BARRA

'Barra' or ''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.

Contents

Geography and History

Media and the Arts

Transport Links

Gallery

References

External links

Geography and History

At the 2001 census the resident population was 1,078, and mostly Roman Catholic. The area of Barra is 35 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.
The Clan MacNeil has strong ties to the Isle of Barra and can trace its lineage back to the O'Neills of Ulster who came to Barra from Ireland around the year 1000. Kisimul Castle at Castlebay is the hereditary seat of the MacNeils. It is located on an island in the bay, so giving the village its name. Other 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.

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 .
The Channel 5 programme ''Extraordinary People: The Boy Who Lived Before'', featured a young boy named Cameron, who lived in Glasgow and claims to have memories of a past life on the island.^[4]
The fictional Dad's Army character, Private James Frazer is said to have been born on Barra.^[5]

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.Barra Airport Website 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

References

1. 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
2. Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
3. Ordnance Survey
4. Extraordinary People
5. Dad's Army fan site Retrieved 19 May 2007.

External links

★ Isle of Barra community website

★ Barra Distillery

★ Encyclopaedia Britannica, Barra

★ Video of Plane landing on Tràigh Mhòr