Castaway 2000
Taransay - The Island and Its History
This three mile long and two mile wide island has achieved international fame through productions such as 'Castaway 2000' and 'the Rocket Post', where its spectacular scenery and location have been unveiled to the world. Lying in the Sound of Taransay on the west coast of South Harris, this island overlooks the beautiful dark hills of Harris and the stunning white sand of Luskyntyre and Seilibost bay. With nothing but the open Atlantic to the West, it is a solitary island encased by an incredible coastline.
On the island there is an incredible sandy beach and spit on the east coast where the sand is white and clean with not even a footprint. The machair dunes are a haven for many rare and beautiful birds and further south is the deserted village of Paible, where the Castaways set up camp. Continuing south is a beautiful isthmus with stunning beaches on both sides where the famed 'bothy' (a place of solitude for the castaways) is located. There are natural caves and stunning cliffs along the west coast of the Island, and Ben Raah is well worth a climb at 267 metres, it is Taransays highest hill. There is nowhere quite like Taransay for peace and tranquillity beyond belief! To visit this island go to www.visit-taransay.com.
The History
3000BC - Early Settlement
Prehistoric man settles on the island, and evidence of his presence can be traced back five millennia to the raising of the enigmatic standing stone on the shore.
300AD - Fortress Taransay
For centuries the Celtic inhabitants of the island had defended their settlements. A network of fire beacons would light up all the neighbouring islands to warn of invaders ravaging the local communities.
750AD - Christianity comes to the Island
By 750AD Christianity is establishing itself as the dominant belief system over pagan worship. The name Taran, which gives the name Taransay, is suggested by some scholars to be the sixth century Irish Saint, Ternan or Torannan, who was very influential in Pictland.
900AD - Viking Settlement
Viking raiders arrive from Norway to raid the north and north west of Scotland. After successive waves of attack, the Vikings settle on many of the west coast islands: forming a warrior caste, forcing the population into serfdom and marrying the local women - thus introducing Norse blood to the following generations and many Norse words into the vocabulary of the area. Taransay itself is a Norse translation of "the Isle of Taran" (see Taran below), whilst the site of the current Castaway settlement is Paible, a Norse-Gaelic compound meaning "Priest's Town".
1544 - Massacre on Taransay
Whilst the MacDonalds extend their Lordship over nearly all of the Western Isles that once belonged to Norway, the Morrisons of Lewis take advantage of a revolt against the Scottish Crown to settle old scores. They massacre the entire community of Taransay, but retribution is close at hand as the men from the nearby island of Berneray follow them to Taransay to put a halt to their trail of slaughter. The Morrisons retreat to the beach and onto an isolated rock, where they are butchered, all except for the escaping chieftain. The rock becomes known as Sgeir Bhuailte, or 'smitten-rock', where for generations to follow great storms would stir the sands around the rock and unsettle the bones of the Morrisons.
1700 - The Dead Arise...
Martin Martin from the Isle of Skye, whilst gathering information for a book, notes an ancient and macabre tradition that is observed on the island. There are two ancient chapels on the island, that of St Tarran's and St Keith's. Tradition states that no man should be buried in St Tarran's and no woman should be buried in St Keith's, lest you want the dead to rise from the grave where you would find them disinterred the next day.
1775 - Tobacco Plantation on Taransay?
Many adventurous souls from the Hebrides emigrate to America. Kenneth Campbell returns to the island with a ship laden with cotton, sugar and timber, but also tobacco plants. Surprisingly, they grow on this tempestuous island, but with small leaf, and they remain more as a curious novelty. The plants are noted by an observer as late as the 1950s.
1790 - School Days
The old school was established in 1790 at a spot overlooking a beautiful sandy beach called Raa.
1835 - The Clearance
Rent is increased on the island far beyond anything that the land could realistically return and to make way for the more profitable sheep farming. All the crofters leave. Only the farmer at Paible (near the current Castaway site), his servants and a few cottar families are left.
1883 - The Island of Discontent
A Government Commission is set up to investigate the problems of the crofting community of the highlands and islands. A complaint by Angus Ferguson claims that the cottar households, by order of the MacDonald tacksman, aren't allowed to keep any sheep or cattle of their own, aren't allowed to sow oats or barley (only a limited amount of potatoes), and are forced to scrape a meagre living from fishing.
1974 - Desertion
Only one family lives on the island: Ewen MacRae, his wife Lexy and his son, also Ewen. They tend the cattle for their landlord and otherwise employ themselves through fishing, especially for lobster. When Ewen senior dies in 1974, mother and son move off the island and it lies deserted for the first time in known human history.
2000 - New Year - Castaway 2000
36 castaways land on the island to undertake a social experiment. They are set the task of creating a self sustaining community in gale force weather conditions and with unfinished living quarters. So follows a year where it is not so much the island they find challenging as each other.
With thanks to the BBC website for contribution,
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