COUNCIL WANTS MORE BINS LADEN

In a message to the community, Argyll & Bute Council has signalled an end to the short-lived weekly refuse collection - from now onwards they propose to reduce it to fortnightly or less over the greater part of the year, dependent upon weather. Under their radical proposals, Colonsay residents will thus be further penalised for spells of bad weather, whenever the ferry is unable to sail. Presumably the 40% of the population which is of pensioner status will benefit from climbing into wheelie bins and jumping up and down on its rubbish, although in truly inclement weather it may be possible to use homehelps as substitutes.

Colonsay Estate offered to allow the use of its own bins (which are largely unused in winter) to ease the situation, but this was offer was rejected; as the Argyll & Bute spokesman explained, it would only encourage people and lead to more rubbish. Unfortunately, comment from the secretive and previously unknown Colonsay Artificial Rubbish Manufacturing Unit was not available.

In order to compensate ratepayers for any inconvenience, Argyll & Bute have proposed a financial incentive. They are to spend £3,000 on the purchase of a glass-crushing machine, which they will ship to the island and pay to commission; it will of course be insured, and subject to Health and Safety inspection. Residents have only to collect one tonne of empty bottles per head to trigger a payment of £30 - trained and paid Argyll & Bute operatives will do the actual crushing, the broken glass will be used on the island's roads, and the £30 will be given to somebody else (the Community Council). In an attempt to be the first to win this glittering prize, tiny co-operative groups are already gathering privately to prepare some bottles.

Colonsay Community Council was underwhelmed by these proposals. In their response, CCC state that a full service March through October is a minimum requirement and (on Pede's suggestion) have suggested that island residents in full-time occupancy should be offered an additional wheelie-bin without charge.

It is not known how often Argyll & Bute's own officials have their domestic rubbish uplifted. "It all depends … probably about once every two or three weeks" is unlikely to be the response (unless they live on an island). Perhaps Colonsay residents should pay their Council Tax in the same way - regularly in summer, now and again in winter and not at all if it's windy?

---

"The Times" recently ran an article about some weedy lobster that they thought was the biggest ever caught in the UK. The piece has been mislaid, but it was about the size of a decent Nephrops Norvegicus or Dublin Bay Prawn. Luckily we have a picture here of a decent specimen, caught at Ardskenish by Calum MacAllister as recently as 1957 - this one weighed in at over 13lbs 8oz, and can be viewed in the Bar of Colonsay Hotel

---

REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE

There were 47 people at the Remembrance Day ceremony this year, conducted by Margaret Walker. Eleanor McNeill played music for the hymns and the magnificent wreath was placed by Davie Sutherland; Sid Bowman had arranged seating and hymn books at the CalMac Office, and organised a Poppy-Day collection. The weather was excellent and, after the service, everyone was invited back to the hotel for refreshments.

Davie Sutherland places the wreath, 2001

Dugie McGilvary is our oldest soldier and his medals were resplendent - he reminisced about the original Armistice day, which he well remembers. On November 11 1918, the schoolchildren all got a day's holiday and a Union Jack was hoisted on the old castle at Appin, where Dugie lived at the time. (Castle Stalker? - Dugie mentioned that it was the only time he saw a flag flown there).

Crosses and a wreath were placed on the wargraves at the cemetery once again, on behalf of Mrs. Diana Cussons of Hampshire. Mrs. Cussons finds it difficult to visit Colonsay now but has supplied these poppy tributes for many years - "To me, remembering those Service men is the very important thing…" Incidentally, the memorial to Richard Prior is almost complete and there has been a remarkably generous response from those persons who have been good enough to support the project. The mason hopes to deliver the stone in early December and details of the dedication will be notified here. A new memorial for Edmondo Armando Sottocarnola has been prepared and will be positioned on Eilean nan Ron as soon as permission is received - Finlay MacFadyen has made a very fine wooden cross and there is a neat, very plain brass commemorative plate. Meanwhile, Esme Marshall is working to get the lettering on the main war-memorial refreshed.

This seems an appropriate place to share a hand-written letter to her father, kindly lent to "The Corncrake" by Miss "Follallie" McNeill, dated September 1st 1942 and posted from 10, Downing Street, Whitehall:

Dear Mr. McNeill,
I want, with all my heart, to thank you for the gift you have sent me for my Red Cross "Aid to Russia" Fund.

