Sunday, November 8th, 2009
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Translated from an interview with An Geal, John Maclennan, born 1896 at 15 Kneep and married at 4 Aird, Uig. The Admiralty ship the Iolaire taking servicemen home to Lewis grounded on the Beasts of Holm outside Stornoway, on the 1st of January 1919. Almost two hundred men perished. Translated ...
Posted in WWI, military & police | 1 Comment »
Sunday, August 30th, 2009
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 ...
Posted in health & food, history | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
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From West Over Sea by DDC Pochin Mould, 1953.
To go to Uig is to go to a different country from the rest of the Lews, to go from the moors into the mountains, to the great massif which, with the Forest of Harris, builds the highest ground in the Outer ...
Posted in history | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009
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Peggy Maclennan was born in 1888 to 24 Valtos; she married Donald Maclennan, 15 Kneep, in 1920 in Glasgow (parents of Kenny, Joan, Christina, Donald F and John, who died in infancy). Her cousin Kenneth Matheson belonged to 6 Aird.
Posted in archive photos | No Comments »
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
Thanks to Roddy Maclean for the scans and Donald Maciver for the names. Those marked * are still living in 2009.
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Back Row: 1. Alexander Macleod Crowlista
2. *Malcolm J Macleod 8 Aird
3. John A Maciver 10 Crowlista (later 8 Crowlista)
4. Angus J Macleod 2 Timsgarry
5. John M Macdonald 6 Crowlista
6. Alexander ...
Posted in archive photos, education | No Comments »
Friday, November 21st, 2008
Many thanks once again to Robin Forrest for providing these wonderful, and previously unknown to us, pictures of Uig in 1964-65, taken by his father Sam Forrest on Land Court business. Some things have changed... some have not!
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Posted in archive photos, crofting, life in uig | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, October 1st, 2008
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Posted in archive photos, crofting | No Comments »
Thursday, September 11th, 2008
The Highland News, 5 July 1913:
On Wednesday, 2nd inst., the Rev Allan Mackenzie, parish minister of Uig, received a deputation from his congregation who presented him with a handsome new trap and carriage rug. Mr John Matheson Aird said that when the congregation understood how much the minister required a ...
Posted in church, history | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008
William Matheson, Mac Gille Chaluim, wrote extensively of his own family in Uig:
Malcolm Matheson [a younger son of Donald Ruadh (or Ban) Matheson, of Kneep and Valtos] known as Calum Ruadh or Calum Mòr, was tenant in Carnish when John Nicolson was tacksman. In his time the population of the ...
Posted in genealogy, history, tales | No Comments »
Friday, August 29th, 2008
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This week the Comann Eachdraidh was pleased to welcome Mr and Mrs Jack Duncan from Michigan, USA, on their first visit to Uig. Jack is the great grandson of "An Irish", Calum Macritchie, a well-known character in his day and one of the leaders of the Reef Raiders in 1913. Jack's grandparents ...
Posted in CEU, history, news & events | No Comments »
Thursday, August 21st, 2008
Mac an Irish, a dance and pipe tune (click for more; music courtesy of Sven Axelsson) was evidently written about a son of "An Irish", Calum Macritchie (b1845) of Carnish, Aird, Kneep and Reef, and the eldest of the Reef Raiders. He wasn't Irish of course, but so called as he was always a rebel.
We don't know which ...
Posted in history | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
Stornoway Gazette, 25 May 1951:
Miss Catherine Macritchie, younger daughter of Mrs & Mrs D Macritchie, 7 Aird, is combining business with pleasure by sailing on the luxury liner Oronsay on her maiden voyage to Australia. She left Tilbury on 16 May.
Catherine's previous occupations have been tailoress in the WAAF and Glasgow ...
Posted in people | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
Donald Matheson 6 Ardroil speaking in 2005 about working in the Sergeant's Mess at RAF Aird Uig 1958-64; interviewed by Keith Stringer.
[audio:RAFAirdUig.mp3]
Posted in audio, history | No Comments »
Friday, August 1st, 2008
The Aird Boat, below Gallan Head. At the oars Donald Macleod 2 Aird (Dòmhnall Bàn) and John Macleod 8 Aird (an Gille). Date unknown but Donald was born in 1870 and John in 1879, so if the identification is accurate, this could be about 1920.
Posted in archive photos | No Comments »
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
We have audio! Dan Finlayson, Ardroil, in conversation with Dolligan's uncle (?) relating a story about an old cure (in Gaelic). Click the arrow to play.
[audio:project1 sealskin.mp3]
Peter (Padruig Mor, 7 Aird, born 1803) had terrible rheumatism, but the fishermen had culled a lot of large seals, so Peter was rolled in ...
Posted in audio, gàidhlig, tales | 1 Comment »
Stornoway, UNITED KINGDOM