Deer counts in North Harris and North Uist
Irish dance craze sweeps Benbecula
See Page 7
See Page 12
ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE Get ready to vote. Election candidates on Page 6
island news Edition 02
April 2012
EE FR
& ADVERTISER
LOCHMADDY YOUNGSTER IN AIRLIFT DRAMA Brave Declan now recovering from stomach ulcer bug Despite feeling so ill, the brave 11 year old had never taken a day off school or complained about his condition. When his illness suddenly became acute with a bright red rash, distraught mum Jackie, 47, took Declan to the doctors’ surgery in Lochmaddy. She was told the news every parent dreads. She said: “The doctor said your son is very ill. She thought it might be leukemia.” By that evening the doctor had ordered the air ambulance from Stornoway, and by 10.30pm, mother and son were in Yorkhill hospital. Declan said: “I was a bit scared as I didn’t know what was wrong with me. The plane was a bit late so we had to wait in the hospital, and then we were taken by ambulance to the plane.
HARRIS
The MacLellan family, left to right, Katlyn, 13 mum Jackie, Declan and dad DC.
‘‘
‘‘
Lochmaddy lad Declan MacLellan was flown to Yorkhill hospital, Glasgow last month by emergency air ambulance to treat a mystery illness which had left him gradually more exhausted, in pain and losing weight over months.
Declan with Henry, the lucky mascot given to him by the air ambulance crew.
The doctor said your son is very ill. She thought it might be leukemia. Jackie MacLellan.
“I was allowed to sit beside the pilot and watch the landing. We flew at 400 mph with a tail wind, it only took 20 minutes. I was happy to be in hospital, the doctors were really nice.” Once in Yorkhill, Declan immediately went through nine hours of tests overnight, and was kept in hospital for four days while Jackie snatched what rest she could beside him. The doctors ruled out leukemia, and diagnosed helicobacter pylori, a bug which causes stomach ulcers in adults. Declan was immediately put on a dose of strong antibiotics.
BERNERAY
NORTH UIST
Jackie said: “The doctors said this bug is almost unheard of in children in this country. It’s also very resistant, so we will have to wait for more tests to find out whether it has been successfully treated.” Declan continued his treatment at home, taking a few days off school for the first time ever. As a premature baby, born at 26 weeks, Declan originally had a few health
challenges to cope with, but grew into a highly active, busy child taking part in athletics, cross-country and football. Jackie said: “At first I thought he was just tired. I knew there was something wrong but couldn’t put my finger on it. Then he started coming home from school and going straight to bed at 5pm. He also started losing weight and had burning pains in his stomach.” Declan is now feeling better and back at school, but taking it easy for the moment with less energy to take part in sports. He said: “I’m getting better, I feel about seven out of 10 now.” Jackie said: “I’m worried about where he got the bug from. I’ve asked environmental health to investigate it. I would urge all parents to be on the look out for these symptoms if their children are getting more and more tired, losing weight and complaining of stomach pains.”
atively id: “Helicobacter is a rel sa r Sia n ea Eil n Na le mhair blic health issue.” A spokesman from Co is no known related pu ere th d an n tio ec inf helico.com common ri can be found on www. ylo h.p t ou ab on ati orm More inf
BENBECULA
SOUTH UIST
ERISKAY
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
INBRIEF
2
IT’S BRING AND BUY SEASON Kilmuir and Paible Church, North Uist, is holding a Bring and Buy sale in Paible school on Friday April 20 at 7.30pm. Tea and coffee will be served. Admiss ion: Adults £2, children £1. Proceeds to church funds and Tearfund. Tell IN&A about your church events: editor@islandnewsandadvertiser.c om
s th a tp o fo is rr a H h rt o N ir to repa to help with drainage and repairs on some of the Volunteevors lunteers are coming d four days working at
John Muir Trust y. They will also spen otpaths at the end of Ma fo s st’ local seed will be raised Tru s rri Ha rth No new tree nursery, where the in rt rbe Ta ar ne e sit l the Trust’s polytunne d on the estate. to grow trees for woodlan
THE SEA AS OUR NEIGHBOUR Adapting to climate change in coastal communities and habitats on Europe’s northern periphery was the theme of a two-day international CoastAdapt conference in Southend Hall, Daliburgh at the end of March. The conference was addressed by speakers from CoastAdapt partners from Norway, Iceland, Ireland and Northern Ireland as well as from Scotland.
Cleaning up North Uist
Pupils from Paible and Carinish schools, North Uist are rolling th eir sleeves up in May as part of Keep Scotland Tidy. Carinish pupils wi ll be cleaning up litter from Baile Sear beach, while Paible children ar e cleaning up the Co mmittee Road.
R PREPARATIONS FO H NEW LEVERBURG LIFEBOAT
n on the Groundworks have begu rgh lifeboat site for the new Leverbu dy by the station, expected to be rea an allend of April. The lifeboat, ssel, is ve ss cla weather “Mersey” 2, when y Ma expected to arrive on mark to ld an open day will be he begin ll wi the event. The lifeboat ser , ving service on Friday May 11 ad more North Uist and Harris. Re s on the about the preparation opposite page.
Lochmaddy Hall EGM Lochmaddy Hall committee will hold an EGM in the hall on Tuesday April 24 at 8pm. Members have appealed for new people to come forward to help run the hall.
HEBRIDEAN EXPERIENCE DAYS Tourism providers in Harris and the Uists were treated to two Experience Days organized by Tourism Hebrides last month. The idea was to allow people working in the tourism industry to experience first-hand some of the many activities available on the islands, so that they can speak to visitors from a position of knowledge.
Taigh Sgire Sholais Re-Opens The former Dunskellar school in Sollas, North Uist has reopened after a marathon effort by locals to turn it into Taigh Sgire Sholais, a community venue fit for the 21st century. The celebrations took place over two days with an official opening with musical entertainment, and an open day with lunch.
ANICH CAR VANDALISM IN BALIV iry’ after four
inqu Police are following ‘a positive line of night in Balivanich t nigh cars were vandalised over a fort at Benbecula ed last month. The matter has been rais e expressed hav Community Council, whose members in the small hours concern that these incidents occurred S cost-cutting drive. while the street lights were off in a CnE
YOUR NEWS IS IMPORTANT Contact IN&A with your stories - Tel: 01876 510758/07500 041671 editor@islandnewsandadvertiser.com
TO ADVERTISE Tel: 01876 510758/07500 041671 sales@islandnewsandadvertiser.com Managing Editor: Susy Macaulay - Design: Tim Mason
Dear Editor World-wide connections are a very important part of island life. Barbara Matthews of Quebec wrote to IN&A about her Lewis roots. My great grandfather, John Gunn, was born in 1842 in North Dell, Lewis. He emigrated to Portland, Maine, when he was about 20. He knew of a community of Lewis people who lived near Danville here in Quebec, and travelled north to see these people from home.There he met Catherine Macleod, daughter of “Elder” John MacLeod, whom he married in 1868 in Danville. I grew up hearing that he had chiseled his initials into the rock in a cove near his home in North Dell, before he left for the U.S. My mother was told that the children would be sent to the cove occasionally, to scrape out any moss or lichen from the letters JG. Imagine my excitement when my husband and I visited Lewis a few years ago and a cousin took us across a field, a stile and another field, to emerge above a small cove from whose banks was an extrusion of hard grey rock...and there were those initials! Imagine! They’d been there for about 150 years! And I have his New Testament with his signature in it. I found this extremely moving. It was made all the more perfect that it was a glorious day and my cousin Alex Morrison, his wife Mary, my husband, and I sat on the cliff beyond which the sea was foaming in, while Alex told us stories of his childhood on a croft. His mother was my grandmother’s first cousin. My maternal grandmother was John Gunn’s fifth child,born in Portland where John and Catherine had settled. They occasionally paid visits to their Lewis relatives here in the Eastern Townships,and on one visit my grandfather,Robert Hall Stevenson,a young family doctor in Danville at the time,caught sight of beautiful Lillian at church and fell in love. They married and had a busy,happy life in Danville for 50 years. To celebrate his retirement they visited England. While there my grandfather remarked,“You have cousins up in Lewis. Wouldn’t you like to go and meet them?”She was quite shy about inviting herself to visit strangers,at a place so remote that if they felt uncomfortable they couldn’t just politely leave at a moment’s notice. But,happily, she agreed,off they journeyed,and of course they were greeted like long lost relatives (which they were!) and felt an instant kinship,which continues to my generation I am delighted to say.
Barbara Matthews Jackson Hts, Canton de Hatley, Quebec
IN&A welcomes letters about your island connections - and any other topic. Write to letters@islandnewsandadvertiser.com
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
INSIDE THIS ISSUE PAGE
6 ....... Election candidates 7 ....... Wildlife 9,10 ....... Crofting 12,13 ....... People 14 ....... Gaelic
PAGE
15 ....... Music 16 ....... Reviews 17 ....... Archaeology 18 ....... Crossword 19 ....... Paw Prints
Leverburgh Lifeboat Preparations With the arrival of Harris and North Uist’s new lifeboat next month,crew training is well underway. An 18 strong team has been undergoing pretraining preparation, receiving their kit and spending time at sea with the Stornoway lifeboat to experience the reality of lifeboat work. Five crew members will undergo mechanics’ training in Girvan, and the entire crew, which includes one woman, will undergo intensive courses in casualty care and tough RNLI training in Poole. Complete darkness, thunder, lightning and helicopter recovery simulations are all part of the gruelling training.
TURF-CUTTING CEREMONY MARKS WINDFARM MILESTONE Residents of South Uist and children from Iochdar school ignored atrocious weather to join in a ceremonial turf-cutting to mark the start of building work on the Stòras Uibhist windfarm. The three-turbine development at Loch Carnan will be the largest wholly community owned windfarm in Scotland. The £11.4 million project is due for completion this October.
