Word of the Day
Skye (sky)
An island of northwest Scotland
Ione Skye: Actress
A dog breed originating in Scotland
Common clues: Actress Ione; Hebrides isle; Terrier type
Crossword puzzle frequency: 3 times a year
Frequency in English language: 42600 / 86800
The Isle of Skye, usually known simply as Skye (An t-Eilean Sgiathanach in Scottish Gaelic) is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.
Its name is of uncertain origin, but the Scots Gaelic "sgiath" meaning "winged" seems reasonable. Some legends associate the isle with the mythic figure of Scáthach.
Skye has sites showing occupation by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, such as the site at An Corran in Staffin which appears to have been in contact with occupants of the rock shelter at Sand, Applecross on the coast of Wester Ross.
Skye has suffered famine and clearances over the latter part of the 18th century, leading to its badly depleted population of less than 10,000 at the 1991 Census. In 2001 the usually resident population was found to be 8,748.
The Skye Bridge, linking Skye with the mainland of Scotland was built in the 1990s, with an unpopularly expensive toll. Some locals formed a protest group - SKAT (Skye and Kyle Against Tolls). They refused to pay the toll on the grounds that they had the right of free passage on any highway within the Kingdom of Scotland. On 21 December 2004 it was announced that the Scottish Executive had purchased the toll bridge from its owners and that tolls were abolished.
Ione Skye Leitch (born September 4, 1971 in Hertfordshire, England) is an actress. She is the daughter of singer Donovan Leitch. Her most popular performance was in the 1989 film Say Anything. She had her film debut in the dark River's Edge in 1987, and played the title character in The Rachel Papers (1989).
She married her second husband, David Netto, in March 2001. They have a daughter, Kate. Her first husband, Adam Horovitz, is a member of the popular musical group the Beastie Boys.
The Skye Terrier is an old and dignified dog breed originating, as have so many terriers, in Scotland. First bred on the Isle of Skye in the Hebrides, this dog was bred to go to ground to hunt aggressive predators, such as foxes, otters, and badgers. They were the aristocrats of the farm dogs, not left out with the other herding and ratting animals, but often kept in their owners' homes, a rare privilege as most working dogs would not be allowed inside.
A
statue of Greyfriar’s Bobby, a famously loyal Skye Terrier
The Skye was first popularized outside their home island in 1840s when Queen Victoria began breeding the dogs. Before then, the drop-eared variety was the most popular, but the prick-eared is now the most common, partially because of the Queen's love of the type.
The Skye Terrier is a dog of strong personal character, who responds well to the same trait in his owners. Loyal, steadfast, and sensitive, but never submissive, the Skye must respect his owner, in which case he will endlessly please, but no amount of yelling will earn that respect. Nor will exceeding affection forced upon him win his approval. A light but firm touch, especially the ability to say No, will win undying devotion. The Skye is nothing if not selective, and prefers reserved, calm people who reflect his attitude to life.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Isle of Skye", Ione Skye, and Skye Terrier.
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