Excerpts from issue 52/04 30 November 2024
So Long, farewell
Despite the previously acknowledged supply chain issues, work continues to progress the two ferries under construction in the Cemre Shipyard in Turkiye. The first of these, the MV Isle of Islay (left), is expected to be delivered to CalMac by February 2025.
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Peat extraction
Bairds Malt, one of Scotland's largest malting companies and suppliers to distilleries all across the country, has partnered with Laggan Estate on Islay to submit a planning application for peat extraction on Laggan Moss, at a site 3km south west of Bowmore and within shouting distance of the waste site at Gartbreck.
On Monday 25 November in the Gaelic Centre, a public consultation took place outling their future plans. Disappointingly, neither Bairds Malt, nor Laggan Estate attended this consultation, rather limiting the opportunity to ask questions.
The proposed amount of peat to be extracted, over a five-year period, is projected to be 200 tonnes, removed by means of 'subsurface extrusion'. In tangible terms, this is expected to result in eight to ten truck movements per year.
The proposed workings comprise approximately 10% of the full Laggan Moss area.
However, the Ileach understands that, despite the sourcing of peat from Islay, it is not necessarily destined to be used specifically for any particular Islay distillery.
According to the presentation, the peat depth in the area under consideration is reputed to be in excess of one metre, there is an agreed comprehensive site restoration plan which will progressively restore, over a reasonable timescale, the area of extraction to a functioning peatland system capable of achieving carbon sequestration.
Perhaps the obvious question to be asked is "What's in it for Islay?" given the inroads the distilling industry has made to the island in recent years. There have been calls for some form of reparation to ease the feeling that Scotland's distilling industry sees Islay as a 'supply depot'.
A second presentation will take place in the Gaelic Centre on Monday 9 December to present the findings from this first instance.
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In this week's issue:
Change of date for the Islay Show, New CEO at CalMac, Excessive spending at the Rest?, A proper chippy in Bowmore, Glenegedale wins a second Thistle award, Peat extraction on Laggan Moss, How long to change a road sign? Bruichladdich Hall update, Iseabail takes over the GG, High School swimming and leadership at Loch Eil, Islay Foodbank, Port Ellen Primary reading news, Charleène Busalli brings Christmas reading, Leisure Centre offers for seafarers, Islay FC football report, Shoe Box Appeal success, Sharon McHarrie's grumbling yuletide greetings, Book Review: Graham Logie's Falklands Ashtray, Bowmore Primary Panto, More government support for Gaelic.
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A 'proper' chippy
Whether the French or the Belgians first created 'fries' (or chips) is open to much argument and debate, but it is unchallenged that they arrived on British shores with French immigrants fleeing forced conversion to Catholicism.
The majority settled south of the border, but a Belgian immigrant, Edward De Gernier, bears credit for bringing the potato chip to Scotland in the 1870s. He apparently did a roaring trade in Dundee's Greenmarket with his version of the Belgian frite.
Though it would be stretching credibility to imply that chips were brought to Islay by the recently opened 'Islay's Plaice', it could be argued that Andy Malcolm and Isla Cruickshank, proprietors of Jura's 'Antlers Restaurant', have restored the 'proper chippy' to the island.
Adjacent to the Deli-Den and housed in the former Post Office building, the cleverly-named 'Islay's Plaice' opened for the first time at 4pm on Monday 17 November, attracting a lengthy queue of eager customers. Open from 9am - 9pm, Monday to Thursday, the chippy will also open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays as well as 4pm - 9pm on Sundays.
The Deli-Den will now operate with reduced hours, featuring its delicatessen produce and leaving the heavy lifting to the chippy next door. There will soon be 'sit-in' facilities offering breakfast and daily lunch specials.
Said Andy, "It's something we've always wanted to do, and we hope it proves to be a popular option on the island."
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Book review
The Falklands Ashtray - A welder's esperience at RAF Stanley 1984. Graham Logie. £10
Graham Logie has appeared in these pages on a previous occasions. As the son of a former manager of Bruichladdich Distillery, he wrote about his time growing up on Islay in the 1960s. Graham subsequently returned to Islay as manager at Port Ellen Maltings.
In this latest volume, while resident in Elgin and serving time as a welder in the RAF, he was dispatched to the Falkland Islands in 1984, some two years after the wartime dispute with Argentina.
In his introduction, he explains at least some of the reasoning behind the writing of this book.
"I saw a gap in people's awareness of what the islands were like for a serviceman to live and work in [...] Our generation is dwindling and so stories should be recorded."
Heading far south for a year's duty also brought with it, tangible benefits, not least of which, for the reader at least, is the definition of a 'Falklands Ashtray'. However, I feel it would spoil the surprise if I mentioned that here ("surely nobody would possibly name a book after an ashtray?").
"Also, and I found this to be fascinating military speak, as a requirement for the posting, I was to be 'awarded' an HGV III licence."
The stationing of a squadron of Phantom fighters at RAF Stanley, played to one of Graham Logie's strengths, and at least one of the reasons he was posted there. Practised as he was in welding a crack that would often appear in a stainless steel air-duct on the wing of the Phantom, many an hour was spent ensuring these fighter aircraft remained in the air.
And in order to keep those fighters aloft for as long as possible, RAF Stanley hosted Hercules tankers, ready and able to refuel the Phantoms in mid-air. Amongst many opportunities that came his way, the author highlights a flight on one such tanker, offering the opportunity to witness the refueling process at close quarters.
Much like his previous book (Give Her Six), Graham Logie has an enviable, conversational style of writing, that is pleasing to the eye, yet subtly compulsive, leading the reader to believe that they too, were stationed at RAF Stanley.
Superb.
bp
'The Falklands Ashtray' is available from The Celtic House, Bowmore
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