island news & advertiser
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The free monthly printed newspaper of the Outer HebridesTRANSCRIPT
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island newsEdition 06 August 2012
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to what’s on this month
HARRIS BERNERAY NORTH UIST BENBECULA SOUTH UIST ERISKAY
P U L L - O U T G U I D E
OPERATION TURBINE
The combined weight of theEnercon E70 turbines is 460 tonnes,which includes three engines at 52tonnes apiece.
A specialist ship, BBC Hollum, hasbeen chartered to bring the turbines intoLochmaddy after Loch Carnan harbourproved too small for the task.
The vessel has two cranes which canlift a combined weight of 120 tonnes. Itis roughly the same size as the ferry MVHebrides, and will occupy the ferrymoorings over several days, moving outto make way for the ferry. It will take 20movements to discharge the full load.
Lochmaddy pier had to be tested tosee if it is strong enough to take theweight of the components. A test holewas bored into the concrete, and the pierpassed muster.
On dry land, the operation passes intothe care of specialist hauliers, Collett.
They are using a 35m extendabletrailer with rear wheel steering totransport the components to the site, andhave already carried out a test run witha dummy turbine blade (pictured) tocheck the road width and bends, and thestrength of the bridges all the way toLoch Carnan.
Some works have hadto be undertaken toaccommodate the loads,with this part of theoperation mastermindedby Stòras Uibhist’s
development manager Kirsty Campbell.Ms Campbell said: “We worked with
the roads department to sort out a fewissues. The lorry will be travellingthrough Balivanich to take advantage ofthe double track roads so we’ve had tostraighten Creagorry junctiontemporarily, and create a bell mouth at
the turn off on theLochcarnan road.
“Two signposts nearClachan and Carinish willbe removed to allow thewidest load past. Allthese things are temporaryand will be reinstated.”
The turbines, destined for Stòras Uibhist’s Loch Carnan site, measure100m to the tip of the highest blade. Each blade measures 34m.
A massive logistical operation swingsinto action this month to deliver three hugewind turbines to South Uist.
But that is not all Ms Campbell hashad to worry about.
A 500 tonne crane is being broughtin aboard MV Clansman viaLochboisdale for the construction ofthe turbines.
Ms Campbell said: “The cranerequires a road width of 3m, and partsof the Lochcarnan road are just under.This section is being widened to acceptthe crane along the entire length.”
Once the turbines are delivered to thesite, it is expected that they will be upin three weeks, with a further month orso required to carry out the internalcabling and commissioning.
Meanwhile the three turbines are setto take on their own personalities.Stòras Uibhist is running a competitionfor local children to name each ofthem.
Ms Campbell said: “All the estatearea primary schools will be invited tosuggest names for the turbines, and todesign a logo which will be used on thesign for the site and in ourcommunications. We will be lookingfor entries by the October holidaysready for an official naming ceremonyand switch on later in the year.”
Test run of thedummy turbineblade.
island news & ADVERTISER - August 2012 Issue 62
INBRIEF Grants forHarriscommunityprojects
The John Muir Trust (JMT) is supporting threeprojects in Harris this year from its Conservation Fund.JMT has awarded £5,000 towards the East HarrisWoodland Project, and £3,000 towards the Harris Mountain Festival.The Trust is also supporting the production of leaflets for the WestHarris Trust.
Duncan MacPherson of West Harris Trust said: “This award is extremelyvaluable to us. We can now produce a leaflet showcasing the outstandingwild landscape and natural heritage of our area, enabling visitors to bemore informed and conservation-minded in their enjoyment of it.”
Gaelic translations of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit series are to
be showcased at the Edinburgh International Book festival
this month.
Sgeulachd an Dà Dhroch Luch; Sgeulachd Cailleach nan
Gràineag; Sgeulachd Thòmais Piseag and An Tàillear à
Gloucester are Grace Note Publications’ four most recently published
translations. They will be displayed by the Gaelic Books Council on Thursday
August 16 between 2 and 4pm in the Party Pavilion in Charlotte Square.
Grace Note will launch their latest translation, Sgeulachd Eile mu
Pheadar Rabaid in September.
Pheadar Rabaid burrows into festival
The CoastAdapt project has produced 5 short videos about
environmental, social and climate change taking place in south Iceland,
West Ireland, Northern Norway, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides.
The six minute Outer Hebrides video is narrated by professor Andrew
Cooper, and features commentary by Johanne Ferguson of SNH, ex-
councillor Peter Carlin and Huw Francis of Stòras Uibhist.
The videos can be found on the CoastAdapt channel on You Tube.
CoastAdaptVIDEOS ONLINE
Lewis and Harris ladiesstorm the Uists and Barra
island newsEdition 01 March 2012
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Ethnobotanist Anne Barker recently visited the Uists andBarra to continue her research and recording of folkremedies for Ethnobotanica, an oral history archive basedat the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew.
