Welcome to ‘The Corncrake’ – The Isle of Colonsay’s monthly online newsletter. The Corncrake is published to keep all our friends in touch with life on our special island. Contributions are invited and welcomed. This site is also the place to come to find out about upcoming events and festivals.

View the latest issue

Please send letters and proposals for specific articles to the Editor.

Event Calendar

Find out about our upcoming events. Ceilidhs, sports, music, nature… it’s all here!

The Corncrake

What are you waiting for?! Read the latest edition here, with hi-res pics & video clips. Comments warmly invited.

PDF Newsletters

All our Newsletters are available in PDF format, please download the latest one by clicking here.

At 15km long Colonsay has an abundance of wildlife, it is without a doubt one of the last natural wildernesses in the west coast of Scotland.

This section is for the lighter side of our Isle with jokes and funny stories told by the islanders themselves. Please contact the Editor with submissions.

There is always something going on in Colonsay, check out our events section for the latest information on what events are taking place in the near future.

Brief genealogical and related queries are also welcome from Colbhasachs overseas, as are obituaries and family traditions relating to Colonsay emigrants.

what’s trending

  • Published On: Jul 20, 201810.2 min readCategories: Uncategorized

    Though the not-quite-a-drought time eventually ended, summer did not part, as it might have done, at the beginning of July. Though the weather was more mixed there was enough warmth and...

  • Published On: Jun 6, 20185.9 min readCategories: Uncategorized

    The warm dry spell that spread across the whole country in late spring and extended into early summer came as much welcome relief for the island after one of the...

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editor’s pick

  • Published On: Jul 6, 2017

    Spring Festival – the second half

    Colonsay’s Spring Festival, which centres on the creative arts and nature, was held in the...

  • Published On: May 2, 2017

    Colonsay Book Festival 2017

    As the doors closed on the 6th Annual Colonsay Book Festival on the last Sunday...

  • Published On: Apr 1, 2016

    Land Reform Meeting

    COMMUNITY TO GAIN NEW LAND POWERS. More than 40 island residents gathered in the Village...

What our readers say…

I would have been reading the Corncrake even without my inclusion, as I find it so interesting. It’s incredible that with so few people on your island so much information and enthusiasm regarding all the varied events you have there is generated, by their hard work and care about your community. I hope the Corncrake continues for many years to come!

Ian Drakes

Not a contribution – just a big THANK YOU for another bumper issue of the Corncrake, which we enjoyed reading, as always. As annual visitors it is so lovely to get regular news of what is happening on Colonsay through the year, and to see that life continues to be as vibrant the whole year round – all credit to the islanders for their energy, enthusiasm and creativity. Looking forward to our next visit in September (for another exciting event, Ceol Colbhasa)

Alison Du Cane

I thought the June edition of ‘Corncrake’ was an excellent read with a good balance of articles, photos and humor which should appeal to the whole spectrum of readers. I also like the new format.

Geoffrey Hinder