Island News & Advertiser

island newsEdition 08 October 2012

& ADVERTISER

the facts

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Mairi Thereseand Sgoil Lionacleitstudentsstar in orchestral

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THE FREE MONTHLY NEWSPAPER OF THE HEBRIDES

OPTIMISMOVER FUTUREOF HEBRIDESRANGE

Hebrides Range has been particularly busyfor the past two years and its future looksmore secure for the 16 remaining years ofits current management agreement,according to a QinetiQ spokesman.

Missile firings including High VelocityMissiles eg BVRAAM (Beyond Visual RangeAir to Air Missile) and Rapier missile campshave kept the Range busy with RAF and RoyalNavy clients, in a move away from the Armytraining of former years.

A senior manager from QinetiQ told a recentmeeting of the Hebrides Range Task Force inBenbecula that the MOD and former defenceminister Peter Luff had confirmed theircommitment to the range in future, and thatconsiderable investment in range equipment wasunderway.

He said a multi million investment in a newmicrowave link, telemetry and a trials controlsystem was underway on the Uists and St Kilda,and other work will need to be undertaken forthe buildings.

He said: “The current buildings on St Kildaare believed to have been destined for Aden [now

Taigh Chearsabhagh Trust is looking to strengthen anddiversify its voluntary board with skilled and enthusiastic people

to help us build our organisation for the future.

Taigh Chearsabhaghis looking for Trustees

Since 1995, Taigh Chearsabhagh has been a respected

and thriving Art Gallery & Museum in Lochmaddy in

North Uist. It is an accredited museum and Foundation

Organisation of Creative Scotland.

We are looking to create a pool of willing applicants to our board, so

that vacancies from our AGM in January 2013 can be filled.

We welcome expressions of interest from those with a strong interest

in the Creative and Heritage sectors, and are particularly looking for

enthusiastic and skilled individuals who can bring experience in one or

more of the following fields:

● Business management ● Fundraising ● Law

● Human Resources

● Finance (ideally with an accounting qualification)

● Marketing and Public Engagement

● Health and Safety

To register your interest, please send a copy of your CV with covering

letter in which you explain why you would like to be involved in the

work of Taigh Chearsabhagh to:

Judith Entwisle-Baker

Chair, Taigh Chearsabhagh Trust,

Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre,

Lochmaddy, North Uist, HS6 5AA

All applications will be acknowledged, but application does not guarantee

inclusion on the list, which in turn does not guarantee an invitation to join

the board.

Closing Date for Applications: December 1st 2012www.taigh-chearsabhagh.org

Taigh Chearsabhagh is Registered Charity SC022145

Yemen] in the 1950s and are totally inappropriatefor the climate. They are slowly decaying.Urgent work is being planned for a newinfrastructure, but has not yet started. Howeverapproximately £1million is currently being spenton repairing storm damage to the slipway.”

The manager said that while the skills tooperate new equipment were different from theold ones and staff will need to be trained, he didnot expect the manpower numbers on the rangeto change substantially in future. The rangecurrently employs around 200 people.

He added that two more graduates and fourapprentices were being recruited this year.

He said that the ‘danger area’ surroundingHebrides Range is the biggest in Britain, anotherfactor in its prospect for a good long-term future.

The maintenance of West Camp facilitiespresents a challenge, he added. A nucleus ofabout 10 staff reside there, but occupancy canshoot up to 500 during camps.

He said: “It will cost a lot of money tomaintain the buildings and equally cost a lot totake any of them down, however theaccommodation is needed and no decision hasbeen made yet.”

Superfast

Short breaks close to home Coll, Canna, Tiree

TRAVELPULL-OUTTRAVELPULL-OUT

The MOD buildings on St Kilda.

Significant MODinvestment in Uists and St Kilda

200 local jobs secure for now

The HebridesRange West Camp.

South Uist’s Gaelic music and dance summer school

Ceòlas has been shortlisted for a Highlands and

Islands Tourism Award in the Best Cultural Event

category.

Ceòlas is competing against Kingussie’s Food on Film

Festival, and Historic Scotland’s Celebration of the

Centuries event.

Iain MacDonald of Ceòlas said:“With the continued

progression and building on our successful events

every year it is nice to be recognised for all the hard

work that the very small team do at Ceolas.”

The awards take place on Friday October 5 in the

Drumossie Hotel, Inverness.

Ceòlas won the Best Community Event at the

TradAwards 2008.

island news & ADVERTISER - October 2012 Issue 82

island newsEdition 01 March 2012

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Design: Tim Mason Managing editor: Susy Macaulay Readership 30,000 and growing

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IS THE FREE MONTHLY NEWSPAPER OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES

INB

RIE

FCeolas up for H&I tourism award

MacMillanCoffee Morning

CELEBRATING NATIONAL POETRY DAY

Thursday October 4, Taigh Chearsabhagh, 8pm.

Alex ClunessThe theme this year is “Stars”

What does the word “stars” mean to you?

Please bring poems that chime with the

idea of “stars.”In the second half of the evening, the poet

Alex Cluness will be reading his own

poems and introducing his own stars of the

poetry world.Everyone is welcome to join in these

informal poetry evenings

Come to read or just to listen to good

poetry being read aloud.

Benbecula drainagecommittee reinstatedA committee has been formed to tackle

the longstanding drainage problems

associated with the Benbecula main drain.

For years the drains have not been clearedcausing extensive flooding in winter, withconsequent damage to crofting and flora and fauna.The new committee members are Archie MacDonald (Torlum), Angus

MacDonald (Balivanich), Roddy Henderson (Griminish), Hugh MacCormick(Torlum) and Neil MacPherson (Nunton).Committee chairman Roddy Henderson invites anyone with an interest in

the Benbecula main drain network and its maintenance to contact him:[email protected]

Macmillan Cancer Support is holdinga coffee morning in Carinish Hall, North Uiston Saturday October 6 at 11am. All welcome.

Dear EditorI read your article with interest following the survey which showed that Uistand Harris was the third most expensive place in the world to buy petrol.

This news comes as little surprise. While the Norwegians may pay a fewpence more for fuel their average take home pay is vastly greater than that ofthe average islander.

Given that the vast majority of what we pay at the pumps goes straight to theUK Government in tax, as do all the taxes raised from companies operating inthe North Sea I believe that the UK Government has a duty to act on this matter.

If UK Ministers continue to ignore the on-going campaigns over fuel prices inrural Scotland then they only serve to make the case for fuel revenue to comedirectly to Scotland and for prices at the pump to be influenced by anIndependent Scottish Government, rather than them.

Meanwhile, fuel prices are reaching the stage where they are causing actualhardship for many people who struggle to get to their workplaces, runbusinesses, fuel their fishing boats, or just get to the shop.

I sometimes wonder if Westminister has any idea of the human impact of fuelprices in the islands, and I would encourage your paper to continue tocampaign on this issue.

Yours sincerely,

Alasdair Allan MSPNa h-Eileanan an Iar

A landmark natural history series on theHebrides will air on BBC television fromnext spring.

The series, some three years in themaking, has received ‘the full blue chiptreatment usually reserved for places likethe Arctic and Antarctic” according toproducer Nigel Pope of Maramedia.

Hebrides wildlife TV series to screen next year

This year’s Angus MacleodMemorial Lecture will be given byrenowned Gaelic scholar DonaldMeek on Thursday October 25 inPairc School, Gravir at 7.30pm.Tiree-born Professor Meek hasentitled his lecture (which he willdeliver in English) ‘Pushing at anOpen Door? An Alternative View ofCrofting History and HighlandDevelopment since 1930 from theGaelic Writings of the Rev. Dr T. M.Murchison (1907-84).’

The lecture is co-hosted by Islands Book Trust (IBT), Comunn Eachdraidh na Paircand Angus Macleod’s family.

For more information, please contact John Randall of IBT on 01851 880365.

2012 Angus MacLeod memorial lecture:A revolutionary view of crofting

St Kilda visitor numbers upVisitor numbers to St Kilda

this year are up by almost

1000 on last year to 4,081.

Some 20 cruise ships

landed a total of 1400

passengers, and more than

2,000 visitors came via day

boat services. National Trust for Scotland

Western Isles manager Susan Bain said the

record figure was due to exceptionally good

weather in May and June.

Mr Pope and histeam, includingcameramen JohnAitchison andDoug Andersonspent the past 18months filming on Hebridean islands,including this summer in the Outer Hebrides.

3October 2012 Issue 8 - island news & ADVERTISER

island newsEdition 01 March 2012

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IN&A coverage extends toColl, Canna and Tiree

NEWS ABOUT YOUR PAPER

As islanders we’re curious about other islands

and how they function.

We have much in common and face many of thesame challenges, yet we often don’t know much

about each other.

IN&A believes that unity is strength when it comes to being viewed as

remote and out of sight out of mind by mainland dwellers, so this month we

begin editorial coverage of our neighbours Coll, Tiree and Canna.

We celebrate this new relationship with a four page travel supplement

highlighting these islands as great destinations for short breaks from our

shores, whether by ferry or by air from Oban with Hebridean Air Services.

Our new page Neighbours will be a regular feature, and we’d like to

thank the communities of Canna, Coll and Tiree for their willingness to

be part of our newspaper.

Turn to page 8.

The sudden withdrawal of thecommunity skip service has causeddismay among Southern Isles residents.

