SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS EASY...

Yes, here we are, back again. But doesn't it seem like AGES since we last hit the ether?

But anyway, back we are, and it is now high Summer, the island basking in glorious weather (well most of the time...), and the ceilidh scene in full swing. In fact, Colonsay is almost a virtual ceilidh at this time of year, with sunshine and laughter emanating from a myriad of social occasions, as people find any excuse to meet and interact and just have fun.

And there's even singing and dancing and skipping in the street(s), although that's mainly Wee Davy, his 'Poppy Appeal' ceilidh having raised over £1,000 for his favoured charity.

And the good weather has busied up the harbour as boaters plunge out to sea, some even plunging IN to the sea... Indeed such was the frequency of the plunging that we all thought that a new Deep Sea Diving school had started up...

Yes, the fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high. Time to get back to the beach...

CARAVANING CONTROVERSY

Well, your Editor of course arrived back from his sortie overseas, keen as mustard to find out the news. Only to find out that Colonsay WAS the news! Every national newspaper he picked up had Colonsay splashed across the headlines! No doubt if he'd stayed abroad a tad longer, he'd have been able to see Colonsay splashed across 'Il Giornale', his holiday newspaper of choice (it was delivered free to the hotel...).

And Colonsay wasn't confined to the Press; the airwaves were full of it, on BBC Scotland, BBC Radio 4 and even BBC Radio Five Live! Jings!

And even worse, the islanders were being slated, with words like 'Fascists' being hurled in our faces. Crikey! What had us innocent islanders done to deserve this abuse? Well, in a word, nothing! It was the nation's Press who were the guilty party here, picking up the wrong end of the stick. Apparently a caravaner wished to book on to the CalMac ferry and being told that with no caravan facilities on the island, they would only take a booking if the caravaner had made some previous arrangements with someone on the island with regard to 'standing' their caravan, a sensible arrangement which has been in place since before Noah even knew what rain was.

Well, a complaint was made to the Caravan Club and then the nation's Press got a hold of the story. Unfortunately, they did not appear to have the integrity of The Corncrake nor its fastidious pursuit of Truth (nor its modesty and impartiality we hasten to add...), and soon it was being presented that the islanders had RECENTLY "decided they did not want their island cluttered with caravans and campervans." Then there were quotes taken from a RECENT "issue of the Corncrake" - taken out of context from an article over five years old! This despite the fact that the island's single-track roads can barely cope with normal vehicular traffic, a fact which sensibly led, perhaps at the time of the arrival of RO-RO ferries, to the inescapable conclusion that caravaning on Colonsay is simply not a practical proposition.

Well the nation's caravaners went ballistic, a spokeswoman for the Caravan Club describing the 'decision' as "outrageous" and that this was simply "tourism fascism." Other quotes were equally uncomplimentary, including : "snobbery at it's very worst", "a bunch of penny pinching misers", "leave the locals on Colonsay to enjoy their own company seeing as though they don't like anyone else's." and "well done - you have now alienated yourself from a whole chunk of the tourist industry! How welcoming! Clever!".

Faced with this blitzkrieg of ill-founded propaganda, Colonsay needed a Churchillian character to come forward and defend its shores from such attacks. Ah but, "cometh the hour and cometh the man"...

Into the breach stepped none other than our own DNA-approved Angus MacPhee, who was invited on to Radio Five Live to face a direct onslaught from a representative of the Caravan Club. We need not have worried. A few minutes later and the record was set straight and the Caravan Club man's arguments were blown out of the water, Angus' verbal artillery mortally (or should that be 'mortarly'?) wounding the ill-founded propaganda that had been spread. But before his head gets TOO swollen, we should say that Angus did have commonsense and truth on his side, always useful weapons to have in one's armoury. He did however deliver them with devastating effect.

And so, our wee island has enjoyed its fifteen minutes of fame and has slid back into its preferred cloak of peaceful obscurity. MacPhee of that Ilk is deserving of a Tourist Board award, but that failing, the Colonsay liquid equivalent...

SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

Your Editor's quiet (some might even say romantic!) evenings abroad were brought to an abrupt end upon his return to the social whirl that Colonsay tends to be at this time of year.

First evening home and there we were, gathering with a host of islanders and visitors, for a small test of General Knowledge in the Bar, a test that we apparently failed yet again. On the Saturday night, the Hall acted like a magnet, as young and old congregated for the first ceilidh of the season, and, if we remember correctly, a grand night it was too.

