Holy Island, at mouth of Lamlash Bay, Arran island, Firth of Clyde, pop. 15; is supposed to have been the resort of St Columba's disciple, St Maol Jos, whose hermitage, a natural cave, is still pointed out; is a conical hill, rising from the sea in tiers of cliffs to a height of 1030 ft.; on SW. point is a lighthouse 56 ft. high, with fixed light (Lamlash) 46 ft. above high water and seen 12 miles.

(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))