AILSA CRAIG

granite islet, South Ayrshire council area, Scotland, at the mouth of the Firth of Clyde and 10 miles (16 km) off the coast of South Ayrshire, to which it belongs. It is nicknamed Paddy's Milestone for its location halfway between Glasgow and Belfast (Northern Ireland). The name Ailsa Craig is thought to derive from Gaelic words meaning Fairy Rock. About 0.75 mile (1.2 km) long and 0.5 mile (0.8 km) wide, Ailsa Craig rises steeply to an elevation of 1,114 feet (340 metres) and is accessible only on the eastern side. Its rock has been used to make curling stones (used in the Celtic sport, and hence known as Ailsas) as well as paving stones. Some scanty grass supports goats and rabbits. The precipices have large breeding colonies of gannets and other seabirds.