What's Happening at CEN

CEN awarded 4 Star ‘Excellent’ Visitor Attraction rating from Visit Scotland

Comunn Eachdraidh Nis is celebrating following news that the centre has received a 4 Star ‘Excellent’ Visitor Attraction rating from the national tourist organisation, Visit Scotland. Following a recent incognito visit by a Visit Scotland inspector, CEN has been upgraded from a 3 Star ‘Very good’ Visitor Attraction assessment, to 4 Star ‘Excellent’. The CEN cafe has also received the organisation’s Taste our Best food award.

Read more on the 4 star 'excellent' award here. 

Christmas opening

Our gift shop and café will be open on Saturday 16th December 11am - 4pm for any last minute gifts you need to get. 

Festive entertainment will be provided by Laxdale Choir and the winners of our Christmas hampers will be announced. 

Also joining us will be stalls from Tropic Skincare by Alice, Tractor Art Hebrides, Island Gift Boxes and Scentiness. 

Charles' fundraising efforts

If you have read the latest edition of Fios, you will have seen that Charles Young (Fivepenny) has chosen to fundraise for the North Lewis War Memorials when he runs the Great Scottish Run on the 1st October. A JustGiving page has been set up if you would like to donate to Charles' efforts.

Ceud mìle taing Charles!

JustGiving page 

Friday 11th August 2023

Please note the CEN café will be closed until 2.30pm on Friday 11th August for a private function.

An Tilleadh souvenir book

We are delighted to have a souvenir book on sale to mark our An Tilleadh (The Return) exhibition of the Adabrock Hoard and one of the Aird Dell swords. 

The book complements this landmark exhibition and The Return of the Adabrock Hoard and the Aird Dell sword to Ness. 

To buy, visit our gift shop page and look under the section 'Exclusive to Comunn Eachdraidh Nis'. 

With thanks to Loom Graphics, Stornoway. 

Bertie's Hebridean Adventure

The Russian Arctic Convoy Museum (Aultbea) are taking their one of a kind Austin 8 NAAFI van to the Western Isles next month. Bertie is RACM’s largest exhibit and he always delights a crowd. During WW2, he busy keeping personnel properly fuelled with tea and cake on British Airfields. Now he helps us all learn what life was like on the Home Front with his interesting displays. Learn all about wartime rationing, air rais precautions and more. Vintage car enthusiasts will be delighted to hear he still runs fine!
A particular invitation goes out to anyone who had a relative serve on the Arctic Convoys during WW2. RACM is busy trying to gather memories and artefacts from convoy veterans. If your relative served with the Arctic Convoys, please make yourself known to Bertie and his custodians.

Bertie will be at Comunn Eachdraidh Nis on Thursday 24th August, 10am - 4pm.

He will also be visiting Balallan Community Hub on Wednesday 23rd August (10am - 4pm) and Lews Castle on 25th and 26th August (10am - 4pm.)

Visit www.racmp.co.uk for more information or find RACPBertie on Facebook.

Metagama - Emigration from Lewis to the New World in the 1920's

Join us for a rare opportunity in this centenary year to hear from Jim Wilkie, author of the landmark book about the 'Metagama'

Friday 21st April at 2pm

Comunn Eachdraidh Nis

Booking essential. Click here to reserve your place - https://bookwhen.com/uogevents

Seachdain na Gàidhlig!

To mark Seachdain na Gàidhlig (National Gaelic weeek) we will be highlighting some of the ways we use and encourage the use of Gaelic at Comunn Eachdraidh Nis. For example, here is little Grace along with her mum Muriel who visit the Comunn Eachdraidh on a regular basis. Grace enjoys playing with the 'dèideagan' (toys) and reading the Gaelic books we have in the kids corner. 

Wednesday photo

Every Wednesday, we will share a photograph from our archive looking back on familiar faces and our changing community. This week we have four little friends enjoying playing outside together. Who needs toys when you can bring the wally dog outside to act as a pet!