She writes:“I collected memories of plant uses fromcontributors in North Uist, Benbecula and Barra; this valuableinformation has been sent to Kew.The contributors, who
remember childhood during and after the War, told me about games played withplants (soldiers, iris leaf boats, dandelion clocks); the various uses of seaweed(soup, pudding, back cures, bed mattresses, cattle tonic); gathering berries for jamsand tarts, and using plants that eased stings (Copag) or cleaned wounds (CuachPhàdraig). In the glorious sunshine I was alsoable to explore the botanic diversity of theWestern Isles: the Machair Leithann on NorthUist; the graveyard at Nunton in Benbecula;the lochs of South Uist; Prince Charlie’s Beachon Eriskay; the machair at Eoligarry and thelochside near North Bay on Barra; and a highmeadow on Vatersay.The orchids everywherewere fantastic.”Ms Barker has already published a book oftraditional plant remedies. Island News &Advertiser readers can receive £2 off herRemembered Remedies:Scottish Traditional Plant Lore(rrp £9.99) and free p&p in the UK by callingBooksource on 0845 370 0067 (officehours) and quoting reference INA8.
READER OFFER
Design: Tim Mason Managing editor: Susy Macaulay
Supplement research: Jenni Potter
Circulation 30,000 and growing
Anne Barker.
NEWSDESK 01876 [email protected]
Home-made flags with intriguing storieskeep coming in from around the globe forthe Barra Bunting Project.
The bunting will beunveiled on September 1 atthe Barra and Vatersay show,and there’s still time to getyours in. You only need tohave set foot on Barra orVatersay once to qualify.
Project co-ordinator SarahMaclean writes:
This is flag number 77 from Ohiowhich Peter McNeill handed in inperson on 18 July. He did his flag in
IS THEFREEMONTHLY NEWSPAPEROF THE OUTER HEBRIDES
Barra Bunting Project Update
memory of his father who visitedBarra and was also in the US Navy.
We would also like communitygroups to be represented as Barraand Vatersay have such a strongvoluntary sector - so if you areinvolved with one of the manycommunity groups on the islandsthen why not make a flag for themtoo. We are not leaving out businesseseither - whether you have a B&B,croft or any other type of business wewould like to see you all represented.
Please let people know about theproject – perhaps send an email or
tweet to someonewhohas been to the island,
or share a link onfacebook.
www.barrabunting.net@barrabunting
www.facebook.com/barrabunting
The Barra Bunting Project isrun by Barra and Vatersay
Island Produce Show andfinancially assisted by a CNES
Arts Revenue Grant.
Eleven members of the Lewis andHarris Breast Cancer SupportGroup descended upon the Uistsand Barra for a three day summer outing. The ladies spent a day in Barra andVatersay, and visited Kildonan Museum in South Uist as well as touring roundNorth Uist. Their verdict: “Good weather, good wine and fine gentlemen.”
Members of Lewis and Harris Breast Cancer SupportGroup at Eriskay ferry terminal.
Rebekka HartmannViolin
Caroline BergiusHarpsichord
Community Hall,BerneraySaturday September 1, 2012 8pm
Entry free, donations to Music on the Isles welcome.
Music onthe IslesTutors’ Concert
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Now into its third year, the Machair Life’sUist Goose Management Scheme aims tominimise agricultural damage by greylaggeese, using timed and co-ordinatedscaring activities.
From the end of June through July, geesemove onto local waters to moult and lose theability to fly. Once the flight feathers have re-grown, family groups begin to encroach onstanding and ripening crops from late Julyonwards.
Machair Life’s Uist Goose Co-ordinator
A spokesman said:“Rainfall in recent daysis welcome but has to beseen in the context of avery prolonged dry spellin the Western Isles andNorth West Highlands inpreceding weeks.
“That’s why we wouldencourage customers tocontinue taking simplesteps to use water wiselywhile we closely monitorwater levels.
“Arrangements are inplace to maintain suppliesto customers.”
Conservewater callcontinuesScottish Water ismaintaining itscall to conservewater in theWestern Isles.
A team led by Dr DuncanGarrow (Liverpool University)and Dr Fraser Sturt(Southampton University)found the pots during a threeweek dig on the An Doirlinnpromontory in South Uist.
The complete pot was found onthe last day of the dig, as the teamreached the final layer of humanhabitation on the site. It is likelyto be at least five and a halfthousand years old.
Dr Garrow said: “It was foundon its own in a pit, right at the verybeginning of the settlement. It wasfound along with a few small postholes, and it’s possible that it mayhave been some sort of ‘foundationdeposit’ for the site as a whole.”
The other five pots are thoughtto date from around 3,500 BC andwere found in smithereens, but
with stones on or around them. Dr Garrow said: “This could
have been caused by a storm orcatastrophic event, as the siteappears to have been temporarilyabandoned about then. It’soutstanding and very unusual toget entire smashed pots.”
