NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Islay

Islay (pronounced [ˈaɪlə]; Scottish Gaelic: Ìle, [ˈiːʎə] or ee-luh), a Scottish island, known as "The Queen of the Hebrides", is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. It lies in Argyll just to the west of Jura and around 25 miles north of the Irish coast, which can be seen on a clear day. A native of Islay is called an Ìleach, pronounced [ˈiːʎəx], and the plural is Ìlich: Scottish Gaelic is still the main language of the west of the island^{[citation needed]}. The island's capital is Bowmore, famous for its distillery and distinctive round Kilarrow Parish Church. Port Ellen is the largest settlement. Image File history File links Islay. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... // Scottish Gaelic (GÃ idhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Port Ellen. ... For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as Council Areas of Scotland which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as Councils which have the option under the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 (as chosen by Na h-Eileanan an Iar) of being known... Location Geography Area Ranked 2nd - Total 6,909 kmÂ² - % Water ? Admin HQ Lochgilphead ISO 3166-2 GB-AGB ONS code 00QD Demographics Population Ranked 23rd - Total (2005) 90,870 - Density 13 / kmÂ² Scottish Gaelic - Total () {{{Scottish council Gaelic Speakers}}} Politics Argyll & Bute Council http://www. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Scotland. ... Image File history File links McdonaldBoat. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the â€œInternational Phonetic Alphabetâ€. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... // Scottish Gaelic (GÃ idhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe and the United Kingdom Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic and Scots1 Government Constitutional monarchy... The Hebrides (Inner Hebrides in red) The Inner Hebrides are a group of islands off the west coast of Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. ... Argyll, archaically Argyle (Airthir-Ghaidheal in Gaelic, translated as [the] East Gael, or [the] East Irish), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a traditional county of Scotland. ... Jura shown within Argyll Satellite picture of Jura Jura (Scottish Gaelic DiÃ¹ra) is a Scottish island, in the Inner Hebrides. ... Scottish Gaelic (GÃ idhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... Bowmore (Scottish Gaelic: Bogh MÃ²r) is a small town on the shores of Loch Indaal, on the Scottish island of Islay. ... Kilarrow Church is a Church of Scotland parish church, overlooking and serving Bowmore on the Isle of Islay. ... Port Ellen. ...

Islay is the fifth largest Scottish island^[2] and the sixth largest island surrounding Britain.

Islay has just over three thousand inhabitants. It has a total area of just over 600 square kilometres (239 square miles). Its main industries are malt whisky distilling, and tourism largely based on whisky and birdwatching. To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, we list here areas between 100 kmÂ² and 1000 kmÂ². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Islay whisky is Scotch whisky made on Islay, the southernmost of the Inner Hebridean Islands. ... Birdwatching or birding is the observation and study of birds. ...

The island is home to many bird species and is a popular destination throughout the year with bird watchers, notably in February to see a large colony of Barnacle Geese. Resident birds include Chough, Hen Harrier, Oystercatcher, Cormorant and many wading birds. Binomial name Branta leucopsis (Bechstein, 1803) The Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. ... Binomial name Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax (Linnaeus, 1758) The Red-billed Chough, or just Chough (pronounced ), Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax is a member of the crow family, Corvidae. ... Binomial name Circus cyaneus (Linnaeus, 1766) The Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) is a bird of prey of the harrier family. ... Binomial name Haematopus ostralegus (Linnaeus, 1758) Eurasian Oystercatcher range. ... Binomial name Phalacrocorax carbo Linnaeus, 1758 The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds. ...

The climate on Islay is often more clement than the Scottish mainland owing to the Gulf Stream. For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ...

Geography

The island's population is mainly centred around the villages of Bowmore, Port Ellen, and Port Charlotte. Other smaller villages include Portnahaven, Bridgend, and Port Askaig. The rest of the island is sparsely populated and mainly agricultural. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x948, 284 KB) The island of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x948, 284 KB) The island of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. ... The Landsat program is the longest running enterprise for acqusition of imagery of Earth from space. ... Jura shown within Argyll Satellite picture of Jura Jura (Scottish Gaelic DiÃ¹ra) is a Scottish island, in the Inner Hebrides. ... Bowmore (Scottish Gaelic: Bogh MÃ²r) is a small town on the shores of Loch Indaal, on the Scottish island of Islay. ... Port Ellen. ... Port Charlotte is a village on the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. ... Portnahaven is a village on Islay in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. ... Bridgend is a village on the Inner Hebrides island of Islay off the western coast of Scotland at the tip of Loch Indaal. ... Port Askaig is a port village on the east coast of the island of Islay, in Scotland. ...

