Barra
Encyclopedia
The island of Barra is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay
, to which it is connected by a causeway, is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides
(Na h-Eileanan Siar) in Scotland.
being Castlebay
(Bàgh a' Chaisteil).
The west of the island has white sandy beach
es backed by shell-sand machair
and the east has numerous rocky inlets.
Kisimul Castle
at Castlebay is located on an island in the bay, so giving the village its name. The highest elevation on the island is Heaval
, halfway up which is "Our Lady of the Sea" a prominent white marble statue of the Madonna and Child. Other places of interest on the island include a ruined church and museum at Cille Bharra, a number of Iron Age
broch
s such as those at Dùn Chuidhir and An Dùn Bàn and a range of other Iron Age and later structures which have recently been excavated and recorded.
has strong ties to the Isle of Barra and claims descent from the O'Neills
of Ulster. The name Barra is thought to take its name either from Saint Finbarr, the founder of Cork, or from St. Barr, the great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages
, the legendary 4th century king of Ireland.
The motto of the Clan MacNeil of Barra in Latin is Vincere Vel Mori or in Gaelic Buaidh no Bàs which translated is "Victory or Death" or "Conquer or Die".
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 in order to make way for sheep farming. The displaced islanders variously went to the Scottish mainland, Australia
, New Zealand
, the United States of America and Canada
. 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 can be transferred to the inhabitants in the future if they request it. MacNeil, the 46th chief of the clan, who died in early 2010, 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.
The Dualchas Heritage and Cultural Centre is located in Castlebay, next to Castlebay Community School
. It has various exhibitions annually, and is open throughout the year.
began in 1981 when an idea was spawned to promote, encourage, foster and develop the practice and study of the Gaelic language, literature, music, drama and culture in the Islands of Barra and Vatersay. Since its inception in 1981 it has gone on to become a movement, now with 42 other feisean taking place every year throughout Scotland.
Following on from the success, and subsequent end of BarraLive; In 2007, Fèis Bharraigh launched BarraFest - Live @ the Edge, a two-day festival of traditional and modern Scottish music held on Tangasdale machair, literally on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean
.
BarraFest generally takes place on the last full weekend of July. BarraFest 2011 will take place on Friday 29 July, and Saturday 30 July.
comedy Whisky Galore!
was filmed on Barra. The film is based on the novel Whisky Galore by Sir Compton Mackenzie
, itself a fictionalised telling of the story of the SS Politician
, which ran aground with a cargo of some 50,000 cases of whisky on board in 1941. Mackenzie, who lived near the airport and died in 1972, is buried in a grave marked by a simple cross at Cille Bharra cemetery, which is situated a little way up the hillside overlooking Eoligarry jetty. The sequel movie Rockets Galore!
was also filmed in and around the island.
In the sitcom Dad's Army
, Private Frazer claims to be from the Isle of Barra, which he often describes as "a wild and lonely place, y'unnerstand". Frazer is renowned for his "We're all doomed!" catchphrase. On one occasion, he relates how "a submarine was sunk in Castlebay and seven brave men were trapped. The water got higher and higher until it got to their necks. And then... terrible way to die!" The story meets with the disgust of his fellow platoon members.
Barra was also featured on the recent Channel 5 program "Extraordinary people: The Boy Who Lived Before", where a young boy named Cameron, who lived in Glasgow
, had memories of a past life on the island. In early 2011 the island was one of those featured in the new series of An Island Parish
.
Barra is also regularly featured in various television programmes on the new BBC
Gaelic Channel, BBC Alba and the on BBC Two
in the fifth series of the documentary An Island Parish.
In 2008 the Barra RNLI Life Boat, Edna Windsor was featured on a series of stamps. The first class stamp shows the 17 metres (55.8 ft) Severn class lifeboat
in action in the Sound of Berneray
20 kilometres (12.4 mi) south west of Barra in 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) swell with 30 kilometres per hour (15.3 kn) of wind.
s and Dances.
The Barra community holds an annual games
on the island. In 2008, the Barra Games was held on the 20 July 2008.