Sandwiched between these two evenings however was a 'Surprise Party' held in the Bar of 'The Colonsay', as the Hotel is, formally at least, called these days. We should note at this juncture however that the word 'surprise', similar to the word 'complete', has a singularly variant meaning on Colonsay...

And the reason for this 'surprise' party was Nigel Grant's imminent departure from the island after 28 years, together with the new love in his life, Ann Hedley :

And if the party didn't come as a complete surprise to Nigel and Ann, their first gift from their fellow islanders certainly did. Introduced as "something to take away with you to remind you of island life", the lucky couple were then presented, with no expense spared, with a gorgeous thistle :

Fortunately, the couple took this as the wee wind-up it was, and they were soon presented with their real gift from the islanders, a specially commissioned painting by David 'Lucky' Luck of one of Nigel's favourite parts of the island, Aoineadhh nam Muc, 'Pig's Paradise' :

The formalities over, the evening continued in its easy way with "sangs an' clatter" and much mirth and dancing (we really must introduce video to The Corncrake soon - but we guess that you get the picture anyway...).

MORE MIRTH AND DANCING

A few days before the 'Surprise Party', there were more celebrations, with even more mirth and dancing.

This time however, whilst the festivities involved Colbhasachs, the event took place off-island. For, Colonsay was without a few of its own at the beginning of June as they headed off to the mainland for the wedding of a son of Colonsay. And who, we hear you ask, was getting hitched?

Well, it was none other than Dugie Clark, son of Angus and Peggy, who exchanged marital vows with his betrothed, Kaye Stewart, in the magnificent surroundings of Doune Castle :

After the ceremony, assembled guests mingled in the courtyard enjoying the warm sunshine especially laid on for the event. How many 'weel-kent' faces can you recognise? :

 

And it should perhaps be noted that the glories of the milliner's art, often the centrepiece of a wedding, were overshadowed on the day by the fine new Ancient Clark kilts sported by Dugie, Donald, Gavin & Ryan. But where, might we ask, was Angus' kilt?? Is it a case of knobbly knees? No doubt however, we will be told...

Then, as the afternoon gave way to evening and all the the wedding snaps had been taken, the guests made their way to Blair Drummond Hall where, in Gavin's words, they enjoyed a real 'Colonsay ceilidh'. Grand!

EVEN MORE CELEBRATIONS!

And if it's not a ceilidh, it's a party. Or it's a barbecue. Or it's a beach picnic. Or it's a... a... graduation ceremony! Yes, we are at that time of year that those with the brains get to celebrate their undoubted industry during their student years. And, this year as ever, Colonsay demonstrated that it produces more than its fair share of those with a light on up top.

First to don the gown was Duncan and Margaret McDougall's daughter Mairi, who graduated with a B.A. in Hospitality Management from Glasgow Caledonian University. And what about a picture of Mairi we hear you ask. Even better, here is one of Mairi with a proud Mum :

Yes, Kilchattan Primary School has a lot to answer for. And following Mairi was another former pupil of 'oor wee school', Ellie Cornford, daughter of course of Dominic and Annie. And here is Ellie herself, having just received her B.A. Music from Christ's College, Cambridge :

Ellie is in fact the second former pupil of Kilchattan Primary School to graduate from Cambridge in as many years, Sandy Abrahams having graduated there with a B.A. (Hons) Law degree only last year. An impressive record indeed for such a wee school!

Our third featured graduate cannot claim to have gone to school on Colonsay, but certainly many of his forebears did. For Alastair Scouller, who recently graduated from Edinburgh University with a Bachelor of Divinity (First Class Honours) degree, has a lot of Colonsay blood flowing through his veins :

Alastair, who is also currently training to be a Reader in the Church of Scotland, plans, as one does these days, (though not necessarily in our more mature years...), to have a gap year!

Lastly, but by no means least, our congratulations also go to our island Development Officer, Chris Nisbet, who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Technology degree in Environmental Protection and Management. Family and work commitments however meant that Chris graduated 'in absentia', which means that we have no photograph of the man to show you. Shame!

AIRPORT UPDATE

So how is progress on Corncrake International, we hear you ask? At this juncture, we will perhaps leave you to make up your own mind. For, our regular Reader, if he/she still bothers, will recall The Corncrake's one and only cartoon. That was way back in Issue 127 when we received a very humourous cartoon of a CalMac ferry from Steevie of Oban.

Well, Steevie was back on the island recently and we received two photographs that he purportedly took while visiting our new airstrip :

 

We looked at the photographs with some incredulity, if indeed not scepticism. Then Isabel Robertson, who forwarded the photos, said that she got to speak to the Captain (as shown in the above) and didn't we think that he was good-looking? Well, at this point we realised that Isabel was perhaps needing to see an optician or perhaps this was all part of a wind-up... What do you think?

