| Scottish Gaelic name | Eige |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | [ˈekʲə]ⓘ |
| Old Norse name | Unknown |
| Meaning of name | Scottish Gaelic for 'notched island' (eag) |
 An Sgùrr | |
| Location | |
  Eigg Eigg shown within Lochaber | |
| OS grid reference | NM476868 |
| Coordinates | 56°54′N6°09′W / 56.9°N 6.15°W /56.9; -6.15 |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Small Isles |
| Area | 3,049 ha (11.8 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 28 [1] |
| Highest elevation | An Sgùrr, 393 m (1,289 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Highland |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 105[2] |
| Population rank | 47 [1] |
| Population density | 2.7 people/km2[3] |
| Largest settlement | Cleadale |
 | |
| References | [3][4] |
Eigg (/ɛɡ/eg;Scottish Gaelic:Eige) is one of theSmall Isles in theScottishInner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the island ofSkye and to the north of theArdnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is nine kilometres (5+1⁄2 miles) long from north to south, and five kilometres (three miles) east to west. With an area of just over 3,000 ha (11.6 sq mi) it is the second-largest of the Small Isles afterRùm. The highest eminence on Eigg is The Sgùrr, which is formed from theSgurr of Eigg Pitchstone Formation, which erupted into a valley of older lavas during theEocene epoch.
There are numerous archaological sites dating from the prehistoric period of human occupation with the earliest written references relating to the Irish monkDonnán who arrived on Eigg around 600 AD. Commencing in the early 9th century,Norse settlers established theKingdom of the Isles throughout the Hebrides. The 1266Treaty of Perth transferred the territories of the Kingdom of the Isles to KingAlexander III of Scotland. From the late 14th century, the island became a possession ofClanranald, during which time a notorious massacre took place during a period of clan warfare. After more than four centuries in Clanranald's hands, the island was sold during the 19th century, and the new lairdevicted many of his tenants en masse and replaced them with herds of sheep.
There were then a series of owners until the island was purchased by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust in 1997. The trust is a form ofcommunity ownership and another stakeholder, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, manages the island as a nature reserve.[5] Eigg now generates virtually all of its electricity using renewable energy.[6][7] In April 2019,National Geographic discussed the island in an online article, estimating the average number of annual visitors at 10,000.[8]
The larger part of the island is formed fromolivine-phyricbasalt flows erupted during thePalaeoceneepoch. Together with flows ofhawaiite andmugearite, these form theEigg Lava Formation. The Sgùrr is formed from theSgurr of Eigg Pitchstone Formation, aporphyriticrhyoliticpitchstone that erupted into a valley eroded into the older lavas during theEocene epoch. It displays columnar jointing formed as the lava cooled.[9]
In the north of the island are a series of sedimentary rocks ofMiddle Jurassic andUpper Cretaceous age. The oldest of these, and hence lowest from astratigraphic perspective is the fossiliferousBearreraig Sandstone which iscalcareous in nature. It is overlain by theLealt Shale which consists of a lower and an upper greyshale (respectively the Kildonnan and Lonfearn members) separated by a thin band ofalgallimestone. The shale is overlain by the thickerValtos Sandstone which containsconcretions. It is found along the east coast northwards from Poll nam Parlan and around the northern end and down the eastern side of the Bay of Laig. This in turn is overlain by thebivalve-rich limestone and shale of theDuntulm Formation and lastly the dark shales andostracod-bearing limestones of theKilmaluag Formation. A fossilised limb bone, considered most likely to be from a Middle Jurassicstegosaurian dinosaur, was discovered at a coastal exposed Valtos Sandstone Formation in 2020; it is the first confirmed dinosaur fossil to be found in Scotland away from theIsle of Skye.[10][11] TheTuronian (Upper Cretaceous) ageStrathaird Limestone Formation is the youngest part of theMesozoic sequence preserved beneath the unconformity at the base of the Eigg lavas and its found in a strip along the coast just west of the bay of Laig.[12]
Both the igneous and the sedimentary rocks are cut through by a swarm of Palaeocene agedykes generally aligned NW-SE. A handful offaults are mapped on the same alignment, the two most significant ones stretching SE from Bay of Laig. A band of microsyenite stretches around the hillside southeast of the Sgùrr. Isolated pockets ofpeat ofpostglacial origin are to be found behind Bay of Laig whilst to its north are areas of hummockymoraine.Landslips occupy the whole coastal strip in the northeast of the island and the embayment behind Bay of Laig and effectively mask much of the outcrop of theMesozoic sediments.[12]
| Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scots Gaelic: | An Laimhrig | |
| Pronunciation: | [əˈlˠ̪ajvɾʲɪkʲ]ⓘ | |
| Scots Gaelic: | Clèadail | |
| Pronunciation: | [ˈkʰliət̪al]ⓘ | |
| Scots Gaelic: | Eige | |
| Pronunciation: | [ˈekʲə]ⓘ | |
| Scots Gaelic: | Uamh Fhraing | |
| Pronunciation: | [ˈuəvˈɾaŋʲkʲ]ⓘ | |
Eigg measuresnine by five kilometres (5+1⁄2 by 3 miles) and is21 kilometres (11+1⁄2 nautical miles) by sea from the nearest port ofMallaig. The centre of the island is amoorlandplateau, rising to 393 m (1,289 ft) at An Sgùrr, a dramatic stump ofpitchstone which is the "most memorable landmark in the Hebridean seas".[14] Walkers who reach the top can, in good weather, take in views ofMull,Coll,Muck, theOuter Hebrides, Rùm, Skye, and the mountains ofLochaber on the mainland.