The south-western end of the main body is a largely rocky region called The Oa. The north western arm of the island is called the Rhinns of Islay. There are several lochs on the island including Loch Finlaggan, Loch Gruinart, Loch Gorm, Loch Indaal, Loch Ballygrant and Loch Allan. The Oa is a rocky region in the south west of Islay and an RSPB nature reserve. ... The Rinns of Islay (alternate spelling Rhinns of Islay) is an area on the west of the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. ... View across Loch Lomond, towards Ben Lomond. ... Loch Indaal (or Lochindaal) is a sea loch on the island of Islay, the southernmost of the Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. ...

Lochindaal, a sea loch which separates the Rhinns of Islay from the rest of the island, is formed along a branch of the great Glen Fault called the Loch Gruinart Fault, the main line of which passes just to the north of Colonsay. This separates the limestone, igneous inclusions and Bowmore sandstones from the Colonsay group rocks of the Rhinns (see map). The result is occasional, minor earth tremors.

There are no Munroes on Islay or Jura, the highest peak being Beinn Bheigier a Marilyn at 491 metres (about 1,610 feet). Sgurr Fiona and the Corrag Bhuide pinnacles of An Teallach A Munro is a Scottish hill with a height over 3000 feet (914. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A Marilyn is a hill with a relative height of at least 150 metres, regardless of absolute height or other merit. ...

History

Islay's prehistory dates from the Mesolithic period circa 8,000 BC^[4] with well-established settlements by the Neolithic. Islay can claim evidence of continuous settlement for ten thousand years. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (960x1280, 906 KB) Photograph taken by Chris Bazley-Rose, made avaiable freely in accordance with Wikipedia guidelines Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (960x1280, 906 KB) Photograph taken by Chris Bazley-Rose, made avaiable freely in accordance with Wikipedia guidelines Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... The Oa is a rocky region in the south west of Islay and an RSPB nature reserve. ... An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ...

Recorded history begins with a document relating to St Columba ^[5] who probably passed through Islay on his way to establish the monastery on Iona in the sixth century. At this time, Islay lay within the kingdom of Dál Riata and was ruled by the Cenél nÓengusa. Saint Columba (7 December 521 - 9 June 597) is sometimes referred to as Columba of Iona, or, in Old Irish, as Saint Colm Cille or Columcille (meaning Dove of the church). He was the outstanding figure among the Gaelic missionary monks who reintroduced Christianity to Scotland during the Dark Ages. ... Iona is a small island, in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. ... (5th century — 6th century — 7th century — other centuries) Events The first academy of the east the Academy of Gundeshapur founded in Persia by the Persian Shah Khosrau I. Irish colonists and invaders, the Scots, began migrating to Caledonia (later known as Scotland) Glendalough monastery, Wicklow Ireland founded... DÃ¡l Riata (also Dalriada or Dalriata) was a Goidelic kingdom on the western seaboard of Scotland and the northern coasts of Ireland, situated in the traditional Scottish and Northern Irish counties of Argyll, Bute and County Antrim. ... Islay (in red) and the rest of Argyll. ...

From the 14th to the 16th centuries much of the west coast of Scotland was governed by the Lordship of the Isles from Finlaggan on Islay. The origins of the Lordship date back to the defeat of the Danes off the coast of Islay in 1156 by Somerled. The Finlaggan Trust deal with this period in detail and the Island is open to visitors daily. The Finlaggan Trust also has a visitor centre which is open on some days of the week. The British Channel 4 Time Team television series excavated on Finlaggan on the 24 June–26 June 1994. The episode was first broadcast on 8 January 1995. This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... MacDonald, Lord of the Isles The designation Lord of the Isles (Scottish Gaelic: ), now a Scottish title of nobility, emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of galleys. ... Somerled (Old Norse SumarliÃ°i, Scottish Gaelic Somhairle) was a military and political leader of the Scottish Isles in the 12th century who was known in Gaelic as ri Innse Gall (King of the Hebrides). Somerled first appears in historical chronicles in the year 1140 as the regulus, or King... Channel 4 is a public-service British television station, broadcast to all areas of the United Kingdom (and also the Republic of Ireland), which began transmissions in 1982. ... Time Team is a popular British television series explaining the process of archaeology for the layman in the UK. Broadcast by Channel 4, the programme was first shown in 1994, and is presented by Tony Robinson. ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ...

