70TH ANNIVERSARY OF EVACUATION OF EILEAN NAN RON - Part 4
Fortunately the seasons change to be overtaken by summer and this gives the island a special beauty. The rough heathery island with its houses scattered about the cultivated plots. The faint smell of peat smoke in the heady air- the sea breeze brushing the vivid green of the growing corn. Happy cries of children playing and all around the blue of the tranquil sea.
In many ways the island was self-sufficient. The islanders killed their own cattle and sheep and salted the carcasses. Fish was naturally cured by hanging the fish on wooden spars in Carn Talmhainn, a cave by the sea. The prevailing wind blew into the cave and the salt air imparted a very special flavour. Sometimes there would be almost two thousand fish hanging in the cave at one time- the fish never had to be salted. A small store house was opened at one end of a croft house to provide basic utilities. There was always a plentiful supply of peats. At one time they made their own candles, and grew their own Tobacco plants.
By 1937 the population of the island had dropped to nineteen. The First World War had brought a spirit of unrest. The contentment of former generations had passed with the decline in herring fishing and a feeling that an easier living could be made on the mainland. It brought about a partial evacuation- four families left, one entire family at one time to Australia, whilst other individuals went to Canada and America. As with St Kilda in 1931, there was an inevitability about the future of life on the island.
In anticipation of a forthcoming evacuation, in June 1937 the Scottish Daily Express sent a reporter, closely followed by a reporter from the Scottish Daily Record in early December, 1937.
Mr James Morrison of the Scottish Daily Record experienced at first hand the unpredictability of island life, being stranded on the island over a few days. He stayed at the house of Donald and Seonaid Mackay. Their daughter, Kitty Ann Macqueen, the last side-school teacher on the island clearly recalls the events of that period. As side-school teacher her last and only remaining pupils, were her two brothers, John Angus and Donald. As a family they left the island in the summer of 1938.
Although not the oldest surviving islander, Kitty Ann recently celebrated her ninetieth birthday and earlier this year revisited her native island by helicopter, arranged by Caledonia TV, to make a documentary ** about island memories and life. This was shown on BBC ALBA on 1st December and 7th December.
Eilean nan Ron, Eilean nan Ron,
Island whose hills are as dear as my own
Over your heather I'll never more roam
And I am sad that I am going to leave you
* Final Evacuation List:
Christina Bella Mackay, Hector Sinclair Mackay, Jessie Ann Mackay, Willie John Mackay, Hugh Campbell Mackay, Donald Mackay, Ina Mackay, Chrissie Dolina Mackay, Angus Mackay, Christina Mackay, Donald Macdonald, William Macdonald
Iain Fraser December 2008 and ©
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