Isle of Jura newsletter October 2004

Welcome to your Isle of Jura newsletter. In this issue I am bringing you news of the Isle of Jura Music festival, Isle of Jura 365 : The Landscape Photographic Exhibition, and a poem on Farewell to Jura written in 1871.

Isle of Jura Music Festival 2004

The annual Isle of Jura music festival took place on the last weekend in September. This is now arguably the biggest event in the Jura calendar, attracting visitor numbers that more than double the population for the weekend.

This is no doubt due to the musical talent on display - ranging from the “locals” concert on the Friday night through to the main concert and dance on the Saturday, the numerous sessions, pipers, fiddlers, Gaelic singers, a jazz band, a bit of Irish/country and western and even a samba band (that managed to collapse the stage in the field!) At one point on Saturday night this author counted no fewer than 5 different places to go to hear music. Not bad for a wee island like Jura!

This year’s headline act at the main concert on Saturday night was the Michael McGoldrick Band. Supported by accomplished musicians there ain’t nothing Michael can’t do with a flute. Brilliant!

Meanwhile, up in the hotel bar the Gillespie brothers had them dancing on the tables with their pipes and accordion. Then it was the Jimmy Shandrix Experince that had us dancing in the hall until 3 am!

A few sore heads on the Sunday but it was on with the show! The Islay Pipe Band, the Jazz band (who also played in the church), singers and Gaorsach with their dancing display. Finally, the children put on a play with masks and shadow puppets in which Buie the Dwarf put paid to the wicked witch of Beinn an Oir (one of the Paps).

The bar remained packed for the rest of the night with a few game musicians battling on, but most of us by this time were partied out!

If you are interested in coming to Isle of Jura for the festival, it is held over the last weekend in September (a traditional Glasgow holiday weekend).

Accommodation books up very early but camping is available in the field in front of the Jura hotel. Please be warned, the place can be very busy.

Isle of Jura 365 : The Landscape Photographic Exhibition

A 3 year photographic project, carried out on Jura by Dr Gary Mckay from the USA, captured some 46,000 raw images in every season. The focus of the project was to interpret Gaelic place names within the landscape, and to capture them according to their translations. A selection of these images will be displayed at various locations on Jura, Islay and the mainland over the coming months. Go to www.theisleofjura.co.uk for further information on the exhibition and the island.

Isle of Jura Stories from the past

This month a poem, written by Jessie Scott on Feb 27th 1871 of Knockintavill (Barnhill). It is believed it was written just before she left for America knowing she would not be coming back to the Isle of Jura.

Farewell to Jura

No more I’ll climb the mountains high
To view the meeting sea and eye.
The stately vessels passing by
On every side of Jura.

Give honour to the great the brave,
To sordid souls the gold they crave,
Give me a walk at dusky eve
Along the shores of Jura.

How dear to me thy every scene,
When sun shines o’er the Western Main,
Or when he walks and spreads again
His golden beams o’er Jura.

By simple nature’s power impressed
There friendship glows in every breast
The stranger is a welcome guest
At every hearth in Jura.

From strife of noisy towns secure,
There mortals spend their lives obscure,
And long may harmony endure
Throughout the Isle of Jura.

Though ne’er to tread thy shores again,
My heart with thee shall aye remain
Where’er I wander I’ll retain
My dearest wish for Jura

Until next month, slainte. David

Laird of Jura newsletter no.7

Welcome to your Laird of Isle of Jura newsletter number 7. In this issue we bring you an update on the new year celebrations, new rainfall records set for wet and dry months in 2005, read about the hassle being caused by wild deer and goats in the village

News for January/February 06

Jura’s own band, Pete Smoke and the Roaches, helped blast Jura into 2006 with a storming set in the hall “after the bells”. The celebrations began with a ceilidh, led by Graham Rozga on the accordion, then it was time for some good old rock and/or roll with the Roaches! These boys came together by accident when a band due to play at the music festival in September cancelled at the last minute. They have since gone from strength to strength and have just completed a recent world tour of the neighbouring Isle of Islay! Try and catch them when you visit your Jura estate.

