Poetry of the clearances
ONE of Scotland’s most eminent historians travels to the Ross of Mull this month to deliver a talk on the poetry of the clearances, just as a local project is bringing a ruined township back to life.
Sir Tom Devine, emeritus professor of Scottish History and Palaeography at the University of Edinburgh, will comment on two poems, the Lament for Factor Mòr by Eugene Ross and the Satire on Patrick Sellar by Donald Baillie, read by Eleanor MacDougall, at Bunessan Hall on Tuesday October 17 at 7.30pm.
Jan Sutch Pickard of the Ross of Mull Historical Centre said: ‘We are really pleased because it fits so well with our current project on the ruined township of Ardchiavaig.’ Ardchiavaig is such a cleared settlement of more than 20 roofed and unroofed buildings (including a school), and 14 enclosures, on a beautiful but apparently empty corner of Mull near Uisken.
A walkover archaeology survey by Dr Clare Ellis of Argyll Archaeology in July, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, has produced a detailed report, now being studied by volunteers at the Ross of Mull Historical Centre, which commissioned it.
You can view a video of the archaeological investigation online via You Tube, titled Sùil Air Ardchiavaig – Ross Of Mull Historical Centre.
The centre’s winter programme will include showings of several films, and reminiscence sessions, sharing information about the story of Ardchiavaig and its people.
Prof Devine has written or edited more than three dozen books on Scottish history, the Scottish diaspora, Irish-Scottish studies, and recently Clanship to Crofters War: Social Transformation of the Scottish Highlands.
Eleanor MacDougall is a silversmith and Gaelic teacher, living and working on the Isle of Mull. She has recently completed a PhD in Gaelic Studies at Aberdeen University, and her research subject was 19th century paintings of the Gàidhealtachd.