What We Do In The Winter

In this episode I talk with Elizabeth and Donald Kirsop of Lochdon.

Elizabeth’s recalls coming to the island, her teenage years, the Craignure Inn and much more. Donald talks about his family trade, growing up in Tobermory, and there’s some great stories about the music scene on the island in the past.

It was just great to spend time with both Donald and Elizabeth in recording this conversation, I look forward to catching up with them both again soon.

Following the last episode I’m going to try and do a listen-along twitter chat with this episode on Friday 24th of April, this Friday, at 8PM Dervaig time. It was lovely to chat with those that came along last time, it was rather good fun, so if you want to join me for an online natter using #WWDITW, please do!

Thanks for listening!

https://whatwedointhewinter.com/2020/04/22/47-elizabeth-and-donald-kirsop/

In this episode I talk with Charlie Hogg of Tobermory.

Charlie and I have been trying to get a time to catch up together since the start of the project, so I’m absolutely delighted to have finally got around to spending time with him and to have the opportunity to share this with you.

Charlie’s memories take in life in Tobermory, visits to Haunn and the Treshnish Isles, and we talk about his working life, the characters of his youth and a quite remarkable boat yard in Tobermory, on the light house path that I’d love to find out more about.

What I love about this conversation is the way that Charley relays the smells and senses of the times he’s talking about. We talk about food quite a bit, which he brings to life with great relish.

I hope this little chat will give you an hour away from the world and just a wee break from all that’s going on.

Episode links to follow in the next day or two.

Thanks for listening!

There's a live event coming up this Saturday, the 7th of March 2020, in Dervaig Village Hall at 19.30.

We'll be talking about Movies Made on Mull, Dervaig Village Hall through the years, the theatre production at Calgary Bay in 1993, delivery vans and local characters.

If you've got anything you want to bring along to discuss, please feel free to do so!

Cheers!

In this episode I talk with Gordon Bruce of Iona. Originally from Cumbernauld, Gordon has lived on Iona for the last 18 years or so.

We talk about life before Gordon came to Iona for a good portion of the episode, and then, roughly half way through we come on to his life on Iona, the various jobs that he’s had over the years, and touch into the nature of life in a small community and touchingly, the kindness of others.

My wife and our dog make an appearance towards the end of the episode, so that’s the noise you can hear in the background.

I’m delighted to say that we’ll be having a What We Do in the Winter Live event on at Dervaig Village Hall from seven thirty to nine thirty, this Saturday the 7th of March 2020.

It’s free to come along, if you’re about do come and join us, we’d love to see you.

It’s going to be recorded for release as a podcast in the coming weeks, so do come along and take part.

Rather than talking to one person we’re going to be looking at a few topics, which I’m going to ask people to comment on from the audience. I’ve got a couple of plants already willing to speak, but everyone’s welcome to chip in. The topics are: Movies Made on Mull; Dervaig Village Hall through the ages; Delivery Vans and – Local Characters. I’m kind of hoping that we get derailed though and go off in directions that weren’t anticipated, so we’ll see what happens!

Episode links and more can be found on whatwedointhewinter.com

Many thanks for listening!

In this episode I talk with Morag and Dugald Campbell of Sunipol, in the North of Mull near Cailleach.

Originally from Grimsay in the Outer Hebrides, Morag will be well known to many listeners here on the island as a midwife. In fact she brought more than a couple of the listeners into the world.

Dougie was born in Achahoish and moved to other locations in Argyllshire before settling here on Mull with Morag.

Morag and Dougie lived on Gometra for a few years, which they describe with great clarity.

You’ll notice that the sound in this episode isn’t quite the best, for which I apologise. The microphone was at a distance from Morag, although I did manage to move it closer as the episode progresses.

The film I mention at the end of the episode can be found on https://youtu.be/2kgs3530alI

Links and more can be found on whatwedointhewinter.com

Thanks for listening!

In this episode I talk with Iain Morrison of Penmore.

Iain runs Turus Mara with his son Colin and wife Pat, and sails daily from Ulva Ferry to Staffa and the Treshnish Isles in the Spring, Summer and Autumn.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode. We talk about growing up in Penmore, going to school at Mornish, where his Mum was the teacher. We talk about his parents, and a little about his grandparents. At one point Iain talks about the evictions, these of course are the clearances.

References are made to Dykes & Agnes, Marky Dan and many more famous local characters.

As a young man Iain was in the merchant navy, and we talk quite a bit about his travels and life at sea.

