Everything about Castlebay totally explained
The village of
Castlebay (
Scottish Gaelic:
Bàgh a' Chaisteil) is the main village on the
Isle of Barra in the
Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is located on the south face of the Island, and overlooks a bay in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as nearby islands such as
Vatersay.
Church
The Catholic church in Castlebay, 'The Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea', was built in 1886 on a mound overlooking the town centre. It was designed by an architect from Oban, G. Woulfe Brenan, along with a house further down the slope for the priest to reside in. The northern gable of the Church features a stained glass window depicting the
Crucifixion, whereas the southern gables depict Our Lady Star of the Sea. In recent times, the Church has undergone renovation works that were completed in early 2007.
Transport
The village is home to one of the main transport hubs of the island- the ferry terminal. Steam ferries were known to be traveling between Castlebay and
Oban in the late 1800s, albeit with notorious traveling conditions. In the 1980s, a roll-on-roll-off car ferry terminal was finally built in Castlebay, allowing much bigger car ferries to arrive on Barra. Between 1989 and 1998, the
MV Lord of the Isles traveled daily between Oban, Castlebay and
Lochboisdale on the island of South Uist, sometimes stopping on the Isle of Mull. In 1998, the
MV Clansman replaced the MV Lord of the Isles on the Oban-Castlebay-Lochboisdale run. There is also a timetabled ferry running between
Mallig and Castlebay.
The island's ringroad, the A888, is what connects Castlebay to the rest of the island by road.
Education
The Castlebay Community School (Gaelic: Sgoil Bhàgh a’ Chaisteil), is located on the Western side of Castlebay. It is the only source of secondary education on Barra. Since 2007, the school has had responsibility for the Castlebay preschool (both the English and the Gaelic Medium), meaning that with its Primary School division it caters for all ages of school children. In September 2007, the school received an OFSTED report heavily criticising the relationships amongst the secondary school's staff and management, but complimenting them in the primary school.
Amenities
Castlebay is home to the majority of shops on the island. The main street forms a square with the ferry terminal and the ring road, and features several grocery shops and tourist buildings. The centre of the village is also home to the only supermarket on the island, although a bigger supermarket is currently under construction towards the west of the town and is due for competition in late 2008. There are also several hotels in the village, and a Tourist Information.
Kisimul Castle
Kisimul Castle is located approximately away from the ferry terminal in the centre of the bay that Castlebay overlooks. It is the home of
Clan MacNeil, but is currently under a thousand year lease to Historic Scotland from the current Laird, Iain MacNeil.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Castlebay'.
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