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All war is a tragedy but some events resonate more than others. Just as last month we recognised 100 years since the armistice of 1918, a ceremony tonight marks the centenary of a particularly poignant tragedy that took place in Lewis on the Western Isles. Various dignitaries will attend and it'll be streamed for those that can't.
Excited to be getting home after years of war, late on 31st December 1918 some 283 men departed from Kyle of Lochalsh on board the Iolaire. It was overcrowded but many were keen to be home to see their families and children, with Xmas gifts and a chance to start recovering from war. Within sight of the lights of Stornoway harbour and the waiting crowds, the Iolaire struck a reef known as the Beasts of Holm . It was yards from shore but 201 men died. Many bodies were never recovered, others were washed up on the shore the next day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMY_Iolaire
It's an event that still weighs deeply on the people of Lewis and Harris, an area that had already lost more men per head of population than anywhere else in the UK. Iolaire is the Gaelic word for Eagle, though I've never heard anyone on the island give it a Gaelic pronunciation. The story still inspires books, poetry and song.
It destroyed a community. It's still unbearable thinking of its consequences.
That's the wee free for you
Heard this being discussed overnight on the radio. Not heard of it before, a tragic incident.
One of the tales to come out of it was of a kit-bag being washed ashore with the name of a soldier that didn't survive but the bag contained, amongst other things, 4 oranges which were subsequently passed on one to each of his 4 brothers (or sons, sorry, don't recall); quite a touching story.
vongassit
FFS!
Yup. It was a classic bit of Christianity. Turns my stomach.
As a result the island later emptied of most of the younger generations, particularly the girls for whom there were not enough men.
Just think, if it hadn't happened Donald Trump's mother may have married locally and he would never have been born...
Yup. It was a classic bit of Christianity.
No it wasn’t, it was one person being very unwise in his comments and out of his depth.
Not even slightly what the average Christian thinks. And to suggest it is, makes your comment just as stupid as his was.
My great uncle died on the Iolaire. My mother was largely raised by his sisters after being evacuated to Lewis during WW2 and remaining there until she completed her secondary education.
I gave her a copy of a book about the disaster around 20 years ago. She couldn't bring herself to read it.
My grandfather was the only one of 5 brothers to survive WW1 and the immediate aftermath. Two brothers were war casualties. A 3rd died in the Iolaire, and the 4th from pneumonia shortly after the end of the war.
"just think, if it hadn’t happened Donald Trump’s mother may have married locally and he would never have been born…"
Great how some people bring politics into every thread.
Yup. It was a classic bit of Christianity. Turns my stomach.
Not really.
That Free Church bloke is the Christian equivalent of Abu Hamza. Extremist nut job.
I remember seeing something about the Iolaire on telly some time ago, it may have been on Coast or a similar programme. So very sad and poignant.
nealglover
No it wasn’t, it was one person being very unwise in his comments and out of his depth.Not even slightly what the average Christian thinks. And to suggest it is, makes your comment just as stupid as his was.
OK. I'll apologise to the people actually practising Christianity, but those sorts of remarks were more widespread than one person from what I heard.
My attitude is somewhat biased based on my various exposures to the Christian church as a child both in the Isles and elsewhere, and I normally keep it to myself.
irc
Great how some people bring politics into every thread.
I didn't see that as a political post, more one of general interest and the vicissitudes of fate, and the consequences of Iolaire.
Watching a programme about this on BBC Alba, in Gaelic with English subtitles.
Really stunning programme about the Iolaire, beautiful artworks created to commemorate the tragedy, and it’s really heartbreaking in places. I have no connection with the place, the people or the event, but I can connect with the loss.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00g8jyp