Orkney Image Library

Knowing my poor memory this may be completely wrong, but I seem to remember my Dad saying, when he worked on Cubbie Roo's Castle, maybe reinforcing the wall, that the holes were left so that the original stone work could be seen. Does anyone know if that's right?

I was born in Nottinghamshire, England. We have "cubbyholes" too. A term used for a sort of alcove space in a wall, often fitted with shelves or a cupboard and used for storage. I'm not sure it's just an Orcadian meaning.

I am Orcadian, and must confess that I am no Orcadian Scholar, but I would like to make a quotation from a very old Orkney Book.
" Wyre, too, soon opens out to view, with its ruined chapel, and the mound which marks the traditional site of "Cubbie Roo's Castle" the home of the once formidable Kolbein Hruga, whose name is even yet used to terrify into good behaviour some obstreperous youngster, in the awful threat "Cubbie Roo'll get thee!"
Looking out for even more comments.
P.B.

Craig will be thinking of a darkroom the coalie hole

I think a cubbie or cubby hole was where the cubbie was kept. This was a straw work receptacle for carrying or holding peats in.

The basket used to carry peats was called a Kashie, also used to carry neeps.
I mind our grand mother telling of some woman who used to steal neeps at night fae other folks land, she had rested her burden on a dyke for a rest but the Kashie, sliped ower the back o the wall and choked her !! .
Judge and jury were not needed as she was found dead in the morning wae her neeabours neeps in the Kashie!!!.

I'm sure your right about the Kashie John, but the Cubbie was also used for peats, and fish. See Gregor Lamb's ORKNEY WORDBOOK. And I have never heard the expression "Kashie- hole".