Globusz^® Publishing 

I decided to visit each island home to see how my fellow islanders were faring. My ‘home’ visits developed into being usually during the evenings, as it was then that I would find the whole family together. So much of the work outside needed all the daylight hours available. The first on my mind was to see how Jock and Morag were readapting. I found them warm and snug in their croft listening to the radio. Jock made a move to turn the radio off but I suggested that we could listen to the end of the programme and we sat quietly absorbed for a few minutes. They had one of the Tilley lamps set low, giving soft shadows on the newly painted walls. There was a little shrine in the corner with a flickering candle.

“It all looks quite comfortable”— I said. “How are you managing?”

“It really is home from home, we canna believe we are back again. We were so sad when we had to leave the island and now we canna stop looking around to reassure ourselves that it’s true, we’re back.”

“You were somewhat unwell when I saw you last, how are you now?”

“We’re both much better, thank you, we both seemed to recover after the first few hours on the island”— Morag replied.

“Health is important”— Jock added. “But I think we are better in the mind too.” Morag turned to me and with tears in her eyes said: “Thank you, we both thank you and thank the good Lord for allowing us back to the same croft. It is so much brighter than when we were here before, it hadn’t been painted for years and certainly not in these bright colours.”

“We are glad to have you here”— I said. “For us you are also a link with the past and, in time, I would like you to tell me more about your lives here and something of the history of Enniskerry.”

“There’s nothing much to tell — she said — it seemed as though nothing happened from day to day, even week to week. It’s a job to think of the time as in any way interesting. It was more of an existence, just biding the Lords time.

“In your letter to me, I remember that you Morag, offered to help and I have heard that you are assisting in the canteen kitchen.”

“I love it”— she replied. “It’s the companionship. They are all so happy and chatty, the day is often at an end before I realise I have started. It was all so very quiet here before. “

“And you are a storekeeper Jock?”

“Aye” — I said. “I would help but I am not sure I’ll be up to it. My only skill was catching birds and working about the croft growing vegetables.”

“I hope you will enjoy doing all sorts of new things Jock. First you must get some vegetables sown and growing round your croft again as soon as possible, but hearing what you say Jock, about catching birds, it sounds as if it was of little consequence to you, but one day in the future I will be asking you to tell the schoolchildren all about how you did it.”

I wished them goodnight satisfied that their health had improved.

Over the subsequent weeks I continued to see each person in his or her new abode. At first I favoured families with children so that I could remember the children in the family environment of their home.

My next appointment was with Terry, Kathy and their three children Allan, Sally and Miranda.

“You’re doing a great job with our telephones, Terry, but how does it compare with working for BT and indeed the electrical work at your last job?”

“My work, whether it was on the telephones or the electrical jobs is not very much different, but the locations are as if in a different world. Most of my previous work has either been in London or the Midlands almost always in built up areas of the cities. This is more uplifting. Even when I am working inside I look out, and whether there is rain or sun my eyes are fascinated by the weather.”

Kathy added: “I feel the same, whenever I take the kids out or down to the beach I feel so lucky. Here, we have on our doorstep every day what we previously saved up for the whole year to have on just two weeks’ holiday. The beaches seem to go on for miles and more often than not we are the only people there.”

“How are we getting on regarding TV reception, Terry?”

“I’m getting dishes up for everyone at present which are satisfactory but we may be looking for some permanent aerial for the island eventually.”

I looked towards the children, who were playing at the table with some board game.

“How about you three? Have you any regrets about being here?”

“No, it’s great, it’s like being on holiday”— Allan and Sally agreed.

“What about school? You’ve just started haven’t you?

“I like our teacher”— Sally answered. “But I wish she didn’t have the same name as my sister. She wants us to all call each other by our Christian names. It seems odd now when I have to speak to one of them.”

“You’ll have to blame me for that”— I said. “I wanted everyone on the island to know each other by their Christian names too.”

“Miranda, how about you?”

“I thought the best thing so far was when you put our flag up on the day we arrived and you mentioned the lamb which was my idea. Will it always be up there?

