antirisdeach.com | The online version of the fortnightly newsletter from the Isle of Tiree

Fish Farm For Coll?

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:05:51 +0000

The Crown Estate has confirmed that they have been approached by a party interested in putting a fish farm in the waters around the Isle of Coll, and that they have granted the said party a lease option to do so.

Due to confidentiality they will release no further details as to the exact location but have said that the potential fish farmers still have to undertake a variety of feasibility surveys and then if they wish to further develop the idea planning permission from Argyll & Bute Council will have to be applied for.

If it gets to this stage and permission is granted then the Crown Estate will issue the lease. The Crown Estate are not able to say what fish will be farmed, but as the majority of fish farmed in Scottish waters are Salmon, that may be a possibility.

Atlantic Rising Update

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:05:36 +0000

At the beginning of January we published a letter from abroad giving an update on the progress of the Atlantic Rising Expedition, a number of readers have asked for more details of this, I hope this explains what it is all about.

HUNDREDS of letters from school children in Tiree were dropped into the Atlantic Ocean as part of a huge message in a bottle. Letters written by students at Tiree School were put into a buoy equipped with a tracking device so the progress of their messages can be followed via a website (www.atlanticrising.org) as the capsule drifts around the ocean with the currents.

The message in a bottle was dropped into the ocean from a containership Safmarine Bayete on its route from Senegal to Brazil. This project is part of an international environmental education project, called Atlantic Rising.

Will Lorimer, from Atlantic Rising said:
“Students can visit the website and see where their letter has got to and where it is likely to wash up. We hope that one day someone will find the messages and get in touch. “The project is a good way to illustrate how currents move around the ocean. “Currents are a key way that heat moves around the ocean and so are very relevant to climate change.” The three directors of the charity Atlantic Rising (Will Lorimer, whose family have a house on Tiree, Tim Bromfield and Lynn Morris) visited the school last summer term to talk to students about climate change and collect their letters before embarking on a 32,000 km expedition around the edge of the Atlantic.

The idea behind the journey is to follow the one meter contour, predicted to be the new coastline of the ocean in 100 years time, if sea levels continue to rise. Along the way they are creating a network between schools in coastal communities of which Tiree School was a founding school. The trio, all 29, left the UK on September 1st last year and drove around the coast of Europe and West Africa to Ghana. They then shipped their Land Rover and themselves on a containership to Brazil. The journey continues northwards up the east coast of the Americas to Canada. The Atlantic Rising team will be returning to the school later this year to talk about the expedition.

For more information please visit www.atlanticrising.org or email lynn@atlanticrising.org.

Daisy & Morag Anne brought back to life

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:05:22 +0000

Three Tiree Maritime Boat Builder courses were successfully completed on Tiree during the winter of 2009/2010 and two traditional Tiree boats were renovated and a new boat was started.

The Maritime Trusts aims to preserve Tiree’s maritime heritage and part of this is to provide training in traditional boat building skills.
The recent courses were led by Adam Way of A R Way Boatbuilding in Lochgilphead and his cheerful assistants. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery fund, Leader, Tiree Regatta Club and Tiree Maritime Trust. Each course ran for two weeks and took place in the auction ring area at the mart – many hours of hammering and sanding were to be heard throughout the Rural Centre and hard working participants turned up day after day to learn new skills and work on the boats.

The two boats which were worked on, Morag-Anne and Daisy, are now fully renovated and measurements have been taken from the two boats and a new copy of Morag-Anne has been started. The boats are currently being painted and the boat builders will return in the spring to attach all the fittings.

These courses were just the beginning of recapturing these traditional skills on Tiree. It is intended to build upon the success of these first courses in order to keep skills and knowledge up-dated and to add new interest and maintain capacity. Tiree Maritime Trust is also working on a long-term project to build a Maritime Heritage Centre –‘The Boatshed’, at Gott Pier Head. Planning consent has been granted by Argyll & Bute Council and a funding application is being assessed by SRDP.

