St Ternan                              June 12^th

St Ternan, Bishop, d.431, (Torranan), was Scottish by birth, having grown up in the Mearns of noble family.  He spent much of his time evangelising that area. Taransay by Harris is named after him and there is an ancient church there in his honour.

It is said that Torranan was also the first missionary to visit Benbecula.  He arrived on the west side at Balivanich and began building his chapel there.  But each night the angels would come and carry the stones to a nearby island on a fresh-water loch.  Eventually, Torranan gave in and built the chapel there, dedicated to St Columba.  This is Teampall Chaluim Chille, lying now  in a field near Balivanish, since the loch is long-drained.