Excerpts from issue 51/24 7 September 2024
CalMac winter timetable consternation
With the recent release of CalMac's Winter timetables, Islay Community Council Ferry Committee (ICCFC) has expressed its dismay that the ferry company appears to have ignored calls for the Islay/Jura service to feature a two vessel service throughout the Winter period.
A Ferry Committee spokesperson told the Ileach, "We would like to know what actions CalMac will be taking to mitigate the situation? For example, providing extra sailings, by re-deploying other vessels, and by reviewing the way in which Colonsay is served, as opposed to simply hitting us with major service and capacity restrictions.
"The key issue is to provide sufficient space throughout the timetable to cover all of the Islay route's needs."
The Ileach understands that the MV Hebridean Isles (due to be removed from the fleet in November) is being positioned to operate a freight service between Ullapool and Stornoway from 21 October and 13 November, thus reducing the Islay service to a single vessel. The Ferry Committee was keen to point out that, currently, the Islay route carries more commercial vehicle traffic annually than anywhere else on the network, including Ullapool-Stornoway.
"It seems that the Islay route is being used as a 'go-to' provider for other areas, with little regard for the impact of depriving users here. If CalMac is planning to use the Finlaggan as a resilience vessel to cover elsewhere when the MV Isle of Islay arrives, they may be seriously missing a point."
The Ferry Committee also questioned the logic of sending the Finlaggan to Uig, Lochmaddy and Tarbert for sea-trials at the end of September for two to three days. The committee spokesperson said, "We believe this vessel has already been trialled at these ports several years ago. If so, why cut back on Islay's capacity by repeating the exercise this Summer while substituting the much smaller MV Isle of Arran?"
It was suggested that it might be more sensible to at least wait for the arrival of the MV Isle of Islay early next year.
ICCFC have made it plain to CalMac that the service has been almost unbelievably bad this year. "With an unfit booking system, people unable to book, visitors sleeping in cars at the ports, and residents unable to meet medical appointments, compounded by non-urgent goods being given priority over medicines and foodstuffs.
"There is a need to re-build confidence and ensure that community and business needs, including distilleries' and new distilleries' requirements, are covered along with other likely additional requirements such as biomass import and landfill removal etc."
Long-term traffic forecasts for the Islay/Jura route have provided justification and evidence of the need for two (new) larger capacity vessels on this route. To remove the MV Finlaggan when the MV Isle of Islay arrives was, by the Ileach's understanding, not part of the original narrative, nor indeed, was leaving the Finlaggan on a single vessel timetable.
According to the Ferry Committee, this should all have been properly discussed with the community and stakeholders, as well as statutory representatives such as the ICCFC, before simply announcing the plan as a fait accompli based on CalMac's own views.
"Despite previous commitments by CalMac, there has been no prior consultation or engagement on the overhaul/timetable announcements. This is something that needs to be seriously addressed.
"The single vessel periods will not satisfy demand and we are not sure how anyone thinks replacing the Finlaggan with MV Isle of Arran for a few days is workable. It would certainly be unworkable to operate the Arran on a single vessel service on this route.
"We would be very happy to be corrected on any of the above comments, but if our initial interpretation is correct, this is going to cause serious concerns, dissatisfaction and difficulties."
Bookings for the Winter timetable are expected to be available from 11 September.
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In this week's issue:
Islay Book Festival, Consternation over CalMac's winter timetable, Bowmore resurfacing works, Break-in at Jura Stores, Proposed trawling ban, Highland dancing, Islay Archery club, Run the Runway, To See Ourselves documentary, Screen Machine Crowdfunder, Jura to Jura, Islay's primary one kids, First Responders campaign, Ministerial visit, CalMac junior football league, Ladies' golf, Brain Tumour support, The Famous Five footballers, Bridgend Bowling, Grumble from Gruinart, Local SNP success at conference, Ardbeg on top, Lussa Gin wins award, Memorial plaque for Robin Currie, Port Ellen Bowls Music reviews: Phil Bancroft's latest plus Louis Stewart and Jim Hall in concert.