The fragments will be radio-carbon dated, and if they have anycoatings of food inside, these will beanalysed to shed light on what kindof diet the people would have had.
Other finds on site includedmany decorated and groovedpottery sherds, flint toolsincluding a knife (pictured) apolished stone axe head and otherstone instruments, and pumicewhich was used for shaping bonetools and probably floated downfrom Iceland.
Dr Garrow said the dig hadexceeded all their expectations andwas one of the best preservedNeolithic sites he had seen in Britain.
The team is half way through athree year project to look forevidence of the earliest Neolithicsettlers on Britain’s westernseaboard. They are also carryingout digs in the Channel Islands,the Scilly Isles, the Isle of Manand Orkney.
Goose scaring beginsActive goose management byMahair Life+ begins this month.
Duncan Garrow (right) and Fraser Sturtat the dig.Painstakingly excavating the ancient pot.
A large flint knife was one of theimportant finds.
An intact prehistoric pot, and a further five complete but smashedancient pots are among the rare finds in South Uist by archaeologiststrying to uncover the secrets of Britain’s earliest Neolithic people.
Going potty at An Doirlinn
Rory MacGillivray said: “There arebasic things crofters can do which will detergeese that may be in the area of young cropnow. A key message is mix and change whatyou do. A scarecrow will work for a shorttime, but move it every few days and walktowards geese when you see them and flushthem off.”
He urged crofters to engage with thescheme to help it work efficiently and create astrong argument for continued goose fundingon the Uists into the future.
MachairLife’s schemehas funding until2014.
Kites, scarecrows, polesand wires can be picked up from the MachairLife office in East Camp or from RoryMacGillivray on 07879 443518.
They have more than 180years service among them.
The commitment of Uist’slongest-serving coastguards hasbeen honoured in a presentationin Balivanich coastguard station.
Three men from Griminishstation and three fromLochboisdale received a claspto their existing Long Service
Medals (earned after 20 years)in recognition of theirreaching thirty years service.Roderick MacDonald, EwenMacDonald and Ian MacLeanof Griminish and Ian Binnie,Donald MacLellan and CalumMacLellan of Lochboisdalereceived their clasps fromtheir sector manager RogerBaillie.
He also presented theQueen’s Diamond Jubileemedal to Uist and Benbeculacoastguards serving more thanfive years.
Pictured, from left to right:Roderick MacDonald, EwenMacDonald, Ian Maclean,Roger Baillie, Ian Binnie,Donald MacLellan, CalumMacLellan.
LONG-SERVING COASTGUARDS HONOURED
island news & ADVERTISER - August 2012 Issue 64
Lettuce, kale, beetroot, turnip, broccoli, fennel, broadbeans, courgettes and rhubarb are just some of thelocally grown produce now featuring in a new boxscheme in the Uists.
Growers include Maria Scholten (pictured), AnnekeKraakman, Chris and Christine Johnston and East Campproject, supplying around 15 customers so far.
Maria Scholten said the scheme is based on flexibility andwhat the customer wants.
She said: “Rather than fill a box with the same thing foreveryone and even buying things in like some schemes, wehave based it on availability and flexibility and askingcustomers what they really want and how much.”
Customers are sent order forms at the beginning of the weekwith a list of what is available, and pick up their boxes fromthe Sustainable Uist croft site at Lionacleit on Thursdays.
Team Ceòlas is digesting the resultsof its feasibility study into a purpose-built Centre for Gaelic Language,Music and Dance in South Uist.
The study, carried out by DuniraAssociates, was launched at a publicmeeting in St Peter’s Hall.
The study describes building a newworld-class facility as meetingGovernment ambition for Gaelic andthe creative industries, boosting thevisitor economy and preserving thelanguage, culture and environment ofthe Hebrides.
The study backed the idea of a jointdevelopment with UHI and other keyScottish and international stakeholders.
Ideas for the building have been drawn
up by Benjamin Tindall Architects ofEdinburgh.
The preferred idea is for a £10.6million, six storey broch on the shoresof Loch Nan Geadh between Daliburghand Lochboisdale.
The building was inspired by the needfor good acoustics, and by the cultureand landscape of South Uist. A circularperformance area and broch-like formin the landscape was the unanimouschoice in public workshops.
The architects describe it as “a seriesof wonderful spaces, full of surprises,varied lighting effects, framed viewsand with a high degree of flexibility.”
Mary Schmoller of Ceòlas said:“Ceòlas Board are now absorbing the
A Uist Befriending charity has announced plansto reinstate the traditional island ceilidh in aneffort to tackle loneliness and social isolation inthe isles.
Caraidean Uibhist (Uist Befriending) has received£133,693 from Big Lottery and £27,000 from ComicRelief to progress their five part “Older People’sProject”over the next five years.
