Well, here we are in the month of May already, a third of the year gone, and your Editor still in the process of sobering up from the New Year.
However, it is said that "time flies when you're having fun" so, on that basis, those of us who can hardly believe that it is May already must be doing something right.
Now, if we could just bottle that "something" for a rainy day...
On the subject of rain (what a link eh?), since The Corncrake's last issue, the weather on the island has been one of extreme contrasts.
On Sunday the 17th, islanders awoke to a howling sou-easterly gale carrying with it copious quantities of rain. As if that wasn't enough, the electricity went off all over the island just after noon. Word came through from "the Hydro" that it was a local fault and that engineers would be over on the evening ferry to restore the status quo.
Faced with the prospect of no power until the evening, candles were being prepared in every household when the inevitable happened - news came through that, due to the wild conditions, the ferry had been cancelled. No electric blanket tonight then, thought your Editor, subsequently musing on why birth rates used to be so much higher before the introduction of electricity...
The following morning, the rain was less horizontal, always a good sign, but with no electricity and no heating, the school was closed, giving all the island children an extra day to their Easter holidays. Then, just after noon, and just over 24 hours since it went off, power was restored to the island, though the rush to ignite electric barbecues was noted to be low for the time of year.
By the time Tuesday morning came round, there was not a single cloud to be seen in the bluest of skies, this phenomenon prevailing for over a week, by which point the sun threatened to be blocked out by the smoke from so many barbecues. And it's only April! (yes, I realise that by the time you read this, it's May...).
Finally on our wee update of the phenomena of Nature on the island over the last fortnight or so, it must be reported that the call of the cuckoo (or cuthag in the native tongue), is to be heard again in Scalasaig, and the first of our swallows have returned, apparently unfazed by the number of new dwellings now taking up their summer space. In the woods and gardens of the island, primroses brighten the scene, and bluebells have already begun to weave their woodland carpets :
STOP PRESS - The sound of the corncrake has now been heard for the first time this year - just in time for the May Day issue of its namesake.
And finally, offshore, there are relatively high populations (Ross, just what is the proper collective term?) of porpoises and of mink whales to be seen, perhaps telepathically aware of great human stirrings on land, with the re-emergence on the island of a rightful heir to the ancient, lost lands of the once-mighty MacPhee clan (see following article).
"All Hail His Highness, MacPhee of MacPhee!!"
So goes the formal nomenclature and greeting now demanded by Colonsay resident Angus MacPhee whenever He (note the capital...) enters the presence of lesser mortals (that's the like of you and me).
And who can blame him after the results finally came through of his recent DNA test as part of the worldwide McDuffie DNA Surname Project. Not only is he actually a MacPhee ( no, no one ever doubted that, surely...), but his MacPhee pedigree perhaps goes back over 1,000 years. At this juncture it is perhaps best that your Editor takes a back seat and lets Rod Macduff, co-ordinator of the DNA Project, do the talking :
"Angus MacPhee's result is now in, and it shows a match with Commander
Sandy (in Australia)
and Judy LeDrew McPhee (in Prince Edward Island).
Angus had a 25 marker test and it matches on 22/25 markers.
Two of the mismatches are "fast mutating markers" so this means that he
would probably have an ancestor in common with the other two, around
500
years ago.
So that means that around the time of the "breaking" of the clan or a
bit
before that, he would share an ancestor.
It also ties in nicely to Colonsay.
So all in all, a satisfying result!! (You can't always guarantee
this!!)
Also in the same group as Angus (Group 1) are two McAfees who would
have had
a common ancestor with Sandy, Judy and Angus more like 1000 years ago.
All these results are now posted on the website
http://www.mcduffiedna.com
This group 1 seems to be turning out as the "modal" or most frequently
occuring one. This indicates that it may be one of the older groups or
perhaps the oldest group with the clan name.
Please thank all participants, particularly Angus for participating in
this
project.
Now any other male MacPhees, McAfees, McDuffies and McDuffs should think
seriously about giving the project a go if they are interested in their
roots!".