From all over the country similar donations are reaching me, & I feel that they are particularly significant because they shew the vivid and intense concern of the citizens of Great Britain for the desperate struggle for freedom, & for the sufferings sililently & unflinchingly borne by the Russian People for their natural life & ideals.

I send you my heartfelt thanks for your help.

Yours Sincerely
Clementine S. Churchill (signed)

---

The warm sunshine on 15th November persuaded Nigel to take one of his diggers for a bit of a run. Our picture shows it poised for action, but unfortunately the photographer could not wait to see what happened next...

---

BOAT BOMBSHELL ROCKS COMMUNITY COUNCIL

There was a Community Council meeting on 6th November. An excellent bombshell made for a more entertaining meeting than might have been anticipated, when CalMac sought immediate reaction to a proposed additional sailing for 2002.

For various reasons, MV "Isle of Arran" will serve as the network's standby vessel next summer, and the company feels that it could assist a number of islands if it was deployed to strengthen their core services. In all cases, it must be understood that the vessel will be re-deployed without notice to cover any disruption to the basic scheduled service. In other words, it is a fundamental feature of the proposal that the suggested service is to be unreliable. The proposal is for a ten-week period 23 June to 28 August.

As part of an ambitious programme, the service for Colonsay would be on Saturdays, departing Oban at 09.30hrs and sailing via Port Askaig (12.45hrs), Kennacraig (15.15hrs), Port Askaig (17.45hrs) to arrive in Colonsay at c. 18.45hrs. The vessel would then depart Colonsay at 19.00hrs, to arrive at Oban 21.50hrs.

CCC is naturally reluctant to reject any additional service, but saw weaknesses in this proposal. In effect, the service would help people to leave Colonsay, but would not help people to come. It would not address our problem of supplies - after Friday night, there is no realistic delivery of food, newspapers or mail to Colonsay until Wednesday night, and a Saturday boat is no more help than a Sunday one. It would further disrupt the lives of most working people, without providing any benefits. It would not attract any trade, and would thus provide CalMac with "evidence" that there was no demand for an additional service. It would open the door to reducing Colonsay to the status of a satellite of Islay (as with Coll/Tiree), and could be a precursor to the 2003 timetable. Because it is actually to be promoted as unreliable, no normal person can plan to use it.

Those present guessed that CalMac had another agenda: CCC would be forced to suggest that the boat calls twice at Colonsay, thus permitting daytrips from Oban and (of course) paving the way for a regular such service 3 times per week in 2003. The drawbacks are that Colonsay would lose its mystique, the quality of life would be reduced to little better than that of Iona, property prices and achieved rentals would be forced down to Islay levels (but without any compensating reductions in overheads or cost of living). Colonsay would become an appendage to the Oban/Islay service and (as in Coll/Tiree) people would find that weather conditions would quite often force them to board the outgoing vessel, rather than rely on a call on the return leg. This makes for rushed departures and enforced 4 hour crossing times to Oban, a poor ending to a holiday.

There was not a large attendance at the meeting and CCC were asked for an early response. Despite their misgivings, they had no option but to confirm that they welcome any additional service, whilst pointing out the inadequacies of the proposal. They also had to say that a call in both directions is absolutely essential… they were effectively forced to propose a service which could have major implications for the future, but had to do so without benefit of any consultation or professional advice.

…………
Argyll & Bute's new Biodiversity Plan was presented to the meeting and is now in circulation - it will be of genuine interest to any naturalist living locally (ask Andrew MacGregor if you wish to see it).

---

There is talk of a project to finish the job which was delayed by the outbreak of WWII. Our picture shows the remaining rock in the harbour, which it is hoped may be removed to permit the construction of berths for visiting yachts and local pleasure craft.

---

AP&J REPORT by MOIRA KERR

The following is an extract from a November 5th piece in the Aberdeen Press & Journal:

"The development dreams of rural communities all over Scotland are coming true thanks to the work of a research team from the University of Strathclyde. MOIRA KERR reports

"Mr Fagan and his team at the University of Strathclyde, who specialise in carrying out research work in sparsely populated areas, are helping isolated communities to achieve their development wish lists.

