COHT has secured the services of Hazel Smith to assist in the professional preparation and submission of bids for funding.  Your correspondent looks forward to further news, but is aware that Hazel has already made great progress in drawing together the representatives of all agencies involved – to an outside observer, things are looking very encouraging.  Prof. Colin Breen, from University of Ulster, was in Colonsay last week and has assured the Primary School that he will be back again in the springtime, and there will be a chance to join him in an archaeological “dig”. 

We are delighted to report that funding has been obtained by COHT for the restoration of Colonsay’s Stevenson Lighthouse.  This was a fairly modest affair, made of iron boilerplate and known affectionately as “An Crùisgean”.  Although redundant, it survived in situ for many years.  Unfortunately, about 15 years ago, a workforce arrived to install a new solar-powered affair and (being unaware of its provenance) the old one was summarily demolished.  It was cut into pieces and on the verge of being helicoptered away when pier staff noticed what was happening and contacted the Northern Lighhouse Board at Edinburgh.  The NLB could not undo the damage, but instantly gave permission for the sections to be preserved locally in the ownership of the islanders, with a view to restoration.  For years, visitors and islanders will have noticed the large heapf of jagged metal plates in the corner of the Pier Shed and there things stood until Dave Binnie adopted the project on behalf of COHT.