The service which saw skips for thedisposal of bulky household waste rotatedaround townships was credited withstopping fly-tipping around the islands.

CnES has withdrawn the service inresponse to ‘serious concerns’ raised by theHealth and Safety Executive (HSE) duringa programmed inspection of theComhairle’s Waste Service.

HSE officer Jean Edgar said: “The healthand safety risks to council employees andmembers of the public, particularlychildren, who may be potentially attractedto such sites, appears to have been largelyoverlooked or ignored.”

A Comhairle spokesman said: “Therehave been no instances of injured children

as far as we are aware but that doesn’tprevent our obligations as highlighted byHSE. It was clear from theuncompromising nature of the letter fromthe Health and Safety Executive that theservice in its current format was notsustainable and has had to be temporarilywithdrawn.”

The Comhairle says current financialconstraints rule out providing moreHousehold Waste Recycling Centres in theWestern Isles.

HSE requires community skips to befenced and manned, and Ms Edgar’s reportsuggested that these responsibilities shouldbe devolved to the local communities.

The Comhairle says a number of pilotprojects will be set up in consultation withlocal community groups, ‘ideallycommunity councils or other groups

previously involved in the management ofthe community skip service.”

North Uist councillor Neil Beaton said:“At the moment the preferred option is aroving skip around the townships withmonitoring of what is going into the skips. Ican see the point of some of the health andsafety concerns but the overall result is toodraconian.”

Resident Jean Branagan was one of manypeople who contactedIN&A to express theirconcern.

She said: “Thecouncillors should stand upto HSE. HSE shows acomplete lack ofunderstanding of whatgoes on in ruralcommunities. It’s different

COMMUNITY SKIP WITHDRAWAL DISMAY

Residents of Cnoc An Torraintownship, North Uist, turnedout to fill in all 84 potholes onthe road which runs along LochSandary between Cnoc anTorrain and Balemartin.

The initiative was set up by localcouncillor Neil Beaton who haslong campaigned to have thecouncil fill in the ruts.

He said: “In the current economic climate and with a roadsbudget of only £27,000 for all the Southern Isles, it was clearthat the road would never get done. I spoke to DonnieJohnson from the roads department and he agreed to supply

No1 filler for us to fill up the holes.”Mr Beaton said he initially asked if the labouring could be

done by people under Community Payback orders, but he wastold there were not enough available.

He said: “The material costs around £1800, but the labourwould have cost up to £3,000. Everybody’s pulling togetherto do it. I think this is what a number of other townships willhave to look at to get things done.”

Local crofters were roped in, and their visitors were notexempted.

Evelyn, Iona and Euan MacDonald, visiting their father 86year old Angus ‘Moy’, wielded shovels while their brotherHamish worked the tractor. Fergus John MacBain and MrBeaton also laboured and John Allan Maclellan of Hougharrydonated his services on the roller.

Cnoc An Torrain township repairs 84 pothole road

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from the cities. “Do we want to go back to the old days

where people tipped stuff into the waterbecause they had no choice?

“This will have bad repercussions, theplace will look desperately untidy with stuffrotting in the gardens and around the croft,and that certainly will be dangerous.”

Have your say:[email protected]

Iona and Evelyn MacDonaldand Neil Beaton tackle thepotholes.


In a new pilot scheme for remote andrural areas, seven S5 and S6 pupilsfrom Sgoil Lionacleit and three fromSgoil Bagh a’Chaisteil have embarkedon an SQA Skills for Work HealthSector qualification to run alongsidetheir existing school studies.

The group undertook a residentialweek this summer in Stornoway atStirling University’s Western Islescampus, doing theory, group work,simulated practice and socialactivities. In February, the fledglingnurses will undertake a workexperience week on the wards of theirlocal hospital, observing nurses atwork, and chaperoned by a third yearstudent ‘buddy’.

The two year pilot project isdesigned to support recruitment intonursing in the Highlands and Islands.

The scheme is funded by NHSEducation for Scotland, and run byStirling University on their Highlandand Western Isles campuses inconjunction with the local authoritiesand local health boards.

Stirling University’s lead nurse forrecruitment and retention based in itsHighland campus in Inverness isIsobel Chisholm.

She said: “It gives young people inremote areas the opportunity to getwork experience in their local healthsector. We have been inundated withrequests and increased our Western

Isles places from three to ten, withpeople already asking about nextyear.”

Fifth year Sgoil Lionacleit studentMairi MacInnes, 16, said she hadbeen thinking about going intonursing from a young age and thatthe course was a great opportunity.

She said: “I was diagnosed withdiabetes when I was six, so I havespent a lot of time in and out ofhospital seeing how good the doctorsand nurses are with everyone. Thecourse is 160 hours on top of my fourHighers, so it’s a lot of work, but Iam planning to stay on for sixth yearand then apply to do nursing,preferably midwifery.”

Opportunities for home workers in the Southern Isles

North Harris Trust is running a series of

walks to witness the spectacular red

deer rut this autumn.

Guided by ranger Matt Watts, you will be

able to watch the stags fighting to defend

their harem of hinds, hear their spine-

chilling roaring and learn about Britain’s

largest land mammal and the

management of the North Harris deer herd.

The Grade B walks take place at

Crabhadail on Thursday October 18, 10 to

2.30 pm; Ulladail on Saturday 27, 10am -

3pm; Langadail on Thursday November 1

between 10am and 2pm.

For full details contactthe North Harris Ranger Serviceon 01859 502222or email [email protected]

ROARING AND RUTTING IN HARRIS

Budding nurses. Centre: Mairi MacInnes Left to right Mando Mphande,Emma MacDonald, Joanne MacLennan, Hannah Campbell, Katy MacLellan.

Ten Southern Isles pupilsare preparing to becomethe nurses of the futureeven while they are still atschool.

Isles pupilsin pre -nursing pilot

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New brand will ‘benefit all isles”

FORSALE:

Southern Isles residents are being urged toget their names onto a skills register held byHighlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) forhomeworking jobs currently availableacross the UK.

The jobs involve working for financial serviceslike insurance providers, catalogue companieslike Littlewoods and K & Co (formerly Kays);boiler servicing companies and even a companyhelping people create photobooks.

The main requirement is good customerservice skills and the ability to talk to customersover the phone. Financial services and foreignlanguage skills are a bonus. The hiringcompanies provide training.

Most of the jobs are salaried, some are forself-employed people.

HIE senior business development managerDonnie Morrison said to date the HIE skillsregister has one person in Barra and two from Uist.

He said: “These are real jobs, very flexible,and ranging in commitment from around 15hours per week. Pay starts at around £8 an hour.You decide when you want to work, basedaround your availability.”

Mr Morrison added there are currently 145jobs available and that interested parties shouldregister on the HIE website: from the Homepage go to Highlands & Islands>GrowthSectors>Business services>Skills Register.

Islanders come with a natural advantage, hesaid. “It’s well recognised that a Highland lilt isgreatly admired within the contact centreindustry.”

The recently launched Outer Hebrides marketingbrand will benefit the whole island chain,according toOuter Hebrides Tourism Industry Association(OHTIA).

Visitors will be encouraged to view the islands as onedestination, with island-hopping encouraged.

OHTIA chairman Ian Fordham said: “There isrecognition in the industry that you have to work as oneglobal destination. Individual isles don’t have that kindof critical mass. By this kind of joined-up thinking, wewant people to view the Outer Hebrides as onedestination and to travel throughout the isles, maybeover several holidays. We are flagging up the uniqueselling points of each island and encouraging people tomove around.”

He added: “Providers in one island don’t have toworry about people moving off their island, becausethere will be more coming in from other islands.”

OHTIA says the strapline Outer Hebrides:Experience Life on the Edge sums up the unique andrich diversity of the islands’ environment and culture.

The group plans to launch their new Visit OuterHebrides website before Christmas. It will have pages foreach individual island, with a free basic listing for everybusiness and residents encouraged to take possession oftheir page by entering information for visitors.


Norman has been a joiner for 30years, learning his trade from hisfather and uncle, Hughson Bros,who built the first kit houses onthe islands, including in Harrisand the Uists.

Norman is now offering a bespoke service inthe Southern Isles for kitchens, bathrooms,

doors, windows,floors and Norscottimber frame homes.Wide selection ofkitchens, freedesign service.

QUALITY WORKMANSHIP,CRAFTMANSHIPAND RELIABILITYNorman says: “I pride myself on

maintaining a good and lasting

relationship with all my customers.

I relish the opportunity of coming

to work in the Uists and if

business takes off in the

Southern Isles, I’d like to

employ local tradesmen to

bring you my high standards

of reliability and workmanship.”

N. HUGHSON JOINERKitchen looking tired? Now’s the time to put it in thecapable hands of Norman Hughson for a makeover.

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Tel: 01851 701315 / 07717 [email protected] www.normanhughson.co.uk

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UHI EXPANSIONPLANS FOR UIST

Speaking on a recent visit to theSouthern Isles, Mr MacMillan saidthe Uists offered a uniqueopportunity for the ambitions ofUHI as a university.

He said partnership working withorganisations like TaighChearsabhagh, Ceòlas and Cothromprovides “a wonderful opportunity todevelop and build upon theuniqueness of Uist.”