The island golf
club, Comunn Goilf Bharraidh, has a 9-hole golf course that is claimed to be the furthest west in the United Kingdom
. However, this title may in fact be held by one of the courses near Enniskillen
in Northern Ireland
.
Tourists can also go sea kayak
ing or power kiting
, and ample opportunities are available for keen anglers. Pony trekking is also an option, riding the rare, native Eriskay Ponies
.
There is an annual hill race, where participants run up Heaval (383 m) before returning down to Castlebay square. The fastest recorded time was set in 1987, and is 26.25 minutes.
, Barra's tiny airport, near Northbay
, uses the beach called An Tràigh Mhòr (English: The Big Beach) as a runway. 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
, flown by Loganair
on services to Glasgow
and Benbecula
from where connections to Stornoway
are also available. There are no flights on Sundays. The beach is also a source of cockle
s.
Ferries
to Oban
, Lochboisdale
, Tiree
and Eriskay
are run by Caledonian MacBrayne
. Castlebay
is the main port from which ferries sail to Oban on the Scottish mainland, Tiree and Lochboisdale (Loch Baghasdail) in South Uist
. The mainland crossing takes about 5 hours. A vehicular ferry travels between Ardmore
(An Àird Mhòr) and Ceann a' Gharaidh in Eriskay (Eirisgeigh). The crossing takes around 40 minutes.
The Hebridean Toffee Factory in Castlebay is one of the few manufacturers on Barra.
The fish factory, Barratlantic, in Northbay
is a major contributor to the island's economy.
Tourism is the main income for the majority of islanders. The main tourist season lasts from May to September. Thousands of people visit the Island every year, the busiest times are during Fèis Bharraigh & BarraFest in July.
Boat trips to the neighbouring island of Mingulay
are available during the Summer season, island hopping plane trips are also available.
Vatersay
Vatersay is an inhabited island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Vatersay is also the name of the only village on the island.-Location:The westernmost permanently inhabited place in Scotland, Vatersay is linked to Barra by a causeway completed in 1991...
, to which it is connected by a causeway, is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
(Na h-Eileanan Siar) in Scotland.
Geography
The 2001 census showed that the resident population was 1,078 (1,172 including Vatersay). The area of Barra is roughly 60 square kilometres (23.2 sq mi), the main villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
being Castlebay
Castlebay
Castlebay is the main village and a community council area on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is located on the south coast of the island, and overlooks a bay in the Atlantic Ocean dominated by Kisimul Castle, as well as nearby islands such as Vatersay.- Church :The...
(Bàgh a' Chaisteil).
The west of the island has white sandy beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es backed by shell-sand machair
Machair (geography)
The machair refers to a fertile low-lying grassy plain found on some of the north-west coastlines of Ireland and Scotland, in particular the Outer Hebrides...
and the east has numerous rocky inlets.
Kisimul Castle
Kisimul Castle
Kisimul Castle is a small medieval castle located in the centre of Castlebay on Barra, an island of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland....
at Castlebay is located on an island in the bay, so giving the village its name. The highest elevation on the island is Heaval
Heaval
Heaval is the highest hill on the island of Barra, Scotland. It is 383 metres tall and is located 1.5km northeast of Castlebay.It is most easily ascended from the south east, from the top of a 102 m road pass about 1 km north east of Castlebay. There is signposted car park nearby. About half way up...
, halfway up which is "Our Lady of the Sea" a prominent white marble statue of the Madonna and Child. Other places of interest on the island include a ruined church and museum at Cille Bharra, a number of Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
broch
Broch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
s such as those at Dùn Chuidhir and An Dùn Bàn and a range of other Iron Age and later structures which have recently been excavated and recorded.
History
The Clan MacNeilClan MacNeil
Clan MacNeil, also known in Scotland as Clan Niall, is a highland Scottish clan, particularly associated with the Outer Hebridean island of Barra. The early history of Clan MacNeil is obscure, however despite this the clan claims to descend from the legendary Niall of the nine hostages...
has strong ties to the Isle of Barra and claims descent from the O'Neills
O'Neill dynasty
The O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
of Ulster. The name Barra is thought to take its name either from Saint Finbarr, the founder of Cork, or from St. Barr, the great-grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall of the Nine Hostages
Niall Noígíallach , or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, son of Eochaid Mugmedón, was an Irish king, the eponymous ancestor of the Uí Néill kindred who dominated Ireland from the 6th century to the 10th century...
