Now, as in the past, the sea functions as both giver and taker of life
Early on Sunday morning, a Polish yacht with seven crew was rescued 30 miles to the west of Orkney. It had been due to arrive in Aberdeen the previous day, but had lost radio contact and had not been heard of since Monday, shortly after leaving Keflavik in Iceland.
The yacht had been suffering engine trouble, but finally managed to restore communications late on Saturday evening. Coastguard stations in Iceland, ... read more
The National Trust for Scotland saved Fair Isle in the 1950s but things have moved on in the intervening years prompting Malachy to ponder the alternative of community ownership
Fair Isle stands out among Shetland’s 17 inhabited islands for a number of reasons. One of these is that the island, along with the vast majority of the houses, is owned by a single landlord: The National Trust for Scotland.
The relationship between the National Trust and the island is often cited as reason for Fair Isle’s continuing success as a community, and historically there is much to be ... read more
Fair Isle's lambs are on their way to market and prices are down again - bad news at the end of five months of work
It is five months since they were born, since the early mornings and late nights of those few weeks, checking everything was going smoothly. But now it is time for the lambs to go.
The vast majority of the croft-reared lambs in Fair Isle will leave the island during the autumn. The first to be shipped left last week.
In the past, two or three livestock buyers and ... read more
Malachy relates a wild dip Gunglesund - Fair Isle's swimming pool
It was around 8.30 on Monday evening. The light outside was beginning to fade, though the day had been bright and the sun was still lingering. A cold breeze was blowing from the northwest.
"Let’s go swimming," I said.
I finished reading Roger Deakin’s Waterlog just a few weeks ago, and I have been quietly harbouring a desire to get out and do some 'wild swimming' myself since ... read more
Two new arrivals to the island inspire memories of the past
This week, yet another television crew were visiting the island. Throughout the year a steady trickle of journalists, documentary makers and other media types come here to film, record or write about some aspect of life in Fair Isle.
Very often the subject matter is the island’s bird-life, and such publicity is very helpful in attracting much-needed visitors, particularly to the bird observatory. But sometimes the subject is the people ... read more
Malachy reflects on the speedy passing of summer and reveals how foot and mouth in Surrey has affected the crofters of Fair Isle
The year is advancing with impetuous haste and a blatant disregard for those of us who are willing it to slow down.
Summer seems hardly to have begun and yet already the calendar shows August is largely gone. The hills are glowing purple with heather, the days are growing noticeably shorter, and the vegetables from the garden are now beginning to fill our plates.
The passing of time is ... read more
A summer's day spent cutting and wrapping silage can be idyllic
Our summer seems to be taking a bit of a holiday at the moment, with the mild and (occasionally) sunny weather having given way to rain, strong winds and biting cold. It feels like winter has returned already.
Throughout the year there are jobs that rely on the weather behaving itself, and summer is certainly no exception. One of the most important jobs of the season is making silage, ... read more
Cousins, second cousins, third, fourth, fifth cousins, eight times removed: an intricate web of connections that was enough to make anyone feel a bit dizzy
This weekend the population of Fair Isle has swelled to more than double, as a ruby wedding anniversary celebration has brought family and friends to the island from all over the country.
A celebratory meal was held in the community hall on Saturday night for around 140 islanders and invited guests, who were joined later in the evening by others – work campers, bird observatory seasonal staff and guests, ... read more
A Shetland summer for the record books
While of course I would never be so sadistic as to take pleasure in other people’s misfortune, there is certainly a peculiar irony in the fact that, while much of Britain has been plagued by torrential rain and flooding, Shetland has been enjoying its driest summer for 25 years. Indeed June 2007 proved to be the second driest June since records began nearly 95 years ago.
The events are, naturally, ... read more
Malachy recounts the challenges of getting all the Fair Isle sheep into one place for shearing. Military precision? Well almost!
A military-style operation has been carried out in Fair Isle this week - albeit one in which quite a few of the participants had no idea of either the goal or the method.
Rounding up the sheep from the common grazing began with our orders, which we received at the start of the week: Meet on Wednesday morning at 8.30. And don’t be late!
It is true ... read more
The camps provide a supply of slave-labour for six weeks of the summer. For the price of a bowl of soup you can have someone weed your garden
On Wednesday, after an unscheduled overnight stay in Shetland due to the weather, the first of this year’s work camps arrived in Fair Isle.
Most years there are three work camps that come to the island during the summer. Two are “Thistle Camps”, organised by the National Trust for Scotland, and the third is run by the International Voluntary Service (IVS). The groups come (as the name implies) to ... read more
The importance of light to the residents of Fair Isle
Midsummer in Shetland is a time of light. Although the Arctic Circle, at 66° north, marks the southernmost reaches of 24 hour sunshine, here at 60° we can still enjoy light throughout the day.
At the moment the sun sets around 10.30 in the evening, and rises again about 3.30am. The five hours in between are a time of prolonged dusk, known in Shetland as the simmer dim. If the ... read more
If the peoples of those islands want to remain part of the uk thats up to them, i can assure them that the english definatley know their value as a people, my grandad often told me of the welcome...
From christopher, 25 January 22:06
"Culturally, historically and, of course, geographically, Shetland is different from Scotland. And it has never voted SNP." - There are other constituencies which have never voted SNP. I think...
From Richard, 26 December 23:42
As a temporary Shetland resident, I have had the pleasure of visitng Fair Isle and talking at some length to some of the people that make it tick. I can well understand the reasons why folk decide...
From Peter B, 21 November 01:30
Can the UK achieve it’s commitment to carbon reduction targets by 2020?
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