Point, Outer Hebrides
Encyclopedia
Point also known as the Eye Peninsula, is a peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....

 in the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...

, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, connected to the rest of the Isle of Lewis by a narrow isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...

, one mile in length and barely 100 metres wide. Point, situated very close to regional capital Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...

, is home to around 2,600 people and is one of the few districts of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...

 of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 where the population is actually increasing. The school population of Point is decreasing as much as the rest of Scotland, indeed two of the three schools are due to close in the next decade. These patterns show signs of an increasingly elderly population.

There are two historical sites of interest at the eastern end of the isthmus (Am Bràighe as it is known in Gaelic). The ruins of the Eye Church are all that remain of a building dedicated to St. Columba. It is among the largest pre-Reformation Churches in the Western Isles. Although the present buildings are probably medieval, the Church is reputedly on the site of the cell of St. Catan, a contemporary of St. Columba. This is the burial ground of nineteen of the Chiefs of the MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...

s of Lewis. There are two old carved commemorative slabs on the walls of the larger building: one depicts a warrior and is believed to be Roderick, 7th Chief; while the other is for Margaret, daughter of Roderick MacLeod of Lewis, who died in 1503.

In recent years, the land reform struggle of the nineteenth century in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland is being recognised and the Aignish
Aignish
Aignish is located northwest of Knock and east of Stornoway on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis. The township is at the island side of the isthmus connecting to the Eye peninsula....

 Riots of 1888 are commemorated by a memorial adjacent to the Eye Church
Aignish
Aignish is located northwest of Knock and east of Stornoway on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis. The township is at the island side of the isthmus connecting to the Eye peninsula....

.

Major villages in Point include Portvoller
Portvoller
Portvoller is a small village on the north tip of the Eye Peninsula , on the Isle of Lewis in northwestern Scotland...

, Portnaguran
Portnaguran
Portnaguran in Point, Isle of Lewis is the township at the north-easternmost point of the peninsula. It lies one mile southwest of Tiumpan Head and just south of the headland called Geòdha 'ic Sheòrais or sometimes Small Head amongst locals.There is a small pier in the harbour, and the...

, Aird, Bayble
Bayble
Bayble is a large village in Point , on the Isle of Lewis, 6 miles east of the town of Stornoway.There are around 400 people living in Bayble. It is separated into Upper and Lower Bayble by a burn at the bottom of the valley. Upper Bayble had a community shop, Murdo's, which has now closed after...

, Garrabost
Garrabost
Garrabost is a village in the Point peninsula isthmus on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis. The village is one of the largest in Point, comprising Upper and Lower Garrabost, and Claypark....

, Swordale and Knock
Knock, Isle of Lewis
Knock, from the Gaelic, An Cnoc , is an area of the Point peninsula on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Point is connected by road across a narrow isthmus to Stornoway, the main administrative centre of the Western Isles...

.

Famous people from Point

  • Iain Crichton Smith
    Iain Crichton Smith
    Iain Crichton Smith was a Scottish man of letters, writing in both English and Scottish Gaelic, and a prolific author in both languages...

    : Poet and Author from Bayble
  • Stuart Braithwaite
    Stuart Braithwaite
    Stuart Leslie Braithwaite is a Scottish guitarist, bassist, drummer, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the guitarist of post rock band Mogwai, with whom he has recorded seven studio albums.-Early life :...

    : Lead singer of the band Mogwai
    Mogwai
    The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...

    , mother is from Flesherin
    Flesherin
    Flesherin is a small village on the Point peninsula of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Located near Portnaguran, the village has a population of around 100, and is home to the famous accordianists Tommy Darky and John 'Tonkan' Macdonald...

    .
  • Calum MacDonald: Retired MP for the Western Isles
  • Anne MacKenzie: Journalist from Point
  • Rhoda Macdonald: Journalist and TV presenter from Point
  • Ronnie McKinnon
    Ronnie McKinnon
    Ronald "Ronnie" MacKinnon is a former Scottish professional footballer who played for Rangers and the Scotland national team.MacKinnon, a defender, made his Rangers debut against Hearts on 8 March 1961 in a 3-0 win at Ibrox...

    : Rangers FC football player, Capped for Scotland 28 times, Lives in Flesherin
    Flesherin
    Flesherin is a small village on the Point peninsula of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Located near Portnaguran, the village has a population of around 100, and is home to the famous accordianists Tommy Darky and John 'Tonkan' Macdonald...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK