WALKS IN EAST KINTYRE THE A83 VERSUS THE B.........

842
We always enjoy taking our visitors up the east coast from Campbel- On Friday 16th April the ‘Campbeltown Courier’ carried a report of a
THE ISSUE 212 JUNE 2010

town. Often they have driven down the Atlantic coast so the contrast is
striking. Our first stop is Saddell where we visit the ancient remains of
the abbey and the stones, before a walk down and along the beach to
look at the castle and house in Saddell Bay. The rich history over a
breadth of centuries is always a surprise to our guests.
We then continue north past Ifferdale and Torrisdale, up and down
and round the route of the Kintyre Way till we reach the village of
Carradale. Although there are forest walks to take, it is once more the
beach that calls. Recently, instead of walking along the sands to be
able to look back at Carradale House, we were lured seawards by the
signpost marked Vitrified Fort. We took rather a circuitous route follow-
ing sheep tracks and wondered if we would ever find it. In the meantime
we bumped into a magnificent herd of goats who trotted past us,
ANTLER
recent ABC Area Committee meeting. The crux of the matter was that
Campbeltown-based Councillors suggested that greater emphasis
should be placed on the repair of the non-trunk sections of the A83
between Campbeltown and Kennacraig - presumably at the expense
of repairs on other Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay roads. As most East
Kintyre travellers are perhaps more likely to use the B842 escape route
to the delights of Tarbert, Lochgilphead and Glasgow. it seemed
worthwhile to compare the state of the road for motorcyclists and cars
between Carradale and Campbeltown and on the southern, non-gov-
ernment funded A83. CARRADALE ‘EMERALD’ JOURNEY? - FERRY OR RAIL?
Those who use two-wheeled transport are only too aware of the
GOLF CLUB A DONALD KELLY ANTLER SPECIAL
need to keep eyes firmly glued to the road surface to avoid potholes Irish
l
and the emerging rail-like troughs; this journey was no exception. THE SECRETARY IS tunne

DR R. J. ABERNETHY,
completely unfazed by our trespass into their domain. It was at this Patching work had started from Campbeltown and had reached Grog- THE ARCH, TORRISDALE
point that we were saddened to discover huge quantities of debris port (missing out Shore Road, Waterfoot & the B879), which clearly PA28 6QT. TEL :01583 431321
washed ashore above the tideline. It was Maggie, our friend, who lessened the need to watch for potholes but increased the need to FURTHER INFORMATION IS ON PAGE 11
discovered the fishbox and started our rubbish collection. We trudged watch for repair humps. On turning north from Campbeltown to Loch-
round the headland struggling with our constantly increasing burden
and finally spied what must be the fort in the distance. Abandoning our
gilphead there were certainly poor sections on the A83, but these were
fewer than on the B842 and are separated by sections of ‘pure motor-
CARRADALE
load temporarily, we crossed 'the causeway' and reached our destina-
tion, marvelling at its commanding position which now provided us with
ing delight’. VILLAGE HALL
Only a few days after this journey was made Argyll & Bute Council
a 360 degree panorama.
After a time of letting our imaginations run riot on what life might
published an agenda for a ‘Special Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay Area
meeting’ to be held at Kilmory on May 5th. It contained proposals made A.G.M
have been like living in this fort, we returned to our beachcombing as by Campbeltown-based Councillors at the earlier Area Committee Friday 21 May 7pm
we walked back along the shore. We wondering what on earth we meeting to concentrate on the A83. Hence the proposed Kintyre list
might do with all the rubbish we had collected as it would not have fitted
into the car. So we were delighted to find a bin with a sign dedicated to
specified spending in keeping with their preferences -
A83 Drumore: resurfacing £75,000. A83 Clachan: resurfacing A.G.N
our particular needs – well thought Carradale! J.M. £100,000. A83 North of Tayinloan: Structural repair and surface dress- Adult Games Night
ing £100,000. B842 Whitestone Bridge: Proprietary treatment £20,000.
B843 Machrihanish Road: Structural repair and surface dressing
Friday 28 May 7pm
£175,000. B8001 West of Claonaig: Proprietary treatment £80,000. Lakeland Marine Fish Farm: Viewing day
Total £550,000 G.P. Sunday 14th March. Photos by Johnny Durnan.
WIND-FARM TRUST IN THIS ISSUE
East Kintyre Community Council Wind-farm Trust met on Thursday, 6
May to review grant applications in the Spring tranche. There were 13 P2 Sandra MacKinnon. 1946-2010.
applications from which there was one rejected, three were granted P3 Jean MacKinlay. 1926-2010.
less than the amount applied for and nine were granted the full amount P4-6 Tunnel to Ireland.
of their application. The total distributed amounted to £10,900. J.S.I. P6 ‘Come and see a film’.
P7-8 Irish Ferry Report.
The following is a list of the successful grants: -
P9 Care in the Community.
Network Carradale Ltd Revenue costs £ 850 P10 Matt McDougall, 1920-2010.
Peninver Village Hall Insurance costs £ 800 P11 Drama at Ardrishaig. Digi TV.
Carradale Cricket Club Gang-mower £ 600 P12 Kintyre walk, The A83 & B842
Carradale Primary School
Peninver Players
Laptops
SCDA finals
£1,000
£ 400
D.McNAIR
Special Education Needs Holiday £1,000 & SON THE PICTURE HOUSE
Kintyre and Argyll UK Surf Tour £1,500 CAMPBELTOWN
Mull of Kintyre Half Marathon £ 250 TELEPHONE Sat 22 May for 6 days 8pm
Carradale Playpark Picnic tables, bark £ 500 (01586) KICK-ASS (15)
Carradale Village Hall Revenue costs £2,000 Sat 29 May for 6 days 8pm
CARRADALE PRIMARY SCHOOL Argyll and Bute Region Education Forum £1,000 552020 Is that really SNP Councillor John Semple trying CLASH OF THE TITANS (20) (12A)
APPOINTMENT EKCC Path clearing/Notice Boards £1,000 552039 to fiddle with the EU fishing controls again?
Mrs Anne Marie Elliott, Head-teacher of Drumlemble Primary School
has been seconded part-time to act as Head-teacher of Carradale ARGYLL FM’s RADIO PROGRAMMES Fuel Merchant MADCOW & FRIEND Present Two plays – Two different lives
Primary School following the retiral of Mrs Marion Morris. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday KINLOCH ROAD “CAPTAIN COOK” & “AXIS SALLY”
AFTER SCHOOLS CLUB: It was agreed at the recent Parent Council 7.30

meeting to ask parents and community members if anyone would be

8.00
Bill Young Breakfast Show AFM
AFM
Jukebox
CAMPBELTOWN PA28 6EG by Don Nigro – performed by Jane Dunbar
interested in running an after-school club. The type of club would
8.30
9.00
Jukebox Kenny
Mark Good
FAX: (01586 552039) CARRADALE HOTEL
Johnson
9.30
Saturday Brass Band
obviously be dependent on the skills, interests and number of volun- 10.00
Kenny Colin’s easy Kenny Show QUALITY HOUSE COALS SATURDAY JUNE 19TH - 6.30 FOR 7.00 PM
John
teers. For more information please contact the school on 431244 if you 10.30
11.00
Helen Johnston’s Robert hour Johnston’s
New Release
Thomson SMOKELESS & COOKER FUEL Capt. James Cook made three famous exploratory voyages to the South Pacific His widow,
Gilchrist New Release Black Colin’s not
are interested. 11.30 Show so easy hour Show Show
CENTRAL HEATING OIL Elizabeth, explores his life with love and humour….“The heart of another is a dark forest.”
12.00 Roger Gillespie Kenny Axis Sally – Zoe meets Mildred who proclaims that she has had some experience in Radio and
Ian Henderson Iain McKerral’s ROAD DIESEL & TRACTOR FUEL
181 DAYS AND COUNTING Tom Fuge Tom Fuge Colin’s easy hour
12.30 Scottish Show
1.00
My
John Armour
Magazine
Johnson My Saturday has always been a bit of a Shakespeare Bufffff – But who is this woman?