The plateau in the northern part of the island, atBeinn Buidhe, drops to a fertile coastal plain on its western side, containingCleadale, the main settlement on Eigg. At the southern end of the plain, in the centre of the island, lies the bay of Laig, known for itsquartzbeach, called the "singing sands" on account of the squeaking noise it makes if walked on when dry.[15] The first written description of this effect was penned byHugh Miller in the 19th century:
I struck it obliquely with my foot, where the surface lay dry... [which] elicited a shrill sonorous note... I walked over it, striking it obliquely with each step and with every blow the shrill note was repeated.[15]
The plateau is cleaved by a central valley, stretching from the vicinity of Laig, in the north, to Galmisdale at its southeastern end, which forms the main port. Beyond the southeast coast lies the small islet ofEilean Chathastail.[4]
Adomnán calls the islandEgea insula in hisVita Columbae (c. 700 AD).[16] Other historical names have beenEga,[17] andEgo.[18] The GaelicEige means "notch" probably with reference to "the marked depresssion that runs across the middle of the island".[19] A 2013 study also suggested a possible Norse origin.[18][note 1]
Eigg was also known asEilean nam Ban Móra - "the island of the great women".[21] (Local tradition claims that the dun at Loch nam Ban Mora (see below) was once inhabited by unusually large women.[22])Martin Martin reported in 1703 that "the natives dare not call this isle by its ordinary name of Egg when they are at sea, but island Nim-Ban-More."[23]
Some of the island settlement names are ofNorse origin. Cleadale (Clèadail) may mean "valley of the ridged slope". The first element of Galmisdale is possibly a personal name. Laig may derive from "muddy bay".[24] Grulin is of Gaelic origin,Scottish Gaelic:Grùlainn meaning "stony land".[25]
At Rubh' An Tangaird, near Glamisdale on the southern coast, there are the remains of an oval house, with thick walls, and an upright stone at each side of the doorway. There are comparable structures inShetland such as atScord of Brouster, which suggests aneolithic date.[26]
Evidence for the island having been occupied in theBronze Age includes two axes and a cache offlints, one of them beingthumbnail scraper found near Galmisdale, together with significant metalworking debris.[27][28] A barbed-and-tanged flint arrowhead of uncertain date was found to the south of Kildonnan.[29]
EarlyIron Agehut circles are found throughout the island. One located near the northeast coast nearSron na h-Iolaire is close to a cave to which walls have been artificially added; severalhammerstones are located in the cave and surrounding vicinity, some with concretions of crushed shells stuck to them. The cave site is difficult to reach leading archaeologists to speculate that the site may have been used for hermitic purposes.[30]
Later in the Iron Age, the inhabitants of Eigg chose to fortify the island. Small fortifications restrict access to rocky knolls at Garbh Bealach west of Galmisdale[31] and Poll Duchaill on the northwest coast[32] and on the promontory of Rudha na Crannaig south of Kildonnan.[33] More substantialduns existed at Galmisdale Point,[34] and at Loch nam Ban Mora, the latter of which is located on an island.[22]
The Irish missionary activity which causedColumba to founda monastery onIona also brought the Irish monkDonnán to Eigg around 600 AD, where he established a monastery, atKildonnan.[35] Columba had warned him of the dangers of settling in Pictish territory[36] and Donnan was murdered on Eigg along with 52 of his monks in 617.[37]
By the following century, the monastery was significant enough for the death of itssuperior, Oan, to be mentioned in theAnnals of Ulster. The monastery, which was excavated in 2012, was located within an oval enclosure, surrounded by a ditch, housing a rectangular chapel in the centre, and with a handful of smaller buildings either side.[38][39] A handful of early inscribed stone slabs were located there, of which onebears a Pictish design, comprising a hunting scene,[note 2] with a cross on its obverse.[40]
On the coast at the opposite side of the island, are 16 or more quare cairns, lined up neatly into groups; they are each between 3.5 and 5 metres (11 and 16 ft) square, most being bordered by a stone kerb, and some having upright cornerstones. This form of cairn is usually associated with thePictish kingdoms of the first millennium AD. The site may thus have some connection with the contemporary monastery at Kildonnan.[41]
