Gaelic scholars' island home reopens after major restoration
The National Trust for Scotland is celebrating the reopening of Canna House in the Inner Hebrides, which was home to John Lorne Campbell and Margaret Fay Shaw, who built up a major collection of Gaelic music, folklore and culture.
The conservation charity says it has aimed to create an atmosphere which will give visitors a sense that 'someone has just left the room', with a warm, lived-in feel throughout the house.
Gaelic song and language fill the air as audio devices are triggered when visitors move through rooms which showcase how the house would have looked in the mid-20th century, not long after the Second World War.
Extensive repairs have been made to the building, roof and windows of the house to withstand the Hebridean weather and protect its contents, which include an internationally-significant archive collection of Gaelic music, folklore and culture.
Philip Long, chief executive at the National Trust for Scotland, said: 'All of us who have a love for Canna and an appreciation of the important stories this house holds will be delighted to see the incredible condition Canna House is now in.
'Caring for these places is not an easy task, but it is an important one and our charity is privileged to play a part alongside the creative residents, skilled contractors and many others who make projects like this possible.
'I hope everyone, whether they live here, visit often or, after reading this, come for the first time, enjoy the nature, beauty and heritage of this special place.'
Mr Campbell bought the Isle of Canna and neighbouring Sanday in 1938, embracing the role of laird and farmer.
Alongside his wife, an accomplished photographer and folklorist, they created an extensive archive of Gaelic songs, stories and linguistic material.
Mr Campbell and Ms Fay Shaw lived in Canna House until their respective deaths in 1996 and 2004.
In 1981, Campbell gifted Canna to the National Trust for Scotland (supported with an endowment from the National Heritage Memorial Fund), along with the couple's vast library, archives and sound recordings.
This includes some 1,500 Gaelic folk songs and 350 folk tales, the first recordings of members of the Mi'kmaq nation and more than 5,000 photographic negatives and 25 reels of film spanning 50 years of Gaelic culture on the islands of Canna, Barra, the Uists and Mingulay.
Highlights of the collection are a Dictaphone recording machine, which Mr Campbell used to capture Gaelic speakers in the Western Isles and Cape Breton; his wife's favourite Graflex camera and the Book of Pooni, dedicated to their favourite cat.
The house recently reopened for pre-booked guided tours and the team is now looking forward to welcoming more visitors.
Operations manager Angus Murray said: 'We've worked hard to create an atmosphere that reflects Canna House in its prime — a home full of music stories, and Gaelic, just as John and Margaret would have had it.
'As a team, we are excited to share this experience with a new generation of visitors to Canna.'
The project to fully repair and refurbish Canna House cost £3.6 million.
Costs were met by the support of the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA, a number of reserved funds held by the National Trust for Scotland intended for conservation projects of this nature, with the balance covered through funds generated by the charity's supporters, fundraising activities and commercial profits.
Geraldine MacKinnon, speaking on behalf of the Isle of Canna Community Development Trust, said: 'The Isle of Canna Community Development Trust is pleased that Canna House has now reopened, enabling the public to access Canna House through guided tours and share the wealth of Gaelic culture it holds, along with the local historical and environmental heritage of Canna.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
8 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
North Shore man named commander of Canada's Pacific fleet
A man with North Shore roots is taking command of the Royal Canadian Navy's Pacific Fleet. Capt. Samuel Patchell signed on to the role in a change of command ceremony aboard HMCS Vancouver at the Burrard Dry Dock on Wednesday, taking over for Rear-Admiral David Mazur. Patchel said he looks forward to the challenges that lie ahead. 'I'm really humbled … it's a little emotional,' he said. 'I have an awesome responsibility to lead our Canadian sailors. It's absolutely incredible, the people, the best of Canadians serve in our navy. They need strong leadership and guidance. I'll do my best to support them, because the real hard stuff we're going to ask them to do needs strong leadership.' The long-serving navy personnel was born in North Vancouver and grew up in West Vancouver and even remembers delivering the North Shore News in 1989. 'I never would have imagined delivering the North Shore News and the guy here,' said Patchell, who now lives in Victoria. Patchell said he was inspired to enlist by his grandfather, a Second World War veteran who used to take him aboard visiting ships and tell him stories about his time in the navy. The new commander first joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2001. Patchell served as a navigating officer in 2006 and, two years later, specialized as a deck officer where he was deployed on Operation Hestia, Canada's humanitarian response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Patchell has also served as the executive assistant to the deputy commander of United Nations Command in Pyeongtaek, South Korea in 2018. Shortly after returning to Canada, he deployed on a Canadian navy ship to the South China Sea, part of the country's Indo-Pacific Strategy. Patchell's promotion was not the only reason for celebration Wednesday. HMCS Vancouver was being honoured its own ceremony marking its service in Operation Mobile. The mission was the Canadian Armed Forces' contribution to the global response of the uprising against the 42-year rule of dictator Mummar Qadhafi in Libya. Battle honour awards are given to publicly recognize a ship's role in significant battles, campaigns and operations throughout history. Through the ship's deployment, HMCS Vancouver engaged in surveillance, maritime interdiction and embargo enforcement. Patchell joined the ship as the operations officer and was deployed on the mission. Commodore Bradley Alan Peats, former commanding officer of HMCS Vancouver, shared a snippet of what it was like being on the ship during that time. 'Night after night, the city was alight with explosions from artillery fire, the reverberations of which we could feel on board the ship as we patrolled the coastline. Along with other NATO forces, we protected airtime routes and ensured that supply ships and aircraft could reach the besieged city,' Peats said. 'It was profoundly sad and deeply humbling to bear witness to this tragedy unfold, but it was heartening that Canada, alongside our NATO allies, had answered the call to help people that long for peace and stability from a brutal and hostile regime. Peats said the Battle Honour for the ship is a mark of distinction and a symbol of the crews' courage, commitment and operational excellence. 'Behind every mission are the people who make it happen – sailors, officers, technician, air men and women, and support personnel who live the values of service before self,' he said. 'As a former captain, I can say with certainty that honours such as these are not about the steel of the ship. They are about the strength of her people.' During the ceremony, a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora flew over the ship in honour. HMCS Vancouver is one of the navy ships at the Burrard Dry Dock for Fleet Week, an annual event aiming to increase public awareness and appreciation of the country's maritime defence efforts on the West Coast. While there is no tour available for HMCS Vancouver, members of the public can book free tours for other ships nearby from now until July 6 . Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