Meanwhile, back in the land of reality, work on the airport does continue apace. Lance, foreman in charge of the project, tells us that they are still well ahead of schedule, that there is only one more puffer-load of aggregate and the like to come, and that the first load of tar will be on the island by the time this Issue hits the ether.

Not that that has much effect on the date that the air service actually becomes operational. That depends very much on the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) actually granting licences to Colonsay, Coll and Oban, something that they will not do until until work is complete and full staffing arrangements are in place. Oh, and Argyll and Bute Council is still working towards getting a PSO (Public Service Obligation) service accepted by Europe and the Department of Trade in London. The Council currently anticipate finally securing CAA licensing in May next year...

Meanwhile back in the land of reality, as one wag put it "Aye, and pigs might fly..."

Yes, that's the thing with the future. It's so uncertain. So, are you placing bets on the date, or are you placing orders for flight tickets for May? As we said, you'll have to make up your own mind on this one!

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

And now for the wrinklies amongst our Readership, a wee story from the 1970's. And for those of you still applying the miracle anti-wrinkle cream in vain, a wee story of how things used to work on Colonsay not that long ago.

For we recently heard from Colin Bell, who was one of the military team who came to Colonsay in the 1970's to uprate the island's electricity infrastructure (that makes it sound perhaps just a wee bit grander than it actually was...). So, without further ado, over to Colin :

"The aim of the exercise, apart from uprating your electrical supply, was to see if regular engineer troops could work under TAVR (Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve) bosses. There were only two regular staff sergeants, myself as mechanical boss, and another who was in charge of the stores. The electrical boss was a shift controller in a nuclear power station, and the poling boss worked for BT!"

"We of 38 Engineer Regiment came up from Ripon with hand luggage only. All tools, poles, generators, switch boards, cabling, cement and transport was brought up from the Engineer Park (where civilian engineer material is brought into the services) at Long Marston, near Stratford on Avon, taken to Marchwood military port, loaded onto the LCT (Landing Craft Tank) and it sailed independently. Similarly, at the end of the exercise, the transport and tools were taken off by LCT."

"We were on the island for 6 weeks, and I remember that it was very hot. We put in a distribution building on the back road, and installed a generator in your existing "power house" just above the Hotel :

I recall going round all the houses to collect electric fires so that we could do a load test! On a hot day, we wired them all up to the new generator and switched them all on. I'm sure Powergen now has a more professional way!"

"The other photos are of Kilchattan Substation (soon to be the site of a tomato farm, we hear - Ed.), from the outside, and one of us inside making the final connections. The final photo is of three of us at Kilchattan Substation, with myself in the middle" :

 

"I also well remember the ceilidh that you arranged for us at the end of our stay. Alcohol was of course not allowed in the Hall, but being Sappers, there was much surreptitious supping. Anyway, the affair culminated in us all dancing round a sheep's skull complete with horns, on top of a small fire, on the crossroads, singing the CRE, (Commander, Royal Engineers), our Corps song." (How things never change. Just last Saturday after the ceilidh.... - Ed.).

"I really enjoyed my time on the island, with one of my most abiding memories being of catching fresh crab, then having it freshly cooked on toast. Delicious!"

Our very grateful thanks go to Colin for sharing his reminiscences with us. Do you have a story of Colonsay in the past? If so, get writing!

ARANDORA STAR MEMORIAL

Your Editor was unable to attend the recent memorial at Leum a' Bhriair. We are therefore grateful to Alan Davis for compiling the following report, and to Alan and Andrew McGregor for providing The Corncrake with photographs of the event :

At 3.00pm on Sunday July 2nd, a wreath was placed beside the Arandora Star memorial plaque at Leum a Bhriair. A small group gathered as Alan Davis reminded them of the tragic events that occurred 66 years ago and which resulted in the loss of so many lives.

Since the unveiling of the memorial plaque in 2005, a number of people have been in contact, either asking for, or providing, information about relatives who were lost. In the light of this, we felt that it was appropriate to mention them specifically on this occasion and thus Alan concluded his introduction with the following roll call:

Giuseppe Capella from Borgotaro
Quirino Cardarelli from Rome
Michele Di Marco from Picinisco
Guglielmo Orlandi Fantini from Naples
Giovanni Antonio Fusco from Cassino
Carlo Ravetto from Alice Castello
Luigi Zazzi from Borgotaro

In addition we remembered 3 of the British Army guard of whom a total of over 90 individuals lost their lives :

Trooper John Connelly, Lovat Scouts.
Private Edward Lane, 7th Devonshire Regiment.
Lt. Edward Sydney Miles, Kings Royal Rifle Corps.

