YYellow-billedellow-billed Little Egret CCuckoouckoo inin SouthSouth ffiosFriday 30 Septemberi 2016o No 468 £1.70s DDellell pp.. 6 The North Lewis Newspaper - every fortnight www.facebook.com/fios.mcnis | Twitter: @FiosNess Author Peter May re-visits Ness crime Ewing Calls scene for apology from Crofting Commission

ergus Ewing MSP, Scotland’s Rural Economy Secretary Funder whose ambit falls the responsibility for crofting, has moved to intervene in the long- running Crofting Commission debacle which saw it sack three grazings committees including Mangersta and Upper Coll on Lewis. Mr Ewing faced commissioners at a private meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on Crofting last week, at which he urged the Commission to ‘swiftly resolve’ the problems surrounding the way in which it has handled disputes with common grazings. After the meeting he issued the following statement: Award winning author Peter May visited Ness last week to join the ‘Blackhouse Tour’ which gives a guided tour of Ness locations featured in the “During the meeting, I stressed best-selling novel of the same name. the Scottish Government’s Peter is pictured above, fourth from the right. For more on Peter’s visit see page 3. commitment to working with the commission to ensure it delivers an eff ective service for crofting, especially ahead of Moorland scarred by illegal fl y-tipping the crofting elections next year. “UOG have worked with KEEN WALKER, IAIN GORDON (Continued on page 3) MacDonald (Habost) who is also Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s the Village Grazings Clerk, advised Waste Aware team over recent Fios last week of an incident in years to ensure that waste is which a vehicle has been dumped disposed of responsibly and in out on the moorland that forms line with current waste disposal part of Ness General Grazings. policy. As such, we urge the local The vehicle, a 4X4, is midway community to support this work between the Scottish Water by reporting incidents of fl y complex and Airidh a’Bhealach, tipping.” together with two other vehicles A spokesperson for the which have been there for some Comhairle advised Fios: time; easily visible from the track, “Abandoned vehicle notices can the site is rapidly becoming an be served but it’s usually if a eyesore. vehicle is near a public road and Fios contacted Lisa Maclean, can be easily removed. the Commercial Manager of “If the owner can be identifi ed Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn then they will usually be (UOG) who is responsible for the contacted and asked to move the management of the estate, about vehicle. the issue. She said: “Fly tipping is “If there are old vehicles in the a criminal activity that can pollute moor with no owner, then if the surrounding land and waterways, landowner wants them removed then they it would probably fall damage wildlife and ecosystems Habost Grazing Clerk Iain Gordon McDonald with one of the three vehicles that has been to the landowner /occupier to and is also unsightly. abandoned on the moor. remove them.” 2 Friday 30 September 2016 fios

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Ferry runs aground in Lochmaddy The MBE for volunteer groups Fàilte spòrsnis wishes to thank everyone involved in the production of the newspaper, including our excellent voluntary contributors and those who collate and fi nish the paper in preparation for delivery to the retail outlets. EDITORIAL TEAM Hugh MacInnes - Editor Samantha Hawkins Donald A Morrison FIOS OFFICE: 01851 810039 EMAIL: fi os@sporsnis .co.uk EDITORIAL POLICY Our aim is to produce a quality bi- weekly newspaper to serve northern Lewis, particularly the community- MV Hebrides as she ended up last weekend, on the rocky shoreline of Lochmaddy owned Galson Estate (Butt of Lewis to Photo: DJ Morrison Barvas) and West Side communities, with the newspaper available at TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE that is the equivalent of berthing be taken based on the outcome several retail outlets in Stornoway. WESTERN Isles faced disruption or unberthing a vessel every of these investigations. The fi os will endeavour to publish last weekend as the MV Hebrides, fi ve to ten minutes. Safety is the company is also working with the latest news from around our on a routine approach to dock company’s number one priority.” the Lochmaddy Marina owners communities, together with reports, in Lochmaddy, suff ered what Contingency plans were set in regarding the damage to the articles and features of wider interest was referred to as a, ‘technical place by the company to ease the pontoons. to our readership. failure’ which led to the vessel disruption, with the MV Lord of “Disruption to this route will fi os may occasionally adopt editorial being unable to decrease speed the Isles undertaking two return continue for some time - with positions on issues aff ecting the commensurate with the normal journeys on the Monday on the investigations still underway it community, or on particular matters berthing procedure.” Loch Boisdale, South Uist to is too early to accurately predict published in the newspaper. On board, at the time of the Mallaig route, with an additional duration. The company is working Contributed articles may be edited. incident, were 76 passengers and return sailing being added to the closely with all appropriate SALES AND ADVERTISING crew, as well as 13 cars, 1 lorry and Berneray to Leverburgh, Isle of authorities.” SMALL PRIVATE ADVERTS AND a motorhome; thankfully nobody Harris route. CalMac’s Operations Director NOTICES published in Fios are FREE, was injured in the incident, A team of divers were on site Drew Collier added: “Our teams but any donation will be welcome. which took place just after 11am in Lochmaddy on Monday to are continuing to work directly Commercial advertising Rates: on Sunday morning. The MV begin thorough investigations with passengers aff ected in order Full page £120 Hebrides had been travelling from of the hull below the waterline. to fi nd the best solutions for them. Half page £75 Tarbert on Harris when she struck Their assessment revelaled “This was a very rare incident. Quarter page £42 both pontoons in Lochmaddy some low-level hull damage We have a proud and excellent One eighth £25 harbour, before veering off to amounting to ‘non-serious safety record, and I would like One sixteenth £14 the side and hitting the rocky bumps and abrasions’, but with to assure all customers and the All plus VAT where applicable shoreline. Considerable damage the hull remaining intact and no public as a whole that safety Advertisements booked for four or has been caused to the pontoon indication of water ingress. is the number one priority for more issues - HALF THE ABOVE PRICES. structure of the marina, The Marine Investigation the company. We thank people Full colour advertisement rates are Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) Accident Branch (MAIB) which is for their forbearance and available on request. was keen to point out that it the government body responsible understanding at this time.” Ads for local voluntary groups: has an excellent safety record, for probing maritime incidents, Once the severe weather Half the above prices. stating: “Incidents of this nature has launched an investigation. abates, the MV Hebrides will make Registered charities - no VAT are incredibly rare. The company A spokesperson for CalMac her way, under her own power, to SUBSCRIPTIONS makes more than 135,000 said: “Appropriate action will then dry dock at Greenock for repairs. POSTAL & EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS individual sailings per annum ARE AVAILABLE. 12 months subscription (26 issues) Superfast Broadband a step closer FIOS PDF VERSION SUBSCRIPTION (sent by email): £29 POSTAL SUBSCRIPTION: £63 6 MONTHS POSTAL: £33 (sent by First Class mail to UK only). Audio version of fios on USB stick or CD for registered blind or visually impaired. 6 months £20; 12 Months £38 (UK only). Payment may be made online by paypal, by cash at spòrsnis reception, or by cheque payable to NSRA Ltd to: BT subsidiary Openreach have Ness district. with Highlands and Islands spòrsnis Enterprise have invested £146 Lionel recently started to install the Londonderry-based Port of Ness green-coloured cabinets that subcontractors GCU-UK Limited million to roll out the new fi bre Isle of Lewis will link households to the have been working with BT to network. HS2 0XB new fi bre broadband cabling, install the seven cabinets at Pictured above: Work being Please ensure you give your full name, bringing the reality of Superfast specifi c pre-identifi ed locations in carried out at Rathad Beag, address, post code and email address. Broadband a step closer to the the area. Digital Scotland together Eoropie serving the community Friday 30 September 2016 3 Warm Home Discount Scheme Ewing Calls for apology from THE WARM HOME DISCOUNT (WHD) is a government scheme aimed to help low income households reduce their energy bills, particularly those Crofting Commission in fuel poverty. Under the scheme, large energy suppliers support (Continued from page 1) people in need of a little help to pay their electricity costs. The scheme off ers a one-off rebate of £140 from your electricity bill. “I also emphasised the need to swiftly resolve the current In 2016-17, if you are a pensioner who receives the guaranteed credit situation regarding common grazings committees, and made clear element of pension credit you will automatically be eligible for the my view on what the commission’s board needs to do to restore rebate. equilibrium. The forthcoming elections for new commissioners However, people may also be eligible for the discount if your supplier add impetus to the need to draw a line under the current episode. I is part of the scheme. If you are in receipt of certain benefi ts, on a low look forward to hearing how the commissioners intend to proceed.” income, or you have a disability or illness, you may also be eligible. It is understood that Mr Ewing has sought a review of the Commissions This part of the scheme is on a fi rst come, fi rst served basis own procedures and urged them to apologise to crofters for their behaviour. and Tighean Innse Gall (TIG) advise that you apply early to avoid Local MSP Alasdair Allan welcomed the intervention saying: “Since the disappointment. Commission removed the grazings committees from offi ce in Mangersta Speaking on behalf of TIG, Senior Energy Offi cer Kirsty MacLeod and Upper Coll I have been in close contact with those aff ected from said: “If you need help in completing an application, get in touch with both villages and sought repeatedly to raise this with Scottish Ministers. Tighean Innse Gall. If you qualify, the warm home discount will be “This episode has caused a great deal of disruption credited to your electricity account sometime before the 31st of May to the lives of those aff ected and it is only right that the 2017. If you use a pre-payment meter, it will be credited to your meter Crofting Commission issues a full, frank and open apology. during or after a top-up. “It has been deeply concerning to see the extent of the breakdown in If you would like further information please contact the energy advice the relations between crofters and their regulatory body over the past team on 01851 706121 or email; [email protected] . months. There needs to be a line drawn under this issue so everyone can focus their energies on building a better future for crofting.” Fiona Mandeville, Chairman of the Scottish federation (SCF), also welcomed the news stating: “It has taken a long battle to get to this Peter May visits Port of point, but it is extremely good that it is reported that Mr Ewing has made clear his support to crofters by directing the Commissioners to issue a Ness full, unequivocal, public apology for their mistreatment of common grazings committees. This whole episode has been badly damaging to INTERNATIONALLY individuals, to crofting communities and to crofting itself, so we hope RENOWNED an apology may be the fi rst step in a healing process. “As the person AUTHOR of the who seems to be behind the on-going attacks on crofting committees, Lewis Trilogy Peter it would be appropriate for the Convener of the Crofting Commission, May visited Ness Colin Kennedy to give the apology in his resignation statement. last week together “SCF has been asking for a review of the Crofting Commission, to with his wife Janice look critically at its procedures and governance. The news that Mr Hally. The fi rst Ewing has instructed government offi cials to carry out a review is very book of the trilogy, promising. This situation must be prevented from happening again by The Blackhouse modifying the way the Commission works. It makes no sense at all that draws much of the Convener was involved in local meetings, and was making personal its inspiration statements regarding grazing committee business. Acting as some sort from Ness and of maverick lawman is not appropriate. The board of the Commission its townships, should be, as any board, for strategic direction and governance. and is where the “And as for Kennedy’s imposed, and lawyers say illegal, henchman, central character, Constable Souter, he must be removed from Upper Coll immediately,” Fin MacLeod was Ms Mandeville concluded. “He has no place in crofting, is aggravating raised in the village bad feeling and is standing in the way of democratic process”. of Adabrock, or The Commission held their September Board meeting in Brora on Crobost as it is Wednesday (28 September) at which they discussed, among other matters, renamed in the how to proceed following their meeting with the Cabinet Secretary. book. The book At the scheduled September meeting of the board of the Crofting opens in the old Commission in Brora on Wednesday (28 September), of which item 6 sheds situated in on the agenda was to discuss, ‘Meeting with Cabinet Secretary on 21 the inner harbour Peter May, right, ivisits the crime scene at Port of Ness Harbour September 2016’, it emerged that Convenor Colin Kennedy walked at Port of Ness, out. It was initially reported by the BBC, “The Crofting Commission’s which is also the scene for the guga boats departure and return. convener has walked out of a meeting at which the body was Peter and Janice joined the newly established spòrsnis Blackhouse under pressure to make a public apology in a long-running row. Tour, which takes visitors to the key sites in Ness that are featured in ”Colin Kennedy had earlier in the meeting refused the book. Peter’s presence was a bonus to those who had booked to allow a commissioner to withdraw his declaration in advance, some of whom were unaware that he would be on the of interest in the dispute about common grazings. minibus. Visitors on the tour came from Stuttgart, San Francisco, “When offi cials told him he had to accept the request, Hereford and of course Ness! Mr Kennedy closed the meeting and walked out” Prior to his successful career as an author, Peter created developed A special meeting was then convened by the remaining commissioners and wrote drama serials including Machair, the Scottish Gaelic television who passed a motion calling for Kennedy to step down, and also issued a soap, which he co-wrote with his wife Janice. Machair, which was public apology for the way it has handled recent grazings committee cases. funded by the Gaelic Television Committee, and was creditied with At the time of going to press, it remains to be seen if Kennedy will having the eff ect of creating jobs and boosting the economy in the accept the motion and stand down from his post., or will further islands. The series was shot entirely on location on the Isle of Lewis. intervention be required from the Cabinet Secretary, Fergus Ewing? Peter, along with everybody else thoroughly enjoyed the tour, which was led by Alastair Dunlop. The tour is available all year round , with more information available from spòrsnis on 01851 810039. 4 Friday 30 September 2016 fios

