Arnish Lighthouse

<![CDATA[
So another two British soldiers have lain down their lives in the service of Queen and country in Iraq. You may well think "What on earth does that have anything to do with a Scottish island??" I'll explain.

In the First World War, 1,000 men from the Isle of Lewis alone perished. From a population of about 25,000, six thousand joined up for the armed forces. That's about HALF of all menfolk. Of those, 1 out of every 6 never came home again. 200 drowned within sight of home at the sinking of HMY Iolaire, on the Beasts of Holm, 2 miles south of Stornoway.
The First World War was a politicians' war, a conflict that had been brewing for a long time before the fuse was lit in Sarajevo, in 1914, when an Austro-Hungarian archduke was shot and killed in the street. A long litany of alliances between various European states then rolled into action, with war being declared in August 1914. I am convinced (personal opinion) that the man in the street at the time wasn't that fussed with a nobleman being assassinated in the street of some Balkan town. There had just been a bloody conflict there, again, only a year or so before. The story of the Christmas truce has surfaced increasingly frequently in recent years. It was touch and go whether the war would have fizzled out at that point. It was very, very near. But it didn't, and after a year of atrocities there was no truce at Christmas 1915.
Scotland generally and the islands in particular have always loyally provided cannon fodder for the forces. The economic situation in the islands was so dire that the honour, glory and payment associated with the colours was a powerful lure. Others joined the merchant navy, which suffered harshly under the U-boat campaign in the Atlantic. Naval reservists were called up and were transformed into foot soldiers under Winston Churchill, a pretty bad decision by all accounts. They were sent to defend Antwerp against the Germans, to no avail. I've described in a previous post that 100 Lewismen ended up in a Dutch internment camp for the rest of the war.
In 1914-18, people did not openly question the politicians' decisions about going to war. These days, we do. ]]>

<![CDATA[ One of the Shetland blogs mentioned problems with getting access to films. This is no longer an issue in Stornoway. Since October 1st, 2005, we have a brand new arts centre, called An Lanntair - The Lantern. Previously, this was located in the Town Hall.

It is a purpose built venue, which has already hosted a theatre performance, movie showings and has a rolling exhibition of artworks, which change every couple of weeks or months.

It is great to have a restaurant and a bar, and open performances in the auditorium can be watched from both areas. Screens can be raised to allow an unimpeded view of proceedings. Whatever I may think of the lay-out, it is a great improvement on what was not there before. I have heard that before the construction of the new building, a temporary carpark was there. Now that that is no longer available, Stornoway appears to have joined other towns and cities up and down the land with a parking problem.

Last year's Carnival procession included the above suggestion - multi storey carparking, but not as you may know it. Carparking charges are in the offing (all of 50p, what a rip-off), as well as a park-and-ride all the way from the Council Offices to Cromwell Street. OK, handy if you got many bags. I have previously advocated the use of the island's busservices, which are perfectly adequate.

Another amenity is the above Sports Centre, which is not as austere as the exterior may suggest

It has a swimming pool, climbing wall, sports hall, play area for the little ones and much more. The Centre only opened in 2004, and has also hosted the Royal National Mod last October, and had the Local Mod in February 2005. Although Stornoway is not a large town (pop about 8,000), we've got an increasing list of amenities, of which many a larger town could be proud.One of things that I really like about the town, is the absence of many of the brands that splatter every single town and city on mainland Scotland and Britain. Ain't I glad we haven't got a MacDonalds, Burger King or some such fast food (and fast litter) outlet? Spare us! ]]>

<![CDATA[
After my first post on this subject, I was actually pleased to see the number of comments - many thanks to all. I have distilled a couple of conclusions from this. Each island has its own character and traditions. Lewis's Sunday is proverbial, and in some quarters the object of ridicule. The latter is just disrespectful. As an observer (in which capacity I write this blog), I respect the Sunday - or locally Sabbath - because when you're in Rome, you do as the Romans do. I spoke to someone the other day who sneaks out of the house to go loch fishing on Sunday, although it is heavily frowned upon in the community.

