Mull & Iona Life #48 Winter 2022

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Mullman goes skydancing

Mullman Daniel Brooks shares his encounter with skydancers.

Daniel is a wildlife guide, adventure seeker, conservation campaigner, forager, bushcrafter, rewilder and father of four. His website is at mullman.co.uk

It's a tough choice, but I think the magnificent hen harrier is my favourite bird.

I was fortunate enough to work studying them for the RSPB and later for Scottish Natural Heritage, now known as NatureScot for a number of years. When you get to spend so much time studying a particular species, you cannot help but build a special love for that creature, especially if it is such a charismatic bird such as the splendid skydancer.

It is known as the skydancer due to the impressive spring courtship display most often performed by the ghostly grey and white, with black wing tips, male.

It puts on this stunning performance in the spring, flying in a roller coaster type fashion around its chosen territory attempting to attract a female which is brown all over with a white rump to the base of the tail.

It corkscrews and somersaults through the sky in what has to be the most beautiful display of any bird in flight in the UK....although I am little bias.

Unfortunately, the hen harrier has been heavily persecuted over the years. Mull however is a real stronghold where these attractive raptors can breed largely undisturbed. Due to there being no foxes or badgers on Mull, they, along with other ground nesting birds, manage to have more success rearing their young here too.

We are lucky to enjoy their presence year round. i recently went out to look for a winter roost site on Mull in an area where i had been seeing a number of birds hunting during the day.

Part of my job working for the RSPB many years ago was to find and monitor winter roost sites in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, so I grew very good at finding these sites. They roost communally too, so a dozen or more birds can arrive at a single roost site to sleep in the tall ground vegetation protected from the wind and to a lesser extent, the rain.

I already had my eye on a suitable patch of reeds that

i wanted to go and check out, so headed straight for it. On arrival,I started to walk through the reeds, ankle deep in water, which is a good sign for a suitable harrier roost, the water helps keep most ground predators away.

I made my way carefully through the vegetation taking great care to not flatten them any more than necessary, although it is these flattened patches that attract the harriers to sleep on as they provide a

platform above the water line to perch on.

Very quickly, I found one of these naturally flattened patches, sure enough, there on the platform was the tell tale sign that harriers had indeed been sleeping here. White splash from them pooing, and a couple of small vole fur filled pellets. I found a few other such platforms before backing off to a good vantage point where I concealed myself amongst some rocks and bracken and covered myself with a

camouflaged net.

It was a a good hour before dark, and when i would expect to get the first bird coming in. Its essential to arrive at these sites early so as not to disturb them. In fact, it is an offence to disturb them intentionally at their nest or roost site. I sat for half an hour getting slowly more and more cold as the sun set and the light started to fade. Then some movement out of the corner of my eye brought my attention to a stunning male harrier that ghostly

floated by on the other side of the roost site, still hunting as it went, hoping for a late snack before bed. It was soon joined by two more birds, both females, noticeably larger and all brown.

It took them five or ten minutes to settle, but eventually, they all dropped into the roost.

Very happy with myself for finding the roost and experiencing one of my favourite wildlife spectacles, i quietly headed back to my car and home.

Mull Historical Society digs deep to release anthology box set

When Colin MacIntyre’s debut Mull Historical Society (MHS) single Barcode Bypass (Rough Trade) was named NME’s debut single of the year in 2000, and then received its fi rst daytime airplay (all seven minutes of it!) on Jo Whiley’s show on Radio 1, an original song-writing talent emerged from the unlikely Atlantic outpost of the Isle of Mull (population of 2,500 people, 28,234 sheep).

Named after a genuine society dedicated to the preservation of tradition on the band's home island; MHS sit somewhere between the Flaming Lips, Super Furry Animals and the Beta Band.

Now this four-CD media book looks back at the early period of MHS’s career, gathering together all of Colin's studio recordings from the period between 2000 to 2004.

Discs 1 and 2 are dedicated to the gold-selling albums Loss and Us, and include some of MHS’s most popular singles, Watching Xanadu, The Final Arrears, Animal Cannabus and Live Like The Automatics.