When two people with very strong Colonsay connections, Iain Harding and Christine McFadyen, announced their engagement last year, there was speculation of an island wedding.
The speculation was almost right, but the wedding, which took place on the 16th April, was not on the island of Colonsay but on the nearby island of Mull, the couple opting for a quiet, private ceremony in Pennyghael, the former home of Christine's late father, Hector.
With a background of a snow-capped Ben More and flowering broom, Iain and Christine exuded joy and happiness on their very special day :
After their quiet wedding ceremony, the happy couple intended a short honeymoon on Colonsay, which would no doubt not be quite so quiet. Alas however, it was not to be :
Preparing for the inter-island journey , Christine managed to tear an intercostal muscle between her ribs and, in great pain, had instead to visit the Accident and Emergency Unit in Oban where she received appropriate treatment and some pain-killing drugs. To compound matters, word then filtered through of the lack of electricity on Colonsay and then, to top it all, the ferry was cancelled!
Sometimes in life you get the feeling that things are just not meant to go the way that you planned, and realising that this was indeed one of those times, Iain and Christine reluctantly headed homewards. They will however be back on Colonsay in July and we all look forward to toasting the bride and groom when we see them then. In the meantime, Iain and Christine would like to say a big "thank-you" to everyone for the many warm wishes that they have received.
Oh, and the torn muscle is now healing, if a little slowly.
Canon Martin Shaw was elected as the new Bishop of Argyll and The Isles in the Scottish Episcopal Church just over 12 months ago. In that short time, he has managed to conduct services in 19 islands, and recently visited Colonsay with a view to taking a service in the ruined Priory on Oransay.
Your Editor was unable to be present at the service and so we are indebted to Mel Pocklington for preparing for us the following account of events :
"On the 24th April, a wonderful, sun-filled Sunday morning, visitors and islanders made the journey across The Strand to Oransay Priory, for a Eucharist Service taken by Bishop Martin of Argyll.
The day couldn't have been better; the skies were blue, swallows were in full flight and the sound of skylarks accompanied us on our way. Communion was taken at the Alter in the Priory, with a very simple, heart-warming service. Children read the lesson and the prayers, which were so becoming for the occasion, that it quite overwhelmed one or two of us in the small congregation :
PRAYER
Lord, You are my island, in your bosom I rest.
You are the calm of the sea, in that peace I stay.
You are the deep waves of the shining ocean,
With their eternal sound I sing.
You are the song of the birds, in that tune is my joy.
You are the smooth white strand of the shore,
In You there is no gloom.
You are the breaking of the waves on the rock,
Your praise is echoed in the swell.
You are the Lord of my life; in You I live.
Afterwards, picnics were eaten in the sunshine before the journey homewards, and it was agreed by all, that the day had been a great success. We look forward to welcoming Bishop Martin and his family back to Colonsay in the future."
Your Editor is further indebted to Kevin Byrne, who managed to obtain for us a photograph of the proceedings :
As the pace of modern living takes its toll on us as we journey through life, leaving us with no time to think, many of us dream of escaping the rat-race and re-locating to somewhere where the pace is gentler, a place to nurture a satisfied mind.
Pressing on and on however, few of us actually act on these dreams. Now however, there could exist the very spur for non-resident Readers to turn that dream into a reality. Hughie and Jenny McNeill, now happily living in the suburbs of downtown Glencoe, have decided to put their Colonsay house, Calcraig, on the market.
This modern, traditionally constructed cottage has four bedrooms and stunning views of the surrounding countryside and out to sea :
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Don't let Life pass you by, be like Jimi and kiss the sky!
The selling agents are D. M. MacKinnon Estates of Oban, and further particulars of the property can be found at : www.dmkestates.co.uk/cgi-bin/details.pl?calcraig .
Peace awaits.
Ever in search of exciting news for Corncrake readers to savour, your Editor recently took a wee trip to Oban and can now exclusively reveal that the new Calmac ferry terminal in Oban has now opened its doors! Surely another scoop for The Corncrake!