Farming kinda music 60s 70s 80s Colin’s not
Show kinda music Lunch Box
so easy hour These quirky, unusual tales are both humorous and dark…
DIGITALLY SPEAKING John Galbraith
1.30
2.00
Programme
FREE DELIVERY Tickets £25.00 (Price includes a sumptuous three course buffet & performance)
John Armour
On Monday 19th of April a small section of Lochgilphead’s much Don’t go to Hell Kenny
2.30 Morven
Sunday C
John AFM Morven
Why not make a night of it ‘STAY & PLAY or PLAY & STAY!’
damaged Hydro shop window had the banner ‘181 days to go before Backroads
Country
Johnson
3.00
60s
3.30
70s 80s
Kirk
Show
Ian Henderson
Gaelic Show
Thomson
Show
Jukebox
On
Kirk
Sunday (MONDAY TO FRIDAY) For tickets and enquiries Telephone 01583 431223 – or e-mail noriffraff@carradalehotel.com
digital TV’ prominently displayed. Intrigued, our nosey reporter went 4.00
John
Ian & David
AFM 4.30 AFM AFM Gaelic Show
inside and asked how reliable was Digitaluk’s calendar. Jukebox Thomson
5.00 Jukebox Jukebox
Colin & Ross AFM
John Armour
Show
5.30 Jukebox Sunday C
The assistant explained that the contractors had issued a new 6.00 Teatime with Morven Kirk
Trevox
series of changeover dates for Scotland, working from Shetland south- 6.30 John Armour AFM Gospel
7.00 Brass Band Jukebox
wards. Apparently Lochgilphead will join Wales, England’s southwest- 7.30 Show
Bob Middleton
Mainly Scottish
Farming
Programme
Trevox
Folk Show
Backroads
Country
ern peninsula and the Lake District on or about Sunday 17th October 8.00 All that Jazz Grace Canada John Galbraith
AFM
All that Jazz
Willie Crossan’s CAMPBELTOWN MOTOR COMPANY
8.30 David McEwan Nicoll Gaelic Don’t go to Haiti David McEwan
2010. Jukebox Classical Sunday

Campbeltown and the other southern mainland subsidiary masts

9.00
9.30
Nathan and
Ronan
Clive Good
Easy Listening
Stewart
and Kim Kenny
Kenny
Snipefield Industrial Estate, Campbeltown
10.00 Johnson’s
will change over in February 2011 - a full three months earlier than the 10.30
11.00
Joshua J
Heeley’s Big Ross
Kenny
Johnson
Phil Currie
Kenny
Johnson
New Release
Show
Johnson’s
New Release
Telephone 01586 553200
Punk/Indie Punk/Indie
stated date of May 2011. The helpful assistant produced a pamphlet 11.30
Monday
Midnight
60s 70s 80s 60s 70s 80s Show
AFM Jukebox
stating that rural areas may receive between 20 and 40 programmes 12.30 Supper AFM Jukebox AFM Jukebox

depending on the setup of each subsidiary mast mast. Requirements Argyll FM broadcasts on 106.5, 107.1 & 107.7 frequencies.
for the new service are a digital box and perhaps a slightly upgraded 27/29 Longrow, Campbeltown PA28 6EF Tel: 01586 551800.
terrestrial aerial; a ‘dish’ is not required.
12 web-site: www.argyllfm.co.uk. e-mail address: studo@argyllfm.co.uk
 PATERSON’S BAKERY & POST OFFICE
Licensed Grocers, Bakers & Newsagent
THE SHOP IS OPEN
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday
8am to 1pm & 2pm to 5pm. Thursday 8am to 1pm.
Sundays: One hour only from 10am to 11am
THE POST OFFICE IS OPEN Monday to Saturday 9am-1pm
Try our freshly baked morning rolls, crusty bread, tea bread
and cakes, all baked in our old-fashioned stone oven
Telephone 01583 431725
JEAN MacKINLAY
17th JANUARY 1926 - 12th APRIL 2010
God looked around His garden
And found an empty place.
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb,
So He closed your weary eyelids
And whispered “peace be thine”.
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone,
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.
Jean was born on the 17th of January 1926 in
Ayrshire and was the much loved daughter of
Jocky and Maggie Paterson. Kilkerran Road
was where she started her life and ironically
she ended her life just a few doors away in the
Kintyre Care Centre.
She met the love of her life Willie and they
married on the 19th March 1947. They started
their married life in Campbeltown but following
the birth of their son John then the sad loss of
Jean’s mother they moved to Carradale. Jean
being the caring person she was took on the
job of looking after her daddy and he moved
with them. The move was followed by the birth
of their daughter Sheena. Jean was 100%
dedicated to her family and took on the role of
caring for her daddy and the children as Willie
was often posted abroad with his work for long
spells. When dad, Jocky became gravely ill
Jean nursed him in the family home until he
passed away in 1963.
When John and Sheena ‘flew the nest’
and started their own homes it wasn’t long
until she was blessed with six grand-children
and then two great-grandchildren. And al-
though family circumstances were complicat-
ed that didn’t change a thing – she took the
same interest in all of them. Jean took her role
as Nannie very seriously. She was there at
every milestone. The girls remember fondly
the great anticipation every birthday waiting to
see what colour of meringues Nannie had
made for them – pink, green and sometimes
even blue! When Morag started playing the
clarinet she attended every music festival and
band concert she played in. Jean also devel-
oped an interest in football when she started
collecting all the sports pages in the papers
and sent them to Karen once a week.
Willie and Jean made their final home at
30 Tormhor where they spent many happy
days ‘pottering’ about in the garden. Jean
loved the sun and loved nothing better than
TOM GRANT
PARTNERSHIP
A R C H I T E C T S
Mobile 0370 538 661
Tom Grant Dip.,Arch., R.I.B.A., R.I.A.S
either sitting round the back or on the bench at
the top of the road enjoying the sunshine,
chatting or just watching the world go by.
Jean was always a busy person. She was
actively involved with the Gaelic choir and
attended many Mods – each Mod having a
different tale to tell! She worked in various
boarding houses, in Stewarton Store, with
Walter and Nellie in Portcrannaig shop and
tea-room and finally as breakfast cook in Car-
radale Hotel. In her ‘retirement’ she spent
many happy hours cleaning both churches – a
job she took great pride in. She loved flowers
and on many occasions made the floral ar-
rangements for weddings and funerals in the
church.
Despite her own health problems, when Willie
developed cancer, Jean promised him he
could stay at home and again she took on the
role of looking after him. She nursed Willie at
home until he sadly passed away in August
2005. She tried to adjust to life without him but
never really got over losing him. Following a
bad fall and months of ill health she moved to
Kintyre Care Centre in November 2007.
Jean was content in the Care Centre.
When she first went in she enjoyed sitting in
the day room chatting to the other residents or
sitting at the window watching the boats and
activity in the harbour. She looked forward to
her visits from the family and was keen to hear
all the news from the village. When her health
deteriorated further she took to her bed and
was comfortable in her own wee room sur-
rounded by all her personal belongings.
She enjoyed listening to Argyll FM and got
great pleasure from her CD collection. She
spent many happy hours singing her heart out
whether it be to hymns or to old war time
classics. The family made sure there was
always flowers in a vase just like there always
had been in her own home. Jean always took
2
41 Longrow,
Campbeltown
Argyll PA28 6ER
Tel: 01586 554727
Fax: 01586 551727
24 Argyll St.
Lochgilphead
Argyll PA31 8NE
Tel: 01546 603050
pride in her appearance and the staff in the
care center made sure her trademark white
hair was always done and they even matched
her bed socks with her nighties. She was
loved by all the staff and was described re-
cently by one member as a “gracious old lady
who always said thank you and I would love to
have her as my mum.”
Jean’s last few days were spent with her
family. Sheena was able to stay with her
throughout. On Sunday there was a short spell
where Jean was awake. Pat phoned from
Lourdes and prayed with her and she was able
to tell Pat “that was nice”. Even although Pat
wasn’t her official daughter-in-law, she looked
on her as being that special kind of person.
She also turned to Morag and said “oh, it’s
you” as she often affectionately referred to her
and told her to “look after herself” and then
turned and said the same to Sheena.
After that the rest of the family visited and
spent a lovely afternoon just being together.
Jean fell asleep and sadly passed away on
Monday morning with Sheena and Morag by
her side.
Contributed by Jean’s family.
E-MAIL TO THE EDITOR
RED CROSS TRANSPORT:
THANKS FROM KARL HURD
May I through the columns of your paper take
the opportunity to pass on my thanks to the
communities in Carradale and East Kintyre
and beyond.
The British Red Cross Transport has been
granted funding from Argyll & Bute Council, for
another 12 months of community based trans-
port. I would like to pass on my thanks to all
those that had so strongly informed the Coun-
cil and local councillors, that you feel that we
provide a valuable service to your community
and that if the service were to have been cut,
what a detrimental effect this would have im-
posed on the lives of a great number of resi-
dents within the area.
With this funding now in place, I look for-
ward to delivering the continued service to you
that I have built up over the last five years
since starting in this post.
Once again, my heartfelt thanks to the
wonderful people of Carradale and thanks
also to Dr Elder and staff at the Carradale
Surgery for their continued support, and coffee!
Regards, Karl Hurd (RCTI)
Campbeltown F/A Group.
Tel: 07879 403775 or 01546 602386
& THE
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TACTICAL TERRITORIAL REPORTING OF ARISAIG DRAMA FESTIVAL
THE ‘GOAT’ REPORT
NOT ONE - BUT THREE !