MHS’s third studio album (released on Unique Re-

cords),This is Hope, can be found on disc 3, while disc 4 is fi lled to the brim with b-sides, rarities, live tracks, demos and unreleased material.

This collection is complete with an extensive booklet featuring an extract from Colin’s new memoir, The Boy in the Bubble, and complemented with a plethora of previously unseen archival photographs and memorabilia from Colin’s personal archives.

There’s also words from

the award-winning author Tom Clayton and journalist Billy Sloan depicting the impact Mull Historical Society has had on them and the wider world.

'Archaeology: Complete MHS Recordings 20002004' - featuring 80-track boxset and 36-page booklet, plus 20th & 21st anniversary editions of Loss and US, and This is Hope (for the fi rst time) reissue on vinyl, is available to pre-order at mullhistoricalsociety. com

New memoir tells story of inspirational Mull lady

An inspirational memoir written by a Mull lady who was diagnosed with cancer four times over a 25-year period has fi nally been published –more than 40 years after her death.

Hebridean Solace – My Quarter-Century Living with Cancer is the story of Mairi MacBride, a dressmaking teacher and Celtic art expert who was born in Paisley in 1900 and died in 1980 at her home at Duntulm, Salen, Mull, where she lived most of her life.

Mairi was diagnosed with cancer on four separate occasions between 1950 and 1975.

She believed God spared her for so long because he had a purpose for her – ‘to put down on paper my experiences of living with cancer that other sufferers might have the courage to face what has to be faced.’

At the start of the book, Mairi says: ‘A doctor friend suggested I should write about my life as a cancer sufferer, but knowing people’s dread of the word –never mind the disease itself – I asked him who would read such a book, and his

reply was, ‘you would be surprised’.

‘The cancer consultant, when I told him of my plans, thought the idea an excellent one and told me to get on with it. Both of these medical men agreed that my story would help take the fear out of the word ‘cancer’ for all hale and hearty people, and give hope and courage to cancer sufferers.

‘Never having written a book before, I am at a complete loss how to begin. Everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. For me though where does the beginning start – with birth? As I am still alive at the time of writing, I know nothing about the end, so I suppose I should start in the middle – the middle that was the half century of my life.’

who came from a generation that just got on with whatever challenges life threw at them.

‘Mairi’s book is full of positivity and zest for life, and we’re delighted to be able to share this short book and hopefully inspire others.’

The book came to light thanks to Mairi’s great-niece Fiona Somerled, who also came up with the title.

It was initially published for family and friends only, but has now been made available in paperback and ebook editions.

Mairi contributed newspaper articles and gave

A doctor friend suggested I should write about my life as a cancer sufferer, but knowing people’s dread of the word – never mind the disease itself – I asked him who would read such a book, and his reply was, ‘you would be surprised’.

Michael McGeary, owner McGeary Media, which has published the book, said: ‘Mairi was a woman of inspirational faith and dignity

lectures on the subject of Celtic art and became an accidental radio star after a BBC producer knocked on her door one day in 1953

and asked her to describe Mull to those who had never been.

Mairi writes in the book: ‘Now if there is one thing I like better than anything else it is to describe the beauty that is Mull!

‘So I described a view that took in the whole Sound of Mull – the panoramic view from Gualann Dhubh, the highest point on the road

from Salen to Tobermory, with Ardnamurchan in the west and Ben Cruachan in the east.

‘Dotted between, there were the Green Islands, the Grey Islands and Lismore. On the Morvern side, there was also a wonderful stretch from Drimnin to Lochaline and beyond.

‘My second view, which I loved to remember, was

from midway across the Sound of Iona between Fionnphort and Iona, where looking north were the hills of Skye and Rhum, and looking south, the Torrin Rocks, the Paps of Jura and on a good day, a glimpse of Islay.’

The next day a crew of 12 arrived to record the programme. A year later Mairi met two ladies on a sleeper train from Euston to Oban, who told her they were going to Mull.