Rainfall for 2005

Rainfall records have been kept at Craighouse on Jura since 1983, and are also kept for the Paps, Inver and Lealt. It is amazing the difference some months between Inver and Craighouse, only about 5 or 6 miles apart as the crow flies, but separated by the Paps. For example, in May 2005 152mm fell on Craighouse while only 107.5mm fell on Inver. This can be attributed to the Paps drawing in the clouds which then dump their rain on the hills and on Craighouse, further to the east. Overall, the total rainfall for the year was slightly below average at Craighouse with July being the driest on record, and May being abnormally wet. (Just ask the fell runners!)

Deer and goats

These are becoming a pest in Craighouse doing lots of damage to gardens. In fact, my mother’s vegetable patch was recently stripped bare by a marauding stag!

Strange happenings on Jura

There have been quite a few instances of ghosts being seen on Jura. Here are some of them. During the 1980’s, several people reported seeing the headlights of a car approaching along the islands only single track road. Having pulled into a passing place to let the car past, nothing has appeared. There was no turn off between them and where they saw the car. The farmhouse at Lagg is reputed to be haunted by a poltergeist. It is rumoured that a past occupant used to take up a cup of tea to the room the ghost inhabited to quieten him down! Not far from Lagg, at the deserted house of Corrynahera, several people claim to have seen a face at the window on passing by. The ghost of a young lady was reportedly seen in Corran house by a doctor who was staying there. It is known that a young girl drowned whilst crossing the Corran river many years ago. A very reputable witness watched a strange creature swimming off Jura for several minutes back in the 1960s or 70s. His account was published in a book about Scottish sea monsters. Don’t forget to visit www.isleofjuragifts.com where you can find books featuring more interesting stories about Jura’s past. Until next time, Slainte David

Laird of Jura newsletter no.6 December 2005

Welcome to your Laird of Jura newsletter. In this December 2005 issue I will be covering the New Jura Care Centre, plans to improve tourism (so you have even more to see when you visit your Scottish Estate) and more about the island history.

Jura Care Centre

The construction of a new 6 unit progressive care centre has begun. This £1.8 million project will enable older people to remain on the island during a period of their life when their need for support increases. At the moment, the only place such people can go is on the neighbouring island of Islay. In addition to the centre, 2 affordable rented houses will be constructed on the site along with a roads and infrastructure package to allow the future construction of 4 further housing units. The care centre project has been in the pipeline for about 10 years and it is good to see all the directors’ hard work finally coming to fruition.

Tourism

There is now a new full colour leaflet about Jura including an accommodation insert aimed at promoting the island to potential visitors. If you would like a copy please drop me an email via www.isleofjuragifts.com and I will see what I can do. There are also plans for interpretation cairns to be set up throughout the island.

Jura History

An Carn The village is about 2 miles north of Lealt, at the north end of the island, on a bluff overlooking the sea. It can be reached by proceeding beyond ‘road end’ for about 1 mile until you reach the place that used to be called ‘Old Stables’. From here you can travel west to Glengarrisdale or east to An Carn which is about 1 mile from the road over tussocky grass which makes for difficult walking. The ruins of the buildings are clearly seen as the stone has not been taken to be used elsewhere as has happened in other deserted villages such as Barnhill. The distance from the road has saved the ruins of the 8 structures which made up the village. We know very little about this village. It does not appear on any of the census records so we can assume that the village was abandoned before the first census of 1841. It does, however, appear on some early maps. On Pont’s map of 1590 it appears as Karn and on later maps as Cairns. Associated with the village and across the stream to the south is the remains of a corn drying kiln - now in the edge of a forest plantation - and lazibeds show evidence of a fair amount of cultivation between the village and the stream. To the N E of the village there is a small bay which is one of the few places where a boat could be landed between Ardlussa and Kinuachdrach. At the head of this bay is a cave which was excavated by John Mercer and in which he found items of a late medieval date. These include a medieval arrow head and a pair of iron shears. Associated with the village on its western side are 9 separate groups of cup marks. This is the largest group of cup markings to be found on Jura so far. The reason for cup markings and their significance is not known.

Lairds View

Looking south from the Lairds View on a sunny summers day.

Isle of Jura Gifts

We now have some new lines including an Isle of Jura jigsaw. There is the possibility of having a Laird of Jura jigsaw made if there is enough interest. Please visit www.isleofjuragifts.com for a browse and email us if you are interested. It only remains for me to wish all you Lairds and Ladies a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Slainthe David