This Is Islay

Continuing our collaboration with primary schools on Islay, this episode features students and staff at Port Ellen Primary School discussing "Marvellous Materials".

Acknowledgements:

Many thanks to the staff and students of Port Ellen Primary School who contributed to this episode through recordings made at the school.

Music :⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠ - 335607-Happy Kids Cartoon

For This Is Islay production:

Gordon Bermingham

Continuing our series on housing on Islay, Tom, Russell and Jean review our coverage to date, and discuss in more detail current housing demand on Islay and recent allocations at the new Port Charlotte housing development, using the results of a Freedom of Information Request from HomeArgyll. 

Hosts:

Jean MacLellan, Tom O'Farrell and Russell Pollock

Production:

Tom O'Farrell

After six years, This Is Islay has reached 50 episodes. To mark the occasion, Tom O'Farrell assembled the team in the studio where we discussed our journey to become Highlands and Islands Media Awards Podcast of the Year, how we've grown, and our plans for the future.

Acknowledgements:

The This Is Islay team would like to offer our listeners, guest hosts, guests, and the people of Islay and Jura, heartfelt thanks for their support over 50 episodes.

Host: Tom O'Farrell

This Is Islay Podcast Team:

Greig Barker, Gordon Bermingham, Tracey Hunter, Jean MacLellan, Richard Mansbridge, Chinh Nguyen, Tom O'Farrell, Russell Pollock, Glen Roberts and Jolyon Thurgood.

This is the second of two episodes based on a conversation with Dr Margaret Storrie recorded in October 2025. In this episode, Margaret reveals how she first discovered Islay as a student, and recalls the path which led her via London back to Islay, and then to the publishing of her first book "Islay: Biography of an Island" in 1981 - currently available in its third edition. Margaret Storrie is a longtime resident of Port Ellen.

Featuring
Guest: Margaret Storrie
Host: Jolyon Thurgood
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Margaret.

"Islay: Biography of an Island" is available from ⁠The Celtic House⁠ in Bowmore, and other good booksellers.

Music :  Kaazoom Pixabay 447800

Production Team: Gordon Bermingham and Jolyon Thurgood 

In this episode, Dr Margaret Storrie talks about her latest book, focussing on the unconventional life of Lady Charlotte Bury Campbell, who was known as a notorious diarist (think Lady Whistledown) in the time of George IV, a popular novelist and mother of 11. Lady Charlotte's oldest son was Walter Frederick Campbell, who became Laird of Islay and named Port Charlotte after his mother. Margaret is a long-time resident of Port Ellen and is the author of "Islay: Biography of an Island".

Featuring
Guest: Margaret Storrie
Host: Jolyon Thurgood
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Margaret.

and is available


Music :  Kaazoom Pixabay 447800

Production Team: Jolyon Thurgood and Gordon Bermingham 

At the end of November 2025, Beth Newman returned from her second visit to Lviv, Ukraine in support of Pickups For Peace, a charity initially organised by Scottish farmers to support Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion. Beth, Islay's local vet whose practice is based in Bowmore, tells Glen and Jolyon about her experience driving from Islay to western Ukraine in a used pickup (trip 1) and a used van (trip 2), each packed with vital supplies and heading to provide urgently-needed support to the front lines in eastern Ukraine. She also explains how we can each support this charity.

For more information, visit https://pickupsforpeace.co.uk

Or contact the Islay Vet Surgery by email at [email protected]

Acknowledgements

Guest: Beth Newman

Many thanks to Beth for sharing her thoughts about her trips to Ukraine with the Pickups 4 Peace network and the support she received from Islay and Jura residents.

Hosts: Glen Roberts and Jolyon Thurgood

Music :  Carol of the Bells - This version is from White_Records on Pixabay 171731 
This song is derived from a traditional folk song celebrating New Year, which kids used to sing while walking around the village from one house to another collecting presents and lollies. The original name of the song is "Shchedryk" - generosity in the Ukraine language. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OUJLYLtqSs for a traditional version of this song.

Production: Jean MacLellan, Greig Barker, Gordon Bermingham and Jolyon Thurgood

Continuing our collaboration with primary schools on Islay, this episode features students and staff at Port Ellen Primary School discussing neurodiversity, school houses (Orsay, Texa and Nave) and the Gold: Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA), awarded by UNICEF UK.

Acknowledgements:

Many thanks to the staff and students of Port Ellen Primary School who contributed to this episode through recordings made at the school.

Music :⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠ - 335607-Happy Kids Cartoon

For This Is Islay production:

Gordon Bermingham, Jolyon Thurgood

This episode is released today to mark Catriona Bell's 90th birthday - Happy Birthday from This Is Islay! Catriona is well known on Islay for her various contributions to the community over many years. Continuing our conversation with Catriona, in this episode she describes the long path leading to success getting Islay its first indoor swimming pool, as well as the very early days of the Ileach publication. (See also Episode 37 - 1 July 2025)

Acknowledgements
Thanks to Catriona for sharing her interesting stories with us.
Music : Enchanted by Keys of Moon
( https://youtu.be/LUVmaAL5fAk?si=HZclnOIPvh5rgrDU )
Production team : Jean MacLellan, Gordon Bermingham and Jolyon Thurgood

We continue our exploration of local housing issues on Islay and Jura. This time Russell discusses the core issue of land ownership and particularly the role of community buyouts with Lesley Riddoch, the award-winning broadcaster, journalist, author, cyclist, land reform campaigner and lover of all things Nordic.

For all our podcasts, visit thisisislay.co.uk

Featuring

Guest: Lesley Riddoch lesleyriddoch.com

Host: Russell Pollock

Acknowledgements

Production team : Jolyon Thurgood, Gordon Bermingham and the crew.

Music by ⁠Ievgen Poltavskyi⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠ (333111)

This Is Islay continues the conversation on housing issues on Islay, exploring the unique challenges and issues which face individuals and families seeking a place to live in our island community. In this episode, we share the perspective of local housing builder, MacLeod Construction, who holds multiple contracts with housing associations on Islay as well as elsewhere across Argyll and Bute. Glen Roberts speaks with Mairi MacLeod Coleman.

If you have been impacted by housing challenges on Islay or Jura, or would like to join this discussion, please contact us at [email protected] or drop us a DM.

Acknowledgements:

Host: Glen Roberts

Guest: Mairi MacLeod Coleman, Construction Director, MacLeod Construction https://www.mkmacleod.co.uk

Music:

Fraser Shaw Trust

For ⁠This Is Islay⁠:

Gordon Bermingham, Tom O'Farrell and Team