The reintroduction of the ceilidh is once of thekey tranches of the project, under the headingBlether Together.
The idea came after the charity after entered intocommunity consultation over what was mostrequired to tackle issues stemming from lonelinessand isolation.
Social activities within people’s ownneighbourhoods came high on the list. BletherTogether will reinstate the traditional croftingceilidh where neighbours visited each other andexchanged news and yarns.
Volunteer befrienders will now facilitate smallgroups of people to gather in each other’s homesand community venues to revive the tradition.
Caraidean Uibhist managerSheena Stewart (pictured) said:“Supporting social andneighbourly connections has ahuge impact on people’s lives.The ceilidhs will also be good for new peoplecoming into the community, and we will be usingthe gatherings to make available other supportsuch as safety information as we have found thatmany older people get anxious about things likepostal and telephone scams.”
Other aspects of the Older People’s Project includeimproving access to exercise, education, help to getto medical appointments and empowermentthough training in new technology like Skype andFacebook to help people feel more connected.
Caraidean Uibhist was formed in 2004 to developsupport services for people who are socially andphysically isolated. It has a network of some 20volunteers who have worked over the past threeyears with more than 60 befriendees.
Traditional ceilidh revived totackle isolation and loneliness
UIST ROCKET
Call Maria
07746 671984
Ruccola diBenbecula
S A L E SGreen house near beach behindDark Island Hotel,Liniclate,Benbecula.
● Tender and Tasty● Grown on Machair
and Seaweed
Uist’s localFIVE A DAY
significance of the amount of workneeding to be done to bring thisexcellent project to fruition. Feedbackfrom the community has beenoverwhelmingly positive.”
Ceòlas recently received a ScottishGovernment grant of £5,000 to progresstheir project.
The grant was announced byEducation secretary Michael Russell ona visit to the proposed site.
He said: “Ceòlas want to create apermanent base in Uist and thisadditional funding will help themdevelop to ensure their ever-growingactivity programme brings themaximum benefit to Uist and the bestexperience for their students.”
Six-storey broch proposed forSouth Uist Cultural Centre
Education in the Gaelic-speakingcommunities before and after theEducation(Scotland) Act 1872 is thetheme of a one-day conference inBalivanich school on Saturday August25.
Tasglann nan Eilean Siar is hosting theconference, with talks by Prof MatthewMcIver and Dr Elizabeth Ritchie of UHI,William MacDonald of CnES and NessHistorical Society.
Price £10 including lunch, bookingsthrough tasglann.org.uk.
The club had a busy end of term.
Ten children passed the club’sannual Scottish Cycle TrainingScheme and received theircertificates.
Olympic torchbearer GemmaSteele dropped by to show the
children the Olympic torch.Members had fun on the beach atEriskay during the club’s annualouting, with lunch at Am Politicianand a session at Daliburgh playpark on the way back. The clubstarts up again in September.
History of GaelicEducation conferencein Balivanich
IOCHDAIR YOUTH CLUB NEWS
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Western Isles as a major political forcein Scotland. It has yielded fantasticgood quality material, including bigplatters and pots from England andIreland, 1500 iron pieces, spearheads,knives, a cauldron holder, stick pins,glass beads, bone tools, coins anddecorative items. There is evidence offeasting and conspicuous consumption.Everything points to Bornish being atthe centre of a sea-faring network.”
Mr Sharples said the material is nowready to be disposed of and will end upin front of the Treasure Trove panel, atwhich point organisations can makebids for it.
He said: “The material isinternationally significant and aresource of considerable value to thenation and the world. It is an idealopportunity for the community to bringit all back here and have it on display.”
Roy Evans, Head of Development and AssetManagement and Vivienne King,legal directorand company secretary toured LochmaddyBay with CNM chairman Gus Macaulay andtrustee, Niall Johnson.
The Crown Estate is drafting a LocalManagement Agreement with CNM to develop a26 berth marina in the bay.
Mr Evans said: “It’s been good for us to see thesite and the enthusiasm to get this fabulous projectmoving forward at Lochmaddy. It is clearly goingto have a major impact on sustainable tourism inthe Hebrides. The Crown Estate is devising aroute map to completion of the project withComann Na Mara.”
Mrs King said: “It is an ideal location foryachting, all you need to do is put the facilities inthere and you will have yachtsmen clamouring.”
Neither official would be drawn on the politicalrow surrounding the Crown Estate’s role inScotland and demands for their marine assets tobe devolved to local communities.
Mr Evans said: “We have always taken a lowprofile in our work with local communities.”
The pre-history of Cladh Hallan roundhouse inSouth Uist and its intriguing mummies inspiredan improvisational dancefilm shot on locationlast month.
Called The Time It Takes, the short film was filmedover 10 days mainly on South Uist machair andbeaches.
Three dancers took part, Rosalind Masson, soon tobe Uist’s new dancer in residence; Simon Ellis fromNew Zealand, and Dai Jian from China.