Starting in the 1830s, the population of the island began dropping from its peak of fifteen thousand as a result of the Highland Clearances (today's population is about three thousand). Most emigrants from Islay made new homes in Ontario, Canada, the Carolinas in the United States, and Australia. The Highland Clearances (Scottish Gaelic: Fuadaich nan GÃ idheal, the expulsion of the Gael) is a name given to the forced displacement of the population of the Scottish Highlands from their ancient ways of warrior clan subsistence farming, leading to mass emigration. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. ...

During World War II, the RAF built an airfield at Glenegedale which later became the civil airport for Islay. There was also an RAF Coastal Command flying boat base at Bowmore from 13/03/41 using Loch Indaal, 15 Group 119 Squadron flying Short G Boat, Short C Boat (the precursor of the Sunderland) and Catalina I. On 01/09/42 a reformed 246 Squadron with Sunderland Mark III aircraft took over. In May, 1943, RCAF 422 Squadron moved to Lochindall at Bowmore with Sunderland Aircraft. The 1942 film "Coastal Command" was partly filmed in Bowmore. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Boeing 314 A flying boat is an aircraft that is designed to take off and land on water, in particular a type of seaplane which uses its fuselage as a floating hull (instead of pontoons mounted below the fuselage). ... Loch Indaal (or Lochindaal) is a sea loch on the island of Islay, the southernmost of the Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. ...

There was a RAF Chain Home radar station at Saligo Bay and RAF Chain Home Low radar station at Kilchiaran which became a RAF ROTOR radar station in the 1950s. Chain Home was the codename for the ring of coastal radar stations built by the British during World War II. The system comprised two types of radar: the metre-wave Chain Home stations which provided long-range early warning, and the centimetre-wave Chain Home Low stations, which were shorter... This long range radar antenna, known as ALTAIR, is used to detect and track space objects in conjunction with ABM testing at the Ronald Reagan Test Site on the Kwajalein atoll. ... Marconi tower at sunset. ... R0t0r is from efnet ...

In the early 21st century, a campus of Sabhal Mor Ostaig was set up on Islay, Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle. Sabhal MÃ²r Ostaig (literally: the great barn at Ostaig) is a Scottish Gaelic medium college based in Sleat, on the Isle of Skye in north west Scotland. ... Ionad Chaluim Chille ÃŒle (The Islay Columba Centre) is a Gaelic medium college on the shores of Loch Indall on the island of Islay in Scotland. ...

Weather

The influence of the Gulf Stream keeps the climate mild compared to mainland Scotland. Snow is rarely seen and frosts are light and short-lived. One might expect therefore a gardener's paradise and indeed, it is not unusual to see exotic plants growing in gardens. However, the winter gales which sweep in off the Atlantic can make travelling and living on the island during the winter difficult, while ferry and air links to the mainland are frequently delayed. The weather tends to become more pleasant around Easter and the summer season then extends until well into September. Image File history File links A view of the central uplands of the Scottish island of Islay. ... Image File history File links A view of the central uplands of the Scottish island of Islay. ... Kintra is a settlement on the North-Eastern coast of the Ross of Mull. ... For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ...

Transport

Many of the roads on the island are single-track with passing places. The two main roads are the A846 from Ardbeg to Port Askaig via Port Ellen and Bowmore, and the A847 which runs down the east coast of the Rhinns. The island has its own bus service provided by Ben Mundell trading as Islay Coaches. A single track road is a narrow road that is only of sufficient width to allow the passage of one vehicle. ... The A846 road is one of the two principal roads of Islay in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of mainland Scotland and the only A road on the neighbouring island of Jura. ... The A847 road is one of the two principal roads of Islay in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of mainland Scotland. ...

