The Isle of Skye

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The Isle of Skye, commonly known as Skye, is the largest & most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. In Scottish Gaelic it is commonly referred to as An t-Eilean Sgithanach (" The Winged Isle ").

In April 2007 it was reported in the media that the island's official name had been changed by the Highland Council to Eilean a'Cheò, a poetic name meaning "Isle of Mist". However, the Council clarified that this name referred only to one of its 22 wards in the election soon after this declaration, & that there were no plans to change signage or discontinue the English name.

Its English name came via Old Norse ( Skið = "sky", & similar meanings ), as an alteration of a Pictish original which is recorded in Roman sources as Scitis ( Ravenna Cosmography ) & Scetis ( on Ptolemy's map ). Some legends associate the isle with the mythic figure of Scáthach.

The population of Skye, at the 2001 census was 9,232. In contrast to many other Scottish islands this represents a 4% increase from the census of 1991. The resident population is augmented in the summer by large numbers of tourists & visitors. The main industries are tourism, agriculture, whisky-distilling, brewing & craftmaking. The main town & capital of the island is Portree, which is known for its picturesque harbour.

Skye is renowned for its spectacular scenery, vibrant culture & heritage, as well as its abundant wildlife including the Golden Eagle, Sea Eagle, Red Deer & the Otter.

Geography
At 1656 km² (639 mi²), Skye is the second largest island in Scotland after Lewis with Harris. The island has some of the most dramatic & challenging mountain terrain in Scotland, including the Cuillin, as well as a rich heritage of ancient monuments, castles, & memorials.

The coastline of Skye is a series of peninsulas, including Sleat in the south, Strathaird, Minginish & Duirinish, & Waternish in the west, & Trotternish to the north. Surrounding islands include Rona, Raasay, Scalpay & Soay.

History
Skye has sites showing occupation by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, such as the site at An Corran in Staffin which appears to have been in contact with occupants of the rock shelter at Sand, Applecross on the coast of Wester Ross.

Skye Holiday Cottages

Skye suffered famine & clearances over the latter part of the 18th century, leading to its badly depleted population of less than ten thousand at the 1991 Census.

Government & politics
In terms of local government, Skye forms part of the Highland Council area (Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd) based in Inverness. From 1975 to 1996, Skye along with the neighbouring mainland area of Lochalsh constituted a local government district within the Highland administrative area. However in 1996 it was included into the Highland unitary authority. Given the vastness of the council area, Skye & Lochalsh comprises one of its area committees which consists of six out of eighty Highland Council wards. Each ward elects one councillor to represent it & the purpose of area committees are to oversee the delivery of key local authority services within that specific area.

Skye is in the Highlands electoral region & comprises a part of the Ross Skye & Inverness West Scottish Parliament constituency which elects one member under the first past the post basis to represent it. Currently this is John Farquhar Munro for the Liberal Democrats. In addition, Skye forms part of the wider Ross Skye & Lochaber UK Parliament constituency, which elects one member to the House of Commons. The present Member of Parliament is Charles Kennedy MP for the Liberal Democrats, who is a former leader of the party & has represented the area since 1983.

Culture
Skye has much in common with the Outer Hebrides, with half the population speaking Gaelic, & many belonging to the Free Church of Scotland, known for its strict observance of the Sabbath.

Shinty is a highly popular sport, although football is widely played as well. Portree based Skye Camanachd won the Camanachd Cup in 1990.

The Talisker Distillery, which produces a single malt whisky, is beside Loch Harport on the west coast of the island.

Dunvegan Castle has been the seat of Clan MacLeod since the thirteenth century.

The Isle of Skye has been immortalised in the traditional song The Skye Boat Song & in the book To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf.

Skye has a strong folk music tradition, although in recent years dance & rock music have been growing in popularity on the island. Gaelic Rock Band Runrig started in Skye & former singer Donnie Munro still works on the island. The Isle of Skye Music Festival has been growing in recent years & this year featured sets from The Fun Loving Criminals & Sparks. Mylo was born in Skye & frequently returns there to play sets.

Sorley MacLean lived much of his life on Skye.

One time we were driving towards Skye, and on the mainland, just outside Kyle, and above the clouds a large mountain stop was in the sky looking like it was above Kyle, it was as it is so high it looked that near, so in that case it was really the Isle of Skye.

Transport
Skye is linked to the mainland by the Skye Bridge, while ferries sail from Armadale on the island to Mallaig, & from Kylerhea to Glenelg. Ferries also run from Uig to Tarbert on Harris & Lochmaddy on North Uist, & from Sconser to Raasay. Ferries to & from Armadale are sometimes synchronised with train arrivals & departures at Mallaig.

The Skye Bridge, linking Skye with the mainland of Scotland, opened in 1995 under a private finance initiative. The high tolls charged (£5.70 each way for summer visitors) met with widespread opposition, spearheaded by the pressure group SKAT (Skye & Kyle Against Tolls). On 21 December 2004 it was announced that the Scottish Executive had purchased the bridge from its owners & the tolls were immediately removed.

Bus services run to Inverness & Glasgow, & there are infrequent local services on the island, mainly starting from Portree or Broadford. Train services run from Kyle of Lochalsh at the mainland end of the Skye Bridge to Inverness. There is also a small aerodrome at the south of the island, which is used exclusively by private aircraft.

The A87 trunk road traverses the island from the Skye Bridge to Uig, linking most of the major settlements. Many of the island's roads have been widened in the past 40 years, but there are still substantial sections of single track road.

Castles on the Isle of Skye include:

Armadale Castle
Dunscaith Castle
Duntulm Castle
Knock Castle
Caisteal Maol
Dunvegan Castle

Portree is the largest settlement, & main service centre on the island, with a population of 2,491 (2001 census). Sconser & Broadford lying on the east side of the island. Smaller settlements include:

Aird of Sleat
Armadale
Carbost
Duntulm
Dunvegan
Edinbane
Elgol
Isleornsay
Millovaig
Kyleakin
Staffin
Torrin
Uig
Ullinish

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