| Eigg | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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| OS grid reference | NM476868 |
| Names | |
| Gaelic name |  Eige (help·info) |
| Pronunciation | [ˈekʲə] |
| Norse name | Unknown |
| Meaning of name | Scottish Gaelic for 'notched island' (eag) |
| Area and summit | |
| Area | 3,049 hectares (11.8 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 28 |
| Highest elevation | An Sgurr 393 metres (1,289 ft) |
| Population | |
| Population (2001) | 67 |
| Population rank | 50 out of 97 |
| Main settlement | Cleadale |
| Groupings | |
| Island group | Small Isles |
| Local Authority | Highland |
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| References | [1][2][3] |
| If shown, area and population ranks are for all Scottish islands and all inhabited Scottish islands respectively. | |
Eigg (Scottish Gaelic: Eige) is one of the Small Isles, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) long from north to south, and 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east to west. With an area of 12 square miles (31 km2), it is the second largest of the Small Isles after Rùm.
Contents |
Geography
The main settlement on Eigg is Cleadale, a fertile coastal plain in the north west. It is known for its quartz beach, called the "singing sands" (Tràigh a' Bhìgeil) on account of the squeaking noise it makes if walked on when dry.
The centre of the island is a moorland plateau, rising to 1,289 feet (393 metres) at An Sgurr, a dramatic stump of pitchstone, sheer on three sides. Walkers who complete the easy scramble to the top in good weather are rewarded with spectacular views all round, of Mull, Coll, Muck, the Outer Hebrides, Rùm, Skye, and the mountains of Lochaber on the mainland.
History
Bronze Age and Iron Age inhabitants have left their mark on Eigg. The monastery at Kildonan was founded by an Irish missionary, St. Donnan. He and his monks were massacred in 617 by the local Pictish queen. In medieval times the island was held by Clan Donald.
Massacre Cave
During the sixteenth century there was a lengthy feud between the MacLeod and MacDonald clans, which the led to the massacre of the island's entire population in the late 16th century. In 1566 a party of MacLeods staying on the island became too amorous and caused trouble with the local girls. They were subsequently rounded up, bound and cast adrift in The Minch but were rescued by some clansmen. In 1577 a party of MacLeods from Skye landed on Eigg with revenge in mind.
| Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scots Gaelic: | An Laimhrig (help·info) |
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| Pronunciation: | [əˈlˠ̪ajvɾʲɪkʲ] | |
| Scots Gaelic: | Clèadail (help·info) |
|
| Pronunciation: | [ˈkʰliət̪al] | |
| Scots Gaelic: | Eige (help·info) |
|
| Pronunciation: | [ˈekʲə] | |
| Scots Gaelic: | Uamh Fhraing (help·info) |
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| Pronunciation: | [ˈuəv ˈɾaŋʲkʲ] | |
On their return, in the spring, deep snow covered the ground but their arrival had already been spotted by the islanders who had hidden in a secret cave called the Cave of Frances (Scottish Gaelic: Uamh Fhraing) located on the south coast.[5]. The entrance to this cave was tiny and covered by moss, undergrowth and a small waterfall. After a thorough but fruitless search lasting for three to five days, the MacLeods set sail again but a MacDonald carelessly climbed onto a promontory to watch their departure and was spotted. The MacLeods returned and were able to follow his footprints back to the cave. They then rerouted the source of the water, piled thatch and roof timbers at the cave entrance and set fire to it at the same time damping the flames so that the cave was filled with smoke thereby asphyxiating everyone inside either by smoke inhalation or heat and oxygen deprivation. Three hundred and ninety five people died in the cave, the whole population of the island bar one family who managed to escape.[6]
Massacre Cave (grid reference NM434874) sits in the back of a fault-like crevice under a steep rock face. It is no more than 0.65 metres (2.1 ft) height and one needs to crawl to gain access and then keep crawling for a further 7 metres (23 ft) before it opens out. However once properly inside it is much larger than one can imagine. The length is approximately 79 metres (260 ft), the width 8 metres (26 ft) and height 6 metres (20 ft).
18th and 19th centuries
Near to Massacre Cave there is another tidal cave with a large and visible entrance; it is high-roofed and is said to have been used for Roman Catholic services after the 1745 rebellion.
The Scottish geologist and writer Hugh Miller visited the island in the 1840s and wrote a long and detailed account of his explorations in his book The Cruise of the Betsey published in 1858. Miller was a self-taught geologist; so the book contains detailed observations of the geology of the island, including the Scuir and the singing sands. He describes the islanders of Eigg as "an active, middle-sized race, with well-developed heads, acute intellects, and singularly warm feelings". He describes seeing the bones of adults and children in family groups with the charred remains of their straw mattresses and small household objects still in Massacre Cave. Walter Scott was so appalled and moved on hearing that the skulls and bones of the dead were still stacked there, that he started a fund for a Christian burial which resulted in their removal.
By the 19th century, the island had a population of 500, producing potatoes, oats, cattle and kelp. When sheep farming became more profitable than any alternative, land was cleared by compulsory emigration - in 1853 the whole of the village of Gruilin, fourteen families, was forced to leave.