Mairi said: ‘I asked them why they had chosen Mull rather than, say, Skye, which was a more widely known island.

‘Their reply left me speechless for a minute when they said that in Manchester they had listened to a programme on the radio about Mull, and a woman had described how very beautiful it was. When I said I was that woman, I do not know which of us was the most surprised!’

Hebridean Solace – My Quarter-Century Living with Cancer is on sale from amazon.co.uk or by emailing mcgearymedia@gmail.com.

IAIN THORNBER

The ‘half-shut hand’ is an old expression I heard on Mull a few years ago; it is a medical condition relating to the hands and fingers. It causes one or more fingers to bend into the palm of the hand and can affect one or both hands, and sometimes the thumb due to contracture of the lateral finger(s) in which the fingers cannot be fully straightened.

Its medical name is ‘Dupuytren’s contracture’ or ‘disease’, called after the renowned French surgeon, Baron Guillaume Dupuytren (1777-1835), who first operated on it in the 19th century. Dupuytren was the most famous surgeon in France in his day, and became Napoleon Bonaparte’s personal physician – even accompanying the emperor into battle should he

Curse of the MacCrimmons

be wounded.

Major historical events have frequently turned on seemingly trivial matters. One such involves Napoleon at Waterloo, fought on June 18, 1815. Napoleon was unwell that day despite fighting brilliantly at Ligny shortly before. There are reports about him suffering from painful thrombosed haemorrhoids which affected his judgement leading some medical historians to speculate that it may have accounted for the French defeat.

Another name for Dupuytren’s is ‘Viking’s fingers’ as it is particularly common in Norway and other Northern European countries. Why there are more cases in Scandinavia is unclear but it is likely to have a genetic basis as it is found in families.

It is also associated with several diseases and risk factors such as smoking, alcoholism, diabetes, low body weight and heavy manual labour.

The genetics are complicated and is unlikely to be down to a single gene, suggesting multiple factors at play. It is mostly found in older people, but can occur in those younger.

Some years ago, the University of Liverpool carried out DNA research into the distribution of Nordic people in the UK with ‘Mac’ surnames who had been resident in the West of Scotland for generations. The island of Mull was one study area and produced several individuals with clear bloodlines originating in Southern Sweden. Proof, if any is needed, that when the Vikings raided and traded from

Many Highland pipers are afflicted by the ‘curse of the MacCrimmons’ preventing them from playing the bagpipes. Photograph: Iain Thornber

their Scandinavian homelands across wide areas of northern, central and eastern Europe and into Argyll between the 8th and the 15th centuries, they brought Dupuytren’s disease with them.

Greek and Roman literature, as far as I am aware, is silent on the subject.

Peter, one of the 12 Apostles whom Jesus, created first Pope (Matthew 16:18) and gave him ‘the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven’ (Matthew 16:19), is reputed to have had Dupuytren’s limiting his ability to perform the then-traditional open-hand blessing leading to the Latin Gesture of Benediction that has since become the norm.

The Icelandic sagas of the 12th and 13th centuries describe a number of ‘miracle cures’, two of which could well have been for Dupuytren’s.

I can find no clear evidence of it in early Anglo-Saxon and Gaelic medical literature, although since the 15th century the flexed fingers of adult male pipers have been known as ‘the Curse of the MacCrimmons’.

The tale goes that the MacCrimmon pipers were second only in fame and legend on Skye to the Macleods of Dunvegan. There are many stories as to how the curse arose. Some say that the MacCrimmons were cursed by a widow whose only son was taken by the press gangs. Others tell of a MacCrimmon woman by the name of Annag who was punished by the removal of several fingers for giving piping secrets to her MacPherson boyfriend. Whoever performed the curse, all are agreed that

the angry woman foretold that the MacCrimmons would cease to be the official pipers to the MacLeods and would leave the Isle of Skye forever. And so it came to pass.

