SHELTER FROM THE STORM

Well, after our previous Issue described some fine Autumn weather recently enjoyed by the island, together with the warmest UK October temperature since 1888 being recorded not far from these very shores, we assume, dear Reader, that you can guess what the weather has been of late on the island. Yes, you are correct... and there has been a lot of it. And, when the weather is bad, there is often a knock-on effect in terms of ferry cancellations and power cuts.

And so it has been during the first half of November. That'll teach The Corncrake for "crawin' sae crouse" as the Editorial granny would have said.

Some damp and windy weather climaxed with a gale on Tuesday the 8th. That proved however to be simply a warm-up for Friday the 11th when the island experienced the more than merely mild discomfiture of a Storm Force 10 which gave the inner harbour the appearance of a giant jacuzzi :

The scheduled ferry was of course cancelled, as indeed were most ferry services on the Western seaboard that day. And the above photograph was taken at approximately 3pm, some 6 hours before the storm was due to peak with gusts up to 80mph anticipated. And so, as the evening sky grew dark, the question on every islander's lips was "how long before there is a power cut?".

Well, we didn't have long to wait, when, after a few flickers, the island was plunged into darkness at 5.45pm. Just as the cauld kale (and cauld kale Lite, of course) were about to be consumed however, the power was magically restored at 6.45pm to all of the island with the exception of Uragaig. Trees had fallen on to a transformer in the environs of Colonsay House, the resultant sparks being seen by Nigel who was able to alert Bill, who quickly isolated the problem.

Alas, Uragaig had to wait a further 21 hours for a resumption of service, although we believe that there was an impromptu communal wine-tasting event which kept most of the natives happy. And with the storm passed, there was a relief ferry on the Saturday and so the island soon resumed an air of normality. Well normal, that is, for Colonsay...

REMEMBRANCE

After the wind and wet, it was a joy when dawn broke on the island on Sunday the 13th, gradually revealing a fine, dry and windless day.

And, as 10.45am approached, some 50 or so islanders gathered in the pier-shed to participate in the island's annual Service of Remembrance. Kate led the service, Kevin gave a Reading and Mel was, well, mellifluous on the piano-organ.

The hymns sung, the assembly then made their respectful way to the War Memorial, where Davy, as tradition demands, laid the wreath. Then, in time and in tune with many thousands of people from all over the UK, there followed the observation of two minutes' silence :

 

And it was grand too, to see our eldest citizen managing to attend the service, resplendent in his medals, and still, in his 97th year, with that wee smile playing on his lips. Good man yourself, Dugie :

WATTIE'S GRAND DAY OUT

Now that the visitor season is all but over, the island has returned to its natural rhythm. And so, on the morning of the 3rd of November, when your Editor noticed that the cornflake packet was empty, he thought he had nothing else to do but pop to the shop, have a bit craic with the ever-charming shop staff, and wander back home for a leisurely breakfast. Heading down the Hotel brae however, he was surprised, nay gobsmacked, to see, approaching him, two Commandoes in full combat gear! Staring in disbelief, he blinked and rolled his eyes in an upward direction only to be met with an even more astonishing sight; for there in the bay was the biggest warship he had ever seen!

His brain started to race, something of a novelty at this time of the morning it has to be said. Had the island been invaded and taken over by some foreign infidels? Where were our defences? In fact, WHO were our defences? Is the Home Guard still active? No we thought, it's probably been long-since disbanded? Surely the Coastguard and Fire Service personnel could unite and mount a challenge to this threat to our homeland and way of life? Could we use the Fire Tender as a makeshift tank? And then there's Nigel's Mapro...

By the time he reached the Shop, your Editor had come up with what might have been an infallible and cunning plan to defeat this dastardly invasion. He was however denied the opportunity to put it to the test, for, as he entered the Shop, standing there were another two combat-clad individuals buying crisps and a third person, a shapely young woman in a very arousing Royal Navy uniform, gaily inviting, in perfect English, any islander who wished, to come aboard the vessel for a guided tour...