Mr MacMillan, who is originallyfrom South Uist, said: “The Uistshave one major advantage, and thatis a clear identity. Uist is Uist, unlikethe Outer Hebrides or Eilean Siarwhere the identities get a bit lost.From Berneray to Eriskay we havesomething in common, a sense ofcommunity that extends beyond thetownships and villages to the islandsas a whole.”

He said that the existingspecialisms like Art and Music

available on the islands are the coreelements from which UHI should beable to build other universityactivities like archaeology, Scottishhistory and literature.

Mr MacMillan said he wasdeveloping UHI’s partnership withTaigh Chearsabhagh so that bothorganisations can help one anotherfulfill their requirement to provideeducational opportunities.

He said UHI has been formalisingits partnership with Ceòlas andpraised Ceòlas’ ambition for acultural centre in Daliburgh.

He said: “It’s clear that thegovernment’s preferred way ofmoving forward is in partnershipwith UHI. But we need something inLochmaddy and something in thesouth. We can’t do anything thatdamages anywhere else, we’ve got toadd to what’s happening and makeourselves stronger by workingtogether.”

Mr MacMillan said the currentlimited studio space andaccommodation shortage needimaginative solutions, as doestransport for students over such awidespread area as the Uists.

He added: “We must be bold interms of ambition. It’s clear thatstudents want to come here, and wemust ask them how we make itmore attractive and easier to behere, especially in terms ofaccommodation and travel.”

Meanwhile Mr MacMillanstressed the current opportunities inthe Southern Isles to study distance-learning courses via video-conferencing facilities in BenbeculaCollege and Taigh Chearsabhagh.

Mr MacMillan said: “Distancelearning courses have beenavailable here for some time but weare expanding that capability withan extra VC at TaighChearsabhagh.”

UHI archaeology degree modules are now available via

UHI’s new video conferencing facility in the research

room at Taigh Chearsabhagh, Lochmaddy, North Uist.

Students can choose from three honours degrees which are

available across the whole UHI network: Archaeology,

Scottish History and Archaeology, Archaeology and

Environmental Studies.

The courses can be taken full time, or part-time structured or

unstructured.

A postgraduate MLitt in Archaeology is also available on a

similar flexible basis.

Former regional archaeologist Mary MacLeod will be

academic tutor to anyone wishing to embark on one of

these courses.

She said:“Lews Castle is the second biggest centre for

archaeology study in UHI, with fifty students at the moment.”

Two A levels or three Highers at C level are required, or

access can be gained via interview if you have a different

background.

Online enrolment is available via UHI Lews Castle Collegewebsite. Ms MacLeod can be reached [email protected].

Distant time,distance learning

Expansion through local partnerships is theway forward for growing the UHI presence inthe Uists, according to UHI Lews CastleCollege principal, Iain MacMillan.

A variety of UHI archaeology courses are available in the Western Isles.

WildlifeWildlife


The giant hawkmothtrapped in Carinish.

Some 6,500 books are held in thecollection, which is open to the public everyThursday between 5 and 8pm.

Librarian Kathleen Milne said: “We haven’tenough space to keep everything out on theshelves, so we have to move books on.

“The reserve collection contains those thatare too old and tattered and precious to moveon, and rarer, out of print titles.

“Sometimes new books just don’t satisfythe way old favourites do, and there are allkinds to be found in the collection. “In classic crime, you’ll find authors such as

Josephine Tey, Marjory Allingham (theCampion detective series) and LeslieCharteris (The Saint series), not to forgetAgatha Christie, as well as more currentcrime titles.

“Sci-fi and fantasy never seem to go out offashion. We find dedicated readers are verygood at searching out older titles, rather thansticking to the new releases. We have a bigcollection of these including Ursula Le Guin,Michael Moorcock, Ben Bova, AnneMcCaffrey and HG Wells, to name but a few.”

Ms Milne added: “Historical books areperennial favourites including CatherineCookson, Georgette Heyer and DorothyDunnett.”

The reserve collection also containsclassics by Dickens, Hardy, John Buchan and

Artificial burrows

have been deployed

to help understand

the decline of Leach’s

storm-petrels in St

Kilda.

The petrels are one of

the rarest seabirds in

Britain, with St Kilda

hosting 94% of the

known breeding population.

A study on Dun, one of the St Kilda islands in 1999

found 45,000 pairs of petrels, but by 2003 the number

had halved. The population continues to decline.

In an attempt to find out what is happening to the

birds, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) which

manages St Kilda, the Joint Nature Conservation

Committee and inverness College joined forces to

create wooden nesting boxes from which to monitor

the petrels’ behaviour over the breeding season.

Early prototypes proved unpopular with the petrels

for being too palatial. The birds like to breed in

hollows and cracks in the rocks.

A smaller, more cramped nest box was designed, and

crafted by Inverness carpentry students.

In field tests this season on St Kilda, the petrels took to

the boxes and one fluffy chick has emerged, the first

ever Leach’s storm-petrel to hatch in an artificial burrow.

Gina Prior, St Kilda’s Seabird and Marine Ranger said:

“To have such success in the first year of the project is

extremely rewarding for everyone involved and

shows the importance of continuing this work in the

years to come. We hope that the presence of the birds

in these new nest boxes will enable us to gain a

better understanding of the cause of their decline.”

RARE PLOVER SPOTTEDIN SOUTH UISTThe third ever UK sighting of a Semipalmated

Plover was observed in South Uist last month.

John Kemp spotted the North American wader on the

shore between South Glendale and the Eriskay

causeway.

Local naturalist Steve Duffield

said:“It’s the New World

equivalent of our Ringed Plover,

and migrates as far as Patagonia

in winter.

“It’s very similar in all plumages

although the call is different

being a “chu-itt”. Plumage-wise

the main difference is that the brown mask meets the

bill at the upper mandible and a narrow strip of white

extends above the gape of the bill whereas on Ringed

Plover this brown mask meets the bill at the gape and

therefore lacks the narrow white strip. Other subtle

differences include a stubbier, shorter bill, slightly

smaller overall size and palmations between the toes.”

MASSIVE MOTH TRAPPEDIN NORTH UISTSteve Duffield writes:“We trapped this beastie – a

Convolvulus Hawkmoth at Carinish overnight

23rd/24th August. It is the 6th (known) record of this

moth for the Outer Hebrides.

“It is an immigrant species into the UK with most records

coming from the south and south-east of the country

although it can occur anywhere. It is found between

June and December in this country but is generally

scarce or rare depending on the year. It first migrates to

southern Europe from Africa (where it is resident) and

breeds.The offspring from these moths then move north

with some reaching Britain in the late summer and

autumn depending on weather conditions.

“It has a wingspan of 8 – 12 cm. The one in the

photograph was around 11 cm. It measured 7 cm from

the nose to the wing tip. As an adult it feeds on

bindweeds, Convolvulaceae, with a very long

proboscis that is longer than the length of its body.”

More on moths of the Outer Hebrides and recent birdsightings can be found on Steve’s website:www.western-isles-wildlife.com.

ARTIFICIAL BURROWSAID PETREL RESEARCH

Discover old favourites in the reserve collection

The rare plover spotted inSouth Uist.

Fans of old books displaced from thelibrary shelves by new releases stand agood chance of finding their favouritesin the Western Isles Reserve Collection,held in Stornoway Library.

Graham Greene, and Scottish novelists likeWilliam Black and Stornoway-born AgnesMure Mackenzie. Action and adventurewriters Douglas Reeman and Patrick O Brien

feature also along with slightly older titles bycurrent authors such as James Patterson andRobert Goddard.

Ms Milne said: “Anyone can check thelibrary catalogue to see what books we havein stock - http://lib-cat.cne-siar.gov.uk/#focus– and request books from their local library.Requested items are travelling around ourbranches all the time, whether in Stornowaystock and requested in Castlebay, or inLionacleit stock and requested in Shawbost.”

As from November 1, Stornoway librarywill go live with a new computermanagement system making it easier tocheck the online catalogue and request andrenew books online. The remaining WesternIsles libraries should have the new system upand running by the end of March next year.

A petrel in its wooden nest box.

The Reserve Collection in Stornoway library.


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There is no disagreement: fastreliable broadband is crucial forthe sustainability and economicdevelopment of these islands.

IN&A sets out how the future looks forgetting fast broadband to everyonein our communities.

WHAT IS NEXT GENERATION BROADBAND(NGB)?NGB is the superfast broadband. UK Government

wants to see NGB in 95% of the country, improving the

remote delivery of public services, enabling new forms

of remote working and remote education in rural

communities.

WHO WILL DELIVER IT?Highlands and Island Enterprise (HIE) is tasked by the

UK government to do this in our region.

HIE says it is committed to delivering NGB to all parts

of the Highlands and Islands, in a project “designed to

lay the foundations to meet the Scottish Government’s

target of world-class NGB by 2020, and delivering a

significant first step towards the 2015 target of

providing 85-90% of premises in Scotland with 40-

80Mbps broadband and the rest with 2Mbps or

better.”

HOW?HIE’s project will cost between £200m and £300m. The

Scottish Government has allocated £120m for the

project. BT is now the preferred bidder, but

negotiations are still ongoing.

STUMBLING BLOCKS TO IMMEDIATE FASTBROADBAND

BackhaulBackhaul is the capacity of the link between the

islands and the mainland link to the internet. It is

extremely limited in the amount of traffic it can

handle.