Kevin Byrne then read out a letter sent by Maria Serena Balestracci and Beppe Conti of The Association for Victims of the Arandora Star in Italy. This letter, to the people of Colonsay, is to be found in the Letters section of this Issue.

After a reading of the 23rd Psalm, stones were added to the cairn which is located close to where the body of Giuseppe Delgrosso, another of the Italian victims from Borgotaro, was recovered and laid to rest in July 1940.

POETRY CORNER

The Colonsay ceilidh season brought us in mind of a Louis MacNeice poem, 'Bagpipe Music'. The reason for this is perhaps simply the vigorous meter of the poem, particularly when read aloud - you can almost hear the ceilidh and the pipes in the background. Anyway, see what you think :

Louis MacNeice.

NATURE NOTES

A month or so back, Henri van Dop wrote to The Corncrake about the wonderful two weeks that he and his family enjoyed on Colonsay last year. He also very kindly forwarded some of the photographs that he took during his visit and with regard to one in particular wrote : "During one of our walks, this day we were near the Strand, we saw a snake. Attached is a picture of the snake. Not very good quality, but it was the best I could get before it disappeared :

We were able to write back to Henri and advise him that what he had photographed was a slow worm, albeit a rather big one. For, of course, snakes on Colonsay are a bit like caravans, thankfully non-existent. (Oops! Did I write that??).

A few weeks later, one of our regular Nature Notes contributors, Alan Davis, wrote a piece for The Corncrake on the very subject of slow worms. And without further ado, here it is :

THE SLOW WORM Anguis fragilis

"Whilst Slow Worms look superficially like snakes, they are in fact legless lizards. One way to identify them apparently is that unlike snakes, they have eyelids!

Slow Worms are thought to be the most commonly distributed of all European reptiles although in Britain they are commonest in Wales and the South West. According to Loder [1935], the Slow Worm is mentioned in J.A. Harvie-Brown and T.E Buckleys 'A Vertebrate Fauna of Argyll and The Inner Hebrides' [1892] but was said to be unknown in Colonsay and Oronsay. So was it overlooked at the time or has it arrived since, and if so, how? An interesting question. Suggestions on a post card please.

Whilst secretive in their habits, Slow Worms tend to emerge to hunt at dusk or after rain and rather than basking in the sun, prefer to hide under stones or logs. The individual shown in the photo was one of five found under a discarded piece of plywood half buried in the grass. Slow Worms hibernate from October to March and like other lizards, have the ability to shed their tails if caught by a predator.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Slow Worms are protected against being killed, injured or sold."

So there we are, and now we know. Our grateful thanks to Henri and to Alan for their contributions.

MY COLONSAY PHOTOGRAPH

A recent visitor to the island, Roger Hiley, has his own website and very kindly forwarded details of same which he has just updated with text and photographs from his holiday. Further, he offered The Corncrake unlimited access to his fine collection of Colonsay photographs. Never one to stare a gift horse in the mouth, we were soon rummaging through Roger's fine collection.

And with the sun relentlessly beating down on the island as we write, we soon selected one which captured the current feel of the island. It may be of an oft-photographed spot, but as Roger himself said :"Sun, sea, sand and rocks. A beautiful Hebridean combination of colours." See for yourself :

If you would like to see more of Roger's photos of Colonsay and Oransay, take a look at his website. The Colonsay and Oransay Photographs are to be found on Pages 3 and 4 :

http://www.loweswatercam.co.uk/060523_Scotland_1.htm

NOW WHERE COULD THAT BE?

Ever keen to stump young Donald Ross MacDonald, your Editor was delighted to receive some photographs from Sue Taylor, taken during her last visit to the island. For, amongst her excellent shots of the wildlife of the island (no, not Angus MacPhee...) was a photograph of a curious object lurking in the long grass. Surely this would end the youngster's run of luck :

Alas, first to identify the location of our mystery object was... yes, he's done it again...the indefatigable Donald Ross MacDonald! This time though, he freely admitted to receiving more than a little help from his Gran, Margaret Darroch...

So, we hear you ask, where is the object actually located? Over to Paul Summers who writes : "your item lies by the side of the "big hoose" garden pond, where I remember finding a nest some years ago under it."

