Uist and Barra « The Western Isles “As for the emigrants, even now and knowing the hardships and tragedies to which they were exposed, it is not possible to judge where advantage may have lain between an island where one family could lose ten of eleven children in childhood, or in risking all and paying the price”. (Angus MacMillan) The Uists are the central group of islands in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Over several centuries, the Uists and especially Benbecula, have been the centre of the alginate industry which harvested seaweed. The Uists have produced many gifted musicians and bards but perhaps pride of place can go to Domhnall Ruadh Choruna of North Uist if only for his most poignant of songs, ‘An Eala Bhan’, written while he lay wounded fearing for his life at the Battle of the Somme: A Mhagaidh na bi tùrsach, a rùin, ged gheibhinn bàs Cò am fear am measg an t-sluaigh a mhaireas buan gu bràth? MacDonalds of Uist Barra
Official Caledonian MacBrayne Hebridean & Clyde Ferries site South Uist South Uist (Scottish Gaelic: Uibhist a Deas) is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2011 census it had a usually resident population of 1,754, a fall of 64 since 2001.[8] There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The population is about 90% Roman Catholic. Geography and geology[edit] South Uist has a bedrock of Lewisian Gneiss,[9][10] high grade regional metamorphism dating back to 2900 million years ago in the Archaean. Etymology[edit] Mac an Tàilleir (2003) suggests the derivation of Uist may be "corn island".[12] However, whilst noting that the vist ending would have been familiar to speakers of Old Norse as meaning "dwelling" Gammeltoft (2007) states the word is "of non- Gaelic origin" and that it reveals itself as a one of a number of "foreign place-names having undergone adaptation in Old Norse".[1] History[edit] Economy[edit] Missile testing[edit]
Kildonan Centre Cladh Hallan Mike Parker Pearson, Peter Marshall, Jacqui Mulville and Helen Smith South Uist's machair was densely populated in prehistory, from around 2000 BC until the end of the Viking period around AD 1300. The machair is a kilometre-wide strip of shell sand along the west coast of the islands which is today covered by grassland. It forms a flat plain in some places and hillocks or grassed-over dunes in others. It was formed in the Neolithic period, about 5000 years ago, when the earliest farming communities lived here. The whole character of the Uists changed at that time. Prehistoric life on the machair The west coast of South Uist looked very different in prehistory. Until a few years ago almost nothing was known about the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age in the Western Isles. Cladh Hallan - a prehistoric landscape Between 1989 and 2002 archaeologists had the opportunity to investigate two of these mounds, as they were being dug into for sand quarrying.
South Uist, Benbecula and Eriskay walks South Uist has two contrasting sides. Its eastern half rises in mountains which may be low by mainland standards but are as rugged and wild as any you'll find, they offer spectacular views over land and sea. To the west the fertile Machair - formed by sands blown onto the peat beneath - runs the whole length of the island and is fringed by an almost continuous beach. South Uist is linked to its neighbours, both north and south, by road causeways. Benbecula is a largely low-lying island, with vital employment provided by an army base, but there is much to explore here. Eriskay, made famous by 'Whisky Galore', is the perfect small island, with a rugged hill, beautiful coastline and fine sandy beach - a little bit of heaven.