IT expert Angus Doyle explains:“If you imagine the

network traffic inter-island being an eight lane

highway, only then to be pushed down a single track

road as it leaves the islands. This causes the bottleneck

effect which results in slower access to the internet. It

is a major stumbling block to economic growth here.”

Outdated technology in BT enabledexchangesThe two broadband-enabled exchanges in the

Southern Isles, Benbecula and Lochboisdale work on

ADSLMax technology, which means that the

broadband speed reduces the further away you are

from the exchange. Anyone living more than around

seven miles from the exchange is unlikely to have BT

coverage.

SOLUTIONS

Undersea CableAn undersea fibre cable is planned from Gairloch to

Ullapool, travelling down right the islands and going

across to Skye.

HIE senior development manager Donnie Morrison

says:“The cost is eye-watering, but until we get that it

is not possible to upgrade or increase capacity. It is not

likely to be in place before 2014/2015.”

ADSL2+ Through Broadband -enabled telephone exchangesAngus Doyle says: “ADSL has come a long way since

ADSLMax and were BT to upgrade the exchanges with

ADSL2+ then the bandwidth could effectively be

increased to 20mbps without the need for expensive

fibre. This would also potentially extend the range to

up to 20miles from the exchange giving 90% coverage

to the Uists. The costs associated with this kind of

upgrade is minimal in comparison to fibreoptic.

However we have no confirmation from BT that they

are considering this.”

HIE’S PROPOSED TIMETABLE - SUBJECT TOSIGNING CONTRACT WITH BT WHICH ISEXPECTED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR

● 2013 – Rollout to begin

● 2014 – Minimum of 50 settlements in the region

connected and receiving NGB services. Backhaul

‘points of presence’ (PoPs) established across the

Highlands and Islands area;

● 2015 – 20km radius covered from each of a minimum

of 50 settlements and 2Mbps coverage to all;

● 2017 – NGB coverage progress check; and

2020 – NGB to all.

UNTIL THEN…For those not currently on a broadband-enabled BT

exchange there are two simple choices at the moment.

Hebrides.net offers 0.5mbps (half a megabit) with a

15GB limit. Not 100% coverage in the islands.

Satellite broadband offering from 8mbps with 8GB

limit. Installation fee. 100% coverage across the

islands and even at sea. Local firms offer

installation.

The mobile phone networks have no

plans to supply 3G or 4G broadband

to the islands at this time.

The investments in HIE’s Connected CommunitiesProject which led to Hebrides.net meant BT lost outon a major source of funding and has therefore beenunable to expand its broadband service cost effectivelyto those exchanges not already covered.

Hebrides.net has provided a basic broadband service tothose not covered by ADSL, and whilst its concept wasa great one back when it started, it’s just not enough tomeet the demand for speed and efficiency now, simplyput it’s “Dial Up for the 21st Century”. TheConnected Communities rollout has been expensiveand time consuming, and still not complete. Thepeople need a faster broadband service that is reliableand accessible 24/7, for this to happen the ConnectedCommunities project needs to be rethought for the 21st

Century or abandoned in favour of an over copper orfibre solution from the like of BT.

Thankfully there is possible light at the end of thetunnel. Due to the investment across the islands inrenewable technologies there is a need to increase thepower distribution capacity. There are plans to laynew electric cable to the mainland, there will also befibre links laid at the same time. It would make sensefor BT Openreach to run its own fibre cable at the sametime, which would increase the island bandwidthexponentially, effectively future proofing the telecomsinfrastructure.

NextgenerationNextgeneration

C O M M E N T


NeighboursNeighboursFèis Chanaidh 2012They came from Barra, South Uist, Eriskay, Mallaig,Elgol, Fort William and Lochaber to join Canna’sresident population of 13 for five days.Canna’s second ever Fèis welcomedmore than 180 people to enjoy aweek of music, dance, crafts,folklore and stories.

From South Uist, a team from Cèolasbrought the benefit of their experience,along with Mairi MacInnes who sharedher recipe for the traditional Michaelmasbannock, Bill Innes who shared tales ofhis childhood and island pilot escapades,and Katie Mary McIntosh who taught

Gaelic at the start and finish of every day. Margaret Bennett hosted workshops on

the Canna emigrations to Canada and ranspinning and dyeing sessions completewith waulking songs.

Local resident Julie McCabe hadeveryone collecting natural products todye home-spun wool and also ranspinning, knitting and weaving sessions.

Among the many highlights were localhistory walks, tours of Canna House withMagda Sagarzazu and a croft and

farmland walk hosted by Canna farmerGeraldine MacKinnon.

Gillebride MacMillan gave lessons on“Puirt a Buel” (mouth music) and thosewho took part went on to form the veryfirst Canna Gaelic choir.

The week finished with the mainceilidh, attended by more than 150 people.

Stewart Connor, National Trust forScotland Property Manager, Canna said:

“The Canna Community would like tothank Ceòlas Uibhist for their great help

in making the fèis a success and inparticular Mary Schmoller for all herhard work. Also the National Trust forScotland, Caledonian MacBrayne andlocal restaurant the Gille Brighde fortheir sponsorship, Charlie MacKinnonfrom Fort William for arranging theSaturday numbers and all who attended.

Creative Scotland is funding the fèis forthe next two years, so here’s to the nextone, which will be on or around the firsttwo weeks in August 2013.”

A remark by a 13 year old boy in achildren’s hospice touched Tireehotel worker Stephen-HenryPearson so profoundly that heresolved to fundraise to helpchildren with life-limiting illnesses.

Stephen-Henry, known to allas Pearson, was visiting RobinHouse, the Children’s HospiceAssociation Scotland (CHAS)hospice in Balloch with a

colleague. They were playing computergames with the young lad, when he pausedthe game to say: “It means a lot that you arehere to play with me. I know I’m in here todie, but until that day, I intend to live.”

The boy’s words haunted 25 year oldPearson, and he came up with the idea of

musician and singer Isobel Rutter, alsofrom Tiree is the after-dinner speaker.

The menu is Scottish themed, and theattire Scottish.

Pearson said: “I’ve had so much supportfrom the Marriott, and also Cal Mac whoare putting the poster on the ferries, andreally good prizes are coming in for theraffle. In my heart I want to raise £10,000for CHAS, so I’m still looking for sponsorsto help out.”

Tickets cost £40 per person, are for over18s only and must be pre-purchased. TheMarriott is offering a special double roomrate of £85 (single £75) including breakfastfor those attending the event.

For more information contact Pearson [email protected] or visit his Facebookpage facebook.com/soundforchas

Canna’s first ever shop opened in

March and has subsequently raised

more than £3,000 to help the

community fund a high speed

broadband connection.

The Buth Na Co-Chomann is run and

managed on a voluntary basis by

community members.

Situated by the pier, the unmanned

shop supplies local produce including

food and crafts, with payments made

using a record book and honesty box.

With 9,000 visitors to the island each

year, the buth has shown a tidy profit.

The takings, coming in at £2,500 to

£3,000 each month are divided among

the producers, with 20% going to the

community association.

The income is being used to replace

Canna’s existing expensive satellite

broadband with high speed terrestrial

wireless broadband supplied by Eigg

Community Interest Company Hebnet,

in an initiative to link all the Small Isles.

Canna community shoptakings help fund islandbroadband

TIREE MAN FUNDRAISES FOR CHILDREN’S HOSPICES organising Sound for CHAS, a dinner andceilidh evening to raise funds for CHAS.Pearson is originally from Glasgow andwas working in the fairground business atthe time, touring galas and fairs with acandy floss stall and other attractions.

He brought his candy floss stall to Tireefor the agricultural show this year- andended up falling in love with island, stayingon and getting work in the Tiree LodgeHotel.

After making the move, Pearsonembarked on organising his big CHASfundraiser.

The event will take place on February 23in the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow and hasbeen organised with a Tiree twist.

The band is Gunna Sound, led by Tiree’sCampbell Brown. Popular actress,

Coll seeks dark sky statusColl’s starry skies could be turned into a majortourist attraction if its application for Dark Skystatus is successful.

Residents have applied for Coll to become Scotland’s first

dark skies island. Galloway Forest Park is the only other

official dark sky site in the country.

Coll has no street lights and very little else in the way of

light pollution. Stargazing sites have already been

earmarked and an application to the International Dark-

Sky Association is well underway.

The hope is that having dark skies status will help attract

astronomers from further afield outside the peak tourism

season. Last month, Dave Chalton of Dark Sky Scotland

visited the island to hold a series of activities aimed at

encouraging stargazing. Around 100 people attended the

events, which included an indoor planetarium, rocket-

making workshops and meteorite handling. Organisers

hope that this can be repeated and that Coll will become a

beacon for those in search of unpolluted skies.

New communitycentre andbunkhouse for CollColl has a brand new multi-purposecentre and 14 bed bunkhouse.

The centre is called An Cridhe,meaning ‘the heart’, and was officiallyopened by HRH Princess Anne thissummer.

Located in the village of Arinagour, it ismanaged by Development Coll, theisland’s own community developmentorganisation.

As well as being used by local peopleand visitors, it will act as a businesscentre to provide opportunities for localenterprise. It will also be a place forsocial gatherings and provide thecommunity with sports facilities, musicand exhibition space.

The new bunkhouse provides qualityhostel accommodation, an ongoing

source of revenue for the communitycentre.

The population of Coll has experiencedan increase in population by over 60percent in the last 30 years and currentlystands at approximately 220.

