Holy Island, Firth of Clyde facts for kids

The Holy Island (also called Holy Isle) is a small island in Scotland. It's located in the Firth of Clyde, which is a large bay on the west coast of central Scotland. You can find it inside Lamlash Bay, right next to the bigger Isle of Arran.

This island is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long and 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) wide. Its highest point is a hill called Mullach Mòr. The island has a special history and is known for its peaceful atmosphere.

Quick facts for kids
Holy Island

Gaelic name	An t-Eilean Àrd or Eilean MoLaise
Meaning of name	"the high island" or "Laisren's island" in Gaelic.
Holy Island from Lamlash
OS grid reference	NS063297
Coordinates	55°32′N 5°04′W / 55.53°N 5.07°W / 55.53; -5.07
Physical geography
Island group	Firth of Clyde
Area	253 ha (1 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 density	12/km2 (31/sq mi)

A Look Back in Time

Holy Island has been seen as a special, sacred place for a very long time. There's a natural spring, or "holy well," that people believed had healing powers. You can also find a cave where a monk named St Molaise lived in the 6th century. He was a hermit, meaning he lived alone.

People have found signs of a monastery from the 1200s on the island. An old Scottish Gaelic name for the island was Eilean MoLaise, which means "Molaise's Island." This name is actually where the nearby village of Lamlash got its name!

Some ancient runic writing can be seen on the roof of St Molaise's cave. This shows that people from different cultures visited the island. Before the famous Battle of Largs, a Viking fleet even found shelter between Arran and Holy Island.

In 1549, a writer named Dean Monro mentioned the island. He wrote about a monastery that was built there but had since fallen into ruin.

Holy Island Today

In 1992, something interesting happened. The island was given to the Samyé Ling Buddhist Community. This community belongs to a type of Tibetan Buddhism called Kagyu.

The Centre for World Peace and Health

On the north side of the island, you'll find the Centre for World Peace and Health. This center was started by Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche. It's a special place where people can stay for courses and retreats. It's designed to be kind to the environment. For example, it uses solar power to heat water. It also has a special system to treat sewage using reed beds.

When you arrive by ferry, you'll see the path decorated with colorful Tibetan flags and stupas. Stupas are special dome-shaped buildings in Buddhism.

Nuns and Nature

On the southern part of the island, there's a community of nuns. These nuns live there and spend three years at a time in quiet retreats.

The rest of Holy Island is a nature reserve. This means it's a protected area for plants and animals. You might see wild Eriskay ponies roaming around. There are also Saanen goats and Soay sheep. People are also working to replant native trees on the island.

A very rare tree called the Rock Whitebeam grows here. This tree is important because it's linked to the evolution of the unique Arran Whitebeam species. These special trees, like Sorbus arranensis, Sorbus pseudofennica, and Sorbus pseudomeinichii, only grow on Arran and Holy Island.

There's a regular ferry that takes visitors from Lamlash to Holy Island. The island is a popular spot for people on holiday on Arran. In 2011, 31 people lived on the island, which was more than the 13 people recorded in 2001.

Gallery

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  The Centre for World Peace and Health, with Tibetan flags and stupas

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  One of the Saanen goats

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  One of the wild Eriskay ponies

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  Map of the island