Eilean Donan

Eilean Donan (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Donnain) is a small island in Loch Duich in the western Highlands of Scotland. It is connected to the mainland by a footbridge and lies about half a mile from the village of Dornie. Eilean Donan (which means simply "island of Donnán") is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in 617. Donnán is said to have established a church on the island, though no trace of this remains.

The island is dominated by a picturesque castle which is familiar from many photographs and appearances in film and television. The castle was founded in the thirteenth century, but was destroyed in the eighteenth century. The present buildings are the result of twentieth-century reconstruction. Eilean Donan Castle is the home of the Clan Macrae.

Eilean Donan is part of the Kintail National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland. In 2001, the island had a population of just one person.

Read more about Eilean Donan:  Media and The Arts, Gallery