Tong, Lewis
Coordinates: 58°14′38″N 6°20′56″W / 58.244°N 6.349°W
Tong (Scottish Gaelic: Tunga) is a village on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, 3.7 miles (6.0 km) by road north-east of the main town of Stornoway on the B895 road to Back and Tolsta.[1] The population of the village is 527 (2001 census).
Between 1919 and 1921, Tong along with nearby Coll and Gress was the scene of several land raids - see under Coll. The village has a community centre with a football pitch and a primary school, and there is a Free Church of Scotland mission house and a Scottish Episcopal Church meeting house in Tong. Fishing forms part of the local economy.[2] On 6 August 2014 The Tong Shop (Bùth Thunga) opened in the former Episcopal Church building. The shop is open from Monday to Saturday and it sells a wide range of essentials such as milk and bread, as well as local produce such as vegetables and the world-famous Stornoway Black Pudding.
Culture and sport
Every July the Lewis Highland Games and Western Isles Strongest man are held at the community centre with heavy events such as tossing the caber, Highland dancing, bagpipe competitions and other attractions taking place on the football pitch. The Lewis Highland Games have been held at Tong since 1977 and is the second oldest Games on the isle of Lewis. The local football club is Tong FC.
Notable people
- Sìne NicFhionnlaigh (Jean Finlayson), who composed the well-known song "Fear a' bhàta" lived in Tong in the 1800s.
- Mary Anne MacLeod (1912–2000), mother of businessman and political figure Donald Trump, was born in Tong and moved to the US in 1930.
Gallery
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Fàilte gu Tunga (entering Tong from direction of Coll)
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View towards Point (An Rubha), Broadbay (Loch a Tuath) and Stornoway Airport (Port-adhair Steòrnabhagh)
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Tong football pitch and community centre
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Tong Community Centre
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Main Road looking towards Coll
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Towards Coll
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Towards the crossroads
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Into the village (Point across the bay in the background)
References
- ↑ Maps (Map). Google Maps.
- ↑ Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons (1957). Parliamentary debates (Hansard).: House of Commons official report. H.M.S.O. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tong, Lewis. |
- Tong Primary School
- Visitor's guide for the Island of Lewis
- Website of the Western Isles Council with links to other resources
- Disabled access to Lewis for residents and visitors
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