Lismore, Scotland

From Freepedia

Lismore Island (Lios Mòr in Scots Gaelic) is an island in Loch Linnhe, in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland. It has a population of approximately 150 to 180.

Lismore is famously associated with Saint Moluag. It was a major centre of Celtic Christianity, and the seat of a bishop. To modern eyes it seems an isolated location for such a centre, but in an era when the fastest and most reliable transport was by water, Lismore was ideally situated.

Lismore is linked to the mainland by two ferries. A vehicle ferry makes the crossing to Oban, while a foot ferry makes the shorter crossing from the northern tip of the island.

There are two ruined castles on the island. Lismore is also the home of the highland Clan MacLea, whose chief, the Baron Livingstone, is the keeper of the hereditary Staff of Saint Moluag (an early church relic known as the Bachuil).

The name Lismore may come from Gaelic lios mòr, which means "great garden". It reflects the fertility of a relatively low-lying island amidst mountainous surroundings.

In the 2001 census, the population was 146, over 45% of whom were over 60 years old making it the Scottish island with the oldest population[1].