The purchase of the land andconstruction of the £2.5 millioncommunity centre and bunkhouse wasfunded by European RegionalDevelopment Funding, BIG Lottery,sportscotland, Highlands and IslandsEnterprise (HIE), Community EnergyScotland, Argyll and Bute Council andScottish Natural Heritage.

Princess Anne with some of the developmentteam.

island news& ADVERTISER

Adventure, beauty,history, great hospitalityand great food- our island neighbours have it all.

And they’re closer than you think!

TRAVELSPECIAL

with a short breakclose to home

Discover the joys ofCanna,Colland Tiree

MAKE THE MOST OF THEOCTOBER HOLIDAYS

TRAVELSPECIAL

island news& ADVERTISERII

Hebridean Air ServicesHebridean Air Serviceswww.hebrideanair.co.uk 0845 805 7465SCHEDULED AND CHARTER SERVICES Oban - Coll Oban - Tiree Oban - Colonsay Oban - Islay Coll - Tiree Colonsay - Islay

THIS MONTH the sunshine islandof the Inner Hebrides welcomeswind-surfers from all over the worldfor the famous Tiree Wave Classic.

The week-long Tiree Wave Classic,Britain’s most prestigious windsurfingcompetition, starts on October 13. It’snow in its 26th year, with organisersexpecting another world-class field,with 45 amateurs and at least 10 pros.

The competition forms the crucialthird leg of the British WavesailingAssociation’s UK Wave Tour.

Already this year there have beenevents in Wales and Ireland, withWelshman Phil Horrocks leadingthe professional standings ahead of

John Skye and Jamie Hancock.As well as the professional fleet, last

year’s event in Tiree attracted thelargest number of amateur entrantsever assembled on the island.

“We’ve loved seeing so many faceslast year for the 25th anniversary, andwe had a brilliant week of action,”said Jim Brooks-Dowsett, eventorganiser.“We’re looking forward toseeing them back again this year –and many more besides,”he said.

Tir

ee

Make the most of the October holidays with a short break close to home

Registration for this year’s eventis now open atwww.tireewaveclassic.co.uk

Everybody’s going windsurfing...TRAVELSPECIAL

island news& ADVERTISER IIITRAVELSPECIALC

oll


The Call of CollSo what makes Coll sospecial? For a start, this is athriving community.

Unlike many other Hebrideanislands, numbers are on the rise -and how! Now standing atapproximately 220, up by around60% over the last thirty years, thepopulation is young and vibrant.The local primary school, close tooverflowing, tells its own story.

Quite simply, Coll has a charmthat tends to get under your skin.

Ambling from beach to beach(there are 23 in total) encountersof the human kind are few andfar between. At around 13 mileslong and 3 miles wide the island

is a great size for getting out andabout on foot or by bike - bigenough to find your own peaceand quiet but small enough sothat you don’t get lost!

Nature and wildlife featurehighly amongst reasons to visitColl. Birdlife flourishes under theprotection of the RSPB, includingthe rare corncrake and residentflocks of greylag geese. Themachair moorland on the reservealso provides breeding habitat forsnipe, dunlin, lapwing andredshank whilst raptors such ashen harrier, peregrine, short-eared owl and merlin can bespotted.

The waters around Coll are ahotspot for basking sharksthroughout the summer, so muchso that Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH) has recently begun atagging programme aimed atcharting their movements. SNHalso work to protect the fragileecology of Coll, most notably themany rare species of flower suchas Irish Lady’s Tresses and theHebridean Spotted Orchid. Therich biodiversity also includesseveral types of bee including theGreat Yellow Bumblebee.

The Isle of Coll is the traditionalhome of a sept of the clan Maclean,signified by the two castles which

dominate the head of BreachachaBay. The island’s earlier heritagecan be seen in the Bronze Agecrannogs (artificial islands) locatedthroughout the lochans. Standingstones, such as the mysteriouslynamed ‘Na Sgeulachan’(Teller ofTales) at Totronald, are Coll’searliest recorded monuments,dated c.2500 BC.

Despite its remote setting, Collis relatively well connected withdaily ferries during the summermonths and flights from Obanthree times a week. There is nowa variety of accommodation fromB&Bs and the Coll Hotel, to thenewly opened Coll Bunkhouse,not to mention the campsite anda range of self-catering cottages.

With the opening of the newcommunity centre, An Cridhe, thereare events and functionsthroughout the year from ceilidhsand concerts to fishing competitionsand the half-marathon.With so much going onthere’s simply never been abetter time to visit Coll.Images courtesy of VisitScotland. visitscotland.com/surprise

island news& ADVERTISERIV TRAVELSPECIAL


Can

na You Canna Beat It

Open to the public to coincide with ferry sailings

on Wednesdays and Saturdays

Why not immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty

and history of Canna with a stay in one of our

self-catering

cottages, or

Kate’s, our

hill Bothy

which

sleeps 8?

anna House was a cherished family home for many

years and remains much as its celebrated last occupants,

John Lorne Campbell and Margaret Fay Shaw left it

TAIGH CHANAIDH - CANNA HOUSE

For NTS accommodation call 0844 493 2108

C

Enjoy a guided tour of this fascinating time

capsule, including elements of the Campbell and

Shaw collections

VISITING the jewel in the Small Isle’s crown makes a perfectweekend break from the Uists, writes Susy Macaulay.

IN&AOfferWith this voucher,10%offRay Perman’sThe Man Who GaveAway His Island(pub. Birlinn, rrp £12.99)

at Taigh Chearsabhagh,North Uist andMacGillivray’s,Benbecula.

Canna is now owned bythe National Trust forScotland (NTS) and itsmanager Stewart Connor isthere to greet us.

As we walk up to CannaHouse – the good thingabout a day trip to Canna isyou can walk everywhere if you’re averagely fit- he points outlandmarks of interest, including Rhu Church of Scotland, built byJohanna’s grandparents and modelled after the old Irish round-tower churches. It was consecrated in 1914. We go in and standsilently by her grandparents’ grave.

Canna House is much as it was when John Lorne Campbellhanded the island to NTS. It’s easy to imagine how it must havebeen in its heyday with Campbell and his wife Margaret Fay Shawentertaining guests from around the world, drawn to them by theircharisma and scholarship.

Magda Sargazazu comes to meet us and show us round the house.She says: “I remember the house full of music and laughter.”Magda,

a gentle Basque woman, firstcame to the island with herfamily fifty years ago. Heradmiration for theCampbells and passion forCanna has lead to her livingpermanently on the islandand working as archivist totheir prodigious collectionsof music and writings.Johanna has brought with

her some of her father’s diaries. She reads some excerpts to afascinated Magda.

We wander up to the fank where members of the McKinnonfamily are hard at work tagging sheep. The McKinnons have beenon Canna for generations and their livestock is highly prized bymainland buyers. Johanna, herself a hill farmer in Perthshire, isimpressed.

“Nice fat lambs, good tight skins”she observes of the Cheviotscoming through the fank ready to head to the next sale in Dingwall.

Rhu Church of Scotland

Johanna and Magda outside CannaHouse.

We set sail from Mallaig in the mist, but as we reach Rum just over an hour later a rainbow is pushing apart theclouds to reveal glimpses of Kinloch Castle. A knot of walkers disembarks for an island camp-over, and we sail on.A further hour later, a rainbow splits the clouds again to reveal the gentle slopes and skerries of the Small Isles’most westerly island.

It’s a Saturday and we have from 10am until 6.30pm to explore Canna.My companion sets foot on Canna for the first time in her life. It’s an emotional moment. She has tried to landthere twice before, and failed. Now on a calm day with sunshine just dominatingthe mist, she walks for the first time onthe island her father once owned.

I’m with Johanna Frampton, neeThom. The Thom family owned Cannafrom 1881- 1938, and although Johannawas born after her father Robert sold theisland to John Lorne Campbell, thatperiod in her family’s history and theisland’s mark upon her father has givenher cause for deep thought over the years.

Getting to Canna from the Uists is surprisingly straightforward - sailto Uig, leave the car at Armadale, and take the ferry to Mallaig.There you must spend the night, but the town has a full range ofaccommodation, best book in advance.

The ferry to Canna leaves at 07.30 on Saturdays.You arrive at10am and have until 18.30 on the island. The ferry has a goodcanteen, but you might need refreshments for your day ashore. TheGille Bridghe restaurant , famed for its local produce and manydelicious ways with rabbit, was closed when we were there, but isopen in the autumn, check their website.

Stewart Connor says: “Canna is all about peace and tranquility.Come and soak up the atmosphere away from traffic and mobilephones. All the historical sites are within easy walking distance,you can walk right round the island and take in the spectacularscenery and wildlife. Canna is special.”

Until October 20, there are plenty of Mallaig-Armadale ferries,and an 18.15 sailing on Sundays to see you home from Uig. Theservice continues in reduced form over the winter, check theCalMac site.


CroftingCrofting‘Grazing constables’must reporton the condition of crofts

They must also report on “any othermatter the Commission may require”although it is not clear at presentwhether the Commission will actuallybe requiring any other information tobe reported on.

Where a grazing committee consider that acrofter is not complying with the duty toreside within 32 km of their croft or aremisusing or neglecting their croft or not

cultivating and maintaining their croft thenthis must also be reported. The report mayalso include information on any other matteraffecting the common grazing or crofting inany township associated with the grazing, asthe committee consider appropriate.