It is hoped that the new boat will be completed in the new Boat Shed next winter. On behalf of the Tiree Maritime Trust thank you to all of the community for supporting this project, to the participants for their hard work, to the Boat Builders for their expertise and encouragement, to TRD for a great venue and to Leader and Heritage Lottery Fund for the funds.

Ringside Theatre Project – Update

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:05:02 +0000

Way back in November 2009 we were all encouraged to cast our votes in the people’s Millions Competition, in the hope of winning a substantial cash award so that the ringside at the Rural Centre could be modified so it could be used as a warm comfortable cinema for proper shows.

In December we announced that the Ringside Theatre Project had been awarded a grand sum of just over £43,000 to help achieve this. Now three months later we are pleased to say that work at the Rural Centre has now begun.

Over the last few days the Auction Ring has been altered allowing it to be removed from the area while a film is being shown. The next stage is to insulate and draught proof the auction room to make it a place that can be heated. This should take ten – eleven weeks. With-in that time scale the comfy seating that has been ordered will hopefully arrive, ready for installation and blinds will be hung to block out Tiree’s famous sunshine.

In the near future, a film society will be set up to organise, select and run the films. Then we can buy a ticket, sit back in our comfy seats, hopefully with tubs of popcorn, and enjoy the show.

Burns Night Celebration

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:53:15 +0000

Residents at Tigh A Rudha invited family and residents of Rudha Cottages to help them celebrate Burns Night last month.

Gordon Connell and band visit the home on a monthly basis and always provide a wonderful evening of entertainment in the form of a ceilidh. This month, joined by singers from the school and local community we added a rather untraditional address.

Due to the weather the haggis was able to avoid being caught on time & took the form of a beautiful dumpling, which was enjoyed by all. The residents and staff would like to take this opportunity to wish the band every success in their forthcoming competitions, and we look forward to next time!

Annual Cattle Sale

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:53:00 +0000

All Stock Sold

Saturday morning was damp and grey but that didn’t seem to deter the buyers who had travelled over from the mainland for the first Tiree Cattle Sale of 2010.

Three hundred and seventeen animals had been put up for sale, trading was brisk and all stock was cleared at very satisfactory rates.

