Isle of Eigg celebrates 26 years of community ownership since historic buyout

This week saw one of Scotland’s islands celebrate more than two decades of being community owned.

Twenty-six years ago, this same June week, a small island on Scotland’s west coast erupted in celebration.

The Isle of Eigg, which lies some ten miles off the mainland to the south of Skye, marked its “independence day” after the residents bought it on June 12, 1997 for £1.5 million.

Stretching about five miles long by three miles wide, the island is officially owned by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust – a partnership between islanders, Highland Council and the Scottish Wildlife Trust – that has managed it on behalf of the residents since the community buyout.

The Isle of Eigg community celebrated the 26th anniversary of its "independence day" this week (pic: Allan Wright/Alamy Stock Photo)

'Are we still paying for 1745?' South Uist fury over CalMac ferry chaos

Today, the anniversary of the purchase is still very much celebrated on the island, which, just last year, created its own “passport stamp” featuring the island’s unmistakable An Sgùrr peak.

In the 1990’s, the population was about 60, but it has now climbed to some 110 people. Visitors from the mainland and further afield also come over to the island to celebrate the historic day.

Music is played each anniversary by Jamatha, Eigg’s longest serving “June 12th anniversary band”; while tunes are blasted by DJ Dolphin Boy, a familiar face and long-standing supporter of the community.

The trust said the 26th year had seen the community enjoy its newly developed facilities at the island’s pier, which have almost completed. These include a bike and kayak hire area and a craft shop.

The island is known for having moved away from reliance on fossil fuel generators to power homes and businesses.

The late British businessman Keith Schellenberg bought Eigg in 1975 and owned the island for about two decades before selling it to German artist Maruma in 1995.

According to the trust, the islanders, inspired by crofters taking over the 21,000-acre North Assynt Estate in the north west Highlands in 1993, had the confidence they could be successful too.

Eigg’s community purchase went on to influence a steady flow of community buy-outs, mainly in the Western Isles.

The anniversary comes as six other Scottish islands have taken a significant step towards a low carbon future by publishing community climate action plans as part of the Scottish Government’s Carbon Neutral Islands (CNI) project.

The scheme is supporting six Scottish islands – Great Cumbrae, Barra, Hoy, Islay, Raasay and Yell – to become carbon neutral by 2040.