Download or read book Islay written by David Caldwell and published by Birlinn Publishers. This book was released on 2017-05-25 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the history of Islay up to the present day with a particular focus on the people of the island. Islay was originally part of Dal Riata, the early kingdom of the Scots, but was then colonized by Scandinavian settlers in the ninth century. It was also the home of the MacDonalds, who established the Lordship of the Isles during the Medieval Period and who mounted a challenge to the Stewart dynasty for control of Scotland. It also looks at the lesser folk, especially during the time of the Campbell lairds, from the early 17th century onwards. Archaeology combined with documentary research has helped to build up a picture of how the people of Islay lived, the way the land was farmed and the development of local industries, including the distilling of whisky.