The comely young officer gestured toward your Editor, and wishing to inspect her shiny brass buttons more closely, he was soon engaged in intercourse with her (aye, aye, calm down there, that's of a SOCIAL nature, of course...). It transpired that the vessel anchored offshore was the HMS Ocean, a 22,500 tonne, 667.2ft long Amphibious Helicopter Carrier capable of a complement of 1,275 crew, aircrew and Royal Marines. The ship's primary role is to carry an Embarked Military Force (EMF) supported by 12 medium support helicopters (Sea Kings), 6 attack helicopters (Lynx AH7s) and 4 Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) Mk 5 Landing Craft. Her secondary roles include afloat training, a limited anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platform and a base for anti-terrorist operations. Intoxicated with all this information (or was it her scent?), your Editor staggered back into the sunlight, forgetting in the process the much needed cornflakes.

But why was the ship here, and why were the islanders being invited aboard? Simple really, when you think about it - Captain Tony Johnstone-Burt had visited (on holiday) the island previously and had fallen in love with Wattie's incomparable Uragaig hen and duck eggs. So, in the area and between manoevres, why not stop off and buy a few of Wattie's eggs? And in the process invite the islanders aboard while 200 or so of the ship's complement lay assault on the Hotel bar? A fiendishly cunning plan!

And so, a few hours later, almost one third of the island population (some without a proper breakfast...), headed off in a Landing Craft for a big adventure :

The first thing that our excited adventurers became aware of on approach and boarding was the sheer vastness of the vessel. The first snap from our Photographic Desk (yes, no show without Punch - they had to go too), that on the left below, shows only HALF of the cavernous first deck of the vessel that we were introduced to, whilst the snap on the right again shows only one half of the helicopter take-off-and-landing deck :

 

And so our intrepid party were treated to a guided tour of the ship, a tour which involved a labyrinthine maze of corridors, and a multiplicity of stairs and steps joining them all together. We were invited into the Operations Room, onto the Bridge, onto the Helicopter Deck and even the pupils of Kilchattan Primary School (allowed out of school for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity) were to be found exchanging sea-shanties and ripping yarns in the Officers' Mess :

 

Meanwhile, back on dry land, the island population had been increased several fold by a crew anxious to stretch their sea-legs, well at least as far as the Bar. And, as they wound their weary way back down the brae, it became startingly apparent that a good time had been had by all, with their propensity to find ditches to stumble upon that had even lain undisturbed by islanders for years...

And what, I hear you ask, of the man who made it all possible, Walter Williams? Having been the private guest of the Captain for the afternoon, Wattie was later to be seen, resplendent in newly-acquired Royal Navy bunnet, and clutching a new plaque for the fireside wall :

A huge thank-you to the Captain, crew, and of course Wattie, for a truly memorable experience.

AIRPORT!

The long-awaited official public announcement confirming the new Colonsay-Coll-Connell air service came on Monday 7th November in Inverary when First Minister Jack McConnell spoke ahead of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands taking place in the Argyllshire town.

It was announced that the capital cost of the new air network will be £6.2 million, of which nearly £3 million will come in the form of European funding and £1.5 million from Scottish Enterprise. Running costs in the first year, EXCLUDING the operation of Connell (Oban) Airport, are expected to be £800,000, of which nearly £500,00 will come from Argyll and the Isles Enterprise. In subsequent years the annual running cost, again exluding the cost of running the Connell hub, is estimated at £594,000.

The announcement did not receive universal backing on either Coll or Colonsay, where questions have been raised as to whether the costs and operation of the new air service would be sustainable. However, Ian Gillies, councillor for Tiree and Coll, and the Argyll and Bute Council spokesman for the islands, said: "Anything we can do to improve transport links is to be welcomed."

Aye, paternalism lives on; are councillors not supposed to serve the people rather than pursue their own agendas?

And the announcement that work will commence early next year is causing further concern for many islanders given that the local economy now depends so heavily on tourism, and work will undoubtedly be in full swing when visitors arrive next Easter and beyond. Yes, a potentially fraught time ahead for most of us.

SNH GRANTS

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is taking a new approach for protecting and raising awareness of the environment has been unveiled. In the future all grants will be awarded to projects on the basis of eight grant schemes to benefit the environment and its enjoyment throughout Scotland.

SNH has written to community groups, voluntary organisations, local authorities and businesses across the country to inform them of the changes to funding, and is appealing for any future applications to be based on the new grant schemes.