Wednesday photo

Happy new year everyone! Our weekly Wednesday photo is back! Starting off the year is a fantastic photograph of Inch (Cross) working with a harrow. The harrow would be pulled by a horse to break down the soil in preparation for planting the crops.

From Class to Broadcast

Many a young Niseach received their early education in Cross School, but did you know that many went on to work in Gaelic broadcasting for the BBC? 

Join us for our next event to mark the Year of Stories 2022 and hear from some former Cross School pupils who will share their memories of school and what inspired them to go from the classroom to broadcasting. 

The evening will be in Gaelic. 

Highlands and Islands Architectural Association awards 2022

It is with great delight and honour that we can announce that Comunn Eachdraidh Nis has won in the Highlands + Islands Architectural Association Awards 2022. Comunn Eachdraidh Nis won the award for ‘Place-making: Buildings or interventions in the public realm that enhance the quality of any location and/or create a sense of place’.

Read the full press release here.

Café winter hours

From 1st November our café hours will change: 

Open Monday to Friday

11am - 4pm

Last orders for hot food 2.30pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday 

By the Fireside: Mac an t-Srònaich

On the 29th September, we spent a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon on the Cuidhsiadar sheilings hearing the story of Mac an t-Srònaich. This was as part of our events to mark VisitScotland's Year of Stories 2022.

Our thanks once again to Iain Gordon Macdonald and Ryno Morrison for their time and huge thanks to Mary and John for allowing us to use their sheiling.

Dùthchas 2022 at CEN

We are delighted to be taking part in the Galson Estate's Dùthchas week again this year. 

During the week 5th - 9th September, we will have a variety of events at Comunn Eachdraidh Nis, all celebrating our area's heritage. 

From Gaelic classes to live music, a spinning wheel demonstration to waulking songs, we have something for everyone! 

See our poster and let us know if you would like to attend any of our events. 

Year of Stories event: Scary Tales from North Lewis SOLD OUT!

To mark the Year of Stories 2022, we will hold a series of evening events over the coming months titled 'Ri Tac an Teine' (By the Fireside)

Join Iain Gordon Macdonald and 'Ryno' Morrison on Thursday 25th August at 7.30PM for an evening beside the fireside to hear scary stories and tales from North Lewis. 

This is a ticketed event (limited tickets available) priced at £5.00 and available to buy in our gift shop or over the phone. 

Alasdair Whyte: Maim-Slè

Wednesday 25th May at 8pm

Alasdair C. Whyte from Muile/Mull (Scottish Government Gaelic Ambassador of the Year 2019 & 2020) singing some of his favourite songs and discussing his new book, Maim-slè. For this unique event, Alasdair will be joined in conversation by Agnes Rennie (Scottish Government Gaelic Ambassador of the Year 2021).

Maim-slè is a book of new writing in Gaelic and English exploring language shift, sustainability and identity. Commissioned by the Glasgow-based theatre company Theatre Gu Lèor, it features: excerpts from the critically-acclaimed theatre production Maim (2020) and the album Maim (2021) by the band WHYTE; new poetry and prose; and original artwork by Alice Louise Watson. Maim-slè – a Gaelic phrase from Muile/Mull – means ‘when the water comes suddenly’. Alasdair will sing some of the traditional songs that inspired the book, as well as a song or two with some very local connections.gow-based theatre company Theatre Gu Lèor, it features: excerpts from the critically-acclaimed theatre production Maim (2020) and the album Maim (2021) by the band WHYTE; new poetry and prose; and original artwork by Alice Louise Watson. Maim-slè – a Gaelic phrase from Muile/Mull – means ‘when the water comes suddenly’. Alasdair will sing some of the traditional songs that inspired the book, as well as a song or two with some very local connections.

Tickets £10.00 (£8.00 concession) available from Comunn Eachdraidh Nis.   

Dealbh Diciadain

Every Wednesday, we will share a photograph from our archive looking back on familiar faces and our changing community.

This week, a lovely photo from Skigersta - left: Aonghas ‘An Bhàin, Alasdair Beag ‘An Bhàin holding Doleen Choinnich, Dòmhnall Alasdair agus Coinneach a’ Charabhaigh.