Commencing in the early 9th centuryNorse settlers established theKingdom of the Isles throughout the Hebrides. A silver/bronze sword handle from the beginning of this period was found in 1830, buried in a field namedDail Sithean near Kildonnan, together with an iron axehead, leather belt, buckle, wollen cloth, and awhetstone.[42]Wetlands near Laig, (which becamepeat-bog, during later centuries) appear to have been used for storing partly finished boat parts, as was common inVikingScandinavia. A few oak posts, 6 feet (1.8 m) in length, for thestern of alongship were found there.[43] A simple bronze brooch was found at a nearby site.[44]
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By the late 11th century the Isles were controlled by theCrovan dynasty but the dictatorial style ofGuðrøðr Óláfsson (aka Godred the Black) appears to have made him very unpopular with the Islesmen, and the ensuing conflicts were the beginning of the end for Mann and the Isles as a coherent territory under the rule of a single magnate. The powerful barons of the isles began plotting with an emerging and forceful figure –Somerled,Lord of Argyll. Godred engaged Somerled's forces in the navalBattle of Epiphany in 1156. There was no clear victor, but it was subsequently agreed that Godred would remain the ruler of Man, the northern Inner Hebrides and the Outer Hebrides, whilst Somerled's young sons would nominally control the southern Inner Hebrides, Kintyre and the islands of the Clyde under their father's supervision.[45][46]
By the mid 13th century the Small Isles were in Lordship ofGarmoran, a possession ofClan MacRory founded by Somerled's grandsonRuaidhrí mac Raghnaill.[47] At this point the islands was nominally subject to Norway but in 1266, theTreaty of Perth transferred the territories of the Kingdom of the Isles toAlexander III of Scotland[48] andDubhghall mac Ruaidhrí, Lord of Garmoran, found that he had a new overlord. He, and others who had supported the Norse, had the opportunity to emigrate under the terms of the treaty[49] and Dubhghall died in 1268, possibly in exile.
By 1337 the sole MacRory heir wasAmy of Garmoran, who in that year marriedJohn of Islay, Lord of the Isles,[3] leader of theMacDonalds, the most powerful group among Somerled's heirs. Circa 1350 they divorced and John deprived his eldest son,Ranald, of the ability to inherit the MacDonald lands. As compensation, John granted Lordship of the Uists to Ranald's younger brotherGodfrey, and made Ranald Lord of the remainder of Garmoran, including Eigg.[50][51][note 3]
Upon the death of John of Islay his sonDonald, Ranald's half-brother, was namedLord of the Isles at Kildonan on Eigg in 1387. Ranald, who became the founder ofClan Macdonald of Clanranald, appeared content with this decision by his father as suggested in the Charter of 1373, the misgivings of many of the noblemen of the Isles notwithstanding.[53][54][note 4]
However, when Ranald died in 1386 atCastle Tioram,[56] Godfrey seized his lands, leading to violent disputes between his heirs (the Siol Gorrie) and those of Ranald (Clanranald). In 1427James I arrested the leaders and declared the Lordship ofGarmoran forfeit.[57]
Ranald Bane MacAllan, leader of Clanranald, refused to support therebellion ofDonald Dubh againstJames IV. In 1505, after the rebellion was defeated, he was "now in high favour at Court".[58] In 1520, Ranald Bane's son Dougall, the 6th chief of Clanranald, was assassinated by his own clansmen in part for his lack of opposition to the crown. Leadership of Clanranald then passed not to his sons but to the Moidart branch of the clan. In 1534 John Moidartach, 8th of Clanranald, managed to obtain from the king a charter confirming his position as laird of Eigg andMorar.[59]
Writing in 1549,Donald Munro, High Dean of the Isles wrote of "Egge" that it was: "gude mayne land with ane paroch kirk in it, with mony solenne geis; very gude for store, namelie for scheip, with ane heavin for heiland Galayis".[60][note 5]