, the legendary 4th century king of Ireland.
The motto of the Clan MacNeil of Barra in Latin is Vincere Vel Mori or in Gaelic Buaidh no Bàs which translated is "Victory or Death" or "Conquer or Die".
Alexander, Lord of the Isles
Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross
Alexander of Islay or Alexander MacDonald was a medieval Scottish nobleman, who succeeded his father Domhnall of Islay as Lord of the Isles and rose to the rank of Earl of Ross...
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 in order to make way for sheep farming. The displaced islanders variously went to the Scottish mainland, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the United States of America and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. 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 can be transferred to the inhabitants in the future if they request it. MacNeil, the 46th chief of the clan, who died in early 2010, had previously transferred Kismuil Castle to Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
in 2000.
In May 2007 Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Time Team
Time Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
came to the hamlet of Allasdale
Allasdale
Allasdale is a village on Barra in the Western Isles, Scotland.In May 2007 Channel 4's Time Team came to investigate some prehistoric remains that had first been partly exposed when storms in October 2005 had blown away some sand dunes...
to investigate the exposed remains of Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
burials and Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
roundhouses in sand dunes that had been previously uncovered by storms. The programme was broadcast on 20 January 2008.
The Dualchas Heritage and Cultural Centre is located in Castlebay, next to Castlebay Community School
Castlebay Community School
Castlebay Community School is a bilingual Gaelic/English school for ages 3–18 on the Scottish island of Barra.In September 2007, it successfully hosted a major tribute to sailors who sailed in the Merchant Navy from the Western Isles and around the world...
. It has various exhibitions annually, and is open throughout the year.
Fèis Bharraigh & BarraFest - Live @ the Edge
Fèis BharraighFèis Bharraigh
Fèis Bharraigh begun in 1981 with the mission to promote, encourage, foster and develop the practice and study of the Scottish Gaelic language, literature, music, drama and culture on the islands of Barra and Vatersay...
began in 1981 when an idea was spawned to promote, encourage, foster and develop the practice and study of the Gaelic language, literature, music, drama and culture in the Islands of Barra and Vatersay. Since its inception in 1981 it has gone on to become a movement, now with 42 other feisean taking place every year throughout Scotland.
Following on from the success, and subsequent end of BarraLive; In 2007, Fèis Bharraigh launched BarraFest - Live @ the Edge, a two-day festival of traditional and modern Scottish music held on Tangasdale machair, literally on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
BarraFest generally takes place on the last full weekend of July. BarraFest 2011 will take place on Friday 29 July, and Saturday 30 July.
Media
The 1949 Ealing StudiosEaling Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever since...
comedy Whisky Galore!
Whisky Galore! (film)
Whisky Galore! was a 1949 Ealing comedy film based on the novel of the same name by Compton MacKenzie. Both the movie and the novel are based on the real-life 1941 shipwreck of the S.S. Politician near the island of Eriskay and the unauthorized taking of its cargo of whisky...
was filmed on Barra. The film is based on the novel Whisky Galore by Sir Compton Mackenzie
Compton Mackenzie
Sir Compton Mackenzie, OBE was a writer and a Scottish nationalist.-Background:Compton Mackenzie was born in West Hartlepool, England, into a theatrical family of Mackenzies, but many of whose members used Compton as their stage surname, starting with his grandfather Henry Compton, a well-known...
, itself a fictionalised telling of the story of the SS Politician
SS Politician
The SS Politician was an 8000-ton cargo ship owned by T & J Harrison of Liverpool. It left Liverpool on 3 February 1941, bound for Kingston, Jamaica and New Orleans with a cargo including 28,000 cases of malt whisky. The ship sank near the island of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides, off the west...
, which ran aground with a cargo of some 50,000 cases of whisky on board in 1941. Mackenzie, who lived near the airport and died in 1972, is buried in a grave marked by a simple cross at Cille Bharra cemetery, which is situated a little way up the hillside overlooking Eoligarry jetty. The sequel movie Rockets Galore!
