Northbay

Northbay (Scottish Gaelic: Am Bàgh a Tuath) is a township and community in the north of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. Northbay is within the parish of Barra.[1]

Northbay Scottish Gaelic: Am Bàgh a Tuath
Fishing boats at Northbay
Northbay Location within the Outer Hebrides
Language	Scottish Gaelic English
OS grid reference	NF702033
Civil parish	Barra
Council area	Na h-Eileanan Siar
Lieutenancy area	Western Isles
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ISLE OF BARRA
Postcode district	HS9
Dialling code	01871
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Scottish Parliament	Na h-Eileanan an Iar

There was a long history of settlement in the area - the neolithic standing stones at Borve testify to this. Once the Celts arrived here from Ulster, the island spent 800 years firmly under the stewardship of the MacNeil clan engaged in feudal agriculture and fishing. When Kisimul Castle was abandoned in 1795, the clan chief came to live at Eoligarry House and remained there until Colonel Cluny bought the island from the clan in 1838.

In 1939, a tarred road finally connected Northbay with Castlebay – formerly people either walked or used the sea to ship goods to the main port. Despite being a small island, communications were before this quite bad between the north and the south. The building of the road was largely the result of a campaign by Compton Mackenzie, author of Whisky Galore! who was quite well-connected.