History society focuses on Iona Abbey
‘History and Memories of Iona Abbey’ was the topic for the December meeting of the Inveraray History Society.
A good turnout of members and guests attended the talk given by a well-known member May MacGugan from Lochgair.
May’s husband, Neil, was the lead joiner for the refurbishment of Iona Abbey completed in 1965.
The audience were treated to a digital selection of the vast collection of photos May still has stored and were reminded of the history and remains of
Scotland’s famous Abbey.
Photographs shown included the ‘Street of the Dead’ leading up to the Abbey – the earthen bank that enclosed the holy site pre-dating the monastery; ‘Hill of the Abbot’, where Columba is said to have had his writing hut; and the four tall intricately carved crosses dating back to the eighth and ninth centuries, three of which are now stored in the Abbey Museum leaving one still in place.
May also brought along two of her own crosses – St John’s and St Martin’s – set on Iona marble.
May interspersed her interesting visual talk with amusing and intriguing stories, one of which brought to life the lonely task her husband had taken on refurbishing the Abbey.
His only companion for much of the time was a robin, which used to appear every day on his window sill at 4pm to be fed and would then stay and watch Neil while he worked. He always maintained that the little bird kept his sanity.
The society is very grateful to members Mark Boston and Hazel Grey for their painstaking efforts in cataloguing and digitalising May’s numerous slides.
The new year’s meeting will welcome another society member as speaker. Ethel MacCallum will discuss ‘Songs of Inveraray – Old and New’ on Tuesday January 7 at the usual time of 7.30pm. All are welcome.