Volunteers tackle island improvements
A SMALL island in the Sound of Jura is in safe hands as a group of volunteers looks after the isolated outcrop close to the mouth of Loch Sween.
The Eilean Mór MacCormick Trust ar- ranged a work week on the island at the end of July. The main contingent of volunteers arrived on the Friday with a further boatload arriving on the following Tuesday.
Plenty of good work was carried out despite the inclement weather, upgrading the island visitor centre and improving the infrastructure.
Better weather on Saturday greeted two boat-loads of visitors to the island.
Acting as tourist guides, trustees showed them round and explained about the historical artefacts scattered around Eilean Mór MacCormick.
The island was a site of great significance for the early Celtic and mediaeval church. The remains of buildings are from around the sixth century can be found, with a cave that is believed might have been used by a religious hermit. In the cave are two incised carvings of early Christian design.
The island’s chapel, which may have been built on the site of an earlier structure, was constructed about 1100 and was refurbished in the middle of the 14th century on the authority of John, 5th Chief of Clan Donald and first Lord of the Isles.
But among all this history and natural beauty, of much more immediate interest to the latest group of visiting children was producing s’mores. This involves cooking marshmallows over an open fire then making them into a sandwich between two chocolate digestive biscuits.
The visitor centre is open every day of the year for anyone who wants to make their own way to the island.
The next organised trip for the volunteer work group is in September. Anyone wanting to join this group can contact the guardian of the island at david.wolfe.emm@gmail.com.