Uamh Fhraing, also known as the Cave of Francis[note 6] or the Ribbed Cave, lies on a raised beach on the south coast of Eigg. The entrance is low and narrow but the interior is about 60 metres (200 ft) long and 6 metres (20 ft) wide.[62] In 1577,[63] according toClan MacLeod historians, a MacLeod galley was forced ashore by bad weather at Eilean Chathasteil. Led by a foster-son ofAlasdair Crotach the 30 men roasted some cattle and "molested" the young girls who were tending them. The local men then arrived on the islet and massacred most of the MacLeods, sparing only a few leaders whose legs and arms were broken and who were then cast adrift inthe Minch.[64] They were however either rescued by MacLeods from elsewhere or perhaps drifted back toDunvegan.[65][64] In the MacDonald version of the story the girls were raped and the Macleods were asked to leave. Looking for revenge, a large group of MacLeods led by Alasdair Crotach landed on Eigg, but had been spotted by the islanders, all but one of whom decided to hide in the cave.[65]
The traditions go on to say that the MacLeods conducted a thorough but fruitless search for the inhabitants. They found only an old lady at the singing sands who they spared and left the island after 3 days. Just as they were leaving they saw a scout outside the cave and were able to follow their footprints in the snow to the entrance. The MacLeods piled thatch and heather at the cave entrance, and set fire to it. Water from a waterfall nearby dampened the flames, so that the cave was filled with smoke, asphyxiating the 395 people inside.[65][66] Human remains inside the cave have been reported many times over the centuries.[note 7] Most of the remains were removed from the cave and reburied by 1854[67][68] although occasionally further sets of human bones are exposed.[note 8]
However, serious doubts remain about the veracity of the tale. MacPherson wrote of it that "it is curious to find how difficult it is to determine its date or to decide with certainty on whom the odium of this deed should lie."[61][note 9] The difficulties include that both Alasdair Crotach and his son Uilleam died long before 1577 and that similar stories are related about bothColl andArdnamurchan. Furthermore,Privy Council papers from 1588 describe massacres on all the Small Isles perpetuated byLachlan MacLean of Duart and 100 Spanish soldiers from the crew of anArmada vessel that sank offTobermory.[72][67][note 10] The idea that two such massacres occurred on Eigg within eleven years has thus been questioned.[70][75][note 11]
Clan Ranald took part in theJacobite rising of 1689 againstWilliam II.[76] The following year a boat had gone from Eigg toArmadale on Skye and found that theRoyal Navy ship theDartmouth was anchored there. A brawl broke out and one of the Cameronian soldiers was killed. The captain ordered theDartmouth to Eigg and pillaged the island. The soldiers also took an island girl on board and returned her the next day with her hair shorn.[77][note 12]
The men of Eigg also rose and fought in both theJacobite risingsof 1715 and1745. After the failure of the rebellion a navy vessel arrived on the island seeking one of the Clanranald officers, John MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart. After his discovery on the island all 38 surviving islanders who had served in the '45 were arrested by Captain John Ferguson.[80][81] They were held on boardH.M.S. Furnace[80] and remained there when it became aprison hulk anchored in theRiver Thames offGravesend, Kent. Although many died aboard theFurnace from torture, disease, or starvation, the remaining 16 were eventuallytransported to theColony of Barbados and theColony of Jamaica, to work asslave laborers onsugar caneplantations.[82][83][note 13]
The 18th century introduction of thepotato to Eigg lead to increased yields compared to cereal growing[86] and by the end of the century the population had expanded to about 500[87] The outbreak of thePeninsular War created a potential new route to wealth, by limiting foreign supplies of valuable minerals.Kelp could be harvested to producesoda ash and rapidly increased in price.[88] In 1817, the estate factors reduced the size of each tenancy (for example, Cleadale was re-arranged into 28 plots), to stop their tenants from becoming self-sufficient and forcing them to also harvest kelp in order to break even. However, soon after the creation of these smaller tenancies (crofts), foreign mineral supplies were re-introduced, as the Napoleonic Wars had ended. The kelp price crashed and the crofters struggled to avoid destitution.
