The Corncrake is sad to belatedly report the recent passing of Ella MacConnell in her 93rd year.
Kevin Byrne spoke in Ella's memory at her funeral service and has kindly given permission for the text of same to be reprinted here :
"Those of us here today, who were privileged to know Ella, will have our own memories. My own family remember her as a most friendly, gentle person with an extraordinary sense of humour, a lady who was always very kind to the children. Whenever a person might be delivering coal or gas, Ella would welcome them into her home and happily bring them up to date on the doings of her children. On any calm, sunny day she could be encountered among the hens and ducks of Squint Street, ambling gently as far as the Radio Station and back."
"Of course, Ella had been widowed long before our own family arrived in Colonsay, her husband Calum having died in 1962. As many people will know, Ella's maiden name was Smart; she was born in Campbeltown and her family later moved to Glasgow, Dumbarton Road. The Smart family were regular visitors to Colonsay, where they had a family home (the house now called Gart a' Gobhan). The house was originally built for Donald Munn, to whom they were related. It was probably during these visits that Ella was courted by her future husband, because his sister lived next door, at the house now known as Port Mor."
"They were married in 1936 and made their home in the family croft at Coll na Tarun. They are survived today by their four children, Cathy, Archie and the twins, Hughie and Davie, and by grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After Calum's death, Ella moved for a while to Yoker, but returned within a year or two. At this time, Ella settled for the independence and convenience of a caravan; fortunately she did not move in on the day that it arrived, since it was totally destroyed in a gale that very night. The replacement was more successful, followed in due course by a move to Clarence Cottage at Scalasaig."
"By this time, Ella MacConnell was our oldest lady and inevitably finding it hard to live alone, despite the great help that she received from neighbours and carers. I know that such care was much appreciated by Ella and her family. Then, just a few years ago, Ella's family arranged for her to take a break in Glasgow in such friendly and comfortable surroundings that she elected to stay."
"Ella was to be admired for her cheerful disposition and ability to take each day as it came. She suffered greatly from back pain for almost 50 years, but always had a smile and a friendly word. We must all be grateful that she had full length of life, raised a fine family, has many descendants and that we were all lucky enough to know her."
The MacConnell family has written to The Corncrake to pass on their gratitude to all who assisted in their time of loss, their letter to be found within the Letters section of this Issue.
March on Colonsay came in like the proverbial lamb, the fine weather of late February continuing for most of the first two weeks of the new month.
Such was the sunshine enjoyed by the island that the Shop very quickly ran out of sunglasses. Not wanting to miss the sales opportunity that the sunshine provided, Pedie harried his suppliers for an urgent delivery on the next ferry.
With Spring in the air, couples not in the first flush of wedded bliss were to be seen all over the island, strolling hand in hand in the warm sunshine. The scent of Romance wafted through the air and suddenly everyone felt young again, even the sheep skipping about about like young lambs ( they WERE lambs - Ed.).
Not only did the sunshine make for crisp, bright days, but also for some colourful evening skies :
It is to be hoped, particularly with Easter so early this year, that this March does not comply with the old adage and go out like a lion...
On the subject of Easter, and the influx of visitors that it invariably brings, word comes that visitor numbers for 2005 could break all previous records. The publicity that the island has enjoyed in the last few months, particularly the recent BBC2 wildlife programme, "A Wild Day in Spring", has resulted in a significant upturn in people wishing to visit the island.
Rhona Grant, who handles bookings for the Estate's portfolio of holiday cottages, reports that there is barely a space to be had in May and June, traditionally the early, and thus quieter, months of the holiday season. On that basis there will scarcely be a free bed on the island from the end of April through to September. It is good therefore to be able to report that the Hannay's B & B in Uragaig will be open for business during the course of the next few days (see the Homepage for details).
Apparently however, there are those who believe that the increase in visitor numbers is not solely down to the high profile that the island has enjoyed of late on national television. One alternative school of thought is that many lovers of wildlife have booked to come in order that they can visit the recently opened Zoo up Donmar way in Uragaig. The A.A. has already erected direction signs in preparation :
STOP PRESS - SINCE THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN, THE PROPOSED STRIKE ACTION HAS BEEN CALLED OFF. ALL SAILINGS WILL OPERATE AS NORMAL ON WEDNESDAY 23rd MARCH.
Islanders worst fears were realised on Tuesday 15th March when it was announced that Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry services will be disrupted by a 12-hour strike next week and more industrial action could follow just as the vital Hebridean tourist season begins.
