Our Lady of the Isles
Our Lady of the Isles is a sculpture of the Madonna and Child on South Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It stands on the western slopes of Ruabhal, near the northern end of the island, east of the A865 road, with a paved path leading from the road to the statue. The work was commissioned by Canon John Morrison in response to proposed Ministry of Defence missile testing facilities that many feared would disrupt island life and culture. Designed by Hew Lorimer and carved from granite, it was completed in 1957 and dedicated in 1958. In 2007, it was listed as a Category B listed building.
June 2009 © Barbara Carr · CC BY-SA 2.0
August 2009 © John Allan · CC BY-SA 2.0
June 2009 © Barbara Carr · CC BY-SA 2.0
April 2009 © Gwen and James Anderson · CC BY-SA 2.0
June 2009 © Barbara Carr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Identification | |
| Title | Our Lady of the Isles |
| Alternative names | Moire ro Naomh nan Eilean; Bana Thighearna nan Eilean; Notre Dame des Îles; Nostra Signora delle Isole |
| Type | Marian statue, sculpture of the Madonna and Child |
Physical characteristics | |
| Height | 9 meters |
| Subject | A standing Madonna holding the Christ Child at shoulder height |
Materials | |
| Material | Granite; white granite |
Creator | |
| Artist | Hew Lorimer |
| Artist's relation | Son of architect and designer Sir Robert Lorimer |
| Commissioned by | Canon John Morrison |
Historical context | |
| Commissioned in response to | Opposition to Ministry of Defence proposals during the Cold War for a large missile test range covering much of Uist, including a military town and missile-building facilities |
| Opposition leader | Canon John Morrison, the local parish priest, nicknamed "Father Rocket" |
| Built by | The local community |
| Reason for concern | Fear that much of the island's way of life, culture, and language would be destroyed |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Date created | 1955–1957 |
| Funding | Raised and financed by John Morrison and the islanders |
| Dedication date | 15 August 1958 |
| Completion date | 1957 |
Appearance | |
| Clothing | Simple draped robes for both figures |
| Facial features | The Madonna has facial features typical of an island woman; the face was modeled on a local woman |
| Christ Child left hand | Resting on the crowned head of the Madonna |
| Christ Child gesture | Raises his right hand in blessing |
History and restoration | |
| Dedicated by | Bishop Kenneth Grant |
| Protected status | Category B listed building |
| Designation date | 2007 |
| Poem commemorating dedication | Dòmhnall Iain Dhonnchaidh wrote the Christian poem Laoidh Statue Ruaidheabhal ("The Statue at Rueval") to commemorate the statue's dedication in 1958 |
Location and ownership | |
| Location | Western slopes of Ruabhal, near the northern end of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland |
| Relative location | East of the A865 road |
| Nearby settlements | Near Geirinish and the deserted settlement of Drimore |
| Access | Reachable from the A865 via a paved footpath |
Significance | |
| Religious significance | A rare sculptural and monumental testimony of Marian devotion in the United Kingdom |
| Contextual significance | South Uist, together with nearby Barra, is one of the few areas of the United Kingdom where Roman Catholic faith has remained the community's faith |
| Artistic significance | Considered one of Hew Lorimer's most notable works |
| Later description | In 2004, Marcus Tanner described the statue as one of the few visible proofs that visitors driving across South Uist have left the Scottish Presbyterianism of John Knox behind |