No 226 SEPTEMBER 2011

No 226 SEPTEMBER 2011

NETWORK ISSUES PAST & PRESENT: A 16 PAGE SPECIAL

NETWORK CENTRE & TEA ROOM
Open 10 am to 5.30 pm
Closed Thursdays

FOR THOSE KNOT IN THE KNOW

Network Carradale Ltd: administers the Network Centre and is a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital . CHUG: Carradale Harbour Users Group, an organisation intent on developing Carradale Harbour. See related items on page 2 and historical background on pages 3-8.

NETWORK ON THE MOVE?

THERES NO DUCKING OUT AT 1PM ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER FOR THE WATERFOOT DUCK RACE

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THE SECRETARY IS MARGARET RICHARDSON 2 OLD SCHOOLHOUSE CARRADALE PA28 6QT. 01583 431788 News on P2
The Churchs Summer Fayre

CARRADALE GOLF CLUB

Alasdair McPhee
FINANCIAL SERVICES

IFA

REVIEWING YOUR FINANCES? Areas of Financial Planning Protection - Personal, Mortgage, Business and Income. Savings / Investments - Annual ISA Allowance / Low interest rates, there are alternatives offering potentially greater Capital Growth and or Income. Pension Planning - Plans should be reviewed on a Annual Basis. Under the current Economic Climate reviewing your Finances should be seriously considered. We offer, in the privacy of your own home, a free Personal Review covering all the above, meetings can be arranged by calling:Contact numbers are 01586-552598 / 0779 857 4890 / or 0141 887 6778.
Alasdair McPhee, Financial Consultant was born in Carradale, lives and works in Campbeltown. Financial Planning Made Simple
e-mail: amcphee@hotmail.com, St James Business Centre, Linwood Rd, Paisley PA3 3AT Tel: 0141 887 6778 Fax: 0141 887 6344
Alasdair McPhee Financial Services is an appointed representative of Personal Touch Financial Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority
Principal Alasdair M. McPhee Cert.PFS MLIA(dip)

What might have been if members of CHUG had pursued their interest in getting Network directors to sell the Centre site and move Network to the harbour. See page 2 for the facts, rumour and speculation.

IN THIS ISSUE
P2: Network facts, rumour or speculation, Accounts P3: Setting up Network and financing it. P4: John Aikens Network archive: Farming P5: John Aikens Network archive: Woodlands P6: John Aikens Network archive: Boat-building P7: John Aikens Network archive: Fishing P8: Kilberry Gridlock, Road issues, ABC news. P9: Cinema, Rainfall, Petrol & Moles, Sputnik, . P10: Community councils without support, Poppy. P11: Golf Club news, Red clover, RNLI winners. P12 Letters, Campbeltown Townscape. P13: Abbeyfield, Glen, Kintyre Express, Flowers. P14: Flying in the face of convention, Ensign Ewart P15: Carradale Quiz and Lorne MacDougall. P16: Kintyre Way, Barga and the Food Train.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? One of eighteen displays at Saddell and Carradale Church Flower Festival in August. Photo M.P.

Quality catering to arouse your senses. We cater for parties large and small, at your home, at your business or other location of your choice we promise you stress free entertaining.Book your event with us today you wont be disappointed.Visit our website: www.kilbrannancatering.co.uk Telephone Anne on 015431581 or Jennifer on 01583 431632

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Looking for the perfect gift idea? Then look no further than our selection. Our Hampers, full of delicious Kintyre produce and our Scottish Tablet Gift Boxes make excellent presents. We have gifts to suit all budgets. Our tablet is available in local shops. You can also order all our products on-line. Just visit our web-site ; www.scottishtabletcompany.co.uk or telephone Anne on 01583 431581

NETWORK & CHUG

A STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER A JOINT MEETING HELD AT THE NETWORK ON THURSDAY 21 JULY. It was agreed that it would be beneficial to have CHUG as part on Network since the latter is not only a local community business but also a registered charity. This may assist in fundraising for any developments around the Harbour area. As the Board of Member Directors has been virtually moribund for quite some time, it was agreed to strengthen the Board by bringing on new faces. As a result Alan Milstead, Marcus Adams, Mike Hurst and Alan Walker have now joined Donald Macalister Hall and Stuart Irvine on the Board. The Constitution of Network requires a minimum number of 8 Directors. Later this year, Network will be looking for not only new ordinary Members holding a 1 share but from this group there will be at least 2 more Member Directors appointed. As a result, a much more pro-active approach will be taken to build on the current success of the Centre. The overall objective will be to make Carradale a much more interesting place to visit. It is hoped that there will be good interest shown later this year from those in the community who can help build a stronger organization for the future. J.S.I. In a covering letter Stuart Irvine says that once the summer season is over, when people have a little more time, a drive for increased support to strengthen Network will be made. The tearoom is secure and it is hoped we can revert to a Tearoom Committee again to assist Jose. We will be communicating much more through the Antler later in the year once all our discussions are complete.

FACT, RUMOUR OR SPECULATION?

NETWORK MOVING TO THE HARBOUR? Local residents and visiting walkers who enjoy the culinary delights of the Network Tearoom might have been surprised or shocked to hear that in mid July there were rumours of a proposal to sell the Network site and move the Tearoom, with or without the museum and the old school room, to the harbour. Fortunately at a meeting of CHUG members and the two Network Carradale Ltd directors held at the Network Centre on Thursday 21st July (statement in the righthand column), the proposal seemed to have been dropped. The logic surrounding the proposal seemed to be that the popularity of the Network might have been a contributory cause of the failure of the Glen Restaurant and that by moving it to the harbour, and boosting moves to improve the harbour environment, it would pose no threat to any new Glen owner and might attract customers even further off the wandering Kintyre Way to hostelries in Carradale East and Port Righ. Residents involved in setting up Network under Bill Middlemisss guidance in the early 1990s and signing on as directors of the short-lived Carradale Community Business will remember that even at that time some entrepreneurs were concerned over its development and saw it as a threat to their businesses, but those with an even longer memory will remember that the owner of the Glen at the time, Jerry Singal, did not envisage that Network hours would have any effect of his trading patterns, nor did the then owner of Dunvalanree, John Pryor, who became chairman of the development group at its first committee meeting in 1991. While Network supporters, under the leadership of Stuart Irvine, have kept Network from getting in an administrative and financial Network tangle with a little help from the East Kintyre Wind-farm Trust, the present excellent lessee and most of her predecessors have provided an essential and appreciated service for those on the Kintyre Way, as well as for visiting motorists and those who simply enjoy its social atmosphere. Moving a successful business off the Kintyre Way route, to a site in full view of a forest of metal fencing, rusting boats and fishing detritus, is not the most enlightened move for any organisation seeking to improve the local environment. Had they known about the proposal regular Network customers might have wished to make their voices heard before Network Tearoom cups began to foretell disaster brewing for Jos and, incidentally, for those trade voices keen to (s)cuppa the opposition. Fortunately authoritative Network Carradale voices turned the threat of a gale of opposition into a storm in a tea cup.

CHUGING SILENTLY
AWAY FROM THE PIER Nothing the Antler gets up to can match the performance on television by Rupert Murdoch. Although the Antler Editor and the press overlord are equally wrinkly and speak no more in public than is necessary, phone tapping is certainly beyond the Editors capability. However the temptation to listen in to what Carradale Harbour Users Group is up to, is certainly irresistible. Although CHUGs and Networks rarely published utterances are more Rupert than James, and rarely as informative as those of Rebekah, leaked rumours of CHUGs wish for a tearoom take-away, have all the Murdoch hallmarks of trying to forget what has happened in the past and seeking to act in an unsympathetic and authoritarian manner. Readers may judge from items on this and the following pages that, far from encouraging and supporting the Networks value and physical position, some of todays business men are just as capable now as they were in 1991 of criticising new business ventures and of persuading residents that the proposals are in the best interests of the village. Stuart Irvines statement on behalf of the Network may go some way to reassure those who enjoy the Network centre and the Tearoom on its present site, but, strangely, makes no mention of the CHUG proposal, Stuart has done a magnificent job in keeping Network going with Donald Macalister Halls help, but his undertaking to communicate much more through the Antler later in the year once all our discussions are complete does not sound like an open invitation to disclose and discuss what four new face directors think are in the best interests of CHUG and residents. A charitable company limited by guarantee and receiving grants from public bodies should not operate in secret, or in seeking new members, ask them to pay for the privilege of reading company accounts. Some existing Network members have never been invited to attend annual general meetings or asked to approve annual accounts. While Stuart admits that the Board of Member Directors has been virtually moribund for quite some time it is unfortunate, but not surprising. G.P.

NETWORK CARRADALE LIMITED ACCOUNTS

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DAVID MCKELL
ELECTRICIAN
9 ISLE VIEW, MACHRIHANISH, CAMPBELTOWN ARGYLL PA28 6PY PHONE 01586 810472 MOBILE 07786 650937 DAVIDMCKELL@YMAIL.COM
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THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND

