Winter was always a difficult time for the inhabitants of St Kilda, but the winter of 1876-77 was unusual.  From the Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, 1878: When the factor, Mr M’Kenzie, with MacLeod’s vessel, did not put in an appearance in autumn last year [1876], as usual, the inhabitants at once began to make preparations for the winter’s store. Last harvest was very bad with them, and they knew they would be short of meal; and from the first they [ » read more ]

Miss Ina Macdonald, Ardbheag, is of course now our Mrs Ina Macdonald, Islivig.  More on the side schools here.

Hugh Munro was minister at Baile na Cille for 46 years, until his death on 1 May 1823.  He was replaced the following year by Alexander Macleod, but there was nearly a different minister in Uig, which, given Rev Macleod’s strong attachment to and leading role in the evangelist movement that was just beginning to spread throughout the island, might have made for a very different history of the church in Lewis.  The following notice appeared in the Edinburgh Gazette on 2 July 1823: The [ » read more ]

Tonight (Thursday) There will be a piece about the St  Kilda centre, including an interview filmed at Mangersta, on the STV News at 6pm. Saturday 14 November Fish & Chip Takeaway from Uig Hall. Place your orders at the shop now. Friday 13, 20 and 27 November Ceilidh dancing practice in the hall with Tomally and Donella, 7.30 to 8.30pm, in preparation for… Friday 4 December Scottish Night at the Hall; three-course meal and a ceilidh.

This short video by Ged Yeates was part of Uig’s proposal for the St Kilda Centre – spectacular even in the face of Youtube compression.

Maggie Smith and John Murdo Macdonald have recently produced a DVD of songs of Uig, an excellent record for which the Comann Eachdraidh is grateful.  The DVD can be purchased for £10 plus postage from Maggie on 01851 860204. Traditional singers Pèigi Oighrig Smith of Kneep and Agnes Fraser originally from Reef, sing songs from the rich Uig tradition, on the new Clann Nighean Uig DVD.  Eighty two year old Pèigi Oighrig Smith, sings both her own songs and some written by her grand uncle [ » read more ]

The cause of my sadness is the mill’s decline, Not getting what I need for my baking. -Calum Ruairidh Bhàin (Calum Mackay, Bragar) The Norse Mills of Lewis by Dr Finlay Macleod (Acair, 2009) is surely the most comprehensive volume imaginable on our horizontal mills – including their construction and use, context in world history, references in bàrdachd, photos and a complete (?) annotated list of all known mills on the Island.  Uig has the greatest concentration.  An exhibition of Dr Finlay’s research opens in [ » read more ]

Louis Macdonald (Louis na Scallaig) 4 Reef with a Golden Eagle chick.  He was working as a keeper at Scaliscro.

Uig has been bidding for consideration as the site of the proposed St Kilda Centre, and we’re pleased to hear that Mangersta in Uig is one of the shortlisted sites, along with Leverburgh in Harris and Cleitreabhal in North Uist. This press release outlined Uig’s vision for the Centre. The Uig area of Lewis is “the vantage point from which the story of St Kilda can best be appreciated, understood and made accessible to the greatest number of people”, according to a report presented to [ » read more ]

Pictures also viewable here if the slideshow doesn’t work for you. Thanks to Iain Watson for these pictures and his memories of scout camps in Uig. The pictures were all collected by Don Laing, who used to be a Scout Leader in Stornoway for many years from the early 60′s until he died in 2000. Over the years he had collected several hundred scouting pictures; when he died his wife Mavis gave me the box. The Scouts used to go to Uig for most of [ » read more ]

As Hiort Weekend continues, here’s a piece contributed by Alasdair Shearer (Aird/Australia) from the Celtic Magazine.  The BBC programme An t-Hiortach, about the last surviving evacuee Norman Gillies and his return visit to the island, is available on the iPlayer now (UK only and until 5 Sept), and for those who get BBC Alba, there are more programmes on St Kilda to watch today and Monday (see below).  There was also a piece in the Guardian magazine yesterday about Norman Gillies (thanks to Alison for [ » read more ]

This map comes from the 1954 North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board document proposing the construction of the Gisla hydro scheme, which was indeed built a few years later.  The document outlines the scheme: The Scheme prescribes the works necessary for the utilisation of the waters of the Gisla River and its tributaries, the waters of Loch Grunavat and Loch More Coirgavat and the waters of the Todale River, and the generation of electricity at a generating station on the left bank of the Gisla River [ » read more ]

Chrissie Matheson 39 Cliff and Jessie Macdonald 24 Valtos.

Pictures from the Comann Eachdraidh outing to Hamnaway, Ardbheag, Loch Tealasaigh and Loch Resort on 13 August, with Seatrek and Donald. A splendid day, though we didn’t get ashore at Kinlochresort, so we’ll walk out from Morsgail or Harris (or both, swapping keys) before the end of the season. More pictures and detail will follow, when I’ve sorted them out.

Uig Community Centre Association invite you to a BUFFET & CEILIDH with ANNA FRASER & FRIENDS Friday 21 August at 7.30pm at Uig Community Centre Adults £12, Under-16s £6, Under-5s free