TEN YEARS AGO
Friday February 28, 2024
Dunaverty Players proved their acting skills were top notch after coming out victorious in last week’s Kintyre Drama Festival.
The drama group’s version of Nick Warburton’s play Easy Stages, following the backstage drama at a production of Hamlet, was awarded first place by adjudicator Ronnie Mackie.
Dunaverty Players will now go on to represent Kintyre at the Western Divisional Finals in Castle Douglas on March 29.
Peninver Juniors, meanwhile, picked up the youth winners prize for their rendition of Domby Dom, also by Nick Warburton.
They will take centre stage at the Youth Divisional Finals in Campbeltown Grammar School on March 15.
This year’s festival saw six amateur drama clubs battle it out over two nights.
Clachan Primary School pupils and their class teacher have been learning about Gaelic during a five-week block of tuition from David McEwan.
Last Thursday, the pupils showed off their new language skills by holding an open afternoon for parents and members of the wider community.
They presented drama, songs and music in Gaelic.
TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO
Friday March 5, 1999
The A83 will remain open after blasting work was so successful last weekend that a further two road closures will not now be required.
Beginning last Friday, three weekends had been pencilled in for road closures while major blasting work was to be carried out at three sections of the A83 at Artilligan to make it safe following two land slips last year.
But despite the appalling weather, contractors RJ McLeod and their subcontractors managed to do all the blasting work in just one weekend, surpassing even the most optimistic forecasts.
The road closed at midnight last Thursday and opened again at 5.30am on Monday morning.
The rock-faces were blasted at around 10am on Friday, which could be heard as far away as Lochgilphead and Furnace. More blasting took place on Sunday afternoon.
The work has changed the landscape beyond recognition and pleased protesters who had campaigned for the road at Erines to be widened.
Les Oman, spokesman for the Kintyre Road Users’ Group, said they were pleasantly surprised at the amount of rock blasted away, although he still wanted the road to be widened.
“The improvement is there to be seen,” he said. “We don’t believe in the grand scheme of things that it would cost a fortune.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Office paid tribute to the work of the main contractor RJ McLeod and the subcontractors, also acknowledging the part played by Argyll and Bute Council, the Transport Research Laboratory, Caledonian MacBrayne and Strathclyde Police.
Police reported the cooperation of residents, local businesses and the Argyll and Bute NHS Trust.
There were no major delays on the ferry service – which involved two CalMac ferries operating 24 hours a day – and the two main overland routes, the B8024 Kilberry road and the Portavadie road on Cowal.
Inspector Donnie MacDonald of the Argyll Traffic Unit said he would like to offer his appreciation to the general public for their cooperation during the road closure.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
Thursday March 7, 1974
Two massive natural gas cylinders arrived in Campbeltown by sea from Ardrossan over the weekend.
The cylinders, both 40 feet high, made the sea trip aboard the ferry Sound of Islay.
The giant containers were mounted on the trailers of two 72 foot long articulated lorries.
The first container arrived on Saturday evening, followed in the early hours of Sunday morning by two gigantic cranes. The other container arrived that afternoon.
Many people watched anxiously as the white containers travelled up Main Street like two magnified shaving sticks. Mouths were agape as they rounded the White Hart Hotel corner.
They were then hoisted by crane into position at the new Natural Gas Plant.
The cylinders were in position by 6pm that evening.
The plant’s manager, Mr Bert Miller, said: “Each of the tanks weighs 28 tons empty, but when they are filled with natural gas they’ll weigh about 58 tons.
“They had to come by sea because the massive lorries would not have managed round the road.”
Asked what the advantages of natural gas were, Mr Miller said: “Firstly, it’s a lot cleaner and easier to maintain. Instead of buying 20 tons of coal, the tanker comes and fills liquid gas into the cylinders. There is also no sulphur or by-products to be taken away.”
The first consignment of natural gas is due to arrive in about two weeks. It is thought that the switch over will take place some time in April.
About 2,000 people a day are visiting the Highlands and Islands Development Board’s stand at the Paris Agricultural Show.
They are tasting and buying fish, steak, lamb chops, whisky – and shortbread from Campbeltown.
Among the exhibitors invited by the board to take part in the exhibition, the largest of its kind in Europe, are McIlchere Food Products Ltd of Campbeltown.
“This is a completely new venture for us,” said Mr Robin McIlchere, who is in charge of the company’s display.
“We have agents for the Japanese and North American markets but none so far in France.”
The Campbeltown bakery is displaying their shortbread gift packs as well as giving visitors a taste of the contents.
“We have found the general public very interested in our product,” said Mr McIlchere, “and, more important, we have already made contact with three new possible trade agents.”
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Saturday March 1, 1924
Good progress has been made by the committee appointed in November last to consider the installation of an electric lighting plant for Tarbert, and steps have now been taken to ascertain the extent to which the light will be used if introduced.
It is proposed to utilise the Avengeilan Burn for the power, and the estimated cost of the work is put at £8,000.
It is believed that the revenue from light and power would work out at about £1,100 per annum, and as the annual cost is calculated as approximately £950, including interest on capital, the project should afford a reasonable dividend and perhaps even enable the promoters to lay aside a reserve fund for future development.
It is proposed to supply electricity at 12s 6d per light per annum, and steps have been taken to ascertain the extent to which the public will support the scheme and the number of shares that will be taken up in the district.
The first lamb of the season seen in this district made its appearance at Gallowhill last week, the offspring of a Leicester ewe.
Early potato planting was started in this district last week, the growers leading the way being Mr Robert Smith, Lossit Home Farm, and Mr W Douglas, Knockbay.
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