In return for getting feedback from communities for their research about the problems they face and the victories they score as they strive to develop, the university team members become their knights in shining armour. They show communities how to access the funds they so desperately need and how to cut through the red tape which so often causes a development idea to fail. Known as Cadispa (Conservation and Development in Sparsely Populated Areas), the team is ready, willing and able to get involved in all kinds of rural developments, depending on the needs identified by local residents.

On Colonsay, the community successfully acquired funding for a new village hall and can now relay to others how it achieved this and how it overcame stumbling blocks. Rhona Grant, secretary of the hall committee on Colonsay, said Cadispa had been invaluable in helping the community achieve the £375,000 hall. She said living on a remote island meant there were problems accessing information. But, she added: "We could ask Cadispa anything and they would find out the answers for us. When we got stuck, we just phoned them up and asked. "Their help was invaluable; they are the most helpful people I have come across."

Mr Fagan said: "There is masses of money available. People are working together (on current Cadispa-aided projects) on raising something between £10million and £12million and I have no doubt that they will all achieve their funding."

(c) The Press and Journal Limited, 2001.

CHIPS ALL ROUND

There is a new government plan which may permit every Colonsay household to receive a free computer. If the bid is successful, everyone will be offered a short but comprehensive training programme and their computer would have full sound and graphics capability; each household would receive a web-camera and everyone would receive one year's free Internet access.

The scheme is a pilot one, and it is hoped that Colonsay's isolation will qualify residents for this major initiative. Our degree of social exclusion is often under-estimated - even on simple levels, such as the absence of newspapers which means that we are unable to be fully involved with the progress of the new Scottish Parliament. It goes without saying that our postal system is poor, we are excluded from sport and from most branches of the arts and education. Readers will remember the mobile cinema - or the older ones will.. That particular "benefit" has never been seen again, and even the first time it only came to Colonsay after they became bored with it in Bosnia.

So the computer plan may help to redress the balance - and will give "The Corncrake" an expanded circulation. More to the point, it might make it easier for more people to get involved in it, or for people to take turns at being the Editor. (If anybody is prepared to assist please contact Kevin … we need volunteers urgently, otherwise there will never been any variety).

WHAT'S ON IN COLONSAY

Due to refurbishment, The Hotel will be closed for meals and accommodation from 30 September until further notice. The Bar will be open as follows:
Monday - Saturday 12.00 - 14.30 and 19.00 - Late
Sunday 12.00 - 14.30 (closed at night).

The Pantry will be open for meals etc. throughout the winter. The winter opening hours are as follows:
Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10.00 - 14.00 hrs.
Saturdays 10.00 - 15.00 hrs.
Evening meals and take-away meals can be catered for by arrangement. To make such arrangements, telephone the Pantry on 01951 200325 or call May MacKinnon at home 0n 01951 200341

Quiz in the Hotel every Wednesday at 9.30 pm.

Church services every Sunday, alternating between the churches: 11 am at the Church of Scotland, Scalasaig, and 12 noon at the Baptist Church, Kilchattan. See shop notice to check venue.

Church of Scotland Sunday 18th: Rev. Freda Marshall, 11.00hrs followed by Board of Management Meeting.
Please note that it is now policy that all Kirk Session and Board Meetings will normally be held in public.

SNIPPETS

Irene (our stargazer) was taken unwell this week and was flown out - reports are encouraging; Hughie McNeill has been appointed as relief to Ross Moodie on the Water Scheme; Kevin Byrne has been appointed as relief to Diane Clark, the Registrar; Islay is organising an archaeological survey right around its coast; Ken Duerden has stood down as Commercial Director in CalMac; Gigha has been bought out by its residents - with north Jura it was for years a dependency of Colonsay and may yet seek a return to the glory days; Guy Fawkes night was celebrated in the Gardens and in traditional style; Alex and Kevin removed over 2 tonnes of rocks from the berth at the slip, but there is still more work needed (they are rolled in by children - adults please shout at any culprits that you see); Hector MacFadyen is working in Colonsay at present - let's hope he has his accordian; there is a new School Bus, a 13 seater Peugeot Boxer with wheelchair capability (and no spiders, yet):

Nooks & Crannies: LOCHAN A' BHRAGHAD

Loder translates this as "Little Upland Loch" but elsewhere gives "Pass of the Upper Ground" for Bealach a' Bhraghad ... "Small Loch at the Brow" or "at the top of the Brae" would seem more felicitous. In any event, it is a quiet little corner these days which our picture may encourage you to re-visit. The writer has never noticed a bird on this loch - perhaps readers have observations that they would share?