Members of the RMT union voted by two to one in favour of industrial action to take place on Wednesday, March 23, just before the Easter holiday weekend.
The union claimed CalMac had failed to give assurances that there would be no compulsory redundancies and no worsening of pensions, pay and conditions if the company's routes are put out to competitive tender.
Ministers insist such a move is required under European regulations to justify the public subsidy paid to CalMac, although that is disputed by legal and academic authorities. Nicol Stephen, transport minister, is still in talks with the European Commission following the Scottish Executive's defeat on the issue just before Christmas.
But the RMT was furious when newspaper adverts appeared last month seeking tenders to operate CalMac's Gourock/Dunoon service without subsidy, which meant it would not feature in discussions with the EC.
In a count of ballot papers yesterday, 66% of those who responded said they were in favour of strike action, with 34% against. For action short of a strike there were 82% in favour, with 18% against.
Ian Macintyre, RMT organiser for Scotland and Northern Ireland, later announced details of the action. He said: "The strike will take place from midday to midnight on March 23 to minimise the impact on the communities we serve. But there could be more. We are fighting to protect our members' terms and conditions in a future that is now uncertain because of tendering."
CalMac said the company had met RMT members 10 days ago, but the union was seeking guarantees CalMac simply could not give. A spokesman said: "The company has conducted a series of face-to-face meetings with all ships' crews within the last fortnight and the managing director has on two occasions written to all members of staff offering assurances on terms and conditions which could be delivered by the company.
"This included an assurance that there would be no diminution in terms and conditions prior to tendering."
It would appear that the unilateral decision to tender the Gourock/Dunoon route has been the trigger to this unfortunate state of affairs, and it would appear that this tendering process is now irreversible.
Add to that the fact that the RMT union are seeking assurances from CalMac that they are just not in the position to give, and we have the hallmarks of a long and protracted dispute.
One is left to ponder as to how many of those involved actually do appreciate that these are LIFELINE services, a phrase they all glibly use to boost their own arguments. If they did truly appreciate and believe that fact, they would be sitting round a table now to find a short term solution until a final position on the tendering process is made clear. As things stand, the livelihood of thousands of islanders is at risk as the tourist season approaches.
STOP PRESS - SINCE THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN, THE PROPOSED STRIKE ACTION HAS BEEN CALLED OFF. ALL SAILINGS WILL OPERATE AS NORMAL ON WEDNESDAY 23rd MARCH.
Islanders were privy to an unusual site in Scalasaig harbour on the morning of the 4th of March - a boat sunk in the harbour :
The fishing boat "Blue Angel" out of Tayinloan had moored inside the harbour wall the previous evening, as she occasionally does, seeking overnight shelter. The fishermen's overnight dreams turned wet however as they were awakened by the less than gentle caress of seawater about their loins. They could hear the sound of the bilge pump operating, but did not immediately appreciate the fact that it was inexplicably operating in reverse mode and was about to sink the vessel completely. On grasping the reality of the situation, the three unfortunate fishermen abandoned ship and clambered to safety up the harbour wall.
Daylight provided them with the full horror of the situation, the vessel sitting on the sea bed. And with a mid-neap tide, there was no prospect of the water receding sufficiently for them to re-float after the turn of the tide. It would be several days before a suitable spring tide would allow the harbour, and the boat, to dry out.
They were in dire need of help, and it must be reported that Colonsay did not disappoint. The Fire Service and the Coastguard offered their services, but already a large number of islanders had willingly volunteered their services and the tools at their disposal. As can perhaps be seen from the photograph a pump was found to empty the vessel of most of the seawater and Graham McWhirter and the Kiloran tractor helped to raise her from the seabed :
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Many other locals assisted, such as Ross Moodie, Jim McLaughlin and George Leppard physically, whilst Andrew McGregor provided assistance of the verbal, sage variety.
People have been known to remark to your Editor, and indeed to many others, that life on a small, remote, Hebridean island must be, relatively speaking at least, pretty dull fare. These are people who obviously have never visited such a place, or fail to pick up on both the natural and the man-made rhythms whispering in the wind when they do visit.
Rarely a day goes by that cannot provide an evening's entertainment dissecting the events of the day and the impressions and memories instilled, and on occasion, distilled. In fact, on some days such is the plethora of happenings that it is difficult to remember them all (could be the start of senile dementia, go and see the doc - Ed.).
Indeed, such is this phenomenon of island life that songs have been written about it, although these rarely seem to be performed in public...
