Orsay

Orsay is a small, uninhabited island in the Inner Hebrides off the Rhinns of Islay peninsula. It lies just 100 metres from the southern tip of Islay, separated by a narrow sound. The island measures up to 740 metres long and 480 metres wide, rising only 24 metres above sea level. Administratively it belongs to Argyll and Bute, though historically it was part of Argyllshire. Across the sound lies the village of Port Wemyss, while to the north is Eilean Mhic Coinnich. Evidence suggests monks settled here as early as the 8th and 9th centuries, including fragments of carved crosses from that period. In the 14th century they built St Oran’s Chapel, now a roofless ruin whose origins remain uncertain. The chapel appears on 16th-century maps and records, still in use then, but by the late 18th century it had fallen into ruin. In 1825 Robert Stevenson constructed the Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse, which stands beside the chapel ruins and the grave of Hugh MacKay. These three structures are the only surviving buildings and are all listed in Scotland’s inventory of historic monuments. Visitors find the island quiet and windswept, with the lighthouse and chapel ruins as the main landmarks. The low, grassy terrain offers little shelter from Atlantic winds, and no paths or facilities exist. The view across the sound to Port Wemyss and along the Rhinns coastline is the chief attraction. The remains of St Oran’s Chapel sit near the shore, while the lighthouse stands on higher ground to the north. The grave of Hugh MacKay lies close by, marked by a simple stone.