Angus MacMillan with children from Iochdar school.
Stòras Uibhist expects the turbines to generate more than £20million in income to the local community over the next two decades. Stòras Uibhist chairman Angus MacMillan said: ‘This project has always been about generating income to re-invest into the local community for the benefit of the 3000 people who live on the islands of Eriskay, Benbecula and Community members join Stòras Uibhist staff at the turfSouth Uist. It has been a long and cutting ceremony. sometimes difficult path that has lead to this point. However, we are now Huw Francis, chief executive of Stòras looking to the future when Stòras Uibhist, Uibhist said: “The realisation of this in partnership with other local project will transform these islands and organisations, can make best use of this generate significant income for rerevenue and the people of this estate can investment over the next 20 years. The take their future in their own hands and construction of Scotlands’ largest wholly transform these islands into a vibrant and community owned windfarm has been growing place to live and work. This could made possible by the dedication of the only have happened with community staff at Stòras Uibhist and with the ownership and demonstrates that when support of Iochdar Hill Common Grazing communities can manage their own assets Committee, HIE, BIG Lottery and they are able to transform their futures.’” Community Energy Scotland.”
Water Regulator says North Uist water safe to drink
Leverburgh RNLI training in progress
Three coxswains and three mechanics will be selected as a result of this training. The crew are on trial for the first year of the lifeboat’s presence in Harris and North Uist. Also on trial are the communities served by the lifeboat. Residents must establish a fundraising system for their lifeboat station using collection boxes and other fund-raising activities. A recent coffee morning on Harris raised £1600. Hamish Taylor, honorary president of the Leverburgh lifeboat branch said: “The support shown by our community has been a great encouragement. We are blessed by living in a generous community which already supports an impressive number of charitable causes. The RNLI is a new addition to the roll. While no one would wish to divert communal generosity from the other worthy causes, the communities of Scalpay, North and South Harris and North Uist, all already incidental supporters of RNLI are now at the beginning of developing our own ‘lifeboat culture’, and in line with our historic cultural nature I am sure we will grow into the role as the project develops and matures.”
3
The Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) has issued a statement saying it is keeping a close watch on the water supply situation on North Uist. A spokeswoman said: “DWQR is regularly reviewing water quality data from both the Bayhead and Lochmaddy supplies and is completely satisfied that both supplies are safe to drink. “We are aware of the concerns that local people have about the Bayhead supply and have put these to Scottish Water. Although water quality at Bayhead is satisfactory, the operational situation at the plant is not ideal and Scottish Water is having to work hard to maintain the supply. This has, on occasions, involved tankering water from other supplies on the islands and this has sometimes affected these other supplies in terms of episodes of low pressure. “We have stressed the need to minimise the impact of any tankering operations on the other supplies, and the need for Scottish Water to continue to communicate with local people about what is happening at their local water treatment works. “Following a site visit to the Bayhead works in December by DWQR a number of actions and timescales were discussed with Scottish Water in order to make the works more robust and to minimise any further inconvenience to consumers. The plant needs to be upgraded, and this inevitably takes time and a timescale of late Spring 2012 has been agreed to install a third filter at the works. We will be
working closely with Scottish Water in the meantime to ensure that this work proceeds as planned and that people in North Uist receive the service from Scottish Water that they expect and deserve.” Meanwhile residents are invited to air their concerns to Scottish Water representatives at two drop-in sessions on Tuesday April 17 at Carinish Hall between 12noon and 2pm, and in Paible school between 5.30 and 7.30pm.
SKETCH’S TAXI SERVICE ●
●
●
●
Local Long Distance ● Day Trips ● Weddings ● Airport Transfers
●
●
Nights Out Stag and Hen Nights Courier and Contract Excursions
PROMPT RELIABLE SERVICE Telephone Archie Macaulay on
01870 603427 OR 07909 637161
sketchmacaulay@yahoo.com 2 Princes Street, Creagorry HS7 5PH
A Scottish Water spokesman said: “We are working hard to improve the treatment processes at Bayhead water treatment works. The third Dynasand unit installation is completed and the unit is now operating. We are now working on the filters. The upgrade works will be completed by 30th June 2012 at the latest. We want to thank local people for their understanding as we carry out this essential work.”
PEAT CUTTING It is that time of year again – please call to book your peat cutting.
Angus 01876 510293/07970 218904 Or Roddy Archie 07990 748154 Peats are also available for sale in large tote bags.
Call Angus for information.
4
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
Harris Rocks! The Broch at Borve.
The two one-bed houses are decorated with tweeds in natural blues and greys to reflect the environment, the beds are in driftwood, and the tables made of slate. Mr Kelliher would not be drawn on the cost of the development beyond some assistance from the SRDP fund. He said: “We’re grateful for SRDP support for such an ambitious project. The quality of the buildings is remarkable and will attract high-end tourists to Harris bringing benefits to the community.” Rental prices for the properties start at £1500 per week.
Mr Kelliher said: “We started the project nearly two years ago, because running an estate is a cash drain and we wanted to generate income to balance the books. “We wanted to create two unique holiday homes of high architectural merit to pull in lots of visitors.” Mr Kelliher appointed Stornoway architect Stuart Bagshaw to come up with some creative designs. Mr Bagshaw’s suggestion of a stone tower grew in Mr Kelliher’s mind into a broch, inspired by Doun Carloway and in keeping with the many brochs across the area. Mr Kelliher said: “I wanted it to look like a ruin within which we had fashioned a 21st century dwelling.” Local craftsmen were used in the building works, including Lewis Builders, and stonemasons from Skye.
Rock cottage.
Unique holiday development set to open in Borve Two self-catering holiday homes hewn from local rock will open later this month in Borve on the west side of Harris. One is a semi-subterranean house plunging into the rock face, topped with a turf roof and fronted in glass. Natural rock protrudes into the living space like bespoke sculptures.
The view from rock cottage.
The development is in a natural rock garden close to a small plantation.
The other could be described as the first broch in Scotland for a millennium, give or take a few years. It’s a tower full of light, a sentry post over the hills and beaches of Borve. The two buildings are unique, with hardly a straight line between them, according to Adam Kelliher, CEO of Equateq, Lewis. He is the current owner of Borve Estate, and the two buildings are part of his drive to make the estate profitable.
WESTSIDE MOTORS OF BENBECULA, FORMERLY MACLENNAN BROTHERS IS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE - WEST SIDE MOTORS industries left on the islands where young people can gain a trade. Just like I did – otherwise I would have been compelled to leave the Uists to look for employment elsewhere.’ So although the name is changing to Westside Motors – all the experienced MacLennan Bros staff have retained their positions within the organization. And with Neil working alongside his son George, this iconic garage and petrol station is once more a family run business.
Too often in small communities, when local businesses are sold they are swallowed up by large, faceless and impersonal corporations.
thers clennan Bro a M y rl e rm Fo
w e n r e d n u rship
So when after over 40 years of trading MacLennan Brothers Ltd in Balivanich went on the market, it seemed inevitable that this local institution would follow the same fate.
Neil and all the staff would like to take this opportunity to thank customers for their loyalty over the years and look forward to seeing them again.
For information and bookings - including car hire – please call Joan or Catriona during office hours of 9 – 5.30, Monday to Friday on:01870 602191.
owne
otors westsidem
And without the determination and drive of Neil and Effie MacDonald, it would have. The proprietors of the established Creagorry Motors Ltd for the past 25 years, they knew they had the necessary experience to steer MacLennans into a new era and on the 29 September last year, they gained ownership of this once family run business. As Neil explains; ‘I was employed for five years during the 1980’s, when Freddie and Iain MacLennan were still very much at the helm. Whilst the motor trade has made great advancements over the years, what hasn’t changed from those days is the fact that it’s the one of the few
602191 Tel: 01870
Neil MacDonald enjoys getting under the bonnet.
ors t o m e d i s t wes
It is with this strong thread of continuity that Westside Motors is committed to providing efficient and professional repairs and servicing for new and loyal customers alike. The garage remains an MOT Testing Station, with up to date diagnostic equipment as well as being sub-contractors for the AA, RAC, Green Flag and Autoglass, whilst bodywork repairs continue to be carried out to the highest standard. The fleet of car hire available is as extensive as ever, with the range of vans being expanded to meet demand. And for those wishing to buy either a new or used car – Westside Motors can source any vehicle to suit the individual customers’ requirement.
g a wealth taff bringin s d te a ic d e ring needs Same d ll your moto a to e c n e ri of expe Repairs ✔
✔ Windscreen ✔ Car Sales ✔ k or w ✔ Body and Van Hire irs ✔ Car pa Re d an g Servicin
MOT
otors m e d i s t s e w
ecula Isle of Benb Balivanich, 2191 60 0 87 01 Tel:
The Westside Motors team.
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
MacLennan calls for transfer of crofting posts to Isles The Western Isles’new crofting representative has also assured crofters in Harris and the Uists that their needs will not be overlooked as he carries out his duties. Murdo MacLennan, 5 Aignis,Stornoway was elected to represent theWestern Isles in the first ever democratic Crofting Commission elections last month. He plans to visit the Southern Isles soon to thank voters for their support and meet some grazing committees and assessors. Mr MacLennan has strong Harris connections, as his father, Murdanny, came from Scarp. His mother came from Point, Lewis and the young Murdo spent his summers home from Glasgow going between both places. His aunt and uncle had the post office in Scarp, and Mr MacLennan now runs the family croft on the island. He said: “I work with four other active crofters, with about 400 blackfaces between us. We want to keep the island going as a crofting concern.”
