Another side of Lesley Riddoch

Abertay pilots

Well done to all at Abertay for a pilot that has just about converted a music studio to a speech studio that can speak to BBC systems and send a mouse to Mars (steady!)

We hope the first new prog of Riddoch Questions after the August break will come from the Whitespace studio on Sept 7th – and if its half as entertaining as the pilot recording we’ll be doing fine. Testing callers sound levels by gauging their ability to mimic the Simpsons was interesting. Asking callers to mimic the sound of the peewit was different. Ear piercing screams from all and sundry certainly tested the desk’s compression system to the limit. And Ann -- a genuine caller to the BBC’s 0500 number during its daily hour of “downtime” when pre-recorded features are broadcast and the lines were switched through to our wee studio – Ann turned out to be my second cousin on my mother’s side fae Wick! Ed (he’s the tall, dark English one in the background of the group photo) admitted he couldn’t place Wick (or Broughty Ferry) on the map. Kenny was aggrieved at failing to make the cut for our top two guest callers (try Wittgenstein next time mate), Grant didn’t manage to call but brought cakes instead (that’s a hint, guv) and Sean revealed the new “single” he recorded with a chap called “The Wee Man” which is a very robust account of walking along Buchanan Street (nuff said- Sean)

I have to say it’s very jolly to be working in an environment where you’re not sure of the young (mostly) lads sitting spellbound at computers are playing computer games or creating them! And hello to Rebecca who took the pics and will be the other of feromones and trainee studio producer for the day Sean or Richard go awol.

Ecce, the team

Real luxury

People often imagine the Riddoch Question programme comes from some swanky studio where a team swarm over vast banks of computers and other equipment. Claire, our trusty Feisty researcher, has taken a few photos of the reality which I have posted. Hardly glamorous, I hope you will agree. Not a green room in sight.

It had seemed like a good idea...

It seemed like a good idea to launch "Riddoch On the Outer Hebrides" at the end of the Margaret Fay Shaw conference on South Uist. Until I was standing in Kildonan Museum, surveying the gathered array of world experts on all things Hebridean, historical and musical and wondering what on earth I had to contribute. I didn’t know the entire Catholic hierarchy of the Southern Isles was also present – in civvies. Father Colin MacInnes of Barra and Equador, Father Roddy MacAulay of Daliburgh, the recently retired Father Calum MacLellan (who I called a heckler!) and Canon Donald MacKay of Oban Cathedral. Oh yes and Bill Innes, author of scores of books on Hebridean life. The suggestion that islanders have made an art form of endurance, drew some sharp intakes of breath.

“Why is there no gaelic medium school on the Outer Hebrides then? We know the story of the past – but why is there no proper immersion in gaelic in Hebridean education now? Too hard to attract the teachers, or too hard to persuade Hebridean parents? You’ve endured centuries without support for your language. You don’t have to endure that any more – you have to demand it.”

There was much debate about the schools many believed to be offering a fully Gaelic education. And much correction from teachers in the audience…

“There is a gaelic school – Stoneybridge”

“It’s not fully gaelic”

“North Uist then”

“It’s coming apparently but it’s not ready yet.”

“And what about harbours, distilleries, shops, piers, double track roads, cheap energy. Hebrideans have gone without these basic facilities for centuries. Why continue to go without today?”

Suffice it to say there was a full and frank exchange of views – many of them robustly expressed by Father MacLellan who observed at one point, “You’ve nothing good to say about these islands have you.” But concluded that I should keep stirring up issues that have rarely been discussed openly on the islands.

All the books were sold and I headed south to deliver books to Norman MacLeod the Taigh Chearsbhagh Arts Centre in Lochmaddy, (resplendent here beside the exhaustive Runrig exhibition.)

I was driving with a relieved grin so wide I got waves, nodding heads and amused smiles from every passing local. The landscape at this time of year is magnificent.

Partly because the twisting single track road slows drivers down dramatically, you can see every head of clover and blade of grass in the machair,

glimpse swans nestling behind low islands and weave between freshwater lochans constantly glinting and changing colour as clouds sweep past – and all the time the sea is crashing away a few miles west.

Fabulous.

The next day, back to Stornoway, and a highly amusing edition of Riddoch Questions on Sunday ferries with the Reverend Calum MacLeod from Shawbost and Cllr DJ MacSween who both got stuck into a startled Angus Brendan MacNeil, the local SNP MP on the failure of the SNP to introduce Road Equivalent Tarriff instead of one another. Then off to the Tarbert ferry, and finally the Feis Nan Eilean Book Festival in Sleat on Skye, organised by Duncan MacInnes – Mylo’s dad – with the eminent writer Roger Hutchison (The Soap Man and Calum’s Road) sitting in the back.

