Eagle-eyed Readers will have noticed a change to the banner at the top of our pages - yes, our archive facility is now operational again! Further, and without a care for the cost, a choice has been provided for Readers depending on whether their archival interest lies in 2005 and beyond or whether it is prior to 2005 that they wish to research.
And, hold on to your hat dear Reader, for there is even more excitement coming your way! It is hoped that before the month is out (note that no specific month is mentioned...) the new all-singing, all-dancing, all-bells-and-whistles Colonsay website will be resting on your computer screen for your awe and wonderment. Joy of joys!
And so, calming down a wee bit, we find ourselves in the month of September, the summer warmth not yet giving way to more autumnal temperatures. The island is still busy with visitors though, the "season" apparently going to run that wee bit longer this year, again probably the result of Colonsay's exposure on the BBC2 documentary " A Wild Day in Spring".
Oh, and re the archives, a few photographs are still missing from late 2004 Issues, but these hopefully will gradually make a reappearance.
The first letter in our Letters section this Issue comes from Glassard resident Frank Nicholson who raises the point that work is about to commence on Colonsay's new airstrip without the people of the island having had the proper, democratic opportunity to vote for or against such major work taking place and whether or not they actually wish to have a daily air service.
Frank's letter echoes concerns made by many islanders of late, who have come to the realisation that this project is going to go ahead with or without the express consent of the people. It must be said however, that should a ballot be held even today, those voting would still not have access to the information crucial to them being able to make a fair and reasoned decision. Even at this late stage, with work due to start imminently, islanders do not, for example, know :
1. What the fare will be. Will it be £20 or £200? How many of the island's population are even going
to be able to afford to use the service, which is of course costing the taxpayer millions of
pounds?
2. Will our local secondary schoolchildren get home every weekend? (A major "selling point" when the prospect of a daily air service was first mooted).
3. Will the Education Authority pay for schoolchildren's air fare?
4. What will the effect be on the frequency of our lifeline ferry service when the island can boast a daily air service to the mainland?
5. Just how viable will a daily air service be? Can the island generate sufficient passenger numbers to ensure medium and longer term viability? Who determines viability? What happens if the service does not prove to be viable?
And before a single scheduled flight can take place, there is the matter of some 20,000 tonnes of aggregate arriving on the island (some have said that it is 30,000tonnes, but again there is a lack of concrete information); presumably its storage somewhere close to the pier; and of course its subsequent transportation to the airstrip - even using 20tonne lorries, that is at least 1000 journeys for these heavy vehicles to the airstrip and 1000 journeys back again for the next load. That certainly is not going to be much fun for the locals over the coming months.
And so it is little wonder that there is disquiet among the populace; and the project threatens the very reasons why so many choose to live and visit here, namely the relative isolation, the peace, the tranquility and the unspoilt natural environment that allows rare flora and fauna to thrive.
But of course it has been said that the project must proceed whether the people of the island want it or not; for Oban airstrip to be upgraded and have a daily connection to Glasgow, it needs to boast of serving small and remote communities such as Colonsay and Coll. And so, it would appear, we become only a pawn in a much bigger game. For Colonsay, it is quite difficult to see how the service can ever be more than (at best) of marginal benefit relative to the huge capital and revenue outlays.
Readers views on this project are of course very welcome.
THE EMERGENCE OF A GOLFING GREAT
Saturday 20th August saw the annual Colonsay Open Golf Tournament take place in glorious conditions.
The Machrins course itself was in wonderful trim; it was said that you could eat your dinner off the greens, Bob Pocklington having trimmed them to perfection. (Quite why you would want to do so is beyond your Editor's limited knowledge of the game - youthul admonitions were to eat UP your greens, not eat OFF them...). And weather-wise, it was heaven-sent; the only handicap that the weather represented was possible sun-stroke. But fortunately, no-one suffered such a fate and a great day's golf was enjoyed by all participants.
