Killegray

Killegray is an island in the Sound of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.

Killegray
Scottish Gaelic nameCeileagraigh
Old Norse namekjallard-øy
Meaning of nameOld Norse: graveyard island
Location
Killegray
Killegray shown within the Outer Hebrides
OS grid referenceNF976836
Coordinates57.74°N 7.08°W / 57.74; -7.08
Physical geography
Island groupOuter Hebrides
Area176 ha (11⁄16 sq mi)
Area rank117 [1]
Highest elevation45 m (148 ft)
Administration
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryScotland
Council areaComhairle nan Eilean Siar
Demographics
Population0
References[2][3][4]

Geography
Killegray from Ensay

Situated in the Sound of Harris, a channel of water between North Uist and the Isle of Harris, Killegray is approximately 1 1⁄2 miles (2.5 kilometres) long.

The south end of the island is nearly all deep uncultivated moss. There is better cultivated land at the north.[5]

History

Rubha Claidhe in the north is the site of a ruined chapel, Teampull na h-Annait, which may be the origin of the island's name.[4]

Currently uninhabited, the island was occupied by a family of around three to five people from 1861 to 1931. Two people were temporarily living on the island when the 1971 census was taken.

The 19th-century Killegray House, the only house on the island was renovated as holiday accommodation in 1991.[5]

Wildlife

The shallow waters and reefs are a rich breeding ground for velvet crabs and lobsters.[4]

Possible development

Jacobs Babtie has investigated building a combination of bridges and causeways across the Sound of Harris.[6] Wind turbines and tidal generators could be incorporated in the scheme from Berneray via Killegray and Ensay to Harris.[7] The estimated cost of £75 million could rise to £145 million with the renewable energy devices.

Notes and 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. National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  3. Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
  4. Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
  5. "Historical perspective for Killegray". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
  6. John Ross (19 August 2006). "Eco-power plan to boost islands link". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
  7. "Feasibility of Renewable Energy to fund Western Isles link" (pdf). Metoc. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-10.

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