The island has its own airport (Glenegedale Airport) with services to and from Glasgow. There are regular ferry services to Port Ellen and Port Askaig from Kennacraig, taking about two hours. Services to Port Askaig also run on to Scalasaig on Colonsay and on to Oban on Wednesdays during the summer only. These services are run by Caledonian MacBrayne. There is also a ferry that runs from Port Askaig to Feolin on Jura. Islay Airport, located in the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides, off the West Coast of Scotland is a small rural airport owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports. ... Glasgow International Airport (IATA: GLA, ICAO: EGPF) is located 8 miles (13 km) west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire, Scotland. ... Situated on West Loch Tarbert, a few miles south of Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula. ... Scalasaig port in the evening. ... Colonsay shown within Argyll Colonsay [Colbhasa] is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, located north of Islay and south of Mull. ... For other uses, see Oban (disambiguation). ... MV Juno (IÃ¹no in Scottish Gaelic) arriving at Gourock on the Dunoon service The Caledonian MacBrayne headquarters building at Gourock pierhead and a visit from MV Caledonian Isles and MV Isle of Mull. ... Feolin (also known as Feolin Ferry) is a village on the west coast of Jura. ... Jura shown within Argyll Satellite picture of Jura Jura (Scottish Gaelic DiÃ¹ra) is a Scottish island, in the Inner Hebrides. ...

Distilleries

Islay malt whisky is produced by eight distilleries on the island. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Islay whisky is Scotch whisky made on Islay, the southernmost of the Inner Hebridean Islands. ... Distillation is a means of separating liquids through differences in their boiling points. ...

The distilleries on the south of the island produce whiskies with a very strong peaty flavour. From east to west they are Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig. (These three are considered to be among the most intensely flavoured of all whiskies). On the north of the island Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, and Caol Ila are produced. These whiskies are substantially lighter in taste. There were more distilleries in the past: Port Ellen closed in 1983 while the Lochindaal in Port Charlotte closed as long ago as 1929. Little blending is done on the island though, since the takeover of Bruichladdich distillery by several private individuals, whisky is now blended and bottled there by Master Distiller James McEwan. Bruichladdich is also noteworthy as the only distillery which bottles its malts on Islay. Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... Ardbeg Distillery Ardbeg is a single malt Scotch Whisky. ... Lagavulin Single Malt is a scotch whisky distilled on the Scottish Island of Islay in the village of Lagavulin. ... A distinctive pagoda style kiln chimney at Laphroaig Laphroaig (pronounced la-FROYG or [1]) is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery situated on the island of Islay off the West coast of Scotland. ... Bowmore (Scottish Gaelic: Bogh MÃ²r) is a small town on the shores of Loch Indaal, on the Scottish island of Islay. ... Islay Bruichladdich distillery Bruichladdich is a whisky distillery on the island of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. ... The Bunnahabhain (Boon-a-havn) is one of the milder Islay whiskies available and in its taste varies greatly from other fine spirits to be found on the island. ... Caol Ila distillery Caol Ila is a distillery near Port Askaig on Islay, Scotland, famed for its single malt Scotch whisky of the same name. ... The Port Ellen Single Malt is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky produced by the Port Ellen Distillery in Port Ellen, Scotland, on the isle of Islay. ... Port Charlotte is a village on the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 2005, a new micro-distillery opened at Rockside Farm. Named Kilchoman distillery, it officially opened in June, and distilled its first spirit in November. The malting floor burned down in February 2006, but there is sufficient stock to continue production pending repairs. Kilchoman is a Scotch whisky distillery. ...

In March 2007 Bruichladdich announced that it would reopen Port Charlotte Distillery, using equipment from the Inverleven distillery. The distillery will use the existing warehouses of the former Lochindaal Distillery while a visitors centre will be built on the current site of Clyne's Garage. Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Islay Bruichladdich distillery Bruichladdich is a whisky distillery on the island of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. ...

