IORSA, rivulet running about 7 miles south-westward to Mauchray Bay, Arran Island, Buteshire.
IRELAND, headland, with remains of church, on west coast of Dunrossness parish, Shetland.
IRISHLAW, lofty hill in Largs parish, Ayrshire.
IRON, long insulated rock, visible only at low-water, about a mile from Brown Head, on south coast of Arran Island, Buteshire.
IRONGATH, hill, with extensive view, 1J mile north of Linlithgow.
IRONGRAY.
IRONMACCANINE, place, with public school, in Balmaclellan parish, Kirkcudbrightshire.
IRONSHILL, eminence in Inverkeilor parish, Forfarshire.
IRVINE, river, town, and parish in Ayrshire. The river rises at watershed with Lanarkshire, runs 21 miles westward between Cunningham and Kyle to the Firth of Clyde, and has there a joint mouth with the Garnock in the lagoon of Irvine harbour. The town stands on north side of that mouth, 6J miles west of Kilmarnock; includes Fullarton suburb on south side within Dundonald parish ; made some figure in the wars of Robert Bruce ; runks now as a seaport, a seat of manufacture, and a royal burgh; unites with Ayr, Campbelton, Inverary, and Oban in sending a member to Parliament ; presents a pleasant, well-built appearance ; publishes two weekly newspapers ; gave the title of viscount, from 166 L till 1778, to the family of Ingram ; and has a head post office with all departments, a railway station adjacent to six-arched viaduct, 4 banking offices, 2 hotels, a ruined town mansion of the Earls of Eglinton, a town hall, waterworks of 1878 constructed at a cost of 40,000, 2 Established churches, 2 Free churches, 2 United Presbyterian churches, Baptist and Roman Catholic churches, an academy, 3 primary public schools, and an industrial school. Real property in 1880-81, 13,436. Pop. 8498. The parish measures 4J miles by 3, and comprises 3930 acres. Real property of landward part in 1879-80, 13,308. Pop. of the whole, 6013. The surface is partly low, partly ascending but not hilly, and includes a large portion of Eglinton Castle park. The only mansion is Bourtreehill, and the chief antiquity is Stone Castle. There are 8 schools for 1966 scholars, and 1 of them for 500 is new.
IRVING, ancient parish, now part of Kirkpatrick-Fleming, Dumfriesshire.
ISA, islet in Duirinish parish, Skye, Inverness-shire.
ISEVAULE, hill, 808 feet high, on south coast of South Uist, Outer Hebrides.
ISHOL, islet adjacent to south-west coast of Islay, Argyleshire.
ISHOL, islet in Loch Linnhe, Argyleshire.
ISHOUR, lake in Durness parish, Sutherland.
ISLA, river of Forfarshire and Perthshire. It rises at west extremity of Benchinnan Mountains, runs 17 miles south-south-eastward to Strathmore, and proceeds thence 11 miles south-westward to the Tay in vicinity of Cargill. The upper half of it is grandly picturesque; the lower half charmingly beautiful.
ISLA, small river, chiefly of Banffshire and partly on boundary with Aberdeenshire. It rises in the south of Botriphnie parish ; runs about 15 miles semicircularly, with convexity to the north ; and falls into the Deveron at 4f miles north of Huntly.
ISLAY, chief island of southernmost group of Inner Hebrides. It lies 17 miles west of Kintyre ; is divided by Islay Sound, little more than a mile wide, from Jura ; measures 25 miles from north to south, and 20 miles from east to west ; converges, in the north, on lines like two sides of an equilateral triangle ; and is bisected, in the south up to the centre, by Lochindaal. The coast, in the south-west, forms very lofty cliffs ; in part of the north-west is cavernous ; elsewhere is variously sandy beach, low diluvial land, and abrupt low rock. The interior has neither lofty mountains nor low plains, yet shows much diversity of surface, presents some pleasing scenery, and includes about 60 square miles of bog. Ten, if not more, distilleries of whisky were formerly on the island, and carried on their operations duty free ; but only seven, four of them very extensive, were on it in 1879. Islay whisky possesses a peculiar flavour, thought to be derived from the peat used in the distilleries ; and it is extensively exported. The island contains the villages of Bowmore, Bridgend, Port-Charlotte, Portnahaven, Port-Ellen, and Port-Askaig ; is divided into 3 parishes quoad civilia, and 3 more quoad sacra ; and contains 4 post offices, 2 banking offices, 6 Established churches, 5 Free churches, and a Baptist chapel. Pop. 7559.
