Soay, Skye Elgol. The island is part of the Cuillin Hills National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland. The name derives from Old Norse "Sauða-ey" meaning "Sheep Island". Camas nan Gall (G: "Bay of Foreigners") is probably named after the Norse invaders, after whom the Hebrides ("Na h-Innse Gall") are also named. The population peaked at 158 in 1851, following eviction of crofters from Skye in the Highland Clearances. In 1946, author Gavin Maxwell bought the island and established a factory to process shark oil from basking sharks. The enterprise was unsuccessful, lasting just three years. Maxwell wrote about it in
Association for Scottish Literary Studies Research Book of the Year awards: "The Poems of William Dunbar", edited by Priscilla Bawcutt (1998); and Sorley MacLean's "Dàin do Eimhir", edited by Christopher Whyte (2002). In 2011, the ASLS's edition of Sorley MacLean's "An Cuilithionn/The Cuillin" was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year award. Also in 2011, along with VisitScotland and the University of Glasgow, the ASLS co-produced "Literary Scotland: A Traveller's Guide". In October 2011, this publication won the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Scotland Gold Award for Best Publication. Association for Scottish Literary Studies The Association for Scottish Literary Studies (ASLS) is