at £126, and Neil Turner at £30. 1876 Torronich Gaelic School and Dwelling house listed as Vacant. Yearly rent at £2.0d. 1889 James McTaggart, Malcolm Turner, joint tenant Farmers, Archibald Turner, Farmer, John McAllister, shepherd, Torronich. (Register of Voters for the county of Argyll 1889-90). 1900 Alexander Jamison (Aladair 'Gobha Ruadh'), the red-haired Blacksmith. c1900. Lived in the now-ruined small village of Torony just North of Craigfad on the way to Portnahaven. The Turner family still own a house just below Torony. Regards Roger

Hi Roger, Thank you so much for the info, I am really thrilled to have all that listing which I had never seen before. While I know the family history back to Donald McDiarmid(McDearmid, McDermid-all the same) and his father George, shown below appearing 1836, I have never been able to ascertain if Dearmid (I have Dermid) was actually a brother or uncle to Donald McD or for that matter where Peter McD fits in. Then there is Dermid McD showing under the 1848 rental also. McDiarmids appear to have been in the greatest numbers in Kilchoman and Kilarrow. I have made contact with two ladies descended from the Gillies family being brothers to catherine,(Catherine Gillies married Donald McDiarmid) one who lives near Glasgow and another who still lives at Port Ellen. She has informed me that there was only very basic remains of Torronich Farm when she visited the site some years ago. I will visit both these people when in Scotland. I have only ever obtain a single contact with a lady married to a McDiarmid from the same area of Islay but at this stage have not been able to or had time to try to establish if there is any actual direct lineage. I tried a couple of times in the past thru this fabulous site to obtain further info on McDiarmids and have had a few responses, but effectively none on our link to Gillies and Gillespie that I was enquiring about. Peter T NZ -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Roger McWee Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 12:09 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [SCT-ISLAY] Visit Torony & Nerabus Hi Peter, I have what you have on your family group : You are well informed as to the where you should visit but dont miss out Nerabus another stonghold of McDermids and Variations. Below is a List of the rentals of Torronich or Torony you may find interesting : I was also interesting that you referred to Archibald McDiarmid being a tall white man. I met Donald McDiarmid at Nerabus now passed away, he was a fascinating man with loads of McDiarmid family history. He was told by his father Iain McDiarmid that his family were descended from Royal Irish family and Viking descent and that his father stood over 6 foot tall with blond hair. Now is that not spooky? - 1817 Rental of Torronoich to Alexander MacLellan, Charles MacLellan, Donald MacLellan and Peter MacDearmid. 1828 Rental of Torronich to Alexander McLellan, Charles McLellan, the heirs of Donald McLellan and Peter McDearmid. 1836 Rental of Torronich to Dearmid McDearmid, Alexander Johnston, Charles McLellan, Malcolm McLergan, George McDearmid, Donald McDearmid. 1848 Rental of Torronich to Dermid M'Dermid at £15.0s.0d., Donald M'Dermid £16.10s.0d., John & A. Sinclair £42.10s.0d., 1848.