Around £15 million is awarded by the agency per year. The new approach aims to target spending in a number of key areas, such as boosting biodiversity across the country, helping the public and land managers to implement the new right of responsible access, promoting awareness of wildlife to the public, and working with land managers to protect our most special places. The changes will ensure that funding is channelled into those projects that provide the greatest benefits for the natural heritage.

SNH chairman John Markland said: “ I’d encourage any group with an interest in nature and the outdoors to look at our new criteria and speak to your local SNH area office about how to apply for funding.”

The eight grant schemes are:

* Attractive places to live
* Enjoying Scotland's outdoor
* Involving people
* Paths and routes
* Rural land use - today for tomorrow
* Special places
* Supporting biodiversity
* Waters for life

For the first time, SNH is introducing application deadlines for grants of over £10,000. The next deadlines will be 15th April and 1st September 2006. Applications for grants of under £10,000 can be submitted at any time.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Well, it looks as though the residents of Colonsay may yet again feature as stars of the small screen.

Pearson Education are currently working on a series of stories to support their new ICT textbook and CD-Rom series for the DiDA qualification (Diploma in Digital Applications), and believe that Colonsay has a "vivid" ICT (Information Communications Technology) story to tell.

The premise on which this is based is how the internet has created a sales channel for Colonsay allowing our various local businesses to operate in a way that would not have been possible before the widespread acceptance of internet technology. Our remote location would apparently underline the concept of the internet as a 24 hour international virtual shop in a unique way.

And so, should local businesses approve, film producer and crew could be with us this side of Christmas. And apparently Colonsay would be in pretty reasonable company should our indigenous entrepreneurs give the green light to the proposal - other participants include games producer Rockstar North, BBC News, E-Bay & the Tate Modern.

Film producer Mari Tudor-Jones is very excited about Colonsay's involvement in the project and hopes that the next week or so will bring the final green light that she needs to start packing her wet weather gear. More breaking news on this story in Issue 128!

Lights, Camera, Action!!

THE HUMOURS OF KILORAN

The original objective of this feature was to try to share with a wider audience anecdotes, stories and jokes that, at time of writing, were causing islanders a degree of mirth and laughter. The truth to tell however, is that on a number of occasions The Corncrake has received excellent material from outwith the island and that the easier path has been followed.

Suitably chastised and seeing the error of his ways, your Editor will continue to receive contributions from Readers but will in future ensure that by the time that they appear within these pages, they are indeed already causing mirth on the island. Or something like that.

Which brings us ever so neatly to our humble offering from this column this Issue :


Jock was sitting outside his local pub one day, enjoying a quiet pint and generally feeling good about life in general, when a nun suddenly appears at his table and starts decrying the evils of drink.

"You should be ashamed of yourself young man! Drinking is a Sin! Alcohol is the blood of the devil!"

Now Jock gets pretty annoyed about this, and goes on the offensive.

"How do you know this, Sister?"

"My Mother Superior told me so."

"But have you ever had a drink yourself? How can you be sure that what you are saying is right?"

"Don't be ridiculous--of course I have never taken alcohol myself."

"Then let me buy you a drink - if you still believe afterwards that it is evil I will give up drink for life."

"How could I, a Nun, sit outside this public house drinking?!"

"I'll get the barman to put it in a teacup for you, then no one will ever know."

The Nun reluctantly agrees, so John goes inside to the bar.

"Another pint for me, and a triple vodka on the rocks", then he lowers his voice and whispers to the barman "and could you put the vodka in a teacup?"

At this the barman rolls his eyes and declares :"Oh no! It's not that Nun again is it?!"

MY COLONSAY PHOTOGRAPH

Well, just as we thought we were about to run out of Readers' photographs for this relatively new slot, up pops Stephen Cornwell of Milton Keynes with a clutch of classy shots taken during the Summer past.

And, after the favourable comments we received re Mary (Frame) Attree's ingenious snap of a setting sun at Port Mór which appeared in Issue 126, we thought that another one in a similar vein might likewise find favour.

So here is one of Stephen's featuring his daughter Suzanne and her fiancee Phil silhouetted in the setting sun, this time with Kiloran Bay as the backdrop :

"Timeless" is the word that springs to mind. Many thanks, Stephen.

