Jura:
Language and Landscape
Here
it is, the first ever
landscape photography book about the Isle of Jura with traditional
stories translated from the original Gaelic! For the first time
you
can not only "see" the places on Jura that've you've read about, but
hear the stories associated with them as told and re-told by
generations of Díurachs!
Front
Jura can literally be seen from
"top to bottom" with both close-up and landscape photography
of its most famous places and more importantly, all the
stories that have been associated with these places for
generations are told alongside the images. So for the very first
time you can see and hear
Jura's landscape as it was experienced by the people who lived on the
island.
Back
The book, a joint project between
the Feolin Study Centre (Jura) and the House
of Lochar Publishing Company, (Colonsay), was written by Gary McKay
(Ph.D. Geography) and features photographs from his 2004 landscape
photographic exhibition entitled, "Jura 365". The success of the
exhibition resulted in calls for a book featuring the "best of " the
photographs and some commentary as well. Gary McKay has
researched and compiled, where possible, oral stories about each place
featured in the book and carefully translated the stories from their
original Gaelic into English, while trying to retain their original
flavour. Coupled with short, incisive and personal introductory
paragraphs, the book is not an elegy for a Hebridean island that has
lost its original culture, but a proud and defiant shout of cultural
self-awareness.
Entire cover
Dan Good, Emeritus Professor of Geography at
Georgia Southern University has said of this book, "for those whom have
declared Jura to be "Europe's last great wilderness", this book is the
ultimate rejection of that myth. Lost stories of saints and lords
and kings, mingle with wise old women and local heroes whom always seem
to gain the upper hand. By the time you've finished this book
you'll believe that Jura really is the "blessed island", where St.
Columba dreamed of annointing Scotland's first king".
Michael Russell of the Glasgow Herald reviewed the book
and had this to say:
"I am often struck by how
much that is truly important and original in our country and in our
culture is being done by people constantly ignored by
government , and usually neglected by public bodies. Gary McKay's
extraordinary photographs of the island on which he lives are not
only part of his immense work in making the highest precision
recordings of any landscape in the UK but are also heavy
with significance in terms of culture, the environment and rural
policy. Combined with the wealth of traditional and local
information which he has saved from extinction they are also at
times painfully moving, for they tell us that Jura - along with many
other places in the Highlands and Islands - has become, as the
native Americans put it, a place of “ghosts with no
children”.
"Jura:
Language and Landscape" is 64 landscape oriented pages with numerous
colour close-up and landscape panoramic images as well as black and
white landscape images. Some of the places featured in the book
include,
Corryvreckan, Kinuachdrachd, Barnhill, Cnoc na h-Iolaire,
Glengarrisdale, Ardlussa, Uamh Dhearg, Tarbert, Glenbatrick, Bagh
Gleann Righ Mhor, Cille Challuim Chille, Ardemenish, Lowlandmans Bay,
Knockrome-Ardfarnal, Beinn Shiantaidh, Leargybreac, Cille Earnadail,
Keills, Craighouse, Sannaig, Coire Odhar Bhrat Bheinn, Coire an Uisge
Dhearg (Red Corrie), Strone, Brosdale, Ardfin, Claig Castle, Camas an
Staca, Daimh Sgeir, Feolin Ferry, Inver, Cnocbreac, Uamh Da Doruis,
Cnoc na Sgrioba and Beinn an Oir.
The following organisations and
individuals have sponsored or supported this book in either financial
or other means and they are all gratefully acknowledged here: The
Lithgow Charitable Trust, The Catherine McKichan Trust, Inver Estate,
Ardfin (Jura) Estate, Jura Forest Estate, Ruantallin Estate, Ardlussa
Estate
and Barnhill Estate, as well as the
Knockrome-Ardfarnal Common Grazing Community, the Fletchers of Persabus
and
Bealachruadh, Islay, Capt. Roger Eaton and his vessel, the “Angie” of
Islay, Mr. Andy Ferrier and his vessel, the "Valhalla", the Jura Bus
Company, Jura
Stores and the Jura Ferry (ASP-Seascot) of Port Askaig, Islay.
The book may be ordered
from Feolin Study Centre for 15.00 pounds
sterling (add £1.00 for postage and handling within the UK. Note
that for UK/Irish
orders we take
only cheques at present. For those in North America, Canada and
the rest of the world, contact us at: director@theisleofjura.co.uk or go to: House
of Lochar Publishing Company.
Postal details are as follows:
'The Jura Book'
Feolin Study Centre
Isle of Jura
Argyll
Scotland
UK
PA60 7XX
Tel. 01496820223 or 01496820267
Email: director@theisleofjura.co.uk
