Moving forward in the Highlands

Roddy Martine talks...

There were 20 of us around the table at the Ballachulish Hotel in Lochaber. It was an eclectic mix which included five Highland councillors, among them Dr Michael Foxley, vice-convenor of Highland Council. Others present were: historian Iain Thornber, deputy lord lieutenant of Inverness-shire and trustee of the West Highland Museum; Charlotte Wright, acting chief executive of Lochaber Enterprise; Bob Steward, Highland Council's chief archivist; John Hutchinson, Lochaber area manager and company secretary of the Knoydart Foundation and Nevis Partnership; Alistair MacDonald, founder of the Glencoe Heritage Trust, and his wife and co-director, Rosalin, a member of North Lorn Civic Trust; Rodney and Diane Allen of Clan Donald USA; Val Smith of Clan Cameron, Australia, and the charismatic Ted Cowan, professor of history at Glasgow University with his wife Lizanne. I publish this list only to illustrate the potency of our grouping.

We were there at the invitation of councillor Drew Macfarlane-Slack, and our brief was to discuss the remit of Highland 2007 – Gaidhealtachd, a celebration of Highland culture, past, present and future. The programme for what promises to be a truly remarkable year of celebration is currently being assembled by its project manager. Shona McMillan whom, should Scotland ever need a special envoy schooled in diplomacy, I would highly recommend.

Highlands is a vast and diverse region, and Lochaber is but a corner of it. Shona's project is broken down into...

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• By : Roddy Martine
• In : Roddy Martine's World
• Issue : 16
• Page : 7
• Words : 782