Seasoned CalMac travellers may recall (but probably without any significant degree of nostalgic affection) that the former terminal building looked like this :
The new terminal building is several times the size of its predecessor and is a gleaming structure, finished largely in metal and glass, the immensity of the latter rather giving the game away that the architect's brother has a window-cleaning business. Sorry, your Editor just made that up.
One thing for sure however, is that the amount of glass in the design should ensure some heat in summer as you wait for the ferry to arrive... :
Inside, the feeling is one of light and space, and it has obviously been designed to be reminiscent of being on board a sea-going vessel, perhaps however one of the Cunard Line rather than one of David MacBrayne's fleet :
Very grand indeed. All it seemed to lack was a grand piano and Kenneth McKellar in the corner, giving it laldy with "The Road to the Isles". Or maybe it was just your Editor.
Readers whose memory can stretch as far back as our last Issue (pass me that abacus...) may recall your Editor rambling on about the potential for an occasional new feature for The Corncrake to be entitled "Where Are They Now?". Well, as you can see from the title above, the new feature is here!
Our first former Colbhasachs willing to reveal all are John and Pamela Clarke, who, when your Editor looks at the pending plagiarism legislation, may require to be acknowledged as coming up with the idea of such a column in the first instance. Hmph.
So, what have the Clarkes been up to since leaving our wee goldfish bowl?
Read on...
John and Pamela lived at Milbuie West from 1986-1994 when they moved back to South Worcestershire. There they carried on working as wildlife advisors - even briefly doing some survey work on Oransay in 1995 before heading to the Highlands to locate the last British colonies of Alpine Sow-thistle. During that time John's health gave cause for concern and eventually he was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition. After six years of treatment and a lot of swearing he is now in long-term remission - though the physiotherapy (and the swearing) continue.
Natural history and conservation remain a passion and John continues to be very involved with a number of organisations, locally and nationally. He initiated a detailed study of breeding Spotted Flycatcher (a small migrant bird) in the local villages, supported by over 120 households, and has written a book about the four-year study and his experiences. Meanwhile, the research continues.
He and Pamela still give talks occasionally on farming and wildlife - and Colonsay - and are involved in various community projects - one including the restoration of old orchards. You can see some of the local projects at www.kemerton.org.uk
John continues with watercolour painting - building on Jean MacAllister's teaching -and still enjoys a spot of fishing and shooting. Pamela works part-time at a local hospital and is in the final year of her Masters (English Literature). They head down to Cornwall at least once a year and stay with John and Dinah Gray (who farmed Oransay for some ten years) and reminisce - about the people, the work and life - and the beauty of the island. Whisky was very much a drink savoured on Colonsay but when they left John lost the taste for it - save when Donald and Maggie Gibbie came to stay!
They hope the good work of the Corncrake flourishes and send their warmest best wishes to everyone.
And, through the pages of The Corncrake, warmest best wishes are returned to John and Pamela.
So dear former Colbhasach, the process of revealing all is not that bad, is it? And being Colbhasachs, we all, each one of us,would like the lowdown on how life has treated you furth of these shores. So why not pick up a pen, a phone or a keyboard today? Procrastination is the thief of Time!
So how, in our new-found poetry corner, can we possibly follow Di Alexander (his son Danny, by the way, is the Lib-Dem candidate for the newly created electoral constituency of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey), whose wonderful ode to a Colonsay young farmer we carried in our last Issue?
Well, the answer is simply, "with difficulty". However, in Corncrake Towers, the underpaid but dedicated Staff ( the use of the capital gives them status, saving a wee fortune) must continually strive to achieve nothing but the best for our Readership, who in turn demand nothing less. The achievement of Perfection is a long and arduous constant struggle, as your Editor has found, only becoming Perfect himself relatively recently. And not that the Editorial spouse (she who must be obeyed) has even noticed this recent achievement on the part of her husband...
