"Eilean Mo Rùin" a South Uist Travel Page by RhineRoll

South Uist is a remote, but beautiful island in the Outer Hebrides. What makes it special is that it's one of the last strongholds of Gaelic language and culture, Scottish Gaelic still being the everyday language throughout the island. South Uist can be reached either by ferry from Oban or Skye via Lochmaddy, North Uist. There are causeways to Benbecula in the North and tiny Eriskay to the South. A small car ferry connects Eriskay with Barra, so that it's possible to drive from the southern end of Barra to the Butt of Lewis with just 2 ferry crossings on a single day! Don't do this, though, adjust to the way of life of the islanders and take your time!!!

This was our Gaelic course. Michael, our regular teacher organized the whole thing and came with us all the way from Bonn, Germany. Catriona, our second teacher, is a native speaker who originates from South Uist but lives and works in Fort William

People have fled or were cleared from the Western Isles for centuries. On Skye and Mull, the trend has been halted, but here in the Outer Isles the economy is still dependent on subsidies and young people still have to leave for education and jobs. Development plans often fail due to stubborn landowners living far away on the mainland. Tourism is becoming more and more important as a source of income, but there's a limit due to lack of infrastructure. Also, if more outsiders came to the island, this could destroy one of the last Gaelic communities and might put the final nail in the coffin of Gaeldom.