An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Sruth > Volume 2 > No. 76, 19 February 1970

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BI-LINGUAL NEWSPAPER OF CURRENT EVENTS IN THE HIGHLANDS AND THE ISLANDS AND IN SCOTLAND
DI-ARDAOIN, 19mh LATHA DE’N GHEARR AN 1970 THURSDAY, 19th FEBRUARY 1970 No.76 Sixpence
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The Nuisance But
Service
IT has just been announced
that the supersonic Con¬
corde will be flight-tested on
a route along the west coast
of the U.K. in the Spring.
Part of the route will be over¬
land in the west of Scotland,
including Sutherland, Ross
and Cromarty, Inverness-
shire and Argyll.
Announcing the Govern¬
ment’s decision in the Com¬
mons Mr Anthony Wedgwood
Benn, Minister of Technology,
said use of the route would
be strictly limited to ensure
there was as little distur¬
bance as possible to the
public.
But he stressed that there
would be some disturbance
from sonic bangs. Any claims
for compensation should be
sent to the Concorde division
of his department.
Overland flight route
The flight route is across
the western part of Ross and
Cormarty and Inverness-shire
but the bangs would be
heard in western parts of
Sutherland and in large areas
of Ross and Cromarty and
Inverness-shire.
This announcement comes
immediately on that issued
by the B.E.A. regarding, in¬
creases in air fares of the
Highlands and Islands route.
The Concorde announce¬
ment is an indication that
for the next three years the
Highland area will be subjec¬
ted to supersonic bangs and
yet are being denied the
facility of cheap air travel
after the Concorde is put into
service.
Objections raised
Already many Highland
objections have been raised.
Local Authority representa¬
tives along the Concorde
flightpath expressed concern
last night.
Canon G. K. B. Henderson,
Provost of Fort William,
said: “We want re-assurances,
and so far we have not had
any. We have simply been
told this is the likely flight-
path. Nothing in the area has
been looked at yet; no one
has been to inspect dams or
buildings which might be sub¬
ject to damage as far as we
know.”
In Oban, Provost Donald
Thomson suggested that the
line of the flight might have
Lews Castle College, now Technical College, Stornoway
Not The
been kept entirely over sea.
“We have been assured that
nothing really serious will
take place but I am rather
concerned,” he said. “We
have two cathedrals and a
number of other buildings
with large glass windows
which, I believe, could be
shattered by the effects of a
supersonic boom.”
“I have my doubts”
Provost Daniel McKinven
of Campbeltown said the
council had been told that
the sonic boom would be
about the same level of noise
as the crack of the lifeboat
maroons. “I have my doubts
about this, and I think there
there will be bitter comment
about the boom and its effect
on property”, he said.
Increased
Fertiliser
Grant For
Islands
The Special Grant to the
Scottish Islands Scheme 1969
provides for the payment of
supplementary contributions
on fertilisers purchased by
occupiers of agricultural land
in the Scottish Islands and
will apply to all deliveries
made betwen 1st June 1969
and 31st May 1970.
Zone 1 means—The Orkney
Islands, the island of Stroma
and the Inner Hebrides, the
Inner Hebrides being the
group of islands, other than
the Outer Hebrides, compris¬
ing the islands on the western
seaboard of the Counties of
Ross-shire, Inverness - shire
and Argyllshire.
Zone 2 means — The Shet¬
land Islands and the Outer
Hebrides, the Outer Hebrides
being the Group comprising
the islands of Lewis, Harris,
North and South Uist, Barra,
Benbecula and the other
smaller islands within that
group.
The Crofters Commission
wish to bring to the attention
of all crofters in the areas
concerned the very worth¬
while benefits that this
Scheme provides for them.
The supplementary contri¬
bution will be included in the
fertiliser subsidy payment and
there will therefore be no
need for crofters to make a
special claim for it.
Glencoe Ceremony
Macdonalds Pay Homage
AT first light last week a
small band of people held
a remarkable service amid the
mist and snow of Glencoe.
They came from all over the
West of Scotland. Some arrived
in cars, some in buses. Some
just walked up the road.
Most of them had one thing
in common. They were called
MacDonald.
It was the 278th anniversary
of the massacre of Glencoe,
when their clan was almost
wiped out.
They met at the old bridge at
dawn. Led by a piper, they
marched solemnly up the misty
glen.
The pibroch “ Lament of
Glencoe ” echoed up the glen,
as it had nearly three centuries
before.
Slowly they made the way to
the cairn in the heart of Glen¬
coe.
Heads bowed, they started the
memorial service with a short
prayer. They sang a psalm and
said another prayer before a
wreath was placed at the foot of
the cairn.
To close the ceremony they
recited the Lord’s Prayer and
the Rector of Glencoe read the
benediction.
Then the solemn procession
slowly wound its way back to
the tiny village. Leaving behind
the wreath for the men, women
and children who died 27S
years ago.
Rilravock Castle
DEV. James Duncan, M.A.,
' and Mrs Duncan, who
have been wardens at Kil-
ravock Castle since it was
turned into a Christian
guest house several years
ago, have recently handed
over to Lieut. Col. Mac¬
kintosh. In its new role
the ancient castle is proving
most popular with holiday
makers and other visitors.
CLUB LEABHAR
NOW
AVAILABLE
THE SERPENT
BY
NEIL M. GUNN
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