The fingers of the MacCrimmon men bent so far into their palms that they became

is known by doctors, can happen naturally in individuals, or be caused by migraines, nerve issues, an eye infection, or an allergic reaction, A droopy eyelid can also be caused by aging, but be present at birth.

In St Kilda, some men had abnormally thicker ankles and wider-spread toes than their mainland contemporaries thought to be brought about by years of snaring and catching puffins and other seabirds on the great crags and sea-stacs of Hirta, Soay and Boreray. Were they born with these or did they develop them?

The Fletchers, who came to Mull from Glen Orchy in the 17th century, were arrow-makers and archers to the Maclean chiefs.

unable to play the bagpipes any more. And from that day to this, any piper who suffers from Dupuytren’s disease will say that he has been afflicted by ‘the Curse of the MacCrimmons’.

There are other physical characteristics to be found in families throughout the Highlands and Islands. For example, it is said in Moidart that the lineal descendants, both male and female, of the old MacDonald of Clanranald line, have one eye larger than the other. Nowadays, however, it is known that eyes can differ in size and shape, causing them to appear asymmetrical. In many cases, one eye will be narrower than the other, while the other looks more rounded. A droopy eyelid, or ptosis, as it

The surname is of English, Scottish, and Irish origin and is the occupational name for an arrow maker or seller of arrows, derived from Old English ‘Fulcher’, which led to the Gaelic name ‘Mac an Fhleisteir’ the arrow smith’s son.

The late Dr John Corbet Fletcher (1912-1976), Morvern’s esteemed GP, used to say that the Mull Fletchers were an aristocratic sort of family, who were rewarded with land and property called Bradhadail, near the head of Loch Ba, by the Macleans of Duart in recognition of their services. Dr Fletcher used to hold out his right hand and point to his little finger curled inwards. It appeared deformed but according to family tradition, was a feature developed by arrow-making and carried down from one generation to another.

Guillaume Dupuytren, whom the disease is named after. Photograph: The French National Archive

IONA WINS £50,000 ECO PRIZE TO HEAT HOMES

Iona has been granted £50,000 to help fit low-cost heating across the island.

Community-led project Iona Heat Network has been unveiled as the winner of the Social Innovation Challenge 2022. The prize money will be used to carry out essential technical work on a ground source heat project and bring in experts to prepare it for the construction phase next year.

Once installed, it will be a communal, low-emission, affordable heating system for all island residents.

The challenge award was delivered by social enterprise agency Firstport. Building on the legacy of

COP26, the 2022 theme looked for innovative solutions to climate change issues faced by rural communities in Scotland.

Shiona Ruhemann from Iona Renewables said: 'We are delighted to have won this year’s Social Innovation Challenge. Having come all this way through community commitment and determination, the island community is in sight of delivering an innovative, exemplar 'bottom-up' model for addressing the most intractable low-carbon problems on Iona and for other challenging rural settings.'

Social Justice Secretary

Shona Robison said Iona's

innovative use of heat technology is a model that can be shared across other rural areas.

And Gael Drummond, chief executive of Firstport, said: 'When we opened applications in July, we were hoping to find examples of innovative solutions that addressed the challenge theme and were rooted in community need. The Iona Heat Network delivered on all fronts. We are delighted to help get the project over the line.

'We look forward to supporting the team over the coming months and seeing the prize money being put to good use.'

Carmen Paputa-Dutu from Firstport and Shiona Ruhemann from Iona Energy Limited. Photograph: Craig Allan, Firstport.

Mull Music Makers in tune with funding

Mull Music Makers (MMM) is celebrating being chosen as part of the Co-op's funding scheme.

This means the charity, that raises funds for tutors from the mainland to come to the island to deliver free music tuition to Mull's young children, will now benefit

everytime a shopper uses their Co-op membership card.

Without the work of MMM, Mull children would not have access to musical opportunities.

MMM's Laura Mandleberg said: 'We are so excited to have been selected as one

of this year's Co-op Community Fund projects.'

To find out more about the project and how to choose it as your cause when you shop at the Co-Op, visit https://membership.coop. co.uk/causes/73663

Fiddle player and composer Patsy Reid ‘busking’ with young people taking part in last year’s Mull Fiddle Week.

