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Harvest scene, Sutherland, last weekend
by Islay McLeod
My kinsman Seonachan MacLeod is a crofter and Gaelic singer. I met him at his croft in Breakish, near Broadford on Skye
How long have you lived on Skye?
All my life except five years in Glasgow doing my joinery apprenticeship in the late 50s, early 60s. I worked in the big houses in Pollokshields and then houses in the Gorbals. Much preferred people from the Gorbals. They were so pleased to see you and made you feel important. When I left people would say, ‘Where’s that wee man from Skye?’.
What did you do when you returned to the island?
They were building a hospital in Broadford and I asked if they needed a joiner. I was horrified when the foreman said, ‘Yes, can you start tomorrow?’.
Does your family come from Skye?
We’ve been here since 1800. That was when Breakish became a village, and 40 crofts were built.
What is your earliest memory?
It would be playing with refugees we had in the house during the war. They were a Welsh family. At that time local people were encouraged – well, pressured – to take them in if they had a spare room. There was a young boy with an older sister. The Llewellyns. Two years ago I got this phone call from the sister. I invited her to come up and stay. I took her all over the place.
You’re an MBE. What did you get it for?
I was part of the mountain rescue team. When the letter arrived, I thought it was a tax demand. Thought about declining it. A team is a team. Can’t remember when I got it. It’s not that important to me. People will say, ‘Stupid hill-walkers for getting themselves into trouble’, but most accidents are just pure bad luck. I had a lot of fun in rescue teams, but the fatalities were always bad and to see the injuries could be quite traumatic.
Then Seonachan asks me a question: why do I spell my name Mc instead of Mac? I reply that I don’t know. ‘It’s wrong,’ he says. ‘Okay in Ireland, but not here. Comes from the Gaelic word Mac meaning son of. Change it – you should think about it’.
No wonder he loves living here
Islay McLeod is deputy editor of the Scottish Review
