Lismore, Scotland
Encyclopedia
Lismore is a partially Gaelic speaking island in the Inner Hebrides
of Scotland. This fertile, low-lying island was once a major centre of Celtic Christianity, with a monastery founded by Saint Moluag
and the seat of the Bishop of Argyll
.
, east of Mull
, in Argyll and Bute
Council Area. Composed almost entirely of Dalradian limestone
, it has fertile soil and an abundance of trees and shrubs.
The island is linked to the mainland by two ferries
, a vehicle ferry making the crossing to Oban and a foot ferry making a shorter crossing from the northern tip of the island to Port Appin
. Lismore Lighthouse, built by Robert Stevenson
, lies on the small island of Eilean Musdile
to the south west with Lady's Rock
a kilometer further away in the same direction.
Lismore lies at the heart of the Lynn of Lorn National Scenic Area
, one of 40 in Scotland.
, has suffered from depopulation since the 19th century. In 1845 there were 1430 people living on the island, though by 1971 there were only 180. In the 2001 census, the population was 146, over 45% of whom were over 60 years old, making it the Scottish island with the oldest population.
Farming has always been important, with barley and oats grown in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today cattle and sheep raised here are in great demand throughout Scotland.
Lime was quarried, particularly on the west coast.
name, lios mòr, means "great garden" or "enclosure", reflecting either the fertility of a relatively low-lying island amidst mountainous surroundings, or the presence of a defined sacred area round the early monastery.
Saint Moluag
(Old Irish Mo-Luóc) (d. 592) founded a monastery on Lismore. The island was a major centre of Celtic Christianity
, and the seat of the later medieval bishopric of Argyll
or the Isles. To modern eyes it seems an isolated location for such a centre, but in an era when the fastest and most reliable transport was by water, Lismore was ideally situated. Of the cathedral only the choir survives, in greatly altered form, the nave and western tower having been reduced to their foundations. Since the Reformation the choir has been used as the Parish Church of Lismore.
aug1995.jpg)
and two ruined 13th century castles, Coeffin Castle and Achanduin Castle
, the latter was the seat of the Bishopric of Argyll
until the early 16th century. The broch at Tirfuir on the south coast, is reasonably well preserved, with walls that are about 15 feet high and 10 feet thick, containing an internal passage.
Clan MacLea
, whose chief, is now Niall Livingstone of Bachuil, Baron of the Bachuil, who succeeded his father Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil, who died on 29 February 2008. Livingstone is the Coarb of Saint Moluag
and, as such, the hereditary keeper of the saint's crozier or pastoral staff (an early church relic known as the Bachall Mòr).
Inner Hebrides
The Inner Hebrides is an archipelago off the west coast of Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, which enjoy a mild oceanic climate. There are 36 inhabited islands and a further 43 uninhabited Inner Hebrides with an area greater than...
of Scotland. This fertile, low-lying island was once a major centre of Celtic Christianity, with a monastery founded by Saint Moluag
Saint Moluag
Saint Moluag, , , was a Scottish missionary, and a contemporary of Saint Columba, who evangelized the Picts of Scotland in the sixth century...
and the seat of the Bishop of Argyll
Bishop of Argyll
The Bishop of Argyll or Bishop of Lismore was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Argyll, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. It was created in 1200, when the western half of the territory of the Bishopric of Dunkeld was formed into the new diocese. The bishops were based at Lismore...
.
Geography
The island of Lismore lies in Loch LinnheLoch Linnhe
Loch Linnhe is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland....
, east of Mull
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
, in Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
Council Area. Composed almost entirely of Dalradian limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, it has fertile soil and an abundance of trees and shrubs.
The island is linked to the mainland by two ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
, a vehicle ferry making the crossing to Oban and a foot ferry making a shorter crossing from the northern tip of the island to Port Appin
Appin
Appin is a remote coastal district of the Scottish West Highlands bounded west by Loch Linnhe, south by Loch Creran, east by the districts of Benderloch and Lorne, and north by Loch Leven...