P.O.BOX 13, 11 CASTLEHILL, CAMPBELTOWN ARGYLL PA28.6AP

Where people matter

CARRADALE BRANCH OPEN THURSDAY 10am - 11am

CARRADALE NETWORK: VOICES FROM THE PAST: 1991-1997
PUBLIC MEETING
MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC MEETING HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL ON 18 JUNE 1993 PRESENT 47 members o( the Carradale community with three guest speakers - Bill Middlemiss, Manager of the Argyll & Bute Countryside Trust. Rory Butler, Development Executive, Community Enterprise Strathclyde and David Gardiner, Business Adviser Argyll and the Isles Enterprise. APOLOGIES Dan Hunt, Scottish Natural Heritage, Julia Farrington, University of Stirling Institute of Aqua-culture. Gail Mclntosh, Valerie Conley, John Pryor, Una and William Semple. MARCUS ADAMS, Chairman introduced the guests and Invited Bill Middlemiss to explain the developments since the meeting in 1992 when The Propulsion Company and The Visitors Centre Committee were formed. Mr.Middlemiss traced the progress of the two organisations and summarised the factors leading to their amalgamation. He went on to explain ttie advantages of setting up a Community Business with charitable status and showed that subsidiary companies, although effectively trading companies and therefore out-with the remit of charitable status,could benefit financially through the establishment of a Holding Company in Carradale. After a lengthy progress report on the establishment of the Network Carradale Visitors Centre and references to a variety of Propulsion Company projects and feasibilitystudies Mr. Middlemiss sought general support for the establishment of a Community Business and the projects It was likely to encourage. QUESTIONS: Among questions from the community answered by Rory Butler and Bill Middlemiss were several addressed to the need for redirected finance towards cemetery and road Improvements. Although these were not within the scope of the meeting, since the allocation of money for these projects is primarily the concern of Argyll and Bute District Council and Strathclyde Regional Council, the failure of Community Enterprise Strathclyde to include the east coast road on their Wild Argyll tourist map illustrated a lack of cohesive policy towards develop ments in the area. Other questions elicited information on the election and dismissal of Directors and introduced the concept of Special Members, who represented the interests of the contributing bodies,arid guaranteed the focus of the Holding Company and subsidiary companies on the Memorandum & Articles of Association, which form the basis of establishment. APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS: The Chairman then Introduced Geoffrey Page, who as Secretary to Network Carradale Visitors Centre, had been charged with arranging the meeting and canvassing prospective directors. Mr. Page read the list of names suggested by residents of the village and indicated those who were prepared to serve as Directors, subject to the approval of the meeting. He Invited nominations from the floor of the meeting and encouraged locally born residents to stand for appointment. As a result three names were added to those who had been nominated during the previous ten days. No further nominations being received Mr. Page then read the list of accepted Director-Members and invited everyone present to become shareholders in the Company at an annual cost of 3, for which the Network Carradale Visitor Centre would allow the shareholder unlimited entry to the Centre during the year of membership. The MEETING CLOSED at 8.40pm with an appreciative vote of thanks to villagers for their support and to the guests for their involvement in the establishment of the Community Business. NOMINATED AND APPOINTED DIRECTORS Dr. Robert Abernethy, Marcus S. Adams, Charles Charlwood, Brian Gee, Jean Henderson, Donald Macalister Hall, Neil McDougall, Gail McIntosh, Allan McLay, Alen Oman, Geoffrey Page, Edna Paterson, John Pryor and Jerry Singal. APPROACHED: Willing but only if insufficient nominations received: Bill Dodd, George Lang, Jim McDougall and Evelyn Stewart. OTHER SUGGESTED DIRECTORS: Not proposed at the Public Meeting: Joyce Borthwick, Walter Campbell, Roger Clarke, Dan Ferguson, Michael Foreman, Dannie Galbraith, Doreen Galbraith, Shelagh Galbraith, Stuart Irvine, Catherine McIlvride, Archie Bob McMillan, John Martin, Susie Maxwell, Angie Paterson, Angus Paterson, Tate Rennie and Alan Walker. APPROACHED, But preferred not to be proposed: Morag Allan, Keith Campbell, Valerie Conley, Trish Hurst, Mike Hurst, Mary Macalister Hall, Neil Rennie, Una and William Semple.

BUSINESS CLOSURE 1994

Following the financial re-adoption of the Network Centre building programme by Argyll and Bute Countryside Trust, members were asked to decide how their subscription to the Community Business should be used. 26 SLIPS WERE RETURNED OUT OF 54 of which 13 asked for their subscription to go to Network Carradale funds; 11 opted for future Carradale projects,1 voted for village hall funds and 1 decided to go with the majority view. After deducting postal and duplicating expenses 148.08 has been divided into two amounts in the proportion 14/12 (since the Hall improvements are the most urgent future project) and passed to the relevant organisations; 79.74 to Network, when it opens and 68.34 to the Hall Committee. The Community Business Committee would like to thank all those who took up membership. The Committee also extend best wishes to Bill Middlemiss and the Argyll and Bute Countryside Trust in the hope that there will be an early start on the conversion of the Network Centre.

COUNTRYSIDE NEWS
ARGYLL & BUTE COUNTRYSIDE TRUST JANUARY 1996 After five years of planning, work has started on the renovation of the former Forestry Commission buildings to create the new visitors centre which will tell the story of life in the Village and of its fishing fleet. The buildings, owned by the Trust, will be fitted out with displays and handed over to a new community business. Network Carradale Ltd, (incorp. Jan 1996) to run on behalf of the Trust for the benefit of the local community. The Trust has now appointed John Aiken as Project Assistant to help co-ordinate the work involved in setting up the displays and prepare for opening. John already knows Carradale, as he worked there for the Trust as Countryside Ranger during the summer of 1993. Funding for the renovation work was provided by Argyll & the Islands Enterprise through the EC Leader Programme. The displays will be funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, the community and through a Glenfiddich Living Scotland Award. Argyll & Bute District Council has also made a generous contribution to the works.

NETWORK OPENING
The Official Opening of the Network Centre by Robin Malcolm, Her Majestys Vice Lieutenant for Argyll & Bute, was on Friday 8th August 97.

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ASHBANK HOTEL, CARRADALE

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New Lunch & A'la carte menu every 2 months - Eat in our new contemporary restaurant or cosy lounge. Daily specials - Sunday Lunches Monthly theme nights - Indian, Italian, Chinese & Tapas. Take away menu plus all items from the main menu, just order before 1 pm Free-wi-fi & parking, Events parties & Outside Catering available to suit your needs E-mail: ashbankhotel@tiscali.co.uk Internet:www.ashbankhotel.com

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EXCERPTS FROM THE NETWORK ARCHIVE COLLECTED BY JOHN AIKEN IN 1996

FARMING
THE END OF RUN-RIG AGRICULTURE. The map of Kintyre clearly shows that people were all living up the glens in small settlements rather than concentrated in the village as today. These were joint-farms where several families farmed the land and divided the arable plots amongst themselves according to the Run-rig system. Each farmer had a share of the best and the poorest land. The number of beasts (mainly Highland black cattle), he was entitled to depended on his share of the overall rent, as did his share of the produce of the farm. The run-rig farms began to disappear during the later part of the Eighteenth Century to be replaced by enclosed farms run directly by a single tenant of the Laird. There is little evidence in Kintyre,of widespread Clearances of the savage nature which were inflicted on some parts of the Highlands (although some family traditions seem to indicate that at least occasionally there were excesses). But however it was achieved this period saw a huge change in the pattern of occupation of the land. "My family on my mother's side were Mclntoshes staying in Upper Torrisdale. The Old Man had been away and when he came back over the hill there was his house burning! And that was it. The Highland Clearances."Donald MacMillan, Shore Road. The majority of the people were to become either cottars,reliant on earning a living by working for wages or else to become crofters. Crofts are small-holdings, only ever intended to give part of a living to a family. Around Carradale a new class appeared relying increasingly on the Herring fishing as well as their crofts. "The proprietors have of late divided fome large farms into fmall plots, and built houfes on them for the accomodation of fifhers and tradefmen; fo that if a few harbours were once made.....the herring fifery on this coaft would flourifh." - Rev. George Macliesh, Old Statistical Account 1793. "Of these (An 1841 population of 1,798) not more than one fifth are engaged in purely agricultural pursuits: 52 are supported by handicraft, and the remenant live in the double capacity of crofters and fishermen" - Rev. John MacFarlane. New Statistical Account 1843. Huge areas of upland and hill land which had previously supported crops or were used for summer grazing for the cattle now went under sheep at vastly more profit to the Lairds than the people who had formerly stayed there. "The occupiers of large tracts of land seldom cultivate many acres.....their fields, rescued from the wilderness by the labour of ages, are allowed to revert to their original state, and to become wilderness again....That this system, by depopulating the country, is a manifest, perhaps irreparable loss to the public, is obvious to the most shallow observer." - John Smith, The Agriculture of Argyll 1805. growing seaweed...to capture the soaked, terror-stricken animal." - Duncan Ritchie. Shore road, Carradale "A century ago and more, there were those who looked - with bitterness or nostalgia at land which had once grown crops and was turned over to sheep. Now elderly shepherds look at land which had, in their time, yielded crops of fine lambs, and see only the devastation of the forestry ploughs or a heartbreaking vista of alien trees." Angus Martin, Kintyre Country Life 1987.

SHEEP-FARMING
The steep sides of the glens and the high moorland beyond have been mainly under sheep for the last 150-200 years. The ground would be divided into hirsels with perhaps fifty ewes on each and hefted to it. That is their patch and there they will stay unless fetched from the hill by the shepherd and his dogs. There was a lot of work in it. The sheep had to be gathered before the lambing for dipping and dosing against such ills as pulpy kidney. The male lambs were marked or castrated in June and after that the clipping started. The clipping was done by hand shears until machine shearing replaced it some thirty years ago. "The first year I was here, I'd to clip the whole flock mysel'. That would be about a thousand sheep. Usually all the shepherds would help each other at the clipping on each farm. The old men would tell of clipping the sheep on her back with her legs tied. That was because there was once a man los' his eye when a yow (ewe) kicked his shears out of his hand. I clipped them on a stool," Robert Baker, Retired Torrisdale shepherd. The clipping was followed by a further dipping. In the back end, old sheep and those hoggs (from the previous lambing) not being kept to replace the cast ewes would be sorted for market. The hoggs being kept would be wintered on low ground. Before motor transport was available they had to be walked to the low-lying farms around Southend or on the Laggan.. "There was another time when the steamer would be delayed. That was when flocks of sheep had to be taken on board. A very odd time, a sheep would be knocked over the edge of the pier into the sea. Luckily for them they were all good swimmers. The odd one would sprakle ashore, with their wool soaking wet under the pier, onto the skegs. If the tide was running hard they would swim to Eilean Carrach. The men had to row to the wee island, land on it, and that was a hard job because it was covered with

UISGE BEATHA
The Clearances carried out throughout the Highlands were excused by a racist portrayal of Highland Gaels as stupid,backward and lazy. This myth is exposed by the massive trade in illicit whisky through this period. Kintyre, handy for the expanding market of the Lowlands,was a major centre of whisky production and Carradale was one of the main ports which the smugglers used to ferry their barrels across to the Ayrshire coast - speaking of bear (an early type of barley) grown in Kintyre. There was "often a sort of dearth, the inhabitants being mad enough to convert their bread into poison, distilling annually 6000 bolls of grain into whisky" - Thomas Pennant,1772. The whisky-making was highly organised. Communities would sometimes share the cost of fines as well as pooling capital to begin operating. The trade was actually encouraged by the tax structure of the time which disadvantaged licensed producers. The tax on malted grain especially encouraged legal distillers to substitute un-malted grain in part which lead to a reduction in quality. Illegal operators, not having these problems were therefore able to capture the quality end of the market and to command a higher price for their product than their legal rivals. During the 1780's and 90's its possible that more than half the whisky consumed in Scotland was illicit. "Smuggling, which at one time was the chief employment of the crofters and fishermen in winter, is now almost entirely suppressed and abandoned. The fierce and daring encounters of the Skipness men with the officers of the excise, were long proverbial." - Rev. John MacFarlane. New Statistical Account 1843.

