The story of Donald John MacKay, weaver on Harris:
Today we feature the story of Donald John MacKay as told to Jeremy Taylor, Financial Times journalist:
..." I work in a small tin shed behind my house in the tiny village of Luskentyre on Harris, in the Outer Hebrides. There are mountains and sea all around with beautiful views of the western shore but I don’t get a lot of time to stop and look out of the window when I’m working at the loom.
Weaving goes back a long way in my family. Both my father and grandmother made cloth and one of my earliest memories is of watching Dad in his loom shed. I was small and the machine seemed big and noisy but, as I grew older, I was allowed to help more with the wooden bobbins and operate the loom pedals. I’m 61 now and have been making Harris tweed in my own shed for 43 years.
One day in 2004, my wife, Maureen, came out to the shed and said there was a company called Nike on the phone, calling from America. I didn’t know who they were but they said they wanted some samples of my tweed that they might use in the design of a new shoe.
We sent off a package of my traditional tweed designs to their offices in the US but, to be honest, I didn’t expect to hear anything back. As the weeks passed, I forgot all about the phone call and the samples we’d sent. But then in March the same year the company contacted me out of the blue and this time they asked if I could provide 10,000 yards of cloth for a trainer called the Terminator.
It was a very big order but I wasn’t going to say no. I normally make 27 yards of tweed a day, so somehow I had to find a way to make it work. We mobilised weavers throughout the Outer Hebrides. It took us three months to complete the order. Nike was delighted – even Madonna wore the trainer – and almost immediately they asked for another 10,000 yards. That was sent out in a separate consignment the same year. Since then, Nike has been back to us several times; the last occasion was in 2010 when they ordered 6,000 yards of cloth for a new
The legend of Big Duncan Mackenzie, Battle of Prestonpans
Today I am pleased to share a video, courtesy of Paul Macdonald, who inspired us to set up The White Rose Guild.
The sword and knife-maker and Master-at-Arms Paul Macdonald recount in traditional form one of the greatest epic stories from Highland martial culture: The Legend of Big Duncan Mackenzie.
Subscribe to our newsletter now:
You will receive regular updates on
Scotland hidden gems, master craftsmen and out of the ordinary experiences.
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://www.thewhiteroseguild.com/subscribe/
#thewhiteroseguild #notonlypostcards #thewhiteroseguildtours #visitscotland #DestinationScotland #scotland #roadtrip #thisisscotland #lovescotland #adventure #explorescotland #travel #hiddenscotland #staycation #scotlandisnow #travelscotland #nature #beautifulscotland #greatshots #highlands #travelphotography #yourscotland #Outlander #braveheart #warrior #jacobites #clansystem #Bonnieprincecharlie
Being Scottish VisitScotland Scotland's Scenery Scotland Time
Scottish Travel SocietyScotland the Beautiful
The White Rose Guild Friend: David McCullough Quaich Maker
The Legend of "Big" Duncan MacKenzie" at Prestonpans, by Paul Macdonald Master-at-Arms
Paul Macdonald, The White Rose Guild founder and Master-at-Arms, tells us one of our favourites stories:
This is the legend about Big Duncan MacKenzie was a Lochaber man who fought with Lochiel’s men through the 1745 campaigns.
He fought at the Battle of Prestonpans where he happened upon a redcoat officer whose horse had been killed and his foot trapped in a stirrup. This was a brave redcoat who was fending off eight Highlanders with his sword.
Subscribe to our newsletter now.
You will receive regular updates on Scotland hidden gems, mastercraftsmen and out of the ordinary experiences.
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://www.thewhiteroseguild.com/subscribe/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#thewhiteroseguild #notonlypostcards #thewhiteroseguildtours
#visitscotland #DestinationScotland Being Scottish
VisitScotland #scotland Scotland's Scenery Scottish Travel Society
Scotland from the Roadside Scotland the Beautiful Destination Scotland
Macdonald Armouries
Highland games traditions
Highland Games are as iconically Scottish as bagpipes, kilts and whisky – all of which feature heavily at any gathering.
The Games are also noted for their unique sporting and athletic events many of which involve throwing and lifting. These include the shot put, tug-o-war, caber toss and hammer throw - collectively known as heavy events. We take a look at some of the traditions and typical features of any Highland games:
TOSSING THE CABER
The caber toss has come to almost symbolise the Highland games and no gathering anywhere in the world would be complete without it.
In the caber toss, a full length log, usually made of Scots pine, is stood upright and lifted by the competitor using both hands under the bottom of the caber to rest against their body. The competitor then runs forward, building momentum, before tossing the caber into the air so that it turns end over end with the upper end landing before the end originally held by the competitor follows through and hits the ground.
The aim is for the caber to land in line with the original run. If it is straight the toss is said to be in the 12 o'clock position. Competitors are judged on how closely their toss lands to 12 o'clock.
HAMMER THROW
The hammer throwing event features a hammer made from a metal ball weighing around 22 lb for men or 16 lb for women, attached to a wooden pole or handle.
Participants use the handle to whirl the hammer around their head and then throw it as far as they can.
SHOT PUT
The shot put is a favourite at all good Highland Games. Competitors throw a large stone of around 20 - 26lbs in weight as far as they can. The stone is thrown either after a short run-up to the toeboard or from a fixed standing position, depending on the rules of the competition. The contestant who throws the furthest wins.
WEIGHT FOR HEIGHT
Sometimes referred to as 'weight over the bar', this game requires competitors to throw a weight over a raised bar. The object thrown is a 25.4kg (56lb) weight with a h
Veteran Chris Lewis, 39, from Swansea in South Wales, left to walk the entire UK coastline to raise money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity
The Story of Chris, told by himself.
Please donate to SSAFA and help Army Veterans:
I served with the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment and have had some challenging times since returning to civilian life. As a single parent, I've been bringing up my daughter for the last ten years and SSAFA has really helped me keep my head above water throughout that time. I have experienced first-hand what they do and I honestly don't know where I would be without their help and support.
Having recently finished school, my daughter is now moving to attend college in Bournemouth, where she will stay with family. This recent development has left me to re-evaluate a few things and has offered the opportunity for me to give back to those who have helped us so much.
I am in my element when outdoors, from surfing and coasteering to intense physical training, which has hopefully prepared me for the task ahead - a walk of approximately 14,000km.
This will obviously not be a walk in the park - I am starting with no money and will be solely relying on the goodwill of the British public and companies donating what food, water, accommodation and equipment they can to help me on each leg of the journey.