NATURE NOTES

In our previous Issue, we carried the first part of a contribution from regular visitor and Corncrake reader Julia Page. The second and final part of Julia's enlightening piece on the subject of clouds now follows :

"Way above the swaying marram grass and higher still than the trilling larks which ascend from it is the magical world of clouds, nowhere better represented than over the Isle of Colonsay. With its uninterrupted views, wide horizon and very own microclimate, the island is ideally situated to provide enthralling and ever-changing sky-scapes of drama and intrigue, beauty and grandeur, storm then calm. The ever present wind sculpts, shuffles and moulds the big, white fluffies into fantastical streaks, blobs and swirls of every shade, variety and size :

Dramatic changes can occur quite suddenly though and cloud types can metamorphose within minutes. See photographs below - Before and After at Lower Kilchattan - shower cloud to falling cirrus :

 

The Ardskenish peninsula is of course the cloud-spotter's dream location. It provides breathtaking and uniquely local views of Atlantic-influenced wave cloud arrangements as well as the more predictable but exquisite cumulus or low stratus which frequently swathe the Paps of Jura :

Fortunately, it was only another cumulus tower with extended anvils. The silence was palpable!".


Our grateful thanks go to Julia for this delightful and insightful essay. Any other contributions for our 'Nature Notes'?

POETRY CORNER

Since its inception, our 'Poetry Corner' feature has but rarely resembled that which your Editor originally intended. Still, it has developed a life of its own, so let us take joy from that.

In this Issue, we are indebted to a recent visitor for a little ditty he came across on the problem of wind, one not exclusive to Burns' Suppers, but invariably associated with the rich repast of such evenings...

NOW WHERE COULD THAT BE?

Our 'Where' picture from Issue 126 came from that vast repository that is Netta's photographic collection.

And a very difficult photograph it was too. Indeed, it seems to have been just too difficult for Corncrake Readers, as, at time of writing, not one single person has been able to identify the spot. So come on Corncrake Readers! Don't be beaten - it may be difficult, but it is not impossible! We feel sure that a great many of you have passed by this very spot when out on a ramble :

The Corncrake is however not a publication to simply re-use an old photograph and pass that off as cutting journalism. We could never under-serve our Readers in such a way. Perish the thought!

And to prove our case, here is a new old photograph as well. So two issues' photographs to identify in one Issue! So, just where on the islands of Colonsay or Oransay would you be if you could see this? :

LOOK BACK IN ALBUM

And at long last, for Readers who have waited with excruciating patience for the identity of the provider of our last "Look Back" photograph, the pain is nearing its end. For, in Issue 126, we could not reveal our contributor's identity as he was one of the four people in the photograph, and that would have spoiled 25% of your fun.

So here is his photograph again :

And the good looking young fellow (his words, not mine - Ed.) on the left is in fact the contributor of the photograph. And his name? Well, of course it is none other than that fine athlete Ivor Jones. And the other three trophy winners? Well, next to Ivor is the Ladies Champion, Cathy MacConnell, then the Mens Champion, Alasdair McNeill and finally the Girls Champion, Margaret Darroch.

And finally, take a bow any Reader who was able to correctly identify the year - 1955.

Which brings us neatly to the "Look Back" photograph for this Issue. And again, we find that we cannot at this stage reveal the identity of the contributor of the photograph, for fear of spoiling your enjoyment. So, is there any Reader out there who can get the full set this time? We are looking for identities of course, but also the location, the purpose of the gathering and the year. Go on, you can do it! :

SNIPPETS

Connoisseurs of the Corncrake written word will undoubtedly recall our breaking-news story from Issue 123 that there was to be a special "Information Meeting" at 8.15pm on Monday 26th September in the island Hall. Unfortunately, a cancelled ferry meant that the meeting could not take place. Fortunately, the meeting has now been re-scheduled for Wednesday 30th November at 7.00pm.

Just to remind you in case dementia has set in, the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the proposed resolution to alter the Memorandum and Articles of Association of Colonsay Community Development Company, so that they comply with Section 34 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003: Part 2, Community Right to Buy. Information is currently available to view at the Service Point or on the web at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/Land/17063/8276
http://www.scotland-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2003/ 20030002.htm

In attendance at the meeting to help explain the issues surrounding the Land Reform Act will be Andy Wightman, author of the seminal "Who Owns Scotland" and an expert in community based legislation, and Neil Ross from the Scottish Land Fund.

Once people have had a chance to give consideration to what this legislation will mean for Colonsay, a vote will be taken on the proposed resolution to alter the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company at the AGM of CCDC on 9th December.

