Iolaire Memorial Project awarded £8,000 HLF Grant

Awarded through HLF’s ‘First World War then and now’ programme, the project will focus on commemorating the Iolaire Disaster in the run up to the centenary of the event in 2019.

To mark the centenary of the First World War, the project will enable local people in the Isle of Lewis to come together and preserve the memories and heritage of those who were involved in the First World War.

The project will work in close partnership with The Nicolson Institute and the Stornoway Historical Society, as well as other local history organisations, engaging participants in preparing creative outputs that will commemorate the Iolaire Disaster. These will include a film, artwork for the memorial, and a ceremony for the opening of a permanent memorial in Carn Gardens, Stornoway.

It is felt that it is of tremendous importance to commemorate such a poignant event in the history of Lewis and Harris where the lives of many local men were lost and communities grievously affected.

Tony Robson of the Stornoway Amenity Trust said: “The Stornoway Amenity Trust is delighted to be working closely with pupils from The Nicolson Institute and to offer the opportunity for pupils to learn more about the Iolaire Disaster and contribute significantly to the commemoration of an event that is rooted in their local history and, in some cases, their ancestry.”

This will be a year-long project ending in February 2018. The outputs of the project will be shared as widely as possible in the Western Isles and on-line.