Cluaran Heritage Project
Five volunteers, Wordsmith Crafts props and tools. Add henerous handfulls of members of the public wandering around the town on a saturday. Mix in a Stove Network space for one Saturday then cook.
Be careful not to overheat, and only use the finest volunteer ingredients and you can be sure of an excellent outcome (“Best day ever” – a weegie student).
Thanks to Galloway Longfhada for joining us, hopefully there will be more gigs and recruits on their way!
More photos will follow.
(Nov. the 30th)
Final preparations are underway!
We will be setting up in the Loreburn Centre on Saturday. Come and drop in to say hi and make something!
More info here
https://www.cluaranhaven.org.uk/making-christmas-2024/
In Dumfries and Galloway there are two weeks of school holidays in October. Traditionally this was to free up young people to help howk the tatties from the fields. For Cluaran it meant that we could run a story and crafts session for kids on hokiday at Annan museum. It also meant that we could be joined by Kate for a school visit in Oban, taking time off from being a teacher to volunteer at a school! Perhaps it continues the time of from work to work of the Holidays.
Then it was off even further north to tell stories of St Columba on the shores of Loch Ness with History Matters. Cathbad joined a collection of historical characters in the orchard of castle Urqhuart. We helped visitors catch a glimpse of the past in a stunning setting.
Perhaps one year we will bring the boat! But until then we will continue to give people the opportunity to find a fragment of the past and hear the story that goes with it.
Hopefully this will act as an appetiser, and they will seek to find a place at the table where the feast is in full swing.
After a successful first meeting those who gathered have decided that it is time Dumfries had it’s own St Ayles Skiff.
The plan is to build the craft in the town centre, where people can see what is going on.
We will be doing it as a community build. This means the project will involve things like using the build as a focus to give people hands on experience using tools. We will also arrange activities and events to involve people who might be interested in rowing and boats in general – and those who have never really thought about it.
We are aiming to get the boat on the water for the Skiffieworlds event in Stranraer July 2025
We have been offered support from Annan and are building a network of builders, rowers and interested supporters. We all went away with tasks to manage and WhatsApp group set up if you would like to keep in touch that way.
The Second meeting will be on the 6th of August, Tuesday evening, in the Dougie arms from 18.30
We will be discussing things like:
Sign up here!
Everyone is invited to the inaugural meeting of the Dumfries Coastal Rowing club!
Here is a quick reminder of when Cluaran got in the water in 2023 at the Nithraid festival for a spot of cattle rustling. The river was also full of Ayles Skiffs.
This is not a Wordsmith Crafts project, but anyone who is familiar with the history of Cluaran will understand why we want to support it and help make it happen!
Some background info which might be useful –
This is the website for more information about coastal rowing clubs. There is a gap waiting to be filled in Dumfries!
This article introduces some of the many finds of nautical interest from Birka
https://www.sea.museum/2016/04/29/maritime-archaeology-at-the-viking-age-site-of-birka
A very interesting length of rope that would have been tied round a stone to anchor ships in place.
and if you are interested in a boat to go with tou anchor – Whithorn Rebuild with Gail McGarva will be launching this one in a few weeks time. Get yourself along to Whithorn!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/JGGyVQkqEwoCazpH
If you can’t make it for the Launch on fridag, there is a whole weekend of fun at the Whithorn trust where you will be able to get close to the boats.
Welcome to our new WordPress site. Historical entries from the Skippers log will be uploaded here – as well as all the new things which are happening.
We have had a pretty good summer! It was great to get out and about, although our usual regular big shows did not return.
We worked in a new site at Crosmichael. This was an opportunity to interpret the Viking era hoard discovered just accross the river from where we were camping. We also were able to get two of our boats out onto the water – and sail. Both the Catkin curragh we built and the Cluaran yole rowed around the loch. We built a jetty and told stories to the crown from it.
We managed to visit two of our regular Edinburgh schools (George Watson Junior and Cargilfield) although with a reduced crew as the regulations and changes in peoples lives have made everything just that little bit more tricky.
In the Autimn we were funded by Galloway Glens to visit more primary schools. With new recruit Hrefna, we have brought history to life for hundreds of primary school pupills. We have turned their lunch halls into maps of the world, watched their villages develop from settlements into Jarls offs as they play story games.
Tales from the Longhouse are back! We started in November and have guests booked until March. We have also been booked for the “Big Burns Supper. This is an international event held in Dumfries. We are hoping to have an “In person” Tales from the Longhouse session – but lets see what omicron turns out like. At least the Floating Monastery exists both online and in the physical world! we are well placed to navigate whatever comes.
As Lockdown eases we adapt again. Some people are still restricted from travelling. We all need to continue to be cautious, as the plague needs people to travel. However, some events that were postponed last year are preparing to happen. This has meant a lot of things have come at a rush. Our equipment has been repurposed, networks scattered and some people are still isolating. It is good to be taking part in events though…
Tales from the Longhouse has been running throughout Lockdown. With a good solid attendance and two skilled resident storytellers this has been a highlight of the month for all involved. We have also enjoyed the company of guest storytellers with a wide range of stories – but all told in a way which woudldn’t be out of place in an actual longhouse on the shores fo Galloway. The summer of 2021 is going to be needed to recover from lockdown last year, and work out what we can do next year. It’s alsomes as if someone has shouted “Ready About!” and now we are trying to remember which sheets need to be held, and which let go. When we tack though, we look forward to an exciting new course!