Na h-Uibhistich

 

Cha robh ceangail sam bith, cho fad' 's aithne dhuinn, ris na h-eileanan an iar aig na h-UIbhistich. Cha robh ann ach ainisg, no far-ainm. Gu dearbh, bha buinteanas aca ri Loch Aillse mus tàinig iad chun na Comraich. B' e Seonaidh athair an teaghlaich sa sgìre seo, is chaochail e ann an 1915 is e 88 bliadhna a dh'aois.

 

Bha ceathrar mhac aige: Aonghas, Ruairidh (Ruairidh an Uibhistich); Alasdair (Ali an Uibhistich) agus Dunnchadh (Dùsh), agus bha iad uile aig muir.

 

Chan eil Aonghas air a chuimhneachadh air a' chlach-uaighe idir, a rèir choltais airson 's nach robh a bhràithrean toilichte gun do phòs e tè à Eilean Mhuile a bhiodh ri dannsadh!

 

Fhuair iad uile aois glè mhath, a h-uile fear dhiubh còrr is 80 bliadhna a dh'aois.

 

B' e am bàta-iasgaich Violante aca, aig acair sa Pholl Chreadha ann an ceanna deas na Comraich. Mar sin, bha e furasta gu leòr dhaibh a ruighinn oir bha iad uile a' fuireach anns a' Chùil Dhuibh. B' ann gu math coltach ris a' Mhorag is a bha an Violante. Bha crann oirre agus falmadair mòr. Coltach ri bàtaichean iasgaich eile bha ceithir buathalan ann an toiseach a' bhàta airson àite far am faigheadh an sgioba beagan fois is cadail.

 

Anns na 1930an, bhruidhinn Ruairidh an Uibhistich ri Coimisean oifigeil a bha a' rannsachadh stàid an iasgaich: bha e gu mòr an aghaidh iasgach an sgadain fhad' 's a bha solas an là ann, agus gu sònraichte an aghaidh iasgach air an t-Sàbaid. Thug e dealbh inntinneach seachad de na bailtean far an deach an t-iasg a ghlac muinntir na sgìre – Lunnainn, Manchester, Liverpool is mar sin air adhart.

 

 

 

The MacIntoshes

 

As far as we know, there was actually no connection between this family and the Uists in the Western Isles, from which they took their byname. In fact, it seems that they were actually more closely connected to Loch Alsh before they arrived in Applecross. John, the family's father in the Applecross area, died in 1915, aged 88.

 

He had four sons: Angus, Roderick (Ruairidh an Uibhistich), Alexander (Ali an Uibhistich) and Duncan (Dùsh), and they were all at sea in various capacities.

 

Angus isn't mentioned on their family gravestone, apparently because his very religious brothers disapproved of his having married a woman from Mull who taught Highland Dancing!

 

Longevity ran in the family, with all the brothers living to over 80 years of age.

 

They had the fishing boat Violante which lay at anchor in the Poll Chreadha, so it was very close at hand to their family home in Culduie. The Violante was a very similar looking boat to the Morag with a mast and a large tiller. She also had four forward bunks for resting and sleeping in.

 

In the 1930s, Roderick spoke to an official commission about the fishing industry - he was greatly opposed to daylight fishing for herring, and especially to fishing on a Sunday. He gave a very detailed picture of the markets they would service - London, Manchester, and Liverpool.