Local artist wins inaugural Highland Art Prize

of which five entries were from the Mull Highland Games.

The City Contemporary Art Gallery in Perth hosted the exhibition where ten paintings were shortlisted, of which two were by Mull artists Angus Stewart and David Page.

The winning artist, David Page, and the Mull Highland Games received a generous joint cash prize of £1,000 to support their work, together with a commemorative piece from Royal Scot Crystal.

Mull artist, David Page, has brought home the first Highland Art Prize, with his wonderful painting Drift.

The winning artwork was selected by Islay artist and BBC presenter Heather Dewar, and the prize was presented by Alex Ogilvie of the Highland Society of London at a well-attended prize-giving at the City Contemporary Art Gallery in Perth on October 21.

Describing her choice of winner, Heather Dewar explained: 'There is enough in this painting to get lost in, to see new things each time one looks at it, so it more

than passes the long-term test of still being fascinating years from now.

'I like the diversity of the marks, the contrast of light and dark, the subtle use of colour but most especially the slightly threatening feel to the whole work.'

The Highland Art Prize is a new annual exhibition and competition held in conjunction with An Comunn Gaidhealach as part of the Royal National Mòd.

In this its inaugural year, the Highland Art Prize drew 66 entries from across all the Islands and Highlands of Scotland,

As prize winner, David Page also received the opportunity of a solo exhibition in October 2023 in a street-front space at The Briggait cultural hub in central Glasgow, courtesy of Wasps – Scotland’s studio specialists, and the UK’s largest provider of studio and creatives spaces.

David said: ‘I’m incredibly buoyed by the opportunity for a solo show at The Briggait in Glasgow. I’m already working with Wasps on ideas for the exhibition spaces where I'm planning to exhibit around 12 large paintings – it’s going to be a busy winter on Mull.’

David Page’s work is currently available from Calgary Arts, Mull and can also be seen online at davidpageart.com

Digital boosts for Coll, Iona, Islay, Tiree and Kerrera

The Scottish Government's late roll-out of superfast broadband may not now be completed until 2028, seven years' late, the council leader on business development has said, as she updated councillors on digital boosts for Coll, Iona, Islay, Tiree and Kerrera.

Back in 2017, Holyrood's £600m Reaching 100 per cent (R100) programme pledged to give every home and business in Scotland access to 'superfast' fibre broadband by 2021. But the rollout was beset by delays.

An FOI last year revealed the North Lot, which includes the Highlands and Islands, would not be completed until 2026/27.

Now it seems the contract has been extended to 2028, according to a report presented by Argyll and Bute Council's policy lead for islands and business development, councillor Liz McCabe, to councillors on Thursday November 24.

In her update on the R100 roll-out in Argyll, councillor McCabe said: 'An extra £36million has been allocated to the R100 programme due to an additional overall investment from the Scottish and UK Governments as well as the supplier BT.

'£6m is going to the South Lot and £30m going to the

North Lot. This additional funding will add 1,448 premises to the current contract and is targeting islands, two of which are in Argyll and Bute. Mull is in line to get 63, bringing their total to 897 and Tiree are in line to get 98, bringing their total to 467. However due to this additional build the contract has been extended to 2028. A deployment plan with indicative build dates is to be provided in the coming weeks.'

Councillor McCabe updated on other digital boosts in the region. 'We are about to provide funding of up to £40,000 to The Kerrera Development Trust to extend their Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network to cover the remaining premises on the island to enable businesses and residents to order a Superfast Broadband connection if they desire,' she said. 'We are waiting on the Grant Funding Agreement to be returned allowing the project to commence.'

Earlier the Scottish Government announced that six island local authorities would share of £4.45m to assist critical projects on climate change, population retention and tourism. A total of 11 projects, spread across 31 islands, received funding for the current financial year as

part of the Islands Programme.