So now we know where it is, but WHAT on earth is it? Well, there would appear to be some debate about this, but we are reliably informed that it is in fact the top of the old lighthouse! However, should you think that you know differently, feel free to drop us a line.

Which takes us neatly on to the next puzzle for Donald Ross, who is currently over for his summer holidays and can be seen every day with fishing rod in hand and a look of excited anticipation on his face. However it must be reported that to date it would seem to be the fish that are wearing the bigger smiles...

Anyway, if young Mr MacDonald is to find this Issue's mystery location, it'll be flying fish that he'll be trying to catch :

Our grateful thanks go to Mary and John Holmes for provision of another 'Where?' photograph.

LOOK BACK IN ALBUM

And so, as night follows day, we find ourselves back looking at the recent photographic history of the island and trying (mostly in vain it must be said) to put names to faces.

Last time round, John Clark very kindly provided us with a shot taken a year or two back in the 'tap-room' of the Colonsay Hotel (this was in the days when beer was the staple offering; if you wanted whisky, you had to bring it over yourself!) :

So, just who are these gentlemen obviously intent on quenshing their thirst? Well, perhaps because of the vintage of the photograph, there were very few who were able to put names to all the faces. So, to put you out of your misery, here are the names, going from left to right : Frank Leahy (Paddy and John's uncle), Murdo Morrison (from Harris, but was working in the Hotel), Edward Scouller (Alastair's grandfather), Herbert Leahy (Paddy and John's father), David Clark and lastly Hugh McPhee, who worked for the BBC. And isn't it nice to see that beer drinking runs in the Leahy family, a tradition that John bravely carries on to this day...

And so we move inexorably to our next photograph in the series. And as if to show that it is not only the men of the island who enjoy visiting the Bar for a small refreshment, here is a photograph of the same Bar a few years later. Can you recognise all those participating in this jolly occasion? :

SNIPPETS

Now, if you've been paying attention, you will recall that back in December of last year (Issue 129), we carried the story of Ross Moodie retiring from our local volunteer fire service after 21 years and 16 days of dedicated service. Alas however, before he retired, Ross had never received his 20 years Long Service Medal.

At last however, we can report that this matter has now been addressed, for John Muirhead of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue in Lochgilphead recently visited the island to rectify the anomaly. At a formal ceremony in the Fire Station in Scalasaig, attended by Ross' former colleagues, Donald MacAllister read out a message from the Queen and John duly presented Ross with his well-earned medal. Fortunately our Photographic Desk were on hand to capture Ross' proud moment :

Well done Ross, the man with the patience of a saint.

And now proof, if proof were needed, that the island's roads are difficult enough for ordinary vehicles, never mind towed caravans. For caught on camera the other day was the all too familiar site of another damaged vehicle waiting to be towed onto the CalMac ferry :

Yes, the ditches of Colonsay claim yet another unsuspecting victim. Although we hear that the driver of the van was perhaps simply alphabetically-challenged and mistook the 'S' Bends for a 'T' junction...

In fact, word reached our ears that a sign was subsequently erected at the Machrins 'S' Bends bearing the legend "Plumbers' Vans Please Turn Left Here". Alas, by the time our Photographic Desk got into gear, no such sign was to be seen. Ah, the wags...

"The verges of the island's road have been in places quite magnificent this year, rich with beautiful flowers and fine grasses, some quite common like clover, buttercup, trefoils, vetches and vetchling, ox-eye daisies etc, and some less common these days like Northern Marsh orchids, Ragged Robin, etc."

So begins a letter that The Corncrake has received (see Letters section) from local resident Angela Skrimshire. Alas much of this natural and oftimes rare beauty of which Angela writes has now been cut down, largely in the interests of road safety. In her letter, Angela goes on to argue for selective and timed cutting of the verges.

The Corncrake is perhaps not the best forum for a discussion on this subject, but we would be pleased to hear from anyone else, resident and visitor alike, who has an opinion on the subject or who can offer a solution which would suit all parties concerned.

Jings, Crivvens and Help Ma Boab!!

Colin Martin, who describes himself as "an occasional visitor and regular Corncrake reader" has been in touch and provided a couple of web links that he thought would be of interest. And having perused same, do you know what? Do you remember the 'Oor Wullie' and 'The Broons' annuals that you looked forward to under the Christmas tree every year? You don't? Michty Me! Ye havnae lived!

Anyway, getting to the point, the 1941 Broons annual, which originally cost One Shilling and Sixpence (the Editorial Granny tells him that that is about seven pence in today's money), recently sold at auction for £4,060!! Jings!! Get up into that attic quick!!

