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Revision as of 13:14, 4 February 2008 by 82.6.15.4 (talk) (Undid revision 189016230 by Ben MacDui (talk))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) This article is about the island of Barra in Scotland. For other uses of the same name, see Barra (disambiguation).| Scottish Gaelic name | Barraigh, Eilean Bharraigh |
|---|---|
| Old Norse name | Barr-oy |
| Meaning of name | Barr's island, after St Barr |
| Location | |
| OS grid reference | NF687004 |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Uists and Barra |
| Area | 5,875 ha |
| Area rank | 20 |
| Highest elevation | Heaval 383 m |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Na h-Eileanan Siar flag |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1,078 |
| Population rank | 13 |
| Largest settlement | Castlebay |
 | |
| References | |
The Isle of Barra or Barraigh/Eilean Bharraigh (in Scottish Gaelic) is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar) in Scotland.
Geography
At the 2001 census the resident population was 1,078, and mostly Roman Catholic. The area of Barra is 23 square miles, the main village being Castlebay (Bàgh a' Chaisteil). Barra is now linked by a man-made causeway to the neighbouring island of Vatersay (Eilean Bhatarsaigh).
The west of the island has white sandy beaches backed by shell-sand machair and the east has numerous rocky inlets. Barra is abundant with stunning scenery, rare flowers and wildlife, which can be appreciated by coastal or hill walks, drives or cycle rides along the various small roads. Car and bicycle hire are available locally.
Kisimul Castle at Castlebay is located on an island in the bay, so giving the village its name.
Places of interest on the island include a ruined church and museum at Cille Bharra, a number of Iron Age brochs such as those at Dùn Chuidhir and An Dùn Bàn and a whole range of other Iron Age and later structures which have recently been excavated and recorded.
Flag
History
The Clan MacNeil has strong ties to the Isle of Barra and claims descent from the O'Neills of Ulster.
Alexander, Lord of the Isles granted the island to the MacNeill clan in 1427. The clan held the island until 1838, when Roderick MacNeil, the 40th Chief of the Clan, sold the island to Colonel Gordon of Cluny. Gordon expelled most of the inhabitants to the United States of America in order to make way for sheep. Barra was restored to MacNeill ownership in 1937 when the Barra estate, which encompassed most of the island, was bought by Robert MacNeil, an American architect, and 45th chief of the clan.
In 2003, the ownership of the Barra Estate was passed by the owner, Ian MacNeil, to the Scottish Government. The estate will be transferred to the inhabitants in the future if they request it. MacNeil, the 46th chief of the clan had previously transferred Kismuil Castle to Historic Scotland in 2000.
In May 2007 Channel 4's Time Team came to the hamlet of Allasdale to investigate the exposed remains of Bronze Age burials and Iron Age roundhouses in sand dunes that had been previously uncovered by storms. The programme was broadcast on 20 January 2008.
Media and the Arts
Every summer, Fèis Bharraigh brings the whole island together in a cultural festival. The Barra Fest will be held on the 27th and 28th July 2007.
The Dualchas Heritage and Cultural Centre is located in Castlebay.
The 1949 Ealing Studios comedy Whisky Galore! was filmed on Barra. The film is based on the novel Whisky Galore by Sir Compton Mackenzie, who lived near the airport and is buried at Cille Bharra .
Transport Links
Barra's tiny airport, near Northbay, is unique in that the runway is a beach, An Tràigh Mhòr (English: The Big Beach). Planes can only land and take off at low tide meaning that the timetable varies. Barra's airport is the only airport in the world to have scheduled flights landing on a beach. The aircraft currently in operation on Barra is the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. The beach is also a source of cockles.
Castlebay is the main ferry port from which ferries sail to Oban on the Scottish mainland and Lochboisdale (Loch Baghasdail) in South Uist (Uibhist a Deas). A vehicular ferry also travels between Ceann a' Gharaidh in Eriskay (Èirisgeigh) and Ardmore (An Àird Mhòr) in Barra. The crossing takes around 40 minutes.
Apart from the ferries, boat trips to Mingulay are also available during the Summer season, and a small boat can take visitors to Kisimul Castle.
Gallery
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Castlebay, Barra
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Traigh Eais
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Sunset From Traigh Eais
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Airport Sands
- Bruernish Bruernish
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Barra Airport
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Twin Otter Taking off From Barra Airport
References
- ^ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
- 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
- Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
- Ordnance Survey
- "MacNeill of Barra History". ScotClans. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
- "Barra Feature Page". Retrieved 2007-11-04.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|Publisher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help) - Ross, John (2003-09-06). "A gift to Scotland - the isle of Barra". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Barra, Western Isles". Time Team Website. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
- Barra Airport Website
External links
- Isle of Barra community website
- Barra Distillery
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Barra
- Video of Plane landing on Tràigh Mhòr
| Inhabited islands of the Hebrides | ||
|---|---|---|
| Inner Hebrides |  | |
| Outer Hebrides | ||
56°59′N 7°28′W / 56.983°N 7.467°W / 56.983; -7.467
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