Note of the meeting of the North Tolsta Historical Society at the Schoolhouse, North Tolsta , on Tuesday, 26 June 2007, at 7pm.

PRESENT: D.Murray; R.Murray; A.Murray; A.MacLeod, A. MacKenzie; S. MacIver; C M Smith; R Moir; AA Smith; R MacLeod

APOLOGIES : D. MacLeod; M MacIver; M Murray

CHAIR: D.Murray

On behalf of the Comann Eachdraidh, Donald extended our condolences to Mairead on the death of Angus MacLeod (Sugaidh). Angus had been of considerable help to the Comann Eachdraidh over the years.

•  Note of the Last Meeting

The Note of the meeting of 24 April 2007 was approved.

2. Matters arising

Archiving and digitisation : funding of £10k was available via Museum nan Eilean and the Comann Eachdraidh was able to access some of this funding for storage. Anna would follow this up with Mark Elliot of MnE.

3.   Events

  Ard Walk: the walk had been cancelled due to bad weather. Angus would speak to Susan Rabe from the Western Isles Countryside Access Programme (WICAP) to discuss alternative dates.

Aig Muir : had been a very successful evening. A press release would be placed in the Stornoway Gazette. The event had been delivered within budget and the school has been paid for the use of the hall. Donald wished to thank publicly all those who made donations on the evening.

R.Moir recorded the event and hoped to produce a DVD in due course. Chrisella Ross (Pròiseact na Sgeulachdan) also recorded the “sgeulachdan" aspect of the evening.

4.   Genealogy /Archive

Work was ongoing and the first lot (no pun intended) of crofts had been completed and input on Brothers Keeper. The sub-group would meet soon to discuss the next stage.

Anna flagged up some operational difficulties with one of the PCs and asked that the computers be networked. Donald indicated that we had problems with this in the past, but that since the computer in question was now quite old, we might consider purchasing a new one, funds permitting. Donald and Alex Angus to progress.

Photos

Domhnall would meet with Anna to arrange for the return of original photos to their owners.

•  Hebridean Connections

R.Moir and Cathy Mary had attended the last meeting. A Gaelic policy had been discussed which would, among other things, help Hebridean Connections access funding from Bòrd na Gàìdhlig and other Gaelic agencies. It did not place our Comann Eachdraigh under any particular obligation.

Heb Connections did want a forum for correspondence/promoting awareness, etc, and asked whether they could use our website rather than setting up one for themselves. It was agreed that they could use our site for this purpose.

6.   Caidreachas Eachdraidh

There had been a proposal to merge the Caidreachas with Hebridean Connections on the basis that there was common ground. However, this was rejected for the time being given that Hebridean Connections was preparing a number of major funding applications later this year.

The constitution of An Caidreachas had been amended and a copy was circulated.

A copy of the National Gaelic Plan by Bòrd na Gàidhlig was circulated.

A press release by Historical Scotland celebrating Stornoway's iron past was circulated. This was an Historic Scotland and Museum nan Eileen joint initiative in schools. A local learning officer would be contracted on a part-time one day a week basis.

7.   Finance

A balance of £2,993.03 was recorded on the evening of the meeting. It was noted that wages had been paid out and some materials purchased for which we had not yet claimed, so more cash would be coming in.

•  Clachan Crìche

The radio programme on this book would be repeated the following day at 11 am and 10pm. It was noted that we had been paid by the Gaelic Books Council for copies forwarded to them.

9.   Seanchas

Angus would speak to Murdo Alex Mackenzie about a piece for Seanchas.

10.   Date of next meeting

  No date was set for the next meeting.