Pabbay () is an uninhabited island in the
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides ( ) or Western Isles ( , or ), sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island (), is an Archipelago, island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland.
It is the longest archipelago in the British Isles. The islan ...
of
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
which lies in the
Sound of Harris between
Harris
Harris may refer to:
Places Canada
* Harris, Ontario
* Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine)
* Harris, Saskatchewan
* Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan
Scotland
* Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle ...
and
North Uist
North Uist (; ) is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
Etymology
In Donald Munro's ''A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland Called Hybrides'' of 1549, North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist are described as one isla ...
. The name comes from ''Papey'', which is Norse for "Island of the ''
papar
The ''Papar'' (; from Latin , via Old Irish, meaning "father" or "pope") were Irish monks who took eremitic residence in parts of Iceland before that island's habitation by the Norsemen of Scandinavia. Their existence is attested by the early ...
'' (
Culdee
The Culdees (; ) were members of ascetic Christian monastic and eremitical communities of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England in the Middle Ages. Appearing first in Ireland and then in Scotland, subsequently attached to cathedral or collegiate ...
)".
The island was once very fertile, supporting a three-figure population and exporting corn, barley and illicit whisky. Most of the stewards of
St Kilda were Pabbay men. St Kilda was part of a farm with Pabbay, and the islanders paid rent to the Macleod chiefs. The island was
cleared for sheep in 1846. Pabbay is traditionally a home of
Clan Morrison
Clan Morrison is a Scottish clan. The Highland Clan Morrison is traditionally associated with the Lewis and Harris, Isle of Lewis and Harris (Leòdhas) around Ness, Lewis, Ness (Nis), Dun Pabbay, and Barvas (Barabhas), lands in Sutherland aroun ...
.
Pabbay lies within the
South Lewis, Harris and North Uist National Scenic Area, one of
40 such areas in Scotland which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development.
Footnotes
Islands of the Sound of Harris
Cleared places in the Outer Hebrides
Uninhabited islands of the Outer Hebrides
{{WesternIsles-geo-stub