News and views from the North West
Highlands

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Updated by 11.00am on the first Thursday of the month

July 2008

Wedding in a romantic setting
by Fiona Burnett
Castle Varrich, the ruined castle overlooking the village and Kyle of Tongue, believed by some to have been a stopping off place for the bishop of Caithness on his visits to Durness in the late Middle Ages, was a centre of attraction on Saturday, June 21 — Midsummer’s Day — at three o’clock when family and friends gathered to witness local painter and decorator Scott Coghill and German-born Silke Plass exchanged marriage vows. More

Sisters make dash for charity
Strathnaver sisters, Marsaili (left) and Catriona MacLeod, raised £450 for Cancer Research UK when they took part in the charity’s “Race for life” in Aberdeen on June 2. More

Bookends
by Kevin Crowe
Mandy Haggith “The Last Bear”, Two Ravens Press, 2008. £8.99.
This story, set in North West Scotland over a thousand years ago, pits two groups against each other: the Vikings from Scandinavia who at the time the novel is set have settled to a mainly peaceful life and the Celts who earlier arrived in Scotland from across what is now known as the Irish Sea. More

The Inner Man
by Chris Duckham
At the restaurant we love to use the freshest local fish, and one of my personal favourites is sea trout. More

Some other reports and features from this month’s print edition
Shucksmith report receives poor reception at North West meetings
You would not guess by listening to crofters in North West Sutherland that the “authentic voice of Scottish crofters” is conveyed in the Shucksmith report on the future of crofting.
New life is being breathed into Kinlochbervie crofting
A woman in Harrogate phoning a friend in Kinlochbervie said: “I’m fed up with the rising cost of food; I’m going to grow my own."
Fiona Burnett talks to Douglas Pearson, Skerray
Douglas Pearson, Achtoty, Skerray, has experienced life from a great height.
Lairg Music Fesitval: a matter of teamwork
At the 2008 Lairg Music Festival the usual array of musical talent drawn from all round the country was on display.

June 2008

‘Dangerous’ Shucksmith raises crofter temperatures
The Shucksmith report on crofting, published last month, has been described to us as a "dangerous" document offering "Eastern block" solutions to the challenges facing today's crofter. More

Gallaibh nan Gàidheal ’s nan Gall (Caithness of the Gael and the Lowlander)
by Domhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart
Recently we’ve all been hearing and reading rather a lot of opinions, not all of them particularly well-informed, about the question of Caithness’s Gaelic heritage. More

Backcoaster’s diary
It seems that conservation plans reported in these columns a month ago, plans designed to save the River Naver from anglers, are not going according to plan. More

Nature’s call
by Andy Summers
I was feeling a bit sore this morning. More

History file
by Malcolm Bangor-Jones
In July 1765 the factor for the estate of Coigach in the parish of Lochbroom reported that several of the tenants had lost cows, horses, sheep and goats during the previous winter. More

May 2008

Scotland-wide rural scheme ‘discriminates’ says MacRae
Crofters’ leader, Allan MacRae of 83 Torbreck, Lochinver, describes aspects of the Scottish government’s flagship Scottish Rural Development Programme, which received EU approval in January, as “hugely disappointing”. More

Skye parents aim for Gaelic school
by Arthur Cormack
Ninety-nine children currently attend Gaelic-medium in Portree, while 136 attend the “mainstream” school. More

Nostalgic reunion for Lovat Scouts
by Willie Morrison
Three Lovat Scout veterans of World War II relived the dangers, fears and excitement of more than sixty years ago when they met again this week for lunch at Achness House Hotel, near Rosehall. More

Litir bhon ’a Cheathramh
le Alasdair MacMhaoirn
Taighean Geala agus smachd sòisealta. Thàinig an smaoin seo a-steach orm bho chionn ghoirid nuair a fhuair mi brath bho charaid mu colbh a bh’ anns The Herald (12/4/08). (Billingual) More

Bookends
by Kevin Crowe
Review: The Thistle and the Crescent” by Bashir Maan. Argyll Publishing 2008. £12.99. More