However, back to the task in hand. With no poetic contributions from our Readers, your Editor has had to delve a few years back in time to when local Postmistress-in-waiting, Irene Campbell, thought that she would go out one night to see what this W.R.I. thing was all about. We are indebted to Irene for her permission to publish here the ode she wrote at the time telling of her experience :
W.R.I. SECRETARY
I went to a WRI meeting, I thought it would be fun,
But when I came home again I thought just "what have I done?"
I said I would be Secretary - 'cause Netta did resign,
And a battered book of minutes suddenly was mine.
I looked at the book - I hadn't a clue,
Will somebody tell me what to do?
A jumble of words - and so much to write,
I hope that I manage to do things right.
Oh well, I've only to do this job for a year,
then somebody else can VOLUNTEER!
Yes, life on Colonsay, one minute you're free as a bird, the next you're "President of the World", or some other tedious and onerous office!
The newly elected (see issue 113) Colonsay Community Council convened for the first time on Tuesday 26th April, in the Hall. A number of interesting issues were raised and discussed :
The six council members, as reported in Corncrake 113, were recently all re-elected, the seventh candidate, Alan Robertson, failing to garner sufficient votes to oust those standing for re-election.
It now transpires that the council could, and should, comprise seven members. The simple expedient would simply be for Alan, the seventh candidate, to be co-opted to the Council. Such a move however, would apparently be "unconstitutional" and therefore nominations to stand are currently invited (closing date 6th May) with the prospect of a further ballot should there be more than one candidate come forward. Watch this space...
Now that the long-proposed daily air service for the island gets closer to actuality, growing concerns were aired that at least two of the original fundamental objectives (carrots?) of such a service will not now even be aspired to, viz., allowing the secondary-school chidren home at weekends and that of fares for the air service being similar to CalMac ferry fares.
In the light of this, questions were raised as to whether the people of the island would want such a service and whether the cost (certainly hundreds of thousands of pounds initially, with alarmingly large on-going running costs) could be justified given the return.
As with all such innovations, there is also a risk that the project could in fact be detrimental to the island and its people.
The proposed CalMac timetable for next Summer and the ensuing Winter (CalMac obviously being like Salt and Pepper, a two-season concern), was discussed, and it was found to be broadly acceptable, being largely similar to that currently in place. It was however decided to plead for an additional sailing on a Sunday evening, to allow the secondary-school children to come home at weekends, the proposed air service now looking unlikely to deliver on this cherished objective.
The Corncrake has received an e.mail from a gentleman by the name of Ewan Barr (see Letters section), currently resident in The People's Republic of China.
It transpires that Ewan's grandfather, Hugh Barr, was a deckhand for many years on the then Lord Strathcona's motor yacht, "Kiloran". Ewan is wondering if any Reader can throw any light on the ultimate fate of the vessel, the photograph of her below kindly provided by Kevin Byrne :
It is known that after Lord Strathcona sold the "Kiloran", she spent many years as a pleasure vessel in Torquay. What happened to her after that is a bit of a mystery however, although there is a suspicion that she ended her days out in the Middle East.
If any Reader has any information on this, or can remember Hugh Barr, Ewan would be delighted to hear from you. His e.mail address is : ewanbarr@hsbc.com .
Occasionally as we walk down the path of Life, we stumble upon a phenomenon that we mentally classify as strange but true. Even more occasionally, such phenomena, because of the very juxtaposition of truth and strangeness, can also be classified as humourous.
And it was into this very category that the contents of an e.mail that your Editor recently received from Isabel Robertson, fell :
"I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg!
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid!
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt !".
When I recall all those painful knuckles I received from the teacher, and now it seems it was all for ninthog!!
In Issue 113, The Corncrake carried the news that an electronic repository was under construction which would hold, for posterity, with access available to all, copies of photographs of Colonsay and her people.
Since then, (see Letters section), The Corncrake has received a donation of £100 towards the cost of the project from The Macfie Clan Society In Canada. Your Editor would therefore like to send, through these pages, his grateful thanks to the Society's President, Ian MacFee Rogers, and to all members of the Society. Moran taing dhuibh!