There is a suspicion however that the buyer of the annual might be a Colbhasach, for the rhyme inside the book cover is as follows :

Or perhaps the family's 'But and Ben' was actually on Colonsay? Can any Reader throw any light on this matter?

And finally, with no expense spared, The Corncrake can bring you great news. For the date has now been set for Colonsay Sports Day, and it is Saturday the 29th of July!

Yes, that's right, it is SOON!! So if you just want to lose that troublesome stone and get yourself in trim, we suggest that you put down that sticky toffee pudding as soon as is humanly possible. And then enrol 'tout suite' in Wee Davy's 'Fitness in a Fortnight' regime. Goon, you know you can do it!

Oh. And don't pray for rain!

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.

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Dear Editor,

To the Colonsay Community

Dear friends,

On this special date, I am writing to express my own feelings, and those of Beppe Conti, Chairman of the Association for the Victims of the Arandora Star in Bardi, Italy. The Association, which includes many relatives and friends of the Italian victims, wishes to commemorate the tragedy, preserve the memory of all the victims, and most of all spread a message of peace and understanding among different cultures in the name of those who lost their lives in the absurdity of war.

Today, on the 66th anniversary of the tragedy, families and friends of the victims and survivors from Bardi, Borgo Val di Taro, Tuscany and many other parts of Italy are gathering at the memorial chapel, to show that they have not forgotten their dear ones: together we will pray for peace and our thoughts will be with you, dear friends assembled in Colonsay, as we know we can share the same ideals of peace, tolerance and harmony for all the people in the world.

Dear friends, we salute you and want to let you know that we will never forget what you did and continue to do to keep the memory of our dear ones alive. Your dedication to the memory of those unfortunate men, who were washed ashore in the Summer of 1940 after the Arandora Star had been sunk, has touched our hearts. Let us express our deepest appreciation and gratitude.

May the tragedy of the Arandora Star, which caused such a terrible waste of lives in Italy, Britain, Germany and Austria, help us learn to love and understand each other, and may our two ceremonies- faraway, and yet so close, be a symbol of unity and peace for our troubled world.

Maria Serena Balestracci
Beppe Conti
The Association for Victims of the Arandora Star
Bardi
Italy

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Dear Editor,

Six weeks (and counting) before our annual pilgrimage to Colonsay, we were alarmed to hear on Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme that the Caravan Club is lobbying strenuously for access to the island. While caravanning undoubtedly provides relatively low-cost holidays for its enthusiasts, the environmental and aesthetic costs of this form of tourism are considerable, and could be catastrophic on a small island like Colonsay.

We have been coming to Colonsay since we spent our honeymoon there in 1990. Like other regular visitors, we love the island for its unspoiled beauty and tranquillity. The low level of development and the absence of noise, litter, light and traffic pollution, which sully so many popular destinations on the mainland, are rare and invaluable qualities. The introduction of caravanning and camping would inevitably erode these blessed freedoms and would have a detrimental effect on the island’s birdlife and wild flowers. Inexpensive accommodation is already available at the Backpackers’ Lodge and B&Bs, so the exclusion of caravans should not be presented as an elitist agenda. It is a matter of preserving a peaceful and natural environment and protecting a small island from the impact of motoring tourists.

Yours sincerely

Alison Kelly

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Dear Editor,

The verges of the island's road have been in places quite magnificent this year, rich with beautiful flowers and fine grasses, some quite common like clover, buttercup, trefoils, vetches and vetchling, ox-eye daisies etc, and some less common these days like Northern Marsh orchids, Ragged Robin, etc.

But this week, as in every year, the whole lot is being razed to the ground so that now the verges are flat, green and featureless, with the cuttings lying over them damply unraked, discouraging the more sensitive and less rank species from re-growing.

So Colonsay loses another of its unique marketable assets, and becomes like anywhere else on the mainland where a bureaucratic need for tidiness and control is permitted to obliterate so many beautiful things. Yet with a little thought and care they could be preserved without compromising safety.

I know very well that the verges need to be cut, otherwise they become overgrown with rank vegetation like brambles, thistles, hogweed and nettles, and are unsightly and dangerous. The crucial thing is that they are cut at the right times, which I think (though I am no expert on this) would be twice, early spring (late March/early April) and September. This way in most places the growth would never get too long for safety. Through the summer, a few exceptions, such as dangerous corners, and places where the vegetation grows more rankly (eg the Burma Road area near Kiloran, or the bracken fringed stretches down from Glassard to Scalasaig) could then be selectively cut in the interests of road safety.