So there was your Editor the other day, strolling innocently by the pier, trying out his newly-purchased sunglasses, when the thought of a bowl of May's broth enticed him up the brae to the Pantry.
Opening the door however, he was instantly aware of the distinct lack of that magical Scotch broth aroma. Removing his sunglasses (the unremoved label sticking in his jacket collar) his gobsmacked gaze fell upon a scene with a distinctly Caribbean flavour :
It transpired that a Caribbean boat flying the Skull and Crossbones had sailed into Scalasaig harbour that very morning. Barely docked, five of those on board, obviously undesirables, were seen to be made to walk the plank at the point of a very sharp sword.
By coincidence, the five "undesirables" bear a striking resemblance to some Colonsay residents and at first it was thought that this might cause some confusion if the Caribs accepted the asylum that Colonsay offered them. But no. The islanders have being quick to spot the advantages in having their "doubles" around, and already Jessie has been seen in two places at the same time, the real Jessie, as Jessie does, having a whale of a time, the double enduring some less enjoyable social intercourse.
Yes, just another typical day on Colonsay (and it was only lunchtime)...
Highlands and Islands Short Story Association (HISSAC) is a group formed last year with the aim of providing support for writers and establishing a network of writers in the Highlands and Islands to critique and encourage each other's work. The network is entirely informal, a way of sharing information and building up individual confidence.
Regular Readers may recall that to launch the Association, a short story competition was held in November 2004. Such was the success of the competition, that another one has been organised, this time with double the prize money (£200) of the original.
Should you think that this may be the time to launch a writing career, details are as follows :
£4 (or £10 for 3) per entry (cheques to HISSAC)
Maximum of 2500 words
Closing Date 31st May 2005
No entry form needed
Entries by post only to :
HISSAC, 20 Lochslin, Balintore, Ross-shire IV20 1UP
Stories should be double-spaced on single-sided sheets of paper. Pages should be numbered and a cover sheet enclosed showing your name, story title and contact details. HISSAC can also be contacted at : hissacinfo@yahoo.co.uk
Write on!
Andrew Abrahams received a nasty shock earlier in the month when he returned home from a day at the oysters to discover a wild animal in his hen run having a hearty poultry dinner. To stop the slaughter, Andrew had no option but to shoot the beast, and it was at this point that Andrew got the second shock of the day :
Inspecting the animal more closely, Andrew noticed several features reminiscent of a mink. But how could a mink get to Colonsay or Oransay? Mink have been known to swim up to a mile in distance, but any of the neighbouring islands, or indeed the mainland, would be well beyond it's capability.
Word spread like wildfire, as mink are notorious predators, taking a wide range of small fish, invertebrates, mammals and birds. It was the latter however that was giving the greatest cause for concern, the islands of Colonsay and Oransay being home to many species of wild birds, many of which nest on the ground ; mink can devastate such nests, not only taking large quantities of eggs, but chicks and indeed, even adult birds. In addition, mink were previously unknown on the island and it was recently reported that a mink eradication scheme on North Uist and Benbecula would cost circa £3million and take six years to complete.
A photograph (see above) was thus taken of the offending creature and sent to a number of wildlife experts for their opinion. As the Corncrake went to press, there was relief as our friends at Scottish Natural Heritage declared that, in their opinion, the beast was not a mink, but a polecat.
The question remains as to whether this was a lone polecat, or whether there may be more about. And of course, how did it get here - unlike the mink, the polecat cannot swim at all!
No mink coat then for Esme, but undoubtedly she would have told Andrew what to do with it anyway...
The planned new air links between Oban (Connell) and some of the area's remote islands, including Colonsay, have moved forward, but there does still seem to be fundamental questions which require to be addressed.
Contracts have recently been advertised for work to upgrade Oban airport and for a new airstrip on Colonsay. Argyll and Bute Council has advertised "prior invitation notices" for the contracts in the European Journal. The estimated cost of the proposed work at Oban is advertised at between £750,000 and £1.25million. A separate contract is listed to construct the proposed new airstrip on Colonsay, to UK Civil Aviation Authority code one licence standard, at an estimated cost of between £500,000 and £1million.
Meanwhile however, the operator of Oban Airport, Total Logistics Concepts (TLC), which has successfully run the facilities at the airport for many years, has lodged a formal objection over the council's plans to transfer the running of the airfield to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL).
TLC claims that the council, which owns the airport, has bypassed the organisation and asked the Scottish Executive to give HIAL the Oban operation, a move which would break UK and EU laws, if it is not put out to tender.