Mr Ellis said: “We had some warm-up spaces forthe dancers, but filmed outside all the time. At pointsit was very challenging for the dancers and crew dueto the wet but it’s made for very atmospheric filming.”
The film, mainly funded by Creative Scotland, is aproject of Highland-based Goat Media and its co-director Katrina McPherson.
Ms McPherson directed the location filming,assisted by five crew and local video artist, MairiThomson.
Two senior Crown Estate officials havevisited North Uist to progress ComannNa Mara’s (CNM) plans for a marinedevelopment in Lochmaddy Bay.
Crown estateofficials visitNorth Uist
Filming took place outside over ten days.
Niall Sharples duringa visit to South Uist.South Uist pre-history
inspires dancefilm
Opportunityto bring backBornish finds
The archaeologist who excavated one of the largest Norse settlements in Britain, Bornishin South Uist, has called on the local community to consider getting the finds home.Niall Sharples of Cardiff Universityexcavated the site at Bornishbetween 1994 and 2004.
His work revealed a sequence ofoccupation from 300 to 1400 AD, andprovides crucial evidence of thedevelopment of commercial fishing, theorganisation of craft activities and the useof domestic space during that period.
He said: “The site is as rich asanything in Orkney and shows the
Opportunityto bring backBornish finds
Mr Sharples’account of part of his excavations has recently been published:
A Late Iron Age Farmstead in the Outer Hebrides: Excavations at Mound 1, Bornais,South Uist. Ed. Niall Sharples. Pub. Oxbow.
island news & ADVERTISER - August 2012 Issue 66
Three Uist schools are the first in the Western Isles to receivenew Scottish Government awards for youth volunteering.
The Saltire Awards enable young volunteers to record the skills,experience and learning gained through their contributions, andbuild in confidence and responsibility as a result.
The awards unroll in four stages, Challenge, Approach, Ascentand Summit.
Pupils from Balivanich, Paible and Carinish schools achievedChallenge certificates for their work in the clean-ups organised byGordon MacDonald of Uist Volunteer Centre in the spring.
Please speak to Anneke & Sue
The Hills of South Uist by John Steele(1889-1951) became the soundtrackfor the work, and was played on hisown pipes by his great-great grand-daughter Chloe Steele of Askernish.(pictured).
Chloe, 14, said: “My papa Roddy Steelepassed the pipes on to me when he foundout I had joined the Sgoil Lionacleit PipeBand and he thought I needed a set for mysolo piping. I was lucky that my tutorDomhnall Ban and my tutor at the fèis,Iain Ruiraidh were able to get the pipesback in working order. I recorded it for theHills of South Uist animation. It was goodfun, I enjoyed it.”
Animation was a new option in the fèisthis year. The class was led by TaighChearsabhagh arts officer AndyMackinnon, assisted by local artistsLousie Cook and Margaret JoanMacIsaac.
Around 30 children took part, creatingthree works totalling eight minutes.
Mr Mackinnon said he was delighted bythe results.
He said: “The children really took to it,and the quality of their work was superb.It was great to see.”
To build on the success of the fèisproject, Mr Mackinnon is offeringafternoon animation workshops at TaighChearsabhagh from August 13 to 15, 2-4.30pm, price £10 plus VAT per session.
Places are limited and booking isessential. Tel: 01870 603977.
A ten day exhibition and sale ofwork organised by LochmaddySWRI saw baking, preserves, gardenproduce and crafts selling ‘like hotcakes’ in Lochmaddy school.
The sale enabled local knitters, artistsand crafters to exhibit and sell theirwares, donating 10% of their takings toNorth Uist Amateur Athletics Club.SWRI members carried out a rota ofbaking to fulfill demand for oatcakes,scones and sweet treats. Marmaladeand jam were among the mostpopular items, and certainly foundfavour with three year old EmmaSaxton (pictured).
Crofting law specialists Brian Inksterand Eilidh Ross of Inkstersare inviting crofters to attend presentations inUist next month on all aspects of crofting law,and the changes brought about by the CroftingReform (Scotland) Act 2010.
Dates: September 4th, Hosta Hall, 7.30pm.September 5, venue and dates to be confirmed.
See September issue of Island News & Advertiser.
Lochmaddy SWRIsummer sell-out
Gordon MacDonald awarded certificates to Carinish pupils.
Paible school’s Eco-council with their awards.
UIST SCHOOLS FIRSTFOR SALTIRE AWARDS
South Uist pipe tuneinspires Fèis animationA South Uist pipe tune became the inspiration for an original pieceof animation created by children attending Fèis Tìr an Eòrna this year.