Surely its not beyond the capability of Colonsay people to insist on negotiating with the Roads Department for a more intelligent regime for care of this unusually rich and beautiful feature of the island. If it were to be more costly, then surely funds could be found in the interests of tourism, if not of the intrinisc value of the flowered verges themselves. Sums up to £10K or so seem readily available for other projects which are relatively ordinary and cosmetic, compared with the care of this wealth of flowers which has survived in so few parts of the country, and is so quickly and easily degraded.

If someone went into a beautiful garden and strimmed all the flowers, he would be considered a complete nutter. But here it is people like us who love and care about the natural gardens on the roadside who are the nutters? Please, let the argument stand on its own merit.

Angela.

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Dear Editor,

The very best of wishes go to Georgina in her quest for support.

I would love to be of help, as I`m sure we would have much in common {being a book-lover and having worked in a bookshop). Also, I have had some basic nursing experience.

However, being nearer seventy than sixty most likely rules me out in the way of practical help. Suffice to say that I wish it did'nt.

Good Luck,

Jennifer Jamieson.

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Dear Editor,

It was to my great surprise that a painting by Julia Page was in your recent Corncrake.

On my first visit to Colonsay in the Spring of 1998, I purchased a post card that was of one of Julia Page's paintings. It was the one of the two chalets on the west coast of Colonsay near Por Mor. Myself, (Jerry D. McAfee) Jim and Ginger McAfee, and Archie and Leona McAfee stayed in the chalet that is on the right side of the drawing.

This was a trying time in our lives as it was the week of 9/11/2001 that we stayed there.

The question is? How may I contact Julia Page to ask her for permission to place the drawing in the article that I have written about Jim McAfee and my "visit" on Colonsay back in Sept. 12, 2005. Not to tell anymore about the place that we visited so I am calling it our 'undisclosed' visiting place on Colonsay. The picture is of the Chalets in the background with two beautifully drawn cattle in the foreground.

The article is being written for our Macfie Clan Society of America Newsbeat.

Thanks,

Jerry D . McAfee.

(Ach, wouldn't it be a shame to miss this opportunity to feature one of Julia's paintings. So here it is - Ed.) :

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Dear Editor,

Follow your Corncrake bi-weekly.

My folks left Colonsay in 1832, but we still like to get the news from home! Could you pass my e-mail adress on to the Greg Munn from Nebraska, I own his grandfather Arthur's property and would like to connect for their reunion.

A nice piece of work, still hoping to go home.

Alex Blue
Prince Edward Island.

(See 'Genealogical Letters' section for Greg Munn's response to yet another Corncrake genealogical introduction. - Ed.).

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Dear Editor,

I do some poetry writing, and am thinking about a piece using Malcolm Macphee and his demise at the hands of a MacDonald but cannot find but bits and pieces about the "why" of this. Is there a publication you may know of that will give the full story? The year was 1623 and I have on one paper the surname spelled 3 ways Macduffie, Macfie and Macphee.

Thanks so very much.

Also, via your "Corncrake" I have connected with Annette McDuffie Haven to exchange some possible genealogy connections. Thank you for that.

W. Cliff McDuffie, Mayor
6130 17th St
Zephyrhills, FL. 33542
USA

(Well Cliff, funnily enough, I happen to know a man who wrote a book on that very subject... And re the spellings, we just keep changing them to confuse the Americans... - Ed.).

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Dear Editor,

Hello, my name is Graeme Kirkwood and I'm a retired retained fireman from Greenock and I have a WEB site about the history of Scottish Fire Brigades.

I am enquiring if I could use two of the photos from Corncrake No.132 (the old crew in the completion and the new crew one in front of the station) on my Colonsay page? Credit would be given to the photographer or Corncrake, whatever you wish.

Graeme Kirkwood
Greenock.

(Graeme's excellent 'History of Scottish Fire Brigades' can be found at : www.graeme.kirkwood.btinternet.co.uk - Ed.).

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Dear Editor,

Well done, you stumped me on this one... NOT!

I got a tip from my Gran that it is up at Colonsay House somewhere. So Ha-Ha!! You'll never beat me at this! Keep trying, though, but I'll still get them!

See you a week on Friday for the summer,

Donald Ross MacDonald.

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Dear Editor,

You really must try harder!!

My lads have great fun trying to identify the location of your 'finds'. This alas, is however getting too easy for them, hence the lack of interest this and last month and my request and challenge to them to do better if they can, albeit it is a very weak and see-through excuse for me to return - my missus is not as daft as she leads me to believe!!