The report requires to be submitted to theCrofting Commission as soon asreasonably practicable after the end of thefirst year of the relevant section of the

Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010coming into force (which was 1 October2011) and every 5 years thereafter.

It perhaps now makes ‘GrazingConstable’ a very apt title. So if you are amember of a grazing committee you willhave to consider your duties to report suchmatters to the Crofting Commission assoon as reasonably practicable after 1October 2012. And if you are a crofter and

you spot a member of the grazingcommittee inspecting your croft you willnow know what they are up to.

It is understood that the CroftingCommission are creating an easy to useform to facilitate this reportingrequirement. It is assumed that this will beissued by them to Grazing Clerks forcompletion and return and/or be madeavailable for download on their website.

From 1 October 2012 a grazing committee is obliged to report to the Crofting Commissionon the condition of the common grazing and the condition of every tenanted and owner-occupied croft with a share in the grazing, writes crofting law specialist Brian Inkster.

He admits he got fed up with looking afterwith no less than 16 pet lambs this year.

Now he wants concentrate on building uphis Cheviot and Suffolk flock.

Norman, 14, of Balranald helped his granAnnie out this spring when 16 orphaned orrejected lambs were handed into the family’scare. He fed them every afternoon afterschool without fail.

The MacDonalds’ concern for animals hasseen dozens of lambs and even a horse left attheir croft over the years.

Norman has helped Annie looking afterpet lambs since he was nine. Last year thefamily looked after 12 pet lambs, but thisyear was exceptional. “They just keptturning up, handed in or left in the field,”Annie said.

Annie has a soft spot for the Hebrideanlambs she took on, but Norman has no timefor them. “They climb over the walls, I justdon’t like them, “ he said. Fetching £2 perhead in the sales only served to confirm hisaversion to the breed.

But there was much better news with hisother male lambs - four brought him £58 perhead, and three £31 per head, giving Normanin a tidy sum which he says will go towardsa tractor.

Meanwhile his flock of Cheviots andSuffolks now stands at 25. Norman isplanning to take on some cattle when he is16.

Jildou Frisou andLucia Hermans

The third annualBlackland Conference was held in Kenary, Grimsay. It openedwith a series of talks by visiting scientists from SAC andEdinburgh University, attended by some twenty peopleincluding local crofters, on the characteristics of blackland.

The term ‘blackland’ is used to describe the wet, acid, highlyorganic soils common in the islands and west of Scotland. In theUists they range from heavy, deep fields along the easterncoastline to shallow, rocky strips bordering the machair in thewest.

Delegates went out onto the croft to test the Mary Norton’sBlacklands Index, an easy to use method that gives you a basicevaluation of the potential for agricultural use of a blackland fieldor area, focusing on various aspects of the test area such as theslope of the land, protection from the wind, structure of the soil,drainage and vegetation.

According to Dr Oliver Knox from SAC Edinburgh, theblacklands were used extensively in the past, until they werelargely abandoned in the 1960s. Currently blacklands are mainlyused for grazing, because several factors prevent crofters fromworking the land. Not being able to use machinery due to theboggy nature of blackland, for example, and as Dr Ken Daviesfrom Edinburgh University explained, only few crops tolerate thelow pH (acidity) of blackland soil. However, certain crops beingused in European countries could do very well here, such asbuckwheat, an example of a poor-soil crop, and a great mobiliserof phosphorus.

Crofters attending the conference talked of the challenges theyface in restoring their blacklands, mainly the labour involved withtime in short supply when they have a full-time job to deal with.Speaker Barbra Harvie of Edinburgh University, a teaching fellowin Geography and the Lived Environment, said: “There arewonderful opportunities, but they could take a lot of hard work.”

Young North Uist crofter-in –the-making NormanMacDonald wasn’t altogetherunhappy to sell off some of hispet lambs at the recentLochmaddy sales.

NORMAN SAYS GOODBYE TOPET LAMBS

Conferenceexploresgetting themost out ofBlackland

Left to right, Dr Oliver Knox, Charles Fraser,Louise Cook and Mary Norton examine theblackland.

10

MusicMusicisland news & ADVERTISER - October 2012 Issue 8

Anticipation of the Light wascomposed by Eve Harrison,National Youth Orchestras ofScotland (NYOS) outreachpractitioner, together withstudents from Sgoil Lionacleit.

The 15 minute piece developed inworkshops last spring and a week-long residency run by Ms Harrisonand members of Camerata Scotland,the pre-professional orchestra ofNYOS.

The work features the human voice,pipes, drums, accordion, xylophone

and guitar as well as the moretraditional chamber orchestrainstruments. Fifteen pupils and younglocal musicians joined Camerata onstage for the performance.

Ms Harrison, 29, said: “The youngpeople wrote the the melodies, all theidentifying parts of the music in theworkshops which gave me the ideasfor the kind of music they wantedbehind it, the textures the orchestrawould play. I was working with thepipe band, S1 and the senior andjunior music students all separately,

Bridging the gapbetween the musicalworlds of classical andfolk was a theme whichran through theevening’s performanceswrites SophieStephenson.

This was no betterdemonstrated than in theperformance of HenningSommerro’s Follow TheMoonstone, a medley oftraditional melodies in anorchestral setting led byMairi Therese Gilfedder onsolo violin. From West Gerinish,Mairi Therese’s musicalbackground is in traditionalWest Coast fiddling. When

she got a phone call, out of the blue, asking her to joinCamerata Scotland for the special concert at SgoilLionacleit, Mairi Therese had already booked a holiday toCroatia. Such an opportunity, however, was not one to beturned down.The experience of playing solo violin with a classical

orchestral ensemble was quite different to the type ofconcert Mairi Therese might usually play, accompanied byguitar or piano. Mairi Therese said that on her firstrehearsal with the orchestra, the day before the concert, shewas absolutely terrified to be playing in front of so manyclassical musicians. However, she said that it was thetremendous feeling of mutual respect for each other’smusical idioms that made her completely at ease for thefinal performance. Mairi Therese is now back in Glasgowfor her final year of a BA in applied music at theUniversity of Strathclyde.

Uist & Benbecula Accordion& Fiddle Club News

Uist & Benbecula Accordion & Fiddle Club’s opening ceilidhwas a great success.

Mairi Therese Gilfedder.

Sgoil Lionacleit pupils, local musicians and Camerata receive rapturousapplause after the performance of Anticipating the Light .

A new work for chamber orchestra and folk musicians has beenpremiered in Sgoil Lionacleit to an enthusiastic packed house.

South Uist’s Mairi Therese gives upholiday to play solo on the night

Uist andBenbecula students’orchestral work premiered

Composer Eve Harrisonand conducter

Garry Walker inSgoil Lionacleit.

Trad music sessionsUnmissable dates for trad music fans. BenbeculaCollege is hosting the following Traditional Musicand Song Association of Scotland sessionsthroughout the Uists:

5th October – Borrodale Hotel1st November – Dark Island Hotel10th November – Lochmaddy Hotel

The 2012-13 season of the Uist and Benbecula

Accordion and Fiddle Club has kicked off in style with

a long-overdue visit from the Lewis and Harris

Accordion and Fiddle Club, writes Christine Mitchell.Re-establishing the annual exchange visits that were

a feature between 2000 and 2004, it was our turn to

host the ceilidh in Benbecula at the Dark Island Hotel

on Friday 14 September.

More than thirty members of the Lewis and Harris

Club travelled south. Roddy Shaw of Berneray was

Fear an Tigh for the evening and, after welcoming the

audience, he introduced Fiona Mackay, our guest piper.

With a mixture of club sets and individual spots, the

local musicians, joined also by drummer Paul Maclean,

then got the night underway. Once we were through,

Dol Macdonald took over the mic to introduce the

Lewis and Harris musicians who each played with one

or two other musicians joining them.

Another two pipe medleys from Fiona opened the

second half of the evening for the Uist and Benbecula

musicians to perform. Taking over from the local

musicians, the Lewis and Harris Club certainly saved

the best for last, notably Ian Tonkan Macdonald, Andy

Yearley and four young musicians who were note-

perfect and stole the limelight. Music is in good hands

up in Lewis! Eager to join together for a final stramash,

the musicians jostled for chairs and mics on and off

the stage and played long into the night. Everyone

enjoyed the music, the dancing and the friendly

atmosphere and we are left with one question – can

we wait a whole year until the two clubs meet again in

Stornoway?

The Uist and Benbecula Accordion and Fiddle Club

regular fortnightly ceilidhs this month are on Saturday

October 6 and Saturday October 20. They are held in

the Griminish Church of Scotland Hall and admission is

by minimum donation of £2 (children free) to cover

refreshments.

We welcome new musicians of any age or ability to

join us. You do not have to play an instrument or,

indeed, be a member to come along. Furtherinformation is on our shared website www.ceol-uibhist.co.uk or tel. 01870 602682 or 602432.

so I came up with a structure to pullall the ideas together.”

The work has been recorded byWee Studio in Carinish Hall toprovide CDs for all the performersand NYOS.

Anticipation of the Light was thecenterpiece in a programme ofchamber music performed by 20Camerata musicians conducted byGarry Walker.

The programme featured somechallenging pieces by Bartok, Beamish,Haydn, Mozart and Sommerro.

11

PeoplePeopleOctober 2012 Issue 8 - island news & ADVERTISER

Lynne MacMillan was recently awardedOuter Hebrides Regional Volunteer ofthe Year.