Rockets Galore! (film)
Rockets Galore! is a 1957 comedy film sequel to Whisky Galore! It was much less successful than its predecessor.It was directed by Michael Relph and based on the novel by Compton Mackenzie...
was also filmed in and around the island.
In the sitcom Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
, Private Frazer claims to be from the Isle of Barra, which he often describes as "a wild and lonely place, y'unnerstand". Frazer is renowned for his "We're all doomed!" catchphrase. On one occasion, he relates how "a submarine was sunk in Castlebay and seven brave men were trapped. The water got higher and higher until it got to their necks. And then... terrible way to die!" The story meets with the disgust of his fellow platoon members.
Barra was also featured on the recent Channel 5 program "Extraordinary people: The Boy Who Lived Before", where a young boy named Cameron, who lived in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, had memories of a past life on the island. In early 2011 the island was one of those featured in the new series of An Island Parish
An Island Parish
An Island Parish is a British television documentary made by Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC2. Series one and two covers the lives of residents of the Church of England parish of the Isles of Scilly. These series were supported by the Diocese of Truro...
.
Barra is also regularly featured in various television programmes on the new BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Gaelic Channel, BBC Alba and the on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
in the fifth series of the documentary An Island Parish.
In 2008 the Barra RNLI Life Boat, Edna Windsor was featured on a series of stamps. The first class stamp shows the 17 metres (55.8 ft) Severn class lifeboat
Severn class lifeboat
At long, the Severn class lifeboat is the largest lifeboat operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution . Introduced to service in 1996, the class is named after the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain...
in action in the Sound of Berneray
Barra Head
Barra Head, also known as Berneray , is the southernmost of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Within the Outer Hebrides, it forms part of the Barra Isles archipelago. Originally, Barra Head only referred to the southernmost headland of Berneray but is now a common name for the entire island...
20 kilometres (12.4 mi) south west of Barra in 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) swell with 30 kilometres per hour (15.3 kn) of wind.
Sports
Barra hosts an annual half-marathon called the Barrathon. which is part of the Western Isles Half Marathon series. This is accompanied by a shorter fun-run for families, and younger children. A number of fund-raising events are held around this, including ceilidhCéilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
s and Dances.
The Barra community holds an annual games
Highland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
on the island. In 2008, the Barra Games was held on the 20 July 2008.
The island golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
club, Comunn Goilf Bharraidh, has a 9-hole golf course that is claimed to be the furthest west in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. However, this title may in fact be held by one of the courses near Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Tourists can also go sea kayak
Sea kayak
A sea kayak or touring kayak is a kayak developed for the sport of paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and the ocean. Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spraydeck...
ing or power kiting
Power kite
A power kite or traction kite is a large kite designed to provide significant pull to the user.They come in three main forms: foils, leading edge inflatables and supported leading edge. There are also rigid-framed kites and soft single skin kites. There are several different control systems used...
, and ample opportunities are available for keen anglers. Pony trekking is also an option, riding the rare, native Eriskay Ponies
Eriskay pony
The Eriskay Pony is a breed of pony from Scotland. It is generally grey in colour, and has a dense, waterproof coat that protects it in harsh weather. The breed developed in ancient times in the Hebrides islands in Scotland, and a small population remained pure and protected from crossbreeding by...
.
There is an annual hill race, where participants run up Heaval (383 m) before returning down to Castlebay square. The fastest recorded time was set in 1987, and is 26.25 minutes.
Transport
Uniquely in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Barra's tiny airport, near Northbay
Northbay
Northbay is a township and community in the north of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland.There was a long history of settlement in the area - the neolithic standing stones at Borve testify to this. Once the Celts arrived here from Ulster, the island spent 800 years firmly...
