Eigg 475134 225534312 2008-07-14T04:58:54Z SmackBot 433328 Date the maintenance tags or general fixes {{Refimprove|date=July 2007}} {{Infobox Scottish island | |Map=UK Eigg.PNG |GridReference=NM476868 |celtic name=Eilean Eige |norse name=Unknown |meaning of name=Scottish Gaelic for 'notched island' (''eag'') |area=3,049 ha |area rank=28 |highest elevation=[[An Sgurr (Eigg)|An Sgurr]] 393&nbsp;m (1289 ft) |Population=67 |population rank=50 |main settlement=Cleadale |island group=[[Small Isles]] |local authority=[[Highland (council area)|Highland]] |references=<ref>2001 UK Census per [[List of islands of Scotland]]</ref><ref>Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) ''The Scottish Islands''. Edinburgh. Canongate.</ref><ref>[http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ Ordnance Survey]</ref> }} [[Image:Eigg.AnSgurr.Canthusus.jpg|thumb|180px|[[An Sgurr (Eigg)|An Sgurr]]]] [[Image:EiggLandsat.jpg|thumb|180px|Satellite view of Eigg ([[Landsat]] image viewed using [[NASA World Wind]] software). The island in the bottom right of the picture is [[Eilean Chathastail]].]] [[Image:Eigg.jpg|right|thumb|A contented looking sheep on Eigg, with the Mainland in the hinterground]] '''Eigg''' ([[Scottish Gaelic]]: '''Eige''') is one of the [[Small Isles]], in the [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[Inner Hebrides]]. It lies to the south of the [[Skye|Isle of Skye]], and to the north of the [[Ardnamurchan]] peninsula. Eigg is 9 kilometres long from north to south, and five kilometres east to west. With an area of twelve square miles, it is the second largest of the Small Isles after [[Rùm]]. ==History== [[Bronze Age]] and [[Iron Age]] inhabitants have left their mark on Eigg. The [[monastery]] at Kildonan was founded by an Irish missionary, [[Donnán of Eigg|St. Donnan]]. He and his monks were massacred in 617 by the local [[Picts|Pictish]] Queen. In medieval times the island was held by [[Clan Donald|Ranald MacDonald]]. A lengthy feud with the [[Clan MacLeod|MacLeods]] led to the massacre of the island's entire population in the late 16th century. The MacLeods searched the island for 3-5 days, the precise length unknown, and left when they could not find the inhabitants. As their ships sailed away, a McDonald scout was spotted above a cave, watching the ships. The MacLeods turned back to Eigg, and followed his tracks back into the cave they had taken refuge in on the south coast.{{Fact|date=July 2008}} They were suffocated by a fire lit at the entrance. By the 19th century, the island had a population of 500, producing [[potato]]es, [[oats]], [[cattle]] and [[kelp]]. When [[sheep]] farming became more profitable than any alternative, land was [[Highland Clearances|cleared]] by compulsory emigration - in 1853 the whole of the village of [[Gruilin]], fourteen families, was forced to leave. 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. The book includes a description of his visit to the Cave of Frances ''(Uamh Fhraing)'' in which the whole population of the island had been smoked to death by McLeods from the [[Isle of Skye|Skye]] some hundred years earlier. Miller was a self-taught geologist; so the book contains detailed observations of the [[geology]] of the island, including the [[An Sgurr (Eigg)|Scuir]] and the [[singing sand]]s. He describes the islanders of Eigg as ''"an active, middle-sized race, with well-developed heads, acute intellects, and singularly warm feelings"''. ==Recent events== [[Image:Eigg island.jpg|left|thumb|250px|<Center>An 1892 map of Eigg.<Ref name ="Buckley">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.</ref>]] After decades of problems with absentee landlords, the island was bought in 1997 by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust, a partnership between the residents of Eigg, the [[Highland Council area|Highland Council]], and the [[Scottish Wildlife Trust]]. The story of this community buy-out is told in [[Alastair McIntosh|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. 