Tag Archives: carradale

Council’s Economy PPG has already carried out the Minister’s recommended actions on the Kintyre grid upgrade issue

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HunterstonHere is yet more evidence of the on-the-ball operations of the current Argyll and Bute Council. Recently we saw the encouragingly collective acceptance of responsibility that produced this year’s agreed budget allocations. Today – Saturday 21st February – Councillors have responded immediately to Energy Minister, Jim Mather’s, recommended actions on the issue of the crucial Hunterston to Carradale subsea link being omitted from the  National Planning Framework document.

It was the watchfulness of the Council’s Economy Policy and Performance Group (PPG) that initially spotted the omission and led to the Leader, Dick Walsh’s letter to the First Minister, seeking reassurances on the matter.

The Economy PPG, with Councillor Ron Simon as Chair, has also already ensured that the Convener of the Local Government and Communities Committee has been made fully aware of the Council’s concern at this omission.

Councillor Simon says: ‘I hope this offers some reassurance that the Council are fully on top of the matter and will continue to press at all levels in the best interests of the economic and environmental future of Argyll and Bute’.

Councillors are waiting keenly for contact from officials for the talks to progress the Hunterston subsea cable issue.

The photograph above is of the Hunterston power station from which the subsea cable would run to Carradale in Kintyre. It is reproduced here under the Creative Commons licvcence.

Argyll’s MSP and Energy Minister, Jim Mather, responds to concerns over Kintyre grid upgrade

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Jim Mather MSPAs For Argyll recently reported, Councillor Dick Walsh, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, has written to the First Minister, Alex Salmond expressing anxiety about the exclusion of Argyll from the planned upgrade to the National Grid.

The National Planning Framework for Scotland (NPF2) is currently before the Scottish Parliament and is due to be debated on 5th March 2009. It sets out details of future plans for electricity grid reinforcements, including sub-sea cables. Councillor Walsh points out that, in spite of previous representations from Argyll and Bute Council, the crucial Hunterston to Carradale cable has not been included in the plan, while cables for Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles are planned.

For Argyll contacted Mr Mather on the matter and the Minister has now sent this information for publication: ‘The issue of Grid connection has been getting the focus that the people of Argyll & Bute and the rest of Scotland would expect. This Scottish Government has always believed that subsea transmission options must be considered if we are to fully capitalise on our abundant renewable energy potential on the West Coast. We are therefore involved in a subsea grid study, in partnership with the administrations of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

‘In 2007, the Scottish Government, along with the Department of Trade and Industry (Northern Ireland) and the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Republic of Ireland), with full funding support from the EU Interreg IV programme, commissioned a pre-scoping grid study.

‘The aim of this study was to identify the requirements of a full feasibility study for capitalising on the natural resources of the west coast of Scotland, the north and east coasts of Northern Ireland, the Irish Sea and the west coast of the Republic of Ireland, to generate energy from offshore renewables.

‘The report outlines what would be required for a full feasibility study into the development of an offshore grid in the region. The Scottish Government hosted an industry workshop to discuss the findings of the pre-scoping study on 8th April 2008 and has applied for EU Interreg funding, along with our Irish partners, towards the cost of a full feasibility study.

‘This detailed study will explore the technological, economic, construction and regulatory challenges associated with the development of such an offshore transmission network.

‘The aim of this work is to help make the business case for long term commercial investment.

‘Meantime, Scottish Ministers are aware of concerns about grid connection to Hunterston and have asked officials to meet with Argyle and Bute Council to help develop their renewable ambitions, in the context of our national ambitions – and to strategically address barriers to achievement.

‘The Proposed National Planning Framework 2 (NPF2) is currently being considered by Parliament.  A report of the parliamentary consideration, with any recommendations for changes, is anticipated to be made available to Scottish Ministers on or after 6th March (the end of the consideration period).  We will consider that report in making any final changes to NPF 2.

‘Any concerns over the omission of a subsea cable from Hunterston to Carradale in the Proposed National Planning Framework (NPF) 2 should be made known to the Convenor of the Local Government and Communities Committee (the lead committee) as soon as possible in order that the committee is aware of the issue in finalising its report’.

This last is obviously an action for Argyll and Bute Council to take as a matter of urgency. The meeting promised here by the Minister between officials and the Council to pursue Argyll’s needs for the Hunterston – Carradale cable is another crucial opportunity.

In the field of renewable energy development – so critical for Scotland’s non-nuclear energy delivery strategy – Scotland needs Argyll as much as Argyll needs this grid upgrade. Argyll has very real and necessary resources across a wide spectrum of potential renewable energy sources. Having said that, it is important for the Council, as its Leader is doing, to keep Argyll in the forefront of the Scottish Government’s consciousness, automatically associated with renewable energy delivery.

Footnote: Underlining Scotland’s status in the field, the British-Irish Council meeting on Friday (20th February) gave the Scottish Government the lead role in developing renewable energy technology while the UK Government looks at proposals to renew the grid infrastructure.

Argyll piper Lorne MacDougall distinguishes himself at BBC Awards

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As For Argyll has reported, Lorne MacDougall, from Carradale, was a major contender at the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2009 Awards at the City Halls, Glasgow last weekend. The event was part of the Celtic Connections celebrations.

The six finalists battled it out at a tense, but highly enjoyable, ceremony in front of an enthusiastic but partisan crowd. Supporting family and friends warmly applauded all the contenders, but higher decibel applause from various areas of the hall when ‘their own’ contender came on added a touch of talent show pizzazz! In the competition itself nerves had a part to play, as did choice of material.