This money will allow your Editor to acquire the most suitable and powerful database software for the Archive, ensuring ease of future searching, for example for that elusive ancestor, that photo of your Great Aunt Aggie's parrot or perhaps even that momentous day when Angus MacPhee reclaimed the island for his clan.
The Archive was also the recipient of a donation in memory of Dorothy Boswell, this money already earmarked to acquire a high resolution scanner in order to give future users of the Archive the best possible sharpness of image.
Your Editor would also like to thank all those who have already provided photographs for inclusion in the Archive. Please keep sending them in, the ultimate success of the Archive being dependent upon it being as all-inclusive as possible. Nor do the photographs need to be old; that one of you as a wee boy or girl will be treasured by someone in 200 years time!
Finally, to reiterate, all photographs received by the Archive will be scanned and immediately returned to their rightful owner in the same condition in which they were kindly loaned.
Remaining on a photographic theme, we come to our now-regular feature where Readers attempt to identify Colbhasachs captured for posterity by a camera some time in the dim and distant past.
In our last Issue, the featured photograph was one provided by Ivor Jones and taken in Kilchattan Primary School a year or so back :
Well, did YOU manage to identify the young scholars? It was not quite as easy as we all first thought. However, the names on The Corncrake's desk at the moment, supposedly definitive (if you disagree, get in touch!) are as follows :
Front left : Kate "Garvard" MacNeill, and behind her Niall Brown (how did such an apparently unruly pupil grow up to be a headmaster?).
Front right : Chrissie Darroch and Mary MacAllister with Jean McGilivray and Hugh Galbraith behind.
Staying on a scholastic theme, our new old photograph for this Issue is also one involving a number of Kilchattan Primary School pupils and their teacher, the snap very kindly provided for us by Keith Rutherford. Who can identify all the "little darlings" in this one? :
A wee brightness returned to the island the other day, in the form of Jessie, who has been away having a retreat from it all at "Sister Mary's". And a fair bit of good the voluntary sabbatical (sàbaideach) seems to have done her, for, by Jove, it has to be said that she's looking younger than ever!
Not so good though is the news that both Georgina Hobhouse and Betty Galbraith are off the island at the moment due to ill health. Our best wishes for a speedy recovery, and a speedy return, go to both.
Issue 113 carried a feature on the spate of housebuilding which is a characteristic of the island these days. Now it would seem that Netta is getting in on the act :
But what on earth is it? It's obviously not connected to the house, although there does seem to be a space for pipework of some description - perhaps we are about to witness the island's return to the days of the "taigh beag"? But I think that we can pull the plug on that idea... Another sneaking suspicion is that Netta, an avid fan of Dr Who, is actually building her own time machine. Ach well, no doubt time will tell...
Two local residents, Sheena Nisbet and Mel Pocklington, are hoping to resurrect the long-defunct but hugely enjoyed Colonsay Sports. A tentative date of 16th July has been selected for the Sports, with a fund-raising ceilidh being held a fortnight earlier.
Sheena and Mel are seeking help from Readers in three ways - firstly in the shape of tents, tools and the other accoutrements required for a successful Sports Day, together of course with the labour required to implement them. They are also on the look-out for the trophies won on the last Sports Day,
normally kept by the winners for a year but with the demise of the event, never returned. Check your trophy cabinets today! Sheena and Mel's phone numbers are 104 and 253 respectively. Let's make it happen!
What, I hear you ask, of the promised update on the long non-functioning petrol pump?
Well, it's eh, like this, eh....it's WORKING!! Pictured below are the two engineers who engineered a fix, proud as punch, but a wee bit anxious as to why Calum Kennedy (your Editor was away) wanted a picture of them... :
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Yes, we can all again enjoy the delight of a delivery on the doorstep, so to speak, and at £1.07 per litre, you need something to make you smile. Strangely though, the engineers were puzzled how the pump ever worked at all, as one of the pump's problems was that it had never been wired properly in the first instance...Weird? See Colonsay!
