Islay - Media and The Arts

Media and The Arts

Islay was featured in some of the scenes of the 1954 film, The Maggie and the 1942 documentary "Coastal Command" was partly filmed in Bowmore.

In 1967–68, folk-rock singer Donovan included "The Isle of Islay" in his album, A Gift from a Flower to a Garden, a song praising the pastoral beauties of the island. "Westering Home" is a 20th century Scottish song about Islay written by Hugh S. Roberton, derived from an earlier Gaelic song.

In the 1990s the BBC adaptation of Para Handy was partly filmed in Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich and featured a race between the Vital Spark (Para Handy's puffer) and a rival along the length of Loch Indaal. In 2007, parts of the BBC Springwatch programme were recorded on Islay with Simon King being based on Islay. The British Channel 4 Time Team television series excavated at Finlaggan, the episode being first broadcast in 1995.

In 2000, Japanese author Murakami Haruki visited the island to sample seven single malt whiskys on the island and later wrote a travel book called If our language were whiskey.