Apart from the whisky there is now an original real ale from the Isle of Islay. The Islay Ales Brewery opened its doors on March 22, 2004 and brews seven different real ales, some of which are seasonal, or for special occasions such as the yearly Festival of Malt and Music. The brewery is located on Islay House Square just outside Bridgend. A pint of real ale. ... March 22 is the 81st day of the year (82nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Wave energy

The location of Islay, exposed to the full force of the North Atlantic, has led to it being the site of a pioneering, and Scotland's first, wave power station. In 2000 this station became the world's first commercial wave power station.^[6] The plant is located near Portnahaven. The Islay wave power generator was designed and built by Wavegen and researchers from the Queen's University of Belfast, and was financially backed by the European Union. Known as Limpet 500 (Land Installed Marine Powered Energy Transformer), it feeds 500 kilowatts of electricity into the island's grid. For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... Wave power refers to the energy of ocean surface waves and the capture of that energy to do useful work - including electricity generation, desalination, and the pumping of water (into reservoirs). ... The Queens University of Belfast (QUB) is a university in Belfast, Northern Ireland; the university is often called Queens University Belfast. ...

Fishing

Islay has some of the finest brown trout fishing in Europe. The imported rainbow trout have not been released on the island and the "brownies" still dominate the freshwater ecosystems. In 2003 the European Fishing competition was held on five of the lochs. Most of the estates organise fishing on the rivers and lochs and maintain the banks for fishing. Sea angling is also popular especially over the many shipwrecks around the coast. Image File history File links Portaskaig. ... Image File history File links Portaskaig. ... Jura shown within Argyll Satellite picture of Jura Jura (Scottish Gaelic DiÃ¹ra) is a Scottish island, in the Inner Hebrides. ... Port Askaig is a port village on the east coast of the island of Islay, in Scotland. ... Binomial name Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758 Morphs Salmo trutta morpha trutta Salmo trutta morpha fario Salmo trutta morpha lacustris The brown trout (Salmo trutta morpha fario and morpha lacustris) and the sea trout ( morpha trutta) are fish of the same species distinguished chiefly by the fact that the brown trout... World map showing the location of Europe. ... It has been suggested that Steelhead be merged into this article or section. ... Angling is a method of fishing, specifically the practice of catching fish by means of an angle (hook). ... Shipwreck of the SS American Star Shipwreck in the Saugatuck River mouth in Westport, Connecticut A shipwreck or sunken ship can refer to the remains of a wrecked ship or to the event that caused the wreck, such as the striking of something that causes the ship to sink, the...

Media

Islay was featured in some of the scenes of the 1954 film, The Maggie. The Maggie (released in the U.S. as High and Dry) is a 1954 British comedy film. ...

In the 1990s the BBC adaptation of Para Handy was partly filmed in Port Charlotte and featured a race between the Vital Spark (Para Handy's puffer) and a rival puffer along the length of Loch Indaal. The local primary school children were released from classes along the length of the loch to watch the race. The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GBÂ£4 billion. ... Para Handy (real name Peter MacFarlane) is a fictional character created by Neil Munro in a series of stories published in the Glasgow Evening News. ... The Vital Spark is a fictional (indeed, the archetypal) Clyde puffer, created by Neil Munro. ... The Clyde puffer is essentially a type of small steamboat which provided a vital supply link around the west coast and Hebrides islands of Scotland, stumpy little cargo ships that have achieved almost mythical status thanks largely to the short stories Neil Munro wrote about the Vital Spark and her...

Since 1973 the Ileach has been delivering news to the people of Islay every two weeks. This twenty-eight-page, A4-sized publication now has a circulation locally and worldwide of 3,000 copies. The Ileach was rewarded Community Newspaper of the year in 2007. A comparison of different paper sizes A4 is a standard paper size, defined by the international standard ISO 216 as 210Ã—297 mm (roughly 8. ...

In 2007 parts of the BBC Springwatch programme were recorded on Islay with Simon King being based on Islay.^[7] The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GBÂ£4 billion. ... Springwatch with Bill Oddie is a live BBC TV show, broadcast nightly, Monday - Thursday, from 30 May - 16 June 2005. ... Simon King is a UK television presenter and cameraman, specialising in wildlife programmes. ...