, uses the beach called An Tràigh Mhòr (English: The Big Beach) as a runway. 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
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
, flown by Loganair
Loganair
Loganair is a Scottish airline with its registered office on the grounds of Glasgow International Airport and in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Loganair operates scheduled services under a Flybe franchise in mainland Scotland and to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. In addition it operates...
on services to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Benbecula
Benbecula
Benbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,249, with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It forms part of the area administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Western...
from where connections to Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
are also available. There are no flights on Sundays. The beach is also a source of cockle
Cockle
Cockle may refer to:* Cockle , a group of edible saltwater clams * Lolium temulentum, a tufted grass plant* Berwick cockles, a confectionery from ScotlandCockleshell* The Mark II canoes used in Operation Frankton in 1942...
s.
Ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
to Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
, Lochboisdale
Lochboisdale
Lochboisdale is a community and the main population centre on the island of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland.The town profited from the herring boom in the 19th century, and a steamer pier was built in 1880...
, Tiree
Tiree
-History:Tiree is known for the 1st century BC Dùn Mòr broch, for the prehistoric carved Ringing Stone and for the birds of the Ceann a' Mhara headland....
and Eriskay
Eriskay
Eriskay , from the Old Norse for "Eric's Isle", is an island and community council area of the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland. It lies between South Uist and Barra and is connected to South Uist by a causeway which was opened in 2001. In the same year Eriskay became the ferry terminal for...
are run by Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
. Castlebay
Castlebay
Castlebay is the main village and a community council area on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is located on the south coast of the island, and overlooks a bay in the Atlantic Ocean dominated by Kisimul Castle, as well as nearby islands such as Vatersay.- Church :The...
is the main port from which ferries sail to Oban on the Scottish mainland, Tiree and Lochboisdale (Loch Baghasdail) in South Uist
South Uist
South Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
. The mainland crossing takes about 5 hours. A vehicular ferry travels between Ardmore
Ardmore, Barra
Ardmhor is a small village in the north east of the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.In 2002 a small ferry port was built in the village to serve a new ferry link between Barra and Eriskay as part of the Sound of Barra Integrated Transport Project. The ferry service started in spring...
(An Àird Mhòr) and Ceann a' Gharaidh in Eriskay (Eirisgeigh). The crossing takes around 40 minutes.
Industry & Tourism
The Hebridean Toffee Factory in Castlebay is one of the few manufacturers on Barra.
The fish factory, Barratlantic, in Northbay
Northbay
Northbay is a township and community in the north of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland.There was a long history of settlement in the area - the neolithic standing stones at Borve testify to this. Once the Celts arrived here from Ulster, the island spent 800 years firmly...
is a major contributor to the island's economy.
Tourism is the main income for the majority of islanders. The main tourist season lasts from May to September. Thousands of people visit the Island every year, the busiest times are during Fèis Bharraigh & BarraFest in July.
Boat trips to the neighbouring island of Mingulay
Mingulay
Mingulay is the second largest of the Bishop's Isles in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Located south of Barra, it is known for its important seabird populations, including puffins, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and razorbills, which nest in the sea-cliffs, amongst the highest in the British...
are available during the Summer season, island hopping plane trips are also available.
See also
- List of places in the Western Isles
- Flora MacNeilFlora MacNeilFlora MacNeil, MBE is a Scottish Gaelic singer. Originally discovered by Alan Lomax and Hamish Henderson during the early 1950s, she continues to perform.-Life:...
(b. 1928) Scottish Gaelic vocalist and Barra native. - Mick MacNeilMick MacNeilMichael "Mick" MacNeil was the Scottish composer and keyboardist for the band Simple Minds, best remembered for their UK #7/US #1 hit single "Don't You ". Having joined in 1978 Johnny & The Self-Abusers to create Simple Minds, MacNeil left the band in 1990...
(b.1958, Barra) Simple MindsSimple MindsSimple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
keyboardist 1978-1990.
External links
- Explore the Isle of Barra
- Isle of Barra community website
- Isle of Barra Accommodation, Activities and Events
- Barra Distillery
- Ferry Operator Caledonian MacBrayne
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Barra
- Barra weather
- Video of Plane landing on Tràigh Mhòr
- National Library of Scotland: Scottish Screen Archive (1950s archive film about the island of Barra)
- Island Priest tears strip off agency for nude surfers stunt Guardian 04-03-2008