Gaelic scholars' island home reopens after major restoration

Independent

21 hours ago

The former island home of two dedicated Gaelic scholars is welcoming visitors again following a nine-year repair and restoration programme.
The National Trust for Scotland is celebrating the reopening of Canna House in the Inner Hebrides, which was home to John Lorne Campbell and Margaret Fay Shaw, who built up a major collection of Gaelic music, folklore and culture.
The conservation charity says it has aimed to create an atmosphere which will give visitors a sense that 'someone has just left the room', with a warm, lived-in feel throughout the house.
Gaelic song and language fill the air as audio devices are triggered when visitors move through rooms which showcase how the house would have looked in the mid-20th century, not long after the Second World War.
Extensive repairs have been made to the building, roof and windows of the house to withstand the Hebridean weather and protect its contents, which include an internationally-significant archive collection of Gaelic music, folklore and culture.
Philip Long, chief executive at the National Trust for Scotland, said: 'All of us who have a love for Canna and an appreciation of the important stories this house holds will be delighted to see the incredible condition Canna House is now in.
'Caring for these places is not an easy task, but it is an important one and our charity is privileged to play a part alongside the creative residents, skilled contractors and many others who make projects like this possible.
'I hope everyone, whether they live here, visit often or, after reading this, come for the first time, enjoy the nature, beauty and heritage of this special place.'
Mr Campbell bought the Isle of Canna and neighbouring Sanday in 1938, embracing the role of laird and farmer.
Alongside his wife, an accomplished photographer and folklorist, they created an extensive archive of Gaelic songs, stories and linguistic material.
Mr Campbell and Ms Fay Shaw lived in Canna House until their respective deaths in 1996 and 2004.
In 1981, Campbell gifted Canna to the National Trust for Scotland (supported with an endowment from the National Heritage Memorial Fund), along with the couple's vast library, archives and sound recordings.
This includes some 1,500 Gaelic folk songs and 350 folk tales, the first recordings of members of the Mi'kmaq nation and more than 5,000 photographic negatives and 25 reels of film spanning 50 years of Gaelic culture on the islands of Canna, Barra, the Uists and Mingulay.
Highlights of the collection are a Dictaphone recording machine, which Mr Campbell used to capture Gaelic speakers in the Western Isles and Cape Breton; his wife's favourite Graflex camera and the Book of Pooni, dedicated to their favourite cat.
The house recently reopened for pre-booked guided tours and the team is now looking forward to welcoming more visitors.
Operations manager Angus Murray said: 'We've worked hard to create an atmosphere that reflects Canna House in its prime — a home full of music stories, and Gaelic, just as John and Margaret would have had it.
'As a team, we are excited to share this experience with a new generation of visitors to Canna.'
The project to fully repair and refurbish Canna House cost £3.6 million.
Costs were met by the support of the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA, a number of reserved funds held by the National Trust for Scotland intended for conservation projects of this nature, with the balance covered through funds generated by the charity's supporters, fundraising activities and commercial profits.
Geraldine MacKinnon, speaking on behalf of the Isle of Canna Community Development Trust, said: 'The Isle of Canna Community Development Trust is pleased that Canna House has now reopened, enabling the public to access Canna House through guided tours and share the wealth of Gaelic culture it holds, along with the local historical and environmental heritage of Canna.'