This was a publication that appeared in Colonsay from January 2000 and which it might be fun to revisit. It is hoped to reproduce one issue per week and see how it goes. The background history is given further down this page. Note that there is a slight uncertainty as to the numbers of the earliest issues; is it just possible that one or two are missing? Probably just a hitch in the numbering of files 6,7 and 8!
Issue No. 1: January 2000; Issue No. 2: February 2000; Issue No. 3: March 2000; Issue No. 4: April 2000; Issue No. 5: May 2000; Issue No. 9: June 2000; Issue No. 10: 8 July 2000 ; Issue No. 11: 15 July 2001
There is a problem coming up, can anyone help with issues 27 - 55 inclusive, early March 2001 to late May 2002?
The Colonsay Bugle, is an entirely new ploy started in July 2023 and it will appear monthly if it seems to be of interest. It will mention items of current interest but is also intended as a vehicle for contributions about Colonsay's history, genealogy, natural history and general ephemera. If you can make a contribution please do - maybe an interesting botanical observation, maybe a good photograph, who knows what might be possible. Please contact Kevin, if using e-mail try bugle[AT]colonsay.eu
July 2023 issue No. 1 is here August 2023 issueNo. 2 is here September 23 issue No. 3 is here
The next issue is planned for c. 16th October, submissions welcomed.
The Corncrake was originally conceived by Dominic Cornford and Kevin Byrne and was published as a community newsletter for Colonsay under the auspices of Colonsay Community Council, hosted upon the Community website www.colonsay.org.uk This website had also been created by Dominic Cornford, with the financial support of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Colonsay Hotel.
In due course, CCC worked with Iomairt aig an Oir to create Colonsay Community Development Group and eventually this became Colonsay Community Development Co. Ltd. Ownership of the community website was transferred to C.C.D.C., together with responsibility for The Corncrake. The first 100 editions of the publication were created by Kevin Byrne, who was followed by Georgina Hobhouse, Keith Johnston, Scott Weatherstone and David Johnstone. From October 2014 the publication reverted to the temporary editorship of Kevin Byrne and was hosted at a dedicated site http://corncrake.org.uk/ which is also owned by CCDC; Richard Buttrick then took over the reins until such time as it faded away in late summer 2018.
Duplicates of the original issues were archived and maintained upon a server owned by Kevin Byrne, but unfortunately were wiped in an instant by the error of an employee of his ISP (Internet Service Provider). The issues from Georgina's editorship are believed to be on a memory stick, and it is thought that Keith's issues may be archived on his PC. More recent issues may be on the pc of the respective editors or are possibly still hosted on the web. Fortunately hard-copies of most of the early editions by Kevin were made by the late Angela Skrimshire and are now to hand.
Following many requests, Kevin is intending to recreate the text of his original editions. This attempt will be by PDFs and so the text will be unchanged from the original. It is possible that some old material may be provocative; if so, please accept that this lengthy exercise would be completely pointless if it were to be bowdlerized but if you have any serious concerns, contact colonsaybyrne[AT]gmail.com Kevin is solely responsible for recreating these issues from his private resources and this exercise is intended to be purely light-hearted. If all goes well, it is hoped to reproduce one issue each week, and here is a taster of the first four isses:
Issue 1: January 2000
"Colonsay Village Hall 1955-2000", poem by Eleanor McNeill; the Oliver Family, a flitting to Nova Scotia
Issue 2: February 2000
Rumour of an Air Service; Opening of New Hall, 26 February; launch of mobile phone system; manse completion and Pantry extension; Iomairt aig an Oir; timber deck cargo on its way; COHT seeks Nadair funding for Scalasaig steadings; how the Monument built Ben Odhran; Typhoid Fever 1876.
Issue 3: March 2000
CCDC constitution agreed; Rev Carmichael RIP; Angus & Jenni McFadyen wedding; Air Service consultation; When Colonsay took the pledge; Gaelic words of "Colonsay Isle"; letter by John Clarke re. RSPB
Issue 4: April 2000
School trip to Eilean Dubh Iain Mhitchel (with picture); IaaO progress; Colonsay Gaelic; the Mesolithic Project; English words of "Colonsay Isle"