I agree with those that say that in some parts of the UK, the Sunday has become another working day. There is no day of the week when the hubbub of daily life comes to rest anymore. Here in Lewis, it still happens, on the basis of religious conviction. Some argue that it is an infringement on your human right that you cannot travel on Sunday. A North Uist councillor quoted the problems of weekend visiting at Western Isles Hospital for residents of the Uist.

Another point was the apparent rivalry between Orkney and the Western Isles, of which I was not aware - so much for being an observer! Rather than being rivals, I would like to advocate cooperation. Until last year, the Scottish Islands Network was very active in sharing out information across the Western and Northern Isles. Its activities were severely curtailed because of a lack of interest from local authorities, who didn't even bother to reply to letters. Behind the above link hides a number of newsletters, which I found very useful.

Coming back to Sunday observance, a middle way could surely be found, which satisfies the need for transport & services and does not completely obliterate Sunday observance in Lewis and Harris.

Let's talk, rather than dig into entrenched positions. ]]>

<![CDATA[ Yesterday’s Stornoway Gazette carried adverts for about 15 plots of land within Lewis and Harris which were available for building a house on. Recently, I spoke to someone who went house hunting in the island, and his experiences were an eye opener. It only reinforces my personal quote “You don’t know what goes on behind closed doors”. One house in Lewis had lain vacant for 14 years, after the previous occupant passed away at an advanced age. When my contact entered the property with a view to buy, he felt as if time had stood still - 70 years ago. Newspapers from the 1930s. The gentleman’s hats and caps still in the place where he left them last time he touched them. Personal effects and papers, some probably of historical value, in chests and around the house. Because of the period of non-habitation, the condition of the property had deteriorated markedly, and the house would probably have to be gutted and reconstructed. Another property, on the other side of the island, had been abandoned 3 years previously. It too had suffered from neglect, but by the look of it, and according to local stories, the previous owners had been in the process of doing it up. Sadly, one of the couple died suddenly, and the other partner never came back.

Anyone who would be buying a plot of land in Lewis and Harris should be aware of the proposed windfarms on the island. Most media attention has been focused on the Barvas Moor project, which is bad enough - 234 turbines over 40 miles of moorland. The other windfarm, 133 turbines on the Eishken mountains, nearly got torpedoed by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar last summer. However, as things stand at the moment, both projects have been submitted to the Scottish Executive for approval or otherwise. Only one property on the list of 15 would not be directly affected by the turbines - at Bunabhainneadar, down the road from Ardhasaig in North Harris. The Eishken windfarm overlooks glorious Loch Seaforth, from Kinloch Seaforth to Aline, Scaladale, Maraig, Rhenigadale, Molinginish (…), Scalpay as well as Lemreway and Orinsay in South Lochs.

I have written about this before on here, but I cannot imagine why some of the most glorious scenery stands to be desecrated by a windfarm. You may argue that you can’t live off the view, but in actual fact, scenery is a contributary factor for the tourism industry in these islands.

<![CDATA[
This evening, BBC2 Alba's excellent Eorpa [Europe] programme started by highlighting the continuing problems surrounding the proposed renal dialysis unit at the Western Isles Hospital here in Stornoway.
Early in December, I reported from two meetings which had been convened after serious concerns had been expressed about service redesign for the Western Isles NHS. One aspect was the renal unit, which had been on the cards for a long time.

Patients whose kidneys do not work properly need to undergo regular dialysis (filtration) of the blood. This is necessary to get rid of the normal breakdown products of the body which the kidneys normally filter out. When they accumulate, the patient will be feeling increasingly unwell and could eventually die if dialysis is not performed. Dialysis patients in the Western Isles fly out to Inverness two or three times a week. If a unit were to be established at Stornoway, this very exhausting journey could be eliminated. An example: a gentleman from Uig, 40 miles outside Stornoway, has to travel twice a week, and is usually away from home for 14 hours, from 10 a.m. till midnight. The journey times for places in other islands may well be longer.

During the meeting early in December 2005, it was announced that the renal unit at WIH would be up and running by April 2006. A specialist nurse had been appointed, and would be in post by February ‘06. Many were confused to subsequently learn that the implementation of the unit was delayed by another 12 months. Reasons given were that the unit, in physical terms, would not be ready for another year.

