Killegray is an island in the Sound of Harris 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 ...

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 ...

Geography

Situated in the Sound of Harris, a channel of water between

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 ...

and the

Isle of Harris Harris (, ) is the southern and more mountainous part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Although not an island itself, Harris is often referred to in opposition to the ''Isle of Lewis'' as the Isle of Harr ...

, Killegray is approximately long. The south end of the island is nearly all deep uncultivated moss. There is better cultivated land at the north.

History

Rubha Claidhe in the north is the site of a ruined chapel, Teampull na h-Annait, which may be the origin of the island's name. The island was occupied by a family of around three to eight people from 1841 to 1931. Two people were living on the island when the 1971 census was taken. The 19th-century Killegray House, the only house on the island, was renovated as holiday accommodation in 1991. No inhabitants were recorded as living there in 2011, but in the census of 2022 a population of one was returned.

Wildlife

The shallow waters and reefs are a rich breeding ground for velvet crabs and lobsters.

Possible development

Jacobs Babtie has investigated building a combination of bridges and causeways across the Sound of Harris. Wind turbines and tidal generators could be incorporated in the scheme from Berneray via Killegray and Ensay to Harris. The estimated cost of £75 million could rise to £145 million with the renewable energy devices.

Notes and references

{{Hebrides Islands of the Sound of Harris Uninhabited islands of the Outer Hebrides