I enter my other world where pain – a brutal sun – rises so slowly I hardly know its pointless orbit has begun Then – too late – it floods my landscape. Higher, harsher more violent rays find my soul and all dreams die I read more

In the league table of conditions migraine is low. It’s down there with depression,  fibromyalgia, ME etc. Novelists use it to explain female absences or backsliding: ‘She has one of her migraines,’ as though she could have anyone else’s. I hate them for it. When read more

Of all the Irish missionaries who crossed the sea in coracles to bring Christianity to these islands, St Moluag is one of the least known and venerated. Yet, it was not always so. If reports are to be believed, he had a busy life travelling read more

I experienced the following while travelling with my partner, Captain S M Ross, whose ship MV Snow Delta was carrying fruit from South Africa to Europe, fruit many readers will be used to eating, without knowing its back story or one of them. When they dragged him out read more

The building we now know as Lismore Parish Church was once the Cathedral Church of St Moluag. It was built by the MacDougalls sometime in the 13th century, although evidence of exact dates is not easy to find. It was dedicated to St Moluag who read more

The following describes my experience of travelling with my partner, Captain S M Ross, whose job was to carry food and goods worldwide as a member of the British Merchant Navy. Then, in the 1990s, Mrs Thatcher encouraged British shipowners to get rid of the expensive British, acquire read more

Part 3: How residents’ houses become empty or holiday lets When Liosaich die or move for health reasons, it’s always a time of great sadness for islanders, especially when we see their once bright homes lying empty. From one day to the next, a family read more

The 2011 census states 85% of houses are occupied by residents while current figures show this is now only 58%. This trend of increased second and vacant homes creates a challenge for people wanting to move to the island. The purchase prices are high and read more

This is the story of our falling population and the rising number of second homes and how the two may be connected. Part 1 looks at Point, Part 2 at why a balance of residents and visitors is vital, and Part 3 stories of those read more

Lismore Public Hall is the most important hub of the island and, before the Heritage Centre, the only place, along with the church, where islanders met as a community. Obviously COVID-19 locked it down, but before that it was the home of ceilidhs, country dancing, read more

How many times have you been told how lucky you are to live here. Mostly in the summer and by dewy eyed visitors who are not fighting horizontal rain.  Fact is, visitor, I may say ghoulishly, Lismore is lucky to have me. And you are read more

The February 2021 rainfall was 46% below the 20 year average (91.60 mm). January was 21% below. This is relevant because….. The fundamental difference between mainland life and island life is water: it surrounds us, it falls on us, we try to keep it out read more