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 Tiree (Scottish Gaelic: Tiriodh, pronounced [ˈtʰʲiɾʲəɣ]) is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides southwest of Coll. It has an area of 7,834 hectares (30.2 sq mi) and a population of around 800. The low-lying island is highly fertile, and crofting, alongside tourism, are the main sources of employment for the islanders. Tiree, along with Colonsay enjoys a relatively high total of hours of sunshine during the late spring and early summer compared to the average for the United Kingdom.[5] Tiree is the most westerly of the Inner Hebrides.
[edit] GeographyThe main village on Tiree is Scarinish, from which ferries sail to Arinagour on Coll and to Oban on the mainland. Tiree Airport is located at nearby Crossapol. The island's other settlements include Hynish and Sandaig, both of which boast small museums. The roads on Tiree, in common with many other small islands, are nearly all single-track roads. There are passing places, locally called 'pockets', where cars must wait to enable oncoming traffic to pass or overtake. The highest point on Tiree is Ben Hynish to the south of the island which rises to 141 metres (463 ft). [edit] HistoryTiree is known for the 1st century BC Dùn Mòr broch, for the prehistoric carved Ringing Stone and for the birds of the Ceann a' Mhara headland.  In 1770, half of the island was held by fourteen farmers who had drained land for hay and pasture. Instead of exporting live cattle (which were often exhausted by the long journey to market and so fetched low prices), they began to export salt beef in barrels to get better prices. The rest of the island was let to 45 groups of tenants on co-operative joint farms: agricultural organisations probably dating from clan times. Field strips were allocated by annual ballot. Sowing and harvesting dates were decided communally. It is reported that in 1774, Tiresians were 'well-clothed and well-fed, having an abundance of corn and cattle'. Its name derives from Tir Iodh, 'land of the corn', from the days of the 6th century Celtic missionary and abbot St Columba (d. 597). Tiree provided the monastic community on the island of Iona, south-east of the island, with grain. A number of early monasteries once existed on Tiree itself, and several sites have stone cross-slabs from this period, e.g. St Patrick's Chapel, Ceann a' Mhara (NL 938 401) and Soroby (NL 984 416). Skerryvore lighthouse lies 12 miles (19 km) south west of Tiree, built with some difficulty between 1838 and 1844 by Alan Stevenson. It is at the centre of a proposed offshore wind farm development.[7] A large RAF airfield was built on Tiree during World War II; this became the civil airport after the war. There was also an RAF Chain Home radar station at Kilkenneth and an RAF Chain Home Low radar station at Beinn Hough. These were preceded by a temporary RAF Advanced Chain Home radar station at Port Mor and an RAF Chain Home Beam radar station at Barrapol. Post war there was RAF Scarinish ROTOR radar station at Beinn Ghott.   -GB.png) [edit] EconomyThe fertile machair lands of the island provide for good quality farming and crofting. Tiree is also popular for windsurfing. The island hosts the Tiree Wave Classic on a regular basis[8] and was the venue for the Corona Extra PWA World Cup Finals in 2007.[9] There is a radar station which tracks civil aircraft and the local development trust are currently proceeding with a community-owned wind turbine project. [edit] CultureThe island is known for its vernacular architecture, including 'blackhouses' and 'white houses', many retaining their traditional thatched roofs, as well as its unique 'pudding' or 'spotted houses' where only the mortar is painted white. Tiree has a considerable percentage of Gaelic speakers (48.6% from the 2001 Census[10]) which is high for the Inner Hebrides. [edit] See also[edit] References
Coordinates: 56°31′N 6°49′W / 56.517°N 6.817°W [edit] External links
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