The Oa
The Oa (Gaelic: An Obha) is a rocky region in the southwest of Islay, and island of Argyllshire. It is an RSPB nature reserve.
The area is almost an island. Tts high point is Beinn Mhòr 663 feet in the south.
The Oa used to have a population of 800[1] 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.[1]
The area around the memorial is an RSPB Nature Reserve,[2] where chough, golden eagles, corncrakes 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.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "The Oa Peninsula". Guide to the Isle of Islay. http://www.islayinfo.com/islay_oa_peninsula.html. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
- ↑ "The Oa". RSPB. http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/t/theoa/. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