taken up residence and Tom’s Titbits the cove seems to be some kind of a peat nut and has uring our visit to Tir Mor They brought tears to my eyes already constructed a stack in July the good lady anyway, in one way or another. of huge proportions on Duttered these fateful I don’t know if any of this came the other side of the fence words outside a furniture store, about as a result of leaving my from us. They both speak “I’m going to pop in here for a two sons to look after them the Gaelic though, and the minute”. After about an hour when we were on holiday or Wilsons will just have to I was summoned in from the not, but I have no evidence learn it. John is a digger street to witness the result of of this, so I cannot take legal operator as is my son Iain the visit. It has culminated in action. The liquidators came and also Ian Wilson, so if you a major revamp to our marital in and the dead veg has been want anything dug, High boudoir. Apparently, the bed dumped and the windows of Borve is the place to be. we have shared for many years the Astra and the business have Martin the Medic’s recent is worn to excess, as is the both been wound up. We will Defi brillator Training session who enquired if I was Tom from carpet and the paint on the try something else next year, all at the Clan Macquarrie Centre the Titbits. When I told him I walls. Normally, for decorating being well. was very well attended and, by was, he said he was very pleased at our home a professional gets High Borve is beginning to all accounts, was very enjoyable to meet me and seemed even called in, but as “nobody is ever buzz again. Since the departure and informative. The couple of more chuff ed to tell me that going to see it but ourselves,” I of Marion and Norman and hours it takes to go through this he had recently been a patient have been given the knackering the girls next door to offi cially training could be a matter of in the Medic’s ambulance. I’ve privilege of carrying out the job. become cove and blones in life and death for someone, so turned the Medic into some I feel it’s going to be a long Stornoway, things were a bit it is well worth doing. I missed kind of celebrity! We don’t see drawn out, tense aff air, and I quieter than usual around here. out on this one myself as I had as much of him these days as have already spent an entire The Macleans seem to have a particularly traumatic dental he is working more hours than day off , immersed in emulsion. settled nicely in town and still experience which caused me usual. I think the reason for An ageing body is not made thankfully haven’t lost their great discomfort, and it would this is that there is a big Ness for rollering a ceiling, because accents. Some of the elderly have been unwise of me to wedding in the offi ng soon on when the paint splatters onto people here have also moved attend as I could have become the mainland and he reckons he the lens of the spectacles, on in one way or another, and a real patient as well as a pain. is going to need a lot of time off limiting the already failing it was rather sad and strange He does inform me though to get over it. Gabh do leor dhe, a vision, the frustration increases. looking at the empty houses that a refresher course is due bhalaich. It’s a good job the stuff is and the memories they held for sometime soon, which will water-based as the dome of us all of happy times. However, enable anyone who is interested Cheerio an drasda the bald head got a rather things are looking up. Ian to attend. Tom speckled appearance as well. and Barbara Wilson, who hail I was approached by a nice What really annoys me though from Northumberland, have gentleman at my work recently are the quarter hourly visits by purchased the wee cottage at ‘you know who’ to enquire as the end of our road and are to how I am getting on whilst gradually upgrading it. Their pacing the room peering at my son Adam is already living on handiwork looking for ‘holidays’ Lewis and they have visited us and muttering that maybe we frequently and seem suitably should have got someone in to nutty enough to fi t into the High do the job after all. The fi rst coat Borve way of things. It takes is on though, but it’s going to be courage to take up residence a long week, methinks. in a pad where, when you look The Ganja is no more by the straight out your back door, the way. Defunct and deceased. next nearest dwelling place is The business formerly known somewhere in Canada. On a as High Borve Astraveg, despite recent visit they were annoyed the application of gallons of and mystifi ed by a wind liquid to its products, is literally whistling noise from the area in liquidation. Despite my hard of the bedroom window, which work and watering, the cabbage prevented them from sleeping. which seemed to be growing They decided to get up out of well just would not grow bed and try and fi nd the source inwards into a ball as cabbages of it which resulted in them should, but grew out the way. both - one outside the house This resulted in me being left and one inside - in their dressing with what looked like a car full gowns at midnight probing and of rather large lilies. To add to searching until the off ending my disappointment, a ‘pyoolan’ orifi ce was found and plugged. of some kind got in amongst It was a vent that simply needed them and nibbled away at the sliding to the side to shut it. leaves and that was the end of it. That’ll do me. I don’t know what happened to Right next door to us, John the onions? They seemed to be Tractor or Tractor John or doing fi ne, but maybe they took whatever you want to call him one look at the cabbage and and Ann are going to move in decided enough was enough after their impending wedding and they died in sympathy. next month. Ann has already serving the community Friday 30 September 2016 5

Comunn Eachdraidh Nis tour of the battlefields of the Great War Warm autumn sunshine greeted the 39-strong Comunn Eachdraidh Nis coach party on arrival in Belgium last week for a visit to some of the battlefields and memorials of the Great War. BBC Alba is to broadcast an hour-long programme about the event on 14 November and Comunn Eachdraidh Nis will be publishing a special edition of the magazine ‘Criomagan’ around the same time. Dòmhnall Alasdair Morrison offered fios some personal reflections of the visit.