Another follow-up story from a previous Corncrake concerns the dyke that Sid Bowman was building for Jill Graham-Stewart at Smiddy Cottage. And it's more good news - it's finished, and it looks just grand :
As can be imagined, Jill is mightily pleased with the finished article and has gone off quite happily to attend her niece Sally's wedding on the mainland. Incidentally, Jill's niece is coming with her new husband to Smiddy Cottage for their honeymoon. It is to be hoped that the honeymoon boat actually sails this time...
And now yet another apology from your Editor re another faux pas on his part (you just can't get the staff these days...). In our last Issue, it was suggested that John Olivant had actually moved in to his new house. He is of course still in the caravan in his garden. How could a man move into a house which is still not "complete"? Silly me!
And finally (well almost...), avid Corncrake readers should note that this may be the only Issue to appear during May, illness in the family necessitating an Editorial visit to Oban (yes, another one!) around the middle of the month. Efforts will of course be made to produce our normal mid-month Issue, but if none appears,or it appears late, you will know the reason why. And on the plus side, there may be scintillating scoops to be found in Oban for your delectation next time round, whenever that may be.
So, what, I hear you ask, of events other than the parochial ones of your wee bit craggy island? Yes, there is a UK General Election looming, but, as reported in our previous Issue, all of us on the island have already had our crosses to bear...(with more to come perhaps?) ; yes, there has been smoke been seen coming from the region of the Vatican City, but that pales (or should that be, palls?) into insignificance to the proud puff to be seen coming from the pipe of one Angus MacPhee of this Parish...So, all in all, World Events can be seen in their true perspective when you live in, as William Butler Yeats never said, "the best wee isle in the West"!.
Regular readers may recall that our caption photograph in Issue 113 was a rather intriguing one of Sheena Nisbet and Donald MacAllister apparently about to embrace one another on Colonsay Golf Course. It was a photograph which lent itself to a number of nuances, and our esteemed Readership did of course not miss the opportunity.
The pleasant but always difficult task of choosing a winning caption fell this time around to A.N. Other, (not his/her real name, or at least I don't think so...), whose true identity remains shrouded in secrecy, surely something of a first for Colonsay?
The caption selected as being the best from last Issue's postbag (some being unprintable), was one from Agnes Barstow of West Parade, Lincoln, (where, coincidentally, Sam, a recent Caption subject along with Sid, is at University), who submitted the following :
First-time entrant Agnes was thrilled at winning, if not with her "prize" (just when is this whisky prize going to materialise??), but was unable to supply a suitable photograph in time for this Issue's competition. A quick trawl through the archives however quickly produced this one of two young things obviously out for a good time. But who the devil are they, and just what are they up to? The answer, dear Reader, is up to you :
Entries as usual to : editorcorncrake@yahoo.co.uk ; by telephone : 01951 200336 ; or by post to : A.N.Other, The Corncrake Caption Competition (Issue 114), c/o The Editorial Suite, The Corncrake, Corncrake Towers, Scalasaig, Isle of Colonsay, Argyll, PA61 7YW, Scotland. Calls will of course be charged at premium rates.
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.
SATURDAY NIGHT CEILIDH !
There is to be a ceilidh this Saturday night, 30th April, in the village Hall. Eight 'til late. Bring your own refreshments.
But, by the time you read this, the ceilidh will be all over - isn't life wonderful!
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.
QUIZ NIGHT - Thursday evenings c.9pm.
LANDSCAPE DRAWING CLASSES - Saturday 2pm (Weather permitting. Meet at Hall).
SATURDAY NIGHT EXTRAVAGANZA! (Unless a ceilidh is advertised above) - 8pm to Midnight : Ceòl, 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 to Friday - 9am to 8pm
Saturdays only - 9am to 7pm
Sundays only - 2pm to 7pm
THE ISLAND STORES:
Opening hours as of Monday 28th March :
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday : 9am - 1pm; 2pm - 5.30pm
Thursday : 9am - 2pm
Saturday : 9am - 1pm
Sunday : CLOSED ALL DAY.