TOPICAL LETTERS

Concluding the contribution by distinguished highland historian and broadcaster Domhnall Uilleam Stiubhart
PART III of IV concluded:
The only figure of magnate status who could resist the growing power of lord Lorne was thus the chief of the Mackenzies, Cailean Ruadh, who had, as we have seen, been ennobled as the earl of Seaforth in 1624. His brash and somewhat naive personality, however, was not entirely suited to the Machiavellian world of court politics. Cailean Ruadh recruited a company of Dutch fishermen from Middelbrug in South Holland to develop and indeed plant the isle of Lewis - one imagines that potential volunteers from the Lowlands would be rather thin on the ground after the fate of the Fife Adventurers. This enterprise, of course, only increased the suspicion of the authorities - and indeed the king himself, given his pet project of the Association for the Fisheries. This suspicion was, of course, spurred on by the Scottish burghs. Helped by powerful magnate allies such as his father-in-law the earl of Morton, lord Lorne was easily able to outmanoeuvre the Mackenzie chief.

PART IV of IV

As I said earlier on, I only want to touch briefly on the events of the following decade, the years leading up to the outbreak of civil war. The dominant theme of this decade, of course, is the growth, or resurrection, of Campbell power under the active and aggressive leadership of Gilleasbaig Fiar-shùileach, Archibald Campbell, lord Lorne. In June 1628 he was given a seat in the privy council, and shortly afterwards, as a result of Charles' revocation scheme, he was awarded the position of justiciar of the isles, a judicial power he would use to the full during the coming years. At the very end of the 1620s lord Lorne was able to take advantage of a new phase of anti-Catholic persecution. In cooperation with bishop John Leslie of the Isles he was able in effect to put an end to what we might describe as the second stage of the Franciscan mission. Incidentally, this phase also sees the translation and printing of the second Gaelic book printed in Scotland, a rather rushed version Calvin's catechism, probably financed by lord Lorne and done by his own family bard, published in 1630.

As a result of violent persecution during the following decade the Franciscan missionaries were confined to remoter areas of the western Gàidhealtachd such as Lochaber and Sleat. Bishop Leslie was given permission by the council to hold ecclesiastical courts in his diocese, in order to reform the dubious morals of the islanders, and shortly afterwards he and lord Lorne initiated a survey in order to raise church teinds, a fresh and most unwelcome financial burden for the chiefs, given that it would be very difficult for them to raise fresh funds because their tacks would have already been let out.

Lord Lorne's personal political standing rose steadily. In 1632 the privy council passed the rather extraordinary motion that "no commissioun sall be grantit to or in favours of the Ylanders till the Lord of Lorne, his Majesteis Justiciar within the Isles, be first heard and his opinion craved thereanent". The following year lord Lorne had the post of master of the king's household during Charles' royal visit to Scotland.

In 1633 the only potential rival of lord Lorne, Cailean Ruadh Mackenzie, died. His heir, his brother Deòrsa, George, was not at all as able as his predecessors, described in a near-contemporary family history as "a good man but verie unfortunat". From his accession can be dated the slow decline of Clan Mackenzie, overextended, split between ambitious clan gentry, and supervised by a series of incapable chiefs. But the seeds of the clan's downfall perhaps lie in its success in extending its power in the first place, above all from the expenses incurred in taking over the isle of Lewis and keeping its population quiescent. I wonder also if some other problems might lie in Ruairidh na Còigich's strategies of creating a network of client clans through marriage alliances. Lord Lorne suffered the same crippling debts as the Mackenzies, but he was in a position through the 1630s of being able ruthlessly to exploit his neighbours in a way that Cailean Ruadh, the chief of the Mackenzies, was quite unable to do.

