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Barra
Location
Barra
Barra shown within Scotland.
OS grid reference:	NF687004
Names
Gaelic name:	Barraigh, Eilean Bharraigh
Norse name:	Barr-oy
Meaning of name:	Barr's island, after St Barr
Area and Summit
Area:	5,875 ha
Area rank (Scottish islands):	20
Highest elevation:	Heaval 383 m
Population
Population (2001):	1,078
Population rank (inhabited Scottish islands):	13 out of 97
Main settlement:	Castlebay
Groupings
Island Group:	Uists and Barra
Local Authority:	Na h-Eileanan Siar
References:	[1][2][3]

The Isle of Barra or Barraigh/Eilean Bharraigh (in Scottish Gaelic) is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar) in Scotland.

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Media and the Arts 4 Transport Links 5 Gallery 6 References 7 External links

At the 2001 census the resident population was 1,078, and mostly Roman Catholic. The area of Barra is 35 square miles, the main village being Castlebay (Bàgh a' Chaisteil). Barra is now linked by a man-made causeway to the neighbouring island of Vatersay (Eilean Bhatarsaigh).

The west of the island has white sandy beaches backed by shell-sand machair and the east has numerous rocky inlets. Barra is abundant with stunning scenery, rare flowers and wildlife, which can be appreciated by coastal or hill walks, drives or cycle rides along the various small roads. Car and bicycle hire are available locally.

Kisimul Castle at Castlebay is located on an island in the bay, so giving the village its name.

Places of interest on the island include a ruined church and museum at Cille Bharra, a number of Iron Age brochs such as those at Dùn Chuidhir and An Dùn Bàn and a whole range of other Iron Age and later structures which have recently been excavated and recorded.

The Clan MacNeil has strong ties to the Isle of Barra and claims descent from the O'Neills of Ulster.^[4]

Alexander, Lord of the Isles granted the island to the MaNeill clan in 1427. The clan held the island until 1838, when Roderick MacNeil, the 40th Chief of the Clan, sold the island to Colonel Gordon of Cluny. Gordon expelled most of the inhabitants to the United States of America in order to make way for sheep. Barra was restored to MacNeill ownership in 1937 when the Barra estate, which encompassed most of the island, was bought by Robert MacNeil, an American architect, and 45th chief of the clan.^[5]

In 2003, the ownership of the Barra Estate was passed by the owner, Ian MacNeil, to the Scottish Government. The estate will be transferred to the inhabitants in the future if they request it. MacNeil, the 46th chief of the clan had previously transferred Kismuil Castle to Historic Scotland in 2000.^[6]

Every summer, Fèis Bharraigh brings the whole island together in a cultural festival. The Barra Fest will be held on the 27th and 28th July 2007.

The Dualchas Heritage and Cultural Centre is located in Castlebay.

The 1949 Ealing Studios comedy Whisky Galore! was filmed on Barra. The film is based on the novel Whisky Galore by Sir Compton Mackenzie, who lived near the airport and is buried at Cille Bharra .

The Channel 5 programme Extraordinary People: The Boy Who Lived Before, featured a young boy named Cameron, who lived in Glasgow and claims to have memories of a past life on the island.^[7]

The fictional Dad's Army character, Private James Frazer is said to have been born on Barra.^[8]

Barra's tiny airport, near Northbay, is unique in that the runway is a beach, An Tràigh Mhòr (English: The Big Beach). Planes can only land and take off at low tide meaning that the timetable varies. Barra's airport is the only airport in the world to have scheduled flights landing on a beach.^[9] The aircraft currently in operation on Barra is the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. The beach is also a source of cockles.

Castlebay is the main ferry port from which ferries sail to Oban on the Scottish mainland and Lochboisdale (Loch Baghasdail) in South Uist (Uibhist a Deas). A vehicular ferry also travels between Ceann a' Gharaidh in Eriskay (Èirisgeigh) and Ardmore (An Àird Mhòr) in Barra. The crossing takes around 40 minutes.

Apart from the ferries, boat trips to Mingulay are also available during the Summer season, and a small boat can take visitors to Kisimul Castle.

Castlebay, Barra	Traigh Eais	Sunset From Traigh Eais	Airport Sands
Bruernish	Barra Airport	Twin Otter Taking off From Barra Airport

1. ^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
2. ^ Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
3. ^ Ordnance Survey
4. ^ MacNeill of Barra History. ScotClans. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
5. ^ Barra Feature Page. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
6. ^ Ross, John. "A gift to Scotland - the isle of Barra", The Scotsman, 2003-09-06. Retrieved on 2007-11-04. 
7. ^ Extraordinary People
8. ^ Dad's Army fan site Retrieved 19 May 2007.
9. ^ Barra Airport Website

• Isle of Barra community website
• Barra Distillery
• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Barra
• Video of Plane landing on Tràigh Mhòr

v • d • e Islands of the Hebrides
Inner Hebrides	Ascrib Islands · Canna · Cara · Coll · Colonsay · Crowlin Islands · Eigg · Gigha · Iona · Isay · Islay · Jura · Kerrera · Lismore · Oronsay · Muck · Mull · Raasay · Rona · Rùm · Skye · Slate Islands · Soay · Staffa · Summer Isles · Tiree · Treshnish Isles · Ulva ·
Outer Hebrides	Barra (Isles) · Benbecula · Berneray · Eriskay · Flannan Isles · Great Bernera · Harris and Lewis · Monach Islands (Heisgeir)  · North Rona · North Uist · Rockall · Scalpay · Shiant Isles · South Uist · St Kilda

Coordinates: 56°59′N, 7°28′W