skye u3a news
TRANSCRIPT
Contact details
ChairTony Livesey✆ 01470 511207; 8 [email protected]
Vice ChairVacancy
SecretaryJudy Atherton✆ 01470 5218158 [email protected]
TreasurerChad Killington ✆ 01470 5823848 [email protected]
Membership SecretariesBarbara Macdonald✆ 01470 5215768 [email protected]
Peggy Hunter✆ 01470 5213248 [email protected]
Group Co-ordinatorsPola and Tony Livesey✆ 01470 5112078 [email protected]
The Isle of Skye U3A has been in existence for over four years. It was originally based around the island’s capital, Portree, but has extended itself to include Broadford. These two centres are separated by 26 miles and many members are scattered in remote locations around the island. This presents special challenges but the Isle of Skye itself is a major compensation, offering rich sources of interest in areas such as archaeology, geology, nature, and walking. Given the population of Skye we will never approach the size of city U3As but we hope to grow and new members are extremely welcome.Skye U3A news is published irregularly. Copy date for the next issue is 10 February 2016. Send material for inclusion to Ian Burn [8 [email protected]].
Message from the (arm)chair
There have been some considerable changes for the Skye U3A in recent times, not least of which is that Judy Atherton has become our secretary, following on from all the good work done by Jo-Ann Cherry, for which we owe a great debt of thanks.
We have also changed our Portree meeting place, and for the future meetings in Portree we will enjoy the superb facilities of the West Highland College UHI, Struan Road, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9EG. This building may be known to some of you as an art gallery, some time ago, and is situated across the road from the Shinty Hall.
I must also let you know that the Archaeology Group has been reformed and will be led by Joy Davies (tel: 01470 511727; email: [email protected]), so let her know if you would want to join the group. (See page three for further information on the group's activities.)
The immediate dates for your diary include:
Friday 15 January, Edinbane Hall (1.00 - 4.00 pm). Our traditional Christmas get-together – otherwise known and our 'shared table'. We have booked Edinbane Community Hall between 13.00 and 16.00. on Friday 15 January. Between 1.00 – 2.00 pm we will be setting things up (tables, food etc) and between 2.00 – 4.00 pm we will have our 'shared table'. It is an ideal way to start the New Year, catching-up with fellow U3A members.
Friday 29 January, Breakish Hall (2.00 - 4.00 pm). Gael Dunan, ex Head of the Maths Department at Portree High School,
and passionate voluntary worker in Slatina, Romania. You will struggle to comprehend the circumstances in which she helps and supports orphaned and abandoned young people in Romania. 21st century Europe, but not as we know it.
Friday 26 February 2016 West Highland College, Struan Road, Portree (2.00 - 4.00 pm). A social/catch-up with all the events and possibilities available through Skye U3A, including new directions we might pursue.
Friday 25 March 2016 West Highland College, Struan Road, Portree (2.00 - 4.00 pm). Our AGM. More details nearer the time, but it is never boring nor tedious, and if you don’t come, you might find yourself 'volunteered' in your absence (joke).
Finally I cannot close without mention of the current situation facing us. Being a very small group, yet covering a vast area, we are faced with issues quite different from those faced by U3A groups in large conurbations. Our income is small, and yet our costs are not. So we desperately need more members if we are to remain financially viable. Please consider how we might aid recruitment, and how we might develop to remain relevant and attractive to a larger membership.
Wishing you all a peaceful, and joyous New Year.
Tony Livesey
Skye U3A newsIssue #18 – January 2016 web: u3asites.org.uk/code/u3asite.php?site=325&page=0
Isle of Skye U3A 2015 programme
Friday 15 January 2016Christmas shared table lunchChristmas/New Year 'Lunch', or rather shared table. Bring food, eat everyone else’s food, and catch up with folk you might not have seen in ages. 1.00 pm set up, 2.00 pm for the main event.West Highland College UHI, Struan Road, Portree IV51 9EG.
Friday 29 January 2016Gael Dunan, ex Head of the Maths Department at Portree High School, and passionate voluntary worker in Slatina, Roumania.Breakish Hall, Breakish.
Friday 27 November 2015 meetingThe Isle of Man and the Isle of Skye by Phil Walker
On Friday, 27 November we had our last monthly meeting for this year at our new Portree venue – West Highland College, Struan Road (on the opposite side of road from the Shinty Hall).
The speaker was Phil Walker, originally from the Isle of Man but now living in Kildonan with his wife Norma. Norma’s family are all originally from Skye and Norma has close connections with Glendale.
Phil explained to us the long connections between the Isles of Skye and Man. Many of us will be aware that all the islands from the Hebridies
down to the Isle of Man were once part of the Norse Kingdom of the Isles. It is generally believed that the Macleods are descended from the kings of Man and Phil pointed out that well known
symbol of the Isle of Man, the 'three legs of man' occurs twice in the coat of arms of the Macleods.