7August 2012 Issue 6 - island news & ADVERTISER
Access to Further Education (Fort William, Portree)
NC Art and Design (Portree)
NC Administration (Auchtertyre)
NC Child, Health and Social Care (Fort William, Portree)
Certificate in Construction Skills (Fort William)
NC Digital Media Computing (Portree)
Certificate in Event Planning (Fort William)
Certificate in Maritime Skills (Mallaig)
NC Music (Fort William, Plockton)
NC in Outdoor Adventure (Broadford)
Certificate in Advanced Outdoor Leadership (Fort William)
City & Guilds Diploma Professional Cookery (Fort William)
NC Rural Skills (Broadford, Fort William)
West Highland College UHI is a companylimited by guarantee (SC153921)
with charitable status (SC024193)Call 01397 874246 www.whc.uhi.ac.uk
West Highland College UHI is offering FREE taster sessions forpotential music students.
Friday 10th August9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Contemporary MusicFort William
National Certificate MusicA unique partnership between West Highland College UHI andthe National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music in Plocktonbrings a new slant to college options.
NC Music in Plockton is offered through the medium of Scottishtraditional music.
The NC is also available in Fort William with contemporary musicas the medium.
TRY BEFORE YOU APPLY!
For more information about music options contact:
Becky Milne (Plockton) 01599 544217Miriam Iorwerth (Fort William) 01397 874245
Tuesday 14th August 10 am - 3 pm
Traditional MusicPlockton
BA (Hons) Adventure Tourism ManagementA range of degree courses through UHI and Work based Modern Apprenticeships
So many choices starting in September with West Highland College UHI
WHC UHI delivers Marine & Coastal Agency STCW95 mandatory courses (a must for anyone steppingon a boat for employment purposes) as part of thiscourse. This is a great benefit to the coastalcommunities West Highland College UHI serves.
Classes at sea with Certificatein Maritime Skills in Mallaig NC Art and Design
Painting, printing, textiles,drawing----
NC Digital MediaComputing Web design, animation----
Getting creative in Portree
island news & ADVERTISER - August 2012 Issue 68
PeoplePeople
While you’re swimming three km in afreezing sea loch, cycling 202 km,then running the equivalent of a fullmarathon up two Munros all in thespace of a day, things might get alittle challenging both mentally andphysically.
When the going got tough for NorthUist fitness instructor Rob Quarm whowas doing just that to earn the title ofCeltman! Extreme Triathlete, heconjured up images of his late fatherBill to spur him on.
Rob, 32, lost his father earlier this yearand says he needed a focus to help himdeal with his grief.
He decided to take on the Celtman!Extreme Triathlon and use the challengeto raise money for Macmillan CancerSupport.
Rob grew up on North Uist where as afounding member of North Uist Amateur
Athletics Club he was able to nurture hislove of sport, compete for club andschool and launch his coaching career.
Rob now lives in Galashiels with hispartner Tracy and son Sebastian. Heworks for Borders Sport and LeisureTrust and as a personal fitness trainer inStobo Castle, where he was able to trainfor the Celtman challenge.
Tracy, also a fitness trainer at Stobo, andSebastian became Rob’s vital supportteam during his Celtman challenge,helping him change from wet suit to cycleshorts and driving ahead of him to givehim sports drinks during the cycle ride ina race where every second counts.
Rob said: “After the cycle ride myknees were sore, which made themountain run the hardest bit andstopped me moving nimbly.”
Rob came in with a time of 16 hours,25 minutes and 17 seconds, placing himat number 63.
He said: “Doing this in honour andmemory of my dad put a strength andmotivation behind me to keep me going.
“Raising money for Macmillan whichhelped our family so much during mydad’s illness was also something whichkept me going.”
Rob has almost reached his fund-raising target of £5,000 with donationsstill coming in via his Just Giving site:www.justgiving.com/rob quarm.
He plans to undertake two moretriathlons this year and has the IslandGames open water triathlon in Bermudain his sights next year.
But as it involves a mere 1500m swim,40k cycle ride and 10k run, it will bemore like a stroll in the park forCeltman Rob.
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
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Padruig Morrison, 16, from Grimsay hasbeen making a musical and artistic markon the Uists from a very young age, fromdrawing cartoons for Am Paipear, toacting in the Gaelic film Seachd,composing traditional tunes and playingaccordion and piano with many islandmusicians.
He won the coveted place at the school forgifted young musicians after a demandingtwo-day audition process.
Going into the equivalent of fifth year,Padruig will continue his academic studieswhile studying and playing a wide range ofmusic, including classical, traditional, jazzand choral.
He said: “Every pupil has their own tailoredtimetable, so there’s time for practicingthroughout the day, and music lessons.”
Padruig will have 34 boarding companionsat the school. St Mary’s has a roll of 80pupils, 20 of them choristers at the nearby StMary’s Cathedral.
He said: “It will be a very different world,a new challenge.
“Uist has been a fantastic place to grow upin for the whole cultural side of things.