In tonight’s (26/01/06) Eorpa, the example was quoted of a Glasgow renal unit, which had been established in just 2-3 months, rather than the 4 year long drawn-out affair up in the Western Isles. In terms of a location for the unit, NHS Western Isles has recently closed a ward in the hospital, which could perfectly well be converted into a renal unit. Does not take ages to do so.

Come on, NHS Western Isles, get your skates on and get it going by Easter. ]]>

<![CDATA[ In Lewis, the Sunday is still very much the way it used to be: nothing moves. After 10 a.m., those going to church move around the town, and after lunch people go for a walk in the Castle Grounds. Until about 10 years ago, the swings and roundabouts in the playpark at Bayhead were chained on Saturday night, to be unlocked on Monday morning.
It is not possible to leave the island by any other means but by plane. Ferries do not go on Sunday. Not to Ullapool nor to Uig in Skye (from Tarbert, Harris) or to Berneray, North Uist. Strangely enough, it is possible to sail from Lochmaddy (North Uist) to Skye on a Sunday. Other islands off the West Coast also have a Sunday service from Caledonian MacBrayne. Notices abound requesting people to respect the Sabbath, which is fair enough. The issue of transport is likely to see some changes coming in fairly shortly, I would imagine. One of the local councillors is going to work to have some Sunday ferry services going, if only to give islanders the opportunity to move about any day of the week.
In the 1980s, when CalMac wanted to start a Sunday service from Tarbert to Uig, the local fishermen threatened to blockade the Harris port. But I think that now that there are flights from Stornoway Airport, and ferry services from North Uist to Skye (i.e. the mainland, by virtue of the toll-free bridge), the advent of Sunday ferry services is not far off.
Whilst fully respecting local sentiments to keep Sunday quiet, it is no longer possible to completely ignore developments elsewhere. There is already one small shop open in Stornoway on Sunday, doing a brisk trade by all accounts. I can foresee one of the supermarkets opening on Sunday in the near future. Are there also going to be Sunday bus services - if only during the summer? ]]>

<![CDATA[ I'm printing the below poem by Robert Burns in celebration of Burns Night 2006

Is there for honest poverty

Is there for honest povery
That hings his head, an' a' that?
The coward slave, we pass him by -
We dare be poor for a' that!
For a' that, an' a' that,
Our toils obscure, an' a' that,
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The man's the gowd for a' that.

What though on hamely fare we dine
Wear hoddin' grey, an' a' that?
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine-
A man's a man for a' that.
For a' that, an' a' that,
Their tinsel show, an' a' that,
The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,
Is king o' men for a' that.

Ye see yon birkie ca'd 'a lord'
Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that?
Tho' hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a cuif for a' that
For a' that, an' a' that,
His ribband, star, an' a' that,
The man o'independent mind,
He looks an' laughs at a' that

A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an' a' that!
But an honest man's aboon his might -
Guid faith, he mauna fa' that!
For a' that, an' a' that,
Their dignities, an' a' that,
The pith o' sense an' pride o' worth
Are higher rank than a' that

Then let us pray that come it may
(As come it will for a' that)
That Sense and Worth o'er a' the earth
Shall bear the gree an' a' that
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's comin yet for a' that
That man to man the world o'er
Shall brithers be for a' that

And I cannot resist putting this poem in as well

On hearing a thrush sing in a morning walk in January

Sing on, sweet thrush, upon the leafless bough,
Sing on, sweet bird, I listen to thy strain:
See aged Winter, 'mid his surly reign,
At thy blythe carol clears his furrowed brow.
So in lone Poverty's dominion drear
Sits meek Content with light, unanxious heart,
Welcomes the rapid moments, bids them part,
Nor asks if they bring ought to hope or fear.
I thank Thee, Author of this opening day,
Thou whose bright sun now gilds yon orient skies!
Riches denied, Thy boon was purer joys:
What wealth could never give nor take away!
Yet come, thou child of Poverty and Care,
The mite high Heav'n bestowed, that mite with thee I'll share. ]]>

<![CDATA[ Stornoway has got historical links with Holland. Its history as fishing port was given a boost when the Dutch discovered in 1637 that the herring were plentiful in these waters. The Earl of Seaforth, in charge of the island at that time, was more than happy to encourage them. Unfortunately, the King was not happy to see his rivals from across the North Sea gaining a foothold on his back doorstep, so he sent some armed men across to boot them out. Contrarily, at one stage, there was a possibility that the islands could have been ceded to Holland. However, one of the many wars between England and Holland, in 1652, put paid to any further cooperation. The herring fishery was firmly established though and Stornoway never looked back after that.