The grants included £167,000 towards the £6.25m Ionad Hiort/St Kilda Centre in Uig on Lewis, £540,000 for nine ‘Island Pit Stops’ at Arran and Cumbrae providing better facilities for visitors, £72,000 for two new homes on Eigg, and £440,000 for 'a world class experience for visitors to the Old Man of Storr that showcases Skye’s unique heritage and culture'.

Argyll and Bute Council made successful bid for £250,000 to improve Tobermory's seawall and railings, and £100,000 for Island Community Halls Digital Hubs on Coll, Iona, Islay, and Tiree, representing 100 per cent of the costs. Adverse weather has twice postponed drop in sessions on the islands.

'This project will create four digital hubs in island community halls for a variety of uses including hybrid meetings, access for online services and NHS “Near Me” clinics,' councillor McCabe explained. 'It will act as a pathfinder for other potential sites across other islands and build on experiences from the pandemic to provide inclusive digital access and a reduction in travelling time, costs and emissions.'

Some of the world’s foremost film experts and enthusiasts headed to Mull to celebrate the 75th anniversary of one of Britain’s best-loved classic romantic films - I Know

Where I’m Going!

Often reshown in the cinema or on television screens, the film is probably even better known in the USA, which is why Hollywood’s famous movie historian Jeremy Arnold was joined by many other Americans - as well as film buffs from Argyll - at the celebration in Tobermory’s Western Isles Hotel last month.

The great film critic Barry Norman ranked the film, dubbed IKWIG for short -

among the world’s 100 best films, and American director Martin Scorsese says that the techniques used in the film influenced his own cinematography.

It is 77 years since IKWIG was first screened, having been shot on Mull in 1944 and launched the following year. However, its 75th anniversary could not be celebrated earlier because of Covid.

Main organiser Professor Robert Beveridge, the VLV (Voice of the Listener and the Viewer) trustee for Scotland and a Professor of Media Policy, already ran three IKWIG weekends on Mull in 2005, 2010 and 2015, in-

cluding a trip to the whirlpool of Corryvreckan, which is the focus of the film’s climax. He has been assisted by Ian Court and Nicolas Maclean. The IKWIG weekend started at the Western Isles Hotel with a surprise ZOOM call from Petula Clark, the only surviving cast member of IKWIG, who played Cheryl in the film.

‘The 89-year-old actor and singer is still going strong, and rang in from the Prince Edward Theatre London, where she is playing the Bird Lady in Mary Poppins. A ZOOM discussion then took place with Thelma Schoonmaker in Hollywood, widow of IKWIG’s director Michael

Hollywood comes to Mull

Powell and Andrew Macdonald, a grandson of IKWIG’s producer and screen-writer Emeric Pressburger. Thelma is chief editor for Martin Scorsese, and Andrew was the producer of Trainspotting. Both had hoped to attend the IKWIG weekend in person but were prevented by film deadlines.

‘After dinner Professor Ian Christie of Birkbeck College, University of London, showed a film with him in discussion with Powell, Pressburger and Scorsese, and revealed many unknown facts about IKWIG and its two great film-makers,’ wrote Nicolas Maclean.

Saturday October 22 was

dedicated to location visits including the telephone box by a waterfall at Carsaig that is now a listed and protected item, Carsaig boat-house thanks to David McLean, and Carsaig Pier and Carsaig House, courtesy of Mark and Nancy Horton.

From Carsaig the IKWIG group move on to Lochbuie, thanks to Jim and Patience Corbett ending up at Duart Castle where Sir Lachlan Maclean had arranged a special tour, reception and gala screening of IKWIG, supported by MG Alba. After dinner at the Western Isles, Ian Court masterminded a Powell and Pressburger Quiz, for which the prize

was an original autographed photograph of the star Wendy Hiller, who played Joan Webster in the film.

On Sunday October 23, the main morning event was a talk by Nicolas Maclean - Clues to the true story behind IKWIG - Detective work by a Muileach. Some of the mystery behind why Powell and Pressburger chose the theme for IKWIG and to shoot the film on Mull were explained as well as the close links with the Maclaines of Lochbuie.

