eye pronounced southernmost island scotland known queen lies south west kilometres north irish coast island capital distinctive round located main port fifth largest scottish island seventh largest island surrounding great_britain total area square kilometres ample evidence prehistoric settlement written reference come 1st century island early middle ages absorbed norse kingdom isles later medieval period marked cultural high point transfer emergence clan isles originally centred 17th century star waned improvements agriculture transport led rising population peaked mid-19th century followed substantial forced declining resident numbers today inhabitants main commercial activities agriculture tourism island long history religious spoken quarter population landscapes celebrated art forms growing interest energy home bird species populations greenland white fronted popular destination year climate mild geography kilometres long north south kilometres broad east coast rugged mountainous rising highest peak feet western separated main bulk island waters south north fertile southwestern arm called conspicuous northwest coast south coast sheltered prevailing winds result relatively wooded coast numerous bays sea including bay far southwest rocky largely peninsula called closest point ireland island population mainly centred villages port ellen smaller villages include rest island sparsely populated mainly agricultural small freshwater interior including numerous burns island bear river despite small size significant sea north end draining enters head numerous small islands coasts largest nave island northwest coast south coast geology underlying geology intricate small area deformed rock complex dominated coarse cut large deformed thought complex lies beneath rocks forms bedrock northern end rich marine sandstone unique scotland nearly metres thick south strip limestone cuts centre island south band continuation beds zones dominated fold known south shattered coastline formed older group west centre island rich origin formed branch great fault called fault main line passes north separates limestone rocks result occasional minor earth bed near provides evidence ice age pre comparatively recent times island ice covered pleistocene save edge ice sheet complex changes sea level melting ice caps left series raised beaches coast late low lying land rest island flooded creating islands climate influence keeps climate mild compared mainland scotland snow rarely seen sea level light short lived wind speeds average kilometres hour annually winter sweep atlantic kilometres hour mph travelling living island winter difficult ferry air links mainland suffer delays months april july september result busiest times tourism sunshine hours typically highest coasts especially west etymology probably recorded use suggesting tribal seventh century referred island occurs early irish records old norse root unknown origin seventeenth century maps spelling appears form poetic language known usually translated queen green isle native called pronounced pre norse names total place names island mixture norse later english influences norse ask meaning ash tree bay common norse meaning farm names versions height saint common villages developed 18th 19th centuries english stronger influence names result port charlotte example named daughter island owner earliest settlers nomadic hunter arrived period retreat pleistocene ice caps flint found field near dates earliest evidence human presence found far scotland stone culture found port near foraging pigs probably came summer camp hunters travelling round coast boats finds dated dating shells debris kitchen settlements permanent allowing construction communal monuments spectacular prehistoric structure island square metres iron age fort occupies prominent commanding views surrounding landscape origin probably mixture old norse language means fort means fort evidence subject roman military control small numbers finds coin century suggest links kind intermittent roman presence mainland ruins south east remains numerous atlantic indicate influences northern scotland forms building originate including sites south east stone causeway leading adjacent islands visible beneath surface water controversy nature relationship indigenous peoples ireland south west scotland late iron age widely accepted theory populated immigrants replacing earlier culture suggested scotland indigenous area history 6th century mainland lay kingdom strong links ireland according history men scotland ruled group son king branch kingdom killed unidentified location warrior army led king based mainland scotland lists believed oldest reference naval battle british isles brief record engagement rival groups evidence descended brother legendary king existence brief thirty households island later said divided great eponymous founder norse influence arrival scandinavian settlers western scotland ninth century long lasting effect centuries islands west fell control rulers norse origin case place names suggests complete break past conclude settlements prior norse arrival evidence inhabitants settlements existed continued exist spoken language southern norse period place evidence suggests status possibly indicating enslaved population norse rulers sea kingdom connection origins obscure chronicles son black place origin variously interpreted ireland iceland state scots built ship boat use iron bolts unknown date driven city later known high king ireland according annals masters died following year local tradition suggests standing stone near grave genuine 11th century norse grave slab found associated burial slab decorated foliage style art irish style cross unique scandinavian scotland 12th century granddaughter married ambitious nobleman grandson increasingly unpopular king isles time spurred action fought seas january result bloody stalemate island kingdom temporarily divided taking control southern years later completely ousted united kingdom divide established death descendants continued describe king 13th century following treaty yielded scottish rule lords isles descendants rulers powerful clans including support opponents king robert bruce led lands distributed chief mac held parts estates eventually inherited married cousin john controlled significant stretches western scotland save onwards john began style lord isles title implied connection earlier kings isles extension degree independence scottish crown claimed heirs generations initially power base shores northeastern successive chiefs proclaimed lord isles advisory council isles met control west grew strength twin castles sound heart early 15th century charter record lands granted resident lord isles earliest records public use significant historical document john earl ross struck alliance england terms treaty westminster onset wars roses prevented edward fulfilling obligations ally compelled estates titles james ordered demolished buildings razed coronation stone destroyed discourage attempts restoration visited late 17th century recorded description seen 16th 17th centuries initially wake royal opposition holdings restored observed island fertile natural good hunting plentiful salmon seals referred castle south east controlled castle west implied dispute continued expelled force defeated clash irish branch family led edinburgh use regarded weakened grip southern possessions scottish crown mounted expedition subdue handed sir return undertaking island eventually achieved setback occurred civil war army sir arrived island besieged