Eriskay (Eiriosgaigh in Gaelic) has been linked by causeway to South Uist since 2000. The island is 2.5 miles north to south by 1.5 miles from east to west. In 2011 the population of Eriskay was 143, down from 330 in 1951.
I visited the island for the first time in September 2006 and returned a decade later in June 2016 and again in June 2018..
South Uist to Eriskay Causeway - looking south towards Eriskay
No otters in sight on the day I visited.
Prince Charles Edward Stuart (son of the deposed King James II) and better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or the Young Pretender, first set foot on Scottish soil on the beach on the west coast of Eriskay on 23rd July 1745, at the start of his unsuccessful attempt to regain the thrones of Scotland, England and Ireland. He arrived in a boat called Du Teillay from France with 7 supporters, who became known as the Seven Men of Moidart. The following day Alexander MacDonald of Boisdale advised him to return home. Bonnie Prince Charlie replied "I am come home" and On 25th July he left Eriskay and sailed on to Arisaig.
There is a memorial cairn at the back of the beach on the west coast built to commemorate this event. The cairn was erected on 23rd July 1995 by the children of Eriskay School. The beach is called Prince's Beach (Coilleag a' Phionnsa in Gaelic) in his honour.
Prince's Beach/Coilleag a' Phrionnsa
Ferry terminal and Prince's Beach
Bonnie Prince Charlie's Memorial Cairn at the back of Prince's Beach
Prince's Beach during Storm Hector, June 2018
Eriskay was bought by Colonel John Gordon of Cluny Castle in 1838 and cleared of people to make way for sheep.
In 1941 the SS Politician, which was on its way to Jamaica ran aground just off Eriskay. The islanders retrieved some of its cargo of 264,000 bottles of whisky before the police arrived. This story inspired the author Compton Mackenzie to write his novel Whisky Galore, which was later made into a film. The pub on Eriskay is named the Am Politician in honour of this ship.
Am Politician Pub
Eriskay Shop - the only general store on the island
This Cal Mac ferry links Eriskay with Ardmhor on Barra
Statue of our Lady of Fatima on the site of the original Catholic Church on Eriskay
Graveyard
During my 2006 visit my friend and I completed a walk around part of the island but it was very boggy. The 'path' was marked by posts but was extremely boggy.
St Michael’s Church at Haunn, which was built in 1903 has an altar made from the bow of a lifeboat from the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes and a bell from SMS Derfflinger of the German Navy, which was scuttled in Scapa Flow, Orkney in 1919. The bell was salvaged in 1939.
Bell from SMS Derfflinger outside St Michael's Church
Boat Altar at St Michael's Church
House at Haunn
I have no idea why anyone would want to paint their roof tiles turquoise!
No comments:
Post a Comment