As the coach drove past the ripening cornfields and tranquil pastures of Picardy and Flanders that were once the blood-soaked killing fields of Ypres and the Somme, we were thankful that the land now has a measure of rest from war. Sheep and cattle were safely grazing where our young men fell in the mud and the blood of the Western Front. We saw no evidence of the new era of global terrorism that has visited France and Belgium in the past months as we journeyed through the peaceful villages. The verdant countryside has now largely hidden the ruination of the Great War and a visitor could be forgiven for doubting that the devastation and destruction had taken place at all. Until, that is, we saw the serried ranks of gravestones in the war cemeteries of Dozingham and Tyne Cot, the tens of thousands of names on the memorial walls, the huge Lochnagar Crater, and the powerful presentations of the weapons of war in the Passchendaele Museum. We were at the Thiepval memorial to the missing of the Somme for the moving event that takes place every day to mark the centenary of the battle which started on 1 July 1916 and ended in November with the 51st Highland Division storming Beaumont-Hamel. And at the Menin Gate itself, where every night hundreds gather in tribute to the fallen, our lone piper followed the buglers’ haunting ‘Last Post’ with the familiar Psalm tune, ‘The Bays of Harris’. Altogether an emotionally charged tribute and a potent reminder of the appalling destruction, the lives lost, the injuries sustained and the devastated families back home one hundred years ago. In one of the many cemeteries of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission we visited, a gardener was quietly pruning the rose bush by the grave of a young soldier. Each grave a place of weeping and tears – so many have no name, just marked as the resting place of ‘a soldier of the Great War known unto God’. At another tomb in a land far away, Mary’s tears were shed in the presence of the One she ‘supposed was the gardener’. And here in the midst of the memorials and the poignant reminders of death and destruction all around us, the empty tomb in Jerusalem remains a symbol of hope for all who believe in the risen Saviour – the white Rose of Sharon. Mourning Mother of Canada - a detail from the Vimy Memorial

Roses are shining in Picardy, in the hush of the silver dew, The Canadian National Vimy Memorial was perhaps Roses are flowering in Picardy, but there’s never a rose like you! the most dramatic and majestic of all the monuments And the roses will die with the summertime, and our roads may be far apart, we visited. The Memorial bears the names of 11,168 But there’s one rose that dies not in Picardy! missing Canadians, whose remains have not been ‘tis the rose that I keep in my heart! found or identified, including John Morrison, 8 Lionel, (bràthair a’ Ghladstoin) killed in action in France on [From ‘Roses of Picardy’ - one of the most famous songs of the Great War. 26 September 1916, serving with 29th Vancouver Lyrics by Frederic Weatherly who also wrote the hymn ‘The Holy City’ and the Battalion, Angus Campbell, 2 Port , killed in action in popular ballad ‘Danny Boy’] France 11 August 1918 and Alexander Gillies, 14 Lionel, killed in action in France 25 May 1915.

Thanks to: Tour Organiser: Anne Macleod, Comunn Eachdraidh Nis Host: John Marr, Battlefield Select Tours, Inverness Coach: Maynes Coaches, Buckie and our brilliant driver, John On board services and entertainment: John Marr and Calum Angus Morrison Tour Guide: Major (Retired) Bob “The Knowledge” Darby Piper: Hector Maclean Video recording: Ruairidh Maclean and Jayne Macleod (Mac TV) Tour journal and photos: Marina Murray and Donald Macsween 6 Friday 30 September 2016 fios

WilderNess by Tony Marr

‘A Natural History of Lighthouses’ It’s Tuesday afternoon, and I’ve just come into the house to start work on my page for fi os. I spent the morning at the Butt in the 50 mph ‘Strong Gale’ (Force 9 on the Beaufort Scale). It was hard to keep my balance as I made my way slowly and carefully around the lighthouse wall, where unpredictably huge gusts and torrential downpours made movement both diffi cult and risky. I looked over the wall by the tower (my height is an advantage here), and saw what appeared to be a dead bird on the ground. There was a second one not far away. Luckily one of the visiting lighthouse staff arrived soon after, and I was able to enter the compound and check what I had seen. Both birds were Meadow Pipits, a small brown bird which arrives from Iceland and the Faeroes in the autumn. They had presumably come to grief during the previous night’s foul weather, and, attracted to the bright lights, had fl own into the windows above the balcony and broken their necks. This is nowadays a rare occurrence, as the strength and form of lighting has changed over the years, especially since all British and Irish lighthouses are now fully automatic (one rather discourteous quip heard when the programme of automation was being fi nalized was that ‘at the tail end of the twentieth century it does not require three grown men to keep Meadow Pipit killed at the lighthouse a light bulb’). I’ve had previous experience of fi nding migrant birds attracted to lighthouses, and in the book named above, author John Love has described an experience I had at St. Catherine’s Point on the Isle of Wight in 1956 when thousands of birds were attracted to the powerful light. As happened today, migrating birds making long journeys through the night can be dazzled by the rotating beams and hit the glass or the tower, but fewer and fewer are killed as the lights are not as lethal as in the past.

Champagne birding The recent successes with our ever-improving Local Nature Reserve described in my last article had me thinking. Never before has the Reserve hosted three species of American wading bird in a period of just one week: Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Buff -breasted Sandpiper. Any nature reserve would be proud to boast of such special visitors, all doubtless brought across the Atlantic by the gales and heavy rain of early September. In some birding circles, it would be customary to celebrate such events in a traditional and usually liquid way. A late and much-missed birding friend of mine even had a phrase for such occasions: ‘Is it a champagne bird?’ When he came to stay, he would open the boot of his car to reveal not quite a crate of the amber nectar (sorry Foster’s – other beverages are available), but suffi cient to drink several evening toasts throughout the week to celebrate the latest ornithological fi nd. We had to exercise strict control over what constituted a champagne bird. Standards had to be rigorously enforced, to avoid running out when raising a glass to some mediocre migrant. On one memorable occasion we had to send for fresh supplies and drive up to Willy’s store to replenish the Pied Flycatcher at Borve - a champagne bird? stocks down here in Port of Ness. Happy days…

Or is it time to hang out the bunting? A more modest and aff ordable style of celebration might be the time-honoured one of putting out the fl ags and the bunting, but the Hebridean weather tends to restrict such excesses of exuberance to high days, holidays and gala days. I’ve always been puzzled by the two diverse meanings of the word bunting. One describes any festive decorations made of fabric, or of plastic, paper or even cardboard in imitation of fabric; typical forms of bunting are strings of colourful triangular fl ags and lengths of fabric in the colours of national fl ags, gathered and draped into swags or pleated into fan shapes. The other describes a group of Eurasian and African perching birds of the family Emberizidae, seed-eating birds with stubby, conical bills, which are the Old World equivalents of the species known in North America as sparrows (such as the spring’s White-crowned Sparrow in Ness).

Let’s fl ag it up: now is bunting time Autumn Lapland Bunting There has been a steady arrival of up to 14 Lapland Buntings in a day at the Butt throughout September, and just yesterday (Monday), the fi rst fi ve Snow Buntings appeared near the lighthouse. Both species are winter visitors, passing through Ness en route to milder parts of the United Kingdom, and returning through the Outer Hebrides in smaller numbers in the spring as they head northwards to breed in the Arctic. Lapland Buntings from Lapland arrive on the east coast of Britain, but ours come from Greenland. Our Snow Buntings mostly arrive from Iceland. Of the other British species, we see a few Reed Buntings here in the summer, nesting in damp marshy places such as the edges of Loch Stiapabhat. We used to have Corn Buntings breeding here, and when I fi rst visited in 1955 I saw many small fl ocks; now just a few remain on the Uists, with none on Lewis or Harris. Lapland and Snow Buntings however are long distance migrants which make epic journeys each spring and autumn, remarkable for such small and fragile birds.

Stop Press- Yellow-billed Cuckoo, South Dell (photo on page 1) Not long after Tony had paid his regular fortnightly visit to the Fios offi ce to deliver the Wilderness column, word reached us that a Yellow- billed Cuckoo had been spotted in a garden in South Dell. This vagrant, is perhaps, quite appropriately, given the environment it currently fi nds itself in, also known as in the southern united states as a ‘rain crow’ or ‘storm crow’. A slightly more robust, and commonly sighted Spring Snow Bunting bird than the Black-billed Cuckoo which was recorded in North Uist earlier this year, records show just over 70 sightings of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, which has been well spread from Scilly to Shetland. serving the community Friday 30 September 2016 7

