SANDAY
SOULKA
- MAY 2012
For a look at the detailed timetable, click here
Report from the first Sanday Soulka weekend May 4th-6th
Sanday was delighted to welcome a number
of visiting speakers last weekend for the first
of three planned Soulka festivals this year. A
number of local folk added to the excitement
by opening up their homes for
demonstrations and displays, with Spinning
and other hand-crafts, artwork, the
meticulously accurate Garsdale model
railway,
and the re-powering Wind Turbine project at
Spurness.
There was also impressive evidence at the
farm of Roo that will encourage those
considering whether it is worth trying to grow
trees as well as turbines in a windy
environment. At Heilsa Fjold there was
plenty to do - and time for coffee too. The
island’s new DVD Sanday in Focus, and
unreleased oral history recordings were both
available, and old photographs on view.
Expert schoolchildren were on hand to
help visitors negotiate their way around
Sanday in 1986 – all on the Domesday
Reloaded website.
Have a look at the Domesday reloaded
website yourself. Just key in Sanday Island,
Soulka speakers had a common theme –
Sanday’s Heritage. Tom Rendall’s seminar
was based on his research into the impact of
increasing social mobility on the local
dialect, and Neil Leask, custodian of
Corrigall Farm Museum used the opportunity
to tell us some of the fascinating history of
his own family’s genealogical connections
with Sanday. Neil also brought a number of
intriguing photographs that provided a few
conundrums for older residents to ponder –
perhaps we’ll see the picture of a throng of
Sanday folk in a future ‘From our Files’
appeal for help from readers far afield?.
Billy Cardno has had plenty of practice
elsewhere talking about his career on the
Thorfinn, one of the boats that served the
North Isles long before the advent of the
Ro-Ro ferries. He seized the opportunity to
visit his old pal, Sanday’s retired Shipping
Agent Jimmy Wilson. The two had to be
prised apart in order for Billy to be ready for
his engagement, with Jimmy’s final
instructions – “Boy, don’t tell the full story…”!
We’ll never know whether he did or didn’t,
but there was plenty to keep us laughing
along the way – do others know who was
considered to be ‘as much use as a hip
pocket in a simmet’? If not, ask Billy next
time. Afterwards, Billy was photographed
with Alan Simpson, and a binnacle light from
the old Thorfinn...
Undoubtedly one of the highlight of the
weekend was the formal opening of The
Croft. It was appropriate that Neil Leask,
steeped in Orkney’s crafting history, was
present to make a brief speech, and the
large assembled crowd was delighted when
he invited Jim and Rona Towrie to cut the
ribbon. The restoration project has been a
real labour of love for the couple, and all of
those who visited commented on the
authenticity of the old But ‘n’ Ben and its
contents.
There was a Sanday feast inside
too, with some of the Heritage Group
volunteers, in period dress, helping
everyone to Sanday oatcakes, bere
bannocks, Orkney cheese (many thanks to
Grimbister Farm and Orkney Cheese
company) and home-brew and rhubarb
wine. Musicians were inside too – Oliver
Drever, Ian Simpson, Ali Thorne and Eddie
Sinclair sitting around one of the box-beds; it
was a very tight squeeze, but there was
room enough for a reelfor the Crofting wifey.
It was as though the building was speaking,
reminding everyonethat now it had been
brought back to life it was determined that
we should all remember the phrase, “Lang
may your lum reek”. From now on – the
Heritage Group welcomes visitors to The
Croft, which will be open from 0900 to 1700
every day until the end of September.
Mark Fresson gave a fascinating account of
his grandfather’s early history in aviation,
followed by his pioneering company
Highland Airways, which first brought airmail
to Orkney. Loganair is celebrating its 50th
birthday this year (and two beautiful models
crafted by Eday's Lewis Garson were on
display at Heilsa Fjold)
but it was more than a quarter century
earlier that the Inverness-to-Kirkwall run was
first established by ‘Ted’ Fresson. At the end
of his fascinating account, Mark gave to the
Heritage Centre a copy of his grandfather's
book 'Air Road to the Isles'.
Last of the invited guest speakers was Julie
Gibson, county archaeologist, who told us of
the huge importance of the Pictish/Christian
symbol stone found at Appiehoose on
Sanday last summer. Julie described what’s
known of the history of the Picts and their
historical connections with the Romans
further south, and the Vikings in Orkney, and
showed stunning photographs of the
restoration of the stone itself. Tantalisingly,
we only saw the ‘Pictish side’, but Julie left
us with news that the Stone was now ready
to ‘come home’, so we’re encouraged to
hope that all will be revealed before long –
on Sanday.
The Traditional Dancing Club session and
the Spring Fair organised by the Tourism
and Business Group were both resoundingly
successful affairs, and a huge crowd was
drawn, too, to the Saturday night
entertainment given by Genuine Draft,
featuring local boy Douglas Drever. Each
one of them a gifted musician, and it was a
tribute to their talent that their audience,
from schoolchildren to pensioners, all
thought they were superb.
Sunday night was Film Night; the Screen of
the Isles just gets better and better – it’s like
going to the flicks in the old days. Tom and
Jerruy, then a hair-raising ‘short’ featuring
the trio of base-jumpers on the Old Man of
Hoy, and an interval with usherettes and the
ice-cream trolley, before the main feature,
Tintin and the Secret of the Unicorn. It was a
full house – again. Have you seen the film?
No? Have a look at the trailer by clicking
The Soulka group members thank everyone
who helped so much to get the festivals off
to such a flying start – and of course all of
those who attended the events that filled the
weekend.