Anyway your item lies by the side of the 'big hoose' garden pond where I remember finding a nest some years ago under it, I am sure that I took a photo and will try and find it prior to your next edition.

Many Thanks

Paul Summers.

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Dear Editor,

Jo at the Hotel forwarded your name as editor of The Corncrake, and suggested that you may be interested in the photos and web pages I have just completed after our recent holiday on the islands.

http://www.loweswatercam.co.uk/060523_Scotland_1.htm

I have included the hotel stay on pages 3 and 4.

Hope you like them.

Cheers

Roger Hiley.

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Dear Editor,

Whilst idly surfing the net, I came across your site.

I am one of those who helped to put in new electrical services in the early 70's. We put in a distribution building on the back road, and installed a generator in your existing "power house" just above the Hotel.

I recall going round all the houses to collect electric fires so that we could do a load test! On a hot day, we wired them all up to the new generator and switched all on. I'm sure Powergen has a more professional way!

I also well remember the ceilidh you arranged for us at the end of our stay. Iwell recall how difficullt it was to get a hole through the walls of the power house to get the cables through. I believe we also planted some new "telegraph poles". Are they still working, or have you had to update?

I enjoyed my time on the island, with one of my most abiding memories of catching fresh crab, then having it freshly cooked on toast. Delicious!

Colin Bell
Ex Royal Engineer.

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THE MAGAZINE SECTION

Instructions are supplied, but two hints may help:
1. When using phrases, enclose them in quotation marks. For example, [lifting stone] will get you every instance of [lifting] or [stone] but ["lifting stone"] will get you what you want.
2. When you see the results, they may seem unlikely. This is because many documents (e.g. each issue of The Corncrake) are in reality just one single "page", covering many unrelated topics. No problem! Open the page, then go to the "Find (on this page)" option at the top of your screen, on a drop-down menu presented by the second button from the left. Type in the word you seek and hey-presto, it is highlighted for you. Note that you must give the page time to load (an issue of The Corncrake takes up to a minute), also that there may be more than one example on the page, so use the "Find (on this page)" function again to check that you have not missed anything.

REMEMBERING A COLONSAY MAN ON THE SOMME

This year marked the 90th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. Many remembrances have been held throughout the world, and we are grateful to Alan Davis for compiling the following history of a son of Colonsay who fell in the battle :

July 1st 2006 marked the 90th anniversary of the start of what Lloyd George described as "the most gigantic, tenacious, grim, futile and bloody fight ever waged in the history of war". This year many thousands of people made pilgrimages to the Somme in Northern France in order to remember and pay their respects to the men who were killed - 20,000 British and Commonwealth dead on the first day alone and by the end of November that figure had risen to 125,000.

For many visitors, the focus of attention would have been the Thiepval Memorial just north of Albert. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the names of over 73,000 men, whose bodies were never recovered from the field of battle, are recorded on it's vast panels. One of these panels bears the inscription H. McNeill :

Hector McNeill was born on February 2nd 1882 at Kilchattan, Colonsay. He was the son of Donald McNeill, a boatman, and his wife Catherine Buie who had another son named Peter and two daughters named Hester and Mary. At the outbreak of war, Hector left the island for Glasgow to enlist as a Regimental Piper with the 10th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Here is a photograph of Hector in uniform :

On July 1st 1916 the 10th Battalion, which was part of the 9th Scottish Division, was initially held in reserve but just two weeks later saw action at Longueval. Battalion historian Lt. Col. H.G. Sotherby recorded that the attack here on July 14th was a complete surprise - the German front line being penetrated, whilst the pipes played the 'Regimental March' and the 'Charge'. On July 18th, the Battalion was involved in action at Delville Wood and later in October at Flers, where British tanks were first deployed.

On October 12th, at about 10.30 am, the 10th Battalion went over the top for an attack on strongly held enemy positions just to the south of the Butte de Warlencourt. Almost instantly they came under machine gun fire and after gaining little ground, the troops were forced to dig in. During the fighting that day, Private Hector McNeill and 30 other Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were killed in action.

On July 20th 2002 a memorial was unveiled at Longueval on the Somme, dedicated to all the regimental pipers who were killed whilst leading their men into battle during WW1. Details of this memorial can be accessed through the website below which also has a Roll of Honour including the name of Private Hector McNeill. This Roll of Honour sadly also includes the name of his older brother Peter, who was a piper with the Royal Scots and who was killed in action near Gaza on November 6th 1917 : http://membres.lycos.fr/pipersmemorial/

Thiepval Memorial to The Missing

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

[from 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon]

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REGULARS