…. and a happy healthy 2020.
May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.
Month: December 2019
MOY, DALAROSSIE & TOMATIN CHURCH
(Scottish Charity No SC015653)
WHAT’S ON THIS CHRISTMAS? WE’D LOVE TO WELCOME YOU!
Monday 16th December – Carol Service at Dalarossie Church @ 6pm
Sunday 22nd – Morning Service in The Strathdearn @ 10.30am
Monday 23rd – *Evening Carol Sing Song in The Strathdearn @ 6.30pm
*This was originally advertised as ‘The Big Sing’ in the Outdoor Sports bit – until someone sensibly pointed out this might be too cold – and there wouldn’t be any seats if anyone needed one – we also discovered the acoustics for singing inside in the Foyer are excellent! Hence we will now gather in the Foyer for our Carol Sing Song – and anyone needing a seat can make themselves comfortable in Room 2 – where you’ll still be able to hear, and join in with the singing!
Christmas Eve:
All Age Worship Service @ 6.30pm
Service of Nine Lessons & Carols @ 11.30pm
(both in The Strathdearn – All donations from the Carol Sing Song and the Christmas Eve Services to Birchwood Highland & The Samaritans)
Christmas Day:
Christmas Morning Service in The Strathdearn @ 10.30am
Sunday 29th – Morning Service in The Strathdearn @ 10.30am
Back in spring I received an email through the community website contact page from Drew Hannush, a U.S. ‘Travel and Whisky Influencer / Podcast Host.’ He was looking for information on the ghostly black hound mentioned on the presentation box of Cù Bòcan whisky. He wanted to come to Tomatin and record a podcast about it. I arranged a contact with the distillery but he got back in touch to say they hadn’t been able to help him much.
Well, if someone is interested enough in our neck of the woods to want to record a podcast about it, it seems a shame to send them away empty handed, so I mentioned, just mentioned mind, that perhaps there was a connection to the Witch of Laggan story, that some versions reckoned she was chased over the hills by the devil’s hounds and just in time reached the sanctuary of Dalarossie graveyard which the devil couldn’t enter, and just perhaps the hounds still roam the area waiting to catch her if she leaves. As evidence for this theory I quoted Pedlar’s version of the story from his book “A Journey through Tomatin & Strathdearn.”
Then I shared Drew’s appeal on the Strathdearn Group facebook page. No more information was forthcoming, but Duncan Bryden offered to meet him when he visited Strathdearn.
Fast forward to October when Duncan spent the day showing him the sights and telling him the tales.
Fast forward to today and a further email from Drew thanking the folk of Strathdearn for their help and hospitality and linking to the finished podcast. It’s only fair that I also include his disclaimers about pronunciation and dramatic voiceover. Drew says :
“One of the episodes I’ve released is this one, “Cù Bòcan and the Haunting of Tomatin.”
https://www.whiskey-lore.com/episodes/season-one/cu-bocan-and-the-haunting-of-tomatinYou can listen to it with the player on the website, or the podcast is now available on Apple Podcasts, Google, Alexa and most podcast outlets. This is episode 5.
I had a lot of fun with this and I really enjoyed the walk and conversation Duncan. I will most likely have some clips can use in future episodes as well. You gave a wealth of information and I greatly appreciate your time.
I hope you both enjoy the episode and feel free to share it. I went a little over the top with the drama, but on purpose to kind of play up the fable aspect. It was fun interpreting the Witch of Laggan story and hopefully I got all the pronunciations close. Thanks Duncan for giving me some help there.”
So without further ado, let’s hear Drew’s telling of “Cù Bòcan and the Haunting of Tomatin.” [click the play button below]
{mp3}Cu_Bocan{/mp3}
Congratulations to our 8 newly-elected Strathdearn councillors: Charlie Cameron, Davie Cameron, Lee-Anne Cornwall, Jimmy Duncan, Mandy Ferguson, Martin Hughes, Carol James, and Stephen Smith.
The date of their first meeting will be announced by the Highland Council Returning Officer in accordance with the rules governing community councils:
“7.1 The first meeting of a Community Council following a Community Council election,
will be called by the Returning Officer appointed by The Highland Council and will
take place within 21 days of the date of the election, or as soon as practicable
thereafter. The business of the meeting following the first election under this
Scheme will include the adoption of the Constitution and Standing Orders set out
at Appendices 3 and 4 of this Scheme. Any Community Council’s constitution
which is not exactly in terms of Appendix 3 is required to be approved by Highland
Council. Any changes to the constitution of a Community Council must be
approved by The Highland Council.
Thereafter, the first meeting following each election, and each interim election, will
include the appointment of office bearers and any outstanding business matters
from the outgoing Community Council.”