“The fèis is a great thing to allow anybodyto get started on any instrument and ceilidhshelp people get used to performing andspeaking in front of people with confidence.
“As well as that the culture has come
from my Dad (Lachie) and the community.The cultural inheritance is really strong,I’m lucky to have that.”
He added: “I’ll be continuing composingin the traditional style, but making bridgeswith jazz. There will be a lot ofclassical on piano which will begood for my musical knowledgeand classical on accordionwhich will be a whole newchallenge for me.”
Padruig will attend StMary’s for two or possiblythree years, and hopes thento go on to university tostudy music and maths.
One of Uist’s best-known youngsters will next month head to Edinburghto complete his secondary education at St Mary’s Music School.
ANTI-POVERTY CHARITY NEEDS YOUR BROKEN BIKES AND COMPUTERSNew collection boxeshave appeared in 40outlets between Eriskayand Lochmaddy, raisingmoney for Perthshire-based charity HumanosAid International.
The charity works with localcommunities and support organisationssuch as Blythswood Care and Caritas torelieve poverty, distress and sufferingwherever it is found worldwide.
That is increasingly closer to home.Officially, one million children in theUK aren’t getting enough food.
Humanos founder Billy Chung said:
“We know there are now more than18,000 children going to bed hungry inPerthshire alone.”
Mr Chung, a retired businessman,began his humanitarian work after a visitto Hungary, during which he was beggedfor food by an elderly woman outside hishotel. The distress of the womanprompted him into a vortex of action.
He formed Humanos Aid Internationalto collect food, clothes, PCs, bikes andother goods to ship initially to needycommunities in Hungary and nowRomania, Bulgaria and the Ukraine.
When Mr Chung began to realise theextent of poverty on his own doorstep,
Humanos started handing out shoe boxeswith food to needy families in Aberfeldyand Kinloch Rannoch. The charity wantsto establish a Food Bank in Perthshire.
Meanwhile Mr Chung is looking forhelp from Uist residents to further hishumanitarian work.
Combatting waste, be it of food orgoods is a one of Humanos’s key goals,so the charity is looking for broken bikesand computers to repair for distributionin needy areas. Shoes are also always indemand.
Mr Chung said: “We are looking forsome space to act as a depot on theislands for these broken or unwanted
goods, and forvolunteers to becomeinvolved in this sideof the charity’swork.”
Memories of Dadspur on Celtman Rob
Padruig’s next musical adventure
To find out moreabout HumanosAid Internationalvisitwww.humanos.org.uk.
To contact,email: [email protected] telephone 01887 840278.
Billy Chung.
9
This year’s Berneray 10k was won byAndrew King of Point in 37.32 minutes.
Malcolm Shepherd of Glasgow camesecond with a time of 38.02m, which alsosaw him win the over 40s category.
Winner of the ladies was Jennifer Ganeof Hougharry with a time of 46.56m(overall position 12) and Berneray winnerwas Chris Spears with 46.52m (overallposition 11).
SportSportAugust 2012 Issue 6 - island news & ADVERTISER
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Sunny skies lit up North Uist’s HighlandGathering on Friday July 21 at Balelonefarm.
Piping and dancing kept every corner of theground full of action, while youngsters turnedout in force to participate in the track and fieldevents. Side shows were complemented by thearrival of the coastguard helicopter. Carinishtook the district trophy by a wide margin.
Uist Shintytriumph
Photo courtesy ofRuairidh MacDonald
CAMANACHD UIBHIST 2 - CAMANACHD LEODHAIS 2
Victory came on penalties after a close-fought game. Captain Lee Thomson and Dougie MacKenzie converted for the penalties for Uist.
Camanachd Uibhist won 2-1 on penalties
Berneray 10k
Photo courtesy of Wolfgang Berius
Stornoway Running Club came down for theBerneray 10k.
South Uist Games and Piping Society’s HighlandGathering took place on Askernish machair onWednesday July 18.
Despite leadenskies and a chillybreeze, the gatheringattracted goodcrowds to enjoy thehigh standard ofpiping and dancing,and an ever-growingvariety of side shows.
Piping under greyskies.
South Uist Games
Ranald Fraser made theheavyweight events look easy.
Dancing was as competitiveas ever.
North Uist Highland Gathering
Fisher 8 wonthe men’s tug o war.
Domhnall Ban supported his pupilsthroughout the junior piping section.
Ranald Fraser cleaned up inthe heavyweight section.
Flying high in the fieldevents.
After a break of three years,Uist Camanachd brought home the Hebridean FestivalShinty Challenge Cup once again after an exciting match in Bayhead,Stornoway.