Dealbh Diciadain

Every Wednesday, we will share a photograph from our archive looking back on familiar faces and our changing community.

This week, we have a group who were on Rona shearing sheep. 

Dealbh Diciadain

Gach Diciadain, bheir sinn sùil air ais air na daoine agus a' choimhearsnachd againn tro dhealbhan an tasglainn. An t-seachdain seo, sgoilearan à Sgoil Gabhsainn.

L-r a' seasamh: Dòmhnall Allan Murray, Seonag Bhrìsidh, Murdaidh agus Donnie Finlayson
A' suidhe: Mairead Bhàn Bhrìsidh, Dòmhnall Murdo Aonghais Mhurdigan (Tubby), Angus Sheonaidh Fhionnlaigh
Aig a' bhòrd: Peter, Margaret Joan (Calum na Sùist), Neil Iain Mhurdo, Kirsty Mairead Mhurchaidh Ruairidh, Roddy John a' Chuiligich

New exhibition: Visions of Ness

by Ivor Murray Mackay

Opens Monday 21st March 

Exhibitions open Monday to Friday 10am - 4.30pm

Dealbh Diciadain

Gach Diciadain, bheir sinn sùil air ais air na daoine agus a' choimhearsnachd againn tro dhealbhan an tasglainn.

Seo Aonghas Greumach (Misean) à Borgh ri taobh an Jubilee anns a Phort anns na 80s. Chaidh an Jubilee a togail ann an 1935 airson sgioba à Borgh, Am Baile Àrd agus Mealabost. 

Leugh tilleadh mun Jubilee agus bodaich Bhuirgh ann an Criomagan 2018 a tha ri cheannach anns a' bhùth. 

Wednesday photo

Every Wednesday, we will share a photograph from our archive looking back on familiar faces and our changing community.

This weeks photo is from a Sale of Work from the 1970s. Do you recognise any faces? 

Dealbh Diciadain

Gach Diciadain, bheir sinn sùil air ais air na daoine agus a' choimhearsnachd againn tro dhealbhan an tasglainn.
Seo agaibh Fèill-Reic a chaidh a chumail ann an Talla Nis sna 1970s. Cò a tha sibh ag aithneachadh?

Na h-Eilthirich

Over the coming year, we will be gathering information on those who emigrated from Ness to Ballantrushal area in the 1920s and earlier. The research will help us reach out to diaspora and promote the Hebridean Homecoming Year 2023. 

Please get in touch if you can help and would like to be involved in the project. 

Inspiring Scotland’s Island Communities grant

The directors, staff and volunteers at Comunn Eachdraidh Nis are delighted to have been awarded a grant from Inspiring Scotland’s Island Communities Fund. The grant of £56,411.75 will enable us to install an air source heat pump and underfloor heating in the café and meeting space, currently fitted with electric heaters which are costly to run. Inefficient windows will be replaced and additional loft insulation fitted to make the building as energy efficient as possible.

This renewables project is an integral part of the wider redevelopment of the centre. All other areas of the building have been redeveloped and are now heated by renewable heating sources. This remaining section of the building has been identified as the cause of excessive electricity costs and requires urgent upgrading. Loss of income during the pandemic has depleted the charity’s financial reserves, highlighting the urgent need to reduce running costs in order to secure the long-term future of the organisation and the jobs and community it supports.
Since relocating in 2011, the services delivered by CEN have expanded to accommodate the needs of the community. It has developed into a dynamic social enterprise, providing vital services to socially isolated groups and providing much needed employment in the area.

CEN contributes towards the aspirations within Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn’s 2017-37 Strategic Plan for the Galson Estate, impacting on the following priorities: Developing Skills; Improving Health; Relieving Poverty; Engaging citizens to become more active in the community; Promoting and protecting the rich culture and heritage of the area; Developing, revitalising and growing industry sectors.

This work will commence in January 2021 so the café will be closed to the public throughout the months of January and February 2021.