royalist garrison laid waste island felt sufficiently ease construct hotel principal island residence structure built sir category listed building british era beginning 18th century population found dispersed small farming families villages size near existed time church houses merchants craft workers razed improve grounds agricultural economy dependent farming including staples supplemented stock carrying capacity island recorded cows horses rental listing purchased remained family ownership sold ancestor baron owns substantial portion island defining aspect 19th century gradual improvement transport infrastructure roads built canal shortened sea distance glasgow numerous traditional ferry crossings augmented new rubble piers built locations new harbour constructed port initially sense optimism fishing cattle trades prevailed population expanded partly result 18th century boom introduction potato staple population island estimated grew relationship landowners island residents proved estate owners realised money sheep farming indigenous small farmers wholesale commonplace people emigrated purely economic reasons having forced land predecessors farmed centuries census recorded citizens making new homes canada united_states population continued decline 20th century today world war troop ships months american vessel torpedoed february loss lives lies deep water kilometres west october involved collision heavy seas troops new_york lost steering drifted west coast answering destroyer attempted come alongside managed rescue men nonetheless wrecked shore near total loss lives monument erected coast commemorate sinking ships military cemetery created dead nations disaster buried american bodies later removed world war raf built airfield later civil airport flying boat base march flying boat crew rescued aircraft landed broke gale sank radar station bay low station economy modern economy agriculture fishing tourism agriculture fishing remains owned non resident estate owners sheep farming dairy cattle run tenant farmers fine wild brown trout salmon fishing september held island numerous biggest fishing event held scotland sea popular especially west coast coast commercial boats crab fishing undertaken port ellen regions scotland identity protected law active industry island second largest employer agriculture south island produce strong flavour considered intensely east west north island produced substantially lighter taste opened west coast oldest record legal island refers time operation example port charlotte operated closed remains business march announced reopen port charlotte equipment tourism summer visitors arrive year ferry air main attractions scenery history bird watching world famous operate shops tours visitor centres visitor centre open daily summer energy location exposed force north_atlantic led site pioneering scotland wave power station near wave power generator designed built researchers financially backed european_union known constraints capacity limited providing electricity island grid world commercial wave power station march largest tidal array world approved planned turbines predicted generate power homes project located offers strong currents shelter storms transport roads island single track passing places main roads runs east coast island bus service provided airport offers flights glasgow international airport regular basis operate regular ferry services taking hours ferries run summer purpose built vessel entered service operate small car ferry behalf begin operating passenger services port ellen northern_ireland form june july august aid navigation include light built north western tip constructed port ellen unusual design isolated rock tower kilometres north west activities delivering news people fortnight named community newspaper year brewery real premises near early 21st century campus set teaches language culture heritage port community centre port charlotte equipped micro wind turbine ground source heating system creation local development trust language historically strong speaking area parishes reported percent speaking dropped percent speakers rest percent speaker overall island population speakers census dropped percent low figure overall nonetheless strongly speaking island highest percentage recorded percent lowest percent far north south island weakest areas general dialect distinctive patterns strongly especially distinctive features shift long high degree retention long shift dark lack groups example nose retention past tense particle example rose instead sits group words distinctive certain area strong similarities southern northern irish examples instead common formula gun math thank instead common compare irish able instead common hurry instead common irish religion associated churches uncertain age seen carved cross erected historic times associated pre christian wishing ceremonies pagan beliefs folk early pioneers christianity legacy period includes 8th century famous treasure carved local carved cross similar age heavily found served site lay worship norse settlers pagan substantial number sites clay small burial grounds later norse era 12th century island diocese isles established king diocese fell jurisdiction principal churches norwegian model 5th earl strong supporter reformation little evidence beliefs greeted enthusiasm initially reformed churches parishes created based new church end century seven churches including round local folklore leave corner devil hide architectural gem constructed located outside village served variety churches congregations island meet located congregation uses services media arts featured scenes film documentary coastal command partly filmed folk rock singer included isle album gift flower garden song praising pastoral island home 20th century scottish song written derived earlier song 1990s bbc adaptation partly filmed featured race rival length parts programme recorded based archaeological television programme excavated episode broadcast japanese author visited island sample seven single island later wrote travel book called language whiskey wildlife home species wildlife especially known birds winter visiting numbers reached recent years arriving single day greenland white fronted smaller numbers canada found flocks include mute duck long tailed duck elusive summer visitors resident birds include red billed golden eagle falcon barn owl raven introduced white tailed sea eagle seen regularly coasts species breed island year different species seen time population thousand red deer inhabit hills deer found southeast deer common low lying ground common coasts common grey seals breed offshore variety regularly recorded including pilot killer bottle snake common widespread commonly seen island supports significant population marsh numerous butterflies mild climate supports diversity flora typical notable natives authority celtic folklore joint inventor campbell recorder son father bankruptcy prevented estate monument commemorating scottish political reporter bbc brought attended liberal democrat deputy chief whip born hill farming parents represented westminster born reverend known exploits france world war born long career colonial administrator governor singapore wrote number books including governor general india recipient victoria_cross general figure american revolution president born secretary general nato british defence secretary lord sir born steered course junior school government chief scientific adviser late 1980s early 1990s
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