David

Thanks for filling in a bit more of the big gaps in all this - I think there was a second Bruce invasion not separately mentioned in the Manx Chronicle. So possibly this was when the Islesmen were called on,

As regards Boyde/Boddagh, here I think we are a lot deeper into the Hiberno-Norse era or before; I think it is simply an Old Irish term of status

Bothach - cottier. (OI) Kelly, 441, 609 In my view the name is deeply planted in the landscape, and through the process of "False de-lenition" has given rise to placenames such as Ballamoddha, through correct lenition to Ellen y Vodda and Cronk y Voddee, through false de-lenition and translation to Dogmills. These are probably all low-status settlements.

False de-lenition is part of the process of folk-etymologising whereby a correctly lenited version is wrongly 'restored' for supposed clarity

The clincher for me is the name Goldsmith or Mac Tear Boddagh which I hazard is Sóerbothach free cottier, (OI). Kelly, 424n,

Nigel