Some families voluntarily emigrated toAntigonish County,Nova Scotia to escape both rising rents and crushing poverty. They settled on a high plateau near the coast of theNorthumberland Strait, which they namedEigg Mountain.[89] Meanwhile, like many otherAnglo-Scottish landlords during theHighland Clearances,Ranald George Macdonald, 19thChief ofClanranald issued orders to evict the whole village of Cleadale, and use the land forsheep; both to cover his debts and to continue funding his extremely extravagant spending.
Raonuill Dubh's son Aonghas Lathair MacDhòmhnaill took over the tack of Eigg and gained local infamy by beginning evictions fromCleadale. When severe hardships fell upon Aonghas Lathair and his family, which resulted in the tacksman dying by suicide, the old people of Eigg blamed the family's misfortune on the curse that was said to have been put on them by the women whom he had evicted from Cleadale.[90] In 1827 Macdonald found someone willing to purchase Eigg, and cancelled further evictions. After 440 years Clan Ranald rule of Eigg had come to an end.[91]
The purchaser and new owner of Eigg was Dr. Hugh MacPherson, a Sub-Principal atKing's College, Aberdeen. He was not wealthy and had 12 children but was well-connected.[91] The Scottishgeologist and writer Hugh Miller visited the island in the 1840s and wrote a long and detailed account of his explorations in his bookThe Cruise of the Betsey published in 1858. Miller was a self-taughtgeologist and the book contains detailed observations of the geology of the island, including An Sgùrr and the singing sands.
The financial woes of the islanders were compounded by theHighland Potato Famine. Furthermore, Dr. MacPherson decided toevict his tenants en masse and replace them with herds of sheep.[92] In 1853, the whole village of Gruilin was cleared and all but three families emigrated to Nova Scotia.[92] One woman who was left behind never recovered from the evictions and threw herself into the sea off the cliffs.[92] Three more villages were similarly cleared shortly thereafter.[93]
The MacPhersons sold Eigg to Robert Thompson, a wealthy shipbuilder, in 1893. He died in 1913 and is buried on Eilean Chathastail.[37] After being sold by Thompson's family in 1917, the island passed through various hands, including the cabinet minister,Walter Runciman, until being purchased byKeith Schellenberg in 1975.[37] Unlike his predecessors, who had sought to use the resources of the island for their own power, profit, or leisure, Schellenberg had conservationist motives; he wished to restore its listed buildings, and preserve the natural environment.[94]
One of the men from Eigg who joined the Clanranald forces in theJacobite rising of 1715 was Iain Dubh Mac Iain 'ic Ailein, thetacksman at Grulin. He was a well-known poet whose works includeTrod nam Ban Eiggach that satirises the sharp-tongued women of the island andBruadar mo Chor na Rioghachd ("A Dream about the State of the Nation"). The latter is a pro-JacobiteAisling, ordream vision poem, in which he hopes to seeQueen Anne ripped apart bydeerhounds.[95]
After the death of his father Raonuill Dubh MacDhòmhnuill, the eldest son ofAlasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair, moved fromArisaig to become Clanranaldtacksman ofLaig. While serving as tacksman Raonuill Dubh collected and published the poetry anthology calledComh-chruinneachidh Orannaigh Gaidhealach, orThe Eigg Collection, inEdinburgh in 1776.[96] He is believed to have drawn heavily uponoral poetry collected by his father and also upon a similar poetry collection made by Dr. Hector Maclean of Grulin.[97] The latter manuscript contains an additional 104 pages of material, including fourteen ofTiree-bornCanadian Gaelic bardIain mac Ailein's poems in his own hand, and is now preserved in theNova Scotia Archives.[98]
Allan MacDonald collected numerous Catholichymns and works oforal poetry by Donald MacLeod, aseanchaidh from Eigg resident inOban. MacDonald supplemented these with several of his own compositions and translations and anonymously published a Gaelic hymnal in 1893.[99][100]
Donald MacQuarrie was a resident of Grulin who became a pupil ofpiper Raghnall Mac Ailein Òig of Morar during the latter's visits to Eigg in the late 17th century. He developed quickly and received further support from theMacCrimmon piping family on Skye, becoming known asam Piobair Mór - "the great piper".[101]