Quality time experience may well lead to uncropped stubble protruding from the craiceann. In any case, for some at the table, after a few mouthfuls of A survey of more than 1200 parents revealed that 40% of British guga they wouldn’t really notice the diff erence if they were chewing families only spend about 5 hours of quality time together cactus. a week. Worryingly, the poll, commissioned by Alzheimer’s With Alzheimer’s Society’s expressing concern about the lack of Society, also showed that 13% of respondents only enjoyed one quality time that modern-day families spend together, maybe the hour per week engaging with their families. guga should be prescribed on the NHS? Even if a family sitting down Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Azheimer’s Society, to a meal of guga in Fochabers or Bermondsey were anxious about commented: “Modern life is having a huge impact on the time the plate of food confronting them, I bet that once they fi nally got a air an oir families spend together.” morsel of guga past their lips they wouldn’t stop talking about it. Among the reasons given by parents for not having more quality time with their nearest and dearest were: diffi culties arranging Bagpipe lung things for when everyone was free (33%); watching TV separately (14%); using social media (10%); long working hours (16%); and household It would appear that Scotland’s national musical instrument can, chores (16%). potentially, be lethal to pipers because the moist interior of the Alarmingly, for Alzheimer’s Society, the survey also found that 19% of bagpipes provide ideal conditions for the growth of fungi and parents said that their kids only visited or saw their grandparents fi ve or moulds that are linked to infl ammatory lung disease. less times a year. Doctors writing in the journal Thorax have warned pipers about a Fortunately, Ness is known for being both a progressive and cohesive potential hazard that they have labelled ‘Bagpipe Lung’. The warning community with much of this, I would argue, down to an age-old follows the death of a piper from Merseyside who died of the tradition that north Lewis is famous for. chronic infl ammatory lung condition, hypersensitivity pneumonitis – If there is ever a time when a Niseach family insists on a bit of ‘quality believed to have been caught from mould and fungi in the bagpipes time’ it is when they sit together around the dinner table to enjoy the that he regularly played. guga and all the trimmings – well, potatoes. This particular culinary Callum ‘Spud the Piper’ Fraser, who became famous after meeting event is not simply a case of bunging something in the microwave for a Madonna and playing her hit ‘Like A Virgin’ to her on the bagpipes, few minutes before that familiar ‘ping’ summons family members from was shocked at the revelation: “You are frightening the living diff erent rooms within the domicile to retrieve their cardboard pizzas daylights out of me. I do know what you are talking about and I am or ‘micro chips’. Slapped on a tray with a fi zzy drink, these ‘ready meal’ very lazy about keeping up to date with cleaning my bag. I am a full concoctions are then carried off to be consumed in separate rooms time piper and play several times a week and should do it weekly, in front of a TV, Xbox, iPad or computer screen, with barely a grunt but I think it is about a month since I have done it.” between the family as they pass each other in the hallway like ships in Our bagpipe playing royal male, MacLean of Knockaird, clearly the night. made it back from the Front Line without even a hint of a cough A traditional round the table meal of guga agus buntata off ers the after I spotted him earlier this week popping bills and assorted junk household real quality time together, sharing a meal and engaging in through our letterboxes. His bag blowing exploits in France, where meaningful conversation between members of the extended family, he was accompanying the Comunn Eachdraidh team visiting the war across the generations, with grannie happy to concede her guga ‘spog’ graves, appears to have left him in reasonably rude health. (claw) to the grandchild seated in the high chair - once she’s sucked the I suspect his family bagpipes haven’t been cleaned since they fl esh off it, of course. No need for a dummy or bottle to keep baby quiet saw service sometime during the last war. Although he certainly on these occasions. gives the bagpipes a fair blow when he is playing, maybe he doesn’t Each plate will have at least one ceathramh (quarter), with some folk suck up any contaminated air from the bag during those crucial, preferring the chunkier breast while others opt for a guga leg - happily potentially hazardous, moments when he briefl y pauses for breathe gnawing on it for several minutes once it has been, quite literally, in mid tune. ‘stripped to the bone’. Having mastered his breathing to such a high level, MacLean Conversation is not restricted to the fi ner qualities of the meat. Even of Knockaird should consider sharing his gift with us all and off er for seasoned Nisich who have seen out many a winter, the craiceann Bagpipe Aerobics classes at spòrsnis. can be challenging and the source of much debate. Some guga skins can be quite delicate and juicy, while others could be mistaken for something stripped from an old rubber dingy. However, if you still have most of your own teeth, both can prove equally delicious. Copious amounts of ice-cold fresh milk will, of course, help with any necessary lubrication to help it go down the right way even during the most testing of times. Do you care for someone who has Dementia? To the uninitiated, guga agus buntata might on the surface appear to be a simple dish of salted meat and spuds. But to many Nisich, the meal Are you living with Dementia is an amalgam of earthy fl avours and unique textures that merge to Would you like the chance to meet and get information and support.... reveal a gastronomic symphony of fl avours that delights the palate and then why not come along to meet us for a cuppa and a chat? elevates this culinary experience to near spiritual levels. With all due reverence for the meal, the family will chat happily about VENUE DATE TIME the merits of the year’s potato harvest and whether the croft grown Clan MacQuarrie Centre Fri 30 September 1.30 - 3pm Kerr’s Pink or Roosters better complements the guga than the Black Isle “ “ “ Fri 4 November 1.30 - 3pm varieties available at Willie’s shop that were especially imported for the occasion. “ “ “ Fri 2 December 1.30 - 3pm In some families, the old bodach sitting down to his meal will be resolute in claiming there was a lot less stubble on the guga back in Urras Oighreachd Ghabsainn Fri 18 November Drop in anytime the days when earlier generations of guga hunters like Gashan and “ “ “ Fri 16 December between Murchadh Mhurdaigh went to Sulasgeir. The clear suggestion being 10am - 2pm that ‘quality control’ has slipped since the old timers vacated their “ “ “ Fri 20 Jan 2017 places on the Sulasgeir crew to a newer generation. For newly recruited For information, please contact Marion MacInnes (Service Manager), guga hunters who are yet to have their fi rst proper shave, their lack of Alzheimer Scotland Lewis & Harris Resource Centre, 18 Bells Road, Stornoway. 01851 702123 or email: [email protected] 8 Friday 30 September 2016 fios

Teen Weekend by Catriona MacKay Turas Chun na Gearrannan do dheugairean Thaigh Dhonnchaidh Lisa’s column Fhuair còignear dheugairean ath sgìre Nis an cothrom oidhche a cheathamh ann an taigh tugha sna Gearnnan, an Carlabhaigh tro Taigh by Lisa Maclean Dhonnchaidh agus Fèisean nan Gàidheal eadar an 9mh agus 10mh là den Commercial Manager, UOG an t-Sultain. As dèidh na sgoile Dihaoine choinnicheadhRoxanna, Anna, Norman, John e are delighted to be working with the Scottish Crofting Angus agus Katie ri Shona NicMhaoilein bho Fèisean nan Gàidheal agus Federation to support delivery of a series of training courses. Catrìona NicAoidh a bhiodh a’ fuireach còmhla ruithe an oidhche sin, agus WOur fi rst Access to Crofting Course will run in early November rinn iad orra a Charlabhagh. at the UOG Business Centre. This course has fi lled up very quickly and Cha mhòr gun there are now only a couple of spaces left. d’ fhuaireadh We will be promoting a series of practical skills courses and the fi rst cothrom of these will be held at the end of October. A Dry Stone Walling and cupan teatha Dry Stone Skills course will be held across two days (Friday 28th and a ghabhail Saturday 29th October) and this course will provide those in attendance nuair a with background knowledge and information on dry stone walling, ràinigeadh before demonstration and then hands on construction of a “double” dry a- steach stone wall. UOG have run similar courses before, previous courses were don taigh very heavily subsidised allowing for a very small delegate contribution. mus teach This course is also subsidised, but not to the same extent and the iad an sàs an funding does not allow for further discount to be applied. We realise uairsin ann an this may be disappointing, but at £40 per day these courses are still very ionnsachadh good value. If there is not demand and the minimum participants are òrain luaidh not achieved, then the course will not run. If you are interested, then bho Màiri please contact Donna to discuss and book your place Email: training@ NicLeòid. crofting.org Tel: 01343 209384 Mar a lean We have once again embarked on the successful HIE ScotGrad an oidhche air adhart thòisich nadeugairean ag obair còmhla mar graduate placement bhuaidhean. Fo stìuiradh Mhàiri agus Chatrìonadh’ionnsaicheadh puirt programme. Fiona air a’ phìob, agus air a’ mhàileoidean agus dh’obraich iad air an cuir Rennie commenced a 9 còmhladh, an sgeadachadh le taic bho Goitar agus drummaichean, deiseal month placement with airson luchd- èisteachd an ath latha. the Urras on Monday Chaidh toileachas mòr a dhèanamh ri Màiri Duff agus Annette Hire a 26th September. Fiona thàinig le biadh à 40 North agus Stramash, a’ chumaidh a cheòl agus an is a recent graduate, ionnsachaidh a’ dol gu a thìde ann a dhol innte. having obtained a fi rst An ath mhadainn cha deach mòran ithe den bhracaist a bha Shona agus class Honours degree Catriona air ullachadh agus biadh na h-oidhche roimhe fhathast dhan in Photography from cumail làn! Mar sin cha robh càil air a shon ach feuchainn air na puirt sna Napier University, h-òrainn aon uair eile mus ro thìde ann sgioblachadh, agus falbh as an Edinburgh. She will be taigh tugha. As dèidh cothrom air taigh tasgaidh naGearrannan rinn iad working on a project air adhart orra air adhart chun Broch, far an robh Shona air a dòigh ag which will aim to innse mun eachdraidh, agus an uairsin gu tursachan Chalanais far an robh celebrate and capture an tilleadh biadh ri fhaighinn. the contemporary face Thàinig an deireadh sheachdain gu crìch ann an Caisteal Steòrnabhagh. As of the communities dèidh cuairt bheag mun Taigh Tasgaidh an sin, bha an àm ann an sgilean of the estate area, ùr a thaisbeanadh air beulaibh luchd-èisteachd sa Chaisteal, agus abair in the run up to the gun chord e ruithe. Chord a chùis ris a h-uile duine a bha na luib agus tha 10th anniversary of fadachd mhòr air gach duine gum faighear ann a-rithist! Urras Oighreachd Youngsters from Ness experienced a night in the Gearanan Blackhouses Ghabhsainn. The courtesy of Taigh Dhonnchaidh and Fèisean nan Gàidheal on the 9th and project will focus on 10th of September. portrait photography and interviews in both After being picked up from School on Friday afternoon, the teenagers Gaelic and/or English Fiona Rennie headed straight to Carloway for a night of intense learning with the and it is hoped this help of Màiri Macleod, Catrìona Mackay, and Shona MacMillan from will result in an exhibition and other legacy items, which will be of Fèisean na Gàidheal. signifi cant historical value and will encapsulate and give a fl avour of the After learning new songs, tunes and arrangements on pipes, melodeon, communities of the estate. guitar and percussion, the arrival of Annette and Mary was greatly Our community survey continues and if you have not yet completed welcomed, especially as they had food from 40 North and Stramash yours please do so and return to one of the collection points around the with them! After a well earned rest and refuel, it was straight back to estate of complete it online. The link can be found on the survey or you learning the tunes, learning how to play as a group and polishing things can contact the offi ce. We are requesting that surveys are returned by off , ready for the performance the next day. Friday 30th September. The next morning, after too big a breakfast from Shona and Catriona, the fi nishing touches were added to the set before it was time to leave the black house and begin the historical tour which included the Croft rent notices will be sent out in October and information on the Gearrannan Blackhouse Museum, the Carloway Broch, the Callanish Annual General Meeting will soon be sent out also. Please keep an eye Standing Stones and fi nally Museum nan Eilean. The day was fi nished out for this information and for details of our special guest speaker for off with a well executed performance from Roxanna, Anna, Norman, the event. John Angus and Katie to an appreciative audience and proud tutors. For more information on our events or any other points, please visit Everyone involved had a great time, and are looking forward to the next www.galsontrust.com, follow us on Facebook or call the offi ce on 01851 one. 850393 / email: offi [email protected] serving the community Friday 30 September 2016 9