“Yes, it’s our official island flag and it will always be up there. If the wind ever blows it down we will put it straight back up as soon as we can.”

My next visit was to Bill and Helen.

“Our paths haven’t crossed for a while, where have you been hiding?”

“Oh, I’ve been about helping with the building work — Bill replied. “I saw you from the top of a roof the other day but the wind was so strong and blowing in the wrong direction you didn’t hear me call out.”

“And how are the youngsters Helen? They seem quite contented.”

“Yes, Zoe is on the bottle now and seems to thrive on each feeding, I was so pleased that we have such a good supply of everything we need and know that we are not likely to run out and Doctor Matt has been very helpful.”

“I’ve had a word with some of the other mothers and they nearly all are saying that we should form a group to share looking after the younger children, a sort of crèche.

“And what about Richard, is he settling in at school?”

“He seems very happy and Miranda is very understanding of his needs.”

“You don’t regret coming do you? It’s so much different to Kent isn’t it?

“No, we will be quite happy here, it’s a good healthy life and I know we may have to deal with some long dark days in winter: but you only have to have a fine spell occasionally to remind you how beautiful it can be. It reminds me a bit of some places that we visited during the one-year we spent in Australia, something to do with the wide-open spaces I think.

As I left them, I bumped into Nick, and asked him how he was getting along with Gerry on the farm

“Oh ‘e’s all right, ‘e’s got an ‘erd of them ‘ighland cattol yer know. I said to ‘im yesterday, miserable buggers aint they wiv all that brown ‘air ‘anging all over their eyes. An d’yer know what ‘e said to me, e said ‘I thought I had one extra one yesterday when you walked ‘em thro’ the gate.” I thought e were a right cheeky bugger. But I like that sort o’ ‘umour, ‘e’s all right.”

“Well, now you’ve had a bit of experience with Gerry and his farming, I want you now to get to know something of the sea. Go and have a chat with Angus, tell him I sent you and say that you want to know how to catch crabs and lobsters. Tell him also that you would like him to teach you first how to make all your own equipment from scratch, for instance the crab and lobster creels so that you do not have to use his.”

“I’m not keen on goin’ out to sea yer know, all that water gives me the willies”

“You won’t have to go out to sea to get the hang of making the creels” — I said. “But if he does offer to take you out, give it a go, just for the experience, you never know you might like it.”

“Didn’t care much for the journey out ‘ere, I felt rotten an’ they all said I looked a bit green. I believed ‘em, I felt ‘orrible.”

I was eager to see Bob and Susan, as their three children were older, ranging from twelve to seventeen. I remembered that Jane had been uneasy about the fact that she had just met new boyfriend and I asked her about him.

“I still like him and we said we would write to each other and maybe one day he would come out and join us but I am OK here, I quite like Shaun now, he’s good fun and we talk a lot at school.”

“That’s good. Any problems Susan?”

“Only the same one that I have always had. Bob spends all his time working on other peoples houses and forgets that he’s got ours here!”

“What’s the most urgent thing you need to be done?”

“Well, the roof is leaking into our bedroom, straight on to my side of the bed.”

“Where are you working this week Bob?”

“Funnily enough I’ll be up at your lodge tomorrow. Paddy’s asked me to help him with a job on the drains.”

“Well, I shall now take my first autocratic decision as Laird of this island and order you to fix the roof of your own house as from daybreak tomorrow.”

“OK, I give in, I was going to say that the weather is set fine for a couple of days so it’s not urgent, but I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“I think that’s the only time anybody has made him change his mind. We’re certainly are into a new era now, laughed Susan.”

“Did you work before you had the children Susan?”

“Yes, after I left school I did a degree in fashion but I could not find a job, so I took on freelance work from a local furnishing business. I used to make curtains, re-cover furniture and eventually learned to re-upholster. Then I got into supplying designs for whole rooms and the making them a reality.”

“It sounds interesting work. Perhaps you could help when we start thinking of creative evening classes in the line of arts, crafts, weaving and spinning, that sort of thing.”

“Yes I would be only too pleased to help when the time comes.”