And there was cause for island celebration too, for the winner of the main trophy of the day was a local; none other than 17 year-old Steven MacAllister (OK, he became 18 exactly one week later, but a fantastic achievement nonetheless). Congratulations, Steven!
Congratulations too to another local, namely Don MacLeod, who waltzed off with the prize for the highest score of the day - in fact it is thought to be the highest score ever recorded on the course. He says that he'll be back next year, hoping to retain the trophy...
Full results from the tournament are as follows :
HALL-GARDINER TROPHY
1st - Steven MacAllister
2nd - Sandy Rodger
3rd - Andy Mills & Donald MacAllister (the Elder)
SCRATCH PRIZE
1st - Ian Telfer
2nd - Andy Mills
3rd - Steven MacAllister
SHIELD - BEST LOCAL
1st - Steven MacAllister
2nd - Donald MacAllister (His Dad)
3rd - Chris Nisbet
NEAREST THE PIN - Andy Mills
LONGEST DRIVE - Ian Telfer
HIGHEST SCORE - Don MacLeod
LADIES - Sheena Nisbet
JUNIORS
1st - Caitlin McNeill
2nd - Liam McNeill
3rd - Lewis Nisbet
The Golf Tournament was followed in the evening, as is the tradition, with the Golf Club Ceilidh, at which the successful participants received their prizes. Our first photograph shows the 3 main prizewinners of the day together with Greenkeeper extraordinaire, Bob Pocklington :
Our second photograph is less exclusive in content showing as it does all those who won a prize on the day, with the exception perhaps of an escaped lunatic in the back row... :
The presentation of prizes over, the dancing again took the floor. In our final photograph, we see Kirsty, mother of the aforesaid Steven, suddenly decide to quit dancing and head straight for the door :
Yes, blues. And reds. And greens. In fact shades of every colour have recently been in evidence in the room which houses Georgina Hobhouse's bathing pool.
And why would this be, we hear you ask. Well, the answer is quite an improbable one, but Georgina has lately allowed the room which houses her bathing pool to become an occasional art gallery! And, it must be said, it lends itself to this alternative task quite wonderfully, and in recent weeks it has housed two highly successful exhibitions.
The first of these featured a series of paintings called "Push the Boat Out" by local artist Lucy Johnstone :
The new gallery space, now known, strangely enough, as "The Poolside Gallery" opened with Lucy's work on the evening of July 21st, an event which was attended by over 50 souls, pushing the wine stock to the limit. Lucy's work, much of which was sold on the opening night (totally unconnected to the level of wine consumption, of course), is flavoured by the colours and scenes around the island and was beautifully set off in the "gallery", which has stunning views across the blue of the sea to Jura.
Next to exhibit their work was Zoe Fagg who is a final-year art student in Leicester and long-time Colonsay visitor. Zoe's work, apart from a few paintings reflecting time spent in Brussels, was also based on the Colonsay landscape, capturing cloud formations, textures and the unique colours of the Hebrides :
Like Lucy, Zoe almost completely sold out, marking a very encouraging start to this new gallery space, which has already proved to be an ideal environment to host local and visiting work.
As The Corncrake goes to press, the Islay-Jura-Colonsay Joint Working Initiative for Renewable Energy Projects is holding a seminar in Colonsay Village Hall to investigate how the islands might work together on wind and other renewable energy projects :
A full report on the outcome of this seminar will appear in our next Issue.
Meanwhile on the same topic, a month-long poll on the Rural Gateway (www.ruralgateway.org.uk) has found that a significant majority of correspondents are in favour of wind power developments - but are split on the way forward for the renewable source. The Rural Gateway report reads as follows :
"Nearly 800 users participated in our survey of attitudes to wind power developments but less than a third of votes favoured other energy sources over wind power.
Some want to see large developments backed by local referenda and others prefer small scale or offshore developments only. However their support is likely to disappoint anti-windfarm campaigners who have regularly promoted their views across the national and local media in recent months.