In a North Uist connection Mr MacLennan finds particularly pleasing, the Scarp crofters last year took possession of a new boat built by Maclean of Grimsay to ferry their sheep across. She is a 19ft clinker, named Stuir Mi (Guide Me). Mr MacLennan said he will work for the Western Isles on three levels. He said: “I will be involved with policy direction and putting a Western Isles perspective on policy making for the Crofting Commission. “I will also be involved in the nuts and bolts of the new body, dealing with assignations, de-crofting and looking much more at crofting activity. People must now show they are being active on their croft and it will be monitored unlike before. They must make an annual return. “I will also be involved in strong lobbying in terms of CAP reform.” Mr MacLennan represents the Crofting Commission on the cross-
party group on crofting in the Scottish Parliament. He went on to call for a migration of posts from the new commission to the Western Isles. He said: “There are 12 to 15 good quality civil servant posts in Inverness which only exist as a result of crofting in the Western Isles. I would like to see some come here.” He added that another area he wants to tackle is making better use of common grazings. He said: “There may be alternative uses for them in future linked with the reform of CAP. Sheep stock clubs to help grazing on the hills would make the hills more financially viable, and get round the
problems of lack of trained dogs and young people to work them.” Mr MacLennan said during his campaigning he had met a warm reception in Berneray and North Uist, especially when it emerged that a cousin of his father, John MacLennan had been a former teacher at Dunskellar school in Sollas. He is happy to be contacted on 07919 565970 or on
murdo.maclennan@crofting.scotland.gov.uk See pages 9 and 10 for more crofting news
Crofters question new Commission’s policy on area representation. See page 18
First eco-schools conference
April Entertainment April 7 April 14 Fun and games at the conference in Southend Hall, Daliburgh. (Courtesy of Steve Carter).
Some 80 pupils from nine schools in Uist and Barra gathered in Daliburgh for the first ever Eco-schools conference in the Southern Isles. The event showcased what pupils have achieved through the CnES and Sustainable Uist Eco-school’s programme. Each participating school had a display stand and gave a presentation. They also participated in workshops on four of the Eco-school core topics, biodiversity, water, food and the environment and waste minimisation. There are 10 core topics which schools must work on to achieve the green flag status currently enjoyed by Iochdar, Scalpay,
Eriskay, Tong and Laxdale schools. CnES biodiversity officer Anne Maclellan said: “The day proved a great success and allowed pupils to share their ideas. There was a buzz in the hall which was colourfully decorated by each school using home-made bunting made from recycled materials to reinforce the three Rs, Reduce, Re-use and Recycle.” Sgoil Lionacleit teacher Steve Carter said: “The event was a great opportunity for our newly-formed eco-committee to learn from the success of other schools in Uist and Barra. It was excellent to see pupils of all ages networking and sharing ideas in such a constructive way.”
Willie Campbell Barra
April 21 April 28
Nollie Soladale
All Saturdays, playing 10pm to 1am
From April 1st
Special Menu
New Daytime and Evening Menus
for Easter Sunday, April 8th
Available with NEW ‘ALL DAY FOOD’
Bookings advisable, please call for further information.
From 12 noon to 9pm Sundays 12.30 - 9pm
12.30 _ 9pm
Telephone: 01876 500331/332 info@lochmaddyhotel.co.uk www.lochmaddyhotel.co.uk
5
6
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
Local Council Elections May 3: Your candidates Electoral Ward
Number of councilors to be elected
Candidates Suname
Candidates Christian names
Political Party
Address
Ward 1
4
BLANEY
DAVID
INDEPENDENT
ARNAVAL, ASKERNISH, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST, HS8 5SY
CARLIN
PETER
INDEPENDENT
GRIANAMUL, CREAGORRY, ISLE OF BENBECULA, HS7 5PG
MACAULAY
CALUM
INDEPENDENT
LOCHBOISDALE HOTEL, LOCHBOISDALE, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST, HS8 5TH
MACDONALD
ANGUS
INDEPENDENT
340 NORTH BOISDALE, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST, HS8 5TD
MACKINNON
RONNIE
SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY
284 DALIBURGH, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST, HS8 5SS
MACLEOD
ALLAN F
INDEPENDENT
24 GLEN, CASTLEBAY, ISLE OF BARRA, HS9 5UQ
MACLEOD
GERRY
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
17 KENNETH DRIVE, LOCHBOISDALE, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST, HS8 5TJ
MACMILLAN
CALUM
INDEPENDENT
7 BORNISH, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST, HS8 5SA
MANFORD
DONALD
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
29A EOLIGARRY, ISLE OF BARRA, HS9 5YD
STEELE
DONNIE
INDEPENDENT
GRIANAIG, GARRYHALLIE, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST, HS8 5SX
WALLIS
ERIC
INDEPENDENT
1 KILAULAY, ISLE OF SOUTH UIST, HS8 5RE
BEATON
NEIL MACDONALD
INDEPENDENT
16 KNOCKINTORRAN, BAYHEAD, ISLE OF NORTH UIST, HS6 5ED
CAMPBELL
ARCHIE K
SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY
TIGH CLACHAIDH, DRUIMDUBH, PAIBLESGARRY, ISLE OF NORTH UIST, HS6 5EF
MACLEAN
MICHAEL
INDEPENDENT
BREVIG, HACKLETT, ISLE OF BENBECULA, HS7 5PR
ROBERTSON
UISDEAN
INDEPENDENT
TEMPLETON, 1 CARINISH, ISLE OF NORTH UIST, HS6 5HL
TAYLOR
MARTIN
INDEPENDENT
13 RATHAD MHIC EOIN, BALIVANICH, ISLE OF BENBECULA, HS7 5NG
WALKER
ANDREW
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
3 KYLES FLODDA, ISLE OF BENBECULA, HS7 5QR
MACDONALD
CATHERINE
INDEPENDENT
10 DRINISHADER, ISLE OF HARRIS, HS3 3DX
MACRAE
DJ
SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY
1 TEACHER’S HOUSE, SOUTH SHAWBOST, ISLE OF LEWIS, HS2 9BJ
MCLEAN
PHILIP ROBERT
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
1 PORTRONA DRIVE, STORNOWAY, ISLE OF LEWIS, HS1 2HE
WILSON
DAVID CAMERON
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY (SNP)
12B TOLSTA, CHAOLAIS, ISLE OF LEWIS, HS2 9DW
Barraigh, Bhatarsaigh, Eirisgeigh agus Uibhist a Deas
Ward 2
3
Beinn na Foghla agus Uibhist a Tuath
Ward 3
3
Na Hearadh agus Ceann a Deas nan Loch
DIAMOND JUBILEE Appeal for help to get skiff to Thames pageant
An urgent appeal for the loan of a trailer has been launched by Stornoway Rowing Club. The club needs a trailer to take their 22ft by 6ft skiff to London after it was chosen to be a representative of the Western Isles in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on June 3. The St Ayles skiff, Madadh Ruadh, was built by the club and members of the local community in an attempt to introduce the sport of coastal rowing to the islands. She will be crewed in the pageant by among others, Nick Brannigan of Lochmaddy. Iain Brown of Barra Watersports Club is also taking part. The Barra club is also
LEADER Innse Gall & Business Gateway Relocation LEADER Innse Gall Field Officer, Donna Matheson and Business Support Officer, Alastair Macleod have relocated to the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar offices in Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula.
planning to start work on building two of their own skiffs. A flotilla of 1,000 vessels will sail, row, paddle or motor down the Thames at 4.5 knots, taking an hour and a half to complete the seven mile route. Dim Riv, the half size replica of a Viking Longboat from Shetland, will be among those taking part as well as 42 of the Dunkirk Little Ships, including the Mary Jane from the Isle of Lewis. Stornoway Rowing Club spokeswoman Sandy MacDonald said:“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us and while there will be challenges, such as practising rowing as a team
within two months when half your crew lives on different islands, the biggest problem will be finding a loan of a suitable trailer or raising the funds to buy one. Having a trailer would make practices a lot easier too as we would be able to meet in Harris on Saturdays, which would also give an opportunity for the local people there to try their hand at coastal rowing.” Anyone able to offer a trailer can get in touch with the club on 07902 728411 or email stornowayrowingclub@gmx.com For more info see http://stornowayrowingclub.wordpress.com/
ISLAND SONGS, STORIES AND TUNES ON FREE CD
Local LEADER Innse Gall and Business Gateway officers can now be contacted on the following details: Donna Matheson, LEADER Field Officer Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula HS7 5LA Tel: 01870 602 425 Email: donna.matheson@cne-siar.gov.uk Alastair MacLeod, Business Support Officer Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula HS7 5LA Tel: 01870 602 425 Email: alastair.macleod@cne-siar.gov.uk
Maighread Stewart, Bryan Gear, Alasdair Whyte and Chris Wright, who all performed at the CD launch.
A free CD of oral recordings from islands across Scotland has been launched by Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches on the Isle of Skye. Guthan Eileanan na h-Alba/Voices of Scotland’s Islands contains a selection of songs, stories and tunes which provide a glimpse of the oral tradition of Scotland’s islands. The CD features tracks from the Inner Hebrides, Western Isles, Shetland,Orkney and Arran, with 26 islands in total represented on the CD. The CD was produced with funding assistance from the Scotland’s Islands
project as part of the Year of Scotland’s Islands and also from Bòrd na Gàidhlig. Mairead MacDonald, director of Tobar an Dualchais said: “The islands of Scotland have a rich oral tradition and we are delighted to be able to produce a CD which reflects this. People will be able to get free copies from local tourist information offices, museums and visitor centres.” The launch was held at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and included performances by Gaelic singers Margaret Stewart and Alasdair Whyte, Scots singer Chris Wright and Shetland fiddler Bryan Gear, whose grandfather Bobby Peterson features on the CD. The recordings on Voices of Scotland’s Islands come from three major collections: School of Scottish Studies Archives (University of Edinburgh), BBC Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland Canna Collection.
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
7
Wildlife Preparing to count deer at Uineabhal, North Uist.
