Interviews

August 1, 2025Event, Interviews

E38 – Rhinns Lighthouse Festival 2025

The Rhinns Lighthouse was engineered by Robert Stevenson and became operational in 1825. To mark its 200th birthday, local communities have organised the Rhinns Lighthouse Festival to take place over the weekend of August 8-10, 2025. To learn more about the festivities, Jolyon Thurgood met with Mairi Trawber and Angus Ferguson, members of the Festival Committee.
July 1, 2025Interviews

E37 – Catriona Bell – Life on Islay 1

Catriona Bell is well known on Islay for her various contributions to the community over many years. She was one of those who set up and managed The Ileach in […]
June 19, 2025Education, Interviews

E36 – Primary Schools Reading Changemakers and Citizens

As part of our collaboration with Islay Primary Schools (episode 35-1 June, 2025), this episode presents recordings made in Bowmore and Port Ellen primary schools as part of their reading […]
June 1, 2025Education, Interviews

E35 – Islay Primary Schools Collab

In September 2024, we recorded a conversation with Islay primary school teachers Amy Hannett (Port Ellen Primary) and Morvern Scott (Gaelic Medium, Bowmore Primary) about plans to work with This […]
May 15, 2025Interviews

E34 – Cancer Support Group Islay

In May 2025, This is Islay chatted with Cancer Support Group Islay (CSGI), shortly after its first birthday. Three founding members: Jennifer Gillies, Jo O’Farrell and Agnes McEachern, discuss why […]
February 24, 2025Interviews

E32 – Gus Newman – A Port Ellen Lad

In May 2024, we joined Gus Newman in his corner office in Lagavulin. In this first conversation with Gus, he tells us about his life, ventures / adventures in the […]
August 22, 2024Interviews

E31 – Islay Book Festival 2024

This episode features a conversation between our own Jean MacLellan and Charlène Busali, chair of the Islay Book Festival committee. They discuss this year’s festival, programmes and activities for different […]
February 29, 2024Interviews

E29 – The view from 2 wheels

Sharon Jones, enjoying her island holiday, took to two wheels along with her husband Mike, and recorded this contribution to our podcast series as they cycled the highways and byways […]
February 28, 2024Interviews

E28 – Slowing Down on Islay – A Whisky Tourist’s Perspective

In this episode, Lars Weitbrecht, a traveller from Germany, shares his introduction to Islay whisky from his father, then his own discovery of more Islay whisky, the Islay landscape and […]
January 24, 2024Interviews

E27 – MAYDS at MYCOS

In May 2023, Jolyon interviewed Fiona Kalache MBE who manages Mid Argyll Youth Development servies, known as MAYDS. In this role, Fiona provides support and guidance to the programmes offered […]