Following are the principle lot prices

Charolais Bullock Calves from Heylipol Farm sold to £935. Limousin Bullocks from No2
Kenovay sold to £945 and Limousin Heifers from the same home sold to £885. Leading
the prices per kilo for Bullocks was No8 Barrapol when their Limousins sold to 262pence
and No9 Barrapol led the way for Heifers per kilo at 232pence, also Limousin Crosses.
PRINCIPAL LOTS & PRICES
TOP PRICES PER HEAD
BULLOCKS
AAx:
£780 – Hillcrest : £775(4) & £765(4) – 13 Moss : £730, £720, £715 & £700 – Hillcrest.
CHARx:
£935, £905(2), £895(4), £860, £855(4), £850(6), £845(2), £840(2), £825(5) & £820(5) –
Heylipol Farm : £800 – Hillcrest : £775(2), £745 & £715 – Heylipol Farm : £710, £695 &
£675 – Hillcrest : £635 – Ardmay & Hillcrest(2).
LIMx:
£945 – 2 Kenovay : £905 & £895 – 3 Kenovay : £850 – Heylipol Farm : £820(4), £805,
£795(2) & £780 – 3 Kenovay : £775(2) – Heylipol Farm : £770 – 3 Kenovay :
£750 – Heylipol Farm(3) & Hillcrest : £730 & £725(2) – Heylipol Farm : £715 – 3 Kenovay :
£710 – Middleton Farm : £700(2) – Hillcrest : £685 – Hillcrest(3) & Heylipol Farm :
£675 – Middleton Farm : £655 – 3 Kenovay : £650, £615 & £610(2) – Middleton Farm.
SALx:
£805(2) – 3 Kenovay : £615 – Lochphuil House.
SHx:
£650 & £610(5) – Middleton Farm.
SIMx:
£890 – Heylipol Farm : £860(2) – 3 Kenovay : £850(2) – Heylipol Farm : £835 – 3 Kenovay :
£825(2), £820(4), £805, £745 & £740(3) – Heylipol Farm : £635(2) & £615(2) – Lochphuil.
HEIFERS
BLONDx:
£570 – Ardmay
CHARx:
£835, £815, £785(3), £775 & £685(2) – Heylipol Farm : £685(3) – Hillcrest :
£675 & £655(2) – Heylipol Farm : £640(2) & £600(2) – Hillcrest.
LIMx:
£885 – 2 Kenovay : £675(3), £650(2) & £645(3) – Hillcrest : £565 – 1 Kenovay :
£545(4) – Middleton Farm.
SALx:
£580 & £570 – Lochphuil.
SIMx:
£675 – Heylipol Farm : £555(4) – Lochphuil.
OTM COWS
£755 – Heylipol Farm : £715 – Lochphuil : £655 – Heylipol Farm.
I/C COWS
£840 – Lochphuil : £790 – Heylipol Farm : £780 – Lochphuil : £750 – Croish & Lochphuil.
TOP PRICES PER KILO
BULLOCKS
AAx:
205p(2), 202p & 196p – Hillcrest : 196p(4) & 195p(4) – 13 Moss.
CHARx:
237p – Ardmay : 233p(2), 221p & 218p – Hillcrest : 214p(5) – Heylipol Farm :
209p – Hillcrest : 206p – Ardmay : 204p, 203p(5) & 197p(2) – Heylipol Farm :
197p – Hillcrest : 195p(4) – Heylipol Farm.
LIMx:
262p – 8 Barrapol : 247p – Mainroad : 241p(2) – Hillcrest : 234p(2) & 228p – 8 Barrapol :
223p – 1 Kenovay : 222p – Middleton Farm : 221p(2) – 8 Barrapol : 214p – 1 Kenovay :
213p – Hillcrest(3) & Skipinnis : 208p – 1 Kenovay : 207p – Hillcrest : 206p – Middleton
Farm & Carnan : 205p – Carnan : 204p – 8 Barrapol : 203p(2) – Heylipol Farm :
202p & 201p(2) – 1 Kenovay : 201p – 3 Kenovay : 198p – Middleton Farm & 3 Kenovay :
197p – Middleton Farm & Carnan : 195p – Middleton Farm.
SALx:
219p & 217p – Lochphuil
SHx:
222p(5), 212p & 196p(2) – Middleton Farm.
SIMx:
226p – 17 Balevullin : 214p – Lochphuil : 211p – 17 Balevullin :
207p(2) & 204p(2)- Lochphuil : 198p(2) & 197p – Heylipol Farm : 197p(3) – 3 Kenovay.
HEIFERS
CHARx:
215p – Ardmay : 212p(2) & 202p(5) – Hillcrest : 195p & 185p(4) – Heylipol Farm.
LIMx:
232p(2) – 9 Barrapol : 231p – Mainroad : 227p, 222p(3) & 221p – 9 Barrapol : 220p(3) –
Hillcrest : 219p(2), 217p(2) & 213p(2) – 9 Barrapol : 211p – 9 Barrapol : 208p(4) – Middleton
Farm : 207p – 1 Kenovay : 201p – Hillcrest (3) & 1 Kenovay : 198p – Skipinnis : 197p,
196p & 195p – 1 Kenovay : 193p(2) – Skipinnis : 192p(2) – Hillcrest.
SALx:
195p(2), 193p & 192p – Lochphuil.
SIMx:
203p(4) – Lochphuil : 202p(2) & 200p – 17 Balevullin : 194p – Lochphuil.

Happy 90th Chrissie

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:52:41 +0000

One of Tiree’s oldest residents Christina Campbell McNeill – Chrissie- will be celebrating her 90th Birthday next weekend.

Chrissie was born on 28th February 1920 at the family home, Balinoe Post Office and lived there with her parents Flora and Lachie (a postman), three sisters Flora Anne, Alix & Phem, and her father’s sister Julieanne, who ran the Post Office.

