Islay's pirate stories

Islay ‘s deep sea loch, Lochindaal, is the historic seat of the Campbells of Islay.

An Taigh Ban (the White House) - also known as Islay House - sits at the top of the loch and at its mouth, the Battery at Bowmore and the East Tower at Bridgend face each other to guard the Campbells of Islay against sea attacks. Yet twice the island fell prey to pirates.

The first victim was Major Campbell returning from India with his wife and laden with jewels and gold and sailing home on the Islay packet in 1778, just as the Ranger, the ship of notorious Scottish born pirate turned American naval hero John Paul Jones was spotted on the horizon.

Resistance was futile, and having made it within spitting distance of his home island, Major Campbell found himself penniless but alive as Paul Jones made off with his entire wealth. Thirty-five years later, in 1813, another pirate vessel, from America this time, sailed into Lochindaal, burning and pillaging its way along the coast before carrying away its spoil.

More information on visiting the area can be found here.