Ferries permitting, of course...

Our regular Reader (presuming of course that he/she has not yet deserted us...) may recall that in Issue 126, your Editor made a heartfelt plea for information after Colin Troup's startling assertion that Roger Livesey and Wendy Hiller may never have come to the Hebrides at all during the making of the film 'I Know Where I'm Going!', which of course was all about a journey to Colonsay and to true love.

We are indebted to an American aficianado of Powell and Pressburger's films, Norman MacAfee (a recent visitor to the island and a recent contributor to our 'Poetry Corner'), who was able to tell us (no, his letter is not to be found in the Letters section; such is Norman's knowledge of this subject that we have placed his contribution in the Magazine section) :

"All the actors but the male lead, Roger Livesey, filmed on location in the Hebrides. Livesey was appearing in London in a play, so for the exteriors, Powell shot a double. Whenever you see the two lovers Joan Webster (Wendy Hiller) and Torquil MacNeil (Livesey) in the Scottish landscape it is Hiller and the double. The close-ups for the scenes were shot later in Denham Studios in England with Hiller and Livesey.

As Michael Powell writes in his 1987 autobiography, 'A Life in Movies,' "Roger Livesey, playing Torquil MacNeil, never came within five hundred miles of the Western Isles."

It is one of the great feats of legerdemain in film, and the trick is completely unnoticeable. Powell discusses the making of the film on pages 459-482 of his book."

So there we have it. Another illusion shattered. But Hey! The phone kiosk is at least the real thing, and to celebrate, here is another wee shottie of it for all you true devotees of romantic cinematography out there :

There remains however one other point requiring clarification : was the wedding ceilidh scene shot at Kiloran hay loft as many seem to think? According to Norman MacAfee, the scripts for the film were written in the Colonsay Hotel, so Powell and Pressburger were definitely on the island; perhaps they attended a Kiloran ceilidh and as Colin Troup seems to recall being told, the wedding scene was modelled on a typical evening in the Kiloran hay loft.

So, who can tell us the truth of the matter? Over to you, Dear Reader...

And so, we move inexorably on to the other little mysteries which seem to be becoming a feature of Corncrake reading.

Firstly, and of necessity, briefly, there are the boots which suddenly appeared in the Summer at Georgina's Poolside Gallery. And briefly we can exclusively reveal that these boots :

have yet to be re-united with their owner. So no advance there.

And so to our second little Colonsay mystery; just why is the Seaman's Mission in Liverpool based in a building by the name of "Colonsay House"?
The Corncrake can reveal that since our last Issue, our intrepid Corncrake researchers have grilled a number of people associated with that very building, but that no relevant information has yet been yielded. Our last great hope, the retired Canon Bob Evans, who was for many years Chaplain to the Mission, eventually conceded that the origin of the 'Colonsay House' name may now be lost to the mists of time. And so, we must apply the "unsolved" label to that particular conundrum, and tuck it away in a corner of Corncrake Towers, hoping that one day the phone might ring and...

Meanwhile, just to keep up the Colonsay name thing, Stephen Cornwell recently sent us some excellent snaps (see 'My Colonsay Photograph' in this very Issue), whilst simultaneously advising us, rather spookily, that his cousin has just moved house, and that her address is now '1 Colonsay, Hemel Hempstead'.

Steven Watson of Oban has also written on the theme of places named after Colonsay, and has sent us this photograph :

Steven writes : "I have often passed this bar and never been in" (aye, we believe him don't we - Ed.). "It is on Eglinton Street in the South side of Glasgow, sandwiched between a catering company and a railway bridge. I have always presumed a Colonsay connection - so, much in the way you have researched Colonsay House for the Mission, perhaps you could investigate this exclusive urban watering hole."

Fret not; the Corncrake investigative team are already working on the case - a trip to Glasgow has even been booked for the very day of publication of this Issue. Miss Issue 128 at your peril...

And if, Dear Reader, you are in the mood for solving mysteries, you are in luck, for The Corncrake has yet another little puzzle for you to ponder over.

The background to this one is that, keeping the Corncrake's ear to the ground as we do, we learned that an islander is about to celebrate a very special birthday on 1st December. Sensing another of our famous (or should that be infamous...) scoops, the Corncrake team were put on red alert (all leave cancelled and the bar placed off-limits). And, it paid off handsomely, for we were able to secure a photograph of the person in question, taken when they were a little younger than they are today :

So, can you guess who is going to be celebrating on the 1st of December?

