In 2019 the Comann Eachdraidh organised a series of monthly talks in the museum room. The topics ranged widely, began at 7.30 and afterwards the café was open for informal discussion.
26 January 2019 – Jennifer Baker and Bob Hay
We heard the story and saw the evidence of their second time on the Camino – Bound for Santiago – when they walked for 12 days from Porto.
15 February 2019 – Anne Campbell
Anne described in vivid detail her European Adventure when she cycled alone through The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, The Czech Republic, Austria and France. Needless to say she survived several exciting, even dangerous moments.
9 March 2019 – George MacKenzie
Formerly Keeper of the Records of Scotland George’s topic was Ancestral Tourism. Though now retired in Seil, he is chair of the Ancestral Tourism Group run by Visit Scotland which “aims to support Scotland’s tourist businesses in providing ancestral visitors with a world class experience, thus boosting the economic impact of this key market and encouraging its growth.” This was very relevant to the Lismore tourism experience
13 April 2019 – Eilidh Sykes,
Eilidh is the CELM Gaelic Access Officer, and she talked about working with the heritage of the Isle of Canna.
13 April 2019 – Mark Thacker
From the University of Stirling Mark returned to Lismore to bring us up to date with what he has learned from his painstaking studies of the mortar in our medieval buildings. He is now able to reveal what species of wood was used to burn the lime, and estimates of the dates of construction. We may imagine that the lime was burned from Lismore limestone, but Mark had some surprises for us.
4 May 2019. Clare Ellis and The Rose Geophysical Consultants
This evening called “Homing in” on Moluag’s Monastery was an exciting Double Bill with Clare Ellis, of Argyll Archaeology, reporting on the 7th Century and other finds in the Early Church Cemetery during the Community Archaeology in 2018. Then Rose Geophysical Consultants from Orkney, spoke about what they have found during their week of surveying the Glebe. A lively discussion in the bar followed.
25 May 2019 Historic Environment Scotland
The Lime burning Working party organised by Historic Environment Scotland explained what they were doing between 23 and 27 May 2019 at Port Ramsay Lime kilns. Briefly it involved
• building a lime kiln – and burning limestone
• Slaking and testing the lime
• Mixing mortar and using it to repair the kiln
• Historic Building maintenance day & evening lecture
• Investigating archaeology and recording of historic sites
Lime burning on Lismore 21.05.2019
this is here
29 February 2020. Dr Sharon Webb
Dr Webb from Kilmartin Museum talked about their Archaeology Collections bringing us up to date with the most recent finds. She said the formal recognition of the museums prehistoric collection was fundamental to understanding the nation’s history, and outlined the ambitious plans for the Museum’s future. It was followed by a discussion in the bar.
The programme was interrupted by the covid 19 lockdown.