Memorial slate reunited with owner

THE MYSTERY of the memorial tablet pulled from the water at the lower falls in Glen Nevis by an Irish visitor last year has been solved and the poignant object returned to its owner.

Last week the Lochaber Times reported how Aaron Brennan, from Ireland, was in Lochaber in 2016 and had noticed something in the water at the lower falls in Glen Nevis.

Pulling it out from the river, Aaron, who had been working at a local campsite, discovered a dark slate memorial stone.

On it was carved a simple, heartfelt tribute to someone named ‘Ruairidh’. Next to the message there was a heraldic emblem.

The words read: ‘Ruairidh, Goodbyes are not forever, Are not the end, It simply means I will miss you. Until we meet again, forever and always, Eilidh and the boys Xxx.’

Aaron didn’t have time last year to do anything about it, so kept the tablet and brought it with him when he came back to Scotland this year and handed it into the Lochaber Times office in Fort William in the hope a story in the paper might help reunite the tablet with the family concerned.

And this week we received a call and a visit from Fiona Mackinnon, of Fort William, who told us the tablet had been made for the grave of her son, in Glen Nevis Cemetery.

Ruairidh died in 2015, aged just 25, and his mother says she had no idea how the tablet ended up in the water.

‘The tablet was placed on the grave, so how it ended up at the lower falls we just don't know,’ Fiona said.

‘Another marker was made to replace this one, but we will put the original back on the grave as well.

‘We are so pleased this was found and returned to us and I will contact Aaron to tell him how grateful we are for his efforts to return it.’