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Isle of Eigg History Society
The islands of Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna are inviting all the descendants of Small Isles emigrants to come and share their emigration stories with the modern day islanders, in their Homecoming Week from Monday 14 September to Friday 18th September 2009.
On the isle of Eigg especially, Commun Eachdraidh Eige – the Isle of Eigg History Society – has put together a programme of events which should give our overseas visitors a great opportunity to explore the island as well as their genealogy. Under the guidance of Camille Dressler, the island historian, and Duncan Ferguson, the island tradition bearer and button box player, homecoming visitors will have a chance to discover the story of the island and of their ancestors in Cleadale, Laig or Grulin, With Tearlach MacFarlane and Allan MacDonald, two famous local genealogists from Glenfinnan and Arisaig respectively, they will also have a chance to uncover the genealogical details that may still elude them.
Music and dance will feature highly in the homecoming week, with local piper Donna MacCulloch playing and teaching ceilidh dances and the Feis Eige Musicians ready for a home ceilidh, a session or a dance, all of which are on the programme for the week.
There will also be a chance to discover the exciting developments which have brought Eigg at the forefront of the Community Land movement: the award winning renewable energy scheme which provides electrification for the whole island, and the Big Green Challenge of Eigg, an island going green.
In a community now in transition, numbering an increasing number of incomers, the story of the island’s past through the emigrants ‘story is something that the new islanders also want to discover.
To complement the exhibition of archive photos, archeological artefacts and of the crofting way of life at Tigh Iain Dhonnachaidh, the modern islanders want to add the stories of the emigrants life and create new links with folks from all over the world that have a connection to the island. During that special Eigg Homecoming Week, the community on Eigg is inviting all Eigg descendants to connect with them.
Eigg Homecoming programme:
Monday 14 September
2 - 4 guided visit: the crofting township, from Cleadale to 5 pennies with a visit to the museum of Crofting life at Tigh Iain Dhonnachaidh).
8.30 – 12.00 Welcome home house ceilidh at Lageorna with Tearlach mac Farlane and Eigg traditions bearers.
Tuesday 15 September
2-4 Guided visit: Kildonnan mill, graveyard and farmhouse (including afternoon tea)
8-10 genealogy evening with Tearlach macFarlane and Allan MacDonald
Wednesday 16 September
10 – 12 guided visit: Laig and the Clanranalds
2-4 ceilidh Dancing with Donna
8.30 till late: the Cape Breton connection ceilidh: tunes and dances from both sides of the Atlantic. Eigg Community hall.
Thursday 18 th September
From 11am Grulin Clearance townships
Evening: informal session at the Pier
Friday 19 th September
2-5 Guided visit: The caves
8- 12 Farewell evening
During the homecoming week, the Eigg Community Learning room will become the island genealogy hub, where our Homecoming visitors will get a chance to search through the Eigg archive and genealogical material, and share their stories with the Eiggich of today.
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Comunn Eachdraidh Eige, the Isle of Eigg History Society was set up in 1999. The aims of the society are to encourage research into the history of the isle of Eigg, preserving and interpreting that history for islanders and visitors.
The Society's membership consists of both native Gaelic speakers and newcomers who are working together to record the island history and make it accessible to all. The Society's main task is at present to collect, copy and preserve individual photographic collections relating to the island, into a comprehensive Island Archive, cross-referencing it with genealogical data and background details, using census data and oral history recorded from the island's oldest inhabitants.
Whilst the archive is designed for use by the islanders, their families and the descendants of island emigrants, it is also intended to present a comprehensive catalogue of images of island life and built heritage to the visitor.
The society has collected some 850 photographs to date and more are still turning up! These photographs refer to families on the island and include copies of material held in national archives illustrating the changes in the island over the 20th century.
The photograph collection is available for viewing at the library in the Cleadale day-care centre, open every Mondays and Thursdays. It is otherwise necessary to make an appointment with the centre manager, Sheena Kean on 01687 482418.
Membership of the society cost £5 per annum. For more details contact the Society's secretary , Camille Dressler, by emailing her at historysociety@isleofeigg.org
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