Once again the Carradale Drama Group have
cleared the table with lifting three cups at the 62nd
Argyll Drama Festival held in Ardrishaig Village
hall over the three nights 21st to 23rd April. They
won the cup for best overall, best comedy and
best acting. Ten clubs took part, three on
Wednesday night, four Thursday with Car-
radale on this night and lastly three on Friday
night. The club scored over their group on
Thursday then went on and were overall win-
ners; they are overjoyed. Just a mention that
Margaret Leighton had to jump in at the last
moment as one of the cast Shelagh (Cameron)
had been admitted to hospital for some
checks. We wish Shelagh a speedy recovery
and well done to Margaret on her performance.
Report & photos by Johnny Durnan.
THE ‘ANTLER’ REPORT
Although an earlier Antler contained a very com-
plimentary critique by M.C. of Carradale Drama
Club’s performance at the Campbeltown Drama
Festival, the Editor was cajoled into seeing per-
formances of the Carradale and Lochgilphead
prize-winning plays at Carradale Village Hall on
Saturday 8th May; two very contrasting plays
provided a packed audience with a delightful
evening away from the television.
Carradale’s Sue Stansfield drugged a de-
cidedly obnoxious Joanne Paterson and two
shocked elderly charitable committee mem-
bers, Pauline Burrows and Margaret Leighton,
off to the ‘blue light’ of ‘Our branch in Brussels’,
leaving Lochgilphead’s very plausible Duncan
Berndt to seek an effective cure for his convic-
tion that he was ‘irresistible’ to members of the
opposite sex.
Technically both plays managed with a
minimum of props and without scene changes,
but, as always, the Village Hall acoustics are
generally poor and the cast could have done
with personal microphone assistance. G.P.
CARRADALE GOLF CLUB
Welcomes visitors
Round
Juniors Adult
£8.00 £16.00
Daily
Weekly
£10.00 £20.00
£35.00 £75.00
Two weeks £45.00 £95.00
Country Mem bership £119.00
(May play in Club Competitions)
Affiliated Club Members £10.00
For further information contact The Secretary, Dr R.J. Abernethy
The Arch, Torrisdale, PA28 6QT Tel: 01583 431321
GLEN
BAR & RESTAURANT,CARRADALE
Offering a warm and welcoming family atmosphere with an excellent
menu of home-cooked food. Locally caught seafood a speciality. Home-
made ice cream. Full disabled and baby changing facilities. Functions
catered for. We now deliver takeaways. Free delivery on food orders over
£10 in the Carradale area.
Open 12.30pm to late every day except Tuesday
Food served 12.30 - 2pm & 6pm - 8.30pm.
To book a table in the restaurant ‘phone Sue or Penny on
01583 431431 Fax01583 431511
or e-mail us at info@theglencarradale.wanadoo.co.uk
THE ‘SQUEAK’ REPORT
REPRINTED IN THE ‘COURIER’
‘LOCHGILPHEAD and Carradale Drama
clubs walked away from this year's 62nd
Argyll Drama Festival with a cache of sil-
verware’.
The three-day festival ran from
Wednesday, April 21 until Friday April 23 in
Ardrishaig Public Hall’.
‘Lochgilphead Drama Club kept the Mid
Argyll flag flying high with Team J and their
riotous comedy, Irresistible Albert, winning
the second place, Oban Town Council Tro-
phy, and Lochgilphead's Team M placed
third, winning the MacKellar Trophy, and
also the Oona Campbell Trophy for the
best Dramatic Production for their beauti-
fully paced playing of the wartime drama,
The Pen of My Aunt’.
Carradale Drama Club’s Director, Tony Leighton, ‘With their fast moving comedy, Our
and the Festival’s Adjudicator, Lynda Henderson. Branch In Brussels, Kintyre's Carradale
Drama Club, for the second year running,
were placed first, winning the Dunoon
Town Council Trophy and also the trophies
for the Best Acting and Best Comedy’.
‘Second place was shared by Shiskine
Drama Club from Arran, who delighted the
audience with their top class comedy,
Dead Nice; and third place was shared by
Campbeltown's Accent Players who spar-
kled in their comedy production of Next.’
‘The Maisie Reekie Trophy for the Best
Set went to Benderloch and North Connel
Team B for their enthralling and well-acted
drama, Close to Croydon.’
The talented youngsters of Tarbert
Academy Drama Club gripped the audi-
ence with playing of the drama , while
Benderloch and North Connel Team A had
Margaret Leighton recovers after what she says the audience in stitches with their uproari-
was her “first and penultimate appearance on ous comedy, The Fat Lady Sings in Little
stage”. Grimely’.
McCormick’s
Mobile Fish
Fresh fish
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TELEPHONE: 01586 554338
11
 OPENING
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SERVICE & SUPPLIES Monthly theme nights - Indian, Italian, Chinese & Tapas.
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MATTHEW McDOUGALL
25th MAY1920 - 29th APRIL 2010
Matthew (Matt) was born at Portrigh on May
25th 1920. He was the only son of Robert and
Christina McDougall and had 4 sisters, Flora,
Mary, Chris and Roberta. Matt went to Car-
radale Primary School until he was 14 then left
school to follow the fishing.
Matt was called up for the Navy in 1941
and went to Lowestoft from where he was
drafted to Scapa Flow. He went from there to
Barry in Wales and also Milford Haven. Matt
was promoted to the rank of Petty Officer then
served with the Air-Sea Rescue.
He was de-mobbed in 1946, came back to
Carradale and back to the fishing on the
‘Watercress’.
Matt later married Catherine McGregor in
1956 and they had two sons, Robert and
Allan. Matt and Cathie ran Dunvalanree Guest
House for 25 years before retiring in 1990.
Matt liked nothing better than to stand looking
across to Arran, puffing at his pipe while chat-
ting to guests, many of whom keep in touch to
this day.
Matt’s eyesight deteriorated a number of
years ago and he got the ‘talking books and
tapes’ of the Oban Times and Campbeltown
Courier to keep up to date with the local news.
He liked to watch football and snooker on TV,
he also loved bowling. Although he couldn't
see very well at last, he never missed going to
the bowls; in his day he was a good bowler.
Matt loved company and always enjoyed
visitors, a dram and a yarn - preferably about
fishing. I heard a few days back of a gathering
of the older generation at Portrigh, who were
reminiscing about the good old days where
Matt was remembered for his great nature and
his part in saving a shipmates life. Perhaps not
many know of this.
Matt was a life long member of this con-
gregation. He was always pottering around the
garden and repairing things, He claimed that it
was a ‘Portrigh thing’, like myself, and called
for the same man - we were frightened of dogs
(another Portrigh thing). Matt was especially
happy when up a ladder, which he frequently
fell off, but he prided himself of always having
clean rhones.
Matt suffered poor health for many years
but never complained. After a fall in January
last year he never fully recovered. He took
great delight in his two granddaughters, Les-
ley and Jennifer, and his great grandsons
Ryan and Stuart.
Matt was a kind, gentle, man and his pass-
ing is a great loss. He will be sadly missed by
FIT THE BEST
us all. M.R.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
CAMPBELTOWN: Change of use from school
house to bunkhouse accommodation. The Old
School House, Big Kiln Street, Campbeltown,
PA28 6JF. Kintyre Amenity Trust C/o Mr David
Gardiner, Crannoch Lodge, Campbeltown,
PA28 6SW John Gilbert Architects, 201 The
White Studios, 62 Templeton Street, Glasgow,
G40 1DA 14 - Listed bldg. + con. area con-
sents 171824-620316
TORRISDALE Erection of 1.5 storey house,
double garage and store Land north of Green-
hill, Torrisdale, Argyll & Bute. Mr & Mrs James
and Celia Holgate, C/o Agent Angus Young,
Duncan House, Wester Inshes Place, Inver-
ness, IV2 5HZ. 03B - Housing - Local 179410-
634530
CARRADALE Erection of replacement holiday
let Garden Ground of Lochpark House, Loch-
park, Carradale, Campbeltown, Argyll & Bute,
PA28 6SG Mr D. Dandy, Lochpark House,
Lochpark, Carradale, Argyll, PA28 6SG N/A
10B - Other developments - Local
181667-638558 Spotted at
Carradale
Harbour on
Wednesday
. 5th May by
M.M., a
replica
Scilly Island
Pilot Cutter
built 2001,
(orginal
about 1850).
now charter-
ing on the
West coast.
SANDRA MACKINNON
7th JUNE 1946 - 12th APRIL 2010
Sandra was born at Criagard, Campbeltown
on 7th June 1946. She was the eldest daugh-
ter of Archie and Jenny McAffer and sister to
Ian, Isobel and Eila.
Sandra‘s first home was Rhonadale,
which coincidently looks straight across the
river Carra to Drumbuie, her last home. Her
dad Archie worked for the Semple family at
Dippen and from Rhonadale, they then moved
to Church Cottage from where she started
school and where she named all the hens her
mum Jenny kept.
From there farm work took the family to
Crossaig and then Clockeil. Sandra was at
Clockeil when she left school and started her
first job at 15 years old as a shop assistant in
Campbeltown and cycled a 14 mile round trip
to and from work.