Deer counts have been carried out in North Harris and North Uist. North Harris Trust’s land manager Mark Lazzeri organised the count on the Trust’s 25,000 ha estate and found numbers to be ‘in line with expectations.’ Mr Lazzeri said: “ We counted 1,078 but we think this is an underestimate. Numbers are slightly down after three hard winters, and we found the deer had lost a bit of condition in the wet, windy winter. But the calves were in good condition, better than we expected, and there were a good number of mature stags with well developed antlers, healthy and impressive animals.” Meanwhile in North Uist, the two day
Deer counts in North Harris and North Uist count was hampered at times by poor visibility, but numbers exceeded expectation at more than 800. The count was requested by North Uist estate, and led by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Twelve counters drawn from the estate, SNH and Storas Uibhist participated in the count. Four argos were used to take the spotters to high ground, while walkers flushed the deer out. North Uist estate factor George MacDonald said: “It was a very successful count which over the two days revealed a total of 831 deer. Mature stag numbers appear to have fallen sharply but this has
Glossy Ibis spotted in Uist for first time Glossy Ibis in Uist. Photo by Steve Duffield.
formulate a management plan for the coming season. We are very grateful to everyone who gave up their time to participate in the count.”
Counters on high ground in North Uist. Photos by courtesy of George MacDonald.
been more than offset by a rise in the number of hinds and calves. Even allowing for a bit of double counting, the figure is higher than we anticipated and SNH are going to use this information to
North Uist has been visited by a glossy ibis,a nomadic wading bird more commonly found migrating to southern Europe from Africa at this time of year. The bird was spotted by local birdwatcher Brian Rabbitts and photographed by Steve Duffield, another keen local birdwatcher. Mr Duffield said:“ This bird has been settling in small numbers in the far south of England, but it’s very rare
The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) is writing a deer management plan on behalf of SNH and the estate. All parties are keen to hear the public’s view on current deer herds. Anyone interested in forwarding their views can contact: Graeme Todd on 01870 60 2336 or by email: graeme.todd@sac.co.uk
for it to be up here. They are nomadic, and it’s been nice weather so maybe it was scouting for new territory.” A group of six glossy ibis were seen on Eigg in January, a first for the Small Isles. Jamie Boyle, the RSPB’s site manager at Balranald, said it was believed to be the first ever sighting of a glossy ibis in the Western Isles.“
GET IT ON THE WALL! ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE - MACGILLIVRAY’S DISCOVER UIST WALL
Benbecula businessman creates Discover Uist information wall for all isles businesses to use. Visitors. They’re always asking what’s on, where to go, what to do. And inevitably, we’re not sure. We know there’s lots going on and lots to do - but we don’t quite know who, what, why, where and when. It’s been a problem on our islands for years, so MacGillivrays have decided to make available comprehensive information for the visitor who wants to explore, dance, sing, sail, dive, ride, fish, eat, camp, ceilidh - or who just wants ideas. Rory MacGillivray, owner of the Hebridean Gift Shop in Balivanich has decided to tackle the issue by dedicating a significant part of his shop to offering that elusive wealth of information visitors so desperately seek.
MacGillivray’s Discover Uist wall invites your brochure and leaflets.
The space boasts an information wall entitled Discover Uist, which does just as it says, displaying yards of information for the knowledge -hungry visitor. The wall is available to every island business which wants to capture visitors’ attention. Best of all it’s free. You only need to put in and replenish your posters, flyers, leaflets and brochures as often as you like. Too good to be true? Not at all, Rory says. “If we all pull together, we can really show off what we have here. It’s a free opportunity for businesses great and small. It could be that you’ve suddenly
found yourself with a couple of weeks spare in your holiday cottage - get it on the wall. You have an event on, or a special offer - get it on the wall!” The Discover Uist space also has sections for paintings, photographs, books, souvenirs and tweed. A big map helps people get orientated as they browse among literature telling them where to find our best walks and loveliest beaches. Rory says: “We are close to the airport, yet visitors coming into Benbecula have a 30 or 40 mile round trip to the nearest tourist information office in Lochmaddy or Lochboisdale - and that’s if they even know they exist. “Many people are on short breaks and don’t have time to waste searching for information. The Discover Uist wall can work for every business here, and we urge people to take advantage of it.” He adds: “I’m always shocked at how little traffic there is on the roads north after Spean Bridge compared to before you reach it. We all need to work together throughout the islands to get people here and make sure they have a good time, and giving them easy access to information is a key part of that.
Rory MacGillivray is encouraging all businesses to make use of the free service.
Hopefully our wall will be a start to the sharing of information from a central point in Uist.” Place your promotional material for FREE on Macgillivrays Discover Uist Information Wall. MacGillivray & Co, Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula HS7 5LA Tel: 01870 602525 Email: info@m-ff.co.uk www.macgil.co.uk
8
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
CUSTOM SIZE, CUSTOM COLOUR, CUSTOM PRINTS! ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE - CUSTOM PRINTS Barrabados. Up South Down North. Uibhist a Deas. Uibhist a Tuath. The Only Way is Eriskay. Wouldn’t you just love to have those slogans on a T-shirt for friends, relations and visitors? Lorna mans the Party Shop. To be able to wear your Hebridean credentials with pride! We often wish there were more souvenirs with a truly local flavour, and Custom Prints has set about filling that gap. At the company’s HQ in Balivanich you can get Tshirts with the above slogans, and many more witticisms including Gaelic t-shirts, in all shapes, colours and sizes. Drop by and you’ll find an Aladdin’s cave of colour, fabrics and fun for every occasion. Got a party coming up? Have Custom Prints make up banners, table decorations and party settings for your festive day. They’ll even provide a bouncy castle for the kids. Wedding? No problem. Custom Prints will help you put your own special stamp on the day with everything from beautiful banners to romantic photos on canvas. Custom Prints specialises in branding workwear and sportswear. Roddy MacKay not only has the highly specialised equipment to create and produce your logo, he has his own considerable design skills to help you get something eye-catching and appropriate for your team or business. There’s nothing Custom Prints can’t tackle. From
football kits to hen-nights, corporate banners to canvasses or even memorials for your loved ones, you’ll get it all at Custom Prints. And what’s a dance troupe without gorgeous costumes? Dance is one of Custom Prints specialities, supplying over 100 dance schools all over the country from their base in Balivanich, and having kitted out cheerleaders, Irish, Scottish, tap and ballet dancers, right down to the shoes. You might recognise Roddy when you drop by Custom Prints. He’s from Kilpheder originally, but familiar to thousands for his work as a Gaelic TV and radio presenter in the 1990s. He specialised in children’s programmes, and then as he puts it, he got ‘too old’ to continue in that line. By this time he had met Lorna Laird, his significant other, a lass from Lisdoonvarna in County Clare. Lorna was teaching Irish dance, and Roddy soon started designing motifs for her dance troupe. Things took off from there, and the couple ran a successful print business from a shop in Glasgow’s prestigious Forge Shopping Centre. “We worked crazy hours, Roddy said. “ We never saw the kids. We decided to give the kids a better life and come home. The kids have never been happier and we
have never looked back. Our customers stayed with us so that was great.” The family, by now complete with Carly, 5, and Pearse, 4 moved to Benbecula a year ago with Roddy’s older boys staying in Glasgow to complete their education. Lorna is teaching Irish dancing to more than 40 children now in Balivanich, and the couple recently donated outfits for the troupe with Roddy’s pretty Island Dance Crew motif emblazoned upon them, to the delight of the young dancers. Custom Prints will also sponsor the Uist & Barra Football League for the next 3 years as they want to support the community into which Roddy was born. “It’s time to promote the islands as much as we can.” Roddy said. And one interesting and little known side to Custom Prints business will be of great interest to island families - they have the technology to ‘repair’ old, damaged photos. No matter how damaged the photo, Roddy can weave his magic to have them restored or even reproduced on washable canvas. Swing by Custom Prints and see what they can do to turn your photo into wall art, make your team stand out, or your celebration special.
Tel: 01870 602515 Mob: 07714 410067 Email: sales@custom-prints.net
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
9
Crofting What the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 means to crofters There is a saying that a croft is a small piece of land surrounded by a sea of legislation, writes crofting law specialist Brian Inkster.
With the passing of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 the tide has certainly risen. Most of the Act has been brought into force over the past year other than the provisions concerning the new Crofting Register. This article looks at the main provisions that are now in force.
Residency Crofters must reside within 32 kilometres (it was previously 16 kilometres) of their crofts. The Commission’s consent can be sought to reside further away. Misuse or Neglect Crofters must not misuse or neglect their crofts. They must cultivate their crofts or put them to another purposeful use (consented to by the landlord or the Commission).
Division Any transfer of ownership of any part of an owner-occupied croft is null and void unless an application is made to, and approved by, the Commission to divide the croft. Short Lease Owner-occupiers of crofts may now grant a “short lease” over their croft for a period not exceeding 10 years with the consent of the Commission. Nominees Only a member of the crofter’s family may be the crofter’s nominee when purchasing croft land. Clawback The five year ‘clawback’ provision has been extended to ten years. Thus if an
owner/occupier sells a croft or part thereof within 10 years of the date of purchase as a tenant they will have to pay to the landlord one half of the difference between the market value of the land and the consideration paid.
Decrofting and Planning Permission The Commission can now reject an application to decroft where they consider it to be detrimental to the sustainability of crofting and the wider public benefits notwithstanding the fact that planning permission has already been granted.
Lochmaddy Mart Improvements A £40,000 programme of work is underway at Lochmaddy mart. Wooden pens have been replaced by metals ones, some donated by Dingwall Auction Marts from disused stock. A concrete floor now replaces grass pens, complying with legislation on how long can be left between sales, and making washing and disinfecting the area easier. The roof has been Work in progress at rebolted and the pressure Lochmaddy mart. washers renewed. Neil McPherson of the Mart Committee said: “The building has been in use for 27 years and maintenance was starting to build up.” He urged people to keep using their local mart. “Buyers have been short and prices went down, but we’d rather see the mart being used.”