Breeding birds in Ness, 2016 by Vicky Anderson, RSPB As we start autumn, I thought that this week I would give you a summary of the breeding bird work I undertook this summer. The biggest chunk of this was the 2016 Corncrake Survey, as I cover the whole of Lewis, not just Ness. I was expecting this year to be very disappointing from a corncrake perspective. Weather wise, the previous year was dreadful, and from the day they arrived to the day they left, our corncrakes put up with wet, windy and cold weather with just a handful of sunny days. I struggled to see how birds would be able to protect eggs and young chicks under those conditions. I fully expected numbers to be very low this year compared to last, however, I am delighted to report that across Lewis we had one hundred and four calling/ singing males. In 2015 we had one hundred and two, so a (very small) increase. The survey “rules” are quite strict and I am only allowed to report on birds that are heard calling on the two offi cial survey nights. This means that very rarely do I pick up every single calling male across the whole island. Corncrake territories, 2016 For example, this year I know of at least eight more birds that called regularly from the same in Siader, one in Siabost and one on Point). If Other spot but I did not hear them on the survey you fi nd the male song a bit annoying, have a breeding nights. So, the unoffi cial total is in fact one listen to the female, it sounds like a bird very birds of hundred and twelve. much in distress. There is a website called note at In Ness the total number of birds was xeno-canto which includes bird calls and song Stiapabhat twenty two, a decrease from twenty eight in from all around the world. To listen use this this year 2015. There was an additional bird at Loch link: http://www.xeno-canto.org. (Use “corn included Stiapabhat which was sadly “nobbled” by a crake” in the search engine) a pair of predator before my fi rst survey. Top of my Moving on I will now give you a brief moorhen list of culprits is a large black cat seen several summary of birds at Loch Stiapabhat during who times on the reserve around that time. 2016. This is an important area for breeding produced There were one or two interesting records waders and in 2016, fi ve pairs of Lapwing, two young in Ness during 2016. Special mention must go fi fteen pairs of Redshank, two pairs of Snipe and four to a bird heard in South Dell, the fi rst for many and a pair of Oystercatchers were recorded. Sedge a year. The strangest record was one heard The snipe number is undoubtedly an warbler consistently at Habost amenity site which is undercount. I should maybe have spent a lot territories. not the kind of habitat I would immediately more time sitting in the hide at dawn or dusk Sadly, there Sedge warbler associate with corncrake. I think a lot of tall looking for the very distinctive “drumming” were no Photo: RSPB vegetation has developed from all the garden males. I also monitored the breeding waders breeding and green waste that is deposited there. For on the wet grassland on the Fivepenny mute swans at Stiapabhat this year. Finally, details of all the locations of all the territories machair this year, and three pairs of lapwing you will see from the corncrake map above, of the birds, please refer to the map, above bred here, along with a pair of Oystercatchers. there were two corncrake males calling on right. The diff erent symbols represent: There was also a very late fourth plus a late the reserve this year, a decrease from previous pair of Redshank but I think these were years, the reserve usually supports at least Circles (blue) Survey results from visit 1 all Stiapabhat birds on a second breeding four. attempt. Diamonds (green) Survey results from visit 2

Crosses (red) Male territories (calculated using survey results from visits 1 and 2) Planning Applications Square (purple) Incidental (outside survey) Application Reference (Type) 16/00457/PPD (Planning Permission (Detailed)) record. UPRN 000139009086 Applicant Name & Address Ms Joan M Graham, 22 Lower Barvas, Isle Of Lewis, HS2 Other totals from the Westside include eight 0QR males in Siader, plus another unoffi cial one; Location of Development 11B Habost, Ness, Isle Of Lewis, HS2 0TG a single male in Borve, (a fi rst for me since I Description of Proposal Change of use from a residential dwelling to a domestic have been here); thirteen males in Barvas (the storage building highest I have known in Barvas) and twenty- ancillary to 11A Habost two males in Bragar and Siabost. Female Date Application Valid 16/09/2016 corncrakes’ do sometimes call/sing, but I am Map Reference Easting - 151964 : Northing told it is very rare. So, I was delighted to record Earliest date for determination 13/10/2016 three singing females this year on Lewis. (one 10 Friday 30 September 2016 fios

Sulasgeir diary 2016 by Murdo John ‘Dods’ MacFarlane (Part 2)

The processed and salted gugas are stacked in preparation for departure

SATURDAY burning outside, one for the guga aboard the Heather Isle. The birds at the dance, what a lot of fun we would have! Another sunny warm windless and the other for the tatties. At service would take place in our day, as we pluck the remaining four o’clock guga was served – chapel and our preacher Scott At 9pm I tried to speak to Radio birds before breakfast. I decide delicious! would perform the wedding Knockaird but there was no to kill over 300 birds on Palla Tigh ceremony. I was to be the elder, response. After a few minutes I that will take us to our quota of During the day it came to our with Alexander the precentor, tried Kenny and got him right 2,000 gugas. The reason for killing attention that a certain Donald Shaun best man, Tam and Baby away. We got all the news from them is that it takes 4 hours for Scott might be getting married on ushers. Jack and Steven would be him, but no Bodach. Kenny could them to cool down so we can some warm exotic Island, and all page boys and Angus [Spam]the not hear anything from him so he pluck them. their family would be fl ying out. bouncer. Big problem, Donald Scott does decided to go and see what was wrong, as Murdo was with him After putting the fi rst lot through not like fl ying! I suggested that On leaving the chapel, the happy and I needed to speak to him. the factory we pluck more birds he could solve this, by booking couple would walk through an and process them, which leaves Sulasgeir as their wedding venue, arch of our killing gear - 2 rods, 2 At 9.10pm, I heard him calling 170 birds to be done on Monday. and before I knew it we had the batons and 4 knives. The confetti me. When I asked him what was When we fi nish we have a bbq whole event sorted out! would be feathers. Following that wrong he said that his radio was of fresh guga which we had the reception would be outside, dead and nothing he did could marinated in diff erent sauces All of us had a job. Donald Scott and the cake would be a duff . The get it to work; plug on yes, but no the day before; what a feed we would be with us on the island dance would be on the helipad use. When Bobby Ruadh checked had. to await the arrival of the bride on top of the island with the Ness on the Seatreck, with the guests melodeon band playing; lots of the pluck it was switched on, When I spoke to Radio Knockaird, there was no news from home. Kenny Murray spoke to me and he says that the forecast for next week was not good and the best day was Monday with a NW light wind in the morning, veering SW in the afternoon and getting stronger; I would speak to Murdo Murray tomorrow night and a decision would be made.

SUNDAY Another great day, warm and sunny. After breakfast I had a shave and as they say’ chilled out’. Went for a walk round the island and then washed my feet in the rock pool, which was very refreshing. Guga for dinner and I have to cook it. Got two fi res Making a brew serving the community Friday 30 September 2016 11 but it was the wrong plug. Murdo confi rmed the forecast and says if we don`t come off tomorrow we will be stuck till the end of the week. We agree, and now need to process 170 birds fi rst thing in, so we are ready for the Heather Isles arrival at 2pm. After the bible it’s off to bed at 10 pm.