HORSES TO TRACTORS.
"The muck would be brought to the field in the cart and heaps left across the field. Then we'd to spread it all out with a graip (fork). When we got a muck spreader to be

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ALL-YEAR-ROUND GIFTS ALL-YEAR-ROUND GIFTS ALL-YEAR-ROUND GIFTS

EXCERPTS FROM THE NETWORK ARCHIVE COLLECTED BY JOHN AIKEN IN 1996

pulled by a tractor it was just so much easier! We started with eight cows just using the milk for ourselves or for anyone coming to the farm to buy some. It was hand-milking in those days. There was a knack in it, if you did it right the milk would come flooding out and you'd soon fill your bucket. "We had two horses for the ploughing but in 1947 we got a grey Ferguson tractor. They told me I'd get arthritis from bouncing around on that cold metal seat so much - and so I did!" - Margaret McLean. Margaret farmed with her husband at Brackley for 50 years. The woods were carefully managed at this time to ensure future supplies of wood. This was done by coppicing the trees and allowing them to regenerate off the old stump or stool. Traditional management of native woods disappeared with agricultural improvements and with the establishment of plantations of conifers such as larch and spruce and especially after the establishment of the Forestry Commission after the First World War. "Agricultural improvements, however and the consequent exterpation of natural coppice-wood have driven (roe deer) from their native haunts, so that only a few stragglers are now to be seen among the plantations" - Rev. John MacFarlane, New Statistical Account 1843. The Carradale Estate was bought by the Mitchisons in 1938 but the bulk of the land was sold to the Forestry Commission for planting conifers. During the war many women worked as part of the Women's Forestry Service at planting up the valley sides and the hill land. "There were six of us working digging the drains with 'rutters by hand and then the divots would be pulled out with a drag. That was where the trees were planted." - Elsie Morrison, Ex-lumber Jill. There were now few jobs left on the Estate and the Thirties had been very poor times for the fishing so the coming of the Commission to Carradale was seen as a major economic benefit at that time. "I left the fishing in 1938 to join the Forestry because of the poverty that was in it at that time." - Donald Morrison,Tosh's Park. "We'd to cut back all the rhododendrons with bushman saws and billhooks to clear the ground for the conifers. It caused a few ructions in the village because it was a big attraction for the visitors in the Spring when it was all in bloom." - Andrew Thompson, Tosh's Park. There was a lot of work through the Forties and Fifties, with big trees from the plantations established by the Estate in the 1880's to be felled with axes and the two-men crosscut saws. There was the thinning of larch plantations with bushmen saws, new planting and the 9 acre nursery that once supplied young stock to as far away as Wales. "In the Summer, there was bracken to be controlled around the young trees. There was no chemicals then - we'd to work with grasshooks" - Andrew Thompson. This room (at Network) was once the Joiner's shop where gates were made and repairs to window frames etc. for the Commission houses in Tosh's Park carried out. The next room was the cold store where trees were kept ready for suitable conditions for planting. "After the nursery closed the stock wasn't so good and there had to be an investigation here as so many of the planted trees died" - Andrew Thompson. Over in the field is where the sawmill was sited which once supplied pit-props and railway sleepers.

WOODLANDS AND FORESTS

After the last Ice Age some 10,000 years ago, as the ice retreated, trees starred to colonise the landscape. First were willows and birches, followed by Scots pine and rowan. Later oak came to dominate the woodlands here with ash and hazel spreading with them, and alder covering the wetter ground These trees form the ancient native woods with an immense richness of lichens, ferns, wildflowers and wildlife associated with them. However the ancient woods can barely have been established before people came into the area and began to affect the shape of the land. Neolithic people were clearing land for agriculture around Carradale some 5000 years ago and using wood for tools and fuel.. By the time of the metal working period of the Bronze Age, there was considerable demand for wood to make charcoal for smelting, a need which was to increase down the years. By the time of the Gaelic culture of Dalriada, the woods were subject to the Brehon laws which for example listed exactly what was allowed to people from such woods as they had access to.... By the late Eighteenth Century, ironmaking was becoming a large industrial process and the demand for charcoal grew with it. With the establishment of commercial ironworks such as at Furnace on Loch Fyne local woods became important centres of charcoal production, In many places on the wooded slopes around Carradale can be found platforms built into the hillside. These were probably dwelling sites from a very early period (post-holes of huts have been discovered on many of them) and some were obviously used for smelting small quantities of iron in bloomeries. However very many were used to site charcoal clamps during this later period of commercial exploitation.

FISHING
"The Carradale fleet have the general

reputation of being the most up-to-date; and from other places we heard the general opinion that the Carradale fishermen are the cream of the West Coast seamen" - From General notes on morale in the Mull of Kintyre compiled by Mass-Observation"1941. Ring-netting herring was developed during the 1830's by Tarbert fishermen. Originally drift nets were used to enclose a bay in which there was a large shoal of herring allowing massive catches to be made. Soon nets were being purpose-made and were known as trawls. The trawlers worked in pairs of boats. One would shoot their net in an arc on the seaward side of a located herring shoal the other crew would hold a "sweep line" to the net on the shore. Once the net was shot the other sweep line would be brought to shore and the combined crews would haul the net in. The trawlers would often be working up to their necks in the water as they brought their catch in. The herring fishing had previously been by means of drift nets. The drifters were concerned that the new methods might destroy their livelihoods and also might annihilate fish stocks. As a result of pressure from drifters, trawling for herring was made illegal in 1851. However there was widespread defiance of the law as trawling was continued. "It was war then between the drifters and the ringers" - John Galbraith The determination of the trawlers was probably fuelled at first by the failure of the potato crops in the Great Hunger of the early 1850's. There were sixteen years of near-riots, imprisonments, confiscation of nets and boats and two shootings, one of them fatal, before the repeal of the legislation and the legalisation of trawling.

TOM GRANT
PARTNERSHIP
A R C H I T E C T S

41 Longrow, Campbeltown Argyll PA28 6ER

Tel: 01586 554727 Fax: 01586 551727 24 Argyll St. Lochgilphead Tom Grant Dip.,Arch.,R.I.B.A.,R.I.A.S Argyll PA31 8NE Mobile 07770 538 661 Tel: 01546 603050
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EXCERPTS FROM THE NETWORK ARCHIVE COLLECTED BY JOHN AIKEN IN 1996

BOATS AND BOAT- BUILDING
"The parish funifhes about 30 small wherries....and 60 row boats; thfe at 2 men to a wherry, and 4 men to a boat, employ 300 men. The wherries are for carrying the herrings to market and the fmall boats for flfhing them." Old Statistical Account 1793. The boats used by the early trawlers were small open skiffs of 20 or more feet in lengthSails were mostly used to reach the fishing grounds when possible but the boats were rowed during the actual fishing operation. Their crew was of four oarsmen. Fishermen used to camp along the shore to get their rest or during rough weather. Towards the end of the last century the Lochfyne Skiffs appeared. These were not only larger, 30 feet and later to 40 feet in length, but were decked over forewards to form a small forecastle. This was equipped with bunks and a stove enabling the crew to live aboard the boat. Around this time, fisherman,Mathew MacDougall started to build skiffs at South Dippen. Some two or three boats were built there before the family moved to Port Righ. "There was a byre at Whitestone where the old man stored potatoes. He would take herring and sail his wee skiff (there was no engines then), all the way to the Head of Kinsail in Ireland and bring the tatties back in her." - Neil MacDougall, Great grandson of Mathew. The MacDougall's built Lorn Cottage on the site where Dunvalanree is now and built their boats on the bank above the bay. All the planks for the boat were sawn out by hand with a pit-saw. The wood for the frames and knees were felled locally by the MacDougalls but they bought in pitch pine logs to make the strakes of the hulls. The boats were carvel not clinkerbuilt (the planks butted against each other rather than overlapping) as fishermen believed that the sound of waves lapping on the exposed edges of clinker vessels would alert the herring. The boats were built entirely with hand tools such as the eitch or adze used to shape and smooth the frames. They were assembled with iron bolts and nails. "When the boats were ready they would launch them down into the Bay at Port Righ. Everyone would come round to help and to watch and they would take them sideways down the steep bank." Neil MacDougall. In the years before the First World War, increasing numbers of fishermen installed engines into their skiffs. These first engines were 7-9 horse-power and were go-ahead, having no reverse-gear calling for fine judgement when approaching a quay or when trying to pick up the winky marking the end of your neighbours net during a shoot. The power of the engines installed quickly increased til by 1919 a Kelvin engine of 26 hp. was becoming popular. The advent of more powerful engines allowed the development of the modern form of ring-netting in open water. As early as 1914, the traditional trawling the net inshore to anchored skiffs had been completely abandoned. The next development was of boats specifically designed for ring-netting. Robert Robertson, a Campbeltown skipper, placed an order in 1921 for a pair of boats on a radically different design from the old skiffs. These boats, the Falcon and Frigate bird, were the first true ring-netters. Fully decked over with a wheelhouse and wheel in place of a tiller, they were over 50 feet long and powered by 18-22 hp. engines. They were graceful boats with a canoe stem and were exceptionally seaworthy. They were built by Miller and Sons of Fife. By the end of the Twenties, the advantages of the new type of boats had become clear and soon all the Loch Fyne fleet was composed of these vessels. "No one can build heavy built boats like the carpenters of the East Coast" A Carradale skipper quoted in the 1941 "Notes on Morale on the Mull of Kintyre" The other important development was of winches suitable for handling the ring-net. It was 1928 before a suitable model became available but was very quickly standard on the boats as it eased dramatically the gruelling work of hauling in the nets manually. SELLING THE CATCH. The practice of selling the herring they had caught at sea was encouraged in the early days by the need to avoid detection whilst they worked illegally. However this system also had the advantage of keeping the time between catching the fish and selling it to the consumer to a minimum. Herring served on the breakfast table in Glasgow in the morning would have been swimming around the Sound only the evening before. "Great facilities are afforded (the fishermen) by the smacks which move about and take the herrings from them during the night and fill them into boxes, which are shipped on board the steamers at sea, or in the bays without coming near harbours" - George Reiach, Assistant Inspector of Fisheries. 1866. By the 1880's there were several ex-steam drifters operating as herring steamers picking up catches from the trawlers around the Sound. They were known as Screws to the fishermen from their means of propulsion (sgriubhachan-sgadan in Gaelic). "They were stowed with empty fish boxes and during the night they bought herring direct from the fishing boats and landed their catches at the nearest railhead which was Fairlie on the Ayrshire coast. I recall the names of a few of them; the Norman, the Rob-Roy, the Maree, Titanic. Those screws were a blessing to the fishing boats, especially on calm nights when there was no wind for their sails." - Duncan Ritchie. A long running grievance of the fishermen from the 1880's onwards was that there was no legal measure used in the measuring of a catch of herring for sale. In 1882 a petition signed by 223 Campbeltown, Dalintober and Carradale fishermen called for the introduction of a just measure such as the quarter-cran basket. However this was unsuccessful. To counter what they saw as corruption by the buyers, a Fishermen's Association was formed which chartered steamers to carry the herring on behalf of the members. Unfortunately the Association failed a few years later and the fishermen had once again to rely on screws buying at sea for the Glasgow fish-merchants. The dispute rumbled on until 1918 when a Ministry of Food order under the Defence of the Realm Act eventually forced the adoption of the quarter-cran on to the buyers. Another problem faced by the fishermen in marketing their catches was that if their was a glut on the market they might be unable to sell at all and would be forced to dump their catch overboard. "They talk about the 1937 quota which limited each boat to 50 baskets at a price of 4 shillings. And even then there was no market. Yet 1937 saw the most wonderful fishing season within memory. These fishermen, who have a real and instinctive sense for nature..clearly felt..that there was something terrible and blasphemous about the wastage of those days. Some say that had there been a plan and forward thinking, the fish they dumped overboard would have been bought at the low prices available, tinned and stored for war emergency." Notes on Morale on the Mull of Kintyre 1941. "1930, that was when I went to the fishing. Rothesay was the headquarters of where the herring was bought at that time and ail the buyers was there. And they kept it limited. They bought so many every day and the rest had to be dumped. Which was a big lot of herring." - David Campbell.