When she was 18, the family returned to
Dippen and Sandra found employment in Car-
radale West Post Office where she first spoke
to a local young farmer called Alec. They
gradually became better acquainted at local
dances and married on 1st November 1967
when their first home together was a static
caravan at Auchnasavil with no running water
or electricity.
By that time Sandra worked at Carradale
Forestry Office for 5 years until her first born,
Catriona, came along in 1971. Shortly after,
the family moved to their first house at School
Park, Carradale.
Over the next 10 years the family grew
with the additions of Christine, Mairi and finally
Sandy when the family was complete. Alec
and Sandra were delighted with the birth of a
son and it is rumoured that Alec created a new
dance in the Auchnasavil living room on hear-
ing the news.
In 1975 the family moved to Auchnasavil
where in addition to raising the children, San-
dra filled milk bottles for delivery early morning
and then washed the empties returned in the
afternoon along with other farm chores. Al-
Alec and Sandra remained at Auchnasavil
for the next 33 years until retirement when
they moved to Drumbuie where unfortunately
Sandra enjoyed too short a retirement.
The family have all flown the nest as far
afield as New Zealand where our thoughts go
at this time to Catriona, Sandy, their partners
and children who unfortunately could not be
with us today. Catriona and Sandy recall how
mum supported them in their decisions to
move to New Zealand even though she knew
she would miss them greatly. A trip out to see
them all in New Zealand just over a year ago
was a real highlight for Sandra and Alec.
The grandchildren still remember granny
reading stories, watching them swimming in
the creek and doing jigsaws (better than pa-
pa). Another vivid memory is of Granny being
asked to be a cheerleader on the sidelines
during a game of hoops.
It was a great delight to Sandra that she
saw her newest grandchild, baby Erin, arrive
safely into the world and that she was able to
meet her and hold her. When she held her for
the first time Sandra was positively beaming
with pride.
To Catriona, Christine, Mairi and Sandy,
They also remember the countless jour-
neys to band practice, brownies, guides, cubs,
scouts, youth club, football practice and Sun-
day School which mum made and again never
complained.
There was much laughter in the house,
testament to a happy marriage and contented
family life which she had created.
In addition to this, Sandra found time to attend
her own club/groups in the village. She was an
active member of the Church and Church
Guild and treasurer of the ladies Wednesday
club, in all of which she found pleasure.
Sandra loved music and dancing. She
enjoyed singing at the Mod with the Carradale
Gaelic choir in younger years and she enjoyed
dancing. Alec and Sandra were regular par-
ticipants at the local Scottish dances. Even if
the music was fast and contemporary, they
could be seen cutting a dash around the floor
with a quickstep.
The things Sandra valued most in life were
her family and friends. Judging by the number
of good wishes received in recent months,
Sandra had many friends who thought well of
her.
Many of the cards arriving this week have
reflected on Sandra’s friendly manner, cheery
disposition and ready smile. Alec and family
would like to thank everyone for their good
wishes to Sandra over the last 7 months which
she and they greatly appreciated and to the
messages of condolence received this week
from which they draw solace.
Sandra faced the last months of her life
with courage, dignity and good grace. The
way she coped with what came made a diffi-
cult time easier for everyone around her. She
retained her cheeriness and sense of humour
throughout and she will be remembered and
missed by all who knew her.
MARIUS KLIUSKAS
REPATRIATION
The appeal for funds to repatriate the body of

UP TO 40% off though the work on the farm was never end-
ing, Sandra never complained and this was
evident throughout her life and even during
WINDOWS and DOORS, CONSERVATORIES,
GARAGE DOORS, ROOFLINE PRODUCTS, FLAT ROOFS, these past months.
DRIVEWAYS,SECURITY SYSTEMS, CCTV. When the milk round stopped in 1987,
Sandra didn’t sit back but went to work at the
FREE QUOTATION Landmark Trust, Saddell as a housekeeper
NO OBLIGATION where she was a valued and reliable member
of staff. Sandra enjoyed this work, especially
To arrange an appointment, meeting people, both colleagues and Land-
contact mark customers.
Sandy McPherson
Sandra was very socialable and liked
Tel 01586 552776
Mobile 07818874066 nothing better than catching up with family and
friends, a visit was even better.
10
they remember Sandra as a loving mum who
passed on her traditional values and princi-
ples. When they were growing up she was
the fisherman, Marius Kliuskas, who died so
tragically in a Campbeltown fire on April 2nd,
has attracted a large number of contributions
strict but kind, firm but fair and not afraid to since the appeal was made.
give to them a clout when she felt they needed Matthew Ramsay of Carradale, an Auxilia-
it which even they admit now they did!
ry Superintendent for the Royal National Mis-
She taught them right from wrong, to work
hard, to save something for a rainy day and
sion to Deep Sea Fishermen, who has helped
coordinate the collection said that at the time
she led by example. of going to press £2,000 had been donated.
They will also always remember her cook- Mr Ramsay was hopeful that further contri-
ing whether it was family meals or baking for
butions would cover the complete cost of re-
a sale of work. They especially remember the patriation to Marius’ native Lithuania.
many pots of soup, pancakes, sponges and
tablet she made.
3
 Joiners, Timber
Suppliers, All
types of joinery
& furniture repairs
Key cutters &
Ironmongers
J. A. A. CRAIG
17-19 SADDELL STREET CAMPBELTOWN
Tel: 01586 552954
Rail
tunnel
to
Ireland
TUNNEL TO IRELAND
LIGHT AT THE END OF KINTYRE'S IRISH
RAILWAY TUNNEL
In the 'Days of Sail', there were many vessels
sailing the short distance between the shores
of Ireland and Kintyre, many of these using the
little and primitive ports such as those at
Marypans, Carskey, Pollywilline, Glenhervie
and Feochaig but, the most frequented port
was that at Dunaverty, sometimes referred to
as Machrimore, where there was a customs
officer! Besides being situated at the extreme
end of the Kintyre peninsula, Machrimore of-
fered different landing sites which could be
used according to the different wind directions
though, if wind and tide permitted, the normal
landing place would be within the mouth of the
Conie Water, under the shelter of Dunaverty
Rock.
The ferry seems to have continued run-
ning passengers and cargo till around the
1850's when it was overtaken by the conven-
ience and the comfort of the many steamer
services which by then plied The North Chan-
nel. On Friday, April 27, 1888, Perth's "The
West Australian" newspaper tells us that a
secret survey had lately been made in the
North of Ireland and on The Mull of Kintyre,
with the object of arriving at data for an esti-
mate of the cost of a tunnel across the narrow
straight which separates Ireland from Scot-
land.
"It is said that one Sir Edward Watkin had
interested himself in the scheme; possibly with
a view to prove the practicability of a long sea
tunnel and that the estimated cost of the tun-
nel would be around £8 million pounds ster-
ling, or about a million pounds per nautical
mile ."On the Irish side the existing line of
railway approaches within a few miles of the
promontory which forms the nearest point of
Scotland, but on the Scottish side an ap-
proach railway of about eighty miles would
have to be constructed from the Lochgilphead
station of The Crinan Railway, 'now under
construction to The Mull of Kintyre', where
would be the entrance to the proposed tunnel.
Even this would not give continuous railway
communication between England and Ireland,
for the western terminus of the short railway
which is intended to connect the west coast of
Argyllshire with The Firth of Clyde is situated
at Kilmun, on The Holy Loch, from which pas-
sengers have to be conveyed by steamer
across The Firth to Greenock. Even though
communication was effected between The
Mull of Kintyre and The Oban Railway, which
would bring it into direct connection with the
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railway system of the country, the route so
opened up between England and Ireland
would be an extremely roundabout one”.
"The avoidance of a sea passage is of
course so important an element, that even an
extension of time might be calculated as not
altogether condemnatory. By far the most suit-
able point for a tunnel, had the depth not been
almost prohibitory, is the strait, almost as nar-
row as the other, between Portpatrick and
Donaghadee. This would have given almost
direct connection between Belfast and Scot-
land and The North of England Industries".
Nine years later the July 1897 issue of
'The Irish Builder' reports that "a deputation
from the Irish and English Committees and
gentlemen from the SW of Scotland are going
to The Chairman of The Board of Trade to ask
for £15,000 to commence trial tunnel borings,
an MP, named as Arnold Forster, is mentioned
as a supporter and too mentioned in the dele-
gation is The President of The Belfast Cham-
ber of Commerce. Responding to the
delegation's request, Mr Ritchie, The Presi-
dent of The Board of Trade, said that handing
out public money for a railway project would
be a new departure (the railways of that era of
course were all funded privately and had no
government investment involved in their con-
struction or operation) and says that he would
have to put the request for the requested
£15,000 before The Chancellor of The Ex-
chequer (though we do not know if this hap-
pened - Ed. here). Mr Ritchie (thus) very
politely promises every help except actual
financial assistance (as) many shipping inter-
ests would not entertain paying taxes to do
themselves out of business!"