War poet andSeanchaidh Hugh MacKinnon (1894-1972), a veteran of theFirst World War, composed a Gaelic lament for the fallen soldiers of the island,Ò, tha mi 'n-duigh trom fo lionn-dubh, ("I am today sad and mournful"), which is still read aloud at the Eigg War Memorial every November 11.[102][103]
Allan, 9th chief of Clanranald, commenced the rebuilding of the Kildonnan Chapel on the site of Donnan's 7th century monastery in honour of his father, John Moidartach's, vow to build seven new churches on his lands. However it was likely never completed as it was found as an unroofed ruin by Fr. Cornelius Ward in 1625.[40][104]
Ward, aFranciscanfriar, had been sent by theCatholic Church in Ireland in order toproselytise the population of Scotland's west coast. His "chatty mission report" indicates that he converted 198 individuals and baptised 16 during his 8-day visit. (The only family not to convert were relatives of the Protestant minister of Sleat, Neil MacKinnon.)[70][104] Infuriated by Ward's success, MacKinnon set off for Eigg in the company of some soldiers with the intention of arresting Ward but the islanders threatened him sufficiently forcefully to secure his withdrawal. The Clanranald bailie later persuaded him to turn a blind eye, in return for the island'stithes.[104][105]
The friar was unable to reconsecrate the Chapel and it came to only be used for burials. One grave had a carved cover popularly re-interpreted as a medievalsheela na gig.[106][107]Martin Martin recorded a ritual in 1703 that suggests that visiting priests were at pains to integrate traditional beliefs into their formal doctrines.[108]
"There is a well, called St. Katherine’s Well; the natives have it in great esteem, and believe it to be a catholicon for diseases. They told me that it had been such ever since it was consecrated by one Father Hugh, a Popish priest, in the following manner: he obliged all the inhabitants to come to this well, and then employed them to bring together a great heap of stones at the head of the spring, by way of penance. This being done, he said mass at the well, and then consecrated it; he gave each of the inhabitants a piece of wax candle, which they lighted, and all of them made the dessil, of going round the well sunways, the priest leading them: and from that time it was accounted unlawful to boil any meat with the water of this well."[23]
To evade thereligious persecution the British government imposed upon theCatholic Church in Scotland and which contributed to theJacobite risings, the laity secretly and illegally attendedmass at amass stone inside a large high-roofed coastal cave, which can only be accessed duringlow tide, now known as Cathedral Cave. Later, Catholic worship moved into "the lower floor of an old farmhouse" which remained the island's Mass house until 1910.[109][110][111] In that year, St Donan of Eigg Roman Catholic Church was built in Cleadale by theDiocese of Argyll and the Isles and continues to be served by visiting priests fromMorar.[112]
TheReformation made slow headway in theGàidhealtachd of Scotland due to the lack of Gaelic-speaking ministers. Eigg became part of the parish ofSleat in 1624 but there were no converts at that time.[104] The Small Isles became aChurch of Scotland parish in their own right in 1740. The first minister was Donald McQueen, who rarely ventured to Eigg as the only significantProtestant populations were on Muck and Rum. Malcolm Macaskill, known asMaighstir Calum, who became the incumbent in 1757 had the benefit ofglebe land at Kildonnan to farm and he leased more land at Sandaveg and Sandavore.[113] The glebe was later moved to Sandaveg and was the largest in Scotland at the time. The SkyePresbytery gave up a plan to rebuild the church at Kildonnan in favour of building a two-storeymanse for him. This was not completed until 1790 and the first occupant was the new minister, Donald MacLean.[113] MacLean developed a reputation for heavy drinking and was eventually deposed by theGeneral Assembly.[114]