Just in case that you may be having difficulty with this wee puzzle, The Corncrake has a second photograph for your perusal. This time, we cannot see the face of the person in question, but there is quite a clue to be found in the photograph... Well, work it out :

As one owl said to his/her mate on a rainy night, it's "too-wet-too-woo".

Yes, it must be admitted, this was your poor, unfortunate Editor's extent of owl knowledge until, that is, Wattie and Ina, our correspondents from Uragaig (a settlement in the North-West of the island, it is believed), wired through their recent sighting of an owl on the island.

But as we speak, thanks to the medium that is The Corncrake Letters section, our knowledge of matters owlish (now there's a good Colonsay quiz question - the noun for an intimate knowledge of owls...) grows by the minute. Even a cursory glance of this Issue's letters section, mostly owl-related it has to be said, will provide you with the information to instantly differentiate between a long and a short-eared, and a barn and a tawny, (although it must be said that the latter will always be a warmly-appreciated after-dinner port to your soirée-enjoying Editor).

So, dear Reader, scan the Letters section of this very Issue, and then test its effectiveness by identifying the following species of owl :

A different species may be featured next Issue, depending upon demand.

The Editorial nose twitches uncontrollably whenever there is the scent of a scoop in the air. And twitch it certainly did the other evening when glancing toward Keith's Sorting Office door, it looked for all the world that Keith's lovingly stored collection of cardboard boxes were about to be delivered to cardboard box heaven :

Fortunately for Keith ( who was off the island at the time so the other Keith, or K2, would have caught it in the neck...), there may have been a momentary scent of a scoop, but there was no smell of burning cardboard.

What we actually saw that evening was the reflection on Keith's Sorting Office door of the bonfire which was the centrepiece of the island's quite spectacular firework display :

Our grateful thanks go to Lucy for the snaps, the Photographic Desk failing in its duty yet again. Heads will roll...

And now for what we believe may be a first for The Corncrake, certainly during the tenure of your current Editor - a cartoon!

Yes indeed, a cartoon. We are indebted to cartoonist Steevie from Oban who, as cartoonists generally do, created a little light-hearted fun out of recent events :

C) Steevie 2005

Unfortunately we do not have a surname for Steevie, but our grateful thanks go to him nonetheless.

CAPTION COMPETITION

Our caption photograph from Issue 126 came from one Frank Nicholson, currently wintering somewhere furth of these islands.

And the subject of the photograph was none other than Frank's own grandson Aidan, who we believe is now 21, instantly revealing the vintage of the photograph.

Again there was a high level, and a high standard, of entry, leaving our anonymous A.N.Other with the difficult but enjoyable task of selecting the winner of our increasingly prestigious competition. And we can now reveal that the winner is none other than Frank's own son-in-law, Trevor Patrick, proving that nepotism, or at least some contrived form of it, is alive and well.

And Trevor's winning caption? Well, see for yourself :

Unfortunately time did not permit our joyous winner to forward a photograph to us in time for this Issue's competition (probably out celebrating ...). The good news however is that the recent grand day out aboard HMS Ocean allowed our Photographic Desk to capture a few locals in unlikely poses. And here is one of them. Just what is puzzling these girls so much? :

Entries as usual to : editorcorncrake@yahoo.co.uk ; by telephone : 01951 200336 ; or by post to : A.N.Other, The Corncrake Caption Competition (Issue 127), c/o The Editorial Suite, The Corncrake, Corncrake Towers, Scalasaig, Isle of Colonsay, Argyll, PA61 7YW, Scotland. Calls may be monitored for quality control purposes.

WHAT'S ON IN COLONSAY

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.

TOPICAL LETTERS

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 noted that in Issue No.124 of "The Corncrake" you made a plea for the return of any Silverware awarded annually for various competitions held on the island.

I must firstly state that I am not in possession of any of these trophies but I do have a photograph of the four major ones (which may or may not still be on the island) awarded at the annual sports day, along with the winners in summer 1955 at Machrins.

As I still do not have the know-how to send pictures over the internet I am sending you a copy by "snail-mail". You may or may not want to use it, but there is no need to return it.