MONDAY We are up at 5am, all complaining at not getting much sleep due to the storm petrels. I was up at 3am, and when I put the light on four of them were scurrying on the fl oor and I could hear more feeding their young and making a racket; all 6 adults were in the bothy this morning. Went to have a look at the geo, the wind is from the north,and I am not too pleased to see a bit of a swell, but the geo looked fi ne.

The fi rst thing we do is get all our gear packed and down to the leaving area. When it gets light we start plucking, everyone works Veteran Guga Hunter Murdo ‘Baby’ Morrison, right, giving advice to fi rst-timer, his son Steven very hard and by midday we have all the birds salted. I speak run, [bha thu mad]. Together with As we got into the wee boat, to Calum on the Heather Isle and Tam and Steven in the boat, we Shaun came aboard the Heather the sea was very bad, and after he is 2 hrs away. The wind is now get all our gear aboard, and then Isle, and I went ashore. As the day hauling and securing it on the SW and getting stronger, we start start loading the gugas. As the progressed, the sea in the geo got Heather Isle, Murdo headed for putting our gear down to the second load is leaving the landing worse;I was just hoping we could Ness punching into a SW gale. bottom of the cliff . area I hear shouting and laughter. fi nish, at 4.45pm. The last load of It was 5pm. The sea was so bad When I looked I saw the boat gugas went out, and the sea was that we could only do just over 4 At 2pm the boat appears, and we heading back to the landing, and very bad by now. The boys in the knots, half the normal speed. The launch our wee boat. The geo is Shaun clambering out of the sea, boat had a bad time, but made a Heather Isle and her crew took it just workable as we start loading. nobody helping him as everyone great job.Those of us ashore took in their stride. Just another day at I go aboard the Heather Isle to was laughing their heads off ! The the chutes apart and pulled them the offi ce for them. stack the gugas with a lot of help rock wasvery slippery as it was up to the top to be stored in a safe from the crew and Calum [Glen] raining, and all it takes is one slip. place until next year. Everyone found somewhere to Maclean who came out for the lie down, some of us better than others. I felt terrible, and as I lay on the galley fl oor I heard Calum talking to Kenny don on the vhf. I thought we would be in Port about 11pm, only to hear that it would be 1am before we reached.

Obh obh, it was only 9pm, another 4hrs of misery. At 12.30am we got into the lee of the land, and a bit of shelter. What a relief, and what a crossing. I was never so happy to land on solid ground. After dropping us of at Port Murdo headed for Stornoway and reached at 5am, 24 hrs since they left.

With only nine of us and two of these being new boys I thought we would struggle, but struggle we did not. From day one everyone worked their socks off , and am pleased to say the crew were as good as any I have worked with on Sulasgeir. Safely home and off -loading in Stornoway 12 Friday 30 September 2016 fios

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ADVERTISING

For small ads and notices, please contact Fios at: CARTHANNAS NIS 01851 810039 fi [email protected] Selection of bric-a-brac, books, furniture and good quality clothes always on sale NESS CHARITY SHOP Next to Cross Stores &URVV6WRUHV Tel 01851 810 863 during shop hours open Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 4pm ȴȭʑʠʖQɒʑɃʑʢ\ʃʕʖQɒORFɪɗ %XWFKHU‡*UHHQJURFHU‡3URYLVLRQV‡/LTXRU‡+DUGZDUH +RPHRIWKHUHQRZQHGHome of the renowned SELF-SERVICE LAUNDRETTE ‘Marag Dhubh Nis’ ‘Marag Dhubh Nis’ 9AM - 9PM ¶0DUDJ'XEK1LV·(Ness Black Pudding) 1HVV%ODFN3XGGLQJ  MONDAY TO SATURDAY COIN OPERATED WASHERS AND DRYERS 1HVV%HHI/LQNV YDULRXVKDQGPDGHNess Beef Link & various hand-made [£1 AND 20P COINS] VOLFHGSRUN EHHIVDXVDJHVsliced pork & beef sausages Check&KHFNRXWRXUIUHVKO\VWRFNHG  out our fresh produce and deli counter, HYHULPSURYLQJIUHVKSURGXFH RXUGHOLcomplete with locally-made quiche, pies, FRXQWHU«EXVWOLQJZLWKORFDOO\PDGHTXLFKH sausageSLHVVDXVDJHUROOVDQGHYHQLQJPHDOV rolls and evening meals, ready to UHDG\WRKHDWDQGVHUYHheat and serve &URVV6NLJHUVWD5RDG,VOHRI/HZLV+67' 3KRQH FREE DELIVERY THROUGHOUT THE AREA CARTHANNAS NIS is a registered Scottish charity SCO37828 serving the community Friday 30 September 2016 13

All sales take place at the Auction Mart, Steinish, Stornoway, telephone Crofting Roundup 01851 706974 Bookings can be made online at www.lewisandharrisauctionmart.co.uk Livestock Sales

STORNOWAY, Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd., (September, 14 th) sold 3,829 sheep. Store lambs (3,020) averaged £40 (+ £2.48 on the year) Sheep Dip – manufacturers advice and sold to £74 gross for a pen of Cheviots from 1B Lower Sandwick, Stornoway. Other leading prices per head: Lambs: Suff X – 16 Upper The following advice has been brought to our attention via the website Barvas, Isle of Lewis, £54. Gimmers: Chev – Dell Farm, Ness. Cross – 24B of the National Offi ce for Animal Health, www.noahcompendium.com Lionel, Ness, £62. Feeding sheep: Chev ewe –Dell Farm, £67; CHM ewe – 13 Cross Skigersta Road, Ness, £70. OSMOND’S GOLD FLEECE SHEEP DIP (and all organophosphorus sheep dips) DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (September, 20th) sold Advice and warnings from the manufacturers: 1,156 prime sheep Lewis livestock producers prime and feeding sheep: Tex ram – 16 Lower Care should be taken to ensure that the sheep do not swallow or inhale Shader, Isle of Lewis, £88; Chev ewe – 16 Lower Shader, £78; Chev ram – any wash. 9 Fivepenny, Borve, £68; Cross ewe – 23 Upper Shader, Isle of Lewis, £62; As this is an organophosphorus sheep dip, an interval of at least 14 BF ewe – 5 Lower Shader, Isle of Lewis, £57; BF ram – 5 Lower Shader, days should elapse between dipping and dosing with any drench, etc. £56; Mule ewe – 14 Lower Shader, Isle of Lewis, £52; Suff X gmr – 23 containing levamisole or an organophosphorus compound. A fatal Upper Shader, £51. interaction could occur if the animal has swallowed some of the dip, while also having been dosed with an organophosphorus product. DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (September, 22 nd) sold

727 lambs from Lewis Livestock Producers. Norbrook Laboratories give the same advice/warning for using sheep Lewis Livestock Producers lambs (727) averaged £36.37 and sold to drenches containing Levamisole: £57.50 gross for a Suff olk cross from 30 South Galson, Isle of Lewis.

Other leading prices per head Lambs: Cross – 12 Upper Shader, Isle of “Animals must not be treated within a period of 14 days before or after Lewis, £56.60, 28 Lower Shader & 14 Lower Shader, Isle of Lewis, £51; treatment with organophosphorus compounds.” Chev – 38 South Dell, Point, £56, 7 Ballantrushal, Isle of Lewis, £51, 33

South Galson, Isle of Lewis, £46.50; TexX – 25 South Galson, Isle of Lewis, Drenches that contain levamisole include these popular drenches: £53, 16 Lower Shader, Barvas, £52, 39 Lower Shader, Barvas, £51.50; COMBINEX; Levafas, Levafas Diamond and Levitape. CharX – 28 Lower Shader, £48; BF - 8 lower Shader, Point, £47.50, 4

Melbost, Borve, £46, 31 Lower Shader, Barvas, £45.50 And all the Group 2 (2-LV) – Clear yellow drenches - e.g. Chanaverm, Levacide etc contain levamisole.

Polycrofting

Growing crops at the North West tip of Lewis can undoubtedly be challenging. Polytunnels provide a sheltered and warm environment to produce a range of diff erent fruit and vegetable crops. However, as a number of aluminium ‘skeleton’ bear testament too – they don’t always hold up to the gales we can experience, and not just in the winter months.

