The Oa: Difference between revisions

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Created page with 'thumb|250px|Waterfall at the Mull of Oa '''The Oa''' ({{lang|gd|An Obha}}) is a rocky region in the southwest of Islay, and island of Argyllshi…'
 
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[[File:Mullofoawaterfall.jpg|thumb|250px|Waterfall at the Mull of Oa]]
[[File:Mull of Oa, Islay aerial.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The Oa from the air]]
'''The Oa''' ({{lang|gd|An Obha}}) is a rocky region in the southwest of [[Islay]], and island of Argyllshire. It is an RSPB nature reserve.  
[[File:Mullofoawaterfall.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Waterfall at the Mull of Oa]]
{{county|Argyll}}
'''The Oa''' is a rocky, bulbous headland in the south-west of [[Islay]], in [[Argyllshire]]. Its name is from the Gaelic ''An Obha''. The whole of the Oa is an RSPB nature reserve.  


The area is almost an island.  Tts high point is [[Beinn Mhòr, Islay|Beinn Mhòr]] 663 feet in the south.
The area is almost an island; its high point is [[Beinn Mhòr, Islay|Beinn Mhòr]], rising to 663 feet, in the south. It used to be inhabited, but no longer:  in 1830 the parish became deserted due to the Highland Clearances.


The Oa used to have a population of 800<ref name="islay">{{cite web| url=http://www.islayinfo.com/islay_oa_peninsula.html| title=The Oa Peninsula| publisher=Guide to the Isle of Islay| accessdate=2009-07-26}}</ref> in 1830 but became deserted due to the Highland Clearances. The American Monument was erected on the south coast by the American Red Cross to commemorate the loss of two ships in 1918, SS ''Tuscania'', a passenger liner, and HMS ''Otranto''.<ref name="islay"/>
==On the Oa==
In 1918, two ships were lost off Islay, the SS ''Tuscania'', a passenger liner, and HMS ''Otranto''.<ref name=islay>[http://www.islayinfo.com/islay_oa_peninsula.html The Oa Peninsula] – 'Guide to the Isle of Islay'</ref> </ref> The American Monument was erected on the south coast by the American Red Cross to commemorate them.


The area around the memorial is an RSPB Nature Reserve,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/t/theoa/| title=The Oa| publisher=RSPB| accessdate=2009-07-26}}</ref> where chough, golden eagles, corncrakes and sea birds can be seen. {{convert|1931|ha|acre|0|x}} have been designated as a Special Protection Area for the protection of the chough.<ref name="islay"/> [[Ireland]] can be seen from the south peninsula on a clear day.
The area around the memorial is a Nature Reserve owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds,<ref>{{rspb|The Oa}}</ref> where chough, golden eagles, corn crakes and sea birds can be seen. 4,772 acres have been designated as a Special Protection Area for the protection of the chough.<ref name=islay/> Ireland]] can be seen from the south peninsula on a clear day.<ref>United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map, Landranger, 1:50,000 scale</ref>
 
==Location==
*Location map: {{wmap|55.6166667|-6.2833333|zoom=14}}
 
==See also==
*[[Ae]]
 
==Outside links==
{{commons|The Oa, Islay}}


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 13:40, 1 March 2018

The Oa from the air
Waterfall at the Mull of Oa

The Oa is a rocky, bulbous headland in the south-west of Islay, in Argyllshire. Its name is from the Gaelic An Obha. The whole of the Oa is an RSPB nature reserve.

The area is almost an island; its high point is Beinn Mhòr, rising to 663 feet, in the south. It used to be inhabited, but no longer: in 1830 the parish became deserted due to the Highland Clearances.

On the Oa

In 1918, two ships were lost off Islay, the SS Tuscania, a passenger liner, and HMS Otranto.[1] </ref> The American Monument was erected on the south coast by the American Red Cross to commemorate them.

The area around the memorial is a Nature Reserve owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds,[2] where chough, golden eagles, corn crakes and sea birds can be seen. 4,772 acres have been designated as a Special Protection Area for the protection of the chough.[1] Ireland]] can be seen from the south peninsula on a clear day.[3]

Location

See also

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about The Oa)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Oa Peninsula – 'Guide to the Isle of Islay'
  2. The Oa – Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
  3. United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map, Landranger, 1:50,000 scale