The People & The making of Skye (The History of Skye)

The People and the Making of Skye

A new and very diffferent type of history course for Summer 2014 which will give a greater personal insight into Skye and perhaps more importantly, its people.

Modern Skye is a vital and stimulating place.  It takes its temperament from the many strands which have gone to create it.  The main idea of this course is to explain these elements and to see and sense and feel what they have given to us and to how we continue to value the island today.  The Course will open the doors of the rooms which hold Skye’s people.  How those people have created today’s island is a complex matter, for which we will want to learn from people who have lived and breathed around Skye for many years.  A scholar might view those filaments that have been twisted together to form our cable, our rope, our  thread and our yarn, as needing scrutiny extending far beyond the surface of what we see.  It is because those who will deliver this innovative Course have thought about Skye’s past, its folklore, its languages, its people and their works and struggles, that they have pooled together their training in such fields as ethnology, history, crofting in Skye, cultural geography, Gaelic language and photography to fill your week with a unique awareness while offering the breathing space for which Skye seems to have been made.

The two main facilitators of this innovative course have University backgrounds and teaching experience in History and Geography and have built up the ideas behind it over many years and they have a combined residency in Skye approaching 75 years.  Norman Macdonald and Cailean Maclean’s work with you will be supplemented by others with specialist knowledge in aspects of the Course.

Knowledge of Gaelic is not a requirement for this course but may be of an advantage to you during your week at the College.  This course will be based in the classroom but will also feature excursions to visit places and people of interest.  As such, it is recommended to bring suitable clothing and footwear for the outdoor elements of the course.  There may be some light walking involved during the week to and from such locations and course transport but nothing strenuous or indeed far.