Incidentally, given the Mackenzies' interest in developing the fisheries around the west coast, it's rather interesting to note how the year immediately after Cailean Ruadh's death, lord Lorne and the new bishop of the Isles, Niall Campbell, made enquiries about the chiefs lifting dues from Lowland fishermen.

The chiefs' finances, of course, were steadily draining away, thanks to their yearly visit to Edinburgh, and the expense of having to keep lodgings, merchants, lawyers, and of course the necessary conspicuous consumption incurred by a visit to the capital. Not only that, but they had to attend lord Lorne's justiciary courts. In July 1633, during Charles' visit to Edinburgh, the chiefs made a formal complaint about their enforced yearly attendance, "it being a moithe and canker which eatis up our wholl estates and in tyme will overthrow us".

To turn to the MacLeans of Duart again, the clan had been reduced to civil strife once more, with the second son of the chief, Lachlann na Morbhairne, as de facto chief and client of lord Lorne. In 1633, due to the still parlous state of clan finances, Lachlann MacLean was forced to recognise lord Lorne as superior of the lands of Àros and Bròlas on Mull. During these years lord Lorne, under great financial strain himself, and against a background of general economic hardship and famine, bought the rights to Kintyre from his half-brother, as well as the superiority of the MacDonald lands of Moidart and Àrasaig - he had already acquired the superiority of Canna, possibly because of its fishing possibilities, in 1628; the superiority of the MacLeod lands of Glenelg, which already had a long-standing Campbell claim on them; and the wardship of Iain Balbh, chief of the Mackinnons of Strath. Campbell power thus extended right up to the Isle of Skye.

Campbell expansionism during the 1630s was well calculated to alienate still further the chiefs, not only from the Campbells of Argyll themselves, but also from the protestant church. They were encouraged in this by the efforts of Randal MacDonell, earl of Antrim, in keeping up the Franciscan mission, now based at Bunmargy. MacDonell had made into a family chapel, and indeed his illegitimate son Francis was now himself a Franciscan, as a replacement for Pól Mac Néill. Francis, however, was not allowed to travel into Scotland "propter rationes politicas status", or again, "ne incurrat indignationem regis Angliae aut suspicionem". There was evidently quite enough official suspicion of Antrim already - when his agent had bought Kintyre in 1635, lord Lorne had been able to take the land from him by alledging to the privy council that MacDonell would not be long in introducing Catholic priests. Kintyre, which could be seen from Antrim's castle at Dun-Libhse, remained in Campbell hands.

Through the 1630s we see the missionaries doing their best to persuade the authorities at Rome to create a Catholic bishop of the Isles, a bishop who could ordain Scottish Gaels who would know the people and the culture. They could thus oppose the growth of protestantism through the islands under bishop Neill Campbell. This was very much a race against time too, as a new generation of protestant Gaelic-speaking clerics was being educated in the Lowlands. In addition, the effects of the various statutes requiring heirs to be educated in English in the Lowlands was being felt. Sir Ruairidh Mór MacLeod's successor, his son Iain Mór, had been brought up a protestant and had attended Glasgow University. He has left a faint but rather unpleasant memory in oral tradition as having enforced conversions upon his tenantry. It is notable that the classical Gaelic endorsements stop short immediately Iain Mór succeeded to the chiefship, and that the successor to the clan bards, Maol Domhnaigh Ó Muirgheasáin, went into exile in Ireland shortly afterwards. Following the death of Sir Ruairidh Mór, the mantle of representative of the island chief was taken up by his erstwhile protegé Sir Domhnall Gorm Òg, the chief of the MacDonalds of Sleat. In 1628 he undertook another journey to see the king, evidently with the intention of questioning the growing Campbell hegemony, much to the anger of lord Lorne, who wrote to his father-in-law the earl of Morton:

I cannot bot advertise your Lo. with Sir Donald Gorrom's intention in going thither [the court], for I shall be abll to proove that his men of lau and agents said he could not suffer to be under me any way, and it seems so, for I being in your Lo. house of Dalkeithe, did never hear of him till he was gon. Thairfor let me intrait your Lo. that he and such honest men to me as he is (quho speaks to me on way and does quyt contrarit quhich I shall mak good) may not find your Lo. friendship for any mans requeist...