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SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION

EXCERPTS FROM THE NETWORK ARCHIVE COLLECTED BY JOHN AIKEN IN 1996

"We used to say that the buyers didn't buy herring, they bought faces. Meaning that some boats were giving a fairly hefty bribe to get their catch accepted. The rest had to dump their fish as often as not." - Archie Paterson. This was especially severe through the depressed time of the Thirties which saw many leave the Fishing altogether. The Clyde Fishermen's Association (CFA) was formed at this time as a response to some of these practices. It was highly successful. Fishermen agreed the rules that they were all to abide by, and if someone was caught bending them then it was a committee of fishermen which decided the penalty. This might be to be tied up and kept from fishing for two days or even a week. The CFA gave fishermen some real control over the marketing of their catches for the first time. "When the Clyde Fishermen's Association started that was the greatest thing ever to have happened in my lifetime." - David Campbell. THE QUEST FOR A HARBOUR. "It is to be regretted that Government has not paid more attention to this branch of trade (herring fishing), in which fo many ufeful hands are yearly employed, and from which fo much advantage might be derived. The chief thing wanted for this purpofe is, to have harbours difpofed in proper places and at convenient diftances along the coaft. - Rev. George MacLiesh, Old Statistical Account 1793. "To get to the Burn, the fishermen had to walk through Carradale House Estate, the Laird's estate and to keep them clear of the main house there was a gate made in the wall and a special path that led to Waterfoot, the Burn. The wee path was known as the fishermen's walk' and along the Estate road, near to Waterfoot, there was the stepping stones, a way of fording the Burn at low tide - Duncan Ritchie "The fishermen of Carradale feel strongly that they have built up a good fishing-fleet from their own resources and made Carradale quite a prosperous and productive little place. In return they feel entitled to the social service of a pier. As it is, the Carradale boats have to take their catch for long trips, using much fuel and time and then from Campbeltown and Tarbert they have to take a 'bus and spend a lot of money and waste a lot more time again after a tiring night's work. "The herring are outside the door but when you've got them you can't go home".....A skipper worked out what his pair of boats spend in bus fares getting home from the place where they have to leave the boats and it came to about 600 a year." Notes on Morale on the Mull of Kintyre, 1941. "The fleet took a levy of two pounds a week for the harbour fund for years - which was a lot of money in those days. In 1957 the Scottish Office turned down Carradale's bid for a harbour. So a deputation went down to London to lobby the MPs. And it was Douglas Hume who granted Carradale the money for the harbour." - Archie Paterson. The harbour was completed in 1958 but even then it had suffered from cut-backs which left it too small and too shallow. This was to cause problems later. THE END OF THE HERRING. By the mid Seventies, mid-water trawling had become common in the Clyde Fisheries, A trawl net like a large bag is towed at speed between two boats. It collects all the fish within its sweep regardless of their species or size or their marketability, these are all gathered in the tail of the bag where they are compressed together until they either die or are fatally injured. "They would tow it right the way up Loch Fyne and right the way down again and all the fish in it would be hoovered up and dead in the bottom of the bag" - Archie Paterson. Ring-netting allowed for the taking of a sample of fish once the sole of the net had been hauled up bringing the captured shoal of herring to the surface. If the fish were to small they could be released with minima! losses. Carradale fishermen conducted a vigourous campaign against the mid-water trawl on the grounds of its likely effect on fish stocks but were unsuccessful. History has proved them right as the Lochfyne herring has all but disappeared. "There's no such a thing as herring fishing now, people went away from eating herring" - David Campbell "But there's no such thing as herring now Davie, they were exterminated! Big Oswell? when he went to the prawns first of all, and we were still trying to catch herring, and we asked him what did he think of the prawn fishing, "Its a soul-destroying job!" and it's still that!" " - Archie Paterson. "Ah the more sophisticated fish-finders and trawl nets were coming in. And of course all these things, different technical measures, they always increase the catch, they always put pressure on the stocks ...and eventually it takes its toll, you know." - John Galbraith. "The markets are a problem. We're just getting the same money for our prawn tails as we were getting in the late Seventies here. And you don't need to be a mathematician to work out that all the other things have went up; the nets, the boats...its very difficult to make a profit." - John Galbraith. "In oor day the Clyde Fishermen's Association was all-powerful, ye had rules, Then the Restrictive Practices Act came in and all oor rules of course were restrictive - they had to be to control fishermen! And fishermen knew fishermen. They knew what they were going to do and the rules that they would break. And when that happened it more or less became a free for all. It then went to the Scottish Office and they made the rules and now ...its gone to Brussels and that's even more remote." - Archie Paterson. "We're tied hand and foot with regulations now . There's all sorts of restrictions now. And all these regulations made of course by people who haven't a clue what there doing... emanating from Brussels. They know nothing about the Fishing Industry. Everybody's just a number -they're taking no thought whatever of the Communities." - John Galbraith. THE SHARK FISHING. In the late Thirties, a young and unsettled man called Anthony Watkins was working in a soul-destroying job in a City office. One day he found himself processing the purchase of Japanese shark oil to a Scottish customer and recalled a news item about a yacht which had apparently been sunk by a basking shark oft" the West of Scotland. After some further research Watkins headed off to Scotland and to the Kilbrannan Sound to experiment with harpooning sharks. The first basking shark they harpooned towed their dinghy for thirty hours from Lochranza to beyond Sanda until they were rescued by the Campbeltown lifeboat. On the strength of this Watkins moved to Carradale and built a factory on the shore some 400 yards north of the last houses on Shore Road. It was equipped with a boiler to render down the oil and a slipway to haul the sharks ashore. Basking sharks are huge creatures up to thirty feet long and covered in a black,evilsmelling and irritant slime and weighing as much as a couple of elephants. Fifty years ago they were commonly found in shoals of up to thirty in the Sound. They were regarded as a menace by the ring-netters as if they became entangled in a net, they would roll in it, covering it with slime and ruining it beyond repair. Today it is unusual to see even two or three together.

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A83 CLOSURE AND KILBERRY GRID-LOCK

ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL NEWS

ONE STAR CUSTOMER SERVICES Just over 88% of enquiries were dealt with at first point of contact through the Customer Service Centre in April. The percentage of abandoned calls was 15.9% which is the worst set of figures we have ever experienced. There were just 18 working days in April compared to 24 in March. We answered 317 calls per day, 20% more than in March when the abandon rate was only 5.2% - we simply could not cope with the volumes on certain days. This was affected, in part, by staff sickness. There are key learning points here about not approving holidays for staff in short weeks, and the need to provide much better cover when staff resource is taken away for training. We need to get smarter with matching our resources to customer demand. We went live with Social Work general enquiries through the Customer Service Centre in the middle of April for one pilot area, with a plan for rolling out for all areas later. The CSC will handle a further 130,000 telephone calls p.a. in addition to face to face callers once this transfer is complete. The national Better Connected survey (a survey of Local Authorities web-site usability and usefulness) was published in March. Argyll and Bute Council still has a one star rating, as this was based on the old web-site before it was upgraded in December. The target is to improve to a 3 star rating when this is next surveyed in October/November. The Web Team have identified the key aspects to concentrate on to achieve this. Over 50 people have been trained as web authors, capable of preparing new items to go on the web-site. These are all reviewed by the Web Team before being uploaded. Our consultants, Webcurl, have carried out a health check on the web-site and most of their recommendations have been implemented with the exception of creation of a full test environment which is scheduled for end of July, as it requires new servers to be installed. The Council commissioned penetration testing on the web-site in early April and we are pleased to report that the web-site stayed mostly up during this time, with only a very small amount of downtime. There were over 23,000 unique visitors to the Councils web-site in February and this will provide a baseline for future monitoring.

SHARK FISHING Continued from P7 Watkins had three Lochfyne skiffs, the Dusky Maid, the Perseverence and the Paragon mounted with harpoon guns on the foredeck and an ex-steamdrifter as a factory ship; the Gloamin' later replaced by the Recruit He employed four local fishermen. He successfully ran this business until the Fifties when the price of oil dropped and he sold out. The old factory burned down, but its remains can still be seen along the shore, including parts of the boiler and tanks peeping out of the undergrowth.

ROAD ISSUES
RORY SUCCEEDS: TAR VERY MUCH One of the pleasures of a once-weekly shopping trip to the centre of Kintyre civilisation, is the 16 mile drive down the spectacular east coast side of the peninsula. Over the past year this has become a hazard rather than a pleasure. Now, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Councillor Colville and the Councils contractors, the worst parts of the road are passably improved. There are still bits which need further attention but at least Kildonan is no longer a suspension hazard. That just leaves...........

WELL ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

Having broken down last year in the wilds of Ipswich, I joined the AA. This year the renewal arrived with a figure of 115 (Roadside 58, Relay 56). I recovered sufficiently to relay my cancellation. Told that we always quote 115 regardless of being claim free, but we will reduce your payment to 75, I was sufficiently conscious to refuse AA cover, flagged down Green Flag, but they refused to cover the over 80s. RACs offer of cover from 20 seemed attractive but did that include NHS recovery and a relay to Dr Elder after another financial heart attack.