Chrissie’s memories of growing up at Balinoe are happy ones, she and her sisters were all taught how to run the Post Office by their Auntie, but by her own admission Chrissie was not a lover of school and couldn’t wait to leave. During the war she joined the WRENs and spent some time in England. On her return to Tiree she married Lachie MacFarlane from Balemartine, living first at Manitoba in Balephuil and then at the Upper Square, Hynish where they lived with their sons Iain & Lachie. (Lachie’s arrival into the world made headline news as the first baby to be born (mid-air) on Loganair’s Ambulance Plane).

Sadly, Chrissie’s husband, Lachie died in 1996. As well as bringing up her sons, Chrissie worked in Brown’s shop at Balemartine and the knitwear factory in Crossapol and provided a welcome holiday home for Christine and Neil, two of her grandchildren, each school holiday. Her other grandchild Ross stays on the mainland. She has three great grand children, and over the years a great deal of time has been spent playing many a game of whist, draughts and dominoes with Kenny and Nicola, the older two.

After spending a while living with and being cared for by Iain in Hynish Chrissie has now moved into Tigh a Rudha where her cheery disposition, wit and sense of humour means that the Staff and visitors have many a laugh with her and look forward to enjoying her company for many years to come.

to a very special
Gran and Greatgran.
All our love on this
wonderful day
Christine, Neil, Kenny,
Nicola and Michael

The Full “Tiree Sand Theft” announcement

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:17:05 +0000

After reaching newspapers at the national level we thought we ought to reprint online the full notice by Andrew Montgomery, Argyll Estates Factor, about illegal sand extraction on the Island.

“Despite the fact that some time ago letters were sent out and a notice placed in ‘An Tirisdeach’ regarding the above, the extraction is still taking place and indeed over the Christmas period dumper trailers were loaded at Barrapol overnight and their loads of sand subsequently transferred to one-tonne bags at the Crossapol camp. It seems the idea here was apparently to make it appear that sand had been imported legitimately from a mainland source. I am aware of the culprits and of those using this material and if you are intent on carrying on in the same manner, I will have no option but to prosecute without further warning.

all commercial users of sand and gravel on Tiree have been warned

The continuing close interest of Scottish Natural Heritage and Argyll and Bute Council planning enforcement officers is forever present, however notwithstanding this, all commercial users of sand and gravel on Tiree have been warned in writing that commercial extraction is illegal and that further instances of unlawful sand/mineral extraction for commercial building and/or building supply purposes will amount to common theft.

It is unfortunate that I have to repeat this but I am sure the majority of Islanders understand the need for due diligence on my part.”

A Montgomery
Factor
Argyll Estates

Tiree’s new police officer

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:26:04 +0000

Tiree’s resident population increased by two recently with the arrival of Stephen Tanner and his partner, Lorna MacArthur.

Stephen has been appointed Tiree’s resident police officer, a position which has been unfilled since the departure of Kevin at the end of last year.

Stephen has seventeen years service in the police force, both as a uniformed Officer in Paisley and more recently as a Surveillance Officer in the CID based at Pitt Street, Glasgow. He was born and brought up in Kilwinning, Ayrshire and moved to Renfrew when he joined the police in 1992.
He has moved here from Erskine, where for the last eleven years he and Lorna have been spending their time doing up their house.

The couple are no strangers to the island, having been here numerous times in the past for holidays and to visit members of Lorna’s family. One of the reasons they have moved here is because of the way of life on the Island and they are looking forward to the challenges that Island life brings and to joining in with the community.

Stephen enjoys walking and running and he and Lorna have two Jack Russell dogs which will get plenty of exercise in the coming months exploring the Island.

PC Tanner is keen to develop links with the public and aims to introduce himself to everyone over the next few weeks.

Highland Airways

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:25:36 +0000

Highland Airways appears to have found someone to rescue it from its recent troubles.

The Inverness based firm, which employs about 100 people, had restricted bookings for flights while talks were held to secure new investment.

Flights for February have been restored and the firm has said discussions with a potential new partner are going well.

Flights in March and beyond will be available for booking soon. Let’s hope this is settled in the near future as the flights between Oban and Tiree are of great benefit to the Island.