10 island news & ADVERTISER - August 2012 Issue 6
The Summer of 2012The Summer of 2012
Ashley (pictured above) has beenplaying with Field MarshalMontgomery Pipe band for eightseasons, and is currently tutored inNorthern Ireland by Bertie Todd, andin Scotland by Willie MacCallum ofBearsden. Ashley said: “This is myfirst time playing at the Highland
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Fèis Tìr a’MhurainAs a singer and dancer who lived herein the 1970’s visiting the Iochdar fèiswas like walking into a Hebrideanoasis of music and culture,writes Lesley Buchanan.
SOUTH UIST &BENBECULAAGRICULTURAL SHOW
Some 111 children attended this year to experienceand learn from tutors who themselves had come upthrough the fèis in previous years.
As I was shown round each room it was a veritabletreat to pop into each activity. Drama games were in fullswing playing the ‘zap’ game; the art class so engrossednone looked up while shinty was being taught outside.The tutor for the Clarsach was Judith Cummings fromSeattle USA who also attended Ceolas. Highlanddancing for beginners was enthusiastic and a real delightto watch, while the accordion classes were so full thatextra tutors had to be brought in. What a fantastic advertfor the islands and Gaelic culture.
With 56 dogs competing under sunny skiesit proved a great day out for onlookers andcompetitors alike.
HIGHLANDSAND ISLANDS
Berneray SheepDog TrialsPart of the Hebridean Sheepdog Trialscircuit,the Berneray trials coincidedwith Berneray Week,adding to theisland’s vibrant atmosphere.
Young Piper ofThe Year 2012
Games in Scotland. I just wanted toget a mention, never mind win it, so I
am over the moon.”For the first time in a
long time, a local playertook a trophy withSouth Uist’s MichaelSteele (pictured left)winning the under 18
category. Michael’s outstandingplaying sees him in constant demandby other island musicians andhighlights the progress of Uist pipingunder the tutelage of Domhnall Ban.
Winner of theunder 15s wasBrighde Chaimpbeulof Kyle, praised forthe her naturalgrace and uniquetechnique.
J McGee with Max85 points
Robert Gallagher with Jake84 points
Kenny Donald with Nell83 points
ndnd22stst11
rdrd33Local competition winner:Neil MacAskill Berneray.
Results
This hotly competed title was wonby 25 year old Ashley McMichaelfrom Antrim, Northern Ireland.
MR MACAULAY WON:● Best ewe lamb at show● Best blackface ram at show● Best blackface gimmer at show● Best sheep in hill section● Most points in hill section● Champion blackface at show● Supreme sheep champion with
a blackface gimmer.
Organisers were delighted withthe turnout of livestock this year.
New steel fencing made life easierfor stockmen in the pens. Livestockjudges were Donald Linton andMalcolm MacDonald from Oban.
Show chairman Donald RoddyMacRury said gate numbers were upon last year, with people bravingcool, grey weather to support theshow. He appealed for newcommittee members to take the showforward with “new ideas and newways of doing things.”
One man who triumphed at theshow was Archie ‘Sketch’ Macaulay(pictured) who swept the board withhis Beccaross blackfaces.
He dedicated his success to hismentor, the late Angus John Monk ofLionacleit.
11
The Summer of 2012The Summer of 2012August 2012 Issue 6 - island news & ADVERTISER
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A busy show in Willow Park, East Tarbert on July 4.Fine weather, livestock and lots of activities and competitionsdrew in the crowds. Photos courtesy of Anne MacLellan.
The buzz at this year’s NorthUist fèis was almost tangible.
Some 80 children from Uist, themainland and even New Yorkattended the event in Paibleschool, enjoying traditional musicand dance activities, shinty and forthe first time traditional sportssuch as shot put and hammerthrowing.
Another first were animationclasses which mined anunsuspected seam of talent in thechildren. (see page 6)
Fèis chairperson Nanac Skivington
was full of praise for the participantsand their tutors. She said: “Theyhave all been fantastic, soenthusiastic and excited about whatthey’re doing. Many of the tutors areyoung themselves, local athletes,former students at Benbeculacampus or musicians from themainland keen to take part.”
She extended special thanks toUist’s piping tutor Domhnall Ban.“He has been with this fèis from thestart, making this his 23rd year,” shesaid.
The ceilidhs raised the roof, talks and walks were attended byrecord numbers, CDs and books were launched, some of the finesttutors in the world coached keen students of Gaelic music - and theweather was glorious all week.
North Harris agricultural show
Organisers ran out of superlatives to describe this year’s Ceòlas,with numbers up by 30% and classes filled to capacity.
Fèis Tìr an Eòrna
Food glorious foodtempted crowdsinto Balivanich Hallto enjoy the secondannual Taste of theIsles event.
Organised by Sustainable Uist andNorth Uist Development Company, theday showcased local food from freshgarden produce, meat, fish and shellfishto preserves, cheese, baking andchocolate. Island drams were also onhand to wash down the ample tastings.
The day was complemented by familyfun in Balivanich square, with livemusic, the An Radio bandwagon andlots of games for the children.
Taste of the Isles andBenbecula Fun Day