Following an accident on the A83 on Friday afternoon, 29th July, the Kilberry Road witnessed absolute mayhem resulting from an unusually high volume of traffic. The accident which occurred north of Tarbert resulted in cars, commercials, wood lorries, buses, as well as large motor homes and caravans, travelling both north and south being re-routed to avoid Tarbert. This was exacerbated by a local farmer going about his business moving a large number of cattle to another field not realising that hundreds of vehicles were heading his way. All these elements subsequently met and brought about almost total gridlock on the single track road - London at its busiest would have been proud of it. Had it not been for the cool, calm, and collected leadership of local man, Andy, and a number of other men, no-one would have moved anywhere. Andy, acting as a human sheep-dog, ran up and down in the heat, guiding the traffic into fields, out of ditches, parking motor homes, cars and caravans in farm courtyards, and all with a smile and an encouraging word to everyone. Andy and his team deserve a huge thank-you for all their selfless efforts and community spirit, ensuring that everyone eventually got on the move. Many drivers appeared to be heading for the Islay ferry at Kennacraig which fortunately delayed its departure for two hours to allow the majority of the vehicles to get aboard. However, six hours after the initial road closure, traffic was still coming down the single track onto the A83. One of the most worrying aspects for those caught up in the aftermath of the accident, was the inability to contact anyone as there was no mobile signal along most of the road until Kilberry itself. Had anyone required medical care in the heat of the day, it would have been impossible to call out the emergency services as there was no emergency signal either. Of course the other problem was that should the police or ambulance have been needed, it would have been impossible for them to get anywhere due to the snarl-up. For anyone not used to driving on a single track road, or those not confident with their reversing, it was a worrying few hours. Perhaps a bit of practice before setting out should be recommended! The photograph shows one group of cars and commercial vehicles which had to reverse into the field to allow the oncoming traffic to pass whilst Andy runs along to help to clear the way ahead. Margaret Richardson.

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THE PICTURE HOUSE

AN UPDATE

JULY RAINFALL
The total rainfall for the month was 83mm. This was below the July average which is 109mm. Although drier, it was not record breaking as our lowest July recording is a mere 18mm in 2005. Other low totals have been 77mm in 2006 and 76mm in 2007. But to put things in perspective the highest monthly rainfall was 222mm recorded in July last year (2010). The total rainfall so far in 2011 is 899mm (about 36 inches) this is the mean as there are five statistics above it and five below it- so this year is on course for being normal and, when considering the last decade, very much as one might expect. The range at this stage in the year varies between 714mm (2010) and 1384mm (in 2002). The pattern of rainfall over the month was not little and often but rather alternate quite lengthy spells of dry conditions punctuated with short sharp times of wet weather. The periods 5th-7th and 15th-17th were particularly wet at these times, respective accumulated figures of 28mm and 34mm were recorded. Overall temperatures have risen but we have not yet experienced blisteringly hot summery days as experienced further south in the UK but perhaps they are on the way? However, predictions in the near future, if to be believed, predict more of the same. M.L.

PETROL - MOLES
For those who have not visited Tarbert in the last month or so there is more disturbing news for motorists and tourists the Tarbert assisted-service station has closed leaving the peninsula with three suppliers of petrol and diesel - Clachan, Tayinloan and the County Garage in Campbeltown, although McNairs also dispense diesel on Kinloch Road - but there are no suppliers of LPG Autogas. This fuels speculation that until electric vehicles have a much bigger range and shorter recharging period, Kintyre has moved another step towards holiday isolation. Although wellendowed users of multi-fuel vehicles and owners relying on more esoteric fuels may still be seen, they are likely to be as rare as Kintyre moles were in the early 20th century.

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CAPTAIN AMERICA:
THE FIRST AVENGER (12A)

The development work for The Centenary Project is proceeding slowly but meanwhile the wonderful summer of films at The Picture House continues. I hope you enjoyed Harry Potter and our next feature will be 'Captain America - The First Avenger', which will be showing from Saturday, 27th August. Why not subscribe to an email alert from the web-site to keep up to date with What's On and you can even see a mini preview on line to whet your appetite. The Picture House would not be surviving though without the generosity of members and local businesses. This Community Business is an amazing success story but continues to need the community's help. The Directors are so grateful for the new support this year from The Old Smokehouse, Kintyre Cottages and Machrihanish Dunes for their Sponsorship programme, but also to those businesses which have renewed their contributions for another year. The population of Kintyre is just not enough to sustain a commercial cinema, so these donations help with running costs. The Picture House also gets help from the local Wind-farm Trusts as they appreciate that this amenity provides the only form of family entertainment that is available six nights a week, 52 weeks of the year the nearest cinema is over a hundred miles away! (Please don't go there, WAIT and the film you want to see WILL come to Campbeltown.) The Picture House will be open to the public for Doors Open Day on the 24th and 25th September, why not come and have a look round, hear about our future plans and sign up to become a member". Jane Mayo.

TWINNED WITH PENINVER

WELCOME TO

Please fly safely

SPUTNIK REMEMBERED
With celebrations to mark the safe landing of the last American Shuttle in the present series, leaving the Russians to return to the centre stage of space flight, it was interesting to note that a Donald John Nicholoson has demolished one of the two Rory Colville Sputnik 30mph road signs at Peninver, possibly as a mark of respect for the changes in space dominance. Note: , (Kosmodrom Baykonur in English), in Kazakh is Sputniks home base. Rory Colville was instrumental in having the signs erected, and after the Revolution his efforts will be appropriately rewarded!

COMING CLEAN
Shopping recently for an elderly clean-shaven friend it seems that Tesco, Boots and the Coop no longer cater for all pensioner needs; a stick of shaving soap is unobtainable for the average 86 year old and ordinary palm-olive soap is definitely non de rigueur. So if you are an ageing male (or female) with a hairy problem and know where these essentials can be found please tell the Antler; today its soap products, tomorrow it may be something that even the bearded may require.

Little Miss Muffet, hasnt spied the spider

CAMPBELTOWN MOTOR COMPANY Snipefield Industrial Estate, CampbeltownTelephone 01586 553200

9

TOMMY MILLAR TRAVEL COUNSELLOR

For all your Travel and Holiday Arrangements put your trust in your own Travel Adviser TOMMY MILLAR Tel 0845 058758 E-mail tommy.millar@travelcounsellors.com www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/tommy.millar

COMMUNITY COUNCILS WITHOUT SUPPORT

GET THE STRENGTH OF A COMMUNITY COUNCIL ASSOCIATION AROUND YOU While community councils often seem to be considered as the poor relations of both the local Council and the Scottish Government, they are more aware of local needs and the closest to supporting the views of their communities. Although too often bogged down with dog excreta and local disputes, in general they strive to pursue a progressive agenda and do their best to avoid taking partisan sides, but like many local groups they often fail to be cognisant of the threats they face from the higher echelons of representative democracy. Community councils rely for their financial clout on the largesse of Council funding, upon conscience gifts from companies seeking to gain their support for industrial development and, as a last resort, upon fund-raising. However progressive community councils and, indeed, other local groups, have always planned their initiatives with great care and raised their own funding. The majority of community councils, however, are at the mercy of politicians who have risen from the ranks and now treat their period in community councils with a shudder as if they are being reminded by relatives of their earlier indiscretions. In the past the only safeguards for the healthy well-being of community councils has come either from the few members well-able to fight battles, or from two organisations set up to look after their interests The Association of Argyll & Bute Community Councils and the Scottish Association of Community Councils. Now at a time when the national financial situation is serious, both organisations are under threat; the former from lack of interest and the latter from a reduction in fundings. Following the brief notification in the July Antler of these problems, here is a bit more information on the issues involved.

AABCC INDIFFERENCE
Fortunately The Association of Argyll and Bute Community Councils is not in the same financial situation as the ASCC; it receives no money from the Scottish Government or directly from Argyll & Bute Council, surviving on a 10 annual subscription from mainland community councils and 5 from island community councils. In December 2009 the secretary retired, following successful negotiations between officers of the Association and representatives of Argyll & Bute Council on a continuing review of the constitution and conditions of community council service. The new Secretary, Iain MacDonald, soon found that AABCC matters made considerable inroads into the time available for his own business and, although remaining as Chairman of Ardchattan, he apologised and resigned. This loss left the Association with a Convener involved in both the national and county associations and also of her own community council in Cowal. Without the essential support of an active secretary and with little interest by Argyll & Bute Council in promoting community council affairs on its web-site, it became difficult to maintain contact with 54 community councils in the Argyll & Bute administrative area. With no AGM in 2010 and, so far, none in 2011, there are moves afoot to try and arrange a short meeting without invited speakers or attendance of the Council Convener, Dick Walsh and Chief Executive, Sally Loudon, to see if there is a will to revive an association formed in 1993 to help community councils to carry out their chosen tasks and to seek ways of improving relations with the local authority. If community councils are unwilling to attend or unable to support this initiative, then the organisation will be wound up. While Kintyre has active community councils interested in improving their communities, generally they have shown little interest in being members of the Association in the past 18 years, except when they are affected by threats from other agencies. Although East Kintyre, Southend and Campbeltown have been members for years, West Kintyre membership has been spasmodic, Laggan has not been a member and Tarbert - always antagonistic and still refusing advice and assistance, prefers to go it alone, but now is the time for Kintyre councils to look outside their territorial limits and safeguard rights and the financial support they enjoy; once again its use it or lose it time. G.P.

ASCC IMPECUNITY
Trustees of the Association of Scottish Community Councils have decided they cannot continue to operate after savage cuts in funding by the Scottish Government. According to the ASCC website this leaves 1200 Community Councils in Scotland without a collective voice, and a national presence. It seems the un-kept promises to Community Councils from the Governments 2007 Manifesto were only the beginning. Mr Swinney has just given the best possible gift to the bureaucrats and politicians who have resented and marginalised Community Councils since they were established in 1973. The Trustees of the Association of Scottish Community Councils are gravely saddened to announce that, as the result of a massive cut in funding by the Scottish Government, the ASCC will be wound up. Explaining the Trustees decision the statement adds The Scottish Government Finance Secretary, Mr John Swinney, offered the ASCC a grant of 30,000 for the current financial year. That was subsequently increased to 40,000, but with strings attached so the money could only be spent on three specific areas. This represents a more than 40% drop in income for the ASCC; the Associations minimum operating requirements for one year are over 70,000. Our financial and legal advisers were unanimous in saying that the ASCC could not operate with such a loss. The Association is unable to make up the loss of Government income with grants from other funders.