In the March 1900 issue of 'The Irish
Builder' (which includes a route diagram), a
further report, from Lyndon Macassey, the
well-known Ulster engineer of the day, tells us
that the cheaper, now £8.5 million tunnel
scheme, running from Cushendun to a point
(on the diagram) near The Mull of Kintyre itself
(probably to somewhere near Southend),
would take an estimated 16 years to complete,
the construction work on any, vastly more
expensive, tunnel between Donaghadee and
Portpatrick not likely to be completed in less
than 40 years !Though nothing more seems to
have been recorded about 'The Irish Tunnel'
proposals, in 1910 and again just after World
War I, in 1919,
The Glasgow and South Western Railway
Company, successful in their Fairlie Pier rail-
way connection arrangements with the new
turbine steamers to Campbeltown, had an
idea of taking over the narrow gauge Camp-
beltown to Machrihanish railway, it beginning
to carry passengers in 1906 and building a line
up the west side of Kintyre from Dunaverty to
Cour. The line would have run up Conie Glen
4 a stoker and an office worker, amongst whom were a retired lumber-
See Smell Savour
your choice –
disappointed.
Telephone Anne on 01583 431581
or Jennifer on 01583 431632
to a crossing junction at Drumlemble, on to
Bellochantuy where a new 'Turnberry-style'
hotel would be built and a new golf course at
Killean and then run from Tayinloan ferry, via
the Narachan Burn and Sunadale, to Cour
where a new pier would be built and a con-
necting steamer then run to Fairlie, or even to
Greenock and, on occasions, to Ardrossan.
The idea being not only for a through passen-
ger route between Ireland and Scotland but a
line which would have run coal out for ship-
ment, via Dunaverty, to Ireland or, via Cour, to
Glasgow.
The 'Sou' West' company also proposed
running a second, unconnected, line from Ro-
nachan Bay, via Clachan and Glenrisdell, to
another new pier at Skipness, the original pier
there opened in 1879, so as to better connect
Jura and Islay with Fairlie etc. and of course
Glasgow. A monument to yet another unexe-
cuted scheme of The Glasgow and South
Western Railway is still to be seen at Carrick
Castle, at the mouth of Loch Goil, where the
company built 'a railway station', the curious
looking building beside the pier, for a line to
connect into The Oban and Callander Rail-
way, the necessary Parliamentary Orders nev-
er pursued. Nothing is known about 'The
Crinan Railway', though it most likely would
have been but a narrow gauge 'tramway' run-
ning along the side of The Crinan Canal, from
Ardrishaig to Lochgilphead, Cairnbaan and
Crinan and the idea of extending any such
construction to Kilmun, on The Holy Loch, can
only have been 'notional', rather than financial-
ly practicable.
A full 100 years after these proposals to
'bridge' The North Channel with a railway tun-
nel and exploit the Kintyre peninsula as a
'route centre', enabling passengers (and car-
goes) to move easily to and from Ireland with-
out demanding transit via 'over-trafficked’'
Central and West of Scotland routes, office-
bound planners and but occasional venturers
into these parts from Scottish Government
and other related agencies, almost 'studiously’
avoid all mention or consideration of the his-
torical evidence which marks out 'the shortest
crossing' between Ireland and Scotland as
that most likely to be viable, even to this day,
in terms of traffic revenue, prevailing weather
conditions, operating costs and start-up, es-
tablishment, costs.
Within the last few years, even before the
re-establishment of The Scottish Parliament,
in 1999, there have been debates about the
'financial viability' of a ferry service between
Kintyre and Ireland, the politicians on both
sides of The North Channel, swayed by office-
bound and non-seafaring officials, persuaded
to 'go for the long haul' and promote and
support the idea of running a ferry service
between Ballycastle and Campbeltown, with,
if the office-bound officials and their appointed
Carpet, Upholstery &
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Mobile 07799395709
The Campbeltown ‘poor house’.
CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
AN IDIOSYNCRATIC LOOK AT PAST AND PRESENT PROVISION
“Poorhouses or almshouses have existed in Scotland since medieval
times, principally in burghs. Between 1845 and 1930 over 70 poorhouses
were constructed in Scotland, (including one in Campbeltown) many
serving a number of parishes called 'poor law unions' or 'combinations' -
(Islay, Mull, Lochgilphead and Lorne). They were built following the Poor
Law (Scotland) Act 1845, which established parochial boards in rural
parishes and in the towns, and a central Board of Supervision in Edin-
burgh.
The poorhouses were for those categories of paupers who did not
receive 'outdoor relief' (normally in the form of small weekly sums of
money). The regime, diet and living conditions in poorhouses were
austere, partly to discourage applications from those who could rely on
family support instead. On the other hand poorhouses provided medical
and nursing care of the elderly and the sick, at a time when there were
few hospitals and private medical treatment was beyond the means of
the poor. In 1948 the poor law was abolished and replaced by the
modern social security system, and by then hospitals had largely re-
placed the medical function of poorhouses. Many poorhouses, indeed,
expanded to become hospitals (for example Govan poorhouse, which
formed the nucleus for the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow).
Others became old people's homes or social work administrative offices”.
This extract was from the Internet site
www.scan.org.uk/knowledgebase/poorhouses _topic.htm
In the years after the Second World War elderly or frail men and women
without families often found themselves as ‘patients’ in buildings which
still had all the hallmarks of a workhouse or poorhouse. Under the
control of the Hospital Secretary - more often referred to as the ‘Master’
– everyone who was capable of work was expected to carry part of the
burden of keeping the House running.
By the mid 1950s very little had changed. In a typical day in one
ex-poorhouse south of the border John, Mr Berry, ‘Dummy Mary’ and
Mrs Goody had their usual breakfast - a round of bread and jam and a
mug of tea - and left the main hall. ‘Dummy Mary and Mrs Goody went
to the women’s wing to begin their domestic chores while John and Mr
Berry followed the long established pattern of working in the extensive
vegetable garden. The remaining ambulant men moved to the east
wing to a series of small bedrooms with between five and fourteen beds
and the women to a similar set in the west wing. Neither wing had a
sitting room as such and most made use of a series of dilapidated
Windsor chairs, one of which had castors added to its legs for a veteran
of the first World War who had lost both his legs.
On the floor above in both wings the bed-ridden ‘patients’ were
attended to by a dedicated team of SRN or SEAN nurses who did their
best with the limited facilities at their disposal.
Apart from the nursing staff, the ‘Secretary’ and the ‘Matron,’ a
gathering of unlikely characters provided ancillary services. Either they
‘’lived in’ or came in from the surrounding villages on a shift basis - two
cooks, three kitchen assistants, three general porters, three domestics,
9
KENNEDY’S SHOE SHOP
50-52 Longrow Campbeltown. Tel 01586 552644
Walking shoes, Dress shoes.
Walking boots, Dress boots.
All your footwear needs under one roof.
Ladies & Gents wide fitting specialists.
Children’s fitting service.
‘K’ ‘CLARKS’ ‘LOTUS’ ‘ROHDE’
jack from Canada, a Fleet Street Deputy Editor with an alcohol problem,
an elderly out-of-work actor, a live-in transvestite son of the assistant
cook, a Greek domestic living with her Turkish uncle, and two 20 year-
olds serving out their alternative National Service - one a Jehovah
Witness. Some of the more exotic staff appeared in plays organised by
the ‘Secretary’, Mr Chinn - an unusual surname but one familiar to
members of the Carradale Drama Club!
During the following thirty-five years until these establishments
closed, changes came slowly through a number of initiatives more
especially from the slow move to home-based individual care.
But has this quiet revolution produced the desired effect? Are
elderly people better served by care workers with tight schedules
dropping in at or close to their programmed one hour slots than the
socially unacceptable earlier provision? What happens when the care
worker leaves the ‘service user’ or ‘client’ after bed-time and the panic
button is misplaced or doesn’t work?
Thankfully the independent providers - Campbeltown’s Nursing
Home, the Church of Scotland’s ‘Auchinlee’ and the ‘Abbeyfield’ - have
taken up the challenge and provided additional accommodation to that
available at the constantly threatened Campbeltown Hospital. As a
result, and despite the difficulty and delay in getting a ‘free’ Scottish
care package, fewer cases of self-neglect reach the Social Work
offices. However it is not so long ago in Kintyre that to gain a care
package and local provision in Campbeltown, a man in his late nineties
had to agree to be moved to Benderloch - a distance in miles matching
his age - only to be told a week later that a place was available at
Auchinlee. Other cases could be quoted where appropriate local provi-
sion was not available or was not offered because of personal or
perceived temperamental differences.
Another stumbling block on the road to community solutions is the
plethora of national consultation diversions and the chimera of public
consultation which offer involvement in the process of helping the care
agencies to construct temporary ‘Bailey’ bridges between economic cut
backs and Government policy. By referring agreements to other ‘partner
agencies’ and to executive committees the implementation is often
caught by internal structural changes and further financial economies.