Who speaks to me one way and does quite the contrary - this is a perfect example of Paul Hopkins' anti-heroic tradition, a deviousness increasingly employed by Sir Domhnall Gorm Òg over the next decade. Although Charles was evidently not willing to listen to MacDonald of Sleat at that juncture, the MacMhuirich bard's description of him as "a great courtier of King Charles" suggests that the chief must have made a number of other visits to the court, in other words trying to bypass lord Lorne's power base in the privy council and get the ear of the ultimate authority. This approach finally bore fruit when the new earl of Antrim, also Randal MacDonell, came to power in 1636. This was a magnate who had been brought up as a courtier since childhood, who had recently married the widow of the duke of Buckingham, and enjoyed close links with the marquess of Hamilton. Like Sir Domhnall Gorm Òg, the new earl of Antrim was well-versed in the anti-heroic tradition, although perhaps not so expert. Thomas Wentworth left the following description of him after a rather fraught interview:

[H]is Lordship was in differing Tempers as ever I saw; sometimes the Grand-Child of the great Tyrone, using me so roughly indeed...; sometimes again he descended and became more merciful and generous, indeed, even to make himself like one of ourselves, such was his Gentleness and Civility.

But this is another story, bringing us up to the bishops' wars which broke out at the end of 1638.

A narrative history of the western Gàidhealtachd during this period, then, might focus on the following. First of all, the process from 1608-1610 by which the chiefs were nominally brought into submission - as I've suggested, the grim fate of the rebellious Gaels in Ulster represented an extremely bad omen to the island chiefs. From 1610 to 1614 there is something of a learning curve, as different chiefs try different tactics to ally themselves with sources of power: the Mackenzies strengthen their ties with the authorities in Edinburgh, while Sir Ruairidh Mór MacLeod has some success with the novel strategy of circumventing Edinburgh and going straight to the monarch himself. The risings of Clann Iain Mhóir of Islay in 1614 and 1615 lead to a further crackdown by the privy council, but the steady collapse of Campbell power, culminating in the defection of the earl of Argyll, Gilleasbaig Gruamach himself, in 1618 enables the Mackenzies to extend their influence over much of the west coast. The early 1620s also see the first attempts by the earl of Antrim take advantage of the troubles of the Campbells of Argyll, with the despatching of the Franciscan missionaries to the islands.

In 1625, however, members of Clann Iain, the MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan, take to the sea as pirates. The Edinburgh authorities, nervous because of the menacing war with Spain, and the death of the king in London, somewhat overreact. Lord Lorne, the young heir of the earl of Argyll, acquits himself well, and as result of the favour he gains from both the privy council and the new king, is able during the following decade steadily to accumulate legal, financial, and indeed ecclesiastical power over the inhabitants of the western seaboard. His task is doubtless made easier by the deaths of the two most able leaders of the island chiefs, Sir Ruairidh Mór MacLeod and Ruairidh na Còigich. During the 1630s, thanks to the aggressive policies of the successive bishops of the Isles, the Franciscan mission is badly disrupted and mainly confined to base at Bunmargy in Antrim, while the church is now in a position to hold ecclesiastical courts and raise teinds and bishops rents.

The decade sees a steady alienation of many islanders from the protestant church, and indeed from the growing Campbell ascendancy. The moves to commercial estate management during this time certainly increased alienation, judging from hints in the oral tradition, and I suspect that because of the songs and stories told of the outlawed MacGregors, many of whom had been reset over the entire Gàidhealtachd, they came to be seen very much as proto-romantic heroes to their fellow Gaels. Most importantly, I'd stress the growing rapprochement between the Catholic chiefs of Clan Donald, under the leadership of Sir Domhnall Gorm Òg of Sleat and Randall MacDonell of Antrim, and members of the court in London. Sir Domhnall Gorm Òg was of course following the example of his earlier mentor Sir Ruairidh Mór. The journey made by the chief of the MacLeods of Dunvegan in 1613 to visit James VI led, however indirectly, to the momentous decision - by Highland standards at any rate - by Charles I, acting on the advice of the marquess of Hamilton, to use Clan Donald against the covenanters at the beginning of 1638.

Regulars