Keith 2 Nairn 0 - more pictures

More pictures now on the Gurn flickr pages.

Organised crime and whisky at Dulsie

Thanks to Irene for another of her research snippets that do so much to give us glimpses of Nairnshire's past. The above article is from March 1818. It sounds like quite a brutal encounter between the authorities and the smugglers and more reminiscent of a wild frontier area than the quiet peacful scenes we know today.

Stranger things have happened up at Dulsie however. Here's one small snippet from Richard Thomson's The Natural History of Highland Parish, a local residents approaches Drochaid an t-sithein (the fairy knoll bridge) on the way home:

'One dark night, we are told, a belated drover from a Cawdor market, happened to pass this way. On approaching the bridge, he was greatly astonished and frightened beyond measure, to observe rays of the most brilliant light beaming through rocky foundations, at numerous rents and cracks where the sharpest eyes in the country had never before been able to detect. '

Fortified wine, you make me feel fine

Murd is wondering if a new species of tree is to be found on the Riverside. Empty bottles of this product are not an unusual sight in Nairn but perhaps we have a unique sighting here.

Museums in the Highlands prepare their case against cuts

We've already heard how cuts in funding could mean the end of Nairn museum in Viewfield. Museums across the Highlands have developed a strategy to fight their corner. They plan a meeting in Inverness on the 26th of May, their blog states: 'It will be a high-profile meeting with a press-launch and will kick-off with a press photo-shoot; many influential stakeholders will be invited.'

As part of their strategy the HMIF recommends that members:

'Go to your ward forum meetings. There is a time for questions at the end of the meeting so have a question prepared and don’t be afraid to ask for a response. Remember you are fighting for your museum.
Invite everyone when you have an exhibition opening! Local councillors, Hugh Fraser, any one you feel will help your museum. Don’t take no for an answer.
Create a case study for your museum. Be brief and focused but detail the community value of your museum and quantify volunteer and board hours as well as any retail sales. This is your opportunity to sell your museum – pass a copy to us but also make sure local councillors see it.
Solicit letters of support from Schools, MSPs, MPs, MEPs, local councillors, community councils and local celebrities. Pass this information to us but again make sure it goes to your Councils
Ask local people to feed into the consultation process as they need to make their voices heard as well. The link to the Blog on the Council’s web page is here: http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/news/blog/ '

Just another facet of the impact the cuts could potentially have on the cultural and social live of the Highlands. Anyone heading for the budget blog will be disappointed however. The Highland Council website proclaims: ' this will commence following the General Election on 6th May. Why the delay? Many people are worried about these cuts and wish to state their views, surely any off-topic party-political point scoring posts could simply be deleted?

You can find the Museums blog here.

Highland League Cup Keith 2 Nairn 0

There wasn't much in it until the first goal. Keith march on in the cup and no one can accuse them of not playing for the shirt. Picture will enlarge. Match report available here.

Situation at tipping-point?

The potential of a 20K fine doesn't seem to be working very well as a deterrent along at least one back road close to the town.

Pool Campaign: NDASC hope to speak at Ward Forum Meeting!

'Nairn Swimming Pool Closing - not if we have anything to do with it,' reads a post title on the Nairn District Amateur Swimming Clubs news webpage. They go on to state:

' To help our campaign please sign local petitions and please come along to the Ward Forum Meeting at 7pm in Nairn Court House on Wednesday 28th April. Wear your NDASC sweatshirts! It promises to be a busy meeting but our support will be recognised and we have requested the opportunity to speak to the meeting about the Club and the pool. Your support will be greatly appreciated. We would really like all swimmers and parents to come along.'

You can visit the NDASC website here. One wonders if the Courthouse will be able to accomodate everyone. Will a bigger venue be necessary as the protesters exercise their right to speak to the Ward Forum?

'Under threat pool has a tourism spin-off'

A letter from a Forres resident in support of the Save the Narin Swimming Pool campaign has appeared in the Inverness Courier. Read JR Moir's letter to the Courier here.

An effort at a splash of paint reveals:

The fine weather continued today, enough for one Gurnite to think about a splash of paint on an old garden bench. The seat in question came from the Fisherman's hall, but what the owner hadn't realised was that underneath was a list of names. 'Kenny's Mob' is one, and the other is for James Kemp (1954) with the scrawl '7 days time' and a skull and cross bones.

Does anyone know who these folk are, and why did they leave their names underneath a bench?

Kenny's Mob

David Spean
Tom Todd
Jim McKay
Gordon McCulloch
Thomas Dowdells
David Carrol
Ian Mitchell
Harry Mitchell
William McCabe
James McCabe
Bill Frances
Joe McLennon

All on the job

The Cuts: 'Nairn Sports Council could be on the brink of collapse'

In an article about cuts in funding to the Courier muses over the future for the Nairn Sports Council. Chairman George Verhaere is quoted in today's issue:

'If it carries on like this the whole thing will fold and we will not be able to provide any more funding for clubs or individual members. It's very serious.'