Fuaigh Mòr Explained

Coordinates:58.21°N -6.89°W
Location Map:Scotland Outer Hebrides
Caption:Fuaigh Mòr shown within the Outer Hebrides
Gridreference:NB129349
Official Name:Fuaigh Mòr
Celtic Name:Fuaigh Mòr
Meaning Of Name:"Large Vuia", or "house island", from Norse
Area Rank:159=
Highest Elevation:Mullach na Beinne 670NaN0
Population:0
Island Group:Outer Hebrides
Local Authority:Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
References:[1] [2]

Fuaigh Mòr (sometimes anglicised as Vuia Mor)[3] is an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is off the west coast of Lewis near Great Bernera in Loch Ròg. It is 840NaN0 and 670NaN0 at its highest point.

History

In 1841, Fuaigh Mòr was the scene of an incident in the Highland Clearances, a subject that still evokes much bitterness in the surrounding area.

A local Lewis story goes that the Bernera Ground Officer, who was responsible for the evictions, was later dismissed from his post and ended up as a tramp in Ontario, Canada. While he was begging for food in Ontario, he came to the door of someone he had evicted from Fuaigh Mòr, but did not recognise them at first. The evictee is said to have given him food, and then reminded him of who she was.

The island is currently uninhabited, and now used only for grazing sheep.

Geography and geology

The rock is Lewisian gneiss.

The island itself is L-shaped, tapering towards the north. The south east has a small headland extended northwards, called Rubha na h-Athadh, which has a cairn on it. There are a couple of caves in the north as well. There are cliffs on the west coast such as Creag na h-Iolaire (eagle crag).

There are many skerries and small islands near it such as Geile Sgeir, Garbh Eilean, Eilean nam Feannag, Linngeam, Cliatasay, Grousam and yet another Floday, as well as Fuaigh Beag. Eunay Mòr is between the island and Great Bernera.

Notes and references

58.21°N -6.8881°W

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ Ordnance Survey
  2. Web site: Placenames . Iain Mac an Tailleir . Pàrlamaid na h-Alba . PDF . 2007-07-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080529185220/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/pdfs/placenamesP-Z.pdf . 2008-05-29 .
  3. Web site: Vuia Mor. The Gazetteer for Scotland. 15 November 2012.