| Easdale | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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Easdale
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| Easdale shown within Argyll and Bute | |
| OS grid reference | NM735172 |
| Names | |
| Gaelic name | Eilean Èisdeal |
| Meaning of name | Uncertain |
| Area and summit | |
| Area | c. 20 hectares (0.08 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 38 metres (125 ft) |
| Population | |
| Population | 58 |
| Population rank | 54 out of 99 |
| Groupings | |
| Island group | Slate Islands |
| Local Authority | Argyll and Bute |
| References | [1][2] |
| If shown, area and population ranks are for all Scottish islands and all inhabited Scottish islands respectively. Population data is from 2001 census. | |
Easdale (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Èisdeal) is one of the Slate Islands, in the Firth of Lorn, Scotland. Once the centre of the British slate industry, there has been some recent island regeneration.
A ferry sails from Easdale to Ellenabeich (Gaelic: Eilean nam Beathach) on the nearby island of Seil (Gaelic: Saoil), which is separated from Easdale by only a narrow channel. Confusingly, Ellenabeich is sometimes known as Easdale as a result of its traditional connections with the island.
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In 1549, Donald Monro, Dean of the Isles wrote, in brief reference to Easdale, of an island "namit in the Erische Leid Ellan Eisdcalfe"[3][4] However the derivation of "Eisdcalfe" and this word's etymological relationship to "Easdale" is not clear. Haswell Smith (2004) notes that eas is Gaelic for "waterfall" and dal is Norse for "valley".[5] Nonetheless, it is not clear why either description should apply to the island which is low lying and has no waterfalls.
The Gaelic name, Èisdeal (['eːʃtʲəl̪ˠ]) or Eilean Èisdeal has a long vowel and local folk legend attributes this to a derivation from èist thall "listen to that yonder".[6] Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland states that the first element is obscure, the second Norse dalr.[7] It is not clear if this Èisdeal shares it's derivation with Gleann Èisdeal (Glen Ashdale) (Glen of Ash trees)[8] on the Isle of Arran.
Ellenbeich is usually analysed as Eilean nam Beathach (['elan əm 'pɛhəx]) "island of the animals" but this may be a reflex of an earlier and homophonous form Eilean nam Beitheach "island of the birch trees".[8]
Once the centre of the British slate industry, Easdale had a community of more than 500 working as many as seven quarries, some of which extended to 300 feet below sea level. Easdale slate helped to build major cities of the British Empire and can still be seen on rooftops as far a field as Melbourne, Nova Scotia, Dunedin and Dublin. The last slate was cut in the 1950s and the once active quarries are little more than still pools which provide a safe haven for a wide variety of flora and bird life.[9]
Nearby the former island Eilean-a-beithich once stood in the Easdale Sound between Easdale and Seil; however, it was quarried to a depth of 76 metres (249 ft) below sea level leaving only the outer rim of the island. This was eventually swept away by the sea and little visible sign of the island now remains.[10]
By the early 1960s, the population had dwindled to only four people and the island appeared doomed. Descendants of the original quarrymen, along with others from around the world, have moved to Easdale to create a model of island regeneration. The island now has a population of around sixty people and is the smallest permanently inhabited island of the Inner Hebrides.[11][12]
The island is home to a folk museum owned and operated by the Eilean Eisdeal, a development trust, as well as a bar/restaurant called "The Puffer".[13][14][15] Eilean Eisdeal spearheaded the renovation of the Easdale Island Community Hall, which provides a venue for a wide variety of events.[16] According to Mike Scott of The Waterboys: "The Hall itself is magical. From the first sighting of its pyramid roof and arced frontispiece across the water to stepping off its stage at the end of the concert, it cast a spell on us."[17]
In 2005 the local authority, Argyll and Bute Council, discussed plans to build a bridge between the island and Seil, linking the island to the mainland by road,[18] despite there being no roads on Easdale. A company who operate high speed boat trips to view wild life and other local places of interest in the area have their base on Easdale.[19]
The World Stone Skimming Championship[20] has taken place annually in September on Easdale since 1997.
The island is owned by Jonathan Feigenbaum, who succeeded his late father Clive Feigenbaum (the former chairman of Stanley Gibbons). Clive created local issues of stamps, and Jonathan has continued doing this.[5][21]
Note that the Office Of the Scottish Charities Regulator has instructed Easdale Island Trust to stop using the word Trust.
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