Michael Russell

This September, I’ll be teaching again on the Creative Connections online course for Tobar an Dualchais. It’s always fun to meet the participants – a mix of artists, musicians, educators, writers, makers, budding folklorists – all keen to explore the collections and possibilities for their own creative work. One of my sessions reflects on the role and value of local archive material in the context of the global climate and ecological crisis.

Isabelle Law from Kylerhea on Skye captured photographic records of migrant rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea last month as part of her work with the charity SOS Humanity. For five weeks between the end of June and the beginning of August, Isabelle (27) who works aboard the Kylerhea-Glenelg ferry lived aboard a rescue ship, assisting with rescues and documenting them through her photography.

The Gaelic word gruag means ‘hair’, although falt is heard more commonly on Skye, and the word gruagach usually describes a young woman or maiden. There are many examples in the rich Gaelic song repertoire that reference gruagach as such- songs of unrequited love or heartbreak, describing wistful longing or praising beauty.