The last consignment of sheep and lambs leaving Eoropie last Monday

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (September, 27th) sold 675 prime sheep Lewis livestock producers prime & feeding sheep: Suff X ewe – 107 Cross Skigersta Road, Isle of Lewis, £78; Chev ram – 31 Lionel, Ness, £74; Chev ewe – 22 Fivepenny, Isle of Lewis, £63; TexX ewe – Clashstein, Ness, £55; Cross ewe – 143 Cross Skigersta Road, Swainbost, £54; BF ewe – 11 Skigersta Road, Ness, £52; BF ram – Swainbost Farm, Ness, £50. The new polycrub, recently erecte d by Donnie Angaidh MacDonald in Adabrock

Future Sale Dates, 2016 – Lewis and Harris Auction Mart Now though, there is a new option – the polycrub, which was designed and developed by Nortenergy who are based on Shetland. The frame Monday 3 October from 12pm, Breeding Rams is built from recycled salmon pipe of which several kilometres have Tuesday 11October from 10am, Calves and Cattle (note this has been already been diverted from landfi ll to date. The cover is made from rearranged from 4 October due to the incident with the MV Hebrides at twin-wall polycarbonate, and although not cheap, is extremely durable, the weekend which aff ected their own cattle sale) with a long lifespan. They come in 3m and 4m widths, although the Thursday 13 October from 9.30am, all Sheep and Lamb Classes 3m version is not sold outside of Shetland; lengths range from 13’11” including Cast Rams, booking closes 6 October to 41’8” (4.20M to 12.71M). More information on the polycrub can be Wedsnesday 16 November from 10am, Prime and Store Cattle and found at www.nortenergy .co.uk. Sheep, Christmas Show and Sale, booking closes 9 November 14 Friday 30 September 2016 fios

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Full oil heating installs, boiler replacements, Limited fully funded places available for under 25s, sponsored by level access showers, bathroom refurbishments the MacRobert Trust, please ask for availability before booking For further information or to book a place contact: including all ceramic tiling. Donna on [email protected] or 01343 209384 Always for sale 20 litre drums spirit based fence and fl oor paints. Tel 07901957427 / 01851810767 serving the community Friday 30 September 2016 15

and hearer alike, ‘seed for the sower and bread for the eater’. The seed of the gospel was being planted in the preaching and then watered refl ections in the prayers of God’s people in the district. Sinners’ hearts were being ploughed up and harrowed under the solemn realities of the Divine law and the ground prepared by the Holy Spirit then became receptive to the gospel of the grace of God. And fruit followed. There by Rev. Allan MacColl were crops of converts raised up in successive generations so that hardly any family in the district did not contain at least one Christian at some point. Their lives clearly and consistently testifi ed of the reality of the grace of God and the love of Christ. It was because of godly minister, the late Rev. Kenneth Macrae of Stornoway, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit – like showers of rain upon the was preaching at the communion season in Ness in mown grass - that the Church of God was being enlarged and built AOctober 1927 and on his return journey made the following up. This encouraged both God’s people and His ministers when they observation about the harvested crofts he could see: saw new believers publicly acknowledging Christ as their Saviour. ‘The long stretches of yellow corn stooks, sometimes as far as the What do we see today? In Psalm 107 the Psalmist states that the eye could reach – for the afternoon was hazy – looked exceedingly Lord in judgement turns ‘fat lands to barrenness for sins of those pretty in the subdued sunlight, while beyond, the Atlantic heaved who dwell therein.’ And in the prophecy of Amos we read of ‘a famine with an unrippled oil-like surface which refl ected back the sun’s rays in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of the like a vast mirror.’ hearing the words of the Lord.’ That is what has come upon us in this The idea of harvesting corn on our crofts would seem strange to generation. The Holy Spirit has been grieved away from the Church most of us today and especially so late in the season. The weather to a large degree and the infl uence of the gospel on the community we normally get at this time of year would seem to make that gets weaker and weaker. It seems that, in general, the more we impossible nowadays even if we had to harvest crops the way our have of material plenty the more spiritually impoverished we are industrious forebears did. But we are just as reliant on the harvest becoming as a people. today for our daily bread. We depend on favourable weather in other Someone said that although Christ appears to be leaving Scotland places in order that we will continue to enjoy the plenty we have yet He is looking behind Him to see whether any will plead with Him become accustomed to. Yet, do we recognise our dependence on to remain with us. The Lord has still left the preaching of the Word the Lord to provide a harvest for us and are we as thankful to Him as and the remembrance of the death of Christ among us in the form we ought to be? Perhaps one reason the weather at harvest time is of communion seasons. Will we make good use of these precious often so unfavourable is that we do not pray for good weather the opportunities? Will we earnestly pray for His presence to be in the way past generations did. solemn services of His house so that we would get a blessing? While In 1941 Kenneth Macrae met someone who had been converted only God’s believing people can remember the death of the Saviour when he preached at that communion fourteen years previously. In at His table, yet the gospel is for all who will come. There is no need his diary he commented, for any to go famished when Christ is able to meet all our needs for ‘Heard tonight of a young woman – now the wife of a deacon in time and eternity, ‘For He the soul that longing is doth fully satisfy, Habost – who was blessed when I preached at Lionel on the Sabbath with goodness He the hungry soul doth fi ll abundantly.’ night of the Communion in October 1927. That was a service I shall There will be one fi nal harvest at the end of the world when Christ never forget. I was sure that something was done then. Here is the will send His angels to reap the earth, to gather His people from evidence – after many days.’ north, south, east and west. Will you be among the tares or the The communion season then was a spiritual harvest for preacher wheat on that day?

Happy Ness Club Events

Wed 5 Oct: Lunch at Doune Braes Hotel Restaurant, Westside, 1pm. Wed 19 Oct: Lunch at Woodlands Centre, Stornoway, 1pm, followed by visit to Stornoway Museum. Wed 9 Nov: Lunch at Shawbost Comunn Eachdraidh, 1pm. Wed 23 Nov: Tea at spòrsnis, 2.30pm. Guest Speaker Wed. 7 Dec: Christmas Lunch, 1pm, Borve Hotel.

Services at St Moluag’s

AS WINTER APPROACHES, there will be no more services at St Moluag’s until April 2017.

Reverend Terry Taggart, the minister responsible for the Episcopal chapel told Fios that there will however be a Christmas service, as is usual, and the date and more details will be advised nearer the time. 16 Friday 30 September 2016 fios

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First Registration of Crofts The following have registered their crofts on the Crofting Register held by the Registers of Scotland. Croft & Parish Croft Name of Applicant Registration Number 16 Galson, Barvas C2770 Mr John A. Gillies 17 Galson, Barvas C2771 Mr Angus MacKay 18 Galson, Barvas C2772 Mrs Louise M. Reeves 19 Galson, Barvas C2773 Mr Donald M MacKay 20 Galson, Barvas C2774 Mr John E Dugdale 21 Galson, Barvas C2775 Ms Fiona M McEwan 24 Galson, Barvas C2776 Mr John Campbell 25 Galson, Barvas C2777 Mrs Agnes Rennie 26 Galson, Barvas C2778 Reps of the late Mr Roderick A. MacDonald 1/2 28 Galson, Barvas C2779 Mr Michael F Snell 1/2 28 Galson, Barvas C2780 Mr Donald A. MacKay 29 Galson, Barvas C2781 Miss Mairi McIntosh 30 Galson, Barvas C2782 Mr Mungo W McTaggart 31 Galson, Barvas C2783 Mr Neil N MacDonald 32 Galson, Barvas C2784 Mr Iain M Macleod 33 Galson, Barvas C2785 Mr Angus Thomson 34 Galson, Barvas C2786 Mr Alasdair M Russell 35 Galson, Barvas C2787 Mrs Susan McTaggart 36 Galson, Barvas C2788 Mr Murdo M MacLeod 37 Galson, Barvas C2789 Ms Morag J Skinner 38 Galson, Barvas C2790 Mr David F G Roberts 40 Galson, Barvas C2791 Mrs Mary Burgerhout 41 Galson, Barvas C2792 Mr John M Walkinshaw 42 Galson, Barvas C2793 Mr Roderick Morrison 43 Galson, Barvas C2794 Mrs Hazel W Roberts 44 Galson, Barvas C2795 Mr Kenneth D Finlayson 45 Galson, Barvas C2796 Mr Malcolm S Murray 47 Galson, Barvas C2797 Mr Malcolm MacLeod 47B Galson, Barvas C2798 Mrs Sally S Reynolds 48 Galson, Barvas C2799 Reps of the late Miss Marion C MacDonald 49 Galson, Barvas C2800 Mr Malcolm S Murray 50 Galson, Barvas C2801 Mr Malcolm S Murray 51 Galson, Barvas C2802 Mr Murdo MacLeod 52 Galson, Barvas C2803 Mr Iain S Glennie Any person who wishes to challenge the registration may apply to the Scottish Land Court by 03 June 2017. Details of the registration can be found at www.crofts.ros.gov.uk/register/home. 18 Friday 30 September 2016 fios Sporting Viewpoint by Alastair Dunlop ad news from British cycling with the revelations that Bradley Blackhouse’ novel by Peter May about pupils climbing up on to the Wiggins had received steroid injections before winning major roof, and I well remember doing this in the company of a colleague Btours. I have watched the interviews with Wiggins and his team who is now a Free Church minister. I had a room with an excellent manager Sir David Brailsford and the least that can be said is that view overlooking the harbour. But, unfortunately, as they are still it does not look good. When I was young I had frequent asthmatic working upstairs at the Castle, visitors are barred from here. In the attacks and, while they are much less frequent now, I always carry late seventies I remember playing football with the boys in the newly an inhaler. In fact, although I very rarely have a problem I always made college car park. use an inhaler before I compete, but I am aware this is as much a I noticed an obituary in the Herald of a person I knew for a very habit rather than a need. For years at international competitions, short time in the early 1970s. His name was Alan Cousin, who especially, I used to carry a letter from my doctor justifying the had been a professional footballer and also afterwards a deputy usage of an inhaler before races, but it was never questioned. I am headteacher. He was in charge of Falkirk’s reserve team when he no doctor, but steroid injections to ease asthma and particularly the asked me for two trial games - fi rstly at East Fife and the next week timing of the injections certainly raises questions for the Sky cycling at home against Aberdeen, where I played directly against Stewart team to answer, especially given their aggressive anti- doping stance. Kennedy, a full back who went on to play for Scotland. I was fast, but Can you imagine the British reaction if a top Russian cyclist had been not cut out for the professional game, being too ‘soft’. I remember involved? On a personal level, I feel disappointed and let down and a dignifi ed gentleman and, while I did not make the grade, I was any faith in this ‘clean’ team has gone. Another side issue of this story grateful for the chance, particularly as it gave me Brownie points - as one commentator has stated because of the numbers of top amongst my peers. It was at the latter game I think Sir Alex Ferguson athletes claiming to be asthmatic - is that asthma seems nowadays was in our team, but strangely as I get older I am more doubtful this to be a prerequisite for success. was true. Allow me to discuss two ‘historical’ events highlighted last week. I did not compete in the Inverness 10k, but my colleague in Firstly, I had my fi rst visit to the museum at the Lews Castle, which Sporsnis did and she had an excellent time. I have been selected allowed me to look around the place where I lived for my fi rst three again for the Scottish Masters cross country team competing at years in Lewis when, as a young teacher, I received free board and Tollcross Park, Glasgow in November against the other home accommodation in return for supervising Castle school boarders nations. So I better get some decent practice in. - most of whom were from Ness, such as ‘Murchadh Beag’, Gordon Inverness 10k: Lorna Thomson - 47 mins 43 seconds. Gillies, BJ Morrison, among others. Looking around the ballroom where we used to play badminton, and especially in the dining room, brought back many memories. There is an episode in ‘The