As I walked around the island I would see the islanders getting on with the work of establishing themselves but it was very evident that a lot of building work was going on by individual teams working on common tasks. In the early weeks there was a great emphasis on building and it was a great pleasure for me to see progressive construction work taking place on the three large buildings, the store, the canteen and the school. The first two were relatively simple in their oblong design but the school was intended to include two classrooms, library, sports hall, computer room and lecture room, which was by far, a much more complicated task.

When I moved up beyond the village activities, I saw new, extensive well-made fences for enclosing the farm animals. The line extended in some places, up to the cliff edges where it would prevent the valuable animals approaching dangerous precipitous drops. It reminded me that there were many other dangerous places for children particularly on the shoreline and near the caves where the water levels rise dramatically with each tide. Although one would not wish to restrict their adventurous spirits too much, perhaps I should warn the parents of the dangers at the next opportunity.

I had a good knowledge of John because he was one of our managers and I had already spent quite a lot of time in his company. I had not, however, had the opportunity to spend time with his wife Alice and their two boys. Knowing that John and Alice had met as a result of their interest in gliding I asked if they had continued flying until they opted to come to the island.

“We kept it going for a few years”— Alice replied. “Since then it became rather spasmodic after we had the boys, and it still is. We have taken the boys a couple of times and they have also had some tuition at a nearby sailing club and they are probably more keen to do that now.” Just then the boys came into the room and Jonathon said: “Hallo Jim, we were just going to ask Dad what the chances were of us continuing our sailing now that we are here on the island? Now you’re here, perhaps I’ll ask you.”

“I’m sure that it should be possible in the future. What type of craft were you using before?”

“It was one of the smallest, called a Wayfarer, and we only had about half a dozen lessons.”

“A Wayfarer should not be difficult to obtain, but why not look into the possibility of making your own? I think they should be available in kit form.”

Trevor looked very excited at the idea.

“That sounds great. Can we do that? When can we get started Dad?”

“I’ve got a lot of more important jobs to do on the island that will keep me busy until winter and there is the question of space, it will take up room that we haven’t got at the croft, but I am as keen to make our own as you are. I tell you what. Why don’t you find out who you can send to for the details? Mind you, sailing on these waters here, is a bit different to sailing on the inland lake. It can be very dangerous here”— said John.

I just had another idea and suggested. “Maybe we would be able to introduce the idea around to others and make it an island project at one of the evening classes, then we could do something about the problem of space. Jonathon and Trevor will you ask around at school and see how many of the others are interested. We might even be able to start a sailing club here.”

Ian was using a tractor to plough an area of land and seeing me, he stopped to have a chat. He was anxious to give me details of his proposals for growing certain crops and explained that what he really wanted to try out was a semi-circular like the biomass at the new Eden Project in Cornwall. He felt the shape would be ideal for the strong winds that we would experience, ensuring that the horizontal force of the wind would tend to push the pod downwards rather than away. He asked if I would agree to him looking into it further. I said that I would be very interested.

His wife Madge was apparently feeling a bit off colour at the moment, so I said that I would call down to see her on the way back.

I also took time out one day to stroll around the farthest points of the island in order to get to know its every aspect. Once out of the village and past the farms, the track gradually became less obvious and was no more than a disused sheep path. One was then freely able to explore the grass and heather covered higher ground. From the highest point I could have a full 360-degree panorama that revealed the whole island and its relationship with the ocean and other Hebridean islands. It was a good day and Ireland was visible to the west. I sat on a patch of soft heather to absorb the magnificence of what lay before me. There was a light breeze and the silence was obvious. The vast ocean had only one sign of the movement due to the efforts of man. It was the almost imperceptible progress of a MacBraynes ferryboat plying its course towards Oban on the mainland. It would have been hardly visible if it were not for the long wake of its path stretched out across the shimmering sea.

This was the first moment I had actually stopped to think about the events that had led to me sitting near the summit of what was now my island. So much had happened, and so much had been accomplished over the months, that there had not been a spare moment. My mind and body had been totally committed to the one objective. In a sense that objective had now been achieved but I realised that I had arrived at what was in fact only just the beginning. I would now be embarking upon the second stage, which was to consolidate on my good fortune to ensure the future stability of tenure for my fellow islanders and myself.

