News Update July 03

Gaelic weekend 

At the end of May (Yes I know I’m a bit late but I do rely on my stringers) the Comman Eachdraidh hosted another successful weekend. On Saturday morning Mairead MacDonald from Skye  tutored eleven students and after lunch Donald Black guided them on an historical tour. In the evening he chaired  a Ceilidh and Dance with The Crowdie House Band from Edinburgh performing and playing for the dancing. 

There were also enjoyable items from Angus Nicholson on the pipes and Mary MacDougall, Sarah Black, Freda MacGregor, Moira Thomson, Margaret Lobban and Duncan Livingstone singing. Jack Scorgie recited, a student played the accordion, and visitors played the guitar and tin whistle. 

With the Comman Eachdraidh growing and extending its influence these weekends are becoming more popular. Which will all help with their fund raising for the second stage of the development of the historical centre where the reconstructed cottage Tigh Iseabal is already attracting visitors. 

If you’d like to contribute to this ambitious programme you can contact the Comman Eachdraidh. All donations gratefully received. 

Raft Race and Sports  

  Click here for full photo coverage

The last weekend in July is the busiest on the Lismore social calendar and this year it kicked off with a good crowd dancing to the Eriskay Lilt, a husband and wife team from Glasgow,  known for their great tunes and engaging rhythms, which had everyone hopping into the early hours. A great night it was agreed. 

And it was all good training for the Raft Race and Sports the following day which by some strange miracle was a beautiful day in what has not been the hottest of Summers. 

Brilliant…great fun……not to be missed………..I’ll be back next year with a bigger and better raft………were just some of the comments from the large field of spectators and participants. It’s the weekend when everyone who has left comes home and more and more second homers and holiday makers make sure they are here to join the good turn out of locals.

And it’s the weekend when everyone running it works extremely hard  especially the refreshment team – Rena MacCorquodale and Kathy Kelly – and the many in the field holding tapes, supervising throwing and giving out prizes to the winners and stickers to the all the children. 

David Wilson did a great job overseeing the whole show and moving things along so we were home in time to rest and change and get to the Barbeque at Baligarve.(more later). 

The senior raft winner

Junior runners make it look easy

The very youngest waits his turn

The not so young enjoy the sun

Results

Raft race 
                Children’s        Wookie 1^st

                                        Killean              best design

                Adults              Wookie 1^st

                                        Barrel of fun     best design

Sports

Long distance runners

                Under 17s          Lorne MacDougall    1^st

      Calum MacColl          2^nd

      David Bruce               3rd

                 Adults                Alistair Green            1st

                                           Sean MacDonald       2^nd

                                           Yorrick Paine           3rd

Men’s Field Events

                 Hammer                 George MacColl     1st

                                                Ken Robertson        2nd

                                                Sean Dunlop           3^rd                

Shot                       George MacColl      1^st

                              Gilleasbuig Black     2^nd

                              Ken Robertson         3^rd         

Tossing Sheath       George MacColl       1^st

                              Ken Robertson          2^nd

                              Donald MacColl       3^rd 

Flat Race                Alistair Green           1^st

                              David Harcus            2^nd

                              Peter MacDougall      3^rd

MEN’S CHAMPIONS

                              George MacColl        1^st

                              Ken Robertson           2^nd

                              Alistair Green            3^rd

Womens’s Field Events

                        Hammer           Teenie Wilson           1st

                              Memory MacDonald   2nd

                              Helen                        3rd

Shot                 Helen                         1st

                        Deirdre Campbell       2nd

                        Eilidh McNamara       3^{rd =}

                               ^{Denise Wills               3rd =}

Sheath              Denise Willis             1st

                        Memory MacDonald   2nd

                        Kiki MacColl             3rd

Flat Race          Laura Cannings           1st

                        Linda Allen                 2nd

                        Eilidh McNamara      3^rd

WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS

                              Denise Willis            1^st equal

                              Memory MacDonald  1^st equal

                              Helen                        1^st equal

At the end of the day the committee, some of whom have been organising the event for ten to fifteen years, resigned with the exception of Archie MacGillivary. So we say goodbye to David White, Alison MacLean, Kathy Kelly, Julian Wormleighton. David Wilson, Donald Black. Thank you all for your work over the years and thanks to the many helpers who made the day so memorable.