Audio cassette recording of Neil MacLeod of Kilmoluaig talking to Maggie Campbell in November 1998.
Neil MacLeod of Kilmoluaig talks to Maggie Campbell in November 1998 about his schooldays, his work with the Post Office delivering mail in Cornaig at first by bike and then by pony, the general running of the Post Office, the difficulties during blackout in World War II, posting boxes of eggs and potatoes from Tiree, the introduction of the red mail vans in 1956, other postmen, the different ferries and the change in the pace of life.
Audio cassette recording of Lachie MacArthur of Mannal talking to Maggie Campbell in January 2001.
Lachie MacArthur of Mannal talks to Maggie Campbell in January 2001 about his work for 32 years as a lorry contractor and one year as a postman, the great benefit of the rubbish skips to the island, his late father’s accidental death by drowning in 1954, the cargo boats `Loch Ard` and `Loch Carron` and the coal puffer `Moonlight`, and fishing out of Balemartine the ‘The Bank’ for cod and flounders. Lachlann ’ic Artair a Manal a’ bruidhinn ri Magaidh Chaimbeul anns an Fhaoilteach 2001 mun obair aige na fear-cùmhnantachaidh airson dha dheug air fhichead bliadhna agus aon bhliadhna na phòsta, am feum mòr a tha na sgudail a’ deànamh air an eilean, athair nach maireann a bha ann an tubaist-bàthaidh ann an 1954, bàtaichean-luchdaich An Loch Ard agus An Loch Carron agus am bàta-guail Moonlight, agus am banca iasgaich airson trosg agus leòbagan.
Audio cassette recording of Hector Brown of Balephuil talking to Maggie Campbell in November 1998.
Hector Brown of Balephuil talks to Maggie Campbell in November 1998 about his first trip to sea at the age of 18 on the cargo ship SS Peril, the contents of his kitbag, the ship’s accommodation and his work as a deckhand/watch, the ports he visited around Britain and Ireland on board the SS Peril, ration books, coupons and some of the men he sailed with in the 1940s. Eachann Brùn o Baile Phuill a’ bruidhinn ri Mairead Chaimbeul anns an t- Samhain 1998 mu dheidhinn a chiad turus aige gu muir, air a bhàta SS Peril, nuair bha e ochd bliadhna deug, na rudan a bha na mhàileid, an obair a bha aige air a bhàta, na puirt air an do thadhail e timcheall Breatainn agus Èirinn, leabhraichean cuibhreann agus feadhainn de na daoine a bha a’ seòladh còmhla ris anns na 1940s.
Audio cassette recording of a BBC programme with Alasdair MacNeill interviewed by Kenneth MacQuarrie.
Kenneth MacQuarrie interviews Alasdair MacNeill of Balevullin who sings a song about the Crofters’ War, talks about his early days as a farm-hand in Ayrshire, his sea-faring days and transporting the first 3000 American soldiers to join World War I from New York to Liverpool, going to New Zealand in 1924 where he worked as a farm-hand, his experience aboard the sinking ship Ventura en route from New Zealand to America in 1931 and finally sings a song he remembers from his childhood. Tha Coinneach Mhic Guaire a’ còmhdhail ri Alasdair Mhic Nèill a Bail’ a’ Mhuilinn a tha a’ seinn òran mu Chogadh nan Croitearan agus a’ bruidhinn air mar a thòisich e air obair na fhear-oibre-fearainn ann an Àir, a làithean aig fairge agus a’ giùlain trì mìle saighdear a bha dol gun Cheud Chogadh bho New York gu Liverpool, dol don Seallainn Nuadh ann an 1924 far an robh e ag obair na fhear-oibre-fearainn a’ buain meuran nan cailleach marbh, mar a chaidh am bàta Ventura fodha air an rathad as an Seallainn Nuadh gu Ameireaga ann an 1931; tha e sin a’ seinn òran air an robh cuimhne aige bho làithean leanabais.
Audio cassette recording of Alex MacLean of Cornaigbeg interviewed by John Donald MacLean in 1998.
Alex MacLean (Ailig Iain Alasdair) of Cornaigbeg talks to John Donald MacLean in 1998 about his ancestors, some of whom emigrated to New Zealand, a MacLean gathering there of 80 of his relatives, bulb growing on Tiree which was set up in 1958 by the Agricultural College, the MacEachern blacksmiths, one of whom was a lay preacher, the making of a harpoon for catching whales, the coal puffers which unloaded their cargo on different beaches and crofting in general. Tha Ailig MhicIllEathain (Ailig Iain Alasdair) a Còrnaig Bheag a’ bruidhinn ri Teòn Dòmhnall MhicIllEathain ann an 1998 mu a shloinntearachd, cuid dhuibh a chaidh don Seallainn Nuadh, cruinneachadh MhicIllEathain far an robh ceithir fichead da fhear-cinnidh, obair na meacain fluir a chaidh a chur air bonn ann an 1958 le Colaisde an Tuathanachais, na goibhnean Mhic Eacharna, aon dhuibh na shearmonaiche nach buin don chlèir, an dòigh air murghadh a’ dhèanamh airson glacadh na mucan mara, na bàtaichean guail a’ cur a mach an luchd air diofar thràighean agus croitearachd mar as cumanta.
The ‘Eilean Thiriodh’ in Scarinish harbour in 2000
Photograph of the skiff ‘Eilean Thiriodh’ in Scarinish harbour in 2000.
Courtesy of Mr Ron Hutchison
Owned by David Hepburn, the skiff ‘Eilean Thiriodh’ was built in Oban in 2000 to the dimensions of a traditional Tiree boat belonging to Willie MacIntosh of Urvaig. Raced for the first time in 2000, she won the Tiree regatta.
The classic Tiree skiff was between 20 and 26 feet long, and double-ended (a sharp bow and stern). Some of the larger boats were half-decked with a ‘deaca bheag’, but they were more usually completely open. Later boats built for the lobster fishery around the east end were much wider, or beamier.
They were all rigged as dipping lugs, although a few added a bowsprit and jib in a jackass rig in the 1930s. As outboard engines became popular in the 1930s and 40s flat transom sterns became more common.
Colour photograph of the dinghy `Eilean Thiriodh` in 2000.
The dinghy `Eilean Thiriodh` in Scarinish harbour, photographed by Ron Hutchison in 2000.
