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HISTORY OF THE ISLE OF BARRA |
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Some dates in Barra history |
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Also see: |
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| Undiscovered Vatersay | ||
| c. 4000 BC |
Excavations at Allt Chrisal have uncovered prehistoric dwelling structures, built by Barra’s early ‘neolithic’ occupants. Comparisons have been made with similar structures found in Northern Ireland. There is as yet no evidence to suggest any earlier occupancy of the island, but it is possible that hunters and fishers could have set up coastal camp-sites, which may now be submerged due to the rise in sea level. |
| 620 AD |
AD Saint Barr established a building at Cille Bharra, where the twelfth century ‘cashel’ is located today. This is a collection of religious and secular buildings which would have been a monastic community. One building has been restored, the others are in ruins. |
| c. 800 |
Throughout this period Norse raiders attacked Barra. |
| 860 |
The Norse saga ‘Grettir Saga’ was begun on Barra. |
| 888 |
The Outer Hebrides were annexed by the King of Norway. |
| 890 |
A Norse garrison was on Barra. |
| c. 900 |
In 1865 a unique gravestone dating from this period was discovered. One side is engraved with a Celtic cross, the other is inscribed with Norse runes. It is the only runic inscription found in the Outer Hebrides and provides evidence that Cille Bharra was a Christian place of worship and burial during the Viking period. |
| c. 1030 |
The NacNeils were on Barra. Building work was started on the structure which was later to become Kisimul Castle. |
| 1120 |
The Great Tower of Kisimul was erected. |
| 1427 |
A Charter from the Lord of the Isles gave Gille Ardamhnain (Gilleonan) MacNeill title to Barra and it’s surrounding islands. |
| 1430 |
The stone tower, Dun Mhic Leoid, was
built in Loch Sinclair. |
| 1495 |
After the dissolution of the Lordship, the NacNeill Charter was confirmed by King James IV. |
| 1537 | Gilleonan was imprisoned by James V. |
| 1543 | Gilleonan was released by James VI. |
| 1626-1640 | The Franciscans served in Barra. |
| 1650 | Church built at Craigston. |
| 1675 | The first school on Barra was founded. |
| 1733-1734 | A separate Parish of Barra was formed under the MacNeils. |
| 1745 | The first shipment of emigrants from Barra to the new world. |
| 1795 | Kisimul Castle was destroyed by fire.Eoligarry House was built. |
| 1802 | 800 emigrants left the island. |
| 1810-1830 | There was a critical demise in the kelp industry which seriously affected the economy of Barra. |
| 1838 | General Roderick MacNeil, the 41st Chief of the Clan, became bankrupt and sold Barra to Colonel John Gordon of Cluny Castle, who later offered to sell the island to the Government as a convict settlement. The offer was declined. |
| 1846 | The potato famine brought devastation to the islanders. |
| c. 1850s | This was a period of the first major clearances carried out by Colonel Gordon. |
| 1851 | A partial clearance took place as 61 people left Barra destitute and headed for Inverness. |
| 1860 | The Catholic Church at Craigston was built. |
| 1868 | The Church of Scotland and Manse were built at Cuithir. |
| 1869 | James Methuen used Castlebay as a herring port. By 1886 up to 400 fishing boats fished out of Castlebay, and in May – June some two thousand people were employed to help with the landings. |
| 1887 | The Star of the Sea Church was begun in Castlebay. |
| 1908 | Northbay Church was built. |
| 1911 | The island of Mingulay was abandoned and some of it’s inhabitants resettled on Barra. |
| 1915 | Robert Lister MacNeil became 45th Chief of the Clan. |
| 1937 | Robert Lister MacNeil bought Kisimul Castle and 12,000 acres of Barra. |
| 1947 | The restoration of Kisimul Castle was begun. |
| 1956 | The Queen visited Barra on August 14th. |
| 1966 | Electricity was supplied to the island. |
| 1970 | Robert Lister MacNeil died and was succeeded by Ian Roderick MacNeil, 46th Chief of the Clan. |
| 1979 | Eoligarry House was destroyed by fire. |