. Lismore Lighthouse, built by Robert Stevenson
Robert Stevenson (civil engineer)
Robert Stevenson FRSE MInstCE FSAS MWS FGS FRAS FSA was a Scottish civil engineer and famed designer and builder of lighthouses.One of his finest achievements was the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse.-Early life:...
, lies on the small island of Eilean Musdile
Eilean Musdile
Eilean Musdile is an islet, and lighthouse to the south west of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides.The island lies in the entrance to Loch Linnhe, separated from Lismore by a sound ¼ miles across. It is a low-lying rock, ten acres in size, with some grass on it...
to the south west with Lady's Rock
Lady's Rock
Lady's Rock is a skerry to the south west of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides. It is submerged at high tide and carries a naviagtion beacon. Eilean Musdile is to the north east, next to Lismore.-History:...
a kilometer further away in the same direction.
Lismore lies at the heart of the Lynn of Lorn National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area is a designation for areas of natural beauty used by more than one nation.* National Scenic Area * National Scenic Area * National scenic areas in Taiwan* National Scenic Area...
, one of 40 in Scotland.
History
Lismore, like other Hebridean islandsHebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
, has suffered from depopulation since the 19th century. In 1845 there were 1430 people living on the island, though by 1971 there were only 180. In the 2001 census, the population was 146, over 45% of whom were over 60 years old, making it the Scottish island with the oldest population.
Farming has always been important, with barley and oats grown in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today cattle and sheep raised here are in great demand throughout Scotland.
Lime was quarried, particularly on the west coast.
The Great Garden or Enclosure
The GaelicScottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
name, lios mòr, means "great garden" or "enclosure", reflecting either the fertility of a relatively low-lying island amidst mountainous surroundings, or the presence of a defined sacred area round the early monastery.
Saint Moluag
Saint Moluag
Saint Moluag, , , was a Scottish missionary, and a contemporary of Saint Columba, who evangelized the Picts of Scotland in the sixth century...
(Old Irish Mo-Luóc) (d. 592) founded a monastery on Lismore. The island was a major centre of Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity or Insular Christianity refers broadly to certain features of Christianity that were common, or held to be common, across the Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages...
, and the seat of the later medieval bishopric of Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
or the Isles. To modern eyes it seems an isolated location for such a centre, but in an era when the fastest and most reliable transport was by water, Lismore was ideally situated. Of the cathedral only the choir survives, in greatly altered form, the nave and western tower having been reduced to their foundations. Since the Reformation the choir has been used as the Parish Church of Lismore.
Other attractions
Other major antiquities on Lismore include an impressive brochBroch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
and two ruined 13th century castles, Coeffin Castle and Achanduin Castle
Achanduin Castle
Achanduin Castle, , is a castle, now in ruins, located about 5 kilometres west of Achnacroish on the north-western coastline of the Isle of Lismore, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The castle overlooks Loch Linnhe and Bernera Island. The ruins are thought to date back to the thirteenth century...
, the latter was the seat of the Bishopric of Argyll
Bishop of Argyll
The Bishop of Argyll or Bishop of Lismore was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Argyll, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. It was created in 1200, when the western half of the territory of the Bishopric of Dunkeld was formed into the new diocese. The bishops were based at Lismore...
until the early 16th century. The broch at Tirfuir on the south coast, is reasonably well preserved, with walls that are about 15 feet high and 10 feet thick, containing an internal passage.
Livingstones of Bachuil
Lismore is the home of the highlandScottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
Clan MacLea
Clan MacLea
The Clan MacLea is a Highland Scottish clan, which was traditionally located in the district of Lorn in Argyll, Scotland, and is seated on the Isle of Lismore. There is a tradition of some MacLeas Anglicising their names to Livingstone, thus the also refers to clan as the Highland Livingstones...
, whose chief, is now Niall Livingstone of Bachuil, Baron of the Bachuil, who succeeded his father Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil, who died on 29 February 2008. Livingstone is the Coarb of Saint Moluag
Saint Moluag
Saint Moluag, , , was a Scottish missionary, and a contemporary of Saint Columba, who evangelized the Picts of Scotland in the sixth century...
and, as such, the hereditary keeper of the saint's crozier or pastoral staff (an early church relic known as the Bachall Mòr).