For information on IKWIG and to see more pictures go to www.ikwig.co.uk

Mull mulls ferry takeover

Islanders on Mull and Iona are investigating a ‘Norwegianstyle’ community takeover of ferry services from Scottish Governmentowned CalMac.

The Mull and Iona Ferry Committee (MIFC) is to undertake a feasibility study looking at community ownership ‘as an alternative to the current monopoly run by CalMac and CMAL, which has led to unprecedented disruption on Scotland’s west coast ferry network in recent years, and the delay to two new ferries being built on the Clyde’.

Joe Reade, chairperson of MIFC, said: ‘The Scottish Government itself has undertaken a root and branch review of ferry services but remains completely wedded to centralised control of ferries in Gourock and Edinburgh, many miles from the island communities who are being badly let down day in day out.

‘Why should it be assumed that only CalMac and CMAL know how to run a ferry

service? We get mistakes, errors and delays and at massive cost to all taxpayers, whether they live on the islands or not. We’ve had to tolerate the eye-watering amounts of public money spent on bloated bespoke ferries, and accept the £150 million (and rising) given to David MacBrayne every year to keep them solvent.

‘Rather than doing the same thing over and over and crossing our fingers for a different result, we need to ask ourselves if there might be a better way of running our ferry services and putting

Why should it be assumed that only CalMac and CMAL know how to run a ferry service?

control and accountability in the hands of the communities these lifeline ferries serve.’

MIFC are investigating the suggestion made by ferry expert Roy Pedersen in 2021, that a community-owned ferry company could provide ‘a far better service at lower cost to the taxpayer’.

‘With competent business management and the optimum vessel choice, my estimates show that

the Craignure – Oban ferry service could be maintained with less than half of the subsidy that would otherwise be required if CMAL’s new ‘Islay type’ ferries were used on the route.

‘That includes the cost of buying new vessels – which I recommend to be medium-speed catamarans similar to those operated by Pentland Ferries. In addition, by using shore-based crews the timetable and operating hours could be hugely improved.’

takeover from CalMac

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: ‘We share the aims of the committee, and the Mull and Iona communities, for sustainable and effective ferry services. While we do not recognise some of the criticisms made here, we look forward to continuing our constructive engagement with the committee on future services and vessel replacements.

‘Scottish Ministers have been clear that we will not consider splitting up the net-

work or privatisation of any of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services routes.’

A spokesperson for CMAL said: ‘CMAL is committed to delivering a safe and effective ferry service to the communities it serves. Decision making is informed by extensive community engagement, forecasting and future proofing, as well as environmental and funding considerations.

‘We have a professional team of engineers, ship designers and naval archi-

Scottish Ministers have been clear that we will not consider splitting up the network or privatisation of any of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services routes.

tects who have extensive experience of the scope and limitations in delivering complex engineering solutions suitable for the operating conditions in Scotland.’

Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas lead Mull workshops

On Saturday December 3, world-class musicians and educators Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas are coming to Mull. Mull Music Makers (MMM) are hosting the event, which will be followed by a late afternoon concert. The duo will be supported by MMM’s young local fiddlers as well as top notch food from The Spicy Sprout, this late afternoon concert is not to be missed.

The concert takes place in Salen Church from 4.30-6pm. For more information about the event and to buy tickets visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alasdair-frasernatalie-haas-tickets-466005654457

The musical partnership between consummate performer Alasdair Fraser, ‘the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling’ and brilliant Californian cellist, Natalie Haas, spans the full spectrum between intimate chamber music and ecstatic dance energy. Over the last 16 years of creating a buzz at festivals and concert halls across the world, they have truly set the standard for fiddle and cello in traditional music. They continue to thrill audiences internationally with their virtuosic playing, their neartelepathic understanding, and the joyful spontaneity and sheer physical presence of their music.

traditional music. They joyful spontaneity and sheer physical

CREEL STORIES OF MULL AND IONA

Creel of Stories – Cliabh an t-Seanachais - is an oral history film that celebrates the story of fishing in the Ross of Mull and Iona, from the lost art of salmon bag netting to the enduring creel fishing trade that continues to support individuals and families in the area.