Hands-on experience in Aird, Benbecula.
Drystone walling course in Benbecula A drystone walling course took place last month in Benbecula. The two day course was organized by Scottish Crofting Federation and run by crofter/stonemason Neil McPherson of Lionacleit.
Succession A tenancy of a croft may now be bequeathed to two or more natural persons. This will, however, involve an application to the Commission for consent to divide the croft and, only if approved, will the bequest come into effect. A legatee now has 12 months from the death of the crofter in which to accept the bequest by notifying the landlord and intimating this to the Commission. It was formerly only a 4 month period. Failure to give such notice/intimation will result in the bequest falling into intestacy.
10
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
Crofting continued Are ‘Ewe’ Prepared for Lambing? Graeme Todd, SAC farm business consultant based in Balivanich has advice for new crofters as lambing gets into full swing. Preparing the Ewes ● Approximately 70 percent of foetal growth occurs during the last 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. ●
●
●
Most of the ewe’s udder growth is occurring during this period. Rumen volume is restricted by the unborn lambs and the ewes appetite drops by approximately 30%. The energy concentration of the diet therefore needs to be increased as lambing approaches. Extra nutrition will prevent the occurrence of pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb disease). Telltale signs of
this condition include ewes acting in a dazed condition, and sometimes appearing blind. Often the they will stop coming to the trough. ●
●
Energy and protein are the most important components of the diet.
●
Although most problems relate to thin ewes, over fat ewes provide similar difficulties. Fat ewes are more prone to pregnancy toxaemia and prolapse of the uterus. Overfeeding can result in oversized foetuses that the ewe cannot deliver without assistance.
●
●
Exercise should be encouraged to keep ewes lean.
Supplementary feeding should complement the forage offered and should rise gradually. The level of concentrate feeding would normally start at 0.2 kg/ewe 8 weeks before lambing, raised to 0.5kg in the last two weeks. When feeding over 0.40kg it is recommended ewes are fed half twice a day.
●
Changing feeding areas will ensure ewes are moving each day and clean feeding areas also help prevent the ewe picking up worms.
Contact your vet if such a condition is suspected, the sooner treatment is issued the more chance ewe and lamb have of surviving,
Feeding in Late Pregnancy ● Correct ewe feeding throughout pregnancy has a huge influence on the lamb viability at birth. ●
avoided particularly in the final three weeks.
Inadequate nutrition may result in conditions such as pregnancy toxaemia and sudden changes in diet should be
Vaccinations and Parasite Control ● Pregnant ewes should be vaccinated for clostridial diseases 4 to 6 weeks prior to lambing. Vaccinated females will pass antibodies in their colostrum to their newborn lambs. Ewes that have never been vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown will require two vaccinations during late gestation, four weeks apart. Ewes should not be vaccinated within two weeks of lambing, this is not enough time to get antibodies into the colostrum. ●
Pregnant and lactating ewes suffer a temporary loss in immunity to intestinal worms as a result of the hormonal changes that are occurring around the time of lambing. It is the primary source of parasite infection for the new lamb crop, whose immune systems are still naive.
●
De-worming with an effective anthelmintic will help the ewe expel the worms and reduce the exposure of newborn lambs to infective worm larvae.
Lambing Supplies ● Be prepared with a range of useful supplies in your lambing box: lubricant, nylon rope or snare, heat lamp, colostrum supplement, lamb milk replacer, calcium, iodine/blue spray, docking and castrating equipment. Remember with the attractive lamb prices it is always worth consulting your vet if you have a difficult lambing.
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
Luxury self-catering accommodation on the beautiful Outer Hebridean island of Grimsay, North Uist. Enjoy walking, fishing, wildlife and bird-watching, carefree exploring of lochs, harbours and unspoilt beaches from this warm, wellappointed base. Sleeps 2.
More details and booking at www.grimsay.com
Telephone: Heather Moser 01870 602943
ERISKAY BOOK LAUNCH
Harris youth volunteers honoured Young people from Harris have been honoured in an awards ceremony in Tarbert to celebrate youth volunteering. The evening drew together the awards the Volunteer Centre currently offers, the Millennium Volunteer Award, Western Isles Awards for Volunteering Excellence (WAVE) and Dynamic Youth Awards. Alan Smithyman, CnES community learning area manager conducted the ceremony, and entertainment was provided by local music groups and dancers. Màiri Robertson Carrey, volunteer development worker for Harris Volunteer Centre said: “The evening was a true celebration of youth volunteering, with presentations highlighting what young people and local groups have been doing, and the passion and commitment that goes with it. “The audience were given the chance to appreciate the wide range of achievements and dedication of the young volunteers and those supporting them, ranging from the youngest in the Dynamic Youth Awards, to the oldest volunteers, being awarded the Millennium Volunteer award.” Dynamic Youth Awards were presented to 22 young people aged ten to 14 years. WAVE Awards were presented to 15 young people. These awards recognise the achievement of young people aged under 16 years. Thirteen young people received the 25 hour award and two youngsters received the 50 hour award. Millennium Volunteer Awards, were presented to 12 people aged 16 -25 years. One youngster received the 25 hour award, eight young people received the 50 hour category, and three achieved the 100 hour award. Some of the activities young people have been involved in include Hi Fires, the Youth Council, Bays Youth Centre, and Duke of Edinburgh Scheme.
NEW North Uist festival gathering steam A new book of black and white photographs by the late Dr Kenneth Robertson will be launched at 8pm on Saturday April 14 in Eriskay Community Hall. The new publication “Oighreachd ar Sinnsearan – Catching the Spirit of South Uist and Eriskay” is a sequel to the acclaimed “Dualchas araid agus priseil - A Unique and Precious Culture’’ which was published by the Island Book Trust in November 2009.
Organisers for Feis oir na Cruinne, the new festival for Lochmaddy, are calling for volunteers to help out at the event. The multi-genre festival, to be based in Lochmaddy from June 8 -10, has a growing line-up of performers from the islands and mainland. From the mainland comes Sanna, Wounded Knee, Fridge Master, X-Lion Tamer and the poets Nick E Melville, Rodney Relax and Pete McConville. A lighting artist from the Edinburgh Hogmanay Show and Festival Fringe will put on a lighting show. Traditional and Gaelic input will come from local choirs and pipe bands, Dol Eoin Mackinnon and band from Scalpay, UHI Benbecula, Sophia Dale, Julia Gallagher and Sophie Ramsay of Alyth. Organiser Niall Johnson said: “At this time much organising is taking place. Emphasis is presently on recruiting more local musicians. Don’t be shy! We are also recruiting volunteers to help at the event, and of course trying to raise funds and sponsorship.” Niall can be contacted on 01876 500234/ 07890 547 239/ zodiacniall@hotmail.com. Elaine Cleary is another point of contact on 07955 916456.
IN&A’s
SUMMER HOLIDAY GUIDE 2012? A comprehensive free guide for holidaymakers to the Uists and Harris, covering June, July and August ●
Wide exposure guaranteed
●
Available on Western Isles ferries
●
Edinburgh and Glasgow, Inverness, Benbecula and Stornoway airports
●
40 outlets from Eriskay to Stornoway and online
●
Competitive rates, great value
C O N TA C T
ads@islandnewsandadvertiser.com
Or call 01876 510758 ●
HARRIS
●
BERNERAY
●
NORTH UIST
●
BENBECULA
●
SOUTH UIST
●
ERISKAY
island news
EE FR
VOLUNTEERS TO BE HONOURED ACROSS THE ISLANDS. See p13
Why not advertise your business in
SUMMER 2012 HIGHLAND GAMES
Lorem ipsum. See Page 5
AGRICULTURAL SHO WS
Lorem ipsum. See Page 9
SHEEPDOG TRIALS
& ADVERTISER
Holiday 2012
An Taigh Fiodh
Inside this issue: Music and Art
Lorem ipsum dolor sit. See Page 12
FEIS
See Page 4
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur. See Page 14
WHERE TO STAY, WH AT TO EAT
Beaches,Walking, Wildlife
Lorem ipsum dolor sit met . See Page 15
YOUR 24 PAGE GUIDE OF
See Page 7 THINGS TO DO AND SEE
PLUS FULL LISTINGS OF ACCOMMODATION
●
11
12
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
People Irish dancing in Uist? It’s the latest craze sweeping Benbecula, and now it’s taking off in Iochdar. The Lords and Ladies of the Dance are already 44 in number, and growing. They are the Island Dance Crew, and under the tutelage of Lorna Laird they wowed a packed Balivanich Hall with a memorable St Patrick’s Day show. It’s barely a year since Lorna, from Co. Clare and an Irish dance champion herself, formed the troupe in response to local demand for “something different.” Under the motto One Team, One Dream the troupe has been working hard to fundraise for the elaborate costumes they need to look the part. The St Patrick’s Day show raised £859 towards the £6,000 they need to kit everyone out in the elaborately embroidered dresses, capes and wigs. Lorna said: “There has never been an Irish dance school here before. I was originally approached by three teenagers from Balivanich saying that they wanted to try something different. “I was a bit apprehensive about introducing Irish dancing, but within two weeks I had 20 dancers, including boys who preferred it to the
hip hop sessions I was also offering. “Everyone loves Highland dancing, but Irish has more lively music, more bounce and more emphasis on whole school unity.” Since its formation, the Island Dance Crew has performed in old folks’ homes and hospital with a mission of giving back into their community. Their biggest challenge is fundraising. Lorna’s sister Kirsty Laird has an Irish dance school in Glasgow and was able to sell the Benbecula troupe 12 of her old costumes at a knock down price. New dresses fetch between £300 and 400. Lorna said: “The kids are up for the challenge and really willing to work hard.” Meanwhile Kirsty is coming to Uist to run a summer dance school in late July/ early Augustthat’s to say after her son, a British champion dancer competes in the All Ireland championships in July. It seems if you’re a Laird from Lisdoonvarna, you have dancing in the blood.