At one point we talk about the mortality of illegitimate children in the past, which was a real eye opener for me and quite shocking, so just a wee heads up for you that we go into that topic at a certain moment.

There are quite a few terms that I found I needed a bit of definition on, such as Butterworth Watch and Rhumb line, so do check out the website for these and other links.

We met over here at my house on a very windy day, and at certain points you can hear the wind roaring away in the background.

Thanks for listening!

www.whatwedointhewinter.com

In this episode I talk with Joanie and John Mackay of Tobermory.

Joanie comes originally from Tobermory and John from Dervaig.

Our conversation goes all over the place. We talk about when Joanie worked at the telephone exchange in Tob, when John’s folks ran the Bellachroy in Dervaig, the career of Joanie’s Dad, Pibroch, the renowned fiddler, John’s time in the garage and we also go into the early days of the rally and how John and friends used to compete in it.

Joanie’s descriptions of her childhood on the main street are particularly vivid. The pictures she draws of her young self encountering all the people along the way is very beautiful. Hearing the numbers of the exchange too captures a specific moment in time that’s already passed.

It was a delight to spend time with both John and Joanie, and the anonymous gentleman who appears at a certain point in the episode, too!

Thanks for listening!

Episode links can be found at whatwedointhewinter.com

Howard Pitman hails from Dervaig and now lives in Glasgow.

Howie and I chat about his memories of growing up in the village and what the nature of the island means to him.  He identifies lots of characters from the past and talks very touchingly about the first time he met his wife to be.

His father, David, ran Coffee in Books in the village.

There’s some cracking info on the film screenings that used to take place at Dervaig Village Hall, including a screening of a more raunchy ‘art house’ movie.

At a certain point in the episode you’ll hear a buzzing noise, this was a cable fault at my end of our online connection, for which I apologise.

I’ve edited this episode and recorded the intro / outro whilst I’ve been working in Frankfurt, so sorry if I sound a bit rushed at the start and end, I’ve been grabbing moments in between screenings at the Lucas Film Festival.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of my wonderful Mother in Law, Jackie O’Neill.  I couldn’t have wished for a better Mother in Law, our wee man was so lucky to have her as a Gran.

Thanks for listening!

 

Episode links and more can be found here:

http://whatwedointhewinter.com/2019/09/22/41-howard-pitman/

In this episode I talk with Chris Reade of Sgriobruadh Farm, Tobermory.

Chris and her late husband Jeff founded Isle of Mull Cheese.

We talk about her life in England as a child and how she and Jeff bought a farm in Somerset and then, through seeing an advert in an English paper, noticed some land on the Isle of Mull for sale.

We explore her working life, family life, childhood, and how family is at the core of everything.

If you want to see any photos of the development of Sgriobruadh and the Cheese farm, do go and have a look at www.isleofmullcheese.co.uk for some great photos and stories.

More info and links to some of the topics covered can be found on whatwedointhewinter.com

Thank you for listening!

This episode takes a trip to Shetland to talk with Tim Matthew.

Born down South, Tim first came to live on Mull at Tavool, past Tiroran on the way to the Burgh Peninsula in the South of the Isle of Mull.

Tim talks about the nature of life in such a remote location and how he went to school in Pennyghael School, under the tutelage of Mamie Brunton.

We talk about his parents, where they themselves have come from, and the family’s move to Quinish in the North of Mull, and then the move to their own farm on the other side of the loch at Ardrioch.

Our conversation goes all over the place in this episode. We go into the nature of cattle farming before the legal obligation to pasteurise milk, how culture is revealed to a young person living in a remote location, how having a quiff at one of his first student nights in Edinburgh opened up a whole world for him, his career in music and sound, and how his band Mystery Juice, who you’ll hear throughout the episode, once outsold the Beatles in Russia!

We also go into detail about fiddle music, the learning of the instrument in a social context and playing with the Mull Fiddlers, Cachallans, and then Eat The Seats.

We talk about loads of characters from Mull’s past and present, including Chrissie Burgh, Addie MacQuarrie, Hamish Johnstone, and many, many more.

I was delighted that I was able to get some time with Tim, as we live rather far apart from each other, he’s based in Shetland and I’m in the North West of Mull. We talked over Apple’s Facetime, so there’s the occasional crackle and pop in the sound, for which I apologise.

Throughout the episode you’ll hear tracks from Tim’s band, Mystery Juice

The episode ends with the track Song For the Rural Dispossessed of Scotland

Thank you for letting me use these tracks, Tim!

Thank you so much for listening!

Episode links can be found on https://whatwedointhewinter.com/2019/09/01/39-tim-matthew/