Editing Outer Hebrides (section)

== Etymology ==
The earliest surviving written references relating to the islands were made by [[Pliny the Elder]] in his ''Natural History'', in which he states that there are 30 ''{{lang|la|Hebudes}}'', and makes a separate reference to ''Dumna'', which Watson (1926) concludes is unequivocally the Outer Hebrides. Writing about 80 years later, in 140–150 AD, [[Ptolemy]], drawing on the earlier naval expeditions of {{lang|la|[[Gnaeus Julius Agricola|Agricola]]}}, also distinguished between the ''{{lang|la|Ebudes}}'', of which he writes there were only five (and thus possibly meaning the [[Inner Hebrides]]) and {{lang|la|Dumna}}.<ref name="Breeze">Breeze, David J. "The ancient geography of Scotland" in Smith and Banks (2002) pp.&nbsp;11–13</ref><ref name="Watson">Watson (1926) pp.&nbsp;40–41</ref> ''{{lang|la|Dumna}}'' is cognate with the [[Proto-Celtic|Early Celtic]] ''dumnos'' and means the "deep-sea isle".<ref name="Watson"/> Pliny probably took his information from [[Pytheas]] of [[Massilia]] who visited Britain sometime between 322 and 285 BC. It is possible that Ptolemy did as well, as Agricola's information about the west coast of Scotland was of poor quality.<ref name="Breeze"/><ref name="Watson"/> Breeze also suggests that {{lang|la|Dumna}} might be [[Lewis and Harris]], the largest island of the Outer Hebrides although he conflates this single island with the name "Long Island".<ref name="Breeze"/> Watson (1926) states that the meaning of Ptolemy's ''{{lang|grc-Latn|Eboudai}}'' is unknown and that the root may be pre-Celtic.<ref>Watson (1926) p. 38</ref> Murray (1966) claims that Ptolemy's ''{{lang|grc-Latn|Ebudae}}'' was originally derived from the [[Old Norse]] ''{{lang|non|Havbredey}}'', meaning "isles on the edge of the sea". This idea is often repeated but no firm evidence of this derivation has emerged.<ref>Murray (1966) p. 1</ref>

Other early written references include the flight of the [[Nemed]] people from Ireland to ''Domon'', which is mentioned in the 12th-century ''{{lang|mga|[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]]}}'' and a 13th-century poem concerning {{lang|mga|[[Raghnall mac Gofraidh]]}}, then the heir to the throne of [[Kingdom of Mann and the Isles|Mann and the Isles]], who is said to have "broken the gate of ''{{lang|mga|Magh Domhna}}''". ''{{lang|mga|Magh Domhna}}'' means "the plain of Domhna (or Domon)", but the precise meaning of the text is not clear.<ref name="Watson"/>

In [[Irish mythology]] the islands were the home of the [[Fomorians]], described as "huge and ugly" and "ship men of the sea". They were pirates, extracting tribute from the coasts of Ireland and one of their kings was {{lang|ga|Indech mac Dé Domnand}} (i.e. Indech, son of the goddess Domnu, who ruled over the deep seas).<ref>Watson (1926) pp.&nbsp;41–42 quoting ''{{lang|ga|[[Lebor na hUidre]]}}'' and the [[Book of Leinster]].</ref>