Comann Eachdraidh Tholastaidh bho Thuath

                   Annual General Meeting 22nd February 2010
Chairman’s Report
Welcome to the AGM and thanks to the committee for their work throughout the year. Thanks also to all Society members and friends for their continued support.
For me as chairman, the past year has been a bit less arduous than the past few years, but nevertheless it has been enjoyable and profitable for the Comann Eachdraidh. Our Society still has strong public support. We have nearly 400 members; Seanchas sells well and generates discussion among our readers; our website is very popular; our public events are well supported and enquiries about the village continue unabated.
We in turn support local groups and we especially wish Tolsta Community Development Ltd all the best in their efforts to improve the village. All the enquiries about the village are from friendly, courteous people and it is a pleasure to attend to them. Occasionally a few surprises crop up. Among these surprises was a visit from a very nice couple, Donald and Careen Mackenzie from Drumnadrochit, who turned up at our house one morning last September, looking to trace their ancestors. They knew that Donald’s grandfather was a John Mackenzie from Tolsta and after some discussion I realised that Donald’s grandfather was John Macinnes’s son – Iain an Dem – who, as a youngster had left the army without leave, changed his name to Mackenzie and got married in Avoch. Apparently most of the older generation, now gone, knew about the name change, but never discussed it let alone report it. Great community spirit!

Another day, while photographing the plaque at Garry, a couple of new-comers to the village approached and gave a history lesson on the Garry Bridge etc. What could one do but politely listen? It is good to know that some of the new-comers are taking an interest in the village.
On 20th June 2009 we had a guided tour of the Garry area with Dr Mary Macleod, Archaeologist. About 25 people attended and indeed we all learned something new about the area.
On 16th October 2009 we had a well attended public meeting in the hall. The topic for the evening was Operation Cauldron, the biological weapons tests that took place off Tolsta on board Ben Lomond in 1952.
The meeting on the Eastern Townships of Quebec with Margaret Bennett, which was to have taken place last October had to be postponed. Margaret hopes to have this meeting in the Community Hall in April.
We were less involved in Homecoming events than had been anticipated by An Caidreachas Eachdraidh. We had a bookstall in the Town Hall foyer on 6th and 7th August 2009 along with the Ness Historical Society. All the Homecoming Events appeared to have been based in Stornoway and ended with the spectacular Tattoo and fireworks at the Castle Grounds. The Stornoway Amenities Trust deserves to be commended for organising these events.
Alasdair Nicolson, secretary of Third Sector Hebrides attended a meeting with us on 13th May 2009 and gave us information on the funding that could possibly be available for our projects on the plaques in Garry and The Cladach. Progress on these projects has been slow, but I hope they will be moved forward this coming year.
A few of our committee members attended a seminar on 3rd March 2009 in Stornoway, entitled Preserving the Recorded Memory of the Western Isles, with representatives from Dundee University. Comhairle nan Eilean have responded to their recommendations and have secured funding for the appointment of a Project Manager, an experienced Archivist and a Gaelic speaking Trainee Archivist. The project will initially be based in the Stornoway Library. I hope that all the volunteers from the Comann Eachdraidh will also be involved and that this project will not become another bureaucracy.
I attended a few promising meetings of An Caidreachas Eachdraidh at the beginning of 2009. However there have been no further meetings since June 2009.
Hebridean Connections appears to be on hold.
Comhairle nan Eilein Siar Genealogy Working Group appears to also have disappeared into thin air. No information has been sent to the Comainn Eachdraidh.

Village Population (As accurately as we can make it).

There has been a drop in some categories this year, but it only takes the movement of a handful of families to affect the demography of a village. Like all villages in the Western Isles the statistics indicate that the population is an ageing population.

I hope this report has given an indication of some of our activities over the year.

Thanks again to all those who contributed to another successful year at the Comann Eachdraidh.
Donald Murray, chairman.