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Archiver > SCT-ISLEOFMULL > 2006-07 > 1153483171


From: "Elaine Robinson" <>
Subject: Re: [Mull] MUGG an appreciation
Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 07:59:31 -0400
References: <313.93f24d6.31f1f423@aol.com>


Jan
What a lovely letter! I have copied it and put it in my collection of
mementos.
I have had a number of notes from people and must say that knowing
people had a good time made all the hard work worthwhile.

Elaine Robinson
Georgetown Ontario
RETIRED Chair of MUGG

----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 5:10 AM
Subject: [Mull] MUGG an appreciation


> Hello Listers,
>
> I hope this isn't considered off subject but I thought I would tell
> everyone
> about the very enjoyable time I had on Mull during the recent
> Gathering.
>
> One goes to such an even not quite knowing what to expect. Well I
> ended up
> with new friends and a very positive view of the Island as a whole.
> I was able
> to visit places that I would never of been able to visit without
> very
> generous people offering to drive me. Mull may be a small Island
> from the point of
> view of an Aussie but it is still very hard to get from place to
> place unless
> you have transport. The organised walks opened up a scope of the
> Island that I
> had not had before. The first day on a walk in the Ardmore area I
> enjoyed
> the trees and the views and although it was Slightly wet under foot
> the company
> was great and our visit to The 'Gingerbread House' in the Forrest
> was worth
> the walk - I didn't take my camera so have only mind memories of
> this particular
> day but they are very clear. The talk that was given on witches in
> Scotland
> was bought very much to life when we saw the Rowan tree growing in
> the middle
> of the ruins of the old town of Knocroy. Although a lot of damage
> has been
> done by the forests, it is also positive to know that maybe things
> have changed
> it this regard and the old villages may be treated better in the
> future.
>
> What a lovely surprise to arrive at Castle Duart to be greeted by
> the
> custodian serving the wine. It was nice to speak to Sir Lachlan
> after Jo Currie's
> talk about living in the castle, both Sir Lachlan and his wife were
> charming
> people and I was very glad to have been invited to see the Castle
> again.
>
> Our 'Walk' on Ulva was an experience to giggle over. Up hill down
> dale with
> our tour leaver a wonderful women who we were told was 80. Well I
> can only
> say that I hope to be as healthy and active at that age. I am
> somewhat younger
> and not Used to Running up HILLS. The scenery was gorgeous and as
> the weather
> cleared on this day we were able to enjoy them. We were given a
> lovely lunch
> at the local church and were able to have a look at the Macquarie
> museum - of
> interest to an Aussie living very much in Macquarie country in
> Sydney. Libby
> McMillan and I thought we had been on a great treck until we ask
> just how far
> we had been an were shown the miniscule area we had actually
> covered.
>
> My walk to Shiaba was a major highlight of the week as my family had
> lived
> there for several generations. When the people of the Ross
> presented us with a
> small presentation on the clearing of Shiaba it was brought home to
> me how
> difficult it would have been to live there. Our walk showed just
> how DIFFICULT
> it would have been. It teemed down rain and I was soaked but with
> a borrowed
> plastic bag to protect my precious camera I soldiered on - so did we
> all - the
> sun actually came out and the wind dried us all of quite quickly.
> Shiaba has
> some very interesting ruins including a few dry stone walls that I
> hadn't
> taken much notice of on the day but have really studied since and
> have found the
> building construction methods of the early 1800 really
> sophisticated. The
> wall of the house is still standing almost 200 years later and there
> was no
> grouting just standing there, like a jigsaw puzzle put together but
> vertical. The
> view from Shiaba was really beautiful and you could see that the
> area would
> have watched History glide by - including Vikings etc.
>
> The last evening when we were all invited to a Ceilidh was
> incredibly
> special. The Mull Gaelic Choir was outstanding and the choir
> members were all so
> talented. I came away feeling very humble indeed. It was quite
> obvious that in
> time gone by that the original Ceilidh - that is a community
> gathered together
> to have a good time and to entertain each other - that most people
> in a
> community would probably be able to stand up and sing like that
> (well maybe not
> quite like that) but knowing the words - you get my drift, The
> waulking song was
> really special and the women looked like they were having such a
> good time
> singing the song.
>
> I stayed after the gathering finished for the weekend and with a
> generosity
> of Libby McMillan (Melbourne) and the company of Ellen Sturgeon
> (Colchester) I
> I had a great time exploring the parts of the Island that we hadn't
> seen. We
> went to Dervaig to hunt down a gentleman who the ferryman to Ulva
> had told me
> knew about a relative of mine. So trekked of there and whilst
> walking up the
> main street met another lady who knew the family and was able to
> help re an
> earlier generation. We then went off to Oskamull to track down the
> village
> that Libby's family may have lived it. The farmer was quite
> understanding about
> three ladies actually asking permission to go onto his land. The
> farmer
> explained we didn't need permission but as Aussies could figure that
> one out.
>
> On the Sunday we visited Christine Leach and were somewhat amazed at
> the
> research collection she has accumulated. I was VERY lucky here as
> she had an
> email from a gentleman who was researching the sister of my gg
> Grandfather 7
> generations back - actually the 'Female child' on the Duke of Argyle
> Census and you
> all know how unbelievably lucky I was to get that. Christine then
> took us
> for a walk in the Beach (Pronounced Beer) district where my
> ancestors were
> living in the 1770s. The whole experience was unforgettable.
>
> I can't express how grateful I am for the organisers of MUGG for all
> their
> hard work, it was an absolute delight to meet everyone and for those
> people that
> were generous with transport I can't thank you enough. For everyone
> who for
> whatever reason couldn't make it this time - I hope that there are
> future
> MUGGs and more people are given the opportunities that I was
> afforded.
>
> With kindest regards to you all,
>
> Jan Peasnell
>
>
>
> ==============================
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>
>


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