I am the good-looking young fellow on the left of the photo. and the statuette for the junior male champion was the "Worthington Championship Trophy".

I also received a medal to keep, and of course still wear it with pride on all ceremonial occasions.

With best wishes,

Ivor Jones.

---

Dear Editor,

We visited Colonsay on the week beginning 24th June for what was a fantastic break. This was my seventh visit to the island and the first since 1993.

During the week we experienced, warm sunshine, fog, rain, - just about everything. But what ever the weather, the island still retains its magic and every time I have to sadly board the ferry for the return to Oban, I know that I will be back again soon.

I have travelled to many places, and yet Colonsay will always be the place that I want to return to.

Thank you to Victor and Jo Brooks who introduced me to the island in 1973 when i was 15 years old.

Hope these pics which are selected from the many taken during the week will be of interest to you.

With Kindest Regards

Stephen Cornwell.
Milton Keynes.

(Stephen's excellent photographs will appear from time to time - including this very Issue. Many thanks, Stephen - Ed.).

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Dear Editor,

Re my letter in the last Issue about "I Know Where I'm Going".

I haven't looked at the film for a while, but I have it on DVD so it wouldn't be hard, if I could just find the time.

From memory, the scenes with the stars are either indoors, against reasonably obvious backdrops or sufficiently distant for it not to be noticeable that it's a stand-in. But I'd be delighted to be proved wrong!

I have a memory of being told that Michael Powell visited Colonsay and modelled the ceilidh scene on a typical evening in the Kiloran hay loft. Must be someone left who remembers?

Best wishes

Colin Troup.

---

Dear Editor,

My wife and I have been lucky enough to visit Colonsay several times this year already but it took quite a bit of persuasion for us to get our 15-year-old daughter Carey to accompany us on our summer trip.

"I bet there's nothing to do," she said. We countered with "But there are lots of two-headed sheep!" We didn't manage to see any more of the type we photographed on our January visit, but she had a great time nevertheless!

Till the next time,

Jeff Holmes.

(Excellent! Thanks for that, Jeff. - Ed.).

---

Dear Editor,

As regards the owl which Wattie saw - I would say without hesitation that it was a Long Eared Owl - when I last spoke to Mike Peacock he mentioned having seen a Long Eared Owl by the Mill and I know that David Jardine who comes over regularly has seen the same species.

The only owl I have seen on Colonsay was many years ago in the damp marshy ground by the Golf Course below Dûn Gallain. I always thought that it was a Short Eared Owl as it was flying in daylight in the middle of August and very pale in colour - anyway I cannot be 100% sure so it must go down in the records as an Owl sp.

Alan Davis.

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Dear Editor,

I was interested in Watty’s sighting of an owl, and your request for other records.

Around midday on 5th May 2000 we disturbed a short eared owl on the north western slopes of Ben Oronsay.

I also remember that day for other reasons – somehow we left Oronsay far too late and ended up wading chest deep with boots, cameras and backpacks balanced on our heads! Luckily it was a blistering hot spring day, so somehow it didn’t seem to matter - but there was a very nervous ten minutes out in the middle when the water carried on rising and we didn’t appear to be making any real progress...

Are there any other “nearly got washed away” stories - a new regular feature in The Corncrake?

Roger Butler
Roger.Butler@britishwaterways.co.uk

(So dear Reader, anyone care to share a "Strand" moment with us? - Ed.).

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Dear Editor,

Hello everybody - just thought I would send a quick note on the "owl topic".

As I used to live on Colonsay and was somewhat renowned for late night partying, and the occasional very late/ very early walk home, I can recall one night as I was escorting a young lady home we heard a sound which she insisted was the cry of an owl somewhere between the old village hall and the Kiloran turn off.

A heated debate ensued which I fairly rapidly lost as the girl in question was a student of all things ornithological and in her own words "She ought to know". We actually stopped for a while to listen and the sound was repeated three or four times, the upshot being that said student became absolutely convinced that it was definitely an owl.

As there are no witnesses to corroborate the tale it may be just another case of "tourists" knowing better than locals, but the interesting thing is that the girl in question went on to become qualified in her field and I last heard from her while she was studying penguins in some immensely cold region.

My memory may be playing tricks on me but I seem to recall having a chat with either John Clarke or possibly Richard Gulliver about this unusual event and (whichever one it was) thought that it was possible as they thought that they had heard one near the gateway to Kiloran Farm.

