Isle of Lewis | Eastern Townships of Quebec | Bruce County-Huron Township | Outer Hebrides | checkout

• (1) Leaving Lewis/An Ataireachd Ard: Video Footage ranging from Ness, Dalmor, Tolsta beaches, A view from Clan Morrison’s stronghold Dun Eistean in Knockard, Ness, in Shader Stiencliet stone circle, Bragar Church, Galson Churchyard and of course Calanais Stones (Site 2) in the last scene using old footage of a boat leaving the island with a haunting vocal sample in the background by a Quebec-Hebridean of the same song.

• Running time 2:00 minutes

• (2) The Famine\Bho Gheal Chalanais: This video features 3-Part Story: At first, an intro by Calum Dhaidh Macdonald of Lower Shader, Lewis making a bold statement about the evictions. The Video-track begins in 2004 in Upper Shader as Calum Paidean Macdonald give me a tour of the ruins of an old thatch house behind his newly built home. (p1) As we explore the old house, a dream type sequence fades to a 19th century thatch house. This is where the story begins. As a young Crofter Neil Macleod and his collie spend the day at a nearby beach, meanwhile is home is being warmed up for the evening as smoke is coming from the chimneys, while after spending a few hours at the beach Neil notices more than usual amount of smoke coming from his home, Neil rushes from the beach as he runs the scene  fades into the second segment of the video “Bho Gheal Chalanais”. (p2) This is the vocal part of the soundtrack, with footage from the Standing Stones of Calanais from all three sites. On the last scene of Bho Gheal Chalanais, using special effects we added a giant moon as the backdrop of Calanais and at the center of the moon is Angus Macleod’s white cow of Callanish. (p3) When the vocal ends the scene jumps back to the thatch house filling up with smoke and to Neil Macleod rushing home and as the song picks up so does the video with Neil Macleod dramatically tries to save his  croft as it begins to be engulfed in flames...

• (3) Midborve\Sailaway: Video Synopsis We start off with an interview with the Late Iain Shamelin of Melbost, Borve with Calum Paidean Macdonald and Leòdhas Macleod. Fading in and out with footage of the old ruins of Midborve, and with Neil Macleod ‘coming back’ to where he once lived and stares into the sea. As the Sail Away lyrics pour out, the scene shifts to night shots of the ocean and as the waves settling, a slide show of old photographs of people who were cleared from the Island with a awesome ocean\moon background. This a sad video from beginning to end. Iain Shamelin who did the intro also closes the song with his feelings about people today coming back to the Highland and islands to retrace their roots. Note: Iain Shamelin past away a year after this was shot, a very emotional moment for those who know him. Leòdhas

• (4) Leòdhas: Video Synopsis Introduction by the famous Lewis Chessmen, accompanied by Psalm singing. As the song starts we fade to Neil Macleod holding a rock that was once his home, with the lyrics “Here we stand on broken ground”  in the background Neil Macleod walks around the old village of Midborve and “stares into the night” and as the scene fades to Neil Macleod “walking into the light” and the chorus  “Leòdhas, Oh Leòdhas, when that we return to you the lamb shall disappear” fading to the Standing Stones of Calanais and then to an old thatch house surrounded with sheep... In the song ”Mackenzie came the other night” I used the gargoyle from Lews Castle in Stornoway to play the role as Mackenzie and Matheson and with a little fire effect to show the ruthlessness of the Landlord and his factor for carry out such acts of terror to the Gaels.

• Video Footage: Road to Lower Shader, Fivepenny Ness, Tormod Stuffen, Lews Castle, Late Angus Morrison (ETQ), Dun Carloway, Shawbost Norse Mill, Galson, Swainbost, Dun Eistean, Dun Borve, Sandwick Cross, St Columba Churchyward, Tomb of Chief Roderick Macleod of the Lewes  

• (5) It Lasts Forever: Video Synopsis This track was probably the hardest to put together, I hope people will read these notes before watching the video. I wanted this video to reflect the lyrics that Angus Macleod sings about. “Last night I had the strangest dream / the strangest dream of all / I dreamt I saw my grandfather / Walking in the hall” It begins with a bird’s eye view of Neil Macleod and his collie running on the beach and fades to an old photograph of my great great great grandfather Angus Riabhach Macleod.There are things that you don’t know yet /  This I can see / So keep your porch light burning strong / Through eternity / It lasts for ever, it lasts for always” The concept behind the comet traveling past the Isle of Lewis’ greatest landmarks - the Standing Stones of Callanish and the Carloway Broch – is meant to represent the eternal nature of these ancient monuments and, indeed, the ongoing heritage of the island which has been passed down from to generation to generation.

• (6) Last Dance for Leòdhas : Video Synopsis - A brief chronology of Lewis.This idea came late and it was an idea that came from a picture book I did a few years back, I love to read all types of chronologies of Scotland; but Lewis is rarely mentioned.

• (7) The Raven and the Gael : Video Synopsis -7. The Raven and the Gael - I wanted to make this video to reflect my personal feelings about the Island of Lewis. Ever since the Vikings came to our island, Lewis has never been left alone. King James VI tried colonizing Lewis by sending Lowland gentlemen the Fife Adventurers, who referred the people of Lewis as “barbaric and scant of religion”. Without patriots like Neil Odhar Macleod and Donald Cam Macaulay to name but a few; Lewis would of lost its culture and language a long time ago. In the beginning of the song you hear a question about the clearances “were they cleared off the croft?” and Calum Dhaidh Macdonald talk about the ruthless factor [Donald Monroe] who held over 40 post on the island during James Matheson era.

• The next scene is the feeling I get every time I go home to Lewis. There is not a day that goes by when I don’t think of the island. I am angered at the thought of the proposed wind farms which are being initiate against the will of the majority of the islanders. The Wind farms will generate power but only the mainland and the south will benefit from there output. The Islanders will not see any revenue or power from this