Users were asked to choose the one statement out of six that most closely matched their own attitude to wind power developments. The results were:
* Regardless of size they have my full support (18%)
* Large developments should be backed by local referenda (14%)
* They should be restricted to small-scale community ventures (13%)
* In future, windfarms should be built offshore (14%)
* Micro generation (small turbines attached to buildings) is the way forward (10%)
* Other alternative energy sources should be given priority over wind power (28%)"
David Stewart, SCVO Assistant Director for Rural Affairs, commented: "The debate on wind power developments in rural Scotland is of great importance, not just because of the serious implications for sustainable development but also because of the potentially divisive nature of the argument for rural communities."
It will therefore be interesting to see the outcome of our own inter-island meeting today. Rely on The Corncrake to bring you this cutting-edge news in Issue 123.
Regular Readers will recall that Alan Davis, author of the excellent "Colonsay's Fallen", continues his research into the lives of those whose names are inscribed on the war memorial in Scalasaig and the other casualties of war buried in the graveyards of Kilchattan and Oransay.
Despite the fact that it is now over a year since the publication of his book, Alan has been continuing to gather information, in particular on Deck Hand 2838 Angus McPhee, Royal Naval Reserve; Petty Officer 170915 William Henry Boland, Royal Navy; and finally, on Engine Room Artificer 1523/EA Alfred Fisher, Royal Naval Reserve.
Alan has recently been in touch to advise that he has now concluded his research into Alfred Fisher and has kindly forwarded his information, in order that purchasers of "Colonsay's Fallen", should they so wish, can print a copy to keep with their book :
Alfred Fisher was born on 15 April 1888 in Boston Lincolnshire, 3rd son of Master Mariner Robert Fisher and his wife Henrietta Myers. He was educated at Hull Technical College and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Earle & Co., Shipbuilders of Hull, before going to sea.
After obtaining his 1st Class Certificate, he was appointed Resident Engineer at the Robert College in the city of Constantinople, as it was known as at the time, in Turkey. He spent the next three years at the college before returning to Hull in 1914 at the outbreak of war.
During this time, on 7 October 1912, he married Elsie Sloper of Myrtle Avenue, Hull. The wedding took place at the British Consulate in Constantinople. Later they had two sons, Alfred who was born on 16 December 1913 and Frank who was born on 1 August 1915.
After returning to Hull, Alfred Fisher joined the Royal Naval Reserve and was appointed to HMS Viknor, an armed merchant cruiser which was part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron. Their role was to defend the seas between Ireland and the west coast of Scotland.
On 13 Jan 1915, HMS Viknor was on patrol off Tory Island when she sank in heavy seas with the loss of all on board. Although the weather conditions were severe, the exact cause of the sinking is still not known, as the area had recently been sown with German mines. Sadly, just seven months before the birth of his second son, Alfred Fisher lost his life on that day, and was buried in the graveyard at Oronsay Priory.
The bodies of three other sailors from HMS Viknor were recovered and buried in the graveyard at Kilchattan, on Colonsay.
Petty Officer 170915 William Henry Boland, Royal Navy, aged 39.
Seaman 1034/X John Bowen Mercer, Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve, aged 22.
Private PO/10910 Edward Palmer, Royal Marine Light Infantry, aged 31.
Our grateful thanks go to Alan for his ongoing, tireless commitment to this project. Please note that copies of the book continue to be available from the Colonsay Bookshop, telephone 01951 200 232.
When Hans Unkles was on Colonsay a few weeks ago for his by-now annual visit, he related the events of his grandfather's honeymoon on the island, back in the year 1927.
Hans has since very kindly forwarded a copy of a letter sent by his grandfather to Hans' father, Roddy, in 1972, and fascinating reading it makes too, painting us as it does a picture of the very substantial changes to the island way of life that have taken place in a relatively short period of time.
A copy of the entire letter can be found within the Magazine section of this very Issue, but below is an extract which relates specifically to Hans' mother and father's honeymoon on the island, the couple assuming that no one on the island would know that they had just got married :
"Prior to our wedding, I wrote to Davie (Clark) and booked a room. I was careful not to disclose my reason but Davie, later concerned by my non-arrival, (I had said that I would arrive by motor boat), had telephoned Duncan McLean at Port Askaig and Duncan had said that " Hans and his wife had just left".
