Miavaig; taken 29 December 2009, 9am. The bay at Miavaig is frozen, as are all the smaller sealochs, including Little Loch Roag, which doesn’t happen often. There is a story of crossing Little Loch Roag on foot, however. James Macnaughton, born 1804 and the son of a shepherd at Cleit a Thog (near Scaliscro), was courting Margaret Macdonald, the daughter of Tarmod Laghach at Gisla across the loch. Evidently, during a severe frost, James was able to walk across, pushing a stick in front of [ » read more ]

From Mary Beith’s Deanamh a’ Leighis column in the West Highland Free Press, 3 October 2008. The ballan, a cow’s horn used for cupping against the skin to draw out impurities and cure sciatica and rheumatism, was well known in Lewis and continued into living memory.  One such ballan used in  Lochaber was described by Betsy Matheson of Dornie via John N Macleod as the left horn of a two-year old bullock, six inches long, smoothly bored and trimmed, with a strip from the caul [ » read more ]

Thursday 23 July 10am-4pm to Bernera Bheag !this week Thursday 13 August 10am-4pm Members of the Comann Eachdraidh are invited to join us for one or both of our days out with Seatrek, visiting less-trampled corners of Loch Roag.  Destinations are still under discussion and may be subject to change if the weather is unco-operative, but we have in mind Bernera Beag, Vuia Mhor, Pabbay and maybe Strome again.   A potluck picnic is the order of the day and if last year’s Strome outing is [ » read more ]

“The wanderlust of the Uigeach”, from the Stornoway Gazette, 30 December 1949. Swedish timber houses allocated to West Uig are not to be built there. Owing to the depopulation of the district there is very little chance of finding tenants. When this news was given to the Lewis District Council by the chairman, Councillor John Maciver, there was a scramble by the other districts in the island to claim the houses. The houses had originally been allocated to West Uig in the hope that they [ » read more ]

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 Hebrides. It is only 32 miles from Stornoway to Uig, but the single-track road, which is untarred beyond the turn to Bernera, makes the way seem much further. It turns off at Garynahine on [ » read more ]

The BBC Alba series A Reir na h-Aimsir, which looks at how weather affects us, was this week in Lewis, looking at how traditional blackhouse architecture has been adapted for a new house in Brenish, amongst other things.  There’s a trio of well-known Uig bodachs on local weather lore at about the 22-minute mark. To view only until 7 April from this link, or to download (both options for UK viewers only.)  In Gaelic with subtitles. Edit:  no longer available from the link but here’s [ » read more ]

This report from Hansard, the official report of debates in the House of Commons, dates from December 1893 and refers to illegal steam trawling in Loch Roag and, at least nominal, interest in defending the rights of local fishermen, preferably without requiring them to take three days out to testify in Stornoway.  This is the first I’ve heard of this but we’ll try to find more detail. MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty) I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether proceedings have been taken [ » read more ]

From Sanais, 1988, with some additions. The first school in the Western Isles was founded shortly after 1610, when the Seaforth Mackenzies gained possession of the island, and in 1680, a report by ‘Indweller’ says that the Seaforth school had done much good, not only for Lewis but also for the adjacent isles.  It was the ‘the great good of gentlemen’s sons and daughters and to the comfort and good of the people’.  Martin Martin reported in 1695 that English and Latin were taught. In [ » read more ]

This may be one of the Bernera shielings, just off the main road near Scaliscro road end; the girls, so far unidentified, would therefore be from Bernera.  The fellow with the cream is John Macleod 5 Enaclete, and the other is Angus Mackay, Aonghas ‘an Uisdean, 1 Carishader, who used to drive his father’s bus past these shielings to and from Stornoway.

From the Highland News, 30 August 1913; we’ve already had the fundraising concert and the domestic prizes: The West Uig and Bernera Crofters’ Show was held at Lochcroistean School on Wednesday the 20th August, under most favourable auspices, the day being sunny and warm and in every way pleasant for the great concourse of people who had assembled to witness the splended display of stock and work brought together. The judging commenced at noon, and th judges had an arduous task in awarding the prizes. [ » read more ]

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 new trap, they entered most heartily into the proposal.  The minister had given his services ungrudgingly for the good of the parish in the post, and they wished to assist him to do so [ » read more ]

Highland News, 22 March 1913: A most enjoyable concert in aid of the Uig and Bernera Cattle Show Fund was held in Valtos Public School  on Friday 14th inst.,  Mr Duncan Maclean Gisla presiding.  Despite the wintry weather there was a crowded house, parties having come from the Island of Bernera and as far west as Brenish.  While the audience was being admitted bagpipe selections were played by Mr Colin Macdonald of the College of Agriculture.  The Secretary read letters of apology from Mr WA [ » read more ]

An account of the life of Murdo Macdonald, Crola, held by Bernera Historical Society (author unknown). Although Murdo Macdonald was an Uigeach, born and bred, and of Uig parents, he was well known in Scarp and North Harris where many of his relations lived. His paternal grandmother was one of a well-known family of Macleans from Scarp while four of his father’s family (three sisters and a brother) married Scarpaich. These family connections caused him and his family to have constant intercourse between the two [ » read more ]

Extracts from the Evidence presented to the Dewar Commission in 1912, regarding medical service in the Highlands and Islands.  Among the people interviewed was Dr Victor Alexander Ross, doctor at Garynahine who served Uig from 1900.  The commission was chaired by Sir John Dewar MP (he of Dewar’s whisky) and included Charles Orrock, Chamberlain of the Lews.  This interview took place on Saturday 12 October 1912 at the Garynahine Hotel; the questions are put to Dr Ross by the Chairman. You might give us an indication of [ » read more ]

At the end of April 1851, following his tour of the island to assess the number of tenants who were to be helped to emigrate to Canada,  the Chamberlain John Munro Mackenzie travelled to Glasgow, in the company of Sir James Matheson and his wife who were proceeding to London, to make the arrangements.  Mackenzie had considerable difficulty finding ships to engage, but had secured the Marquis of Stafford to take 500 emigrants, many of them from Uig, and also bought bread, meal, tinware and bedding, and tried to arrange a [ » read more ]