Ruaridh MacMillan, Young traditional Musician of the Year 2009 (Fiddler from Nairn)There were representatives of folk guitar and song, pipes, Gaelic song, and no less than three fiddlers in the finals – but the crown went to Ruairidh Macmillan, the young Nairn fiddler. Ruairidh was charismatic and articulate on stage, engaging warmly with the audience.  He played a mix which strongly featured the West Coast style and materials, including a beautiful slow Gaelic air. Ruairidh’s main influences have been the noted fiddlers Angus Grant and Liz Carroll, but like many of the top young fiddlers, he has wide musical horizons, and he pushes musical boundaries and fuses idioms. He has recently joined the Paul McKenna Band, who have been lucky enough – and good enough – to sign with Greentrax Records.

Argyll trad music enthusiasts may have first seen Ruaridh and co-finalist and fiddler, Daniel Thorpe two years ago at a Lochgoilhead concert with other RSAMD students.  This concert featured in the Lochgoilhead programme, held each year as part of the RSAMD Second Year Students’ annual Scottish tour.

Piper and flautist Lorne MacDougall of Carradale played an engaging mix of rousing pipe tunes and a ‘shortened’ version of a Piobaireachd (Pibroch).  Our heart went out to him at the beginning of his set when he lost sound from his microphone. Lorne kept going, not realising perhaps that most of us couldn’t hear what he was saying.  Even so, his engaging personality and sense of humour did make it across the front stage.  His music spoke for itself. We will be hearing more of him, hopefully, on the national stage.

That the event was broadcast live on Radio Scotland, hosted by Mary Ann Kennedy, illustrates the fact that the ‘mainstream’ media are beginning to take a greater interest in the resurgence of our music.

No one in the audience can have envied the judges. To choose the best fiddler or piper in a one instrument competition must be hard enough but to pinpoint a winner between various instruments and styles of song must inevitable be somewhat of a nightmare. However few would have argued too vociferously against the end result.

Not all ‘traditionalists’ approve of competitions, despite the well established competitive element of the Mod, the Glenfiddich and most Highland Games events. But there is no doubt that some of the newer competitions such as the Hands Up For Trad Awards and the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award are doing a huge amount to encourage the resurgence of traditional music, helping give younger professional musicians new opportunities to perform and to build their careers.

As importantly, when funding can be found, these events have the potential to provide wonderful tours, bringing the music to new areas of Scotland, and new audiences. The Traditional Music and Song Association is the most recent organisation to arrange this, and will be touring this year’s BBC Radio Scotland finalists in September. Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop, in partnership with Cowal Open Studios, will be hosting one leg of this tour in Strachur Memorial Hall on 26th September. details will be at the fiddle workshop’s website and here on the For Argyll news service.

Reporter: Mark Morpurgo

The photograph above of Ruaridh MacMillan is reproduced by permission of the BBC, the copyright holder.

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Carradale’s Lorne MacDougall in final of Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award

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Lorne MacDougall, a young piper from Carradale on the Kintyre peninsula is one of six finalists in the Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award from BBC Radio Scotland.

Playing the small pipes and the Border pipes as well as the Highland Bagpipes, Lorne plays with the Grade 1 Scottish Power Pipe Band.

The other five finalists in this Award are:
•    Adam Holmes, singer and guitar player from Edinburgh
•    Kenneth Nicolson, gold medal winner in Gaelic singing at the National Mod
•    Daniel Thorpe, a fiddler from Inverurie
•    Ruaridh MacMillan, a fiddler from Nairn
•    Jack Smedley, a fiddler form Buckie

Lorne quite regularly features on radio programmes like BBC Scotland’s Pipeline and Travelling Folk.

UPDATE: The Winner of the Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award is Ruaridh MacMillan, the talented young fiddler from Nairn whose competition pieces were challenging and innovative.

Carradale’s Lorne MacDougall piping and talking on BBC Radio Scotland

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Lorne MacDougall from Carradale in Kintyre, a talented young piper, is in the Final of the Young Trad Musician of the Year Award which will be broadcast live on 1st February on BBC Radio Scotland. He is the only piper in the final.

Tonight (24th January), in recognition of Lorne’s achievements,  BBC Radio Scotland’s piping programme will feature Lorne in interview and playing three sets. The tunes he has chosen to play include some about Kintyre and some composed by Kintyre musicians.

Tune in tonight.

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Carradale 250th Anniversary Burns Supper

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At 7.00pm on 17th January 2009 Carradale on the Kintyre peninsula is holding its 250th Anniversary Burns Supper in the Village Hall. As well as the traditiopnal supper itself, there will be live music, a licensed bar, a free dram on arrival to get spirits high and complimentary souvenirs for all present.

Tickets cost £12.50. For information and tickets: phone 01583 431316 or 01583 431626

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Kintyre District Drama Festival 22nd & 23rd February

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Carradale, Lochgilphead M, Accent and Lochgilphead G will present plays at the Kintyre District SCDA Drama Festival on Friday night. Saturday will see three more productions from Tarbert Academy, Peninver and Lochgilphead J. THe venue is Campbeltown Grammar School and the start tine is 7.30pm on each evening. There is a local bus service up to the school at 7.00pm. Admissin: Adults £5; Primary Schoolchildren £3. Priority bookings can be made through the Yorkshire Building Society at Longrow South, Campbeltown.