The actor Alastair Sim's mother came from Eigg and could not speak English until she was fourteen.
Heritage Trust
After decades of problems with absentee landlords in the 20th century, the island was bought in 1997 by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust, a partnership between the residents of Eigg, the Highland Council, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The story of this community buy-out is told in Alastair McIntosh's book Soil and Soul: People Versus Corporate Power published in 2001. At the time, the population was around 60; in 2005 it was 87.
The ceremony to mark the handover to community ownership took place a few weeks after the 1997 General Election and was attended by the Scottish Office Minister, Brian Wilson, a long-standing advocate of land reform. He used the occasion to announce the formation of a Community Land Unit within Highlands and Islands Enterprise which would in future support further land buy-outs in the region.
Economy and transport
Tourism is important to the local economy, especially in the summer months, and the first major project of the Heritage Trust was An Laimhrig, a new building near the jetty to house the island's shop and post office, a tearoom, craft shop, toilet and shower facilities.[7] There are two ferry routes to the island. A’Nead Hand Knitwear is a new island business making garments such as cobweb shawls and scarves.[8]
In 2004 the old jetty was extended to allow a roll-on roll-off ferry to dock. The Caledonian MacBrayne ferry Lochnevis sails a circular route from Mallaig around the four "Small Isles" - Eigg, Canna, Rùm and Muck from the fishing port of Mallaig. Arisaig Marine also run a passenger ferry called the MV Sheerwater from April until late September from Arisaig on the mainland.[9] There is a sheltered anchorage for boats at Galmisdale in the south of the island.
Electrification project
The next major project of the Heritage Trust was to enable the provision of a mains electricity grid, powered from renewable sources. Previously, the island was not served by mains electricity and individual crofthouses had wind, hydro or diesel generators and the aim of the project is to develop an electricity supply that is environmentally and economically sustainable.
The new system incorporates a 9.9 kWp PV system, three hydro generation systems (totalling 112 kW) and a 24 kW wind farm supported by stand-by diesel generation and batteries to guarantee continuous availability of power. A load management system has been installed to provide optimal use of the renewables. This combination of solar, wind and hydro power should provide a network that is self sufficient and powered 98% from renewable sources. The system was switched on, on 1 February 2008.[10]
The Heritage Trust has formed a company, Eigg Electric Ltd, to operate the new £1.6 million network, which has been part funded by the National Lottery and the Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company.[11][12]
Other sustainability projects
In September 2008, Eigg began a year long series of projects as part of their success as one of ten finalists in NESTA's Big Green Challenge. While the challenge finished in September 2009, the work to make the island "green" is continuing with solar water panels, alternative fuels, mass domestic insulation, transport and local food all being tackled.[13] In May 2009 the island hosted the "Giant’s Footstep Family Festival", which included talks, workshops, music, theatre and advice about what individuals and communities can do to tackle climate change.[14]
Wildlife
An average of 130 species of bird are recorded annually. The island has breeding populations of various raptors: Golden Eagle, Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Hen Harrier and Short and Long-eared Owl. Great Northern Diver and Jack Snipe are winter visitors, and in summer Cuckoo, Whinchat, Whitethroat and Twite breed on the island.[15][16]
See also
References
- ^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
- ^ Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
- ^ Ordnance Survey
- ^ Harvie-Brown, J.A. and Buckley, T. E. (1892), A Vertebrate Fauna of Argyll and the Inner Hebrides. Pub. David Douglas., Edinburgh. Facing P. LVI.
- ^ Some sources translate the Gaelic Uamh Fhraing as the Cave of Francis.(Macpherson, Norman. Notes on antiquities from the island of Eigg, Edinburgh University.
- ^ Kieran, Ben. Blood and Soil: A World History of Genocide and Extermination from Sparta to Darfur, Yale University Press, 2007 ISBN 0300100981, 9780300100983. P.14
- ^ "Eigg Shop and Post Office" Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ "A'Nead Hand Knitwear" anead-knitwear.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ "Welcome to Arisaig Marine Ltd" arisaig.co.uk Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ Ross, John (1 February 2008) "Island finally turns on to green mains Eigg-tricity". Edinburgh. The Scotsman. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
- ^ "Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides, Scotland - 2007" Wind and Sun Ltd. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
- ^ "Island energised by lottery cash" BBC.co.uk. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
- ^ "Green Eigg islanders earn place in UK’s Big Challenge says Press and Journal" islandsgoinggreen.org. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
- ^ "Take Giant Green Footsteps to Eigg’s Family Festival". Senscot. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
- ^ "Eigg-ceptional summer". Scottish Wildlife (November 2007) No. 63 page 4.
- ^ "Bird watching on Eigg" Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
External links
- The island's website
- Geology of Eigg
- BBC Radio 4 - Open Country
- BBC Action Network - My story: Bringing power to the people
- Book about the role of incomers on the island and photogallery
- The Cruise of the Betsey- Account of Miller's voyage.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.
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