OLYMPICS The bands gathered for a concert at Macleod’s Stone in Harris.
UIST PIPE BANDS PLAY STORNOWAY AND HARRIS Sgoil Lionacleit pipe band and Uist Pipe Band played in the Meeting of the Bands in Stornoway last month alongside world champions the St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band, and the Skye and Lewis pipe bands.
They all headed for Harris the following day to pay at Macleod’s Stone. IN&A captured this picture of some Uist’s irrepressible young musical talent playing on the ferry from Berneray to Leverburgh heading for the Meeting in Stornoway.
Uist’s Beth will carry torch in Stornoway Retired Scottish rugby international Beth Macleod of North Uist has been selected to be part of the team of Hebridean athletes who will carry the Olympic flame through Stornoway on June 11. Beth, originally from Lochmaddy, daughter of Lorna and the late Dr John, said she heard she had been nominated at the end of November, but had been instructed not to say a word to anyone.
The news was finally made official last month, and Beth says she is very excited. She said:“We haven’t had many details yet, how far each leg is or anything, so I’m not sure if I need to get into training for it. All I know is it’s very early in the morning.” Beth, 36, lives in Linlithgow and is currently lead manager for coaching and volunteering in Sport Scotland.
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
13
People Honouring the volunteers who make our communities tick If there was an industry worth at least £3.5 million to the island economy, we’d all know about it. Gordon MacDonald of Volunteer Centre, Uist.
There would be plenty of media coverage. An anxious eye would be kept on the industry and its employees. There would be concern in economic downturns, celebrations in upturns. Above all everyone would know its name. In fact there is something that fits this bill, except too often we don’t really give it much thought. It’s called volunteering, and the figure of £3.5 million to the island economy is thought to be on the conservative side. Almost 600,000 regular volunteer hours power this unsung hero of our economy. It sounds obvious - but what is a volunteer? Many people on the islands give so freely of their time to the organisations which make their communities tick, that they probably don’t even think of themselves as volunteers. They don’t expect a reward. They’re doing it for the good of all. From organizing the feisean, the cattle shows, summer games, sports, festivals, concerts and exhibitions to caring for the elderly and vulnerable, running youth and church activities, cleaning up the beaches and serving in the thrift shops, volunteers make everyone’s quality of life better. Now for the first time island-wide there are to be Awards Ceremonies to honour the unsung heroes nominated by you. It’s the idea of Gordon MacDonald of Uist’s Volunteer Centre. He’s passionate about everything to do with volunteering, and says it’s the most life-affirming thing a person can chose to do. And, he adds, it’s in the character and make up of people here. Volunteering in the Western Isles is at a level almost double the national average for Scotland. To mark Volunteer’s Week 2012, June 1 to 7, Gordon is organising an Awards ceremony for the Uists. He wants your nominations for awards.
Volunteer beach clean-up in progress in Baile Sear.
The Uist winners will be announced on June 1st at a celebration in St Mary’s Hall, Benbecula, with feasting, song and dance. Details of the ceremony will be announced in May’s edition of Island News & Advertiser, but for now, it’s important to get your nominations in. Instead of thinking your relative, neighbour or friend is an absolute hero for everything they do for others, you have a chance to let them know how much they’re valued. Please ring or email Gordon for nomination forms. They must be received by May 11, after which they will go before a panel of experienced volunteers to chose the prize winners. Gordon is also looking for sponsors to make the party go with a swing and help fund the important occasion. He’s already had donations from Lovat’s Carnan Nisa fund, MacInnes Bros, Tagsa Uibhist, Qinetiq, Community Education and Benbecula Medical Practice.
THERE ARE FOUR CATEGORIES:
NOMINATE YOUR UNSUNG HEROES IN UIST:
Telephone: 01870 602 604 Email: uist@volunteeringwesternisles.co.uk Harris, Stornoway and North Lewis Volunteer Centres will be holding a joint Awards event, more details to follow. Harris is looking for local nominations.
Contact Mairi Robertson Carrey on 07508 755753.
At the heart of the Community ●
Wide selection
●
Local meat, fish, eggs and seasonal veg
●
Fresh baking
●
Fuel
●
●
Friendly service Daily papers
Young Volunteer of the Year Over 25 Volunteer of the Year Lifetime Commitment towards Volunteering Volunteering Group/Organisation of the Year
Open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm
Telephone: 01876 510257 Bayhead, North Uist
14
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
Gàidhlig/Gaelic Gaidhlig/Gaelic
Anns an dealbh a chaidh a thogail aig a’chiad Òraid Chuimhneachaidh Shir Iain, tha Lucilla Noble, pìobaire Dr Aonghas Dòmhnallach, seinneadair Cairistìona Primrose, Calum Greumach bho Urras an Eilein, Ailean Caimbeul a thug seachaid an òraid, cathraiche Urras an Eilein Murchadh Peutan, agus Iain Tormod MacLeòid agus Boyd Robasdan bho Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
A’ cuimhneachadh air Sir Iain Noble, agus dìleab nach gabh àicheadh Thàinig grunn dhaoine còmhla ann an Slèite gus èisteachd ris an òraid a chaidh a chur air bhonn le Sabhal Mòr Ostaig agus Urras an Eilein, dà bhuidhinn ris an robh dlùth cheangal aig Sir Iain na bheatha. San òraid aige, thug Ailean Caimbeuldealbh pearsanta, fosgarra dhuinn air feargnìomhachais agus uachdaran a thug buaidh nach beag air ceann a deas an Eilein Sgitheanaich agus air a’ Ghàidhlig, agus air fear aig an robh beachdan làidir nach robh daonnan a’ còrdadh ris a h-uile duine. Fear a bha a’ creidsinn sa cheangal eadar fèin-spèis ann an cànan is dualchas agus leasachadh eaconamach.
Pictured at the inaugural Sir Iain Noble Memorial Lecture are Lucilla Noble, piper Dr Angus MacDonald, singer Christine Primrose, Calum Graham of Urras an Eilein, Allan Campbell who delivered the lecture, Urras an Eilein chair Murdo Beaton and John Norman MacLeod and Boyd Robertson of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
Remembering Sir Iain Noble, and an undeniable legacy People gathered at the Gaelic college in Sleat this week to listen to the lecture organised by Sabhal Mòr and Urras an Eilein (the Island Trust), two organisations which were very close to the heart of Sir Iain, who died on Christmas day 2010. Allan Campbell gave a personal and honest appraisal of the businessman and landlord who had a significant impact on the south of Skye and on the Gaelic language, and of a man who, through his forthright opinions and unswerving belief in his own vision, courted controversy at times. Iain Noble was convinced that a vibrant community language and culture was key to economic and social regeneration.
Learning Gaelic in Folkestone Island News & Advertiser has been spotted as far south as Folkestone, where reader Danny Price has been poring over the bilingual pages. Danny, 72, a retired French teacher with a command of several European languages, has been teaching himself Gaelic for two years after a visit to Scotland. He said: “I was interested in the Scots language, and when I got home, I started to look at Gaelic and found it fascinating. “The grammar and pronunciation are different and challenging. I’m using Teach Yourself Gaelic, which is good but has a lot of grammar quite early on. You need to approach it slowly and go over it several times. “I’m also watching Speaking Our Language via Freesat on BBC Alba, which I find good, and I’ve got some DVDs published by Radio nan Gael.” Danny reckons he spends half to three quarters of an hour a day studying Gaelic, in between gardening and playing the clarinet. “My wife June and my friends are used to my obsession with languages,” he said.
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
15
Music NEW Gaelic choir for the Uists The choir has been founded by Comann na Mara (CNM), Uist’s Society of the Sea. CNM chairman Gus Macaulay said: “Recently as chairman I wanted to expand CNM’s work of education and awareness into the community. “We are finalising an international piping competition with tunes related to the sea for next year, in collaboration with the College of Piping in Glasgow. “The formation of the Gaelic choir is an important part of bringing CNM’s work into the wider community.”
He is chairing the choir committee, with Cathie Laing as secretary. Cathie is well known as a singer and for her work with the Feis choir. Cathie said: “While today’s traditional musicians are skilled and beautiful singers and players, I feel we have lost a lot of the traditions and passion around passing songs from one generation to another with stories. I want to keep alive the social and historical context of the songs, that traditional passion
which comes from being tied to land and history. Each island had distinctive songs and ways of singing and I feel we are losing that a bit in North Uist.” The first meeting of the choir in Lochmaddy Hall established a song committee and attracted 16 singers who enjoyed an impromptu singsong conducted by Margaret Saxton (pictured). The choir’s inaugural concert will be at the CNM Dr John Memorial Lecture this autumn.
The choir is actively seeking a music director/conductor, not necessarily a Gaelic speaker, to take it forward, with their sights set on Mod 2013. CNM Gaelic Choir will meet twice a month on Monday nights in Lochmaddy Hall. Anyone interested in joining (Gaelic not essential) should contact Cathie Laing on 01876 510254 or Gus Macaulay on 07828 105 423.
Benbecula college hosts new music degree A degree in Applied Music will soon be available through UHI, with Lews Castle College, Benbecula campus as lead partner. Along with the BA Fine Art, based at Taigh Chearsabhagh, North Uist the new degree boosts the Uist’s academic offering to an impressive level for a community of less than 5,000 souls. The new BA course is designed to give musicians the skills and experience to prepare for a career in music in any genre or style, ranging from traditional, Celtic and pop to jazz, classical and rock. Led by Anna Wendy Stevenson, a renowned musician, performer and composer in her own right, the new course is based in Benbecula, but also hosted by
colleges across the UHI campus from Orkney to Perth and Alness to Lochaber. This flexibility allows students to study at home, online and through videoconferencing and Skype throughout the academic year. Performance, composition and arranging, technological know-how, applied skills for working with others across the community, and research and writing skills are all part and parcel of the course. Tutors are drawn from top experts in the country, and professional links with the industry will come through experience in festivals, community projects and the media. In its first year, starting this September, students will take part in four residential courses based in Inverness,
Anna Wendy Stevenson.