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CalMac scores for youth football
CalMac has announced its sponsorship of a new Argyll-based youth football league.
Rather than spending full days travelling to matches and back in the central belt, the Argyll and the Islands Youth Football Association (AIYFA) will give young players the opportunity to play league games in their local area.
The nine teams in the league consist of young people born in 2011 and 2012 from Port Ellen, Oban, Lochgilphead, North Connel, Tarbert, Campbeltown and the Vale of Leven. After a six-month pilot, the full league season officially began at the end of August, with full approval from the Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA).
Each game will end with a 'CalMac player of the match' while a CalMac cup will be presented to the winning team at the end of the season. Organisers are also hoping over time to expand the group to Bute and Mull, and eventually into a cup competition which could include teams from throughout the west Highlands and Islands.
Plans are also in place to create leagues for additional age groups as well as a girls' league.
Diane Burke, CalMac's Commercial Director said, "We are delighted to support the new junior football league and wish all players the very best for the season. Argyll communities don't always have the benefit of the same sporting opportunities as those in urban areas, which is why local initiatives such as this are so important.
"We’re looking forward to working with the organisers as the league expands and continues to nurture our young football stars, and we hope we can play a small part in helping to develop future professional players."
Don McAllister, Chairman of the AIYFA League, said, "This sponsorship will help us to grow the game in rural Argyll & Bute for a group of young people who may otherwise miss out, and we are all looking forward immensely to our inaugural season."
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Music review
Louis Stewart and Jim Hall. The Dublin Concert. Livia Records.
The Dublin Concert is a previously unreleased album featuring Irish guitarist, Louis Stewart, and renowned American guitarist, Jim Hall, recorded live in concert to a delighted Dublin audience on 26 December 1982.
The long-lost tapes were discovered in 2022, and have been carefully digitised and mastered to present the playing of this outstanding duo.
According to contemporary guitarist, Pat Metheny, Jim Hall was the musician whose concept allowed the guitar to function in several musical situations that just weren't previously thought of.
The concert featured on this recording was hastily arranged when it was learned that Jim Hall was holidaying in Ireland. He and Louis Stewart are thought to have met previously when the latter held a New York residency in 1981.
The musicianship witnessed on this live recording is a joy to behold, with both Stewart and Hall seemingly capable not only of playing every little idea that coms to mind, but with the ability to read the mind of each other in the process.
Hall provides three solo pieces, bringing to life compositions by Jerome Kern, Rodgers & Hart, and Duke Ellington. Though each musician has his own style, they are nothing if not complementary, immediately and clearly demonstrated on the album’s opener, Stella by Starlight. A veritable display of six-string virtuosity.
And, as is often the case with live performance, the opportunity to follow a composition to its logical conclusion, free of studio restrictions, allows for longer musical exploration. '2 degrees east, 3 Degrees West' occupies a glorious ten minutes and 43 seconds.
The following 'But Beautiful' (Van Heusen) is every bit as worthy as its title would suggest, with an extended intro from Stewart before he's joined by Hall for undoubtedly one of the album’s finest renditions.
'My Funny Valentine', performed solo by Jim Hall, is strikingly unusual, displaying several of the traits associated with flamenco guitar. His style has been described as "carefully chosen notes, one after another, placed with the care of someone setting an elegant table."
The final duo outing before Hall's version of Duke Ellington's 'In a Sentimental Mood', is Irving Berlin's 'How Deep is the Ocean.' Literally well into the swing of things by this time, both guitarists demonstrate an unfailing confidence in each other's playing, taking glorious liberties with playful ease.
This is one of those recordings that I feel I would have to own in some tangible form (vinyl or CD), alongside the dowloadable format (purely for convenience). Jazz has provided the listener with many a memorable moment across the decades, and this is surely high on that list.
bp
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