Glen Cannel

2007-05-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

Glen Cannel is found in the centre of the island of Mull within the Ben More range of hills. It is located at the head of Loch Ba and can be got to by a seven mile track.
It is a very good place to see the impressive sea eagle.
I often gathered the sheep off this glen with the MacLeans of Knock who looked after the ground. It is very steep and impressive and used to take four days to gather all the sheep in.
I was told by Lachie MacLean that prior to the Highland clearances around about eight hundred people used to live up there between Glen Cannel and Glenforsa.
When the people were cleared sheep fanks were built on the old graveyards and trees planted round some of the old shielings as if to hide evidence of their existence.
The glen was very fertile and around the River Cannel crops of hay were grown and many of the workers used to inscribe their names on a Holly tree that is still there today.

It is sad and ironic that the sheep were gathered in 2006 for the last time as they were all sold off. It is going on all over Scotland at present due to politics, economics and absentee landlords taking advantage of payments basically for doing very little.

The song “Glen Cannel” was inspired by the haunting eerie atmosphere created there on a misty day and the feeling that ghosts of earlier days were all around.
Click below to hear sample.

The song “Empty Fields” was inspired by the clearing of sheep and the liveliehoods effected. Hear the extract on website samples.

http://www.iainthomsonband.co.uk/04.mp3

Welcome

2006-08-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks
Welcome to my blog site where we hope to bring you news and stories from our tours, gigs and travels.

Yours Aye
Iain

Iain Thomson Band

Glen Cannel

Welcome