Talks & Events
Talks & Events
Programme of Talks — 2026
All talks are at 7:30pm at Plockton Village Hall
Fri 26 June — Nigel Leask, “Pennant’s Voyages to the Hebrides in 1772 and Curious Travellers Projects”
Thu 8 October — Kate Langhorne, “Gaelic Hero Narratives“. Links to Kintail.
Fri 6 November — Ian Hay, “Stills and Breweries”.
Fri 4 December — Local Poets.
2025
28 November — Domhnall U Stiubhart, “The Mathesons: One of the Most Important Clans in Lochalsh“. Their history and legacy.
24 October — David MacLeod, “An Account of All the People from This Area Named on War Memorials” with details of their service and the circumstances of their deaths.
26 September — Jane Buckley, “Shipping History from Julia Asiedu (Captain Finlayson) archive“. An insight into the lives of sailors in the past.
2017
30 November — 10 five-minute talks, “Family Tales of World War 1” and our annual Social Evening Tea, coffee and nibbles served throughout the evening. All welcome.
14 October — John M (Dodds) MacFarlane, “An Illustrated Talk on the Guga Hunters of Ness in Lewis”
30 March — Jane Buckley, “Highland Sailors and Shipbuilders via Nova Scotia and New Zealand”
2016
17 November — 10 five-minute talks, “Tales of my Grandfather” and our Social Evening: free entry and a welcoming glass of wine. Tea, coffee and nibbles served throughout the evening. All welcome.
24 May — Ian Grimmer, “The History of the Scottish Fishing Industry”
28 April — various speakers, “The History of the Kishorn Rig, in Story and Song”
24 March — James Merryweather, “Bagpipes: Where Art and History Collide”
2015
19 November — 10 five-minute talks on “My Village” and our Social Evening: free entry and a welcoming drink. Mince pies and wine served throughout the evening. All welcome.
15 October — Harvey Milne, “Historical Stories about Scottish Pubs”
17 September — Ross Calderwood, “The History of the Lowland Pipes”
14 May — Ian Grimmer, “The History of the White Fish Industry in Scotland”
23 April — Richard Wilberforce, “An Historic Voyage around Loch Carron based on a Diary from 1882”
19 March — Ian Kennedy, “A History of Plockton and District illustrated with Postcards”
2014
20 November — “10 Five-minute Talks, subject ‘My House'” and an informal evening with wine and mince pies served throughout the evening. No admission charge. All welcome.
25 September — Richard Wilberforce, “The History of Local Mansions”
15 May — Ian Grimmer, “The History of West Coast Fishing Boats”
17 April — Bill Ramsey, “The History of the Barracks in Glenelg”
12 March — Dr Ian Matheson, “Sir John Cope and the ’45”
2013
14 November — “Ten Things You Didn’t Know about the History of Plockton and District” — followed by an informal evening with wine, cheese and mince pies. No admission charge. All welcome.
17 October — Dr Ian Spring, “The History of the Scottish Mountains as Celebrated by Writers, Artists and Mountaineers”
31 October — Ian Begg, “The Mysterious History of Scottish Neolithic Carved Round Stones”
19 September — Morag MacKenzie, “The History of Duirinish”
27 June — Bob Kindness, “Illustrated Talk on the History of the Carron River Project”
16 May — Bill Ramsay, “The History of the Crowlin Islands”
25 April — Donald McMillan & Peter MacKenna, “The History of Glenshiel and the Battle of Glenshiel”
28 March — John Adamson, “The History of the Brightwater Centre, Eilean Ban”
2012
22 November — “The History of Plockton & District in Ten Objects” — followed by an informal evening with wine, cheese and mince pies. No admission charge. All welcome.
20 September — Colin Parsons, “The History of Small Boat Building in Plockton & District”
7 June — Harvey Milne, “The History of Scottish Beer”
24 May — Anne Maclaren, “Tragedy at Sea — the HMS Curacao”
26 April — Richard Wilberforce, “The Life of Sir Daniel and Lady Hamilton”
29 March — Iain Kennedy, “Glencoe — Not Only the Massacre”
11 October — Dr Ian Spring, “The History of St Kilda (the Alternative View)”
2011
24 November — Roddy MacLennan (Roddy Butcher), Social Evening, “More Local Anecdotes”
20 October — Bill Ramsay, “Early Travellers to the West Coast”
15 September — Winston Leese, “The History of Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton . . . the Beckhams of their Age!”
21 April — Rossie Mackerlich, “The Reconstruction of the Chapel on Canna”
24 March — Bill Ramsay, “A Talk on The MV Port Napier”
24 February — Richard Wilberforce (descendant), “Slavery to Philanthropy — Plockton’s Connection to the Slave Trade”
2010
9 December — Roddy MacLennan (Roddy Butcher), Loch Carron, “Life and Times of a Travelling Butcher”
18 November — Mary Carmichael, “The Land where I Belong”, a talk on the life and works of photographer Duncan Macpherson
28 October — Ian Kennedy, “History in Postcards”, talk which combined with exhibits from other local postcard collectors.
16 September — well known author Iain Johnston talked about his book “The Treaty of Union 1689–1740”.
18 March — Ian Murchison presented a talk on the ring-net fishing boat “Johan”.
2009
22 October — Bill Ramsay, “The History of the Raasay Iron Mine”
10 September — Bill Ramsay, “The History of Mining for Gold and Talcum in Lochalsh”
30 April — Pat Myhill, “The History of the Kyle Railway”
2008
27 November — Peter MacKenna, “The Origins of Plockton”
25 September — Tom MacIver, “The History of Plockton in Story and Anecdote”
29 May — Pat Myhill, “Thomas Telford in Context”
28 February — Sandy Mathieson, “The Community Treasure Chest”
22 February — An exhibition was held in the Village Hall, “Show of Early Photographs and Memorabilia”.