The council's director of Development Services, George Harper, has said that the local authority is still "researching" the issues raised by TLC.
Until this matter is fully "researched" and the fundamental issue fully addressed, it would appear that the council's plans could be just a flight of fancy.
On a recent visit to Colonsay, three young maids got into some difficulties with their vehicle while endeavouring to park at Machrins. Graham McWhirter however came to their rescue.
As a "thank-you", the ladies wrote a little poem, and a copy of same has very kindly been supplied to The Corncrake and it is with not a little pride that the poem is reproduced below for the benefit of our Readers :
COLONSAY CAPERS
At Machrin's fair strand three maids in distress
Will anyone come to sort out their mess?
They sat and they fretted - would someone care less?
Then along came Graham - his name they did bless.
"Have you come to help us?" one of the maids she did ask
"I heard about ye" said he - keeping them in the dark.
No talking, no discussion, his face was a mask
Then our Knight in shining armour bent to the task.
In no time at all they were back on the road
The maids were so grateful - a big debt they owed
To the man just called Graham (his last name not told)
And into the sunset their hero then rode
Off went the Ladies to enjoy the rest of their stay
But they kept meeting Graham - getting in his way.
"The roads are not wide enough" they were heard to say
a ditch on either side - the poor mans temper did fray.
"…women drivers - I've given her a mile "
but after a week - he managed a smile -
(after they told him they'd be gone in a while)
Off on the ferry the women did sail leaving behind them
A much safer isle!
Many thanks for our speedy rescue Graham
And thanks to Irene and her daughters for their assistance.
Best wishes from Anne, Lizzie and Sheena.
On the subject of the poetic muse, Readers may recall that our Christmas issue carried a number of poems provided to The Corncrake on a "no names no pack drill" basis. Your Editor is delighted to announce that our anonymous poets have been at it again and produced a number of limericks and that these can be found in the Magazine section of this very Issue. Another scoop!!
Following the less than rivetting success of our new feature last Issue of a wee story written in the Gaelic (zero response!), your Editor was scrambling around, trying to think up ideas to keep circulation figures up at their dizzying levels. He was therefore more than a little delighted when Georgina offered to write occasional book reviews for the edification of our esteemed Readership.
Indeed, Georgina has already provided her first essay, and this can be found in the Magazine section of this very Issue.
Georgina's focus on this occasion is on The MacDougall Collection (no, nothing to do with Duncan's passion for philately), and Georgina was simultaneously able to announce that this coveted treasure will actually be exhibited on Colonsay, in the Hall, in June of this year. See scoops, see The Corncrake!!
Before we consider the photographs from Issue 110, we must return to one of Colonsay schoolchildren taken in 1960, and featured in a previous Issue :
Regular Readers may recall that there was uncertainty over the identity of the boy seated front-left and the guess at the time was that it may have been Calum Satchell. One other thought at the time was that it could perhaps be Johnny MacDonald, who died in 1962, aged 8, from a hole in the heart.
The Corncrake then received an e.mail from Lily Hearne (Lily MacArthur as was), who thought that the boy was Johnny.This was followed soon thereafter with an e.mail from Niall Brown who also suggested the boy was Johnny. This in turn sparked further debate on the island, and The Corncrake can now report that the consensus of opinion is now that the unidentified boy is indeed Johnny MacDonald.
Our "Look Back" photograph from Issue 110, of four artisans enjoying their tea-break, generated a lot of correspondence. Fran Patrick (or Nicholson, for those Readers living on another planet for a wheen of years) set the pace by correctly identifying the middle two characters as being Hugh and (a very young looking) Ivor Brown :
This pattern continued with no one being able to correctly identify the characters on the left and right.
The situation was eventually resolved by one of those pictured, Ivor, who called and identified the mystery characters as being our very own island signwriter, Walter Williams, and, the on the right, Calum Satchell.
Ivor was also able to pinpoint the date of the photograph as being 1960 or 1961. Not content with that, Ivor was even able to put names to all the three dogs in the picture as being Floss, May and Tim. Indeed, Readers of a certain vintage may recall that Tim came to be owned by Charlie McKinnon when Hugh left the island a few years later to work in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright - good job it wasn't the middle dog or there might have been a wee bit of confusion in the McKinnon household...