Originally from Edinburgh, Lynne’sbackground in law and running her ownbusinesses, including the successfulHebridean Oysters, makes her an idealmentor for young entrepreneurs.

She got involved with the PrincesScottish Youth Business Trust eight yearsago when she started working as a

member of the Business Gateway teamcovering South Uist and Barra.

Her volunteering work involves helpingyoungsters take their ideas all the wayfrom business plan to Prince’s Trust boardinterview, and if successful at that stage,to the launch of their new enterprise.

Lynne said: “There is a lot of work to bedone on the way to getting a business offthe ground, and it can be very daunting foryoung people. We provide the necessary

tools to get them there, and then anaftercare programme to make sure theyare compliant with their statutoryobligations and managing their cashflows, sorting out any teething troubles.

“Then we stand back, but we willmentor in the background for as long asthey need.”

Lynne is particularly proud of one of herprotégées, hairdresser Anna Donnachie ofBarra.

She said:” Anna has developed a verygood business, she is always training andupdating her skills, and she enjoys thefreedom and independence of being herown boss.”

Lynne has now changed her job to thenew Include Us programme to help 14-19year olds achieve their work aspirations,but says she wants to continue hervolunteering work with the Prince’s Trustdespite her new commitments.

A book of 21 sermons by thelate Reverend John Fergusonis on the bookstore shelvesafter a labour of love by hisfamily and friends.

Mr Ferguson, a native ofCnoc An Torrain, North Uisthad been working on his book,Crown Him Lord Of All, for a

number of years and had managed to see thefirst proof before he died in January 2009.

His widow Effie found it emotionally hardinitially to pick up where he had left off, but withthe support of family and friends has nowfulfilled her promise to her husband to get thebook published.

Mrs Ferguson said: “It’s been an emotionaljourney but I have a sense of fulfilment of thepromise I gave him and of doing something forhim after he has gone.”

Crown Him Lord of All consists of sevensermons drawn from the New Testament, seven

from the Old Testament and seven fromEpistles.

Mrs Ferguson said: “John was a well-lovedman with a gift for preaching. For the book hepicked sermons he liked and felt he preachedbest. I have met a number of people who havetold me they remember a particular sermonfrom the book, it made an impact on them.”

Mr Ferguson’s first charge was in Ness, Lewis,followed by Portree Parish Church from 1980until his retirement in 2002.

Crown Him Lord Of All is published by LewisRecordings, Drumsmittal, North KessockInverness priced £7, and is available in localbookshops.

This year’s Comann na Mara (CNM) Dr JohnMacleod memorial lecture will take placeon Friday November 2 in Lochmaddy Hall,North Uist at 7:30pm.

It will be given by internationally renownedscientist, Dr Anushka Miller, head ofcommunication at the Scottish Association forMarine Science (SAMS) in Oban.

The talk will be on her involvement on theINIS Hydro Sea Mapping Project, acollaboration between Ireland, NorthernIreland and Scotland to create high-resolutioncharts of 1400 square km of key coastalseabed areas for safe shipping and effectivemanagement and conservation of the marineenvironment.

Dr Miller will outline the core objectives ofthis unique project and how it will touch uponthe Outer Hebrides.

The evening will include the inauguralperformance of the newly formed Comann naMara Gaelic choir supported by PaulMacCallum and Neil Campbell. A popularfixture from last year’s lecture, the children’schoir Clann na Feise will also perform.

Lynne’s Prince’s Trustvoluntary work honoured

A Uist woman’s mission to help young entrepreneurs in theSouthern Isles has been recognised with a Prince’s Trust Award.

DIARY DATE: Comann Na Mara annual lecture

North Uist parents have started acampaign to raise funds for a minibus forSaoghal Beag nursery, with a targetfigure of £10,000.

The first event is a Halloween dance atCarinish Hall, North Uist on Friday November2, 9pm until late. Fancy dress is optional butpreferred.

There will be a fully licensed bar and musicby Soladale, who are giving their servicesfree.Tickets are £10.

Organiser and nursery parent CherylNicholson said:“ We are fundraising forSaoghal Beag Nursery, for the purchase of a

mini bus, toenable thechildren to haveoutings to thebeautiful islandswe have, toplaces such asthe beaches, Lochmaddy forest, naturereserve, visit local schools and placesof interest, to enhance their learningand development like the fire stationand airport. Currently the children donot have access to do this due tohealth and safety restrictions and theimmediate road structure.”

North Uistpreacher’ssermonspublished

The late RevJohn Ferguson.

HALLOWEEN DANCE STARTS NURSERY BUS CAMPAIGN

12 island news & ADVERTISER - October 2012 Issue 8

In it Peter’s adventures take him beyondthe boundaries of Mr McGregor’sgarden all the way to the ScottishHighlands, where he meets the gentlegiant Finlay McBurney (FionnlaghMacMhathain), a distant Scottish relative.

The Gaelic version of the tale,published by Grace Note Publications hasbeen translated by Ian MacDonald andMargaret Bennett. It is in hardback,complete with captivating Potter-esqueillustrations by Eleanor Taylor.

Sgeulachd Eile Mu Pheadar Rabaid is the Gaelictranslation of Emma Thompson’s newly launchedbook,The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Available soon,RRP £12.99.

VISIT OFGAELIC POETMEG BATEMAN

Emma Thompson with illustrator Eleanor Taylor at thelaunch of The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit in Glasgow.

PUPS IN TROUBLE The first grey seal pup rescue of theseason has taken place in North Uist,and more pups in trouble are expectedto follow.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue- Outer Hebrides team intervened afterobserving the seal in Hougharry for 36hours.

The seal had been found by a memberof the public on and reported to BDMLRvia the SSPCA and the Coastguard.

It was a 1.2m long whitecoat pup andhad a large, deep wound on its left sideand several bites, and although still quitefat it was beginning to lose weight afterbeing separated from its mother and wasstill too young to survive on its own.

BDMLR volunteers observed it for aday and a half to make sure that its motherwas no longer with it. As there was no signof the mother and the pup had visibly lostbody condition and was beginning toshow signs of dehydration the decisionwas made to take it in for treatment.

It was taken by ferry to Skye beforebeing relayed by BDMLR volunteers tothe new SSPCA wildlife rescue centre inAlloa.

Sandy MacDonald of BDMLR said:

“Please do not attempt to touch a pup ifyou find one, no matter how cute theylook as they can, and will, inflict verynasty bites and the human smell you willleave on the pup will cause the mother toabandon it if she is still around.

“Also, please do not attempt to put anyseal pup back in the water as they are notvery good swimmers when they still havetheir whitecoats nor when they are thinand weak or exhausted after battling roughweather and forcing them back in thewater may cause them to drown.

“With the bad weather starting I’m surethere will quite a few more pups in troubleover the coming days and weeks.”

If you find a seal pup on a beachplease phone BDMLR on01825 765546 during office hrs and07787 433412 out of office hrs.

Emma’s Further Tale of PeterRabbit translated into Gaelic

Poetry Evening atTaigh Chearsabhagh ThursdayOctober 25,8pm.Meg Bateman speaks about her writing, and

reads her poems in Gaelic and in English.

Meg has taught Gaelic in Edinburgh and

Aberdeen Universities, and now teaches

literature and philosophy through the

medium of Gaelic at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

She has brought out three collections of

Gaelic poetry with English translations.

Everyone is welcome. Admission is free

with a donation towards the refreshments.

On Friday October 26 from 9.00 –

11.00am, Meg will lead a poetry writing

workshop for people who write in Gaelic

or English.

Numbers limited. Cost £10

For details contact:[email protected] or

phone: 01876 560360

CO CHOMUNN AN IOCHDAIR LTD

CARNAN STORESCARNAN, SOUTH UIST

Phone 01870 610205 Fax 01870 610216Email: [email protected]

Dog and Cat Food PromotionBreederpack Premium Dog & Cat Food 12 tin pack - normally £5.94

For one month (October) only £4.94 While Stocks Last All prices inclusive of VAT

Open: Mon to Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Sat 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.This is just a small selection of what we have in stock. Call in and look around

Children from LeverhulmeMemorial School and ShelibostPrimary went to Northton beachto create part of a nationalexhibition about landscapes inScotland.

They used a special balloonkitted out with a camera tophotograph their surroundingsfrom above.

The project was organised byArchitecture and Design Scotland,whose educational team is goinground different areas of Scotlandto encourage children to exploretheir landscape and see how theircommunity interacts with it.

The children used umbrellas,fabric and ribbon to mimic thecoastline on the ground, and thiswas photographed by the cameraballoon.

The work created by the childrenwill form part of Architecture andDesign Scotland’s upcomingexhibition – Above Scotland –which is a collaboration withRCAHMS – giving a birds eyeview of Scotland’s towns, citiesand landscapes.

The exhibition opens atThe Lighthouse, Glasgow,on October 25th.

HARRIS CHILDREN SEE THEIRLANDSCAPE FROM THE AIR

13

SportSportUist & Barra League Table 2012

P W D L F A GD PTS

1 Saints 20 18 1 1 100 19 81 55

2 Eriskay 20 12 3 5 74 49 25 39

3 Benbecula 20 10 3 7 67 42 25 33

4 Barra 20 9 2 9 73 55 18 29

5 North Uist 20 3 1 16 28 106 -78 10

6 Southend 20 3 0 17 33 104 -71 9

October 2012 Issue 8 - island news & ADVERTISER

They beat Skye B, Lochcarron andBallachulish to get there, but wereultimately beaten by a much moreexperienced Inverary team from anarea with a strong shinty tradition.