This gave them two hours to get cracking. When the "IRENE" slid alongside, the jetty was packed, Davie and his lovely sister helped mother ashore, I followed and nearly fell back because there came a hellfire noise. 20 shot guns blasted off following Davie's shout of FIRE!. Davie hurriedly grabbed mother and we were both told where to stand. Two pipers
struck up and with mother and me leading a motley crowd of followers, we marched
up to a gaily be-flagged hotel.
Before our meal a bright young lad came in to the dining room. I was suspicious of this smiling youth, and rightly so. He
later confessed that he was sent in to look us over. Thereafter all the males came in and kissed the bride and the females bounded in to kiss the bridegroom.
There was a bit of hilarity at breakfast next morning. The time of breakfast had
been advanced so that everyone was obviously finished and waiting for the lie-abeds. Thereafter we were left alone to enjoy perfect weather and a wonderful honeymoon.
To be young and in love with a gay and bonnie lass is a wonderful thing!"
Again, our sincere thanks to Hans for allowing us to publish his grandfather's letter.
When The Corncrake appealed to Readers for contributions to "Nature Notes", frequent visitor Julia Page was one of only a few (very few! - Ed.) correspondents to offer assistance to enable this feature to make at least an occasional appearance. In fact, in the process of doing so, Julia very kindly sent us the following interesting and delightful contribution :
" 'Across the bright blue sky four terns squabble and glide, their snow white wings catching the early morning sun. On an island out in the bay, midst a myriad of wild flowers, a group of lapwings stand at rest as snipe and dunlin probe the sandy shoreline. In the shallows of an isolated pool a green sandpiper meanders and bobs whilst beyond the reed beds with their hidden,
chattering warblers, a young harrier flies mothlike over the purple haze of midsummer. Above our heads large man-made birds lowering their landing
gear fly over at frequent intervals, their decelerating engines seemingly not quite loud enough to disturb the tranquil scene below.'
Were we at Machrins or the golf course perhaps during the round Britain tour? Actually, we were half a mile from the Hammersmith flyover and only four miles from Westminster, at the London Wetland Centre,
a magnificent wildlife oasis where we Londoners, confined to barracks, are able to slip into Colonsay mode to escape all the fears and horrors long expected
and now a reality in our city.
Our last visit to Colonsay was in 2000. For educational reasons we have been unable to return again in our favoured Maytime. Until we can sail with the gannets out of Oban harbour once more, we have our wonderful
Wetland Centre as a splendid alternative and inspirational consolation.
Incidentally, the Wetland Centre loos have the finest view in London - just like
looking out of a porthole on a CalMac ferry, wide open sky, water dotted with islands and birds everywhere! Only the beautiful blue hills
are missing. By contrast we have the GPO tower, the London
Eye and the Wembley arch on the horizon instead!" :
Lovely! Thank you for sharing that with us, Julia. And yes, we would be delighted to receive any further Colonsay-related wildlife stories. And your Editor is not only talking to Julia! Get these articles, photographs etc here pronto! Your Corncrake needs you!
At the final ceilidh of the season, Seumas, in as fine a voice as ever, sang that bonny song "Colonsay Isle".
There was a time, and perhaps not that long ago, when the song seemed to be sung whenever more than three people gathered together, and as a consequence, it seemed to lose some of its freshness and sparkle.
When Seumas sang it on Saturday evening last however, it was the first time in what seems like years that your Editor had heard it; and it was a joy to hear its timeless charm again.
It was noted however that relatively few people knew or remembered the words, and therefore it was thought appropriate to purloin our "Poetry Corner" to reproduce the lyrics. So here they are :
There's none of these gems can compare,
With dear Colonsay Isle, on whom nature has shower'd
Her beauties so rich and so rare.
Refrain:
Much loved Isle,
'Tis to thee that my thoughts ever roam,
For though I may wander by land or by sea,
'Tis Colonsay Isle I call home.