7 days ago
'Rangers lead the way' -- World War II Army Rangers honored with Congressional Gold Medal
'We didn't do it for recognition. We did it out of duty to one another and to our country.' Those are the humble words of Pfc. John Wardell, 99, as he and U.S. Army Ranger veterans from World War II were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal on Thursday. 'To be a Ranger is to live by a code: Courage. Sacrifice. Resolve,' Wardell said. 'That legacy lives on in every Ranger who follows. Our motto has stood the test of time, and it always will. Rangers lead the way!' Wardell, who served in E Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion, joined Sgt. Joe Drake as two of five surviving Army Rangers -- among more than 6,500 who served in WWII -- for a patriotic ceremony in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol. 'On behalf of all the Rangers, I accept this special award,' Drake, 100, said. 'I'd like to thank each member of this Congress for giving me and every Ranger this extraordinary award.' The Congressional Gold Medal, which is struck from 24-karat gold, is the highest civilian award given by Congress to people who have made a major and long-standing impact on American history and culture. 'This band of brothers is so deserving, and this day, to be frank, is long overdue,' House Speaker Mike Johnson said. 'They formed the spearhead of American special operations in the Second World War, and today, we express our most profound gratitude for their courageous contributions with the highest honor that this body can bestow, and that is the Congressional Gold Medal.' Today marked the 159th time that Congress has awarded the medal. Ranging from its first recipient George Washington to Robert Frost, Walt Disney, Rosa Parks and the Tuskegee Airmen, Speaker Johnson remarked the U.S. Army Rangers who served in World War II came from 'every corner of American life,' from welders and waiters to factory hands and musicians. 'There were ordinary men called to extraordinary valor, who stared death in the face and by the grace of God, achieved the incredible and defended freedom,' Johnson said. 'They were America's best.' That sentiment was bipartisan, as congressional leaders and military officials honored the Rangers. 'What the Army Rangers achieved in Normandy, they did again and again and again throughout the war, across every theater, against overwhelming odds,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. 'With the fate of the free world on the line, Army Rangers led the way.' It was during the D-Day invasion on the beaches of Normandy in France that the Rangers gained their motto. Following the United States' strikes against Iran's nuclear sites last weekend and a trip with President Donald Trump to a NATO summit at The Hague earlier this week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared at the ceremony, as did Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 'Today we celebrate real heroes,' Hegseth said. 'We point the spotlight exactly where it deserves to go.' 'It is altogether fitting and proper that we are here today honoring these two men and the other three at home, and all the Army Rangers of World War Two and all generations who've been willing to put it all on the line for the rest of us,' Hegseth said. 'There are heroes among us, ordinary people who did extraordinary things.'
Hamilton Spectator
24-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
104-year old Argyll honoured with ‘Thank You Canada' medal from the Netherlands
The feelings of gratitude from the Dutch for their liberation in the Second World War has outlasted nearly all of the Canadian soldiers who fought for it. But there is one soldier from Hamilton's Argylls who can still be thanked in person: Tony Mastromatteo . On Wednesday, June 18, the veteran, who turned 104 last month, received the Thank You Canada medal from an official on behalf of the deputy consul general for the Netherlands. Mastromatteo was presented the honour at Sunnybrook Veterans Centre in Toronto, a long-term-care facility where he lives. Representatives from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were on hand, along with members of Mastromatteo's family. 'It's lovely, very nice,' Mastromatteo said of the medal, conveying his feelings to The Spectator through his daughter, Laura LeMesurier. He served in the war, he said, because 'I just did what I had to do.' The Thank You Canada medal was created in 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands, one of several iterations of the Medal of Remembrance awarded to honour soldiers who helped free the Dutch from German occupation. The Canadian campaign succeeded by April 1945, and came prior to the official surrender in Europe (V-E Day) on May 7. During the eight-month Dutch campaign, 7,600 Canadian soldiers were killed. The notion of presenting Mastromatteo with the medal first surfaced in May, when The Spec ran a story reporting on the veteran's birthday. Chris Kruter, who lives in Ancaster and is president of the Dutch Canadian Veterans Association, read the story and noted a photo where the Thank You Canada medal was not among others clustered on Mastromatteo's chest. Kruter went through channels, including reaching out to the veteran's family, to see that he received it, and he was the one who awarded the medal Wednesday. 'It was an honour,' said Kruter, who had been three years old when troops liberated his Dutch hometown of Roosendaal, in the fall of 1944. Mastromatteo was a private who served in Scout Platoon in France and Belgium before he was wounded by shrapnel in the Netherlands on Oct. 29, 1944. Ten of his fellow Argylls were killed that day, and 29 wounded. In fighting from Oct. 15 to Nov. 4 that year, the regiment saw 39 soldiers killed in action and 140 wounded. More than 3,300 soldiers from the regiment served in the war. At the ceremony, Mastromatteo told his fellow Argylls that he plans to attend Remembrance Day in Hamilton come November. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