Although this doesn't clear the question up, maybe it raises some more possibilities.

Kind Regards

ANON (Also known as David Smith).
way-lander@hotmail.co.uk

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Dear Editor,

It was interesting to hear of Wattie and Ina's encounter with an owl on the Uragaig road, presumably after dark, although the Corncrake does not shed light on this particular point. You are right to suggest that Owls are not common on Colonsay, possibly because there are no voles on the island. However at least four different species of owl have been seen on Colonsay:

Short-eared owl - usually the only species which is seen during daylight. It is a rare visitor with perhaps no more than one sighting a year.

Tawny Owl - a single bird was seen for a couple of years in the 1980s.

Barn Owl - a white owl which is a relatively common breeder on Islay and birds have been known to turn up every few years.

Long-eared owl - is a resident breeder on Colonsay, where there is a small population of at least 4-5 pairs. It is a very secretive bird which usually hunts in complete darkness. The easiest way it is found is by listening for the hunger calls of the young during June and July when their "squeaky gate" calls can be heard in the woods around Kiloran just as the sun goes down and the Corncrakes start to "sing".

Hopefully from these notes Wattie and Ina may be able to tell which one they saw.

Best wishes

David Jardine
david.jardine@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

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Dear Editor,

Have been following your various reports in 'The Corncrake' on the Airfield and Landing strips over there and cannot help but draw a parallel with our own local 'Airport' over here in North Norfolk. As you will see from the attached photograph, we have 'International' status, no doubt on the basis of the Wheelie Bin, Union Flag and the Portaloo facility, but other than that there's not a lot between them !

Do you think there is an opportunity here for getting Mr Branson involved and perhaps setting up a route between here and Colonsay?

If it only flew twice a year it would save me the 12 hour drive !

See you at Easter next year !

Regards

Clive Needham.
aleedham@msn.com

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Dear Editor,

I have often passed this bar and never been in. It is on Eglinton Street in the South side of Glasgow, sandwiched between a catering company and a railway bridge.

I have always presumed a Colonsay connection - so, much in the way you have researched Colonsay House for the Mission, perhaps you could investigate this exclusive urban watering hole?

I'm Steven Watson, and I live and work in Oban. I suppose I have had a little to do with Colonsay over the years, but not much. When I worked on the railway decades ago we used to get Charlie Mackinnon's turkey chicks by rail from Inverurie.

I stayed over once in the hotel when Kevin had it.In those days a number of his guests came by rail too.

I work in energy efficiency and renewable energy and Kevin and Keith put word round about free hot water tank jackets. Some free low energy lightbulbs have also made their way to Scalasaig.

I hope there is a story behind the Kiloran Bar - it is so far removed from the island's rurality.

Steven Watson.
stevenperth@hotmail.com

(Steven's photograph of a pub called 'Kiloran Bar' is to be found in this Issue's 'Snippets' section - Ed.).

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Dear Editor,

Aye, a great website The Corncrake. If you have a mailing list please add me to it.

Lachie Brown of Isle of Tiree made me aware of your site today. Lachie along with 300+ from Tiree, Scotland, England, Australia, USA and Canada attending the Isle of Tiree Descendants Gathering - Guelph, Ontario, Canada - July 23, 24, 25, 2004. Everyone had a grand time.

Cheers,
Scott Cameron
Guelph
Ontario
Canada
j.scottcameron@rogers.com

PS - My gr. gr. grandparents Malcolm Cameron and Sarah MacLean emigrated to Canada in 1851, marrying in Guelph November 28, 1854 at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church where Guelph City Hall stands today. Shortly thereafter, homesteaded on Lot 12, Con. 11, Bruce Township, Bruce County, Ontario Canada. I visited Tiree in August, 2000. Excellent time!

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Dear Editor,

I have been a regular visitor to your website since I paid a visit to Colonsay a few years ago. I have been interested to hear about the proposed development of the airstrip and thought this article from the BBC's website might be of interest to your readers and islanders!

** Flight improvements for Highlands **
The first minister announces a £6m package for a new air travel hub serving the Highlands and Islands.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4412120.stm

Andrew Mumford.

(Many thanks, Andrew. No doubt by now you will have read our article on this very subject - Ed.).

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