COLONSAY HOUSE GARDENS and CAFÉ:
Wednesdays, 12 to 5pm, open for filled rolls, cakes, teas, coffees and cold drinks.
Fridays 3pm to 5pm, open for cakes, teas, coffees and cold drinks.
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,
I mentioned when I last wrote that the Executive of the The Macfie Clan
Society in Canada would be meeting shortly.
I am happy to tell you that today we approved a donation of £100.00
towards the COLONSAY PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE project.
You will receive a draft from our Treasurer shortly.
We look forward to seeing the results of your labour. Good luck with
the project.
Sincerely,
Ian McHaffie
Secretary
The Macfie Clan Society in Canada.
Dear Editor,
Congratulations on your fine website.
I have a reason to be contacting you - my late grandfather, Hugh
Barr, was
a young apprentice / deckhand on Lord Strathcona's motor yacht,
Kiloran
(around the 1930s) and spoke fondly of his love for the island. He
was on
the yacht for many years, growing up far away from the troubles of
war (as
he had polio as a child and was unable to serve for any of the armed
forces).
Some time ago I communicated with the current Lord Strathcona and he
was
kind enough to reply, sending me a picture of the Kiloran. Apparently
the
history of the final years of the vessel are a little unclear and
there is
vague talk about her having headed to the Middle East...
I would be grateful for any further information about the yacht and
the
island, and any pictures, including any memories from people of my
late
grandfather (perhaps a "long-shot")...
You will see from my email address that I am in China but the Barr
family
remains in the Ayrshire area, where my grandfather returned to after
his
Kiloran experience, to marry my grandmother and settle in Ardrossan
and
have a family in the 1940s.
I have not yet visited Colonsay but am planning to do so later this
year
with my brother and would welcome any guidance / places to stay.
With kind regards,
Ewan Barr.
ewanbarr@hsbc.com
Dear Editor,
The account of the Harbour Development meeting in the Corncrake of 16 April seems a bit anodyne. Unless they studied the full "Harbour report" in the magazine section, your readers won't have got much idea of the thinking underlying the proposals, nor of the support they received. What follows is a personal response to both the meeting and the "report" , and may of course involve misunderstandings of my own.
The Inner Harbour:
A good case was made at the meeting for simple alterations and provisions for working boats and small pleasure boats around the Inner Harbour. Even so, the more experienced working residents present pointed out obvious problems likely to hit control and delivery of water and diesel to a transient clientele of visiting boats, maintenance of showers and lavatories, and drawing up of pontoons in bad weather. (Just supply of petrol, coal and gas to residents at present is not without its difficulties.) Common sense would suggest that showers at least could be better provided by the Hotel.
Personally I am also sad to realise that excavating the Inner Harbour will inevitably damage the gentle grassy surround on its south side. No amount of "landscaping" afterwards can hope to restore what has grown naturally out of decades of use and disuse. And, the beautiful shabby old boathouses: it would be sad to see them “tastefully” developed (though this was not discussed at the meeting itself) – and there is at the moment already a café/bakery at the Pantry, which has the great merit of being run by islanders for islanders throughout the winter, and is not just a trendy seasonal tourist facility.
But overall there was agreement that such "low key" proposals are needed and would be welcomed.
The Outer Harbour and Queen's Bay:
However, the meeting also considered other developments outlined in the "Proposal", to accommodate more and larger yachts and pleasure boats. These include not only a breakwater beyond the mole at Scalasaig, but also another breakwater and varying degrees of development at Queen's Bay. Though both the rationale and the practicality of such measures were challenged, I understood that it was still recommended to include them all in the feasibility study, if not necessarily to pursue them beyond that at the moment. In spite of the "Conclusions" published the "Corncrake", it is not yet publicly clear exactly what will be included in the study. From the tone of the meeting, I fear that pressure for these more ambitious ideas will ultimately prevail.