If you have a look round Stornoway, particularly along Cromwell Street, you'll see evidence of architecture that would not look out of place in Amsterdam. The pink facade of DD Morrison's shop (above), as well as the old Town House (below), now a Chinese restaurant, are both firmly reminiscent.

Further afield, Dutch fishermen were also involved in Lerwick (Shetland), and perhaps a Shetland blogger could pick up on that connection. Another Dutch connection, going back many many years can be found in a small island in Orkney. Papa Westray, famous for having the shortest scheduled airservice in the world (2 minutes to and from Westray) has a very ancient little church dedicated to St Boniface. He was an Englishman, who was charged with spreading Christianity round Northern Europe in the 8th century. He was murdered by robbers at the city of Dokkum, in northern Holland in 754. But not before he had established churches and missionaries all over northern Europe.

I'm aware that my comments about Orkney and Shetland are outside my remit as Lewis blogger, but I spent a month in Orkney and Shetland in September 2004, and found the wee kirk on Papay singularly appealing. Again, perhaps someone in Papa Westray itself could comment further. ]]>

<![CDATA[ Isles FM is our local radio station, which broadcasts from a studio in Stornoway. The studio used to be an old boatshed. The station has been going for some years, I think it’s getting on for 9 years now, and it’s run entirely by volunteers. Some people regard it as a bit of a joke, but in actual fact the station came into its own at the time of the hurricane in January 2005. The power was off in many parts of Lewis, including at Eitsal, where the transmitters for radio and TV are located. The only radio station operating in the island was Isles FM, which remained on air although its aerial was damaged. The information it relayed included warnings from the council, for instance not to venture into the Castle Grounds due to large numbers of fallen trees, or trees that were perched in a precarious position. Closure notices of schools were broadcast, and also updates on the power situation. The workers from Scottish and Southern Electricity, who supply power up here, listened to the station to know where there were still outages. In that way, they were able to focus their attentions on specific lines and areas. As a mark of appreciation, they donated

<![CDATA[ Last spring, I visited the Seallam! (exclamation mark part of name) Centre at Northton, 50 miles south of Stornoway in South Harris. This is the place where Bill Lawson set up a centre for genealogy in the Western Isles. There is a definite market for this; in the centre hangs a world map which shows all the places in the world from where people have launched a query with Seallam! It includes unlikely spots such as Papua New Guinea. Here in Lewis, there is a strong seafaring tradition, and there is a saying that when a Lewisman goes ashore in any port in the world, he is likely to encounter a fellow islander.
As I've pointed out in previous posts, thousands of people have left Lewis over the centuries. Voluntarily, but more often than not, under duress. My list of deserted villages in Eishken, so beautifully pictured in Molinginish's blog, stands testimony to this. It does mean that there is a large pool of people in America, Australia and many other spots in the world, whose ancestors come from Lewis. In the summer of 2005, I encountered an Australian who happened to be in Ullapool and saw the Isle of Lewis ferry berthed. On the spur of the moment, he decided to jump on board and have a look in Stornoway. It turned out that he still had relatives in the island, who immediately came round and took him all over the place to meet a very elderly relative. Others come to the islands specifically to research their roots - by the dozen. Stornoway library is usually buzzing with people on that type of quest.
On one of the Internet message boards concerning the Hebrides is a specific page for genealogy queries. There is a page on the Rootshebrides website which gives very useful information for conducting this type of research. This does not just apply to the Hebrides (Islay to Lewis), but would also be useful for Orkney and Shetland queries.

If anyone has supplementary information, please leave comments. ]]>