Struan

For the fictitious family in the novels of James Clavell, see Struans.

Struan
Scottish Gaelic: An Sruthan
File:Isle of Skye UK location map.svg Struan  Struan shown within the Isle of Skye
OS grid reference	NG340381
Council area	Highland
Lieutenancy area	Ross and Cromarty
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ISLE OF SKYE
Postcode district	IV56
Dialling code	01470
Police	Scottish
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Ross, Skye and Lochaber
Scottish Parliament	Ross, Skye and Inverness West
List of places UK Scotland

File:Oronsay.jpg

View south from Ullinish toward Oronsay with Rubha nan Clach in background.

Struan (Scottish Gaelic: An Sruthan) is a small village situated on the west coast of the island of Skye, on the shores of Loch Beag, itself an inlet of Loch Harport. "Struan" is the anglicized form (and approximate pronunciation) of the Scottish Gaelic word sruthan, meaning "small stream", or the flow at the point where a spring appears.

It has a population of around 300. While there are four different Protestant denominations represented in the area, church attendance has declined dramatically, and Sabbath keeping is largely forgotten.

The local economy, like most of Skye, is heavily supported by tourism. Fishing, crofting and to a lesser extent, large-scale farming also contribute. Struan has a small local grocery shop, four churches, a petrol station, an outdoor shop and a primary school. Buried in the old graveyard are the climber, J. Norman Collie and his longtime Skye guide, John Mackenzie of Sconser.

Near the village stands Dun Beag (Historic Scotland; no entrance charge), one of the best-preserved Iron Age brochs in Scotland. The small settlement of Ullinish is about 1 km to the west and Bracadale is just a few hundred metres to the east.

Other uses

Bracadale and Struan

There is a second rural community in Scotland called Struan, in Perthshire. Strowan, also in Perthshire, west of Crieff, has the same origin.

Struan is also a traditional Scottish boy's name, commonly given to the chief of the Robertson Clan or Duncan Clan.

Struans are also the name for traditional Scottish cakes made for Michaelmas.

In South Australia, near the town of Naracoorte is Struan House, a man named John Robertson from Struan in Scotland settled in the area and built Struan House.

External links

• Map sources for Struan
• Meanings of sruth (Stòr-dàta Briathrachais Gàidhlig)