History
Nearby Mealista had a shrine to St Catan, but it is not known if the island itself had a Culdee settlement.
The ruins of old buildings of a previous community can still be seen. In 1823 the island was incorporated into a sheep farm. Thereafter no permanent inhabitants were recorded. A folk myth says that anyone born on Eilean Mhealasta will grow up to be an idiot. Haswell-Smith suggests that the landlords started this rumour to encourage residents to leave. In the 1861 census, it was recorded that some sailors from Rosehearty were camping there.
In about 1785 a boat from Mealista carrying a cargo of timber took shelter from a gale at the southernmost point of the Pairc. Nothing more was heard of the crew and on Mealista they were given up as lost at sea. During the following summer, blankets were offered for sale at the annual market day at Stornoway. The blankets were recognised by an unusual identification mark and a confession of murder for the cargo of timber followed. [5]
The island is still used as sheep grazing. [4]
Geography and geology
Eilean Mhealasta lies 1⁄2 mile (800 metres) from the west coast of Lewis, 3 miles (5 kilometres) south of Brenish (Breanais) and several miles north of Scarp. It is just over a kilometre long, and indented with a bay, Camas Leirageo in the west, which contains, Sgeir na Geòdha Ruaidh. The east coast has a clean sandy beach, while the west coast is rocky. [4]
The island is a bedrock of gneiss, some of which contains a reddish quartz. [4] There are natural arches on the east coast.
The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles, sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. The islands are geographically coextensive with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. They form part of the archipelago of the Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch, the Little Minch, and the Sea of the Hebrides.
The Flannan Isles or alternatively, the Seven Hunters are a small island group in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, approximately 32 kilometres west of the Isle of Lewis. They may take their name from Saint Flannan, the 7th century Irish preacher and abbot.
Eilean Rìgh is an island in the Inner Hebrides of the west coast of Scotland. It lies in Loch Craignish, about 300 metres off the Argyll coastline. The name is Gaelic for "King's Island", although which royal is not known.
Eilean nan Ròn is an island near Skerray, in the north of Sutherland, Scotland. An estimated 350 seal pups are born here annually.
Island Macaskin or MacAskin is an island in Loch Craignish, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It is owned by the Jenkin family and has been since 1904.
Gunna is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.
Fuaigh Mòr is an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is off the west coast of Lewis near Great Bernera in Loch Ròg. It is 84 hectares and 67 metres at its highest point.
Vacsay is one of the Outer Hebrides. It is off the west coast of Lewis in West Loch Roag. It is 41 hectares in size, and 34 metres at its highest point.
Stuley is an island lying to the east of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It lies off the section of coastline between Loch Eynort and Loch Boisdale. It is 45 hectares (0.17 sq mi) and 40 metres (131 ft) at its highest point.
Eilean Liubhaird or Eilean Iubhard is an island in the Outer Hebrides, to the east of Lewis.
Eilean Mòr is the largest of the Crowlin Islands in the Inner Sound off the Isle of Skye, Scotland.
Boreray is an uninhabited island in the St Kilda archipelago in the North Atlantic.
Eilean Choraidh, also known as Horse Island is an island in Loch Eriboll in Sutherland on the north coast of Scotland. It is about 26 hectares in extent and the highest point is 26 metres (85 ft) above sea level.
Eilean Tigh is a tidal island in the Sound of Raasay of Scotland, that lies between Rona and Raasay.
Camas Uig is a bay on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The Lewis Chessmen were discovered in the dunes behind the beach.
Eilean Meadhonach is the second largest of the Crowlin Islands, located in the Inner Sound off the island of Skye, Scotland.
Eilean Loain is a small island in Loch Sween and one of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.
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