TheNew Statistical Account of 1831 was penned by Revd. Neil Maclean, who noted that the parish had no road or church, no post or other regular means of communicating with the mainland and only one inn – at Galmisdale on Eigg.[115] John Swanson became minister in 1838 and five years after his arrival he left the kirk and joined theFree Church of Scotland during theDisruption of 1843.[114] Prior to his arrival relationships between the Catholic and Protestant populations of Eigg had been good and marriages between the two were common. However, Swanson’s zealous fight against “Popery” led to increasing sectarianism. Swanson built a new school where lessons were taught in Gaelic, leading to a significant increase in literacy. He also introduced Gaelic bibles to the island, the teachings of which (now being accessible to ordinary citizens) led to growing anti-landlord feelings amongst the oppressed tenants.[116] Having left the established church Swanson also had to leave the manse. All but three of his congregation of 200 followed him into the Free Church but he was denied the landlord’s permission to build himself a house. Instead, he bought a small sailboat – theBetsey, later used by Hugh Miller - and “turned it into a floating manse”.[117]
In the early 1990s, a fire at Schellenberg's home on the island destroyed a 1920sRolls-Royce; Police suspected the fire was due toarson.[94] Some locals claimed that since the late 1980s, he had neglected homes, closed the community hall, and restricted leases.[94] While admitting that he had closed the community hall (but only in the evenings), and had refused to continue one particular lease, he told the press that "drunken hippies and drop-outs" were unfairly branding him a despot.[94] In 1994, now in his 60s, Schellenberg concluded that trying to conserve the island was not worth facing violent intimidation for,[94] and in the following year sold it to Gotthilf Christian Eckhard Österle from Germany who styled himself "Professor Marlin Eckhard-Maruma" or simply "Maruma" and who claimed to an artist;[118] Schellenberg retained ownership of the 18th century Manse.
Nevertheless, by then a community trust had been formed by theHighland Council, theScottish Wildlife Trust, and a number of residents – particularly those newly moved to the island – with a view to buying Eigg from the laird. In 1997, this Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust persuaded Eckhard to sell, and bought it from him.[119] The ceremony to mark the handover took place a few weeks after the1997 General Election and was attended by theScottish Office Minister,Brian Wilson, a long-standing advocate of land reform; he used the occasion to announce the formation of a Community Land Unit withinHighlands and Islands Enterprise to support further land buy-outs in the region.
Between then and the2011 census, the ordinarily resident population expanded from 65 to 83; this increase of 24 percent (six times greater than for theScottish islands as a whole[note 14])[120] was principally formed by young people who moved to Eigg to set up in business, as well as a handful of former residents returning to the island. However, by 2003, the residents' representatives on the trust's board were entirely people who had moved to the island since the trust took over.[121]
A few longstanding residents complained that the trust focused on the new residents, while ignoring the concerns of the families who had lived on the island for generations; for example, they complained that new mains power connections, and housing provision, was given to the families of trust members, not indigenous islanders.[121] One islander from an old Eigg family declared that the trust "is not a democracy ... it is the mafia".[121] More recently, more positive articles have been published, showing a different picture of the island.[122]
Eigg was featured on the American television program60 Minutes in November 2017[123] and an extended feature on its companion web site60 Minutes Overtime in July 2018.[124]
In its 2019 coverage of the island, National Geographic provided this summary of the ownership and current situation:[8]
"after years of neglect by the previous laird, or estate owner, the people gained ownership themselves in 1997. Now, visitors to the nicknamed “People’s Republic of Eigg” contend with nothing more dangerous than negotiating walking territory with sheep or engaging in cheeky yet informative banter with Charlie Galli, the sole taxi driver and self-proclaimed 'Eigg Gazette'" ... there is a single main road ... and a single stoplight ... to alert everyone when electricity is running low ... humble attractions like the tiny post-office-turned-museum detailing island history; a wee, closet-size shed boasting handcrafted curiosities for sale by the honor system; herds of distrustful sheep; and pit stops such as “Rest and Be Thankful,” a patio tea garden open only when the sun shines.