2. The Mountains of Jura may gloom in the mist,
And Mull's lofty bens lost to view,
But Colonsay, Oronsay Isles lie sun-kissed,
And sparkling with radiant hue.
3. The waters are dancing, the waves lap the shore,
The Lark sings its song up on high,
The Merle and the Mavis are building their nests,
And sapphire the blue of the sky.
4. In Colonsay Isle, there are hearts leal and true,
There are those who are waiting for me,
So God speed the day when again I'll return
To Colonsay, gem of the sea.
So now, one fine day soon, when we add sound and video to The Corncrake, you will all be able to sing along!!
A concerned citizen of the island, purely by chance, happened recently to cast an eye over one of the "Log Books" in one of the holiday cottages (which shall remain nameless) and passed copies of same to The Corncrake to see what we could make of same.
And strange reading it made, making one wonder just what we innocent islanders are exposing ourselves to when another ferry-load of visitors arrive. Here, for example, is an entry taken at random. Please let us know what you can make of it, and The Corncrake can then perhaps share some of the other troubling entries with you in future Issues :
********* Cottage
Colonsay
August 2005
Terrific house, ideal location. Made contact with friends offshore and arranged delivery in quiet cove below house, as you suggested. Thanks for the advice on the frequencies monitored by the Coastguard, K***. Don't think we left a trail. No comments from Wal*** so got past him OK.Rest of the week a bit of a haze. When word got round we swapped a bit with neighbours. Some very good home grown produce on Colonsay. Perhaps no need to go to such trouble to bring in our own, but then again should make a tidy profit on the week. Left samples in the freezer. Help yourselves.
Same time next year sounds good, if still no sign of Old Bill.
Phil, Hil, Bill & Mill (and hangers on).
And if you think that that was worrying, you should perhaps see some of the other entries...
Our "Where" photograph from Issue 121 again proved a little easier than some of its predecessors, with a number of you getting the location correct. In this instance the location was the northerly gatepost at the entrance to Machrins Farmhouse, the snap on the right showing the full, uncropped view :
The first correct identification came from Ramsey Gillies of Perth and actually arrived in Corncrake Towers only a matter of hours after Issue 121 went to press. As Ramsey confessed, he's stayed in Machrins Farmhouse quite a few times now...
This allows us to move swiftly on to our "Where" photograph for this Issue. In fact the plural should be used as there are in fact two photographs this time round, just to make it nice and easy for you all! And our grateful thanks go to regular visitor Louise Hemsley of Cumbria for provision of same :
So, just where on Colonsay or Oransay would you be if you could see the above?
Entries as usual to : editorcorncrake@yahoo.co.uk ; by telephone : 01951 200336 ; or by post to : The Editorial Suite, The Corncrake, Corncrake Towers, Scalasaig, Isle of Colonsay, Argyll, PA61 7YW, Scotland. Timewasters welcome.
Returning firstly, (and hopefully briefly!) to our "Look Back" photograph from Issue 119, one of a "shoot" behind the Hotel in 1957 or so, Ivor thought that our "un-named" gentleman could be Duncan Stark, a former factor on the island.
Eleanor (whose health continues to make slow but steady progress, thank you for asking), has however written to say that whilst the gentleman in the photograph does resemble Duncan Stark, she feels that it cannot be him from a timescale point of view, as she feels sure that he died in 1949 or 1950.
So, we may not be finished with this photograph yet! Does any other Reader want to throw in their tuppence worth? (You can of course access the photograph again through our new, wonderful archive system!).
Meanwhile back at the ranch, our photograph from Issue 121 caused quite a bit of debate despite the fact that it was by no means the oldest photograph to appear in our "Look Back" slot. At time of writing, our ten little indians are thought to be as follows :
Left to right : Maghnus Byrne, Iain MacAllister, Katie Alexander, Sophie Byrne, Graham Campbell, Clyde Lawson, Cameron Hall-Gardiner, Pauline Campbell, Sandra MacAllister and finally Audrey MacConnell. The two gentlemen in the picture are of course those two CalMac colleagues, Charlie MacKinnon and Kevin Byrne. And the year? Well judging from Kevin's beard, the consensus of opinion is 1981. So there!
