Da Sagarazazu remembered

and of course, ‘pintxos’, that gastronomic Basque delight.

‘Spanish/Gaelic classes were the norm of a winter evening and Magda welcomed in any stray or stranded visitor to the island, offering hospitality, a glass of Cava and a warm smile to all. Her welcoming nature and sense of fun became her signature ‘default’ and there is a not a man on earth who did not crumble when confronted by her twinkly eye and her ‘preciosa’ grin,’ said Mrs Mackenzie.

She added: ‘Magda’s professional contribution not only to the heritage contained within Canna House, but also to Scotland and on into the wider world is immeasurable and she fiercely promoted and advocated the work of the Campbells across the world, increasing awareness in every letter, lecture, broadcast and newspaper article.

‘After John and Margaret died, Magda continued on with the archiving and cataloguing of the Campbells extensive paper archive of correspondence, manuscripts and research writings. She answered the daily research enquiries which came from right across the world, from some of the most hallowed halls of learning including Harvard, Oxford and Dublin and established close relationships with many of the most learned and revered Chairs of Academia.

‘Her name became synonymous with Canna House. The work carried out by Magda is very likely the greatest contribution to worldwide recognition of Scottish cultural significance to be found anywhere.’ Her friend and executor of John Lorne Campbell,

Magda with her husband Joaquin. Spanish/Gaelic classes were the norm of a winter evening and Magda welcomed in stranded visitor to the island, offering hospitality, a glass of Cava and a warm smile to all.

Professor Hugh Cheape, said about Mrs Sagarazazu: ‘Magda won the hearts of all of us who work or have worked in the area of our cultural heritage. She was keenly aware of the international significance and of the life and work of the Campbells of Canna and she worked tirelessly and with great passion to preserve and propagate this. ‘Magda knew the archives from end to end and worked under often difficult circumstances of isolation to refine them and bring them into a state fitted for the scholarship of the 21st century. We are lost for adequate words of thanks for her life and work in Canna.’

Mrs Mackenzie said: ‘Friends for years, in 2015, Magda took me under her wing as her little ‘preciosa’, her ‘little bird’ and guided me through the enormous, privileged task of becoming the first point of call for information on John and Margaret Campbell.

‘Magda had wanted to retire some years before she actually did but felt she needed to find someone who might understand and love the Collections, as they deserved to be loved. Many is the time, sitting in the sitting room window of Canna House, that she would entrance me with her memories of ‘Marguerite’s’ pithy stories and John’s sense of fun, the pranks he played and the travels she had with them across the globe. Her story of why there is a hole in the gate to Doirlinn now – to allow her little Cairn terrier Patxu, to have lovelorn conversations with the little seal who visited the shore every day, would become the pivotal focus for her adult working life.

‘The NTS were indeed fortunate to have in Magda, an employee who so selflessly devoted her life to the Isle of Canna and who has preserved for us and for future generations.’

Her work was recognised by the NTS in 2015 when she was presented with the George Waterston Memorial Award for an employee of exceptional integrity and commitment and she was recognised the following year by the Saltire Society as one of Scotland’s Outstanding Women of the Year, alongside First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and author J.K. Rowling.