I marvelled at how fortunate I had been to meet and to enlist so many people with skills that had enabled us to get off to such a flourishing start. I was fascinated by the numerous abilities that were available within the group and I was intrigued by their different individual characteristics. Everything and everybody seemed to get along so well, and I wondered if my optimism and their support and enthusiasm would hold into the months and years ahead.

I rose and walked over to where the grassland gave way to the western cliffs rising to several hundred feet above the sea. My musing was interrupted as I disturbed some gulls whose alarm call suddenly set up a more intensive noisy screaming from other seagoing birds on the cliff edges ahead of me. I continued skirting round the headland, passing some thousands of screaming kittiwakes and guillemots that were circling above me or perched on the inaccessible ledges below.

Continuing on my walk around the island, making my way downhill past one of our natural lochs and then across some boggy ground I came to a bubbling stream. Thick patches of green watercress were growing along its path. Lower down I found some evidence of peat cutting which had possibly been carried out as far back as the nineteenth century. Then a profusion of wild flowers were beneath my feet before a vast sandy beach came into view. As I made those few steps to the shingle I noticed the high water mark defined by the colourful band of seaweed stretching into the distance. I felt thrilled as my eyes rose to see the vista of this sweeping bay of perhaps a mile long. It was of pristine sand backed by marram grass and untrodden by human feet, I guessed, for many years. It was a unique experience. I took off my shoes and made for the sea, disturbing some gulls on the way as I reached the water’s edge where I paddled along the swirling, frothy incoming tide. A wind had risen to give the hint of a white edge to the incoming rollers. I turned to face outward to the sea and sucked in the cold, fresh ocean air. I could easily live with this. I knew from my previous holiday visits to Scotland that one would expect to experience rain, mist and cold winter weather, but I knew also that just one fine day, such as this, during those holidays was enough to forgive the rest. That was how it was on this day. If I could just experience this freedom once in a while, that alone would be enough to satisfy me beyond any call to the sunnier Mediterranean climate.

I continued my walk around the coastline, stepping among and over rocks covered with the black lichen of the splash zone where the winter storms lash. Half a dozen brown Atlantic seals slid indignantly from some outlying rocks into the water and then swam away their heads bobbing and then disappearing as they dived into their natural environment below the surface. A series of caves were visible in the rock faces above the shingle but I resisted the urge to investigate them and turned inland to follow a river flowing between hard grey rocks and soft green grass. It seemed clear and fresh enough to drink so I leaned over a now sun-warmed rock, scooped my hands and drank deeply, the most refreshing drink it seemed for ages, then I splashed it over my face. It was delightful.

I climbed for about ten minutes and arrived at a pleasant level plateau set in a valley, where there were a number of ruined buildings. Several, no more than heaps of scattered stone, indicated a previous settlement. Some parts of the meadow near the river were rather spongy and flag irises had taken root giving the suggestion of gardens for the old crofts. The higher land would make excellent grazing but the sight of the remains of this village reminded me of something I had heard about crofting. It was not a livelihood. It was an existence.

I was approaching Ian’s farm again and Madge was hanging out the washing.

“It’s a good day for drying, Madge.”

“Yes — she said — the last time I put my washing out it was blowing a gale and I nearly lost everything.”

“Ian said you were a bit under the weather.”

Madge seemed a little surprised. “Och, it’s just a bit of a headache — she said dismissing the idea.

“Is Ian still about?”

“No, he’s with Gerry now, he said he would be back in a couple of hours.”

“Will you ask him to have a word with me again when he gets a chance, we’ve got a meeting coming up and I need the answers to some questions.”

“I’ll let him know. Young Michael also needs some answers. Have you heard about him and his parrot?”

“No. What’s happened?”

“Well he’s been teaching it to say ‘Hallo’ as people come in, and ‘Goodbye’, as they go out. And now it’s flown off and it’s lost. The laugh is that he’s been telling everybody he had just been successful in getting it to say ‘Goodbye’, and then it just flew off without saying anything!”