So is there any real hope of improving the care offered to the elderly
who, while not completely bed-ridden, have increasing problems in old
age, or is it simply a matter of waiting until social workers are blamed
for a death which would not have occurred in the more traditional
environment of a care home. Living, or rather dying, at home may be
everyone’s wish but the second partner or single person is more at risk
now than ever. Is that an improvement or retrograde step?
Once a ‘poor house’, now ‘executive maisonettes’.
In 2001 the home shared by John, Mr Berry, ‘Dummy Mary’ and
Mrs Goody was redeveloped and now luxuriates as a gated community
for well-healed commuters from the local town. The unmarked burial
sites in the ‘hospital’ graveyard remain monuments to 19th, 20th and
21st concepts of ‘care in the community’. G.P.
 TORRISDALE CASTLE
ORGANIC TANNERY & CRAFTY SHEEP SHOP
ALL-YEAR-ROUND GIFTS
Sweaters, cardigans, belts, handbags, slippers,
mugs, soft toys and so much more.
A sheepskin rug is a touch of luxury at any time of the year.
Try one on your new wooden floor, beside your bed, in your
favourite armchair or in the car - ‘pelt up & belt up’ at the
same time!
TELEPHONE
01583 431233
The ‘Sound of Islay’
As some may agree after reading the 350-page report, there is but
little ‘real’ mention of the weather conditions which can be even more
severe inside The Firth of Clyde than in The North Channel and it is
little surprising that the ‘office-bound and fair weather’ consultants and
government officials somewhat glibly gloss over the subject. However,
in leaping to their defence and likely ignorance about the problems of
the area’s weather and sea conditions, it is probably fair to assume that
even the oldest of those involved in preparing the various reports was
either too young, or else otherwise interested, to be fortunate enough
to regularly, that deliberately italicised, on the old ‘Duchess of Hamil-
ton’ or ‘Queen Mary (II)’ to Campbeltown or Ayr, or sail on the old ‘Glen
Sannox (III)’, between Brodick and Ardossan, in good or bad weather
nor, in more recent time, transit The North Channel, between Campbel-
town and Red Bay and round to Rathlin, on the ‘Balmoral’ or the
‘Waverley’.
Even on a good day, in an almost flat calm, there is a swell running
south of the line between Skipness, The Garroch Head, Little Cumbrae
and The Ayrshire Coast and, even the most insensitive person is aware
of it immediately leaving the security of piers and berths and, on the
‘long reaches’ of the runs from Campbeltown to Pladda and the Ayr-
shire
Coast ports and on the diagonal crossing from the south end of
Kintyre, inside or outside of Sanda, to Ballycastle, weather and tidal
streams can easily not only reduce a 14-knot ferry’s service speed
down to just 11 or 12-knots but too demand that the ship’s route length,
for the comfort of passengers, even in ‘ordinary’ conditions, be in-
creased by an extra 10% to 15% in mileage.
In heavy weather conditions, none of the Ayrshire ports can be
entered, or indeed left, without considerable problems, Ardrossan long
troublesome and frequently demanding the Arran ferry service to be
diverted to Gourock, the lone berth at the south side of Wemyss Bay
Pier unsuited to accommodating ‘big’ ferries and unusable in certain
weather states in any case and e.g. should a scheduled ‘morning run’
from Campbeltown to ‘Ayrshire’ (Ardrossan) be operated in dubious
conditions, it would almost certainly lead to the cancellation of the
‘afternoon’ sailing to Ireland, the ship, even if the weather improved,
unable to catch up sufficient time the rest of the day to make any further
sailing(s) possible.
As any ship operator will confirm, a ‘one ship service’, trying to work
a two-route service, such as is proposed in the MVA Consultancy
reports here, is a ‘recipe for disaster’! The primary need is for an ‘Irish’
service, with a through link to The Continent, through the south of
Ireland and, perhaps, a link to ‘The North of England’, any ‘notional
idea’ of a link between Kintyre and ‘The Scottish Central Belt’, via
Ardrossan or Troon, must be strongly resisted at this time.
Donald Kelly.
TOMMY For all your Travel and
Holiday Arrangements put
your trust in your own
MILLAR Travel Adviser
TOMMY MILLAR
Tel: 0845 0587589
e-mail:
TRAVEL tommy.millar@travel
counsellors.com
www.travelcounsellors
COUNSELLOR .co.uk/tommy.millar
JIMINY! - CRICKET
CARRADALE CRICKET CLUB'S TRIP TO LOUGHBOROUGH.
Following their captain's success in a competition in ‘The Cricketer’
magazine, when he won a coaching session for his team with Andy
Flower, the England coach, eleven excited cricketers set off by coach
to Loughborough, their expenses being paid by Sky Sports who spon-
sored the competition.
The following morning, the bus picked up a remarkably fresh
looking outfit before 9am for the short journey to the English Cricket
Board coaching centre where they were greeted by Sky Sports repre-
sentatives. After coffee, they met Mr. Flower, who described the format
for the morning. This started with a warm up (surely a first for Car-
radale!) and then some very strenuous fielding practice, where the
team really excelled itself. This was followed by coaching in the won-
derful indoor net facilities, complete with bowling machines which did
exactly what the coach asked of them, including one which bowled
spinners a la Shane Warne, the great Australian bowler. There was a
hawk eye which measured the speed of each ball where it pitched and
even the number of revolutions a spin bowler put on the ball.
Again, the lads showed great enthusiasm and, with Andy Flower's
encouragement, were soon giving the ball a good wallop. One particular-
ly fine straight drive almost left England without a coach in the West Indies!
At the end of the session, captain Aidan thanked Mr. Flower and
his staff for a superb experience and presented him with a gift of a stay
in a Machrihanish Dunes cottage and a game of golf.
In the afternoon, the team played a 20-20 match against a Lough-
borough University XI on the magnificent cricket ground next to the
coaching centre. Although they found the opposition a tough proposi-
tion, they acquitted themselves well and thoroughly enjoyed the match;
especially the lunch between the innings!
A tired, but happy band then boarded the bus for the long journey
home after an experience they will never forget.
The team is now looking forward to the coming season. A set of
sight screens and covers for the wicket have been obtained during the
winter, thanks to a grant from ‘Awards for all’. The covers should make
a tremendous difference to the quality and pace of the pitches which
have, so often in the past, been damaged by rain.
The league involving Sannox, Oban, Mid-Argyll and Carradale
continues this year, as well as many friendly fixtures. All prospective
playing or non-playing members will be made most welcome
(subscription£10). For more details contact 01583 431321. R.J.A.
APRIL RAINFALL
The total rainfall in April was 85mm. According to our records, this is a
little below the average of 109mm. In the last 10 years the lowest
recorded April total was 66mm (2003) and the highest 188mm (2005).
‘April Showers bring forth May flowers’ according to the saying but
not so this year. Rainfall distribution in April this year was again
atypical… not the usual frequent short April showers. Instead, there
was heavy rain of 25mm, 21mm, and 16mm on the 5th, 6th and 28th.
More typical recordings of 5mm, 6mm and 4mm on the 8th, 25th and
26th. In addition, just a trace (1mm) was registered on 7 days but it was
completely dry on a surprising 17 days. This is unusual, as April rainfall
is more typically described as ‘little and often’ with showers every day
or so providing the typical rainfall pattern for April.
Temperatures are generally rising but they have been punctuated
by colder snaps and the odd frost. The new growing season is well
underway in gardens, hedgerows and the countryside….roll on sum-
mertime! M.L.
8 5
MOBILE 07786 650937
consultants can get way with it, 'a route exten-
sion' to the Ayrshire port of Troon.
Though that consultant’s report has been
'under lock and key' since it was completed in
May 2008, more than a year ago, the docu-
ment here written in September 2009, there is
no single mention of the work anywhere on
the consultants’ own web-site, where all their
employments (and many case studies) are
proudly listed, since the beginning of 2004!
Whatever the reasons for such secrecy, it can
be revealed that The Scottish Government's
consultants are indeed experienced in marine
matters for, as they were completing their
study on 'The Irish Ferry', they were, para-
phrasing one of the consultants 'own press
releases’, commissioned, along with partners,
to carry out the work on behalf of Glasgow
City Council, which represents a group of local
authorities in the West of Scotland, to assess
the viability of developing a waterbus commut-
er service on the River Clyde. The findings of
the study, expected to have been delivered by
the end of March 2008, were to explore how
the River Clyde could be used for public trans-
port services, similar to other networks de-
ployed in London, Sydney and New York and
would see the development of a commuter
service linking Glasgow and The Clyde Estu-
ary as well as providing additional tourist net-
works to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
National Park, Loch Long, Loch Goil and
Rothesay.
'Reviewing 'best practice from across The
World', the consultants were to assess the
likely demand for such a service, as well as
opportunities to integrate with existing trans-
port services and were to also provide recom-
mendations for feasible service patterns,
vessel specifications and assess the econom-
ic viability of the services. The conclusions
were to focus on the potential to enhance the
use of The River Clyde, to open up public
transport linkages between locations which
are currently poor or non-existent, to boost
cross-river public transport movements by the
introduction of waterbus services and to ex-
amine the opportunities for interchange with
other modes of transport to ensure waterbus
services integrate with existing transport net-
works'.