Perthshire, the Central Belt and the Uists. Applications are already pouring in for the course, coming from all over Scotland, including from people who are already semi-professional. In line with the course’s flexible model, auditions will take place throughout the summer, at mutually agreeable times.
Review
releases the tension into a swingy session ‘vibe’ all impeccably performed.
RURA: Break it up Pub. Greentrax, RRP £12 by Simon Bradley. Best up and coming band at the 2011 MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards and winners of the Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections,Rura have made an immediate impact on the Scottish music scene. ‘Break it up’ is the debut CD from this young 5 piece band hailing from the West Coast of Scotland and was released on Greentrax in early 2012. They are all certainly great technical
Anna Wendy Stevenson, who has led Benbecula’s highly successful HNC traditional music courses for the past five years said: “It’s totally exciting to be part of something that is innovative and creative, and has real application. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to contribute to their environment and community, and get to know the Highlands and islands. We’ve demonstrated the success and importance of community music making in our existing courses in Benbecula with students working with and performing in schools.” The BA in Applied Music will be officially validated next month. Benbecula campus will continue to offer its HNC course.
players and the CD has been consummately recorded and produced. The opening track begins with great intensity and places the music squarely within the current Scottish scene. Matching the futuristic CD cover, distorted guitars effectively set up the entry of driving and tightly interwoven bagpipes and fiddle spurred on by punchy chords. The second half of this opening track gradually
A large part of the Rura sound are the distinctive vocals of Adam Holmes which at first listen fit more within pop than folk. Rura successfully meld their traditional instruments with Adams vocal style and this is best seen in Holmes self-penned title track ‘Break it up’. References in the lyrics to ‘hearts of gold’ and ‘darker shades of grey’ echo a widely cast net of influences. The instrumental playing is strong and precise throughout and the best made instrumental track for me is ‘Sorleys’ which has a well worked arrangement and great tunes that carry the listener right to the end. Rura are talented and will do well off the back of this CD and are in the nice position of being able to develop in several directions from the palette of sounds displayed here.
Simon Bradley is a musician living in North Uist where he has just finished a residency at local art centre Taigh Chearsabhagh. His recent CD of self-penned material ‘Grogarry Lodge’, available at www.simonbradleytrio.com, was recorded in South Uist and has been toured by the Simon Bradley Trio in Australia and Scotland since its November 2011 release.
16
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
Reviews Stroma
By Roddy Ritchie, Alistair Murray, George Gunn
Long ago, at my grandmother’s knee, I heard the story of the Mary Celeste, writes Gordon Herries Davies.
She was the brigantine which in 1872 was discovered in the Atlantic with her sails set, a part-eaten meal in her cabin, but with not a soul on board. For some reason never adequately explained the master, the crew, the master’s wife and his twoyear-old-daughter had all disappeared. This book reminds me of that classic mystery of the sea. Our three authors – all of them mainland Scots – have discovered an abandoned island anchored in the Pentland Firth. They have clambered on board. They have squeaked open doors of cabins. They have run fingers over scattered and rusting machinery. They have speculated beside boats which will never again breast waves. They have listened to the whistle of the wind past the mast beside the wrecked telephone kiosk. One of our authors wears the garb of an historian, the second points his camera, and the third is a poetical wordsmith. Together they combine to offer an image of Stroma as they found it. The result is most successful. They, and the Islands Book Trust, have presented us with a deeply atmospheric volume. Through its text, its poetic lines, and its splendid photographic images the book brings to us a vivid impression of an abandoned island.
We just know the smell which comes off that doorless kitchen-dresser featured upon page 48. We can hear another slate slide from that collapsing roof on page 47. Our fingers itch to apply some grease to those cog wheels of the rusted wringer on page 13. The island may have died yet here it lives. The photographer is able to deal only with the present, but the historian and the poet are at liberty to roam in the past. More especially they here have located seven people who actually grew up on Stroma. Those seven have been persuaded to reminisce. They tell tales of dances and whist drives, of lobster fishing and the collecting of seagulls’ eggs, of shipwrecks and the winter heating of beach-pebbles in the oven as bed warmers. Without exception they all remember their Stroma years with much affection. One of the seven – Jimmy Simpson – so loved his former home that, a few years ago, when Stroma came upon the market, he purchased the island. Jimmy reports that in his youth one of the recreations upon Stroma was the serious racing of model yachts. I have
heard exactly the same told of Rathlin Island in County Antrim. I would wish to know more. Mystery surrounds the loss of people from the Mary Celeste. About the loss of people from Stroma there is no mystery. Stroma has repeated the story of so many other of Scotland’s offshore islands. In 1881 there were 341 people in Stroma, but that population went into decline and the situation was exacerbated by the subtraction of men during two World Wars. It became increasingly difficult to maintain services such as people now expected. Stroma had no resident physician, and the children had to leave the island to attend secondary school. Finally, the islanders had suffered enough. In 1962 those remaining packed their bags and left. Our authors here offer an interesting point for reflection. In 1962 Stroma was a part of the County of Caithness, it being that county’s sole island. Suppose that Stroma had fallen under the aegis of the island-rich county of Orkney. Might the people of Stroma have found a far more
Rewriting St Kilda
sympathetic ear in Kirkwall than they ever found in Wick? Margaret Green, one of the seven former islanders, would like again to live in Stroma, but she must be able to take her washing machine!
The Islands Book Trust, 2011, ISBN 978-1907443-13-8, £20. Professor Gordon Herries Davies was born in England and he first visited the Long Island in 1952. He now resides in North Uist, but most of his life was spent in Ireland. He has been a Fellow and Fellow Emeritus of Trinity College, the University of Dublin, since 1967 and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy since 1979. His published works have mostly been devoted to geomorphology and to the history of Irish science. He was the first General Editor of the Dictionary of Irish Biography, and his most recent book (2007) was the bicentennial history of the Geological Society of London.
New Views on Old Ideas, Ed. Bob Chambers
If you have not yet encountered any of the so-called ‘Blasket Library’ then you should make every effort to do so, writes John Love. This constitutes nearly a score of books written first in their native tongue by the inhabitants of the Blasket Islands in south-west Ireland. This little community – finally abandoned in 1953 had much in common with St Kilda, with one highly significant difference. While St Kilda can boast many, many more accounts about it, none bar one or two were written by the islanders themselves.
recent visitors. David Boddington muses on his time there as medical officer fifty years ago while John Randall describes the memoirs of the St Kildan Reverend Donald John Gillies who emigrated to Canada in 1927. Both publications, along with Calum Macdonald’s, were launched by the Book Trust at their Benbecula conference in 2010. Another book, published in 2005, was the encyclopaedic ‘St Kilda; Church, Visitors and Natives’ by Michael Robson, but included in ‘Rewriting St Kilda’ Professor Donald Meek provides a more accessible and perceptive reexamination of the role of the Church and Faith in St Kilda.
The Islands Book Trust has, in recent years, added to St Kilda’s already considerable catalogue, including ‘From Cleits to Castles: a St Kildan Looks Back’, the memoirs of Calum Macdonald, a St Kildan born and bred who left the island in his late teens, six years before the evacuation, to seek employment on the mainland. This stands out as an important firsthand account of life on the island by someone who was old enough to remember it. Now the Book Trust’s ‘St Kilda Snapshots’ can justifiably take its place alongside Calum Macdonald’s. Lachlan Macdonald was for long a popular figure in St Kilda circles on the mainland so it is pleasing that his widow has allowed the Book Trust to share the family photo album with a wider public. No one is better qualified than David Quine to provide the descriptive text accompanying the Snapshots, since over the years he had recorded hours of interviews with old Lachie. The other publication to be considered here is a compendium of papers delivered at a Book Trust conference held in Benbecula in August 2010, and marking the 80th anniversary of the
evacuation. It is ambitiously entitled ‘Rewriting St Kilda: new views on old ideas’. It is a refreshing collection of essays by noted experts like Bill Lawson, alongside review articles by Caitlin Macaulay about archives in the School of Scottish Studies and Susan Bain of the National Trust for Scotland on archaeological studies. Martin Padget pulls together an interesting history of photography on St Kilda while Jeff Stone reflects on the attitudes and perceptions of
St Kilda never fails to fascinate and still continues to fuel yet more books about the islands and their people. It is because so few accounts were penned by the St Kildans themselves and only one, it seems, Calum Ferguson’s ‘Hiort: Far na Laigh a’ghrian’ much later came to be written in their native tongue, that visitors over the years can and will continue to offer opinion on how the inhabitants of this lonely outpost lived their lives. Appropriately, ‘Rewriting St Kilda’ concludes with a consideration of the Blasket islanders and their ‘Library’ by Míchaél de Mórdha of the Blasket Centre in Co. Kerry. He ends with a particularly apt quotation from Tomas O’Criomhthain which could so easily have been written about St Kilda. The old man wanted ‘to set down the character of the people . . . so that some record of us might live after us, for the like
St Kilda Snapshots Based on Lachlan MacDonald’s Collection, David Quine of us will never be again.’ If only more St Kildans had been encouraged to do the same.
St Kilda Snapshots ISBN 978-1-907443-21-3 Islands Book Trust £16.99 Rewriting St Kilda ISBN 978-1-907443-23-7 Islands Book Trust £9.99 John A Love was born and bred in the Highlands and has always been fascinated by islands. He first visited St Kilda in 1979 and was appointed SNH area officer for the archipelago in 1992. In retirement he published ‘A Natural History of St Kilda’ in 2009 and still visits the islands on expedition cruise ships. He lives in South Uist.