One day, Ken called in at the lodge to talk about the future of the ongoing filming of events on the island.

“Jim, can I agree with you that we should bring forward the release date for the film series? We now have nearly thirty episodes ready in the can and the time I think has come to consider releasing them.”

“I see no reason why not, but what is your thinking, why do you want to bring it forward?

“Basically it is the time gap between the event and the showing. If we were to get the go ahead, the series could start in the new year and even then the early episodes would be at least nine months after the event. I would not want that period to increase, or it might be regarded as old hat. Also many of the interesting events have naturally occurred in the early period.”

“So if we go ahead what’s next?”

“I have everything filmed from your first meetings back on the mainland but now I would like to do an introductory first episode with you. It would cover your initial lottery win, the purchase of the island, your first visits and early impressions, everything basically to reinforce those things I missed in the early stages.”

“Lets go ahead then, I’ll bring it up at the next council meeting.”

“Great, I’ll put things in motion directly you get the OK.”

“Now, we said that we needed to discuss further the question of tourism on the island as a result of the film, we may as well do that now. How do you see things developing?”

Ken sat back and explained. “Beyond the first year I see the film as an introduction for people to want to visit the island as paying guests. We would offer them a unique experience to involve themselves with the day-to-day activities of the islanders. We would offer them accommodation in a typical croft with meals supplied. They would, if they contributed positively in some way to the general activities on-going each day, be filmed as part of what we do with the islanders. The attraction would be their appearance on TV as part of the on-going series of An Every Week Story of Island Folk.

I have made a note of some of the ideas that we could offer. If Angus could be persuaded, and I am sure he would be co-operative, we could provide loch and sea fishing trips. Visitors could be shown how to make their own creel and catch their own crabs and lobsters, or a chance to sail on a round the island tour by boat. There could be bird-watching outings — these are very popular nowadays — and there are over three hundred species of birds here. We could organise walking tours and even offer seal-watching outings. How about ‘make your own whisky with Jock’, who, I believe has admitted to an illicit still. I’ve heard that some are thinking of taking part in crafts, spinning, weaving patchwork, tapestry and the like. Some visitors would like to take part, I am sure.

For the younger visitors we could offer, feeding the pet lambs or horse riding. There could be karate lessons from Lynda, five-a-side football and five a side handball when they could join the islands two teams. What about caving, abseiling and rock climbing?

And there are so many other areas to look at. For instance, there could be an insight into island farming with a talk and some practical involvement. Also anyone who felt so inclined could offer a thirty-minute talk to the children on a subject of the visitor’s choice. This talk could also be filmed on request. At least one concert per week by the island’s orchestra or band could be open to visitors, and I’m sure they would be queuing to take part in our regular Friday evening ceilidh.

I’m sure people would want to meet the islanders in their home or at their work and certain things could be on sale at the yet to be opened shop, for example videos of past episodes of our own ‘An Every Week Story of Island Folk’. I could go on”— enthused Ken

“That’s an impressive list and we have quite an incentive to go ahead with it. Of course it can’t all happen at once but we must look to an income for the future”— I answered.

“I think a principle would have to be, that if visitors involved themselves with the activities that were together with the islanders, there would be a good chance that they would be caught on the regular filming that takes place every day, and therefore they try to make sure that their contribution would become part of the national series on BBC TV. If they stood by just watching and doing their own filming and taking their own photographs then there would be a very good chance that we would not catch them on film and they would therefore not be included in that weeks episode.

“You, Jim would have to say how you see the pricing. I would be inclined to set it rather high. Remember this would be an experience not available or equalled anywhere else.”

“It’s still a long way off. We still have to build tourist accommodation and the film still has to be shown and time allowed for interest in it to grow. However, I want it to go ahead and, as I say, I will bring it up at the next council meeting where it will all have to be agreed. You will then be able to proceed. As a thought on price, I would want to strike a satisfactory balance and not rely just on the wealthy section of society.”