Outer Hebrides
Western Isles redirects here. Historically, "Western Isles" more commonly referred to the whole
Hebrides archipelago. This usage can still occasionally be heard in Scottish speech
The
Outer Hebrides or
Western Isles (
officially known by the
Gaelic name,
Na h-Eileanan Siar) comprise an island chain off the west coast of
Scotland. They form part of the
Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the
Inner Hebrides by the stormy stretch of water known as the
Minch and the
Little Minch. Most communities in the Outer Hebrides use the Scottish Gaelic language. The name for the UK Parliament constituency covering this area is
Na h-Eileanan an Iar, whilst the Scottish Parliament constituency for the area continues to be officially known as
Western Isles although it is almost always written as
Western Isles (Eilean Siar). The islands were known as
Suðreyjar ("Southern Islands"; cf.
Suðrland) under
Norwegian rule for about 200 years until sovereignty was transferred to Scotland in the
Treaty of Perth in 1266, which followed the
Battle of Largs three years earlier. Colloquially they are sometimes referred to collectively as
An t-Eilean Fada or "The Long Island";
Na h-Eileanan a-Muigh (the Outer Isles) is also heard occasionally in Scottish Gaelic as is their proper Gaelic name Innse Gall.
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Western Isles Council flag |
The Western Isles have been a
unitary council area since 1975. In most of the rest of
Scotland, however, similar unitary councils were not established until 1996. Since then the islands have formed one of the
32 unitary council areas which now cover the whole of Scotland. The Western Isles council is officially known by its Gaelic name
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, known locally simply as 'the Comhairle' or 'a Chomhairle', having changed its name under the
Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997. The council has its base in
Stornoway on
Lewis.
Lewis is in the north of the island group and forms part of the
county of
Ross-shire. The rest of the group, including
Harris, is part of
Inverness-shire. Between 1890 and 1975 administration was split, by the Lewis-Harris boundary, between the
county councils of
Ross and Cromarty (which covered Ross-shire and
Cromartyshire) and Inverness-shire.
The Western Isles is a member of the
International Island Games Association.
The Western Isles (particularly Harris) have been described as the last bastion of fundamentalist
Calvinism in Britain with large amounts of inhabitants subscribing to the
Free Church of Scotland or the more hardline
Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Many church services have no music and do not allow women to wear trousers. In 2006 controversy arose over the decision of a local ferry company to sail to Harris on the
Sabbath [
1]. Other islands are less strict however, especially the predominantly
Roman Catholic islands of
South Uist,
Barra, and
Benbecula.
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The Hebrides (Outer Hebrides in brown) |
The main islands form an
archipelago, which with their smaller surrounding islands are sometimes known poetically as the
Long Isle. The major islands include
Lewis and
Harris,
North Uist,
Benbecula,
South Uist and
Barra.
Populated islands
Unpopulated islands
The unpopulated islands include:
*
Barra Isles,
Boreray*
Calvay,
Campay*
Eilean Chaluim Chille,
Eilean Iubhard,
Eilean Kearstay,
Eileanan Iasgaich,
Ensay*
Fiaray,
Floday,
Flodday,
Floddaybeg,
Floddaymore,
Fuday,
Fuiay*
Great Bernera,
Gighay,
Gilsay,
Groay*
Hellisay,
Hermetray*
Killegray,
Kirkibost*
Lingay,
Little Bernera*
Mealasta Island,
Mingulay*
Opsay,
Oronsay,
Orosay*
Pabbay near Harris,
Pabbay Mór*
Ronay*
Scaravay,
Scarp,
Scotasay,
Shiant Islands,
Shillay,
Soay Beag,
Soay Mór,
Stockinish Island,
Stromay,
Stuley,
Sursay*
Tahay,
Taransay*
Vacsay,
Vallay,
Vuia Beg,
Vuia Mór*
WiaySmall islands and island groups pepper the
North Atlantic surrounding the main island group:
To the west lie the
Monach Islands,
Flannan Isles,
St Kilda and
Rockall, in increasing order of distance. The status of Rockall as part of the
United Kingdom remains disputed.
To the north lie
North Rona and
Sula Sgeir, two small and remote islands. Not often included as part of the Outer Hebrides, they nevertheless come under the administration of the Western Isles district.
The Outer and Inner Hebrides came under Norse control and settlement before the
9th century AD. The Norse control of the Hebrides was formalized in
1098 when
Edgar of Scotland formally signed the islands over to
Magnus III of Norway. The Scottish acceptance of Magnus III as King of the Isles came after the Norwegian king had conquered the Orkney Islands, the Hebrides and the Isle of Man in a swift campaign earlier the same year, directed against the local Norwegian leaders of the various islands. By capturing the islands Magnus III subdued the Norsemen who had seized the islands centuries earlier and imposed a more direct royal control.
The Norwegian control of both the Inner and Outer Hebrides would see almost constant warfare until being ultimately resolved by the partitioning of the Western Isles in
1156. The Outer Hebrides would remain under the
Kingdom of Mann and the Isles while the Inner Hebrides broke out under
Somerled, the Norse-Celtic kinsman of both
Lulach and the Manx royal house. Although the Inner Hebrides, from 1156 known as the Kingdom of the Hebrides, was still nominally was under the sovereignty of Norway, the leaders were Scottish in language and culture rather than Norse.
After his victory of 1156, Somerled went on two years later to seize control over the Isle of Man itself, and become the last King of the Isle of Man and the Isles to rule over all the islands the kingdom had once included. After Somerled's death in
1164 the rulers of Mann would only be in control of the Outer Hebrides.
As a result of the
1266 Treaty of Perth the Outer Hebrides, along with the Isle of Man, were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland.
Scheduled
Ferry services between the Outer Hebrides and the Scottish Mainland and Inner Hebrides operate on the following routes:
*
Oban to
Castlebay on
Barra and
Lochboisdale on
South Uist*
Uig on
Skye to
Tarbert on
Harris*
Uig on
Skye to
Lochmaddy on
North Uist*
Ullapool to
Stornoway on
Lewis*
Tiree to
Castlebay,
Barra (summer only)
Other ferries operate between some of the islands.
*
Kingdom of Mann and the Isles*
Somerled*
List of Kings of the Isle of Man and the Isles*
List of Kings of the Isle of Man*
Hebrides*
Inner Hebrides*Ross, David (2005)
Scotland - History of a NationHistorical footnote: Many websites of the Outer Hebrides derive content from the original, late-lamented, Eolas
Virtual Hebrides, website. This was once the largest rural website in the world.
Eolas went bankrupt in 2000 and the Eolas TV company became
MacTV. The web design team became
Reefnet and the content has largely found a home on
GlobalGuide.Org.
Sites deriving partly from the original Virtual Hebrides
*
Hebrides.com Photographic website from ex-Eolas Sam Maynard
*
Global Guide Hebrides Content website from ex-Eolas Scott Hatton
*
www.visithebrides.com Western Isles Tourist Board site from Reefnet
*
Virtual Hebrides.com Content from the VH which went its own way and became Virtual Scotland.
Other Outer Hebrides websites
*
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar*
Gatliff Hebridean Hostels Trust*
2001 Census Results for the Outer Hebrides