Rhiconich crofter favours right to buy
In evidence submitted to the Scottish government’s Committee of Crofting Inquiry, a North West Sutherland crofter, who for a number of years was a prominent member of the Scottish Crofters Union North West Sutherland Area, illustrates the advantages of both the tenant’s right to buy and of the tenancy system itself. More

Council ploughs on with ‘cluster’ head at primaries
Opposition by Tongue parents to the joint headship of Tongue, Farr and Melvich primary schools, revealed in Am Bratach last month, has not deterred Highland Council from pressing ahead with the appointment of a single teacher to supervise the three schools. More

Local lads set up building business in Tongue area
A brand new building business, Kyle of Tongue Construction, has been set up by Graeme Gunn, Melness, and Richard Mackay from Tongue. More

St Kilda — the edge of the world
by Jaqqi Carney
It is no easy feat getting your feet on St Kilda. More

Nature’s call
by Paul Castle
The early part of the year is a relatively quiet period for us countryside rangers before the mad, head-down rush of spring and summer really begins. More

Parent council was ignored over ‘cluster’ appointment
Education bosses performed a climbdown of sorts the day after we questioned the local authority’s procedures for appointing a new joint head teacher to Tongue, Farr and Melvich primary schools. More

Writers and artists explore Strathbrora
Thumbing through this booklet, some will ask why it has been published by a heritage society when the first impressions are of a work not obviously concerned with the past. More

Litir bhon ’a Cheathramh
by Alasdair MacMhaoirn
Deagh naidheachd ann an Inbhir Theòrsa! (Billingual.) More

History file
by Malcolm Bangor-Jones
In 1818 Dugald Gilchrist took over the sheep-farm of Shinness: some of the large population of sub tenants were not permitted to remain or chose not to. More

Planner’s dream
After examining evidence garnered from seventeen public meetings held in June and August of last year...More

Broadband on the blink for two days
by Fiona Burnett
Broadband users in Strathnaver, Altnaharra and Kinbrace, left without a connection for two days late last month, were told their computers were to blame. More

Ùrachadh success at Celtic Connections
Taigh na Gàidhlig Mhealanais project, Ùrachadh, was well received at Celtic Connections, where the multimedia show made its festival debut at the Tron Theatre on Burns Night, reports secretary, Catriona MacLeod. More

View from the croft gate
by John MacDonald
I see that regulation about the double tagging of sheep is kicking in about now. More

History file
by Malcolm Bangor-Jones
The new sheep farm of Shinness was let to the Matheson family in 1808. Ten years later it was taken over by Dugald Gilchrist of Ospisdale, sheep farmer, road contractor and minor landlord. More

Gaelic accounts not acceptable
A small Skye-based company has challenged the notion that the Gaelic language has no place in official documentation by submitting its annual report and accounts for 2006-2007 to Companies House, Edinburgh, in Gaelic alone. More

Blas Festival latest invite for minstrels
Ùrachadh, the group of Caithness and Sutherland Gaelic singers and musicians — presently preparing for their first appearance at Celtic Connections on January 25 — have further dates to add to their diary, following an approach from the Blas Festival. More

Rob Donn descendant gives talk at Farr ceilidh
American Ellen Beard, a former labour lawyer turned student of Gaelic at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, who has the distinction of been descended from the Mackay bard, Rob Donn (1714-1778), spoke of his poetry and of her family connection to the illustrious poet at a special ceilidh organised by George Gunn, writer-in-residence at Strathnaver Museum, Elliot Rudie and their associates at the museum. It was held in the Farr Bay Inn, Bettyhill, just over a month ago. More

Fiona Burnett talks to
Cathie Barbara Mackay, Tongue
An interest in people and surroundings began early in life for Cathie Barbara Mackay, a former Tongue councillor, and district nurse respectively, who, at the age of ten found her voice. More

Backcoaster’s Diary
In the month of the year when people all over the world celebrate the birthday of Scotland’s most famous poet, it is worth remembering Robert Burns’s talent for extemporaneous composition. More

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 Links to featured, high quality web sites 

best of the bratach An attractive site showing to some of the most interesting and enjoyable stories that have been published by Am Bratach in the past

nwscca North West Sutherland Council for Community Action, publishers of Am Bratach and this web site

urachadh.org.uk Site of a well known Gaelic group's showcase project