Columba's Island: Iona from Past to Present 9781474470391

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COLUMBA'S ISLAND

COLUMBA'S ISLAND Iona from Past to Present

E. MAIRI MACARTHUR

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS

Dedicated to my aunt, Mary MacArthur, with thanks for many happy holidays

© E. Mairi MacArthur, 1995 Edinburgh University Press Ltd 22 George Square, Edinburgh Reprinted 1996 Replinted with corrections 2007 Typeset in Linotron Caledonia by Nene Phototypesetters Ltd, Northampton, and printed and bound in Great Britain by Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wilts A CIP record for this book is available from the Blitish Library ISBN 978 0 7486 3261 9 (paperback) The publisher wishes to acknowledge subsidy from the Scottish Arts Council towards the publication of this book. The right of E. Mairi MacArthur to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the CopyTight, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Contents Acknowledgements Preface Author's Note Part One: An I mo chridhe, I mo ghraidh 1 The Island Now Called I -Colm Kill 2 A Man of Blessed Memory :3 The Legacy of Colum Cille Part Two: An aite guth manaich bidh geum ba 4 Voices of Monks 5 Lowing of Cattle 6 Upon his Own Particular Lot 7 Turning-Points Part Three: Ach mun tig an saoghal gu cr'ich 8 A Cathedral Restored 9 The New Century 10 The Lads who will Never Return 11 Living from Land and Sea 12 The Visitors 1:3 Students and Schooldays 14 A New Community in Iona 15 Protected Area Number Three 16 The Post-War Years

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19 :3:3

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59 69 8:3 9:3 104

111 121 1:34 148 16:3 17:3

Part Four: Bidh I mar a bha 17 Postscript

191

Bibliography Index

200 204

Acknowledgements

I acknowledge with thanks receipt of a travel and research grant from the Scottish Arts Council towards the costs of researching this book. I am most grateful to the following individuals and institutions for permission to consult archives or papers and for assistance during the research: His Grace the Duke of Argyll and Alastair Campbell of Airds, InverarayCastle; Murdo MacDonald, Argyll and Bute District Council Archives; John Barber and Jerry O'Sullivan, AOC Scotland; Crichton Lang and Lawrence Marshall, Iona Cathedral Trust; the Oban Times; Robert Smart, University Muniments, University of St Andrews; the Russell Trust; Ian Fisher, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland; and Dr Margaret Mackay, School of Scottish Studies. The Celtic designs are reproduced, with permission, from the work of the late lain MacCormick. I am also indebted, for much advice and support cheerfully given, to my colleague Dr Simon Taylor. E. Mairi MacArthur

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Frontispiece Crofters' harvest at Clachanach and, in the foreground left, behind Bishop's \phone, 146 tele,·ision, 176 Tigh an Easbuig, 44, 48, 49, .59 time doors, 52-3 tinkers, 144 touristn, see visitors

tractors, 182 Traighmor, 72, 102, 122, 123, 131, 168 United Free Church, 136, 137, 138, 139 veterinary skills, 180-1 ,;llage, .Sl-2, 63 Viking raids, 17-18, 28 \isitors, 101, 108, 121-6, 146, 165, 174 economic impact, 121-2 Vyner, Clare, 151-2 Walker, Dr John, 23,55-6 war Boer War, 80, 85, 104 First World, 104-8 memorials, 109-10, 137, 167 Second World, 163-8, 170 Warr, Revel Charles, 150, 156, 157, 175 water supplies, 121, 146, 176 weaving, 113 weddings, 79, 89 wells, 68, 76, 78, 153 Whitby, Synod of, 11 Whithorn, 9 wireless, 146 Wood, Anne, 96--7, 170 Wood, James, 95