Holy Isle, Firth of Clyde
| Holy Isle | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 Holy Isle
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| Holy Isle shown within North Ayrshire | |
| OS grid reference | NS063297 |
| Names | |
| Gaelic name | An t-Eilean Àrd or Eilean MoLaise |
| Meaning of name | "the high island" or "Laisren's island" in Gaelic. |
| Area and summit | |
| Area | 253 ha (0.98 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 97 |
| Highest elevation | Mullach Mòr 314 m (1,030 ft) (a Marilyn) |
| Population | |
| Population | 13 |
| Population rank | 68= out of 99 |
| Groupings | |
| Island group | Firth of Clyde |
| Local Authority | North Ayrshire |
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| References | [1][2][3][4] |
| If shown, area and population ranks are for all Scottish islands and all inhabited Scottish islands respectively. Population data is from 2001 census. | |
The Holy Isle, Firth of Clyde (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean MoLaise) is one of a number of islands in the United Kingdom which go under the name "Holy Island". It is located in the Firth of Clyde off the west coast of central Scotland, inside Lamlash Bay on the larger island of Arran.
Contents |
[edit] Details
| Mullach Mòr | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 314 m (1,030 ft) |
| Prominence | 314 m (1,030 ft) |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Translation | Big hill (Gaelic) |
| Pronunciation | Scottish Gaelic: [ˈmul̪ˠəx ˈmoːɾ] |
| Location | |
| Location | Firth of Clyde, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°31′30″N 5°04′20″W / 55.525°N 5.07222°WCoordinates: 55°31′30″N 5°04′20″W / 55.525°N 5.07222°W |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 69 |
| OS grid | NS063297 |
The island is around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long and around 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) wide. Its highest point is the hill Mullach Mòr.
The island has a long history as a sacred site, with a spring or Holy well held to have healing properties, the hermit cave of 6th Century monk Saint Molaise, and evidence of a 13th Century monastery. An old Gaelic name for the island was Eilean MoLaise, Molaise's Island; this is the origin (via Elmolaise and Limolas) of "Lamlash", the name of the village on Arran that faces Holy Island.
Some runic writing is to be found on the roof of St. Molaise's cave.
The Viking fleet sheltered between Arran and Holy Isle before the Battle of Largs.
The rare Rock Whitebeam tree is found on the island, an essential link in the evolution of the Arran Whitebeam species, Sorbus arranensis, Sorbus pseudofennica and Sorbus pseudomeinichii. These are indigenous and unique to Arran.
The island is now owned by the Samyé Ling Buddhist Community, who belong to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The settlements on the island include the Centre for World Peace and Health, founded by Lama Yeshe Losal, on the north of the island. This is an environmentally designed residential centre for courses and retreats which extends the former farm house. It has solar water heating and a reed-bed sewage treatment system. The approach from the ferry jetty is decorated with Tibetan flags and stupas.
On the southern end of the island lives a community of nuns who are undertaking three year retreats. The remainder of the island is treated as a nature reserve with wild Eriskay ponies, Saanen goat, Soay sheep and the replanting of native trees.
There is a regular ferry service from Lamlash, and the island is popular with holiday makers staying on Arran.
[edit] Gallery
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The Centre for World Peace and Health, with Tibetan flags and stupas
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One of the Saanen goats
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One of the wild Eriskay ponies
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Map of the island
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
- ^ Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 1841954543.
- ^ Ordnance Survey
- ^ Iain Mac an Tailleir. "Placenames". Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/pdfs/placenamesF-J.pdf. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Holy Isle, Scotland |
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