Oban
- Other meanings: See Oban (disambiguation)
Oban (An t-Oban in Gaelic) is a resort town in Argyll, Scotland with a population of around 12,000. Despite its small size, it's the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the massive tourist season the town can by crowded by around 25,000 people.
Attractions in Oban include the Waterfront Centre and D. Watt and Son Fishmongers both situated on the Railway Pier, the Cathedral of St Columba, the Oban Distillery, Dunollie Castle, Dunstaffnage Castle and McCaig's Tower, which dominates the town's skyline. The town also boasts a cinema and a railway station, and is an important ferry port. Oban is known as the Gateway to the Islands, with ferries sailing to the islands of Lismore, Colonsay, Coll, Tiree, Kerrera, Craignure on Mull, and to Castlebay in Barra and Lochboisdale in the South Uist. In 2003, Oban hosted the 100th Royal National Mod (a Gaelic festival), in anticipation of which many signs were replaced with bilingual versions. Not only was Oban the venue for the 100th Mod but it also hosted the centenary Mod in 1992 (the year it became Royal). The reason for the different dates for the 100th and the centenary being stoppages for the wars. The local amateur football team is "Oban Saints" with a small stadium situated in Mossfield. However, shinty is a more popular game locally. The Oban Times runs a competition Spot the Shinty Ball each week. Oban has also been used as a back drop to many films varying from Ring of Bright Water to Morven Callar. See http://www.scotlandthemovie.com/movies/obaninfo.html. Oban is mentioned in the book Le rayon vert by Jules Verne. External links
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