Phil is a speaker of Manx Gaelic and currently
studying Scottish Gaelic. From the examples he showed us, it seems that written Manx is much, much easier than written Scottish Gaelic.
We meet at 2.00 pm on the last Friday of every month, with the venue alternating between the West Highland College in Portree and Breakish Hall. At most meetings there is a guest speaker, but now and again we hold internal events such as quizzes, group presentations, etc.
Tea, coffee, and biscuits are available at all meetings. Velyn Gaelg ayd? – Do you speak Manx?
Moghrey Mie = Good morning
Fastyr mie = Good afternoon
Oie vie = Goodnight
Kys t'ou? = How are you?
Feer vie = Very well
Mie dy liooar = Well enough
Goll as gaccan = Going and grumbling!
As oo hene? = And yourself?
Gura mie ayd = Thank you
Slane lhiat = Goodbye
Hee'm ou = I'll see you
The Three Legs – Yn Tree CassynThe Isle of Man Coat of Arms The MacLeod Coat of Arms
Isle of Skye U3A newsletter; issue #18 | January 2016
Isle of Man map by Eric Gaba – Wikimedia Commons user: Sting.
Isle of Skye U3A interest groups
Walking groupThe Walking Group presently organizes one walk each month, on the 16th (date altered if it coincides with the weekend), though in summer two walks are held each month. Short walks alternate with longer walks and locations alternate between the north and south of Skye.
Tuesday 15 December
The last of the year, the group had a really good walk today through the forest and then a short walk up to the trig point at Ghlinne Bhig. Clear skies and an easy walk. Then the intrepid explorers tried to find Loch a Ghlinne Bhig, which is located deep in the unexplored forest. Failed on that one! Then down to the Skye Bakery in Portree for a warming hot winter spiced chocolate (scrumptious).
Group co-ordinatorsDavid Hammond
Linda Shove
Nature groupThe group has a field trip each month to see what Skye has to offer in the realm of nature. Although each event focuses on a particular area of flora and fauna, we keep an eye out for anything, from lichen to raptors, from flowers to sea mammals.
Tuesday 15 December
The turnout of eight for the nature walk to Skeabost was excellent, especially in view of the dull, damp weather but, contrary to the forecast, we had no sooner begun observing and trying to count the bird population on Loch Snizort Beag, than the rain decided to join the party in a big way and we were soon sheltering under a leafless tree, with our forms and
folders all gone soggy. In any case, as it was high tide there were very few birds around and we had even resorted to counting hooded crows and blackbirds.
As soon as the rain eased off we were away up the track (what used to be the Dunvegan Road many moons ago) and on to the Skeabost Cemetery where we could look out over the River Snizort as it meandered in large loops towards the loch. And we saw – a raven and a mallard.
In what was turning out to be a very unnatury nature trip we thought it best to switch to a bit of archaeology and crossed the foot bridge to the tiny St. Columba’s Isle. Back in the good old days this used to be the site of Snizort Cathedral, which was founded within the Archdiocese of Trondheim, Norway, and a monastery, near to a rock on which St. Columba had supposedly preached. At one time the Skeabost diocese (Diocese of the Isles) stretched from the northern tip of the Outer Hebrides to the Isle of Man but the bishopric was later moved to Iona.
Ophir had brought some weird sticks with him and had placed them in the ground in a certain conformation. I’ve no idea what he was up to but, as it is thought the isle may have originally housed a pagan Pictish centre, he was maybe testing for ley lines, that sort of stuff – I don’t know if he found any.
We had to negotiate some very boggy ground to access the eastern shore of Loch Snizort where we could have our lunch and observe all the birds that weren’t there. Gill withdrew some distance from the rest of the group and hunched somewhat secretively over her comestibles. We actually think she was accessing the mini-bar which we knew had been secreted into one or more of her walking poles. In an apparent effort to cover up her sneakiness or to mollify her indignant fellow walkers, she then proceeded to hand
out some strange curried spicy snacks, which Linda refused on the grounds that if they were procured on the internet they might be all virused up, before falling to the ground and struggling to get up again (Linda always entertains us with a fall or two, though this time she failed to break any bones or coat herself in mud and slime).
Yes, a somwehat uneventful day but it was actually quite enjoyable and we did finish up on a natury note, with an identification by Steve of a Porcelain fungus, which was another first for the nature group.
U3A nature blog: http://u3a-skye-nature.blogspot.co.uk
Group co-ordinatorJohn Kennedy
✆ 01470 532765
Geology groupThe group normally makes a monthly field trip on Skye. We try to read up on an area before and after our trip as some of us are complete beginners. As well as broadening our knowledge of geology in a practical ‘eyes-on’ manner, the outings are also great fun and always involve a mini-picnic.U3A geology blog: http://u3askyegeology.blogspot.co.uk/.