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Tourism is important to the local economy, especially in the summer months, and the first major project of the Heritage Trust was An Laimhrig, a new building near the jetty to house the island's shop andpost office, Galmisadale Bay restaurant and bar, a craft shop, and toilet and shower facilities, which are open 24 hours a day.[125] A'Nead Hand Knitwear is a new island business making garments such as cobweb shawls and scarves.[126]
Conde Nast Traveller particularly recommends that visitors explore the Singing Sands beach, "dark Cathedral and Massacre caves, the abandoned village of Grulin or the island’s most distinctive sight, the near vertically-sided volcanic plug of An Sgùrr".[7]
There are two ferry routes to the island. There is a sheltered anchorage for boats atGalmisdale in the south of the island. In 2004 the old jetty there was extended to allow aroll-on roll-offferry todock. TheCaledonian MacBrayne ferryMV Lochnevis sails a circular route around the four "Small Isles"—Eigg,Canna,Rùm andMuck from the fishing port ofMallaig. Arisaig Marine also runs a passenger ferry called the MVSheerwater from April until late September fromArisaig on the mainland.[127]
Around 2014 abeerbrewery calledLaig Bay Brewing was set up on the island.[128][129]
In November 2017, a crew from the American television news magazine60 Minutes visited Eigg. Its report stated that there was "one grocery shop, one primary school for five students and one pub at the tea room down by the wharf. The island's tiny electrical grid powers it all ... a combination of wind, hydroelectric and solar".[130]
The Heritage Trust provisioned amains electricity grid, powered from near100% renewable energy sources.[131] Previously, the island was not served by mains electricity and individualcrofthouses hadwind,hydro or diesel generators and the aim of the project is to develop an electricity supply that is environmentally and economically sustainable.
The new system incorporates a 9.9 kWp PV system, three hydro generation systems (totalling 112 kW) and a 24 kW wind farm supported by stand-bydiesel generation,ultra-capacitors,[132]flywheels and batteries to guarantee continuous availability of power. A load management system has been installed to provide optimal use of the renewables. This combination of solar, wind and hydro power should provide a network that is self-sufficient and powered 98 percent from renewable sources. On 1 February 2008 the system was switched on.[133]
Eigg Electric generates a finite amount of energy and so Eigg residents agreed from the outset to cap electricity use at 5 kW at any one time for households, and 10 kW for businesses. If renewable resources are low, for example when there is less rain or wind, a "traffic light" system asks residents to keep their usage to a minimum. The traffic light reduces demand by up to 20 percent and ensures that there's always enough energy for everyone.[134]
The Heritage Trust has formed a company, Eigg Electric Ltd, to operate the new £1.6 million network, which has been part funded by theNational Lottery and theHighlands and Islands Community Energy Company.[135][136]
In September 2008, Eigg began a year-long series of projects as part of their success as one of ten finalists inNESTA's Big Green Challenge. While the challenge finished in September 2009, the work to make the island "green" is continuing withsolar water panels, alternative fuels, mass domestic insulation, transport and local food all being tackled.[137] In May 2009, the island hosted the "Giant's Footstep Family Festival", which included talks, workshops, music, theatre and advice about what individuals and communities can do to tackle climate change.[138]
In January 2010, Eigg was announced as one of three joint winners in NESTA's Big Green Challenge, winning a prize of £300,000. Eigg also won the prestigious Ashden UK Gold Award in July 2010.[139]
 Eilean Chathastail lighthouse viewed from the Mallaig-Eigg ferry. | |
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| Location | Eilean Chathastail,Highland, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 56°52′15″N6°07′17″W / 56.87091°N 6.12139°W /56.87091; -6.12139 |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1906 |
| Designed by | David Alan Stevenson,Charles Alexander Stevenson |
| Construction | metal (tower) |
| Height | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Shape | cylinder |
| Markings | white |
| Power source | solar power |
| Operator | Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust |
| Light | |
| Focal height | 24 m (79 ft) |
| Range | 8 nmi (15 km; 9.2 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 6s |
Eigg lighthouse is an activelighthouse located on the south-eastern corner of the islet ofEilean Chathastail, one of the smallerSmall Isles about 110 metres (360 ft) off Eigg.[140] The lighthouse was built in 1906 to a design byDavid A. andCharles Alexander Stevenson; it is a cylindrical metal tower only 8 metres (26 ft) high with gallery and lantern painted white. It is a minor light among those owned byNorthern Lighthouse Board but day-to-day management rests with the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust. The light emits awhite flash every 6 seconds.
An average of 130 species of birds are recorded annually. The island has breeding populations of various raptors:golden eagle,buzzard,peregrine falcon,kestrel,hen harrier andshort andlong-eared owl.Great northern diver andjack snipe are winter visitors, and in summercuckoo,whinchat,common whitethroat andtwite breed on the island.[141][142]
56°54′N6°10′W / 56.900°N 6.167°W /56.900; -6.167
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Wood, James, ed. (1907). "Eigg".The Nuttall Encyclopædia. London and New York: Frederick Warne.Inhabited islands of theHebrides | ||
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