Oh, and by the way, the four pictured were resting from their labour of filling the silage pit at Kiloran. The lush wood in the background (Còmhlairigh) unfortunately now looks like this :
Moving on to the second "Look Back" photograph in our last issue, almost all correspondents correctly identified the property as Annie Gartcosh's, Mill Cottage and Torr an Tuirc, to give it at least three of the nomenclatures that this particular property enjoys :
Even more names were suggested for the identity of the "cute wee lassie" standing outside the cottage. In actual fact, The Corncrake was under the impression that the figure in the photograph was a very young Liz McNicholl (or Binnie, for any other Readers who may have been living on the same planet as that alluded to above). However, just before publication of erroneous information, word came from Musselburgh that the wee lassie was not Liz, but in fact her sister Helen, whom Liz recently visited in Australia.
And finally on the subject of the cottage in the photograph, at the time the photograph was taken, it was the home of Netta and Colin Titterton.
And so we move on to the next photograph in our series, this time one provided by Fran Patrick :
The location is Glassard and obviously the photograph was taken before the widespread availability of contraception...
No, we don't anticipate that anyone will be able to put names to all the faces, but if you can identify anyone at all, please let us know and perhaps when we put all the names together, most of those assembled will have been identified.
And as a wee bonus this Issue, Kate Bowman has kindly provided a photograph taken in 1977 :
Your Editor does not anticipate any problems of identification with this one. Indeed, Kate rather gives the secret away with the words that she provided to accompany the photograph :
"Oh the good old days, when lobsters came up from the bay to graze on the lush, green grass in the field outside Auntie Flora's kitchen on Oransay."
"Unexpected guests for lunch? No bother, just step outside and pick up a couple of big, juicy lobbies and problem solved!"
Well, the drought may be nearing an end ; a closing date of March 23rd has been set in relation to bids for the purchase of the Hotel. Issue 112 will therefore hopefully carry details of the new owners and their plans for the future. It is believed that there are at least six interested parties, four of whom are of the island or have strong island connections. Reports that the bar will re-open on the 24th are however considered to be wishful thinking. Patience there, Davy.
As Spring embraces the island, the lesser-spotted Colonsay Dancer comes out of hibernation ; already two ceilidhs have been announced, the first during Easter weekend being organised by the Development Company.
The following Saturday, the Gun Club has organised an afternoon shoot with a ceilidh to follow in the evening. Apparently the attendees of Kirsty and Rhona's dance classes are bursting to display their new-found skills. Must be worth the entry fee alone...
After the nationwide publicity that Colonsay has enjoyed recently on television, comes news of further media exposure. The current (March 10th) issue of Country Life magazine carries a six page feature on Oronsay, "an island retreat where ancient priory ruins, an 18th-century farmhouse complex and a garden by Penelope Hobhouse form a picturesque group in a glorious setting."
There are stunning photographs taken inside the home of Mrs Colburn, together with photographs of the priory, Seal Cottage, the garden and the famous carved grave slabs. Well worth the £3 cost of the magazine, and Pedie is currently taking orders, so hurry if you wish to avoid disappointment!
Following our recent photograph of a resplendent Keith Rutherford modelling the new Royal Mail headgear, Iain MacAllister forwarded The Corncrake a photocopy of a page in a magazine which featured a photograph of Keith, and his Postbus, in the middle of the Strand. Unfortunately the photocopy did not scan well, and therefore is not to be found in this Issue. Strenuous efforts are however being made to ensure an appearance in our next Issue...
Keith, by the way, is currently off the island for two weeks, but before he left he trained up a temporary replacement, whose name also happens to be Keith. " It just keeps things simple and avoids the opportunity for confusion" said Keith. ( er...which one said that? - Ed.).
The temporary replacement seems to be doing well. This week he's sorted all the mail very efficiently and says he hopes to get round to the actual delivery side of things next week...
There was much anxiety on the island on the morning of Monday the 7th when young Jasmin Brown had to be flown off for hospital treatment on the mainland. Jasmin had taken ill the previous week while at school in Oban and, as her condition did not improve, was sent home on the Friday to be cared for at home. Unable to eat however, her condition steadily deteriorated over the weekend, and, although there was a ferry on the Monday, she was too weak to travel on it and so Dr Currie had no option but to call the Air Ambulance service.
The good news is that the x-ray and scan proved clear and Jasmin responded well to the hospital treatment, the glucose drip helping her build her energy levels. Jasmin is now safely back home recuperating, though her colouring remains a whiter shade of pale.
As The Corncrake goes to press, word is being received that the Air ambulance which attended on Monday the 7th, has crashed into the sea off the Mull of Kintyre with the loss of two lives, that of the pilot and that of the paramedic on board.
