Excerpts from issue 46/21 3 August 2019
In this issue: Dunlossit's support of Air Ambulance, Kildalton Cross Golf report, Port Charlotte lighting: the council has its say, A day in the life of a Show commentator, IHS trip to the Himalayas, Full Show results and photos.
Teacher, Russell Pollock's impressive landscape from the Himalayas, a long, long way from Islay. Jake Hannett provides a report from the recent school trip in this week's issue.
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Port Charlotte lighting: council has its say
The street lighting work in Port Charlotte is part of a £140,000 investment on Islay, which will see replacement of lighting columns and LEDs. This is a substantial part of the Council's overall lighting improvement budget.
Street lighting In Port Charlotte has come to the end of its natural lifespan and wall-mounted brackets are no longer an option. We have been working closely with the community and the Community Council to agree how to progress the lighting improvement.
We've listened to concerns about fixtures, and offered different solutions to those people who held strong views.
Working alongside the Community Council in April 2018, part of our community consultation on the replacement lighting involved delivering around 200 leaflets to properties in Port Charlotte. There was a low level of interest, but the majority of those who responded were in favour of the proposals.
We have also received letters from residents who welcome better lighting in the town.
Replacing street lighting is expensive, particularly when removing old wall mounted units, making good the buildings, and installing and wiring new lighting columns. Any new design has to meet modern standards. Replacing the existing wall mounted units would not provide a level of lighting that would meet current requirements.
Local Council staff are working hard for the benefit of the community to see the work completed before the darker nights are upon us. The improved lighting levels in the town will make it safer to move around in the winter nights.
Our LED replacement programme has already delivered considerable savings across Argyll and Bute - savings that are contributing to our column replacement programme. Other benefits include better light levels, less light pollution, lower energy use and less glare into homes.
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Book review
Barnhill. a novel. Norman Bissell. Luath Press hardback. 254pp £12.99
brian palmer writes:
In 'Animal Farm' and 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' Eric Blair, aka George Orwell, arguably wrote the most prescient fiction of the 20th century. His desire to intimate the iniquities of communism in the former and the dangers of an unrestricted control by 'Big Brother' in the latter, were subjects worthy of serious dissemination in post-war Europe. Whether those who eagerly read the chapters of both, paid close heed to his warnings, is a subject still under debate in the 21st century.
Author, Norman Bissell, who will be appearing at this year's Islay Book Festival, offers a highly credible, fictionalised account of Orwell's last few years.
Suffering from the onset of tuberculosis, Orwell nonetheless chose to occupy the remote cottage at Barnhill on Jura, in the company of his young son and sister Avril. Estranged from the complications of London society, he was desperately intent on completing 'The last Man in Europe', subsequently completed in 1948 as 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' and published by Secker & Warburg the following year.
'Barnhill's principal narrative is provided by Sonia Brownell, a woman to whom Orwell had proposed on more than one occasion and whom he eventually married a mere four months prior to his death in January 1950. Of course, Brownell never visited Barnhill, so, as Bissell states in his epilogue, the book "...is based as far as possible on the actual events of the final years of Orwell's life."
He has, however, provided us with a truly excellent and compelling novel, one which provides a perceptive insight into the wretchedness experienced by Orwell, as he attempted to finish 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' before his life expired. The author has succeeded in transcending the aura surrounding both Barnhill and Orwell himself, in a book that wholly subsumes the reader in those last years of literary and moral anguish.
"Although poetic licence has been used where appropriate... I have tried to remain true to the significant events of OrwellÕs later life."
Possibly the best book you'll read this year.
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Canadian fling
Ella Edgar writes:
The ten dancers from the Ella Edgar Dance School who visited Canada the first week of August to compete at three highland games, did themselves, Islay and Scotland very proud! They were the only competitors from Scotland at the three games, winning a total of 72 medals and three trophies.
It was an amazing experience for these dancers to take part in such prestigious games with the present world champion highland dancer being one of the competitors at the three competitions and against one of our dancers in two of the competitions!
None of this would have been possible without the generous donations from The Mactaggart Third Fund and Family, The Schroder Foundation, Tasgadh / Feisan nan Gaidheal, The Botanist Foundation, all the local distilleries, businesses and local organisations who give generously when we were fundraising, and local individuals who contributed to this special trip. A special 'Thank You' must go to Alyson MacGillivray whose meticulous organisation of the whole trip was without equal. It was not an easy task, but Alyson handled it all exceptionally well and it all went like clockwork, with travel, accommodation, food and special day trips being among the highlights of the big adventure.Thank you all very much!
The memories and great achievements will stay with the dancers for the rest of their lives. There were fun, sightseeing and shopping days as well as dancing!
The beautiful Celtic Stonework Trophies presented at Glengarry Games and Championships were made by Duncan MacDonald from Port Ellen! He and his wife Vanessa have a thriving and popular business in Collingwood, Ontario and display their handiwork at Highland games and fayres across Canada. His mother, Mrs. Jean MacDonald, lives in Frederick Crescent! Duncan was one of three presenting the trophies at the Glengarry Championships. It was wonderful to see a neighbouring Ileach contributing to the games and two of Duncan's lovely stonework trophies have come back to Islay!
Huge congratulations to all the dancers for their great achievements in very warm conditions.
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to subscribe or advertise, contact ileach@ileach.co.uk
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NEXT ISSUE ON SALE, Saturday 31 August 2019
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Islay Diary 2019
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- Saturday 3 August
- Saturday 17 August
- Bruichladdich's Big Bike Revival
- Sunday 18 August
- Beginners' Archery, Port Mòr
- Kilmeny Songs of Praise
- Tuesday 20 August
- Craft Fair, Bruichladdich Hall
- Chit Chat Strollers, Dunyvaig
- Thursday 22 August
- INHT Family Adventure, Bridgend
- Craft Fair, Bruichladdich Hall
- Sunday 25 August
- Beginners' Archery, Port Mòr
- INHT Adventure, Saligo
- Tuesday 27 August
- Craft Fair, Bruichladdich Hall
- Chit Chat Strollers, Carraig Fhada
- Thursday 29 August
- INHT Family Adventure, Uiskentuie
- Craft Fair, Bruichladdich Hall
- Islay Book Festival
- Friday 30 August
- Islay Book Festival
- Saturday 31 August
- Islay Book Festival
- Sunday 1 September
- Beginners' Archery, Port Mòr
- Islay Book Festival
- Friday 6 September
- Mòd Ìle, ICCI
- Saturday 7 September
- Highland Dancing Resumes, Bowmore
- Friday 13 September
- Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival
- Islay Quilters AGM, Bridgend
- Saturday 14 September
- Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival
- Sunday 15 September
- Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival
- Friday 20 September
- Taste of Islay & Jura Food Festival
- Saturday 21 September
- Taste of Islay & Jura Food Festival
- Sunday 22 September
- Taste of Islay & Jura Food Festival