Like 'The Irish Ferry' report, this 'waterbus
service' report, which could have been written
by anyone with a knowledge of the old Clyde
'Clutha' ferries, which provided a well-used
'waterbus service' between Glasgow's Victoria
Bridge and Whiteinch in the years between
1884 and 1903, has also escaped the clutch-
es of 'the public domain'! Just what the similar-
ities of, for a start, weather, between The
Clyde, Sydney and New York may be, are
probably as much of a mystery to the meteor-
ologists as they are to those of us mortals who
actually live and work in west of Scotland and
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the idea of any competent sea-going officer
ever attempting to take a 'waterbus' west of
The Cloch Lighthouse in any southerly sea, or
even trying to head eastwards, up-river, in
even a moderate easterly wind, 'beggars be-
lief' and 'best practice from across The World',
as the consultants phrase it, just does not and
cannot apply in these waters .
In these matters, history tells us that, in
the 1960’s, The Caledonian Steam Packet
Company questioned motorists disembarking
from the Dunoon car-ferry at Gourock about
their intentions and found that the majority of
those returning south to England turned not to
Glasgow and then the A74 but south down the
Ayrshire Coast to Dumfries and Galloway and
The Lake District for their final nights of their
holidays. The traditional pattern of tourist
movements around Scotland finds that traffic
moves anti-clockwise i.e. from 'The South',
northwards to Edinburgh and then to Inver-
ness and south again to Fort William and
Oban. The tourist travellers then heading
homewards as their funds run out, the final
funds being kept for a final night's 'fling' in the
'border' and Lake District areas and the es-
sential 'first-thing' and 'next-morning break-
fast' grocery supplies needed when they got
home!
Despite the prevalence of cash dispensing
machines and credit cards, nothing has al-
tered the tourists' attitudes over the years.
When the Fairlie-based car ferry ‘Cowal (II)’
began a daily service Fairlie Millport (Keppel
Pier) and Brodick to Tarbert in 1970, the serv-
ice essentially 'unadvertised' being designed
to provide a relief for the sometimes over-
loaded Ardrossan - Brodick car ferry "Glen
Sannox (III)", motorists loading their cars at
Tarbert confirmed the earlier findings and,
much to STG’s surprise and thanks largely to
the editor of the weekly ‘Autocar’ magazine,
quite a considerable traffic built up for the
Tarbert section! The proposals to reinstate the
car-ferry service from Campbeltown should
take account of these findings and, instead of
simply focusing on the provision of an Irish
service, should seek to establish links with
both Ireland and the Loch Ryan area drawing
traffic through Kintyre which would otherwise
be lost to the already well patronised Stran-
raer - Larne ferry services. Additionally, the
proposed new services would open up a
through continental link to the Cork - Roscoff
vehicle ferry. Refrigerated lorry traffic from
Spain hauled fruit across the English Channel,
the empty lorries came north to the various
West Highland landing ports for shellfish be-
fore returning home again, not infrequently
through Poole, in the south of England and the
homeward route through Kintyre had the po-
tential for shortening driving hours and deliv-
ery times.
The Kintyre - 'Loch Ryan' link would again
pull homeward bound southern tourists
through Mid Argyll and Kintyre and, through
reciprocal ticketing arrangements with the
Stranraer - Larne and other Irish Sea ferry
operators, a completely new set of mini-break,
weekend and mini-circular tourist breaks, op-
erating in all directions, would be created.
There has been no recent history of com-
mercial trading between Kintyre and the Ayr-
shire ports to suggest the viability of any
Kintyre - Ayr - Troon or Ardrossan freight
service. Robin Taylor's ‘Red Baroness’ and
‘Red Duchess’ and other ships already carry
out the only natural cargo that Kintyre produc-
es, trees and not one of these ships ever
arrives laden in Campbeltown and not one of
these ship-owners or their agents has ever
been asked to bring in the raw steel etc. for
the wind turbine towers and assemblies man-
ufactured at Machrihanish. The export of
these 'non-stackable' tower products requires
expert handling, in case of damage to their
outer skins and requiring secure stowage on
their outward journeys, the truth of the matter
being that these tower products need special
care in transit and, as any insurer would likely
advise, they should not be carried 'cheek to
jowl' with 'ordinary' car ferry traffic.
Despite the appeal of any short Kintyre -
Ayrshire ferry to some, not least the most
recently engaged Scottish Government con-
sultants, the actual (up to 3 hour) crossing
times, the additional time needed for booking
in, boarding and disembarkation would nullify
the seeming advantage of such a route. There
could be no real time improvement in moving
freight by this route, one easily affected by
weather conditions, no support could be ex-
pected from road hauliers on either side of
The Clyde, not so much because of the ex-
pense of the passage but too by the problems
of re-booking, in the case of services can-
celled by weather conditions, but rather by the
fairly obvious challenge of trying to recover
already, pre-paid, charges from the ferry
operator(s), that of deep concern to road haul-
iers working on ever decreasing margins and
potentially doing severe damage to their tight
cash flows! It should be remembered that the
only commercial traffic, 'in now long past re-
cent time', was a 'near-regular' lorry going
eastwards from Campbeltown, which ran to
the fish processing plant in Annan and, before
that, some few seasonal runs of lime from the
now long defunct Kintyre Farmers to the area
around Kircudbright, it better served with lime
from Northern Ireland.
Hyslop 'The Butcher', from Tarbert, made
very occasional and irregular trips to the old
market in Lanark, three lorries from Tweed
Valley Transport, in convoy, made two trips a
year to Kintyre and Hendry of Galston's cattle
float and trailer used to make weekly trips to

CAR RESTORATIONS - All makes
Normal fabrication including welding
Car Valeting: put a ‘Shine-on’ your car
UNIT 2, Kinloch Road,Campbeltown (Opposite Aqualibrium)
Kintyre's farms, that reduced as often or not nowadays to but a single
trip each month. From the foregoing summary of commercial traffic
movements, it is difficult to understand just how any 'Ayrshire ferry'
service could be made viable, Troon too far north in any case to catch,
or even appeal to, 'tourist' traffic, which traditionally moves in the
pattern identified above. In any case, 'one-ship' ferry operations are
notoriously known to 'founder'!
A 'one ship' operation running between Ballycastle, Campbeltown
and Troon would not only be at the mercy of the weather, the sea
conditions on the long reach between Ballycastle and the east of the
Kintyre peninsula uncomfortable at the best of times for passengers
and oft upsetting in even moderate westerlies and easterlies and
crossings from the shelter of Campbeltown Loch to the Ayrshire coast
and gaining access to any of the Ayrshire ports, Ardrossan, Irvine,
Troon, Ayr and Girvan not for the faint-hearted traveller in sometimes
even moderate southerly winds, but, with only one ship in ownership
and nothing similar, least in 'high season', to provide a replacement,
delays and breakdowns would inevitably jeopardise the success of
such an ill-devised and 'extended' venture. However, there are already
and ample enough berthing facilities for stern and side-loading ferries
at both Cairnryan and Stranraer, the former being favoured, right at the
entrance to Loch Ryan and, unlike the Ayrshire ports, there is good
shelter from the winds in Loch Ryan. So, no 'Irish Railway Tunnel', no
'Ayrshire ferry crossing', no 'waterbus' and no 'fuel-guzzling' high-
speed catamarans or hovercraft!
The answer perhaps lies in 'Going Back to The Future', for The
Government of Newfoundland has long being wanting to build a bigger
ship to replace Western Ferries' ‘Sound of Islay’ on the St. Brendan's
car ferry service (she seen here in February 2009) and, though some
thought her too slow in service when she opened up the Campbeltown
to Red Bay ferry service in 1969, she is understood to have been fairly
recently re-engined. Though on the Irish side, rather than Red Bay, the
natural destination for any ferry service from Kintyre should be Larne,
with good berthing facilities and, importantly, good route communica-
tions to the whole of Ireland by bus and by train, ideal for ‘non-landing
day trip’ excursions from Ireland to Kintyre, the original Red Bay
slipway, built by Western Ferries, is still in place and, if it not still fitted
below her stern vehicle ramp, it would be easy enough to manufacture
the 'T-Bar' frame which would allow her to berth on today's Campbel-
town ferry berth link-span. Just as before, the ‘Sound of Islay’ could be
returned to her old timetable on a revived Campbeltown - Red Bay
service, a daily double run in 'high season'; a daily double run over
weekends, Fridays to Mondays inclusively and a single daily run,
Tuesdays to Thursdays in the 'shoulders' of each season and a single
daily run in winter, a pattern of sailings which Campbeltown's John
J. H. Hooper B.Sc., B.V.M & S., M.R.C.V.S
VETERINARY
SURGEON
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Please telephone 01586 552427 for an appointment
UGADALE COTTAGE by CAMPBELTOWN
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DIY
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01583 431614 Decorating
07786 838996 Path laying
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who won’t let you down
& won’t charge the earth No job too small
Leesmoffat who, along with Clachan's Bob McLundie, captained both
the ‘Sound of Islay’ and the ‘Claymore’ on previous Irish ferry opera-
tions from Campbeltown, both having an intimate knowledge of these
services' traffic patterns and the prevailing local weather conditions
throughout the year, which is more than 'the consultants' have ever
asked or known about!
