TEN YEARS AGO
Thursday March 20 2014
Arisaig launch for ‘Paddle Fest’
Organisers aim to make a real splash with the launch of a new festival in Lochaber later this year.
The Celtic Paddle Fest will be held over the weekend of May 10-11 in the spectacular setting of Arisaig and will offer a range of activities.
Lochaber Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Arisaig Sea Kayak Centre, No Fuss Events, Rockhopper Sea Kayaking, Sea Kayak Arisaig and Wilderness Guides Canoeing to create the two-day paddle sports gathering.
The festival will cater for all abilities, from those who have never been in a canoe or kayak before to those wishing to learn new skills or try new equipment such as ‘sit on top’ kayaks.
Paddle fans will get the chance to go out on the water with an experienced guide.
The weekend will involve two days of kayaking and canoeing activities, a triathlon, evening barbecue and entertainment on the Saturday night.
Festival goers can either attend for one day or for the whole weekend and can select a ticket offering two, three or four sessions on the water.
Frazer Coupland of Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, said: "This event will offer a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and try something new with a diverse range of activities to suit all abilities and small group sizes with experienced guides.
"If paddling is something you have always fancied, why not join us for the 2014 Celtic Paddle Fest?
"This is a unique event to the outdoor capital bringing paddlers and those who would like to paddle together in one location."
TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO
Saturday March 20 1999
Book marks bid for better Irish trade link
Yesterday, on St Patrick’s Day, a Lochaber businessman introduced a novel element in the cultural and trading links between Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
Attending a St Patrick’s Day celebration lunch at Bellahouston Park, with Mary Harney, deputy prime minister of Eire, were Fort William gifts and crafts shop proprietor Drew Purdon and his wife Irene.
And Drew presented Mary Harney with a copy of a book - written by an Irish priest - which claims St Patrick spent his childhood at Banavie, near Fort William.
Mary Harney, who is also minister of state for enterprise, trade and employment, is currently hosting a series of meetings between Irish and Scottish companies to boost trade in both countries.
And the fact her high profile visit to Glasgow was on St Patrick’s Day confirms the importance which Ireland places on its associations with Scotland.
Drew Purdon, who imports woollens, crystal, pottery and pewter ware from the west of Ireland for sale in his shop, was underlining that Celtic connection.
The book he presented to Mary Harney is entitled St Patrick’s Boyhood Home Was In Inverness-shire At Banavie, Lochaber.
It was written, half a century ago, by Father Patrick O’Regan, parish priest at nearby Glenfinnan.
He asserts that Ireland’s patron saint was the son of a Roman decurion - or tax collector.
"The saint’s early biographers agree that he belonged to North Britain and that his father, Calpurnius, carried out his government duties in what are now the West Highlands," the author states.
Father O’Regan is definite about St Patrick’s childhood: "No-one who reads the opening sentences of the Confession of St Patrick, and who is acquainted with the geography of Fort William, can fail to see that the modern Banavie is the Beneventem which St Patrick describes as ‘the place of my early years among the Scots’."
Drew Purdon said: "I’ve invited Mary Harney to visit Banavie, and Lochaber, where there are many links with Ireland.
"Our area features twinning arrangements with County Clare, stages international shinty-hurling matches, exports seafood to the republic and Inverlochy Castle Hotel is managed by an Irishman from Sligo."
In the wider context, there is potential for closer liaisons between Eire and Lochaber, which have not yet been capitalised upon.
"With the advent of the Scottish Parliament and its elements of independence our countries will be brought closer," Drew Purdon continued.
"And we will find ourselves nearer than before to one another - literally and figuratively."
Chairman of Fort William and district Chamber of Commerce Alex Allan observed: "Drew Purdon is the Chamber’s local government spokesman and we hope to achieve handsome economic and tourism benefits following his meeting with Mary Harney.
"It is important the West Highlands progresses the links with Ireland. We have a lot to learn from each other."
SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AGO
Saturday March 19 1949
Municipal rents are to be increased to meet higher repair costs
Fort William Town Council is to increase the rents of municipal houses in the burgh to meet the increased costs of repairs and maintenance.
This decision was made at a full meeting of the council presided over by Provost Cameron on Monday night.
The question arose from a minute submitted to the council of a meeting of the finance committee and a report by the Town Chamberlain on rents of local authority houses.
The recommendation of the finance committee was that the rents of council houses be raised as follow: Group I (4 5-apt. houses) from £30 co £34; Group 2 (8 5-apt. houses) from £26 to £29; Group 3 (12 4-apt. houses) from £26 to £29; Group 4 (4 4-apt. houses) from £23 to £26: Group 5 (66 4-apt. houses) from £22 to £25; Group 6 (152 3-apt. houses) from £14 to £15.
This would result in a total increase in rents of £606, an increase in occupier’s rates of £235 and an increase in owner’s rates of £155, giving a net increase of revenue of £686.
● The figures are for the yearly rent.
New ferry service from Ardnamurchan to connect with steamers at Tobermory
Commencing on Friday April 1, the Outer Islands steamer call at Kilchoan will be discontinued and a ferry service between Tobermory and Mingary will come into operation.
During the summer months, the Lochbuie, a large motor launch which MacBraynes has recently acquired, will operate a thrice daily service between Mull and Ardnamurchan with connections for both the inward and outward sailings of the Lochinvar and Lochness at Tobermory.
There will be two services in the morning, the first leaving Tobermory at 6.15 am, and there will be an afternoon run departing from Tobermory.
The round trip will take approximately one hour. During the winter months - September 19 to March 31- there will only be two morning services and the afternoon service will be discontinued.
The Lochbuie, a former RAF pinnace, will carry 36 passengers and cargo. This week she was launched at Dumbarton, after having been re-engined and converted at a cost of £10,000.
At present, passengers to Ardnamurchan travel on the Outer Isles steamer on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to Kilchoan, where they are landed by ferry boat. Passengers for Mull or Oban are taken aboard at Kilchoan on the inward run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The Lochinvar, during the summer, made a special trip from Tobermory to Mingary three times a week.
The new service will be most beneficial to those living in Ardnamurchan who will have a much-improved transport service to and from Mull and Oban.
It is also expected the discontinuing of the Kilchoan call by the Lochness will reduce the time of the round trip from Oban to the Outer Islands by an hour.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Saturday March 22 1924
Rare lobster caught
Recently a fishing boat fishing out of Mallaig caught a Lobster (Palinurus Vulgaris).
This specimen is related to the common lobster, but is generally found in deeper water and is not at all common on the west of Scotland.
It gets more common further south and in the English Channel and, especially on the French side, it is more common than the ordinary lobster.
It seldom extends far to the north. A few specimens have been found off Lewis and there is one record from Orkney and an isolated record from Norway.
The Spiny Lobster has not got the large biting claws of the common lobster and the stiff feelers may prevent it entering so readily into the ordinary lobster creel and perhaps this may prevent its capture more often in the ordinary lobster creel.
The specimen captured was sent alive to the Marine Laboratory of the Fishery Board at Aberdeen and is now on view there in a tank.
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