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 Limited|Post Office]], a [[Tea room|tearoom]], craft shop, toilet and shower facilities. There is a sheltered anchorage for boats at [[Galmisdale]] in the south of the island. In 2004 the old jetty was extended to allow a [[RORO|roll-on roll-off]] [[ferry]] to [[Ferry slip|dock]]. The [[Caledonian MacBrayne]] ferry "''Loch Nevis''" sails a circular route from [[Mallaig]] around the four "''Small Isles''" - Eigg, [[Canna, Scotland|Canna]], [[Rùm]] and [[Muck, Scotland|Muck]]. There is also a small passenger ferry, the [http://www.arisaig.co.uk M V Sheerwater] which operates between Eigg and [[Arisaig]] on the mainland. ===Electrification project=== The next major project of the Heritage Trust was to enable the provision of a [[Electric power transmission|mains electricity grid]], powered from renewable sources. Previously, the island was not served by mains electricity and individual [[Croft (land)|crofthouses]] had [[Wind generator|wind]], [[Hydroelectricity|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]].<ref> Ross, John ([[1 February]] [[2008]]) "Island finally turns on to green mains Eigg-tricity". Edinburgh. ''The Scotsman''.</ref> The Heritage Trust has formed a company, Eigg Electric Ltd, to operate the new a £1.6 million network, which has been part funded by the [[National Lottery (United Kingdom)|National Lottery]] and the [[Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company]].<ref>[http://www.windandsun.co.uk/projects_eigg.htm "Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides, Scotland - 2007"] Wind and Sun Ltd. Retrieved [[20 September]] [[2007]].</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4440896.stm "Island energised by lottery cash"] BBC.co.uk. Retrieved [[20 September]] [[2007]].</ref> {{Clear}} ==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''" on account of the squeaking noise it makes if walked on when dry. The centre of the island is a [[moorland]] [[plateau]], rising to 393 metres (1,289 ft) at [[An Sgurr (Eigg)|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 [[Isle of Mull|Mull]], [[Coll]], [[Muck, Scotland|Muck]], the [[Outer Hebrides]], [[Rùm]], [[Isle of Skye|Skye]], and the mountains of [[Lochaber]] on the mainland. ==Wildlife== An average of 130 species of bird are recorded annually. The island has breeding populations of various raptors: [[Golden Eagle]], [[Common Buzzard|Buzzard]], [[Peregrine Falcon]], [[Common Kestrel|Kestrel]], [[Hen Harrier]] and [[Short-eared Owl|Short]] and [[Long-eared Owl]]. [[Great Northern Diver]] and [[Jack Snipe]] are winter visitors, and in summer [[Common Cuckoo|Cuckoo]], [[Whinchat]], [[Whitethroat]] and [[Twite]] breed on the island.<ref>"Eigg-ceptional summer". ''Scottish Wildlife'' (November 2007) No. 63 page 4.</ref><ref>[http://www.isleofeigg.org/welcome/welcome_frame.htm "Bird watching on Eigg"] Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust. Retrieved [[27 December]] [[2007]].</ref> ==See also== * [[Religion of the Yellow Stick]] ==Gallery== <gallery> Image:TyEigg20030828r22f23.jpg|Island of Eigg, as seen from a ferry Image:CruiseOfTheBetsy-Miller-TitlePage.jpg|''The Cruise of the Betsey'' (1858) </gallery> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.isleofeigg.org/ The island's website] *[http://www.isleofeigg.org/nature/geology.htm Geology of Eigg] *[[BBC Radio 4]] - [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/opencountry_20020907.shtml Open Country] *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A7066091 BBC Action Network - My story: Bringing power to the people] *[http://petemarshall.com/incomers/ Book about the role of incomers on the island and photogallery] {{Nuttall}} {{Small Isles}} {{Hebrides}} {{coor title dm|56|54|N|6|10|W|region:GB_type:isle}} [[Category:Islands of the Inner Hebrides]] [[Category:Lochaber]] [[de:Eigg]] [[es:Eigg]] [[fr:Eigg]] [[he:האי אג]] [[nl:Eigg]] [[no:Eigg]] [[nds:Eigg]] [[ru:Эгг]]