We nattered for several hours afterwards about the compulsive, contradictory, loveable, maddening nature of Gaelic society. As my mother says, it’s a great life if you don’t weaken.

Travels in the Outer Hebrides

I have been away to Balthos to recharge the batteries and check out the Heb Celt Festival....I am meant to be chairing a debate at An Lanntair on Thursday 12 July between 12 amd 2 ...more details to follow.

Look out for it in the shops

Delighted to announce the arrival of the book "Riddoch on the Outer Hebrides". You can find in all fine book shops. And let me know what you think.

Riddoch on the Outer Hebrides is now available in person

Yup - my book is now available through Amazon ...Click here to pre-order. And I will also be appearing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in person talking about the epic journey of one gal and many Gaels.Click here to visit the EIBF site.

Whodunnit ? A Dundee tale

James Thomson was a city architect in Dundee in 1910 when  he proposed some amazing developments in Dundee that would have seen it become a Northern Versailles.
Why didn't it happen and why did Dundee finally get a waterfront that's been so unsatisfactory it's being demolished as we speak -- just 50 years after construction? I am on the case and the resulting Big Lottery sponsored film - Whodunnit -- will be shown at the Dundee Contemporary Arts at 6pm August 18,19,20th.
Check with DCA for final times.Click here to check times. There Will be a discussion on the 18th and I will be there..

Pictured is a map from 1918 showing Dundee's hope that the bridge would bring any new expressway or motorway through Dundee NOT Perth! Click on the picture to enlarge it to reveal the details.

Riddoch on the Outer Hebrides is now available on Amazon

My  new book, 'Riddoch On the Outer Hebrides' can be ordered on the Amazon web site. Click here.

Opening the Parliament

It was an odd but jolly experience acting as an STV pundit at the foot of the Royal Mile for the Royal Opening of Parliament on Saturday. I took some photos which you enjoy at your leisure - they are in the right column...click away ...I know I did.

Presenter Stephen Jardine and the crew were troupers coping with technical troubles aplenty atop a makeshift wooden scaffold. And whilst everyone inside Holyrood was entertained by some nae bad speeches from the Queen, Big Lec the Presiding Officer and Bigger Lec the First Minister (especially THAT moment when he called her Queen of Scots and mentioned independence – and sorta laughed!) the crowd outside was hearing none of it. As a result, the atmosphere was almost funereal – brightened only by the moment it looked as if Mrs Windsor was going walkabout (she simply walked back to Holyrood Palace without greeting the masses a few feet away from her) and when Bigger Lec emerged and started shaking hands en route to the broadcasters platform. This just isn’t good enough. Sure there were security worries yesterday. But the whole event felt bitty, uptight and self conscious. Why not have 1000 pipers and a 1000 fiddlers walking down the Royal Mile? That’s would’ve raised the hair on the back of everyone necks for a month. Instead my hackles were raised by a parliament claiming worldwide recognition for engaging the public without bothering to place a single speaker outside so everyone could hear the speeches being made. The picnic in the weirdly unkempt grass outside the parliament was good craic, and Blazing Fiddles finally got the crowd going (till rain dampened play) But henceforth our best performers should have pride of place – and the public’s experience of their parliament should be organisers’ number one concern. Let the Tattoo and the Feisean organisations run the opening ceremony turn about. But this time -- 5 out of 10 comrades. Must do much better next time or just scrap this half-hearted Scottish “trouping the colour”.

Andy Wightman...ten years after

Andy Wightman and Maxwell Macleod  and I met fifteen years ago when land reform in Scotland was for real train spotters. Andy spent years to come up with the definitive map of land ownership in Scotland – sometimes busking his way into Laird’s front rooms to copy down maps and boundaries unavailable to the general public. Not only did 7% of the people own 84% of the land but they kept the details of their estates top secret. Max and I went on to get involved in the land buyout on Eigg. And we kinda lost track of one another for the intervening decade. But this week, Andy pitched up in Edinburgh at St Stephen’s Hall to talk about Common Good Funds. Watch this space activists. It will be the latest big thing. In brief, the land that used to belong the people STILL belongs to the people. But councils have managed to take over control of Common Good assets like Waverley Market, half of the New Town and most of Princes Street. Is that legally sound? Could they be transferred to community control – and could the control of big money transform inner cities? You bet. Andy lives in Ethiopia now – but www.localpeopleleading.co.uk is the website trying to pull the common good fund activists together.