26 August 2009: St Kilda

St Kilda Day (Latha Hiort) will be celebrated for the first time on Saturday 29 August to mark the evacuation of St Kilda’s final inhabitants almost 80 years ago.

Since 1697 a small population of around 180 rented land on the island, and until the 19th century rent was paid in local produce to the factor who visited once a year.  The hardy islanders, famous for their self sufficiency, grew crops, kept animals and scaled the high sea cliffs to collect eggs and catch seabirds for food, feathers and oil.  Sadly, by the 1850s, a sense of isolation had grown and St Kildans became increasingly dependent on imported goods of food, fuel and building materials.  Many islanders emigrated, and in 1929 the remaining 36 wrote to the government asking to be taken to the mainland.  They were evacuated in August 1930.

St Kilda Day aims to increase public awareness of the story of the island and celebrate the lives if the inhabitants.