Group co-ordinatorJo-Ann Cherry
✆ 01470 542777
Archaeology proup – the Broch BaggersA U3A archaeology group has re-started. The plan is to visit sites of brochs/possible brochs and other prehistoric sties near the broch sites.
Brochs are massive iron age structures, built with cavity walls. The external diameter
at the base could be 15 – 20 m and the thickness of those walls up to 4m at the base. The cavity walls contained staircases and galleries and the height of the structure could have been 13m or more. Mousa on Shetland is the only one anywhere near its original height and that stands at 13m.
Curiously, brochs are only found in a very limited area: in what is today the area of the Highland Council, in the Western Isles, in Orkney and in Shetland. A few scattered examples elsewhere in Scotland seem to be of a later date.
Who built these 'prehistoric cooking towers'? How and why? These are some of the questions we hope to investigate.
Our first trip was spoilt by A Big Gale (Storm Abigail) so was rescheduled for December only to be postponed again due to bad weather. It is now planned to take place in January 2016.
We intend to visit Dun Fiadhairt (also known as Dun Iadhard) near Dunvegan and also time permitting, to look at another potential broch site and a souterrain near Claigan. Sadly, none of the brochs on Skye are remotely like Mousa in terms of preservation so some imagination is required!
Claigan souterrain – OK, it just looks like a wet damp stone tunnel (and that's exactly what it is), but it was built 2,000 years ago. 'Why?' or 'What for?' are the sort of questions the group will be considering.
Isle of Skye U3A newsletter; issue #18 | January 2016
National U3A news and events
U3A Scotland new websiteU3A Scotland have just launched a new website. The aim is to update the U3A's image and fit in with many other regions of the Third Age Trust. The new site is at: www.u3asites.org.uk/scotland
The site is still under development and new features will be added over the months. For example, a 'Trustee Page' will be added in the New Year where you can access information from our Scotland Trustee and their latest news.
The aim is to make the site a key part of communication with U3A members so please check it regularly.
Dates for your diaryTuesday 22 March 2016
All Scotland Assembly in Haddington on Communication, web sites and massive open on-line courses (MOOCs).
Summer Schools
Tuesday 30 August 2016
The Committee are currently organising a Summer School for August 2016 to be held in Dundee.
Summer School 2016
Scottish History – The Jacobite Risings
Helen Oram Aberdeen U3A
Day One
Introduction. Brief historical background. The first Jacobite Rising 1689.
Day Two
The Fifteen Rebellion. The Earl of Mar; the Old Pretender; the Battle of Sheriffmuir.
The Forty-five Rebellion. The Young Pretender; victory at Prestonpans; March
into England; the Duke of Cumberland; defeat at Culloden.
Day Three
The aftermath of Culloden; the legacy of Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Folk Music – for the people by the people
Anne Hamilton Dundee U3A
On this short folk music course you will have the opportunity to participate in our ‘mini folk festival’.
Day one One hour session, we will get to know each other and share our knowledge and ideas about folk music.
Day two We will learn about the origins and history of various types of folk songs from Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and America. We want you to join in – sing, bring along instruments, or just listen and enjoy the music.
Day three Our last hour, we will recap and look at how and where the study of folk music can be continued, possibly opening up new areas of interest for the group and hopefully devising ways for keeping in touch and continuing to share our love of folk music.
Health and Well being
Kath Payne
Workshop 1
The perceived needs of the older person in relation to health, health care and wellbeing.
This session will revolve around the word 'perceived' and we will explore it in two
ways:
• Health and well being of the older person as perceived by society/societies;
• Health and wellbeing as perceived by older people themselves.
These strands will be expanded in the following two workshops:
Workshop 2
Health and Wellbeing
What do we mean by these much overused phrases?
How can we improve / influence our health and well being?
Workshop 3
Having previously looked at the perception of the needs of the elderly, this session will attempt to answer the question 'What is it that we really want from our Health and Care systems?'
The final feedback session will outline the outcome of the workshops and hopefully will provide some valuable recommendations and suggestions which can be utilised to improve the health and wellbeing of our ageing society.
International Politics
Tony Black
How do states and nations relate to each other? Are there universal human rights? The United Nations.
How much do we depend on other countries? Globalization.
Turbulence in the Middle East: Muslim views of international relations.
The economic rise of China: Chinese views of world order.
Climate change: what can and should the international community do about it?
Forensics
Abertay University
Names to be confirmed
This topic will be an introduction to forensics, including DNA, fingerprinting and crime scene analysis. There may be an opportunity to visit the Scenes of Crime room at Abertay to search for clues to a 'crime'.
Isle of Skye U3A newsletter; issue #18 | January 2016