Famous natives of Islay

Islay's most famous son of recent times is George Robertson, the former secretary-general of NATO and former British Defence Secretary. In 1999 he was made Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. George Robertson pictured at The Pentagon in June 2001 The Right Honourable George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, KT, GCMG, FRSA, PC (born 12 April 1946, in Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Scotland) was the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. ...

General Alexander McDougall, a figure in the American Revolution and the first president of the Bank of New York, was born in Islay in 1731. Alexander McDougall (1731-1786) was an American seaman, merchant, and leader from New York City during the Revolutionary War. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies that... The Bank of New York (NYSE: BK), sometimes BNY, is a global financial services company operating in four primary business areas: Securities servicing Treasury management Investment management Private banking Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corporation will merge. ...

The Islay-born Reverend Donald Caskie (1902–1983) became known as the "Tartan Pimpernel" for his exploits in France during World War II. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Glenn Campbell, Scottish political reporter for the BBC, was brought up on Islay and attended Islay High School where his performance in the annual pantomime is still remembered.

Billy Stewart (born 1935) steered a course from Port Ellen Primary school to being the government’s Chief Scientific advisor in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Sir William Stewart as he is now known, is currently chairman of the Health Protection Agency. Sir William Stewart Ph. ...

John Crawfurd was born on Islay in 1783 and during a career around the world became governor of Singapore. He also wrote a number of books. John Crawfurd (August 13, 1783 - May 11, 1868) was a Scottish physician, and colonial administrator and author. ...

Isla Fisher, famous actress who starred in Home & Away & comedy classic Wedding Crashers, was named after the island. Her Grandparents used to live near Bowmore. Isla Lang Fisher (born February 3, 1976) is an Australian actress and author. ... Home and Away is a weeknightly half-hour television soap opera produced in Australia. ... Wedding Crashers is a 2005 comedy film, directed by David Dobkin. ... Bowmore (Scottish Gaelic: Bogh MÃ²r) is a small town on the shores of Loch Indaal, on the Scottish island of Islay. ...

Churches

The Church of Scotland congregation of the Round Church parish includes the attractive woodland church of Kilmeny. There is currently a vacancy for a minister. The church is round, legend has it, to leave no corner for the devil to hide in. Image File history File links Thkil1. ... The Church of Scotland (CofS; Scottish Gaelic: ), known informally by its pre-Union Scots name, The Kirk, is the national church of Scotland. ... Kilarrow Church is a Church of Scotland parish church, overlooking and serving Bowmore on the Isle of Islay. ...

The Church of Scotland on the Rhinns of Islay is just outside the village of Port Charlotte, known as St Keiran's, it is led by the Rev. Steve Fulcher. St John's Church of Scotland, Port Ellen, having no minister, may be merged with Kilarrow and Kilmeny; in the meantime, Reader Angela Stather is looking after the parish.

In addition, there are several other lively and vibrant congregations on Islay. With premises in both Bowmore and Port Ellen, the single joint Baptist congregation currently has a vacancy, meeting in the mornings in Port Ellen and in the evenings in Bowmore.

The Scottish Episcopal Church of St. Columba is located in Bridgend and the priest with charge is the Revd. Ken Skipper. The Islay Catholic congregation also uses St Columba's for its services.

Many old church buildings on Islay are in an unroofed and ruined state; many have considerable historical interest dating from mediæval times. The ruined church of Kildalton has one of the finest carved crosses in the world; dating to the 8th century, it is carved out of the local bluestone. A carved cross of similar age but much more heavily weathered can be found at Kilnave.^{[citation needed]} Associated with many churches are mysterious cupstones which date to prehistory; these can be seen at Kilchoman church where the carved cross there is erected on one, at Kilchiaran church on the Rhinns and at other sites. Several more recently abandoned churches have been adapted as dwellings.

Celtic traditions

On Islay there was a Stone of Inauguration by Loch Finlaggan. It was seven feet square and had footprints cut into it. When a chief of the Clan Donald was installed as the "King of the Isles" he stood barefoot on the imprints on the stone, and with his father's stone in his hand was anointed King by the Bishop of Argyll and seven priests. During the ceremony an orator recited a list of his ancestors and he was proclaimed "Macdonald, high prince of the seed of Conn". The block was deliberately destroyed in the early seventeenth century (Bord 1976).

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