Butt to Barra District News

Gaelic Service - The next Gaelic Service in the Dingwall Community Centre on Tulloch Street will be on Sunday the 3rd of July. On this occasion Mr John Alick MacQuarrie an elder in Kilmuir and Paible Church of Scotland in North Uist will conduct the worship. The service to which all are welcome begins at the usual time of 3pm.

HARRIS

Defibrillators correction - In response to an article featured in the Stornoway Gazette of Thursday 16 June regarding First Provision of three defibrillators to Harris, we would assure you that these were provided by, not donated by Lucky 2 B Here as stated.

Following several discussions with Ross Cowie, the champion of the cause, we approached Harris Charity/Disabled Shop who agreed to donate the sum of £3,000 from their annual generous tranche of donations to local and national deserving causes. (Their annual contribution to charities usually amounts to approximately £10,000).

A subsequent approach to the trustees of the Cathie Macleod Trust (local) yielded a further £1, 500 and this was supplemented by several other donations from the community.

This was the definitive start of established defibrillators in the Western Isles.

A training course was held in the Harris Hotel in January 2014 run by 5 professional trainers from Skye and several parties from Lewis who had indicated their interest were present. Training facilities and accommodation were provided by Harris Hotel.

We are indebted to Ross Cowie who initially launched the scheme and also to the numerous volunteers who now, by their dedication, ensure its continuing progress and success throughout Harris and Lewis. We should also put on record our appreciation of the generosity of the Harris Charity Shop for their unfailing dispersal of generous funding to so many deserving causes.

Submitted - John Murdo Morrison

SOUTH UIST

Ceòlas Summer School 2016 - In just over a week, from July 3rd to 9th, the Ceòlas Summer School will take place and it looks like a busy and fun week of music and dance in the Gaelic heartland of South Uist.

There are still some Highland Music Trust places left for young musicians 16 - 25yrs old. Details on the web-site - www.ceolas.co.uk

Also the Gaelic classes are filling up so book your place asap.

This year the week welcomes, from Cape Breton in Canada, Shelly Campbell teaching Fiddle. Shelly has a lovely ‘blas’ to her playing.

Calum MacKenzie from Mabou, Cape Breton, is back again after a few years to teach fiddle for the first time.

Patsy Reid from Perthshire is a leading light in Scottish fiddling and has already made a name for herself on the Scottish and International traditional music scene. She will also be welcomed to Ceòlas for the first time.

Making a welcome return this year to teach step-dancing are; Mats Melin, Frank McConnell and Jayne MacLeod.

Piping for dancing will be lead by Fin Moore with youth piping in the able hands of Angus Nicolson from Skye.Youth fiddle will be taught by now Benbecula resident Allan Henderson.

There is a new trio of singers this year led by Skye resident Christine Primrose from Carloway in Lewis with Alasdair C. Whyte from Mull and Rachel Walker from Lochaber.