Cara Island

Not to be confused with Càrna.
Cara Island
Gaelic name  Cara 
Meaning of name may be "Kari's island" or "dearest"
Location
Cara Island
Cara Island shown within Argyll and Bute
OS grid reference NR639440
Physical geography
Island group Islay
Area 66 hectares (0.25 sq mi)
Area rank 178= [1]
Highest elevation 56 metres (184 ft)
Administration
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country Scotland
Council area Argyll and Bute
Demographics
Population 0
References [2][3][4][5]

Cara Island (Scottish Gaelic: Cara, pronounced [kʰaɾə]) is a small island which is located off the west coast of Kintyre in Scotland.

Geography and etymology

Cara from the air

Cara is 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) south of Gigha. It is accessible from Gigha, if you can find a local boatman who will take you over. The best view from the mainland is from the beach opposite Beachmenach Farm, about halfway between Tayinloan and Muasdale.

Cara has a translation in Gaelic as "dearest" or "dear one". Cara is a popular girl's name in the local area and in Scotland in general.

History

Joan Blaeu's 1654 Atlas of Scotland, with Gigha and Cara in the centre. The map is oriented with west at the top.

In 1881 a commercial vessel, the Henrietta from Brixham, foundered and sank off the Cara Island coast. Her captain drowned after falling overboard during the incident; his body ultimately washed ashore on the distant Pentland Skerries. The remainder of the crew reached Cara Island unharmed.[6]

Cara is currently owned by MacDonald Lockhart of Kintyre and is reputed to be the only island still in the possession of a direct descendant of the Lords of the Isles. The only habitable building on the island is Cara House, but that is derelict[7]

The liner Aska was sunk on 22 September 1940 on rocks northwest of the island after being struck by German bombers.

Wildlife

Cara is well known for a herd of feral goats, which still thrive on the wild landscape.

Mythology

Mull of Cara, near Broonie's Chair

Cara is famous as the home of the Uruisg/broonie, the familiar spirit of the Macdonald of Largie family. A rock formation known as the Broonie's Chair is found at the extreme southern tip of the island. It is said that the Broonie may grant you a secret wish when you sit in his chair.

References

  1. ↑ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
  2. ↑ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
  3. ↑ Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
  4. ↑ Get-a-map (Map). Ordnance Survey.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893) Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint). ISBN 0-901824-25-9
  6. ↑ "Casualties". Western Daily Mercury. Plymouth, UK: Isaac Latimer and Son. 9 March 1881. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  7. ↑ "Cara House, Isle of Gigha". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
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Coordinates: 55°38′N 5°45′W / 55.633°N 5.750°W / 55.633; -5.750


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/27/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.