As ever, if you think that you know differently, don't waste time, get in touch!
And so, at last, we reach our "Look Back" photograph for Issue 122, and again we must thank Mary Ann for kindly providing same. Again, the year is indeterminate, but isn't it interesting to see how kids dressed for school in days of yore? :
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So, can you name the children, the occasion, the location AND the year?
Below is a representation of a poster which has mysteriously appeared simultaneously in The Pantry, the Shop and "The Colonsay" :
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It appears to be an invitation to a free party for any islander who can recognise the two boys pictured. The words "free" and "party" have always had a happy resonance for your Editor, but, not getting out much, we can't recognise the boys. We have therefore taken to our specially-constructed hide in the grounds of Corncrake Towers (see Issue 109), but days of constant vigil have yielded not a single sighting of the duo. With time quickly running out, can any Reader help?
Well, things may be about to quieten down soon in terms of the number of traditioal summer holiday visitors, but the island will continue to be busy in other ways.
For example, at time of writing, Wednesday 31st, we have the renewable energy seminar (mentioned earlier) taking place in the Hall. The island has also seen the arrival today of the "Screen Machine", an 80 seat mobile cinema. And highly impressive it is too :
Unfortunately, the hard-working staff of Corncrake Towers have been denied time-off to attend either of the films being shown, "Madagascar" and "War of the Worlds", what with a new Issue (ie this one!) to put to press. All is not doom and gloom however, as next week we have Mull Theatre visiting the island with their production of "Katie Morag", and with no Editorial deadlines, we have plans to let our hair down at this event.
A few days later, on Sunday 11th September, the island will be bracing itself for the arrival of Clan MacFie for their International Clan Gathering. Officially the Clan visit is until Wednesday 14th, but it is known that a number of Clan visitors plan to extend their stay. Accommodation may become somewhat scarce however, as 12 Swedish and Finnish visitors are expected that very week, participating in a "Small Islands for Support and Understanding" (SISU) visit, similar to the one made by 3 Colonsay representatives to Sweden in June of this year.
Following that, and allowing space for a wee breather, the date has now been set for this year's Colonsay Root and Grain Show, and that date is Saturday 1st October with the Show Dinner taking place that evening in "The Colonsay". Tickets (£13, we believe), are of course limited and sure to go fast, so get your order in quick! This can be achieved through the kindness of Keith and his lovely assistant Irene in the Post Office, who, if you ring 01951 200 323, will endeavour to ensure that your name appears on the list of those wishing to attend.
( P.S. Sneaked out to see "War of the Worlds" - a great film...).
The ceilidh season has, however, come to an end. And with a dozen or so ceilidhean having taken place during July and August, it is perhaps just as well, allowing limbs and livers a little respite.
And, just to add that touch of colour, here are two photographs taken at the last ceilidh of the season on 27th August :
Well, it looks as though Pedie MacNeill may have realised his dream of early retirement and becoming a kept man, at least until he writes and records his next album.
For the word on the grapevine is that Pedie, who has run the island Shop for the last few years, is set to hand over the keys of the Shop to new managing partners sometime in October.
So who, I hear you ask, is going to take over?
Well, as this is a world exclusive for The Corncrake, we have to milk this story for every column inch we can squeeze out of it; suffice it to say for the moment that the couple involved (yes, a wee clue there, there are two of them), have a long, very long, Colonsay pedigree, although this venture represents the first time that they will actually live on the island (excluding of course seven long weeks of university holidays, year in, year out, a few years back).
So, be sure to tune in to our next Issue. At that time the identity of our new shopkeeper(s) MAY be revealed. And, to be sure, it will be worth the wait...