The team played well and didthemselves and Uist proud. They arenow looking to build on theirachievements next year and attractmore players to the squad.

At the heart of the Community

Open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm

Telephone: 01876 510257Bayhead, North Uist

● Wide selection ● Friendly service

● Local meat, fish, eggs and seasonal veg

● Fresh baking ● Daily papers

● Fuel

Saints dominated the season from theoutset but found themselves only fivepoints clear at the midway stage andwith Eriskay cutting the deficit to onlytwo points when they won the firstmatch after the midpoint of the season,Saints then produced a great sequenceof results when the won all 10 of theirfixtures after the halfway point.

Indeed Saints only lost five points allseason with a solitary defeat againstEriskay and a draw against Benbecula theonly blemish on their league campaign.They also reached the milestone ofscoring 100 league goals in their 20matches. Saints also reached the final ofboth cup competitions but it was Eriskaywho stopped a treble for Saints by lifting

the R.J.Macleod cup but when both sidesmet in the Billy McNeil cup final it wasSaints who took revenge by winning thetrophy by 3-0.

Eriskay finished the season in runner`sup spot despite a gallant effort. A homedefeat to Saints and another away defeatto Benbecula gave the islanders nochance of catching Saints but with a cupwin and another final appearance losingto Saints it has been a fruitful season forEriskay.

Benbecula and Barra occupied the mid-table positions and their positions tell itsown story with inconsistency being boththeir problems whilst being able to beatany team on their day to also being ableto get beat at the same time remains a

mystery to both of the sides’ managers. Both Southend and North Uist Utd so

often battling out at the top of the tablethis season found themselves trying toavoid a bottom place finish. It was NorthUist who avoided the wooden spoonleaving Southend bottom although bothsides have gone through a transitionalseason with youngsters being bloodedthey will look to come back stronger nextseason.

Uist and Barra footballEnd of season report

Reporter: Archie MacCorquodale

UISTYOUNGSTERSCOMPETE INSTORNOWAY

Katlyn MacLellan and Owen Vesey.

Two members of North Uist

Amateur Athletics Association were

invited to compete in Stornoway

sports centre against Stornoway,

Helensburgh, Aberdeen and

Clydeside Athletics Clubs.

Katlyn MacLellan, 14, came first in the

75m under 16 girls’ hurdles and Owen

Vesey, 13, hampered by a knee injury,

came fourth in the 1500m under 16

boys.

The Uist and Barra Football season came to end recently withdefending champion Iochar saints the runaway winners again.

C

Another large crowd was inattendance to witness arepeat of the earlier R.JMacleod cup final betweenthese two sides butunfortunately the teamscould not repeat theexcitement of the that match.

Saints looked the stronger ofthe sides in the openingexchanges but neither sidecould get a shot on target in theopening 20 mins. John “Ma”Macisaac had a shot on targetfor Eriskay but Peter “Pedro”Macdonald saved comfortably.

The game became boggeddown in midfield and with twomany passes being over-hit inthe difficult windy conditions.Saints did take the lead whensome hesitation in the Eriskay

defence let in Carl “DooDoos” Macphee who skippedin between Sean Mackinnonand goalkeeper Duncan “Bolt”Maciness to fire the ball intothe net. Eriskay were missingthe influence of playermanager Martin “Cherry”Macaulay at the back and withSean Mackinnon having toplay in defence there midfieldwas weakened and Saintsbegan to dominate this area.

Ally Downie then had achance to make it 2-0 forSaints but depite his shotbeating the keeper it also slidepast the post.

Eriskay almost equalisedthough when Ali Macdonaldhad a shot which went over thetop. At the start of the second

half John “Ma” Macisaac rosehighest at a corner but hisheader came back of thecrossbar. Saints then made it 2-0 when Joe Maciness drove atthe Eriskay defence and drilleda cross cum shot into the boxwhich deceived everybody andnestled inside the corner of theSaints net.

From this point on there wasonly one side lifting the cup,Saints were now well on topwithout threatening theEriskay goal on too manyoccasions Joe Maciness againtried his luck but this timeDuncan “Bolt” Macinessdenied the youngster with afine save diving to his left toturn his shot round the corner.Saints did get a third goal

when Ally Downie pounced ona short pass back by Owen“Callum” Maciness and beatthe keeper tomake it 3-0.

A well deservedvictory for Saintswho made itdouble winningseason for thesecond time in asmany years.Eriskay on theother hand willlook back on asuccessful seasonwith a cup winand runner`s upspots in bothleague and cup.

BILLY MACNEIL CUP FINALReporter: Archie MacCorquodale

Iochar Saints 3 Eriskay 0Iochar saints made it a league and cup double whenthey lifted the Billy Macneil Cup last weekend.

Uist Camanachd U14 team makes it to Oban finalsUist Camanachd U14 became the first Western Islesteam to qualify for a national final.

Welcome to Paw Prints, where your animals get their chance to shine.

PawPrintsPawPrints14 island news & ADVERTISER - October 2012 Issue 8

A Taste of Scottish Goodness

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OFF15%OFF Email your hi-res photos to pawprints @islandnewsandadvertiser.com with yourname and address, your pet’s name and anything you’d like to say about them.

Then look out for your photo on IN&A’s Paw Print page over the coming months!

SOLUTIONS:ACROSS:6) Front runner,8) Gem,9) Net,10) Last leg,12) Braid,13) Robot,14) Aspic,15) Shame,16) Thief,19)Faint,20) Debated,21) Web,23) Pew,24) Level-headedDOWN:1) Arm,2) Knead,3) Crate,4) Sneer,5) Fen,6) Ferris Wheel,7) Recommended,10) Limited,11) Go ahead,17) Fever,18) Bathe,19) Feral,22) Bed,23) Peg.

Candy and Chubb, tired after a long walk. Theylive in Howmore, South Uist with Kylie MacDougalland Jamie MacKenzie.

With winter round the corner, fun-loving Wisp needs his socks to keepwarm. He lives with Christine andGeoff McDonald in Balivanich.

Dougie can’t quite get his headround this eruption in his garden.He lives with the MacLellan familyin Hougharry, North Uist.

GRRRR - we’re NOT W***IES!IN&A must apologise to a troop of CAIRNS terriers on North Uist for describing one of their number in last month’sPaw Prints as a Westie.Top dog Willoughby says: ‘The white things, the W****s were actually bred from the Cairns in the early 1700s.”

IN&A is suitably hangdog.On ground, left to right: Robbie, Fergus,Willoughby, Freddie Dougal. On rock, left to right: Barley, Laddie.

Pack leader Jenny Taylor of Ard Heisgeir put them up to this.

Socks loves his comfort. He lives with Ruairidh

MacDonald in Sollas, North Uist.


THE ADVERTISER

CLUES ACROSS

6) Leading contestant (5, 6)

8) Precious stone (3)9) Web (3)10) Final mile? (4, 3)12) Intertwine thread (5)13) Android (5)14) Savoury jelly (5)15) Disgrace (5)16) Bandit (5)19) Pale (5)20) Discussed (7)21) Net (3)23) Church seat (3)24) Mentally well-

balanced (5-6)

CLUES DOWN

1) Support (3)2) Manipulate (5)3) Old aeroplane (5)4) Scoff (5)5) Wetland (3)6) Fairground ride (6, 5)7) Vouched for (11)10) Partial (7)11) Proceed (2, 5)17) Passion (5)18) Immerse in water (5)19) Untamed (5)22) Plot (3)23) Dowel (3)

Combined crosswordCRYPTIC ANDCOFFEE TIME

Solutions on page 14

CLUES ACROSS6) Candidate expected

to win the seat (5, 6)8) Very reliable person,

a precious thing (3)9) Not reducible so

remaining after all deductions (3)

10) The one whole ham and hock not sold (4, 3)

12) Woven band of decorative trimming(5)

13) Automatically carries out a mechanical process (5)

14) Gels together eggs, game or pretty vegetables (5)

15) He has me turning red with embarrassment (5)

16) “Stop .....” the one who stole my things(5)

19) Pale and dim, timid and indistinct, sometimes unconscious too (5)

20) Talked about at length in a formal way (7)

21) World Wide this rollof printing paper spider spun (3)

23) Enclosed compartment for a family’s worship once (3)

24) Not liable to panic and very well balanced (5-6)

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CLUES DOWN1) Limb of

manipulation to start an explosive chain reaction (3)

2) Work into a paste by pummelling (5)

3) Old ship or plane in dubious state of repair (5)

4) Smile and speak with belittling contempt (5)

5) Low, marshy land, reclaimed perhaps but often boggy (3)

6) Tall showground attraction for a ride around (6, 5)

7) Suggested as fit for the purpose (11)

10) Restricted to a few examples or a maximum temperature (7)

11) Carry straight on, forward as you are (2, 5)

17) Nervous excitementmight equate to a very high temperature (5)

18) Envelop with light or give a fluid wash (5)

19) Once domesticated but now quite free (5)

22) Anywhere for rest, alayer made to lie on (3)

23) Short shift made of Margaret with a pin to stabilise wages (3)

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