RUDYARD KIPLINGS HIS APOLOGIES

In memory of Poppy at the pier and all the beloved dogs who have passed through Carradale Master, this is Thy Servant. He is rising eight weeks old. He is mainly Head and Tummy. His legs are uncontrolled. But Thou hast forgiven his ugliness, and settled him on Thy knee... Art Thou content with Thy Servant? He is very comfy with Thee. Master, behold a Sinner! He hath committed a wrong. He hath defiled Thy Premises through being kept in too long. Wherefore his nose has been rubbed in the dirt, and his self-respect has been bruised. Master, pardon Thy Sinner, and see he is properly loosed. Master-again Thy Sinner! This that was once Thy Shoe, He has found and taken and carried aside, as fitting matter to chew. Now there is neither blacking nor tongue, and the Housemaid has us in tow. Master, remember Thy Servant is young, and tell her to let him go! Master, extol Thy Servant, he has met a most Worthy Foe! There has been fighting all over the Shop and into the Shop also! Till cruel umbrellas parted the strife (or I might have been choking him yet), But Thy Servant has had the Time of his Life and now shall we call on the vet? Master, behold Thy Servant! Strange children came to play, And because they fought to caress him, Thy Servant wentedst away. But now that the Little Beasts have gone, he has returned to see (Brushed with his Sunday collar on) what they left over from tea.

Master, pity Thy Servant! He is deaf and three parts blind. He cannot catch Thy Commandments. He cannot read Thy Mind. Oh, leave him not to his loneliness; nor make him that kitten's scorn. He hath had none other God than Thee since the year that he was born. Lord, look down on Thy Servant! Bad things have come to pass. There is no heat in the midday sun, nor health in the wayside grass. His bones are full of an old disease his torments run and increase. Lord, make haste with Thy Lightnings and grant him a quick release!
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C.F.

Please contact the Editor at Benbecula, Waterfoot, Carradale, Campbeltown, Argyll PA28 6QX. Tel: 01583 431281. e-mail: geoffreyf.page@homecall.co.uk

THE ANTLER WELCOMES CONTRIBUTORS, SUBSCRIBERS & ADVERTISERS

CARRADALE GOLF CLUB Welcomes visitors

For further information contact The Secretary, Margaret Richardson 2 Old Schoolhouse, Carradale PA28 6QJ Tel: 01583 43178821

Juniors Round 8.00 Daily 10.00 Weekly Two weeks Country m/s 40.00

Adult 17.00 20.00 80.00 105.00 132.00

(May play in Club Competitions) Affiliated Club members 10.00

CARRADALE GOLF CLUB: LADIES CAPTAINS DAY, GREENSOME & CENTENARY SHIELD

LADIES SECTION: CAPTAINS DAY This years prizewinners: left to right: Margaret Robertson, Lindsay Ramsay, Marlene Walker, Gail McIntosh, Margaret Campbell and Anne Borthwick. (Mary Paterson was not present when the winners were photographed) On Thursday 21 July, Carradale Ladies Section held their Captains Day. With the weather steadily improving throughout the day, they played a Stableford with some of the Ladies playing 9 holes and eleven others playing 18 holes, including two ladies from Machrihanish. At the Presentation of Prizes held in the Club, Ladies Captain, Janice Hanning thanked Green-keeper, Robert Strang, for the excellent condition of the course, and to all who helped, providing catering and Raffle Prizes. The following are the results: Captains Prize: 1st Prize Lindsay Ramsay (47 points) 2nd Prize Gail McIntosh (39 points) 3rd Prize Margaret Campbell (36 points) Scratch Prize Marlene Walker Visitors Winner Margaret Robertson (Machrihanish) Winner of 9 hole Competition Mary Paterson Longest Drive at 18th Marlene Walker Nearest the Pin in 2 at 8th Anne Borthwick Over the last few weeks a number of competitions have been played. The results are: Thurs 19 May SLGA Thistle Brooch Winner: Margaret Walsh Thurs 16 June: Cancer Relief: Winner: Karen Neilson Thurs 23 June: Melfort Quaich/Stroke: Winner: Margaret Campbell Thurs 30 June: RNLI Shield Winner: Margaret Campbell Thurs 14 July Medal/Clic Sargent: Winner: Marlo Logan Runner Up: Pat Ritchie M.R.

Carradale Golf Club has had a busy week holding a Ladies Greensome competition on Thursday 4 August and the Texas Scramble on Saturday 6 August. 14 ladies took part with the winners, Gail McIntosh and Jeannie Astill (Luffenham Heath) scoring 39-13.1=25.9 to win the Ladies Greensome Trophy. Runners Up with 45-15.9=29.1 were Sue Harris and Fiona Rattray.

On Saturday 6th August 60 entrants went out in two shotgun starts. The winners of the Centenary Shield which is annually presented by Roy McMurchy and family in memory of his late father, Neil, were Stuart Cullen, Ian Robb, Rose Stevens and Stewart Neilson with an excellent score of 26-3.4 = 22.4

TWINKLE-TOES
Contrary to unfounded local reports, Charlie McFadyen, (Twinkle-toes) has not closed his hairdressing salon in Kirk St. Campbeltown; he continues to offer his customers the same service for which he is noted, (but he is not open for cutting on Mondays)!

RED CLOVER
During the running battle between the roads department and the environmentalists intent on preserving the complexity of roadside verges, this year one plant seems to have flourished on the very edge of the tar-mac - the red clover. Whether its abundance in 2011 was influenced by the comparative lack of winter salt or simply because it thrived on what salt and sand was thrown at it, is difficult to determine. Red clover is a wild plant and an integral part of the diet of grazing animals. Internet sources say that traditionally it has been used for treating cancer, whooping cough, respiratory problems and skin inflammations. Some tests suggest that it could be useful as a treatment for hot flushes and osteoporosis. So if you see women of a certain age gathering it, apparently for its intrinsic beauty, warn them that isoflavones in the plant do have side effects and no amount of cauldrons and traditional spells will be as efficient as visiting Dr Elder and his locums in off-setting the effects of getting older.

D.McNAIR & SON

TELEPHONE 01586 552020 or 552039

Fuel Merchant
KINLOCH ROAD
CAMPBELTOWN PA28 6EG
FAX: (01586 552039)

R.N.L.I. BONUS BALL

4th June 11th June 18th June 25th June 2nd July 9th July 16th July 23rd July M. O. M .O. M. Hughes R. Kennedy S. Irvine No Winner M. Hughes D. Glass

QUALITY HOUSE COALS SMOKELESS & COOKER FUEL CENTRAL HEATING OIL ROAD DIESEL & TRACTOR FUEL

M.O.

FREE DELIVERY (MONDAY TO FRIDAY)

Local Service Depot Roading, Campbeltown.

The Complete Service

HAMILTON BROS. (ENGINEERING) LTD.

BROTHERS

Tel: 01586 553031

Groundcare & Agricultural Equipment Sales, Service & Hire. MOT & MOT Repairs
MASSEY FERGUSON

Head Office: Greenock Road, Bishopton PA7 SAP Tel: 01505 862010. Fax: 01505 862221 Email: info@hamiltonbros.co.uk Web Site: www.hamiltonbros.co.uk

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Jewellery Makers and Shop

WallisHunter Jewellery, International Jewellery Scottish Designer Jewellery, Pewterware Proper Pottery, Tiles, Cards, Baby Presents & other Gifty Things! It just gets better
Web: www.wallishunter-jewellery.com Carradale, By Campbeltown. Argyll

Tel/Fax 01583 431 683

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

THE PONY SANCTUARY Earlier this month I received a mailing from The Pony Sanctuary appealing for a donation and enclosing a fabric shopping bag with the Pony Sanctuary logo. I made a small donation by credit card. Yesterday, July 27th, I had another letter from the same outfit asking me to confirm I'd received the bag and giving me the opportunity to make another donation in a replied-paid envelope. So I took a look at my card account and saw the amount had been deducted on the 18th. Plenty of time ago to have made another letter un-necessary I thought. Then I noticed the address of this registered charity, No 1087579, is a PO Box in Ross-onWye, the same town from where I get all the letters telling me I have definitely won a major prize and all I have to do is phone a number for six minutes at something like 3 a minute to get a number to claim my prize. So my suspicions were aroused and I did a little digging, courtesy of Google. This led me to a number of web-sites, among them one showing the Daily Mirror had done an investigation into begging letters coming from a number of so-called charities, all with PO Boxes in Ross-on-Wye. The company behind the mass mail-shots is CSDM Ltd and this stands for Christopher Stoddart Direct Marketing. The Mirror report said CSDM operated with a 'pay from proceeds' system that allowed it to keep the donations while passing on to the charities only the 'gift-aid tax break'.http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/ investigations/2010/08/chris-stoddard-andthose-chari.html Another site listed all the animal sanctuaries in Herefordshire and there was no Pony Sanctuary among them. I thought it odd they didn't have a website as all these charities have one and my original letter had shown photos of some of the 27 ponies currently being cared for 'for life'. http://www.yell.com/s/animal +sanctuary-ross+on+wye.html There is a genuine equine sanctuary in Ross-on-Wye at Gregory Farm Rescue Centre and they are part of the Horses and Ponies Protection Association. Another factor that aroused my suspicions was on the sheet where I could fill in details of my credit card. High-lighted in the top right corner was a message telling me it was most important for me to include the last three digits of the security number on the back of my card or they would be unable to process my donation. I didn't remember seeing this on the original letter and I certainly would not have included the number when I made a donation. So I would advise anyone receiving a similar letter, asking for a donation to help sick African children, unwanted ponies or to assist world health, to bin them. Brian Gee.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I would like to express my gratitude to Geoffrey Page for his superb effort in producing the Antler every month for the past 17 years......it is a massive task, requiring thousands of hours work over the years, all done voluntarily. We are very fortunate to have both a local paper and the Carradale Goat web-site to keep us up to date with all the happenings in and around the village. It is impossible to please everyone, as you mentioned in the July Antler your policy has always been to report events and include minutes without comment - remarks by yourself are a different matter! and I must admit many a time after reading some of your remarks I wonder. . . 'what's that all about then?', but then it's all part of the fun! So WELL DONE Geoff, I hope you keep publishing the Antler for many more years... unless you get a fabulous offer from Rupert Murdoch! Yours sincerely, Michael Foreman

Campbeltowns Heritage Centre Schoolroom prepares for its new rle as a bunk house.

CAMPBELTOWNS T.H.I.
It has been a busy few months for the Campbeltown Town-scape Heritage Initiative with works being carried out on several town centre buildings. One of the main projects is the Old School in Big Kiln Street. This B-listed property is undergoing major repair and conservation works to bring it back into use as a bunkhouse to provide visitor accommodation. The building has been lying empty since the 1980s and is in an advanced state of disrepair. The buildings owners, the Kintyre Amenity Trust (KAT) hope to open for business early 2012. Work is also continuing on Main Street with the flats at 27 to 31 getting a make-over. Custom made sash and case windows have been installed and the building is due to be painted very soon. Further along at 60 Main Street the entire building is being refurbished in partnership with Argyll and Bute Councils private sector housing grant team. Works include; re-roofing, lead-work, replacement rainwater goods and window and door refurbishments. In addition, the entire Main Street elevation is being painted with high quality mineral paint. Another huge step forward for the THI is the approval of 30,000 funding towards the refurbishment of the Royal Hotel. This project will deliver a four star hotel in the town centre. The overall cost of this renovation project is in excess of 2.8 million and the developers hope to have work completed before the New Year. Other works recently completed include a number of shop front restorations bringing the total to 17. These include the Wine-house and 1a, 1b and 3 Longrow. Some small grant works have been carried out including the refurbishment and reinstatement of timber sash and case windows in five properties. The vast majority of the THI work has been carried out by local contractors a welcome boost to Campbeltown given the current economic climate. ABC statement.