Part of the Scottish Air Ambulance service, those who lost their lives had set off from Glasgow for Machrihanish where they were due to pick up an 11-year-old boy requiring urgent medical treatment. The bodies of the two men have yet to be recovered.
The island is united in offering sympathy and condolences to the relatives of the two men, who regularly risked their lives to help others in need. The next issue of The Corncrake will contain an article on the work of the Scottish Air Ambulance service.
Our caption photograph in the last Issue featured our very own inimitable Sidney Bowman, resplendent in black leather mini-skirt with matching black tights, his outfit of choice when partaking of an aperitif in the Colonsay Hotel of an evening (oh happy days!).
It was therefore wholly appropriate that Sid was invited to judge the entries for the current competition, a task he characteristically undertook without demur. Special mentions this time round go to Netta, Caitlin J, Angus McFadyen and Mark Hemmings, but the caption selected by Sid came from the pen of first time entrant, Gordon Morrison :
Unfortunately there was insufficient time for Gordon to get a caption photograph to The Corncrake before this Issue went to press. However, just as your Editor decided that we would have no caption competition this Issue, he received an e.mail on a totally different topic which contained a photograph tailor-made for a caption competition. So he borrowed it (hope the sender doesn't read The Corncrake...) :
Entries as usual to : editorcorncrake@yahoo.co.uk ; by telephone : 01951 200336 ; or by post to : A.N.Other, The Corncrake Caption Competition (Issue 111), c/o The Editorial Suite, The Corncrake, Corncrake Towers, Isle of Colonsay PA61 7YW.
Please note that there is also a Notice Board on the Homepage; anyone wishing to publicise any event or attraction is invited to send details to the Editor.
THE ISLAND HALL:
Whilst the Hotel and bar remain closed, the following activities have been organised for the Hall:
BADMINTON - every Tuesday and Thursday c.5pm.
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE CLASSES - Thursday evenings c.7.30pm.
QUIZ NIGHT - Thursday evenings c.9pm.
DRAWING CLASSES - Friday evenings c7.30pm.
SATURDAY NIGHT EXTRAVAGANZA! - 8pm to Midnight : Craic, Darts, Dominoes, Cribbage, Scrabble - You name it, it's all here!
THE ISLAND HALL is also available for rent: Ceilidhean, dances etc. £50; private parties £75; weddings £100.
THE PANTRY:
The following times apply currently:
Monday,Wednesday and Friday - 10am to 2.30pm
Saturdays only - 10am to 3.30pm
Friday night is carry-out night - 5pm to 6pm
THE ISLAND STORES:
Opening hours currently :
Monday,Wednesday and Friday 9am - 12.45pm; 2pm - 5.30pm
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 9am - 1pm
Sunday - Housebuilding, hopefully.
LOBSTER and CRAB: Freshly caught, telephone Bill Lawson 01951 200315.
CHURCH SERVICES: The Church of Scotland and the Baptist Church on the island work closely together and frequently hold joint services - please see notice at the Shop for details of venue and times. All are welcome and our visitors are cordially invited to join the island congregation.
For the convenience of our Readers, letters addressed to The Corncrake appear in two sections. Anything to do with current events appears here, and any letters concerned with historical research etc. appear under "Genealogical Letters" at the start of the REGULARS section of The Corncrake.
Dear Editor,
ELLA MACCONNELL 1912 - 2005
The MacConnell family would like to thank everyone who attended the Church service and the graveyard to pay their respects to their dear mother.
Special thanks to Kevin for his kind words and help received in their sad loss.
We would also like to say "thank-you" to Eleanor, May and her staff, Nigel and Donald, also many thanks for the beautiful floral tributes and cards of condolence. They were very comforting.
Thanks again,
The MacConnell family.
Dear Editor,
Taking a wild guess at the latest photo in the last edition of the
Corncrake
of the cottage on Colonsay, we think it might be Mill Cottage and the
little
girl in the picture might be Barbara Clark.
Not sure which edition the school photo was in where there was one
little
boy that was unidentified. I am almost sure it was John Mac Donald.
I look forward to your reply.
Kind Regards,
Lily Hearne (nee MacArthur)
Dear Editor,
The boy in the front row of the 1960 school photograph featured in the
current issue of 'The Corncrake' is almost certainly Johnny McDonald,
brother of Flora Ann and Margaret. Sadly, Johnny passed away a year or
two after this photograph was taken. He died following a 'hole in the
heart' operation.
On a brighter note, I thoroughly enjoyed the Colonsay Gathering -
wonderful to meet up with so many old friends.
Niall Brown (formerly of 3 Glassard)