This short episode is being released to coincide with the premiere of Banjo and Ro Beale’s new series

Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel. which can be found on BBC iPlayer.

The short episode you’re about to hear features a conversation with the wonderful Andrena Duffin, a local historian and tour guide who knows so much about our history. A minute of this conversation was featured in the first episode of Grand Island Hotel, so I thought you may like to hear more of what Andrena had to say.

Thank you to Banjo and Ro and their lovely production team Ross Jess and Joe Sharp, for sharing the audio with us.

Visit what we do in the winter dot com for episode links and more.

You can find all 86 episodes of the podcast to date wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening, and all the best to Banjo and Ro for their brave scheme, long live the Grand Island Hotel!

[Image courtesy of Joe Sharp]

This episode is a repost of episode 75 of What We Do in the Winter, an oral history podcast about the people of Mull, Iona, Ulva, Gometra and Little Colonsay. It features a conversation with Banjo and Ro Beale to coincide with the release of Banjo and Ro's Grand Island Hotel on BBC iplayer.

Originally released for Christmas 2023 it features some seasonal greetings and a wee bit of context about the podcast.

Wishing the boys all the very best with their adventure on Ulva, it's a properly dramatic watch, I've only seen one episode and have no idea how it's all going to pan out. Compulsive viewing!

Ro is one of the masterminds behind the distillery at Isle of Mull Cheese, and Banjo is a celebrated interior designer, whose work you may have seen in Interior Design Masters, his own series Designing the Hebrides and whose book Wild Isle Style is available from all good bookshops.

We cover so many topics in this episode as Banjo and Ro talk about their lives and adventures.

To donate to Banjo and Ro's work in Nepal, please drop a line to: [email protected]

Photo of Banjo & Ro by Lisa McKenna

For more information please see the episode links on whatwedointhewinter.com

Thanks for listening!

Nollaig chridhiel dhuibh! A very merry Christmas to you!

This episode is a conversation with Dr Jennifer Jack of Tobermory.

Jennifer comes originally from West Kilbride in Ayrshire.

She moved here in the late 1980’s to take up a role within the medical practices in the North End of the island.

Our conversation goes into her childhood in Ayrshire, her studies, musical and sporting interests and how she found the island when first she came to live here and what the role of a local GP is and what it means to a community.

Episode notes and more can be found at whatwedointhewinter.com

Thanks for listening!

This episode is a conversation with Kenny and Colin MacIntyre of Tobermory.

Kenny is a well known broadcaster and host of Sportsound on BBC Scotland, and Colin is a world famous musician under the name Mull Historical Society and also an acclaimed novelist, writing the Mull Mysteries series featuring Ivor Punch.

Kenny and Colin talk about their father, the political broadcaster Kenny MacIntyre and their grandfather Angus MacIntyre, noted poet and bank manager.

They share memories of growing up in Tobermory, tales from their family and reminisce on the smells of their Mum's hair dressing salon, amongst many other things.

The episode finishes with Angus MacIntyre's poem Memories of Mull read by Iain Anderson with kind permission of BBC Radio Scotland.

Episode links and more can be found on whatwedointhewinter.com

Thanks for listening!

This episode is a conversation with Mary McMillan of Tobermory. We discuss Mary’s family life, life at Newdale outside of Tobermory, some of the characters she remembers from her youth, a remarkable tale about something that washed up on the shore, the skull in the Western Isles, Aleister Crowley, school brutality and so, so much more. 

Episode links and more can be found at whatwedointhewinter.com

Thanks for listening!

A collection of local news clippings that show how VE Day was marked on the Isle of Mull, presented in a 1940's news reel style.

This episode is a conversation with Davie Hewitt of Tobermory.

Born in Wales, Davie spent the first part of his life in and around Ammanford and Abergeron, eventually coming to live in Tobermory where he has been resident for many years.

We talk about so much in this episode, Davie has so many tales to tell.

Some of the things we look at are his childhood, the love and care his Grandmother expressed for him, bombings during the 2nd World War, coffin design and manufacture, his military service, the gang culture of Liverpool, his work in the forestry here on Mull, the difficulties of finding housing and so much more.

For links and more please visit whatwedointhewinter.com

Thanks for listening!

Photo of Davie with thanks to Derwyn Hewitt.

This episode is a conversation with Hugh Boa, who farms at Antuim, here in Dervaig in the North of Mull.

I’ve wanted to speak to Hugh since What We Do in the Winter started, so I’m delighted to be able to share this episode with you.

Our conversation covers all sorts of ground.

We talk about people of the island in the past, different farming cultures on different estates, family members, the decline of Gaelic, the horror of Gruinard Island, the Salen Show and so much more.

There is some exceptionally fine swearing in this episode, so do be warned.

Hugh also doesn’t hold back on his take on the reintroduction of Sea Eagles, which is very interesting to hear.

At about 45 minutes in we eat some mince pies, sorry if this causes anyone to feel nauseous, but they were too good to resist – they were my wife’s homemade frangipani ones.

If you're listening as this episode goes out, a very happy Christmas to you!

Episode links and more can be found on whatwedointhewinter.com

Thanks for listening!

This episode is a conversation with Alison and Angus Johnston of Iona.

Many listeners will know Alison and Angus from their time running the Columba Hotel on Iona.

We talk about their lives before Iona, with memories of life in Dublin and an amazing account of the WW2 victory parade in Edinburgh, then come to talk about life on the island and the characters of the past, the loss of Gaelic on the island, hopes for the future and finally we talk about what it is that so many people feel so drawn to Iona by and what it means to them.

Episode links and more on whatwedointhewinter.com

Thanks for listening!

This episode is a conversation with Christine Leach of Balevulin, Tiroran.

Originally from near Portsmouth, Christine has lived on Mull for many years.

Christine runs Pennyghael in the Past Historical Archive.

PPHA is a remarkable archive full of the most interesting materials that shines light onto the history of Brolas and its surrounds.

I’ve always found Brolas here on Mull to be a very tricky area to define. There are Macleans of Duart, Lochbuie and Brolas, Duart and Lochbuie are easy enough to locate in your mind, but Brolas less so.

It is for that reason and many more, that I wanted to talk with Christine.

Christine’s book Hebridean Healers, about the medieval Beaton family, who were located at Pennycross is out now and very much worth your while. It’s a great resource to explore Mull’s past. Christine was joined by Andrea Cameron, Elizabeth Carter and Miek Zwambourn in the writing of the book.

We also talk about Christine’s journey to coming to live on Mull, what brought her here and how it swiftly began to feel like home. There are many names mentioned from that past that I know many listeners will be delighted to hear again.

Christine has given me loads of photos to help illustrate her story, so do have a look at whatwedointhewinter.com for episode links and more info.

Thanks for listening!