HAVE YOUR SAY

While Digusted of Tunbridge Wells doesnt write to the Antler nor does his Scottish counterpart Iansly MacAnnoyed; why is this? Is it because Antler readers are too polite, just not interested or find it difficult to comment without using a nom de plume?

Landscaping and maintenance, Patios and Paving Drainage and Fencing, Turfing and Monoblocking All tree work, Free estimates 01583 431362 & 07814767813 All excavations undertaken

Established

1989

CARRADALE GARDEN SERVICES

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JOHNNY DURNAN
GIVE ME A CALL ON 431365
CARRADALES ODD JOB MAN

Servicing Motor & Commercial vehicles, Repairing & Servicing Garden machinery & Outboards

Garden maintenance, Grass cutting Hedge trimming & Fencing, Paths and drives pressure washed.
Small building work undertaken.

ABBEYFIELD AWARDS

Nicola Holt D.Pod.M., M.Ch.S. Podiartrist (Chiropodist)

From Tuesday 6th September 2011 my Podiatry practice will move to:

SUMMER TIME

The Hazelburn Business Centre Millknowe Campbeltown

Telephone: 01586 551293 Mobile: 07977 509985

Fiona McDiarmid and Jeanette McKinnon of Carradale Abbeyfield Residential Home. Fiona, deputy housekeeper and Janette, housekeeper with 40 years between them at Carradale Abbeyfield. Certificates presented at the recent AGM by the Abbeyfield Executive Committee Chairman, Donald MacAlister Hall. Photo and report by Johnny Durnan from the The Carradale Goat web-site.

Business hours:
Tuesday 9.30am - 5.00pm Wednesday 9.30am - 5.00pm Thursday 9.30am - 6.00pm And the first Saturday of every month

With four holiday-makers on the shore at Port -na-Cile, and four afloat, it must be Summer! Caught in the act by Martin Mears.

There is ample parking and my Practice is on the ground floor, with level access from the side door at the entrance to the car park
For an appointment please 'phone anytime

THE GLEN HEY DAYS

FLOWER FESTIVAL
And though for church we do not seem to care, We see, thank God, its there. Good news about the interest seen in the beautiful and amusing church flower show. Dont you think this quotation reflects the Carradale feeling? Im pretty sure it is by Sir John Betjeman, but in spite of diligent tracking in computer and poetry anthologies, I cant find anything. Do you know of it? Or perhaps an Antler reader might. Martin Mears.
The Owl and the Pussycat

KINTYRE EXPRESS
West Coast Motors new ferry to Ballycastle could be your opportunity to visit Northern Ireland without the three hour drive to Glasgow, the extra distance involved to a west coast port and on to Ireland by ferry. Similarly a day in Glasgow is again a possibility - just like the old days. Journey times are 1.5 hours to Ballycastle and 1.25 hours to Troon. There are three ferries a day to Ballycastle on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday and two ferries a day to Troon on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Costs are 30 single and 55 return to Ballycastle and 50 single and 80 return (01586 555895) to Troon.

The hey days (1975/76) when the Glen was packed with locals and tourists, doing something like 200 meals in the restaurant nightly when you could buy a T-Bone steak, chips and all the trimmings for 2.50. A fine selection of staff were at your disposal day and night then, now sadly days gone by now with the place now closed. Photo by Eila, and commentary by Johnny Durnan from the Carradale Goat web-site.

THANKS
Catherine Dunlop and family would like to thank most sincerely all relatives, friends and neighbours for gifts, flowers and cards received in the recent sad loss of Duncan. All were very much appreciated.

THREE MORE ARRANGEMENTS FROM THE CHURCHS FLOWER FESTIVAL IN AUGUST

Rub a Dub Dub, Three Men in a Tub. Eency Weency Spider (photo J.D.) Humpty Dumpty, sat on a wall.

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A KINTYRE BASED COMPANY

J.R. ARGYLL CHIMNEY SWEEP

38 Tormhor Carradale East, Campbeltown PA28 6SD

A KINTYRE BASED COMPANY

INSURED: REGISTERED INSTITUTE OF CHIMNEY SWEEPS. INSPECTION OF YOUR CHIMNEY WITH OUR CCTV CAMERA SMOKE AND DRAW TEST OF YOUR CHIMNEY DECOMMISSION OF CHIMNEYS ON COMPLETION OF JOB YOU WILL BE GIVEN A CHIMNEY SAFETY CERTIFICATE PLEASE PHONE JOHN ON 01583 431522 OR ROBERT ON 01583 431128 MOBILE 07582 744321
company in 1958 or 59,when he retired from the Navy and I was appointed to another post. He invited me to call on him if ever I came to Campbeltown and on my first visit, in 2003, I set out to find him, only to discover that he had passed away some years earlier. It was only on meeting his daughter, Mrs Lilian Campbell of Waterfoot, that I discovered that Sharkey was possessed of the more refined name Howard. Like him, I retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander but Sharkey had entered the Royal Navy through HMS Ganges, a Boys Training Establishment at Shotley near Ipswich, whereas I had joined as a Sub Lieutenant. After completing his Training as a Boy Seaman he went off to sea and set his foot on the promotion ladder when he became a Leading Seaman, and soon afterwards became a Petty Officer. It was then that he became a member of a very rare breed, a rating pilot. It was general practice in the Navy and the Air Force that all pilots should hold Officer rank, but for some time there existed a small number of non-commissioned flyers. With the end of hostilities they either left the Services or were commissioned and Howard eventually became an Air Traffic Control Officer. At Eglinton, he was SATCO (i.e. Senior Air Traffic Control Officer) where he commanded the respect of all who knew him. We really cannot leave he subject of Flying Scotsmen without referring to the first member of the race who was known as a flyer. On the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle there exists a memorial to Ensign Ewart, who distinguished himself by his bravery at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. I recall reading, some 50 years ago, that a descendant of Ensign Ewart became the first Scotsman to fly an aircraft. This was stated to be Major William Ewart, who, according to the reference, was taught by the French pilot, Louis Bleriot, recognised to be the first pilot to fly across the English Channel. Alas, I have lost the notes I made at the time, including my own correspondence with descendants of the Ensign. In searching for any remaining scraps of information I have not achieved success, and I have to consider that one of my sources had confused the name of Major William Ewart with that of Major William Ewen. Major Ewen was one of the first Scottish aviation pioneers, and he flew in a machine designed by Bleriot. I have a very good idea of where I obtained my original information, but regret that I no longer have easy access to the source. Unfortunately, the original report on George, our 90-year old visitor, did not divulge his surname, but perhaps that omission will be rectified in the near future. David Currie. White Gables.

FLYING - IN THE FACE OF CONVENTION

It is not given to all men to lead lives of adventure and note, but some of us are sufficiently fortunate to meet and to record the activities of those who have lived through exciting times. Because of an insatiable thirst for historical anecdotes and for exciting incidents in the lives of others, ! have perhaps been more fortunate than most in finding my life touched by the experiences and activities of notables. Thus, on reading the article "Life continues to sparkle at 90," on page 4 of the August edition of the Antler, the anecdote on the 90 year old aviator brought related topics to my mind. Before coming to Carradale seven years ago, I was resident in Kirkcaldy, where I had settled on retiring from Naval Service in 1970, after serving as an Instructor Officer since 1947. Of my 23 years service, 6 had been spent with the Fleet Air Arm, and after retirement I accepted with alacrity an invitation to become a member of the Fleet Air Arm Officers' Association, although I was not an aviator. I attended meetings of the Association Members once each month in Edinburgh, and it was there that I met a remarkable flyer, John Moffat, whose home was in the north of Scotland. John was 91 years old in 2004, and was the oldest pilot still licensed to fly in Scotland. Students of wartime history might find his name familiar, for as a Sub Lieutenant Pilot it was he who crippled the battleship Bismarck by firing the torpedo that mangled her steering gear, causing her to be unable to make steam for any French or German refuge by forcing her to steam in unchanging circles at the mercy of the British ships who were anxious to avenge the loss of HMS Hood. By the way, how many people are aware of how very close we came to losing the Bismarck? An error in transcribing the details of a sighting report found that the British ships were pursuing a reciprocal course, which meant they were steaming 180 degrees away from the German vessel, an error which was rectified when spotted by a vigilant Plot Officer. John Moffat appeared in a BBC television programme on the Bismarck episode about three years ago. Campbeltown had its own personal connection with the Fleet Air Arm in the person of Lieutenant Commander Howard Ward, with whom I served at the Royal Naval Air Station at Eglinton, Northern Ireland, for about three years during the 1950's. For some reason, all personnel named Ward in the Royal Navy are known as Sharkey, Howard and I parted

NOTES ON ENSIGN EWART Charles Ewart was born in 1769 in Kilmarnock, and in 1789 he enlisted in the Cavalry of the North British Dragoons, fighting in the French Revolutionary Wars, from which he emerged with the rank of Sergeant, serving for the next twenty years as a well respected member of his regiment. In 1815 he served at Waterloo in the Duke of Wellington's Union Brigade. As a Sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the 45th Regiment of cavalry he was involved in several instances of hand to hand fighting, and it was in one of these that he took the Eagle of Napoleon's French Infantry Regiment. The French Infantry was feared throughout Europe, having gained victory on victory, often against superior odds. It is not surprising that in those circum-stances Charles Ewart's fame spread quickly. He was hailed a hero, and was awarded a Commission as Ensign in the 5lh Veteran Battalion. In 1821 his unit disbanded and he retired from the Army, retiring on full pay as an Ensign. He died in 1846 and his grave lay covered and forgotten until, in 1938, his remains were transferred to a place of honour on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. His capture of the Imperial Eagle lives on, the bird having been incorporated Into the Crest of the Royal Scots Dragoon guards.

