: redirects here. Historically, "Western Isles" more commonly referred to the whole
Hebrides archipelago. This usage can still be heard in Scottish speech occasionally''
The or '''Western Isles''' (
Officially known by the
Gaelic name, '''''Na h-Eileanan Siar''''') comprise an island chain off the west coast of
Scotland . They form part of the
Hebrides , separated from the Scottish mainland and from the
Inner Hebrides by the stormy stretch of water known as the
Minch and the
Little Minch . Most communities in the Outer Hebrides use the Scottish Gaelic language. The name for the UK Parliament constituency covering this area is
Na H-Eileanan An Iar , whilst the Scottish Parliament constituency for the area continues to be known as
Western Isles . The islands were known as ''Súðreyjar'' ("Southern Islands"; cf.
''Súðrland'' ) under
Norwegian rule for about 200 years until sovereignty was transferred to Scotland in the
Treaty Of Perth in 1266, which followed the
Battle Of Largs three years earlier. Colloquially they are sometimes referred to collectively as ''An t-Eilean Fada'' or "The Long Island"; ''Na h-Eileanan a-Muigh'' (the Outer Isles) is also heard occasionally in Scottish Gaelic.
The Western Isles have been a
Unitary Council area since 1975. In most of the rest of
Scotland , however, similar unitary councils were not established until 1996. Since then the islands have formed one of the
32 Unitary Council Areas which now cover the whole of Scotland. The Western Isles council is officially known by its Gaelic name
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar , known locally simply as 'a Chomhairle', having changed its name under the
Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 . The council has its base in
Stornoway on
Lewis .
Lewis is in the north of the island group and forms part of the
County of
Ross-shire . The rest of the group, including
Harris , is part of
Inverness-shire . Between 1890 and 1975 administration was split, by the Lewis-Harris boundary, between the
County Council s of
Ross And Cromarty (which covered Ross-shire and
Cromartyshire ) and Inverness-shire.
The Western Isles (particularly Harris) have been described as the last bastion of fundamentalist are known to be predominantly
Roman Catholic .
The main islands form an and
Harris ,
North Uist ,
Benbecula ,
South Uist and
Barra . South of Barra lie the
Barra Isles , including
Mingulay and
Vatersay .
A large number of small islands surround the main islands. They include:
- Baleshare , Berneray , Boreray
- Calvay , Campay
- Eilean Chaluim Chille , Eilean Iubhard , Eilean Kearstay , Eileanan Iasgaich , Ensay
- Fiaray , Floday , Flodday , Floddaybeg , Floddaymore , Fuday , Fuiay
- Great Bernera , Gighay , Gilsay , Grimsay , Groay
- Hellisay , Hermetray
- Killegray , Kirkibost
- Lingay , Little Bernera
- Mealasta
- Opsay , Oronsay , Orosay
- Pabbay Near Harris , Pabbay Mor
- Ronay
- Scalpay , Scaravay , Scarp , Scotasay , Shillay , Soay Beag , Soay Mor , Stromay , Stuley , Sursay
- Tahay , Taransay
- Vacsay , Vallay , Vuia Beg , Vuia Mor
- Wiay
The Outer and Inner Hebrides came under Norse control and settlement before the
9th Century AD . The Norse control of the Hebrides was formalized in
1098 when
Edgar Of Scotland formally signed the islands over to
Magnus III Of Norway . The Scottish acceptance of Magnus III as King of the Isles came after the Norwegian king had conquered the Orkney Islands, the Hebrides and the Isle of Man in a swift campaign earlier the same year, directed against the local Norwegian leaders of the various islands. By capturing the islands Magnus III subdued the Norsemen who had seized the islands centuries earlier and imposed a more direct royal control.
The Norwegian control of both the Inner and Outer Hebrides would see almost constant warfare until being ultimately resolved by the partitioning of the Western Isles in
1156 . The Outer Hebrides would remain under the
Kingdom Of Mann And The Isles while the Inner Hebrides broke out under
Somerled , the Norse-Celtic kinsman of both
Lulach and the Manx royal house. Although the Inner Hebrides, from 1156 known as the Kingdom of the Hebrides, was still nominally was under the sovereignty of Norway, the leaders were Scottish in language and culture rather than Norse.
After his victory of 1156, Somerled went on two years later to seize control over the Isle of Man itself, and become the last King of the Isle of Man and the Isles to rule over all the islands the kingdom had once included. After Somerled's death in
1164 the rulers of Mann would only be in control of the Outer Hebrides.
As a result of the
1266 Treaty Of Perth the Outer Hebrides, along with the Isle of Man, were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland.
Small islands and island groups pepper the
North Atlantic surrounding the main island group:
To the west lie the
Monach Islands ,
Flannan Isles ,
St Kilda and
Rockall , in increasing order of distance. The status of Rockall as part of the
United Kingdom remains disputed.
To the east lie the
Shiant Islands , located in the Minch.
To the north lie
North Rona and
Sula Sgeir , two small and remote islands. Not often included as part of the Outer Hebrides, they nevertheless come under the administration of the Western Isles district.
Scheduled
Ferry services between the Outer Hebrides and the Scottish Mainland and Inner Hebrides operate on the following routes:
Other ferries operate between some of the islands.
- Ross, David (2005) ''Scotland - History of a Nation''
Many websites of the Outer Hebrides derive content from the original, late-lamented, Eolas
Virtual Hebrides , website. This was once the largest rural website in the world.
Eolas went bankrupt in 2000 and the Eolas TV company became
MacTV . The web design team became
Reefnet and the content has largely found a home on
GlobalGuide.Org .
