Breaclete facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Breacleit
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 Breacleit on Great Bernera |
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 Breacleit
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| Language | Scottish Gaelic English |
| OS grid reference | NB160369 |
| Civil parish | |
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| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ISLE OF LEWIS |
| Postcode district | HS2 |
| Dialling code | 01851 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Breacleit (also known as Roulanish) is a village located on Great Bernera in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Its name comes from an old Norse word, Breiðiklettr. Breacleit is part of the Uig area. Even though its name comes from a natural feature, people believe it's a very old settlement.
The oldest building in the village is a water mill with a thatched roof, found by the shore of Loch Risay. This mill was fixed up in the 1990s. Breacleit used to be a small village where people farmed and fished. It had only 12 small farms around the natural harbour of Loch Beag. Today, farming has mostly stopped, and many homes are now used for holidays.
The village first appeared clearly on a map in 1748. In 1851, there was a plan to move all the villagers to North America. This plan wasn't fully carried out, but it still greatly affected the village. It left Breacleit with only three families. Later, more families moved to Breacleit from other villages on Great Bernera.
Contents
Breacleit in Books and Stories
Breacleit has inspired writers and poets over the years. It offers a glimpse into life in the Hebrides before World War II.
Neil Gunn's Writings
In 1939, the writer Neil Gunn stayed in Breacleit. He wrote some of his essays for his book Highland Pack while he was there. His time staying with Dr. P.J. Macleod and leaving Loch Beag on a fishing boat called "Rhoda" for the Flannan Isles gave him ideas for his writing. This experience also inspired parts of his most famous book, The Silver Darlings.
John Nicolson Macleod's Work
Another important writer connected to Breacleit was John Nicolson Macleod. He was a schoolmaster in the village in the early 1900s. He wrote weekly articles for the Stornoway Gazette under the pen name Alasdair Mòr. These fun articles, called "Litir à Beàrnaraigh" (meaning "A Letter from Bernera"), were put together into a book in 1932. They show the cleverness, spirit, and skills of the people of Breacleit and Bernera.
John Nicolson Macleod also put together a big collection of Gaelic poetry from the Isle of Lewis. This book, called “Bàrdachd Leòdhais” ("Poetry of Lewis"), was published in 1916. It took him 13 years to gather the poems by listening to people all over the island. Three poets from Breacleit were included in his collection: Donald MacDonald, Angus MacDonald, and Angus MacKenzie.
Talented People from Breacleit
In the early 1900s, Breacleit was known for producing many talented individuals. Many families had at least one child who went to university.
Callum Macdonald
Callum Macdonald (1912–1999) was born in Breacleit. He studied history in Edinburgh and was a Squadron Leader during World War II. He became a very important person in Scottish literature. He published books by famous Scottish writers like Hugh MacDiarmid and Norman MacCaig. His work was celebrated with an exhibition at the National Library of Scotland in 1987. His picture was also put in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in 1997.
Dr. P.J. MacLeod
Peter John MacLeod (1896–1951) was also born in Breacleit. He was a highly respected medical doctor. He was a pioneer in helping soldiers recover after the war, especially with their mental health challenges. His work was so important that King George VI visited him in 1943. He also gave successful lectures in the US and Canada in 1949.
Life in Breacleit Today
Breacleit is a lively village with many facilities for its residents and visitors.
Today, Breacleit has a small museum where you can learn about the local history. There's also a mini-mart and a post office. The Bernera School opened in 1881, and the Lochs-in-Bernera Church was built in 1880. You can also find a war memorial, a community centre with a café, a petrol station, a recreation ground, a fire station, and a doctor's surgery. Many of the older houses, with the oldest dating back to 1911, were built using stone from a nearby quarry. The village has about 35 houses.