The premise underlying the proposed developments:
Ian Binnie’s “Harbour Development Proposal” was generously written with a lot of thought and care, but I have a problem with its underlying approach to the island:
His premise is that “The island is in danger of lagging behind where similar developments are being pursued in neighbouring islands”, and that point was made strongly at the meeting. I would reply that remaining peacefully without too many "developments" is Colonsay’s asset, rather than a “danger”. This is what very many visitors remark on, and return for again and again in the long term. And this is what was featured in the BBC programme “Spring” which has apparently brought many new bookings.
For example, Queen's Bay:
Ian Binnie suggests that “the Queens Bay area … might be the good location for a Restaurant or café. Such a development would open up this section of the island that seems to otherwise not be used by many”.
But don’t both visitors and residents value Queen's Bay for exactly that fact, that within a short walk of Scalasaig an individual or a couple of families can be in a beautiful place alone and in peace, with maybe just an otter for company? This is indeed a rare asset - does “not being used by many” justify destroying it by “opening it up”?
It is true that the restaurant idea was suggested for the "future", together with the proposed outer breakwater and even a "wave generator", and not considered at the meeting itself. But those ideas could still make it to the feasibility study. And other developments for Queen's Bay were seriously discussed for action now - up to 10 moorings, a jetty, and "reopening the old Kirk road and facilitating the journey across the hill by placing small reflective signs along the path" so the yachtties can find their way back from the pub.
Safe moorings for a couple of boats seem reasonable – but why destroy its value as a haven for those yachstmen who prefer an isolated, undisturbed anchorage? There are plenty of moorings round other islands for those who seek each others' company.
A simple foot-path over the half-mile or so between the Bay and the pub is also reasonable. But one of the joys of Colonsay is that it is not littered with signs and waymarks, fluorescent or otherwise… (though of course they’d disappear into the heather after a year or so….)
The old Kirk road – well if that’s “re-opened” Queen’s Bay will immediately be accessible to 4x4s and other vehicles, like Machrins and Kiloran in the summer. Then its peculiar peacefulness will be entirely lost. Isn’t it a great asset to keep just one beach that is very easily reached on foot but inaccessible to vehicles (other than those needed by the farmers and the Hydroboard)?
Attracting more visitors to the island:
One of the main arguments at the public meeting was that encouraging more visitors from pleasure boats was essential to maintain the viability of the Hotel. But the Hotel survived many years without extra hoards of yachtties – isn’t it up to the new owners to decide who they want to attract to it and how? (On the other hand, which business benefits most from any development is ultimately less important than whether or not the development benefits or damages the island's unique assets in the long term).
I would argue that, if money is available for such an exercise, the only sound principle is to concentrate on attracting those who value the island for what it already is – not those who would only come if it were changed to be more ordinary, like a detached bit of the mainland. The crucial calculation is: how many regular, long term visitors would be lost for how many day trippers gained?
It is good that both residents and visitors can bring boats to the island – but only in so far as the island is suited for them No one who truly appreciates the special nature of the island enjoys seeing it mauled by use of inappropriate vehicles on or off the shore. Bulldozing and developing the shoreline to accommodate ever more and larger pleasure boats – isn’t that just slicing the foot to fit the shoe?
The premise underlying my objections:
I believe any “development proposal” for Colonsay should start from the following premise:
It is important not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg – Colonsay’s unique asset is an upmarket one, namely its relatively still undamaged natural environment, its wildlife, plant life, space and peace. This is very fragile and can easily be entirely devalued by inappropriate development.
It is like a very valuable work of art or beautiful building. If it is “restored” or “developed” by someone who does not appreciate the true nature of its rarity and beauty, its value will be lost.
Colonsay’s disadvantages in the market place (distance, cost of transport and freight, minuscule population, etc) mean that if its unique natural assets are damaged, so that it becomes more like part of the mainland, then it cannot hope to compete economically with mainland businesses.
Angela Skrimshire,
Kilchattan. 22 April '05