Gaelic name Theiliseigh Area rank 127= Area 142 ha Lieutenancy area Outer Hebrides | OS grid reference NF756040 Sovereign state United Kingdom Council area Outer Hebrides | |
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Meaning of name Old Norse: island of the caves Highest elevation Meall Meadhonach 79 metres (259 ft) Island groups British Isles, Outer Hebrides | ||
Hellisay (Gaelic: Theiliseigh) is an island in the southern Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The narrow Sound of Gighay lies between Hellisay and its neighbouring island.
Contents
Map of Hellisay, United Kingdom
Geography and geologyEdit
Hellisay lies between Barra and Eriskay. One of a string of islands in the Sound of Barra, Hellisay lies close to its neighbour Gighay, with a narrow channel, the Sound of Gighay, between.
The bedrock is mainly gneiss with quartz veins.
There are several peaks on the island including Beinn a' Chàrnain in the west (mountain of the small cairn; 73 metres (240 ft)), Meall Meadhonach (middle rounded hill; 79 metres (259 ft)) and Meall Mòr (east of Meall Meadhonach and south of the peninsula of Càrais; 76 metres (249 ft)).
WildlifeEdit
Along with a variety of seabirds, raptors including falcons and golden eagles have been seen on Hellisay. The island has a profusion of sea thrift and the Sound of Gighay has been described as a "quiet secret place of wild irises and marshmallows".
HistoryEdit
The island's name is Old Norse in origin. It possibly means "island of the caves", which appears to be confirmed by the name Rubha na h-Uamh (headland of the cave) in the east of the island. However, Blaeu's map has "Hildesay", which suggests that the name may derive from the Norse for "Hilda's Island".
The island's settlement was at Buaile Mhòr (anglicised to Bualavore and meaning "the big fold") near Eilean a' Ghamhna in the north west of the island. The remains of a sheep pen and a well can still be seen.
Like so many other islands in the region, Hellisay was badly affected by the Highland Clearances. Firstly, refugees from clearances in neighbouring islands swelled the population, and latterly the island's inhabitants themselves were evicted, and many went to live on Eriskay. The population peaked at 108 in 1841, and the island was cleared in the 1840s - however it continued to have some inhabitants up until 1890.
Alasdair Alpin MacGregor's stories reveal a rich folklore and mythology extant on the island, possibly only a fraction of which has been preserved.