Greetings, as per below is information as it relates to A' Bhuain (The Harvest) - Isle of Tiree, Scotland Gathering - May 2006. Cheers, Scott -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A' Bhuain (The Harvest) - Isle of Tiree, Scotland Gathering - May 2006 www.isleoftiree.net It has been estimated that there are around 38,000 people of Tiree descent around the world. Thousands of islanders emigrated from the mid-18th Century onwards, spurred on by the hope of better opportunities in Canada and many other countries including Australia and Patagonia. They represent a largely untapped source of strength for the island. Recently, aided particularly by the internet and facilities such as the Isle of Tiree Online News, there has been a surge in international interest in the island. This has been demonstrated by events such as the Tiree Gathering in Guelph, Canada this July 2004. www.tireegathering.com An Iodhlann, through its membership and website, has had an enthusiastic correspondence with over a hundred Tiree descendants, mainly from North America, Australia and New Zealand. www.tireearchive.com An Iodhlann aims to build on this interest by staging a major new exhibition entitled A' Bhuain (The Harvest) in the summer of 2006. This will focus on the stories of these emigrants' families who and where they are now, how their families got there from Tiree, and who can trace relatives still on the island. We aim to contact people of Tiree descent in one quarter of the world's countries. If we collect enough strong material we hope to publish a small book containing these stories. To run alongside this project we want to involve the Tiree community, its businesses and organisations in our own Tiree Gathering, also called A' Bhuain in 2006. This would be focussed around the third week in May and it would include ceilidhs, lectures, tours, regattas, and other festivals on the island. The island now has the necessary infrastructure -increasing amounts of quality accommodation a new hall, sea and land tours, activities like riding and sand yachting, and museums- for an event like this. Tiree Community Business have secured funding through the Seedcorn Fund on behalf of Tiree and Coll Gaelic Partnership and Marketing Tiree and Liz Lapsley has been employed to carry out a feasibility study from 4th May until August 31st 2004. This study will assess the viability of the project and seek to access and secure funding for a Project Officer to work from autumn 2004 to summer 2006. Anyone who has contact with any Tiree descendants overseas who feel they may have an interest please get in touch with Liz in order that she can assess the viability of holding a gathering on Tiree. She can be contacted at Tiree Community Business, Crossapol, Isle of Tiree PA77 6UH Tel No 01879 220520 or email at lizlapsley@aol.com. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------