TEN YEARS AGO
Friday, May 9, 2014
Farmer John Armour made his first political speech last week when he was one of the speakers at the latest Yes for Independence meetings in Kintyre.
The Drumlemble farmer confessed that he was “well out of my comfort zone, but this referendum is the most important decision we will make in our lives, which is why I am here to make Scotland’s case”.
Mr Armour highlighted the utmost importance of the EU to farmers and the rural economy, drawing on personal business experience to state that Scotland’s farmers have been let down by successive Westminster governments, only to face the possibility that England could vote No to Europe against Scotland’s interests.
“That is why it is vital that Scotland votes Yes in September to ensure Scotland remains in the EU,” he said.
Highland and Islands MSP Mike MacKenzie answered questions on energy, welfare, fishing, nuclear weapons and currency.
TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO
Friday, May 7, 1999
Plans to build the UK’s most powerful wind farm at Beinn An Tuirc have been given the green light by Argyll and Bute Council.
The move could see the reopening of Campbeltown Shipyard and the creation of between 30 and 50 much-needed jobs in the unemployment black spot.
It is hoped that the proposed contract to build the 46 turbine towers at the yard by project leaders CRE Energy Ltd (ScottishPower) could lead to future contracts and permanent work, as well as more than 60 jobs at the site itself.
However, the council’s decision does not mean that the project can definitely go ahead – the Secretary of State for Scotland has the final say in the matter, and the case will now be referred to him.
Members of the Area Committee for Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay were “minded to approve” the Beinn an Tuirc application at a meeting held in Kilmory.
Former managing director of the shipyard, Leslie Howarth OBE, has been in talks with ScottishPower and Danish-based manufacturers of wind turbines about the possibility of using the yard to build the equipment. He was at the area committee meeting to hear the council’s decision.
He told the Courier: “I am ecstatic. It is promising for Campbeltown that we have got the prospect of creating jobs again, getting the yard open and getting first class workers back into employment. The workers gave 100 per cent before, and they will give 100 per cent again.”
After the meeting, Alan Mortimer, project manager for ScottishPower, commented: “I am absolutely delighted, it is tremendous news. This will be our biggest mass production in the UK, and it is very important to our renewable energy strategy.”
Robert Currie, the councillor for Mid Kintyre, has been involved with wind farms since they were first discussed, and was also happy with the decision.
“This is a big success for Kintyre, and I am very pleased that it has happened before I retire,” he told the Courier.
But the process between now and having the wind farm operating could be slow. Mitigation terms were set out by the council which ScottishPower had to agree to, as golden eagles nest near the site, and they must be protected.
The company changed their plans to ensure that the birds would not be affected, and will now implement a management plan of the surrounding area for a period of two years before work begins on the site.
A major television advertising campaign is underway to boost visitors to Kintyre and Argyll, using the Ballycastle to Campbeltown ferry.
Advertisements highlighting the beauty of the West Highlands and the convenience of the ferry route are now showing on Ulster TV and will continue in late May and throughout June.
The ads use the tagline, ‘How Far Can You Drive in Three Hours?’ and lead to the message – ‘The Scottish Highlands are closer than you think.’
The 30 second ads, which are featured alongside popular shows, such as Wish You Were Here?, Stars In Their Eyes, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Blind Date, will be seen by 90 per cent of all viewers in Northern Ireland.
The £150,000 campaign is being sponsored by Argyll and the Islands Enterprise, Argyll and Bute Council, Scottish Tourist Board and the operator, the Argyll and Antrim Steam Packet Company.
The initiative is being implemented on behalf of the partnership by Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and Trossachs Tourist Board.
The television commercial, designed to increase awareness of the route, is being backed by a special advertising insert to appear on April 30 in the Belfast Telegraph, which has 160,000 readers and a drop-door campaign, with 175,000 targeted households due to receive details of the ferry route and area during May.
Local Tourist Board director, Bruce Urquhart, said: “A great deal of hard work needs to be done to make the route economically viable, especially against the backdrop of high competition from other Irish ferry routes.
“I am delighted that agencies have recognised the need to invest in building the market potential of the service, although we fully recognise that there is no ‘quick fix’ and it is vital to take a long term view to developing the route.”
FIFTY YEARS AGO
Thursday, May 9, 1974
There is no doubt about it at all. The Tories have triumphed in Kintyre.
This point was hammered home when with the light of gray dawn sweeping through the windows of the Town Hall the returning officer, Mr W. Wilson, declared that John McCorkindale had been elected as regional representative for Kintyre on the Strathclyde Council.
In a three-cornered fight with Labour and Liberal, Mr McCorkindale polled overall more than his opponents put together. At one time so slowly was the poll going that he was heard, very humanly, to wonder if he would get back in time for the milking. We reckon he just about made it.
The other parties could take very little joy from the situation. Campbeltown, somewhat to its surprise, woke up to find its two wards in the hands of the Conservatives — to wit, Tom Coulson and Provost Archie McCallum.
Miss Dorothy Grant put up a gallant fight in Kinloch and came very close to victory, but the split in the opposition not only put out George McMillan, the Argyll County Council Planning Convener, it also edged the Tories narrowly in on a minority vote.
The same was true in Kilkerran where Provost Archie McCallum was visibly relieved to win a close run thing against Neil MacCallum.
Arguably, and some Labour supporters did argue the point vehemently, it was largely SNP intervention that kept Labour out and put the Tories in.
But equally, Labour’s own disarray in the Kinloch ward did nothing to help. In South Kintyre, Col James Taylor won handsomely and there will certainly be strong pressure on him to consider being a candidate for chairmanship of the new Argyll District Council.
At the 26th County Drama Festival held at Ardrishaig, the Peninver Players won four of the six cups.
They also won through their ‘A’ team the Maisie Reekie Trophy for stage setting and the John Anderson Cup for acting. Mr John Bryce was the Peninver producer.
The adjudicator at the county festival, Mr Terry Lane, who was paying his second visit to Ardrishaig, praised the spirit of the festival, which he said had not diminished in any way but that the standards were improving all the time.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Saturday, May 10, 1924
The new Parish Church on the island of Gigha was opened and dedicated and, as the last communion service, so also was the first Sunday service in the new, when the minister the Rev. Kenneth MacLeod had the assistance of the Rev. John Macnab, Skipness.
The dedication service on Thursday was combined with other ceremonies of historic interest, viz., the unveiling of a memorial window to the men from the island who gave their lives in the Great War; a memorial window to commemorate the work of the late minister, the Rev. Donald Mafarlane, M.A., the inspirer and executor of the enterprise which resulted in the island being provided with a new and up-to-date church; a memorial tablet to a notable preacher and scholar, who was minister of Gigha for almost a lifetime, the late Rev. James Curdie, M.A., uncle of another outstanding figure in the Presbytery of Kintyre and the Church of Scotland, the Very Rev. James Curdie Russell, D.D.; and a memorial tablet to the late Mr James Smith, a loyal member of the church in Gigha, and a most generous donor to the fund for the erection of the new church.
The weather was most favourable for the ceremonies of the day, which was the Fast Day on the island. It was genial and spring-like, and while there was some rain on the mainland, the island was not touched by the showers.
A calm sea made the ferry crossing pleasant for visitors, and interest in the event was so keen that at the services of the day the sitting accommodation in the church was taxed to its utmost capacity.
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