Driving on Colonsay can be a hazardous activity, what with narrow single-track roads, generally with deep ditches just off-road, often at both sides. Thus "deoch na dìge" (one for the ditch) is a common toast when partaking of a small "refreshment" or two on Colonsay, the equivalent of "one for the road" elsewhere in the world.
And a car in a ditch is not an uncommon sight on the island, but this year, for some reason, there have only been a handful, and The Corncrake Photographic Desk just never seems to have been in the right place at the right time to provide Readers with a snap or two.
Then, out of the blue, the scent of "scoop" assailed the finely-tuned nostrils of your Editor as he drove towards the old Hall the other day. But without these sensitive organs, the scoop would have gone unnoticed, for the vehicle in question was, well, as you can see, fairly well camouflaged :
Surely the winner of the "Deepest Ditching Of The Year Trophy" for 2005. Unless of course any Reader knows otherwise...And, of course, a photograph would have to accompany any such claim if this competition is to have any objective validity.
The good news is that our unfortunate driver emerged from the incident unscathed, at least until he got home that is...
Our competition photograph from Issue 121 was one of three local worthies focussing their eyes and minds on what looked like a car exhaust. Surprisingly, the photograph did not yield a single caption about "feeling exhausted" or "that must have been an exhausting trip, Mike".
What the photograph did yield however was a record number of caption entries and, encouragingly, many from first-time entrants (keep it up!). The eventual winner, after much rib-tickling laughter and debate amongst the judges (yes, the reponsibility is too much for a single person to bear) did not however come from a first-time entrant, but from the pen of our very own Colonsay-born Iain MacAllister :
When told of his success, Iain confessed, (in confidence, of course), that this was his proudest achievement since winning the 1983 Colonsay Sports' Sack Race. He carried on to ask to use the medium of The Corncrake to say that he would like to thank his family for all the support and encouragement they have given him over the years, his friends for their unfailing belief in his abilities, and in particular... Well, I think we'll stop there, maybe just taking things a little too far...
And so we come to the photographic centrepiece of this Issue's competition. And it is a snap provided by Iain himself, and it is one of a man (well we hope it's a man with that upper lip growth...), whose face we know but just can't put a name to. And he/she seems to be sporting football colours but again we just cannot put a name to the team involved. We do feel certain however that a few of you out there will be capable of being of assistance... :
Entries as usual to : editorcorncrake@yahoo.co.uk ; by telephone : 01951 200336 ; or by post to : A.N.Other, The Corncrake Caption Competition (Issue 122), 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.
THE ISLAND HALL:
TUESDAY 6th SEPT. 7pm - "Katie Morag". Mull Theatre present a musical play for all the family! ENTRY - £5 (£3.50).
BADMINTON - every Tuesday and Thursday c.5pm.
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.
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,
Doing in-depth research in the Colonsay bar, I was struck by the depth of feeling amongst those present that the projected airstrip is unnecessary, unwanted and a gross abuse of our environment.
There should have been a referendum to discover the views of the local population and also the regular visitors who love this island and are saddened by some of the changes which have already occurred, altering the character of Colonsay.
We do not have much time to make an organised protest for in September a start is to be made dumping 15000 tons of aggregate on the airstrip. The effect of heavily laden lorries on the pier and the road to the airstrip can be imagined.
Before any such action begins we should insist that a ballot be arranged to ask all locals, and as many visitors who wish to take part, their opinion of this piece of official vandalism and petty political folly.
Frank Nicholson
Glassard.
Dear Editor,
I was at a Scottish Executive meeting on Digital Inclusion the other day when I was awoken from my semi-slumber by the Colonsay homepage suddenly flashing up on the screen!
The consultant used it in his presentation as an example of what a good community website should be all about – an ‘outward focusing’ part providing potential visitors with useful information and showcasing the island, and an ‘inward focusing’ section for the community itself (i.e. the Corncrake), basically providing all the latest news and gossip. Praise indeed.
All the best,
Iain MacAllister.
(Gossip??? What can Iain possibly mean? - Ed.).
