Eigg: The Story of an Island

Shortlisted for the Katherine Briggs Folklore Award. Drawing on oral history, legend and song as well as written accounts, this is the story of Eigg and its inhabitants from the earliest times to the present day. Camille Dressler follows the changes in the islanders' lives from the tribal society of clan days to the development of crofting, the Clearances and depopulation, and the effect various landlords have had on the island in more recent times, right through to the historic community buy-out of 1997. This book gives a comprehensive and colourful picture of how the islanders reacted and survived, and shows how Eigg's cultural heritage captured the imagination of a community in transition seeking to preserve its island identity. This updated edition includes a vivid account of the islanders' achievements since the buy-out and of the challenges they have met in their pioneering venture.