Comann Eachdraidh Lios Mòr
Lismore Historical Society

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Newsletter Oct 06


The New Build - August 2006


We must start this newsletter by apologising sincerely to all residents of Lismore and members of Comann Eachdraidh Lios Mor world wide for the lack of communication regarding progress on the building and the creation of the new museum. Since Cait McCullagh, Museum Development Officer (MDO), had to leave in June due to family commitments the committee have been extremely busy trying to ensure that the Museum will be open and ready for the appointed date. It has been a difficult time but the worst is over and work is now going ahead on all fronts.

The Museum. Ionad Naomh Moluag
The name for the museum has been decided by the MacGregor family who generously donated the land for the cottage and centre.
We have been extremely fortunate in securing three highly skilled specialists to 'job share' the post of MDO:
     Catherine Gillies - Project manager.
     Jackie Skeldon - Documentation.
     Lynne Vesco - Museum designer.
All three are experienced in their respective fields. Their recent work has been the MacDougall Collection which can be seen at present in the Oban War and Peace Museum.
The full time post will be readvertised in the near future in time for the new MDO to take up post when the museum has opened. Despite reorganisation and packing up, the museum has been open all summer and has received an amazing number of visitors who have been very interested in developments. Many thanks to those volunteers who have manned the empty museum. Many thanks too are due to Barbara MacDougall and Betty Culver who have been working with Jackie on documentation during the summer. We welcome any new volunteers. All help is much appreciated - even if it's only the occasional hour.
Margaret Carasik, who lives in Minnesota and whose ancestors are MacDougalls has kindly promised to donate money for the total cost of the etchings of the windows for the museum. The money will be provided by the macdougallmccallumfoundation.org in memory of their grandparents. All windows will depict scenes evocative of Lismore. The etchings have been designed by the children of Lismore Primary School.

The Build
As you can see from the photograph above the building is coming on apace and on schedule. Completion will be in the second week of December.
The shop and the eating area will be open as soon as possible in the new year.

This newsletter is, necessarily, but a brief summary of what has been happening since June. When our new MDO is appointed newsletters will be issued regularly. Meanwhile the Committee will make every effort to keep you aware of progress. The websites, www.celm.org.uk and www.isleoflismore.com are an excellent source of information.

Donald Black
Chairman Comann Eachdraidh Lios Mor.

Nadair Esmee Fairbairn Foundation NWE ENO isla