Raising money for MND VSzUVQLV Bowling league The league will begin the week beginning Monday 24th Oct. We are inviting teams to enter with preferably four players ( but 3 will do ) playing once a week at a time of their choosing but it is also an option to play two games every fortnight, as long as the teams have completed their fi xtures by Christmas. Note - the Gibraltar Nat West Island Games are less than three years away and here is your chance to represent the Western Isles.

Football For older and less skilful, will start again on wed 19th October, on Wednesdays 8-9.00pm which gives plenty time to get your excuses in. We will be happy with 4 a side.

Mon 6-7pm Kid’s Club 7-9pm Ishin Ryu Tues 5.45-6.45pm Athletics (at least 7yr) 6.45-8pm Circuits with Janice

Wed 6-7pm Badminton The Westside runners 7-9pm Ishin Ryu

FOUR RUNNERS FROM WESTSIDE runners took part in the worlds largest Thu 5-6pm Gymnastics running event with over 57,000 entered, Alan Morrison, Gerry Connelly, Caroline MacDonald and Emma MacLeod. Gerry commented that the course is 6.45-7.45pm Ladies Fitness fairly nondescript but what made it special was the encouragement received 8-9pm Football (invited) from spectators all along the 13.1 mile route. Westside runners and fi tness club Fri 3.30-4.30pm Football P1-3 have raised over £3,000 for Motor Neurone Disease. 5-6pm Football P4-7 For above Friday kids football, parents can decide which age group suits Sat 10am-12pm Kids Club 7.30-9.30pm P7+ 7.30-9.30pm Youth Club serving the community Friday 30 September 2016 19

Community Diary FOR SALE FULL SIZE TABLE TENNIS ELECTRIC STOVE with Mon 3 Oct Breeding Ram Sale, Stornoway Auction Mart TABLE folded and on log eff ect fl ame, remote trolley off ered to Ness control, as new, hardly Wed 5 Oct Happy Ness Club, Lunch at Doune Braes, 1pm, see page 9 Charity Shop but presently used, £150 ono, t. 706385 Fri 28 Oct Drystone Walling Course starts, UOG, see advert on page 14 being stored. Call Iain or 710584. Fri 4 Nov Access to Crofting Toolkit, Day 1, see advert on page 15 Macsween 810696 for FOLDING CIRCULAR Fri 4 Nov Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn AGM. Speaker: Andy Wightman MSP more details and to wooden garden table with arrange viewing. two folding chairs, new VOLKSWAGON CADDY condition, never used,£30 Van, Diesel, SDi, 1.9, 2001, ono, t. 706385 or 710584. 5 months MOT, £500. t. 5 DOOR, Automatic S/ 840461 Grey, 1.4cc, 72,800 miles, HONEY PINE DOUBLE BED MOT till 31 Jan 2017, with superior mattress Good runner, £350, t. all as new – asking £190, 07554597660 (mattress originally cost To publicise your events in the Community Diary, please get £300), t. 706385 or 710584 in touch with fi os at: 01851 810039 or fi os@spòrsnis .co.uk CROFTING FREE Ness Social Club BULLOCK FOR SALE. AA HORSE MANURE available, x Highland, 30 months ready-bagged, Cross old. Tel. 07748746820 or Sat 1st Oct Bingo from 9.30pm in Green Lounge Glebe. Free for collection, Sat 8th Oct Bingo from 9.30pm in Green Lounge 702981. donations for World Horse Sat 15th Oct Bingo from 9.30pm in Green Lounge BOX OF MUTTON, £90. Welfare appreciated. Sat 22nd Oct Bingo from 9.30pm in Green Lounge Call Scott on 0779907695. Fri 28th Oct Halloween Fancy Dress Party with live music from SHREDDED PAPER always Stuart, Sandy and Spanish GEARRA MOR BLACKFACE available, free of charge, Shearling Tups for sale. from Lionel School. Ideal Would all members please note that Membership Fees for 2016 are now due. From £150. Phone for animal bedding, They are £15 ordinary and £5 Pensioners. 0779907695 packaging etc. All Members and Guests welcome. HEIFER FOR SALE, Minibus is available every Saturday evening. Lim X, in calf. Off ers. T. WANTED Please contact the Club on 810421 to arrange pick up. 07879030176 GARAGE OR BARN space to house vintage car, initially ****************** Open The Box SERVICES over the winter period. T. 850783 I am considering setting 17th September 3 Keys and £700 up a dog walking business RENT R. Taylor, Cross, chose key 2 and key 3 opened the box. in the Ness area and I am just wondering how LARGE DETACHED 24th September 9 Keys and £800 much of a demand there HOUSE for rent in Ness. Oil Elena MacIntyre, Knockaird, chose key 4 and key 3 opened the box. is for this service? Could centrally heated, double- anybody that is interested glazed, fully furnished 1st October 8 Keys and £900 in this please contact home. me on shonamor@ Phone 07500240056 for Samaritans hotmail.co.uk, 810844 or viewing and further details 07825664961. Thank you! here 24/7 if you need to talk. THREE BEDROOM, PARTLY Free phone from landline or mobile 116123 FURNISHED HOUSE available to rent in Ness. £350 pcm. Proposed Sublet of a Croft Tel 07979 507097.

Donald John Morrison is applying to the Crofting Commission to sublet the whole croft at 3, Galson, Isle of Lewis to Duncan Maclean of 8B Galson,Isle of Lewis for 9 years. Ballantrushal and Upper

If you consider you have a relevant interest in this application, you Shader may submit comments in writing to the Crofting Commission, Common Grazings Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness, IV3 8NW or e mail [email protected] within 28 days from the date of publication of the advert. There will be a shareholders meeting at 7.30pm on Tuesday 28 October, 2016 in Clan Macquarrie Hall. Please note that any comments you provide are part of an open The purpose of the meeting is to elect a new Grazings process and will be made available to interested parties. Your comments will also be released under a Freedom of Information Committee. enquiry. as na bailtean

fios

SOUTH DELL

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY to Kyle Gibson on the 23rd of September. Kyle is the Grandson of John and Catherine MacLeod at no 24. With love from all the family in Oban, Dell, Eoropie and Glasgow., (see photo).

GRAHAM PARK

CONGRATULATIONS TO Derek Morrison and Angela MacArthur who were married on 12 August 2016 at the APC Church Stornoway, (see photo).

HABOST

MARRIED AT MAR HALL BISHOPTON on 9th Sept, Grant Fairweather and Marion Macleod Helensburgh. Marion is the daughter of Donald ( Domhnall Alasdair na Leadaidh, 34 Eoropie) and Flora Macleod Uist, (see photo).

EOROPIE

OUR BEST WISHES to Tony Hawkett (No 10A) who is currently recovering in hospital following recent surgery. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back at home soon.

FIVEPENNY

BEST WISHES To Kathleen Libby (No 23) as she starts her new job in Laxdale Primary School after two years as the Secretary in Lionel School.

KNOCKAIRD

CONGRATULATIONS TO Sara and Andrew Maclean (No. 9B) on the birth of their second son Lucas. Lucas was born on 11 September weighing 8lbs 2oz, a new baby brother for David Joshua, fourth grandson for Top: Derek and Angeal Mary Ann and Calum (Calum Morrison, see Graham Park Mhurchaidh Dholaidh) and Above: Grant and Marion second grandson for Iain and Fairweather, see Habost Annie, Bragar., (see photo). Far left: Lucas MacLean, see Knockaird Left: Kyle Gibson, see South Dell

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