BEAVERING ON
With CHUG affiliates now outnumbering the remaining Network directors, it would still be possible for CHUG to resurrect the idea of moving Network to the Harbour, but they may have other equally inappropriate ideas. On Wednesday the 27th of July, for instance, two Network/ CHUG members were spotted delving into the burn below the Network. With the dam behind the Centre still unused, were they planning to offer the Loch Coille-Bhar beaver colony an undisturbed holiday lodge, only open for public viewing and refreshment during the hours of darkness? Or perhaps delving into the Network burn was a move towards dredging and widening the Carra, installing a Falkirk Wheel at Waterfoot, a Devils Staircase of locks at the Harbour and a pleasant mile and a half of inland waterway through the centre of the village.

krisp print
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T: 01586 554975 F: 01586 554903 E: staff@krispprint.co.uk www.krispprint.co.uk

LORNE MACDOUGALL
The photo on the right is of Carradales much travelled & internationally proclaimed piper, Lorne MacDougall, performing at the closing ceremony of the Tall Ships Race at Stavanger in Norway on July 30th. Following the event he was invited to pipe a lament at the National Tribute for those who lost their lives in Norway's ruling party youth camp on Utoya Island.

THE CARRADALE QUIZ

This annual event was held in the Village Hall on Saturday 6th August. Several visitors helped to swell the numbers of local quizzers, and in total 16 teams took part. Crisps and nibbles were provided on the tables, and throughout the evening the Hall Committee ran a bar, which together with a well stocked raffle providing all the ingredients for an enjoyable and light- hearted evening. The usual format was used with written answers to ten rounds of 10 questions. The discretionary use of a joker card again added a touch of uncertainty with teams able to double the points on their chosen round, and this time most teams made a judicious choice and were able to enhance their overall scores. Well done to all who took part as a high standard was achieved. Particular mention should be made of the sporty effort made by a team of three female youngsters. Perhaps they will encourage other young people to come along in the future. The quiz was once again keenly contested, with some high final scores. On 20 occasions perfect scores were achieved on a round and on several occasions teams were just one answer short of a full complement. The Carradale Jubilee Quiz requires a Carradale round and this year it was answered particularly well - even by teams of visitors - as most people could correctly identify photographs of doorways around the village. The category of Music was liked best of all, with Romans displaying good historical knowledge, also proving popular. The categories of China ologies and General Knowledge proved more demanding but in some cases the answers to these caused moments of hilarity and murmurs of retrospective oh yes of course! Congratulations go to the overall winning team of Rovers Return (David and Lindsey Mercer, Donald Macalister Hall and Michael Foreman) they not only scored 97 to win the Cup but they also all worked hard all evening serving drinks behind the bar. A three person strong team from Glen Head in Torrisdale were second with 95 points and a team of visitors Fab 4 were 3rd with 92. Local team Mikes Morons (headed by Mike Richardson) were just pipped at the post so with 91 points they gained 4th place. Besides the cup for the winning team, all team members in the first three placed teams, received certificates as a memento of their quizzing prowess. Thanks go to the Hall Committee (and their spouses) for their help in providing an enjoyable social evening. Coming soon - the winter Quizzle (Nov/Jan) and the Christmas Quiz (Dec) which are already under construction and should provide hours of winter evening entertainment and all for a good cause - Village Hall funds! M.L.

Three time BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the year finalist, Lorne MacDougall is one of Scotlands leading young pipers. Born and brought up in Carradale, in the piping stronghold of Kintyre. Lorne was awarded a BA in Scottish Music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2005 and has performed at many local and international festivals and has been involved in a number of recordings including UK Top 40 hits and albums achieving platinum disc status. On leaving school, Lorne studied for his music degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, graduating with honours in 2005, one of the first graduates on the RSAMDs piping course. He has played in Grade 1 pipe bands at world championship level from an early age including such leading bands as Scottish Power. He has toured Scotland and Europe with his principal folk band Canterach, Brian McNeills Baltic tae Byzantium, The Muckle Loons and Bodega. He has performed at many significant festivals including Lorient, Aviles, Celtic Connections, Mull of Kintyre, Jura, and Orkney Folk Festival and the CoOperative Cambridge Folk Festival. A versatile musician who plays Highland bagpipes, smallpipes, Border pipes, whistles, piano and keyboards, Lorne has made frequent radio appearances, including live sessions on BBC Radio Scotlands Travelling Folk, A Bit of a Blow and Pipeline, and as a session musician has appeared on many albums including the new Red Hot Chilli Pipers Music for the Kilted Generation, Alabamas Jil Chambles new album and the 2008 BBC Scotland Children in Need single We Have a Dream. As a composer his tunes have featured on albums from such bands as Skerryvore, Deoch n Dorus, Stuart Cassells, the House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers. They have also been used in various media events such as the theme music for Sky Sports SPL coverage. Lornes band consists of some of the most respected musicians in Scotland who originally got together for the recording of his debut solo album, Hello World. When not playing music he is the presenter and producer of the highly popular internet radio show PlanetPipe with Bees Nees Media in Glasgow. Working with Bees Nees means he also enjoys occasionally working on other productions including Radio Scotlands Iain Anderson Show and various productions for BBC Alba. He also teaches with various organisations throughout Scotland such as Tarbert Academy Music Centre and the Glasgow Fiddle Workshop. Internet source.

AN INDEPENDENT APPRECIATIVE QUIZ COMMENT

There was a splendid turn-out of support both from villagers and visitors. As usual, Margaret and Tony Leighton had done their homework, and had produced an excellent quiz with ten categories, including Paper; General Knowledge; Music; Romans; and Carradale where everyone had to identify pictures of 10 doors from the village. The evening ended with a Raffle and the presentation of the cup to the winners. It was a closely fought contest with the team Rovers Return coming out on top with 97 points. The photograph shows the winning team with from left to right, Michael Foreman, Lynsday Mercer (Hall Chairperson), Donald McAllister Hall and Dave Mercer. M.R.
15

The Churchs Summer Fayre on July 14th.

Photo by Johnny Durnan.

RACING THE KINTYRE WAY

CATERING THE BARGA WAY

It is 100 years since Leo Grumoli first arrived in Campbeltown from Barga in Italy when he and many other Italians took their families to Scotland for a better life. Most people in Campbeltown over 40 will remember the top middle and bottom cafes with great affection as they provided a great meeting place for all us over the years and served the best food in town. The story of Leo and his family over the generations will be exhibited on 9 colourful banners in a joint project with Alba Heritage Trust and Argyll and Bute Library Service. This is a follow up to the Back to the Future Day last August when over 400 people came to celebrate the cafes and dance halls in Campbeltown and the public wanted to see more! A family tree and a map showing where all the Italians settled on the west coast of Scotland will be on display drawn by local artist Rosslyn Oman and posters and story boards will be designed by designer Dawnne McGeachy who now lives in Glasgow but visits home regularly. The 9 panels were researched and organised by Information and Local Studies Librarian, Eleanor McKay from Dunoon who has worked closely with the Grumoli /Togneri family to tell the story of the wider family over the century. Article supplied to J.D.

Robb Reid

John Kennedy

Lucy Colquhoun

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Kintyre Way, and to celebrate Robb Reids 66th birthday, a small group of runners will attempt to run the whole 89 mile length of the route from Southend to Tarbert in one day - it has never been been done before. Among those joining the Kintyre Ranger, Robb Reid, will be John Kennedy and Lucy Colquhoun. Lucy is the all-time ladies' recordholder for the annual West Highland Way race, who has now also smashed the all-time ladies record in the Devil o the Highlands race by over an hour. (on 6/8/11) Although uninformed local spectators will be unlikely to cheer them on at the following places, because the September Antler will not be published until the following weekend, the timetable will be a useful aid for anyone else planning to do the one-er or taking the gentler staged approach. Information provided to Johnny Durnan by Robb Reid.

Barga

MORE ON THE FOOD TRAIN

Food Train began in Dumfries in 1995 following a community survey of older people that found many of them struggling with their weekly grocery shopping; an idea was developed to ease this burden on older people. A partnership of local shops and volunteers formed and Food Train began making deliveries of fresh groceries to older people in need with the help of local volunteers and shops. It operated very successfully in Dumfries town area between 1995 and 2002 but the founder members knew there was potential to expand the service across the region. A four year funding package from the Scottish Executive Better Neighbourhood Services Fund' awarded in 2002 allowed staff to be recruited to develop Food Train and deliver grocery support across all Dumfries & Galloway. By 2006 the grocery delivery service was fully operational across the region and the board focused on the evidenced needs of the members and developed Food Train 'EXTRA' - an additional household/handyman support service. More recently a third service has been added in Dumfries & Galloway, again responding to the needs of our elderly members with a befriending service. In 2008 we began researching, planning and preparing to expand Food Train into other parts of Scotland. The Scottish Government, Community Food & Health (Scotland) and West Lothian Council have supported us and our new West Lothian Food Train is up and running, clearly demonstrating our ability to transfer our successful model geographically. From its early days of a few deliveries every week to a handful of customers, Food Train is now a thriving multi award winning charity covering Dumfries & Galloway and West Lothian with a view to developing far and wide across Scotland. MISSION, VISION AND VALUES The Food Train is a grocery shopping, befriending and household support service for older people assisting and enabling them to live at home independently for as long as they are able. Mission: Our aim is to support older people to live independently at home. Our preventative services address the difficulty older people face getting their weekly grocery shopping, doing jobs around the house and the growing isolation that comes with failing health. We also aim to provide a wide range of supported volunteering opportunities for people of all age and ability. Vision: We envisage our organisation as a one stop shop' for older people - by providing services or helping them access services to help them live independently at home for as long as they wish and are able.
16

THE FOOD TRAIN

A NEW OVER 60s SHOPPING INITIATIVE Susan Paterson, whose responsibility hats extend beyond local needs in Southend to a wide variety of voluntary and paid responsibilities in Kintyre and Argyll & Bute, was shown an earlier copy of the Antler and stopped the Editor while in Tesco one Thursday and expressed her interest in the article about shopping problems of older people. She mentioned a scheme she had in mind to help extend the options available to Kintyre pensioners since no local supermarkets offer a delivery service. Initially the scheme she had in mind will concentrate on shopping but this will be extended to a befriending and household help-service in time. It is based on the Food Train in Dumfries and Galloway www.thefoodtrain .co.uk. Shopper-Aide, Scottish Charity No. SC 042272. She asks - Do you find shopping difficult and are over 60? Perhaps you cant carry a lot, have no transport, are too far from a bus stop or would like to get messages from different shops but cant walk too far. Shopper-Aide will be starting soon in Kintyre and we will be making arrangements with businesses and clients to provide this service. There will be a delivery charge of 2.50 and an annual membership fee of 1. We are also looking for volunteers to do the shopping and being part of the delivery team. If you are interested in getting help with shopping or would like to volunteer to help please contact Susan Paterson (01586 830335 or susan.paterson1986@btinternet.com) for further information.