Such a service would require no subsidy on the basis of previous
traffic returns, the service would be 'fuel-and-labour-economic' to oper-
ate and, the ship still in current certification, albeit Canadian and
having originally only cost the Newfoundland Government some
£275,000 in September 1981, it is suggested that the re-purchase of
the ship and the total cost reinstatement of the Red Bay car ferry
service might cost even less than the £1 million annual 'subsidy'
currently being offered by the Scottish Government, the only problems,
suggests retired Captain John Leesmoffat, being that "One would need
to telephone Greenock to bring in a Customs' Officer and get someone
to put a 'chalk-board' notices outside the information centre on Camp-
beltown Quay and on the roadside at Red Bay" Donald Kelly.
COME AND SEE A FILM
Last year 53 members of The Cinema Theatre Association came 'doon
the watter' in The Waverley to visit The Picture House. They were
thrilled with their visit to “the most beautiful cinema in the UK” and
wrote appreciatively afterwards of the extreme rarity of the Art Nou-
veau style of the building – “this may be the only example within the
entire UK”. They also commended the 'wee hooses' which had been
added by the original architect, Albert V. Gardner, when he returned in
1935 to remodel his original creation – this ‘atmospheric’ style is
considered to be one of only two remaining examples of their type left
in Scotland.
The oldest cinema in the world is thought to be the Lumiere
Cinema in Pisa, Italy, founded in 1905 with the first official sound
screening in 1906 – that is only seven years before our own Wee
Pictures opened here in Campbeltown! On your next visit to the
cinema pause to look at the photograph at the foot of the stairs leading
to the balcony, this shows what the cinema looked like back in 1913.
These interesting facts about our historic building are worth telling
to all visitors to the area. If you run a B and B or a hotel or a guest
house could you tell your guests of this gem in Kintyre. Anyone can
subscribe to an email alert to What's On by going on to the website,
www.weepictures.co.uk and clicking on the Subscribe sign. A poster of
the current features can also be downloaded to attract customers to
the only family entertainment that is available six days a week, every
week of the year.
There are some great films on the horizon this summer, particularly
‘Clash of the Titans’ showing at the end of May, ‘Ironman 2’, ‘Shrek
Forever After’ and ‘Sex and the City 2’. The Wee Pictures is described
by Peter Irvine in ‘Scotland the Best’ as “Cinema Paradiso on the
Kintyre peninsula, lovingly preserved Art Deco shrine to the movies …
to see a film here and emerge onto the esplanade of Campbeltown
Loch is to experience the lost magic of a night at the pictures”.
The Directors of Campbeltown Community Business continue to
be extremely grateful to the support The Picture House receives from
the East Kintyre Wind-farm Trust and are in the throes of replacing the
aging lenses for the projector as a result of their latest grant.
Jane Mayo, May 2010.
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TORRISDALE CASTLE
Carradale Campbeltown Argyll PA28 6QT
TELEPHONE OR FAX 01583 431233
IRISH FERRY REPORT
THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT - JAN 2009
INTRODUCTION & FINAL COMMENTS BY DONALD KELLY
This economic appraisal, which was undertaken at the request of
Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive Ministers, exam-
ines the case for restoring the Campbeltown - Ballycastle ferry service
which ended after the 1999 season.
Despite being dated January 2009, the report was not made
publicly available online until November 19, 2009 and the Internet link
to the document only made public on page 1 of ‘The Campbeltown
Courier’ of Friday, April 2, 2010, not one Scottish Government minister,
MSP or even local councillor decrying the delay in making known the
document’s publication, that in itself a matter of some, at best,
‘curiosity’ ! It also a matter of some ‘curiosity’ that The Scottish Govern-
ment chose to appoint the MVA Consultancy (www.
mvaconsultancy.com) to prepare the report as the only other ‘marine’
studies in their portfolio of appointments (www.mvaconsultancy.com/
casestudies/casestudies) appear to be those for a Glasgow City Coun-
cil / Argyll and Bute Council-commissioned report for a ‘Clyde Water-
bus and Ferry Service (www.mvaconsultancy.com/casestudies/
clydewaterbus) and a ‘Transport Study’ for The Forth and Clyde Canal
(www.mvaconsultancy.com /casestudies/forthandclydecanal). The
MVA Consultancy also now have another couple of pages about the
Campbeltown-Ballycastle study online at (www.mvaconsultancy.com/
casestudies/campbeltownballycastleferrystudy) which asserts -
SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT
“Our analysis confirmed that both areas suffer from deprivation and
high levels of unemployment relative to national averages. We found
that there is an established market for travel between Scotland and
Northern Ireland but that aviation had been taking market share away
from ferries. We identified that the Campbeltown - Ballycastle ferry
would serve a largely different, although small, market to the existing
ferry services between Scotland and Northern Ireland and would
therefore mainly generate new trips”.
OPERATIONAL & INFRASTRUCTURE
ISSUES
“Having examined the harbours at Campbeltown and Ballycastle we
identified that the existing facilities were suitable to allow the reintro-
duction of a ferry service with some minor remedial works. Troon and
Ardrossan harbours were identified to accommodate a leg to Ayrshire.
Our assessment of vessels found that it would be difficult to source a
suitable second hand vessel to operate the service whilst construction
of a new vessel could be expensive and incur significant waiting times
for delivery”.
OPTIONS FOR A FERRY SERVICE
“Taking into account factors such as routes, home port, vessel speci-
fications, service frequency, demand and fares we developed 13
options for a ferry service -
7 for a Campbeltown - Ballycastle service,
4 for a Campbeltown - Ballycastle service with a leg to Ayrshire.
2 for a service between Campbeltown and Ayrshire alone.
We then sifted these down to 5 options -
4 for a service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle.
1 with a leg to Ayrshire which were taken forward for detailed appraisal”.
APPRAISAL OF OPTIONS
“Each of the options was assessed against the five STAG criteria of
Economy, Environment, Integration, Safety and Accessibility and So-
cial Inclusion. This included initial, qualitative appraisal and detailed,
quantitative appraisal of the options”.
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COMMERCIAL VIABILITY AND BENEFITS
“All five options were assessed for their commercial viability using a
revenue maximising fare and with an old and a new vessel. In addition,
sensitivity testing using a Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) fare was also
undertaken. For this assessment we developed a bespoke demand
forecasting model. We found that all options would require a substan-
tial public subsidy but that providing links to Ayrshire offered additional
benefits in terms of enhanced accessibility between Kintyre and the
Central Belt. We therefore recommended that if the service was to be
taken forward it should include a leg to Ayrshire. The majority of
economic benefits would accrue to Scotland, especially Kintyre, with
no major net impact on Northern Ireland”.
MARKETING THE SERVICE
“We concluded that a combination of destination marketing (i.e. the
attractions of Campbeltown and Ballycastle) and direct marketing of
the service would be required for maximum success. In particular, the
ferry should seek to attract niche markets based upon the local attrac-
tions like sports, outdoor pursuits and the natural environment”.
The main link to The Scottish Government / Northern Ireland
report, which, it is asserted, was prepared in accordance with Scottish
Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) (www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/
Transport/ferries-ports-canals/14342/STAG) and the report consists of
3 documents :
The ninety-seven page Appraisal Report (www.scotland.gov.uk/
Topics/Transport/ferries-ports-canals/14342/Report3) The 165-page
Option Generation and Sifting Report (www.scotland.gov.uk/
Topics/Transport/ferries-ports-canals/14342/Report4) The 85-page
Consultation Report (www.scotland.gov.uk/ Topics/Transport/ferries-
ports-canals/14342/ Report5)
Those with any interest in the creation of ferry links between
Kintyre and Ireland might like to read about the history of earlier
operations on the route at (www.scribd.com/ doc/6323536/Kintyres-
Western-and-Irish-Ferries-2004) and this document also includes a full
set of Summer and Winter Traffic Projections for the route, these
figures and notes first made freely available to Argyll and the Isles
Enterprise in 1995 and ‘almost studiously ignored’ by successive
agencies and fee-paid consultants! Here too in this document are the
Traffic Returns for the short-lived, 1997-1999, Campbeltown - Bally-
castle route, it operated by the ex-CalMac car ferry ‘Claymore’.
The ‘Claymore’
Most recently another document about the potential of the route
(www.scribd.com/doc/ 19921586/Sound-of-Islay-The-Irish-Ferry-Now-
and-Then) was also put online, it focusing on the original Campbeltown
- Red Bay route and it is suggested that these documents be read in
conjunction with the MVA Consultancy report highlighted here.