Miss Ina Macdonald is appointed to Hamnaway

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

[singlepic=1042,724] Miss Ina Macdonald, Ardbheag, is of course now our Mrs Ina Macdonald, Islivig.  More on the side schools here.

The French Boy at Tealasbhaigh

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

[singlepic=907,291] From DDC Pochin Mould's West over Sea, another telling of the familiar story of the ship's boy who was murdered for the Lewis Chessmen by an Uig gillie.  The story as told by Rev Col AJ Mackenzie, brother of Roderick Mackenzie, the keeper mentioned below, is also given by Dolly ...

Roadless Communities

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

Another bit from DDC Pochin Mould's West Over Sea, published in 1953; at the time even quite substantial and central townships like Geshader were just getting their proper roads. Crossing the moor between Loch Raonasgail and the yellow road by the sea at Uig, I had plenty of opportunity to consider ...

Side Schools in Uig I: Ardbheag

Friday, March 20th, 2009

From research undertaken by Maggie Smith for Hebridean Connections and the Stornoway Gazette.  See also Part II and Part III. After the Education Act of 1872, children throughout the country were entitled to an education, and a side school could be provided in remote districts where there were at least three ...

Crofting at the Upper End, 1958-9

Saturday, March 14th, 2009

Another extract from Uig, A Hebridean Parish, compiled by HA Moisley and members of the Geographical Field Group, Universities of Glasgow and Nottingham.  This section was written by Pamela M Gough; see also the further detail on life in the townships. Soils are generally deep, and there are few rocky outcrops ...

Calum Mòr’s Family

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 ...

Mac an t-Sronaich’s First Murder

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

This version of the story comes from the CE Uig annals but we haven't (yet) identified who the storyteller is. Now, another story I heard from an old minister in Ullapool about Mac an t-Sronaich.  We're in Ullapool, 30 miles away from Garve where Mac an t-Sronaich came from originally.  Stronach is ...