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
17
Archaeology Ancient bowl found in Baile Sear, North Uist A mysterious ancient pottery bowl has come to light on Baile Sear beach. The intriguing find was made by Fergus, Earl Granville as he was out walking after a storm. He said: “I saw a cluster of quartz pebbles protruding, which I know usually meant an interment of some sort. “It seemed to have been broken deliberately which was something ancient people did to things of importance to them. It’s a big thrill when you first see something that hasn’t come to light for three or four thousand years.” Historic Scotland funded Uist archaeologists Becky Rennell and Kate
Fragments of the pot with the nine quartz pebbles.
MacDonald to excavate the pot. It fell to bits as it was brought out of its resting place between two layers of midden, revealing that it was tightly packed with The pot as it was found during excavation. nine quartz pebbles. “We know that quartz pebbles were used Dr Rennell said: “ The pot is very basic, straight-sided with a straight rim. The in prehistoric burials. Could this pot been way it has come to bits suggests it might part of a ceremony to commemorate the have been broken deliberately before dead, perhaps those lost at sea and couldn’t be buried? Why was it on a being deposited.
midden heap? It raises many questions. It was found in a site vulnerable to erosion and near other known settlements, which makes it interesting and important.” The pot will now be analysed by a specialist in Western Isles late prehistoric pottery, Melanie Johnson of CFA Archaeology in Edinburgh. She will be able to give an indication of the size of the pot and provide drawings to illustrate what it was like. She will also check for potentially interesting residues on the inside of the pot. The quartz stones will be analysed by specialist Ann Clark, also of CFA Archaeology.
Hunt for earliest Hebridean settlers A South Uist promontory is to be the focus this summer for an archaeological hunt for the earliest settlers in the Hebrides. A four week dig will take place in North Lochboisdale at An Doirlinn, a site threatened by coastal erosion. Archaeologists from the Universities of Liverpool and Southampton, lead by Duncan Garrow will be excavating the site between June 23 and July 21. Mr Garrow said: “The community is welcome at the dig. We are planning an exhibition and talk at Museum Nan Eilean with interactive computer games about sea level rise. We hope to have some prehistoric artefacts there also.” Mr Garrow is director of the Stepping Stones project which aims to find out more about the arrival of the
Neolithic peoples in and around Britain and Ireland around 4,000BC. The team is also excavating sites in Guernsey and Scilly. One outcome of the project will be the construction of a database of late Mesolithic and early Neolithic sites on Britain’s western seaways; another will be a series of educational web resources including a navigation game and Google Earth ‘plug in’ which enables users to visualize changing sea levels in the past. The Guernsey dig revealed an early Neolithic settlement with pottery and flint, and part of a polished shist stone bracelet (pictured). Mr Garrow said An Doirlinn may well be the earliest settlement in the Hebrides, judging by pottery fragments already found there by Cardiff University archaeologist Niall Sharples and dated at between 3,800 and 3,500 BC. Mr Garrow added: “The South Uist site may be the key to the whole project.”
RESCUE DIG WINNER The organisation Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Coastal Erosion (SCAPE) has won Current Archaeology Awards Rescue Dig of the Year 2012, under the title Sea of Troubles: Scotland’s eroding heritage. Led by Dr Tom Dawson of St Andrews University, the SCAPE team are familiar visitors to North Uist, having carried out several digs on Baile Sear beach in recent years, recording prehistoric settlements before they were torn away by the sea.
Dig in progress in Baile Siar, North Uist.
An Doirlinn. Image by courtesy of Niall Sharples.
18
island news & ADVERTISER - Issue 2
NEW Crofting commission should elect its own convenor, says SCF
The Scottish Crofting Federation is calling on the Minister for Environment Stewart Stevenson to let the new Crofting Commission elect its own convenor, rather than taking the option of having the position appointed by the Scottish Ministers. The new Commission, which is the official crofting regulator, now has a majority of elected members and will take over responsibility for the regulation of crofting on April 2. SCF director Fiona Mandeville said that some SCF members have been questioning why there is not proportional area representation on the new Crofting Commission and SCF had put this question to the Government. The answer was that proportional representation is not required because commissioners, when they are on the board, aren’t there to act as area representatives. Their role is to carry out the functions of the Commission as these are expressed within the 2010 Act. Ms Mandeville said: “We can understand why crofters are asking these questions. It was confusing and misguided that the Government chose a system in which
commissioners were elected, as if they were representing their electorate, from such unequally distributed constituencies. We believe this need be addressed at the next election. “It appears that if the commissioners are to work on a non-area-representative basis, as the Government is suggesting, then their collective role as a board seems to be to govern the wider Crofting Commission organisation, which is staffed by civil servants, in its function of regulator”.
GET NOTICED!
island news Edition 01
March 2012
EE FR
Advertise your business in our local services section starting NEXT MONTH
& ADVERTISER
Te l e p h o n e : 0 1 8 7 6 5 1 0 7 5 8
Ms Mandeville went on: “If it is to be organised in this way, then it is similar to a board of directors or trustees as in, for example, a community-based company like SCF. It follows from this that as a board the new Commission ought to elect its own chair - as we do and, I believe, the Cairngorm National Park does. “This form of centralised organisation will also require strong local input if it is to work. Because SCF’s work is advised by a council of area representatives, it seems appropriate to me that the new Commission would also be advised by an area network, such as their established Area Assessors network, which also ought to become democratically elected.”
PRICES START AT £20
Mobile: 07500 041671
Combined crossword CRYPTIC AND COFFEE TIME CLUES ACROSS 7) None of these means ‘no chance’ (4) 8) Cleaner you’ve never tried before (3, 5) 9) Came in first in the competition (3) 10) Render insensible of impending slaughter (4) 11) Property of a body that is a measure of its inertia (4) 13) Expended, bestowed or produced in profusion (6) 14) Leak, seep and get clean away (6)
CLUES DOWN 1) Herbaceous growth from Australia with small, round yellow flowers (6) 2) Give form or shape with many cutting blows (3)
CLUES ACROSS 7) Gamble (4) 8) Clean sweep (3, 5) 9) Achieved success (3)
3) Could be a kidnapping or just theft on the run (6)
10) Make unconscious (4)
4) To win get turned and feel a stab of discomfort (6)
13) Extravagant (6)
5) Played to finish the game and make a winning point (5, 4)
15) Mourn (6)
6) Talkative person who’s always passing on ‘the news’ (6)
11) Eucharist (4) 14) Flee (6) 18) Gourd (6) 20) Go by (4)
15) Express deep regret for a final loss (6)
12) Matter arising from another subject under discussion (4, 5)
21) Performer’s statuette (4)
18) In winter the freeze up could even penetrate here (6)
16) French gangster with a bent for rough dancing (6)
24) Bear (8)
20) A pretty one is distressing state of affairs (4)
17) Characterized by uncritical adherence to the latest fashion (6)
21) Award for a TV performer (4)
18) In which information may be stored and retrieved as required (6)
22) Much of this is about nothing at all (3) 24) It’s good to have one on which to tangibly express your grief (8) 25) Incline towards giving up fat (4)
22) Commotion (3) 25) Slender (4) CLUES DOWN 1) Leguminous shrub (6) 2) Fell (3)
19) Ancient head cover wouldn’t set the fashion pages going (3, 3)
3) Grasp (6)
23) Lacking in integrity and candour, clever at concealing (3)
5) Valuable resource (5, 4)
4) Pang (6)
6) Scandal (6)
18) Reminiscence (6)
12) Distraction (4, 5)
19) Outdated (3, 3)
16) American Indian (6)
23) Cunning (3)
17) With it (6)
Solutions on page 19.
Issue 2 - island news & ADVERTISER
Paw Prints
Welcome to Paw Prints, where your animals get their chance to shine.
Archie MacLellan of Tigharry with his favourite heifer, Denny.
Poppy still thinks she’s a puppy although she’s three years old. She lives with Robin and John Goodman in Borve, Harris.
Fraoch the collie is fascinated by water. Here he is studying his reflection in a loch near Lochmaddy. He lives with Annie MacDonald in North Uist.
Fluffy and Stripey are sisters who think the world revolves around them, while their best friend Ruby (pictured on the beach at Baleshare) is sure it revolves around her. They all live with Willie MacDonald in North Uist.
North Uist
BOARDING KENNELS Bayhead, North Uist Open all hours We are a small family run Boarding Kennels who want to look after your pets as you would. Individual needs catered for including; ● Medication given ● Daily beach walks for dogs ● Heated beds for cats ● Large outside exercise pens for dogs. ● Collection and delivery service across the Islands Please call Gillian to inspect our facilities or to discuss individual requirements on:
01876 510223 or 07922 178880
Bruno loves the snow. He lives with Sarah MacDonald in Ardnastruban, Grimsay.
Lucy, the Jack Russell who lives in Tindill Road, Benbecula with Helen Macintosh has just been tucked up for the night.
Email your hi-res photos to pawprints @islandnewsandadvertiser.com with your name and address, your pet’s name and anything you’d like to say about them.
Then look out for your photo on IN&A’s Paw Print page over the coming months!
19
SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD FROM PAGE 18 - ACROSS: 7) Dice, 8) New broom, 9) Won, 10) Stun, 11) Mass, 13) Lavish, 14) Escape, 15) Lament, 18) Marrow, 20) Pass, 21) Emmy, 22) Ado, 24) Shoulder, 25) Lean. DOWN: 1) Mimosa, 2) Hew, 3) Snatch, 4) Twinge, 5) Trump card, 6) Gossip, 12) Side issue, 16) Apache, 17) Trendy, 18) Memory, 19) Old hat, 23) Sly.
HIAL FULL PAGE AD TO BE PLACED BY THE PRINTERS