Dear Editor,
My wife Mrs. Yvonne Elizabeth Turner (Wemyss), the niece of Jim & Jeanette McLaughlin (Colonsay) will be turning 40 on September 11, 2005.
Unfortunately most of my wife's family is not going to make it to our corner of the world, but Yvonne wants to let Jim & Jeanette know that they are always in her heart.
My wife is always online reading The Corncrake, getting news from home. Keep the stories coming.
Scott Turner
Rocky Mountain House
Alberta, Canada
Dear Editor,
A copy of the Corncrake has found it's way to us here in Hampton from a friend of a friend.
I enjoyed reading it so much and wondered if you would be interested to receive a letter from London as a contribution for the next issue. Unfortunately, we can't call ourselves Colbhasachs but as Colonsay nine-timers our thoughts are frequently in Hebridean gear.
Surprisingly, we southerners are very primitive - no computer - so we would be unable to receive the magazine first hand. Maybe I could persuade that nice young man in our library to download it for me but hopefully my friend will keep using the good old Royal Mail!
You mustn't make fun of Walter and his eggs! They're BY FAR the best we've ever tasted. How could any hen wandering that field with that view fail?!
With best wishes,
Julia Page
Hampton
Middlesex.
P.S. You say you are looking for articles on flora and fauna. If requested, I would be delighted to supply more wildlife stories with a Colonsay slant.
( Julia's article appears in "Nature Notes" in this very Issue. And yes, we would be delighted to receive contributions, from Julia or indeed any of our Readers - Ed.).
Dear Editor,
Have just read the latest edition - but have to disagree with Ivor on his identification of Duncan Stark formerly a factor on the Island. The photo does resemble him, but I am sure he died in 1949/1950.
Sorry, but I cannot say who the man in the photo is. So we are not finished with it yet!
Eleanor
Dear Editor,
Sammy the Seal, or Mrs S as she used to be known, has certainly been around for longer than 16 years.
Maghnus Byrne and I used to feed her when we picked up our lobster pots in Maghnus’ rowing boat and later when we progressed to prawn creels and something with an engine.
I think we started our entrepreneurial adventures shortly after I went to high school (possibly just before) and that’s, dare I say it, over 20 years ago.
Iain MacAllister.
Dear Editor,
Just a quick hello to follow up my previous email. I hope that the images I sent will be
useful and provide a few chuckles along the way - (Louise kindly provided this Issue's "Now Where Could That Be" photos - Ed.)
Hope all are well and
thriving - sadly I lost my Mum a couple of months ago. The fantastic
memories I have of my visits to Colonsay have REALLY HELPED me keep
going.
I am preparing a powerpoint presentation to be shown later in the year,
in
Ambleside, in memory of my Mum, and hopefully raise some funds for the
local
SEARCH AND RESCUE DOG ASSOCIATION in Cumbria. The presentation
includes my
collection of images from Colonsay .
Planning to see you all again
next
spring!!!!
Lots of best wishes
Louise Hemsley
Ambleside
Cumbria.
Dear Editor,
Asides (unprinted captions) on photos are a riot! For the most part. Ha Ha.
Claiming Clan MacPhee heritage through my maternal grandmother, a Byrnside MacGuffin, MacGuffins who settled around early 1600's in Northern Ireland, some by the river , some on a hill, so the story goes.... The ones on the hill remained the MacGuffins , the ones by the river , or byrne, became the Byrnside MacGuffins... and that was us.. (undocumented, just family oral history).
They were in the USA by 1670's or so...(documented)
and fought in the French and Indian Wars here 1774. (documented).
Would love to visit your wonderful Isle...It is so fun to read about in The Corncrake!
Sherry Keith
Daytona Beach
Florida USA
Dear Editor,
Is it possible for folks in the USA to receive The Corncrake on the internet? I have found it by chance while doing research.
I hail from the MacAllisters, MacNeils and Beatons in my mother's lines and the MacLellans in my father's line.
If this is possible, I would certainly like to receive it. Thank you very much.
Patricia Haymore
Georgia
HPattycat1@aol.com