Skye's shape defies description and W. H. Murray wrote that "Skye is sixty miles [100 km] long, but what might be its breadth is beyond the ingenuity of man to state".[1]Malcolm Slesser suggested that its shape "sticks out of the west coast of northern Scotland like a lobster's claw ready to snap at the fish bone of Harris and Lewis",[2] which would make Duirinish one of the claws.
The main peaks are Healabhal Mhòr and Healabhal Bheag, which reach 469 metres (1,539 feet) and 488 metres (1,601 feet) respectively, and are better known as MacLeod's Tables. They lie in the centre of the peninsula and their distinctive shapes are visible throughout much of north west Skye. Dunvegan Head marks the north end of the peninsula and Idrigill Point the south.[3]
The west coast is now uninhabited and offshore there are only a few small islets: An Dubh Sgeir, An Stac and MacLeod's Maidens. The latter are three stacks that resemble statues and were named after the drowning of a MacLeod chieftain's wife and two daughters.[4]
There are a number of small settlements principally along the west coast of Loch Dunvegan, including Borreraig (home of the piping MacCrimmons), Colbost with its Three Chimneys restaurant, Skinidin, Galtrigill and Totaig. Lephin and Glendale are further west. The latter is a substantial community-owned estate, and its "martyrs" played an important part in the Highland Clearances. Orbost and Roag are further south on the shore of Loch Bracadale. Crofting remains a mainstay of the economy.
The village of Dunvegan itself is the main settlement of the area and is located on the east shore of the loch just outside Duirinish. Nearby is Dunvegan Castle, which has been the seat of Clan MacLeod since 1200.[5]
The Gaelic name Diùranais or Diùirinis means "deer headland" and is derived from the Old Norsedyr (deer) and "ness" (headland). The peninsula is also known as dùthaich nam mogan, meaning "land of the mogan shoes", and the inhabitants as moganaich.[7]
duirinish, skye, confused, with, hamlet, duirinish, lochalsh, duirinish, scottish, gaelic, diùirinis, peninsula, civil, parish, island, skye, scotland, situated, north, west, between, loch, dunvegan, loch, bracadale, skye, showing, duirinishmacleod, maidens, c. Not to be confused with the hamlet of Duirinish Lochalsh Duirinish Scottish Gaelic Diuirinis is a peninsula and civil parish on the island of Skye in Scotland It is situated in the north west between Loch Dunvegan and Loch Bracadale Map of Skye showing DuirinishMacleod s Maidens Contents 1 Geography 2 See also 3 Notes 4 ReferencesGeography edit nbsp Kilmuir Snizort Duirinish Bracadale Portree Strath Sleat Small Isles Parish Skye s shape defies description and W H Murray wrote that Skye is sixty miles 100 km long but what might be its breadth is beyond the ingenuity of man to state 1 Malcolm Slesser suggested that its shape sticks out of the west coast of northern Scotland like a lobster s claw ready to snap at the fish bone of Harris and Lewis 2 which would make Duirinish one of the claws The main peaks are Healabhal Mhor and Healabhal Bheag which reach 469 metres 1 539 feet and 488 metres 1 601 feet respectively and are better known as MacLeod s Tables They lie in the centre of the peninsula and their distinctive shapes are visible throughout much of north west Skye Dunvegan Head marks the north end of the peninsula and Idrigill Point the south 3 The west coast is now uninhabited and offshore there are only a few small islets An Dubh Sgeir An Stac and MacLeod s Maidens The latter are three stacks that resemble statues and were named after the drowning of a MacLeod chieftain s wife and two daughters 4 There are a number of small settlements principally along the west coast of Loch Dunvegan including Borreraig home of the piping MacCrimmons Colbost with its Three Chimneys restaurant Skinidin Galtrigill and Totaig Lephin and Glendale are further west The latter is a substantial community owned estate and its martyrs played an important part in the Highland Clearances Orbost and Roag are further south on the shore of Loch Bracadale Crofting remains a mainstay of the economy The village of Dunvegan itself is the main settlement of the area and is located on the east shore of the loch just outside Duirinish Nearby is Dunvegan Castle which has been the seat of Clan MacLeod since 1200 5 Historically Duirinish was also a parish in the county of Inverness shire The parish was larger than the peninsula and included Vaternish and Edinbane 6 The Gaelic name Diuranais or Diuirinis means deer headland and is derived from the Old Norse dyr deer and ness headland The peninsula is also known as duthaich nam mogan meaning land of the mogan shoes and the inhabitants as moganaich 7 See also editMinginish Sleat Strathaird Trotternish WaternishNotes edit Murray 1966 p 146 Slesser 1970 p 19 Duirinish Peninsula Gazetteer for Scotland Retrieved 27 November 2009 Haswell Smith 2004 p 177 Haswell Smith 2004 p 176 Map of Parishes in the County of Inverness scotlandsfamily com Retrieved 30 December 2009 Iain Mac an Tailleir Placenames PDF Parlamaid na h Alba Archived from the original PDF on 17 March 2007 Retrieved 23 July 2007 References editHaswell Smith Hamish 2004 The Scottish Islands Edinburgh Canongate ISBN 978 1 84195 454 7 Murray W H 1966 The Hebrides London Heinemann Slesser Malcolm 1970 The Island of Skye Edinburgh Scottish Mountaineering Club 57 26 N 6 39 W 57 44 N 6 65 W 57 44 6 65 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Duirinish Skye amp oldid 1122956386, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
