A Brief History of Comunn Birlinn

December 1998: The group was first formed in December 1998, in response to the condition of the West Highland Galley 'Aileach' - property of the Lord of the Isles Galley Trust (L.O.I.G.T.) The vessel was in need of repair, languishing beside Kames Fish Farm. The Trust had been inactive for some years. First draft constitution December 1998.

Comunn Birlinn entered into an informal management arrangement with the Lord of the Isles Galley Trust to restore, re-equip and man the vessel. C.B. initiated the idea of using the vessel as a 'living history aid' for schools of the western seaboard, with voyages funded and structured to permit open access to anyone interested in sailing the vessel.

Funds were raised, on the strength of Comunn Birlinn's constitution, from Awards for All (Scotland), Argyll and the Isles Enterprise and Argyll and Bute Council. These funds were awarded for the purpose of ensuring there be no financial impediment to any person wishing to have the experience of sailing a West Highland Galley (by provision of safety equipment et cetera for a full crew). At the same time it was planned that primary school children have the opportunity of appreciating the maritime history which had formed their communities.

Comunn Birlinn prepared 'School Packs' which went out, in advance, to all primary schools. These consisted of history notes for teachers, worksheets for children, cut-out models of West Highland Galleys for every child and words and music for galley songs. Contributions to these 'school packs' were made by members of every island community.

Comunn Birlinn set up an innovative computer link-up with the schools. Each school received a daily update of the progress of the voyage towards them. This was designed to give the children an understanding of how difficult an inter-island voyage might have been for their medieval ancestors, entirely wind-dependent.

Aileach was repaired and re-equipped and the first Argyll Schools Voyage was undertaken in June and July 1999. Prevailing northerlies meant that Coll and Tiree were beyond reach, which was a great pity.There was very little publicity at the time, but all the schools found Aileach's visit rewarding. Comunn Birlinn were also delighted by the turnover of crew - a core crew of experienced sailors was maintained at all times and a roulement of thirty five complete beginners were taken to sea.

During the winter of 1999/2000 the group's main work was the maintenance of Aileach. By this stage membership had increased considerably and the group began to consider building further vessels with young people from west coast communities.

June 2000: Second Argyll Schools Voyage by C.B. to schools on Loch Fyne (funded by Cairndow Millenium Project and Loch Fyne Oysters). Film work and other voyages. Roulement crews of fifty-five beginners. Further members recruited.

Winter 2000/2001 vessel maintained by C.B., during voluntary working weekends. Plans made with Lord of the Isles Galley Trust for Lochaber Schools Voyage 2001. Twenty-seven Lochaber schools were offered inclusion in the project and all accepted. L.O.I.G.T. placed the plan on its web-site.

January 2001: C. B. requested the Lord of the Isles Galley Trust to ratify the informal management agreement and make the treasurer (appointed from C.B. by L.O.I.G.T.) a second signatory to the chequebook, in order to conform with the requirements of grant funders for an established group. Comunn Birlinn further requested that the L.O.I.G.T. form a management committee of seven, of which two members be elected by the membership of C.B.
The managing trustee of the L.O.I.G.T., Ranald MacDonald of Clanranald, felt unable to accomodate these requests. Ranald MacDonald stated that he 'would rather burn the boat than have a democracy'.

February 2001: C.B. formally adopted re-written constitution. Funds were raised, completely independent of the L.O.I.G.T., to save the Lochaber Voyage. The hire of the vessel was refused by the managing trustee of L.O.I.G.T. The entire membership of Comunn Birlinn was 'dismissed'.
Formal complaint was made to the Scottish Charities Office, who began an investigation of the management of the L.O.I.G.T. These difficulties received some rather silly press coverage, in which C.B. members were described as 'mutineers', a term they considered singularly inappropriate.

February 2001: February 2002 - Further members recruited. Committee meetings held Oban. 'Galley Gathering' held Ardfern and Lecture Weekend Lochaline. Three sites considered for Traditional Skill Centre Project - Kinlochleven, Ballachulish and Kerrera. Much work done in investigation of funding routes for this project, and in gathering support. Charitable status application made to Inland Revenue.

February 2002: Decision made to site project on Kerrera, after consultation with residents and the identification of potential sites on the island.

April 2002: Advice sought from CADISPA; CB adopted as a CADISPA project. Alliance formed with the Kerrera Development Group to progress the establishment of the centre.

May 2002: Decision made to site project at Little Horseshoe Bay on Kerrera. Discussions begun with Dunollie Estates for the lease of the site. Architects invited to submit draft proposals for boatshed building, which will include a maritime history centre.

June 2002: 'Lochgilphead Build and Race Project', which built two 17 foot racing skiffs with local teenagers, followed by a weekend of racing events. Funds raised from Awards for All (Scotland), Loch Fyne Oysters and Lighthouse of Scotland. Sponsorship in kind from British Waterways and Lochgilphead High School.

March 2003: Commun Birlinn collaborated with Kilmartin House Museum to build a third skiff at the museum during the first week of March 2003.
The project provided local young people with an opportunity to explore the maritime skills and stories associated with Kilmartin’s history. The six day project alternated boat-building with exploration of the museum’s rich resources. On the seventh day, the newly built skiff floated with the others! Colin Martin talked to participants about maritime history and Georgia Crook introduced the trainees to Kilmartin Glen sites. Adam Way and Davie Tod were the boat-builder/tutors. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Kilmartin House Trust, The Carnegie Trust, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Argyll & Bute Council

2004: In 2004 the committee decided to withdraw from the Kerrera project for the foreseeable future. Their primary reason was concern that the group’s original modest idea had burgeoned into an immensely costly project. This had happened, logically and democratically, in response to the requirements of major funders and advice received from various professional bodies. In order for the project to progress, it became clear that it must grow and change in ways the committee considered in excess of the group’s ethos and the original mandate of the membership.

The committee also assessed the management input required to carry such a large project to fruition. They noted that the geographical spread of volunteers throughout Argyll would make it very difficult to sustain centralised high-volume administration. The committee were of the opinion that the group’s composition and capacity were better suited to flexible outreach projects, where short-term local projects could be undertaken by the membership of each area working with the committee.

It remains possible for the project to be brought to fruition in future years or in a different form.