Creel of Stories shares stories and characters which will resonate with communities where fishing plays an important role.

Funded through Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022, the film was commissioned by South West Mull and Iona Development, a community-

led organisation whose role is to support economic, social and environmental regeneration in the area.

Creel of Stories was filmed and edited by Alasdair Satchel of Struthach Films, whose What We Do in the Winter, a podcast about the lives of the people of Mull, Iona, Ulva, Gometra and Erraid, provided the inspiration for the film’s style - allowing the protagonists to tell their own stories.

The film’s themes and soundscape inspired the original music, composed by Hannah Fisher, Sorren Maclean and Lomond

Campbell, and a song written by the children of Bunessan Primary School with verses in English and Gaelic.

An online watch party premiere will be held on You Tube on Friday November 25 at 7.30pm, followed by a Zoom conversation, open to everyone, with the communities of the Ross of Mull and Iona.

In the weeks following the premiere, longer interviews with the participants of Creel of Stories will be released as podcasts on What We Do in the Winter to allow viewers to dig deeper into the stories presented in the film.

Island inspires new works to come

An Tobar and Mull Theatre has revealed a list of artists who will be working with them and the island community over the next three years to create new works.

All the artists who have been awarded the first grants for the inaugural MADE ON MULL: Associate Artists Programme - have been inspired by the island itself.

The artists are being offered residency time, mentoring and seed commission funding to support work which An Tobar and Mull Theatre, as a multi-artform creative hub with an award-winning theatre company and music programme, hopes to be able to showcase in the future.

In exchange, An Tobar and Mull Theatre seeks first refusal to produce or present the premiere of any new works arising from the residency and that any future presentations acknowledge the contribution of An Tobar and Mull Theatre and Made on Mull.

The artists are Isla Robertson who is a writer from Morvern and is currently at Mull Theatre writing an audio play called How To Swim.

Playwright Jen McGregor, artist and writer Heather Marshall, composter Verity Standen who is also a director, performer and choir leader are among artists offered grants,

On the list as well is Fast Familiar who are experts in narrative design, facilitation and creative computing and also British-Greek composer, sound artist and writer John Kefala Kerr.

An Tobar and Mull Theatre’s artistic director and chief executive Rebecca Atkinson-Lord, said: ‘I’m thrilled to be welcoming such a diverse and innovative group of artists to Mull as part of our inaugural Made on Mull associate artists programme. I’m already looking forward to seeing what exciting work they create with and for our community here.’

Fast Familiar said being part of the scheme would give

Morvern writer Isla Robertson is one of the first artists on the Made On Mull programme

Fast Familiar are an award-winning interdisciplinary collaboration taking part in the programme.

them time to reflect on the company’s direction ‘in the most incredible place’ and are excited to make new audience-centric experiences with and for the communities they will meet on Mull.

John Kefala Kerr said he could not think of a ‘richer context’ than this opportunity to evolve an ambitious piece of creative art.

Verity Standen added: ‘I feel very lucky to be working with An Tobar and Mull Theatre over the coming months. I can’t wait to chat with people across the

island, to listen and record their stories, and to explore and discover. I can’t think of a more inspiring place on earth for creative ideas to bubble.’

And Heather Marshall said: ‘I first connected with members of the Mull

community in 2018 at the National Theatre of Scotland Exchange where I met a group of young people who had staged Mull’s first ever Pride march. Their story has stayed with me over the last few years due to the love and sheer determination of the group to elevate their friends’ voices in their community. I’m excited to finally visit Mull and hope to find the same creative passion that those young people felt, whilst developing my own writing.’

I’m thrilled to be welcoming such a diverse and innovative group of artists to Mull

“

Heather Marshall (she/her), a queer, disabled, working-class artist and writer is on the Made On Mull residency offering list; and left, Morvern writer Isla Robertson is one of the first artists on the Made On Mull programme.