As the tragedy in the Middle East continues, a silent vigil has been held outside Dunoon Burgh Hall to highlight the death of six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab. The child who had been missing in Gaza for 12 days after an Israeli tank targeted the family car, killing her six relatives, had initially survived the ordeal and was able to make a call for help. An ambulance was despatched to rescue the little girl, however this was also targeted at the scene, with both crew members killed.
For the past 2 weeks, Ardentinny resident Bill Williamson has been holding his vigil outside Dunoon’s Burgh Hall to highlight the death of the 6-year-old and her family. Bill said “There is a huge tragedy happening before our eyes in Gaza with over 30,000 innocent people dead, this devastation would equate to wiping out more than the whole population of Cowal. To some, this may seem like just another ‘foreign war’ that has nothing to do with them, however on the contrary, there are a number of companies in Scotland that are participating in the manufacture of arms components used against the innocent women and children of Gaza and being subsidised by our governments. This is not acceptable”.
Bill intends to continue with his vigil over the coming weeks.
A quiet but veritable force! Dennis Gower (above, during filming of Beechgrove Garden) and Merle Ferguson are heading to pastures new but many in Ardentinny will remember their considerable contributions, not least their extended hand of friendship!
Merle (right) with Anna Williamson raising funds for the Walled Garden
Though ‘retired’ for a while now, Dennis served on the Community Council for over 10 years and was the first advocate of harnessing local hydro power for the benefit of the village. Ultimately Forestry Commission Scotland (as it was then) opted for the current arrangement.
He was also a vociferous member of the Community Council’s working group in opposition to the National Park’s plan for 36 additional houses in the village centre. The Park finally acceded!
But it was possibly the campaign to buy, the successful purchase and subsequent development of Glenfinart Walled garden where he and indeed Merle, contributed most significantly. Dennis spearheaded the initial survey of village opinion on the community purchase of the garden with 77% of residents voting in favour. This also harnessed a range of views on how the garden could be used which informed future planning.
2010: Dennis with a £500 cheque he won for the walled garden at a ‘Dragons Den’ presentation in Campbeltown
Merle too is her own formidable force! A village hall committee member during several ‘administrations’. She was instrumental in saving it from closure in 2017 and saw it through a successful building repair programme and an expanded offering of activities and events.
Merle also worked on the Community Trust while it was undertaking the project to restore the old Stronvochlan arched bridge but it was her contribution in its revived state as secretary of Glenfinart Walled garden that saw the strength of her vision manifest itself locally.
In the early days she was an enthusiastic fundraiser and fact finder. However Merle’s ingenuity really kicked in when the garden was struggling to emerge from a walled field to its current state.
Glenfinart Walled Garden 2013
The remedy – an application to Beechgrove Garden to develop and feature our garden in their programming. We never looked back!
She went on to develop the garden’s orchard with Glenfinart Apples reaching The Scottish Parliament.
Merle’s touch is also evident in her book ‘Bird of Solace’; her peace work ; her art; and no doubt several local club anecdotes!
One of Merle’s artworks’
It is therefore with warm good wishes and enormous thanks that we say ‘awrabest’ to them both.
Photographed, sketched, painted and filmed many thousands of times through the years by visitors to our village, she’s one of Ardentinny’s most famous landmarks.
The fishing boat Girl Sharon was, until recently, a working vessel, trawling for langoustine in Loch Long and beyond. Built in 1970 by Smith & Hutton Boatbuilders, Anstruther and with her distinctive BA-61 (Ballantrae) registration, she was cared for by her owner Graham (Noddy) Wilson who sadly passed away earlier this year.
Graham was a familiar character on the slipway beach, devoting much of his spare time to maintaining the 50-year-old boat and skilfully beaching her each spring for her annual paint job and maintenance. As can be seen from her many images online, Girl Sharon was originally bright red, but latterly was painted “saltire blue” as Graham described her new colour.
Sadly, this little piece of Ardentinny’s recent history is now up for sale. Our hope is that, under her new ownership, Girl Sharon will remain on Loch Long as a historic reminder of Ardentinny’s links with its past fishing community and a nostalgic memory of our well-kent character and friend, Graham Wilson.
Update: Girl Sharon has now been sold and we understand that she will remain at Ardentinny for the foreseeable future.
Madeleine Hacking, who leaves Ardentinny this week after 16 years in the village, has asked us to post her message below. We wish her well in pastures new.
Matthew and Jenna plant the tree with family and friends.
Born just three months before the start of the First World War and living to 100 years old, last weekend Angus Sutherland’s family and friends celebrated the long and accomplished life of our sadly departed centenarian at a memorial service in Ardentinny Church.
The Reverend Joe Stewart offered a warm and touching service and Angus’ grandchildren, Matthew and Jenna, gave moving recollections of their time with their grandfather. Angus’ forethoughtfulness and generosity during his lifetime continues, as he charitably donated his body to medical science.
The service was followed by a tree-planting ceremony in his memory at Coronation Wood.
