Gaelic name | An t-Eilean Àrd or Eilean MoLaise |
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Meaning of name | "the high island" or "Laisren's island" in Gaelic. |
![]() Holy Isle from Lamlash |
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Location | |
Holy Isle shown within North Ayrshire
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OS grid reference | NS063297 |
Coordinates | 55°32′N 5°04′W / 55.53°N 5.07°W |
Physical geography | |
Island group | Firth of Clyde |
Area | 253 ha (0.98 sq mi) |
Area rank | 95 |
Highest elevation | Mullach Mòr 1,030 ft (314 m) (a Marilyn) |
Administration | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Country | Scotland |
Council area | North Ayrshire |
Demographics | |
Population | 31 |
Population rank | 58 |
Population density | 12 people/km2 |
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References |
Mullach Mòr | |
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 1,030 ft (310 m) |
Prominence | 1,030 ft (310 m) |
Listing | Marilyn |
Coordinates | 55°31′30″N 5°04′20″W / 55.52500°N 5.07222°WCoordinates: 55°31′30″N 5°04′20″W / 55.52500°N 5.07222°W |
Naming | |
Translation | Big hill (Gaelic) |
Pronunciation | Scottish Gaelic: [ˈmul̪ˠəx ˈmoːɾ] |
Geography | |
Location | Firth of Clyde, Scotland |
OS grid | NS063297 |
Topo map | OS Landranger 69 |
![]() Holy Isle Outer Lighthouse
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Scotland
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Location | Holy Isle Isle of Arran North Ayrshire Scotland United Kingdom |
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Coordinates | 55°31′02″N 5°03′39″W / 55.517299°N 5.060764°W |
Year first constructed | 1905 |
Automated | 1977 |
Construction | masonry tower |
Tower shape | square parallelepiped tower with balcony and lantern |
Markings / pattern | white tower, black lanter, ochre trim |
Height | 23 metres (75 ft) |
Focal height | 38 metres (125 ft) |
Light source | solar power |
Range | 25 nautical miles (46 km; 29 mi) |
Characteristic | Fl (2) W 20s. |
Admiralty number | A4330 |
NGA number | 4320 |
ARLHS number | SCO-100 |
Managing agent | Samyé Ling Buddhist Community |
![]() Holy Isle Inner Lighthouse
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Location | Holy Isle Isle of Arran North Ayrshire Scotland United Kingdom |
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Coordinates | 55°30′44″N 5°04′13″W / 55.512218°N 5.070168°W |
Year first constructed | 1877 |
Automated | 1977 |
Construction | masonry tower |
Tower shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
Markings / pattern | white tower, black lanter, ochre trim |
Height | 14 metres (46 ft) |
Focal height | 17 metres (56 ft) |
Light source | solar power |
Characteristic | Fl G 3s. |
Admiralty number | A4332 |
NGA number | 4328 |
ARLHS number | SCO-101 |
Managing agent | Samyé Ling Buddhist Community |
The Holy Isle (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean MoLaise) is one of a number of islands in the United Kingdom which go under the name "Holy Island". It is located in the Firth of Clyde off the west coast of central Scotland, inside Lamlash Bay on the larger island of Arran. The island is around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long and around 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) wide. Its highest point is the hill Mullach Mòr.
The island has a long history as a sacred site, with a spring or holy well held to have healing properties, the hermit cave of 6th century monk St Molaise, and evidence of a 13th-century monastery. An old Gaelic name for the island was Eilean MoLaise, Molaise's Island; this is the origin (via Elmolaise and Limolas) of "Lamlash", the name of the village on Arran that faces Holy Island.
Some runic writing is to be found on the roof of St Molaise's cave and a Viking fleet sheltered between Arran and Holy Isle before the Battle of Largs.
In 1549, Dean Monro wrote of the "little ile callit the yle of Molass, quherin there was foundit by Johne, Lord of the iles, ane monastry of friars, which is decayit."
The island is now owned by the Samyé Ling Buddhist Community, who belong to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The settlements on the island include the Centre for World Peace and Health, founded by Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, on the north of the island. This is an environmentally designed residential centre for courses and retreats which extends the former farm house. It has solar water heating and a reed-bed sewage treatment system. The approach from the ferry jetty is decorated with Tibetan flags and stupas. On the southern end of the island lives a community of nuns who are undertaking three year retreats.