Islay High School shortlisted at FilmG 2021, vote for People’s Choice

Islay News

For many years Islay High School / Àrd-sgoil Ìle has been participating in the annual FilmG (GD/EN) awards, 2021 is no different. Many years they were shortlisted, on several occasions they even won one of the awards. This year they submitted two entries, one in the Fluent category and one in the Learners category. The entry in the Learners category, “Easga Bhuidhe na Feidh” got shortlisted, this is their entry:

Easga Bhuidhe na Feidh | Ard Sgoil Ile

The entry in the Fluent category, “A’ Lorg” unfortunately didn’t make it on to the shortlist in their category, this is their entry:

A’ Lorg | Ard Sgoil Ile

However, both entries qualify for the People’s Choice award, you can vote for them by going to the respective entry (use the links above to go there directly) and then clicking on the heart above the VOTE HERE / BHÒT AN SEO text. You’ve got until Monday 24/Jan/2022 to submit your vote. So please hurry and get your vote in!

Sailing, diving and wildlife at Islay, Gigha and Jura (2 videos)

Islay on Video

Found two beautiful videos tonight which I’d like to share with you. They are both from the YouTube channel DiveClyde which mainly focuses on narrated scuba dive videos. At least two of their videos (I haven’t gone through all of their videos yet) feature Islay, Jura and Gigha, the topic of this blog. The first one covers a trip from Campbeltown to the Southern Skerries of Islay with some of the wildlife including Seals and Otters:

Sailing Scotland – Campbeltown to Islay

For the second video we cross over to Gigha and then to Jura for some fascinating scuba diving views and more, including a bonus view of a Sea Eagle:

Sailing Diving Scotland – Sound of Jura

I hope you’ve enjoyed the videos, I loved the views of the Otters and the various fish under water.

Two brilliant Islay lighthouse drone videos

Islay on Video

From my own new video of some beautiful waves at Saligo Bay to two Islay lighthouse videos by someone else: Steven Muir has taken a drone to two (there are four in total if you include two smaller ones on Islay and Jura) lighthouses at the Sound of Islay. Let’s start at the southern end:

McArthur’s Head Lighthouse Islay

From the south we move to the other end, to the north:

Islay Rhuvaal Lighthouse

If the name and the second video ring a bell for you there might be a reason: I’ve blogged another video of Rhuvaal by Steven just over a year ago. I’m not sure if the footage is from the same visit or a different visit, either way I love seeing it again from this different perspective. Seeing it from up in the air just gives some more information you don’t necessarily get from the ground (I’ve walked to both lighthouses several times over the years).

New Islay video: Beautiful waves in Saligo Bay

Islay on Video

Finally got around to editing another Islay video. My original plan was to edit one of a September sunset, but after reviewing some of the footage that will take a bit more time. So instead just a shorter video of some beautiful waves rolling in under the beautiful light of the gloaming not long after the sunset. Sit back, relax and enjoy for two minutes:

Beautiful Saligo Bay waves, Isle of Islay

That’s all I’ve got for tonight, I hope you’ve enjoyed the video. I hope to be able to edit and publish the related Saligo Bay sunset video within the next week or two.

Sam Holmes sails to Islay and eats Haggis

Islay on Video

Sam Holmes is crossing oceans in questionable sailing vessels (his own words). For this video he didn’t cross an ocean, just the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland. Watch his video and learn what else he did on Islay apart from eating Haggis:

Islay, haggis & whisky 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

After leaving Port Ellen he continued through the Sound of Islay, stopping at Bunnahabhain (and visiting Ardnahoe):

Sailing the Western Scottish isles in search of more whisky

I hope you enjoyed Sam’s adventures on and around Islay. I always enjoy the different views and perspectives you get from a sailing boat.

Interesting Scottish American history video (with Islay featuring heavily)

Islay on Video

Regular visitors to Islay will mostly be familiar with the American Monument on the Oa and the history behind it with the Tuscania and Otranto shipwrecks in WWI. Still, history tour guide Bruce Fummey has created an interesting video about the history and the links between Scotland and the USA, well worth watching:

A Scottish American Disaster

I hope you found the video interesting and informative, especially if you’re new to this part of Islay’s history.

Interesting drone video from Islay’s neighbour Jura

Jura Excursions

Taking you over to Islay’s neighbour Jura for an interesting drone video today. The views are mainly of Craighouse, the Bay of Small Isles and the Corran Sands, with the famous Paps of Jura featuring large in the background. And there’s something special about the music playing:

The Isle of Jura

Visitors to the Corran Sands might have recognised where the music came from, as it says in the description:

Original music performed on 2 Sonic Sculptures by Giles Perring at Corran Sands by Sebastian McCallum, Philippa Gregory, Sally Truswell and Joe Truswell

From the video description

I think not many videos can claim this….

Beautiful video of Dolphins off Islay

Islay on Video

Dolphins can be spotted around Islay fairly regularly, in the Sound of Islay where they sometimes play with the ferry and other ships, sometimes in Loch Indaal, or during a ferry crossing. The video I came across yesterday seems to have been filmed from a yacht and possibly also a drone flying above them. Enjoy:

Dolphins off Islay

I hope you’ve enjoyed the video, I found it very calming and relaxing, watching the Dolphins as they were swimming, jumping and playing.

The Islay Sessions 2021 return home to Islay

Islay Music

The Islay Sessions 2020 had to be moved to an online event for the well known reason of the Covid pandemic and related restrictions. For 2021 the Sessions return to their home on Islay, they will take place over the weekend 26-28/Nov/2021 in the usual locations, mainly the Port Charlotte Hotel and Bruichladdich Hall. Here’s a promo video with some more details:

Islay Sessions Promo 2

Also see the artist’s line up video:

Islay Sessions 2021 Artist Line up

For more information and tickets visit the Fraser Shaw Trust website and the Islay Sessions / Fraser Shaw Trust Facebook pages.

Unfortunately I won’t be able to attend in person myself this year due to work commitments (the last 5 and first 2-3 working days of the month I need to be working and with the long journey to Islay from where I live it’s not feasible the way the Sessions fall). I understand there are efforts under way to also stream the Sessions online, so I hope to be able to attend at least virtually.

Nice Finlaggan and Lords of the Isles Islay video

Islay on Video

Something a bit different today, not just a video with some beautiful views of Islay, but some background on what we’re seeing. Kate Gordon and Nigel Scott take us to Finlaggan and tell us about the history of the Lords of the Isles:

Finlaggan and The Lords of the Isles

Nigel had contacted me a month ago about using one of my pictures for a video he was editing about Finlaggan. As it was for a non-commercial educational project I was happy to give him permission. While I was away on Islay for my second visit this year (more about that in another post) he sent me an update with the link to the video. Now that I’m back and had time to catch up with a view things I finally had a chance to watch the video and now share it with you.

I quite like it, I think it’s well made and tells the story very well. Quite a lot of information without getting too long and going into too much detail, just right. Hopefully you like the video as well and found it interesting.