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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 19 December 2018

19 Dec 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Iolaire Disaster

The first item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S5M-14614, in the name of Alasdair Allan, on the centenary of the Iolaire disaster. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I ask members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak buttons.

Some members have indicated that they will speak in Gaelic, so interpretation facilities are available. Members may listen to the interpretation by inserting their headphones into the socket on the right-hand side of the console, towards the front. If any member experiences a problem, they should try using the audio button and selecting channel 1 to hear the English interpretation.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament commemorates with great sadness the Iolaire disaster of 1 January 1919, when at least 201 men, mainly those returning home to the islands of Lewis and Harris after active service in the Royal Navy, lost their lives; remembers this terrible event, which took place when HMY Iolaire struck the Beasts of Holm, a group of rocks only around three miles from where the men's families were waiting for them at Stornoway Harbour; notes the series of commemorations that will take place in the islands around the centenary, and commends the efforts that are being made in the community and nationally to give due recognition to a disaster that, for many decades afterwards, had a devastating impact on the people of the Western Isles.

The member has provided the following translation:

Gu bheil a’ Phàrlamaid a’ comharrachadh le bròn call na h-Iolaire air 1 Faoilleach 1919, nuair a chaidh co-dhiù 201 neach a chall, a’ chuid as motha dhiubh a’ tilleadh dhachaigh gu Leòdhas agus na Hearadh às dèidh seirbheis-chogaidh leis a’ Chabhlach Rìoghail; gu bheil i a’ cuimneachadh na tubaist uamhasach seo, a thachair nuair a bhuail HMY Iolaire air Biastan Thuilm, creagan a tha dìreach trì mìle bho Chidhe Steòrnabhaigh, far an robh na teaghlaichean a’ feitheamh riutha; gu bheil i a’ toirt fa-near na comharrachaidhean a bhios a’ tachairt anns na h-eileanan ceud bliadhna às dèidh na tubaist; agus gu bheil i a’ moladh nan oidhearpan a thathar a’ dèanamh anns a’ choimhearsneachd agus gu nàiseanta gus aithne a thoirt dhan tubaist seo, agus air a’ bhuaidh chruaidh a bh’ aice airson bliadhnaichean mòra às a dhèidh air muinntir nan Eilean Siar.

13:00  
References in this contribution

Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.

In the same item of business

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani) SNP
The first item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S5M-14614, in the name of Alasdair Allan, on the centenary of the Iolaire disaster. The de...
Dr Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) SNP
Air iomadach càrn-chogaidh air feadh na rìoghachd, tha 1914 gu 1919 sgrìobhte. Tha an dàrna bhliadhna sin a’ cuimhneachadh a’ chùmhnaint ann an Versailles a ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP
We move to the open debate. We are quite tight for time, so I ask everyone to speak for no more than four minutes. 13:08
Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Con) Con
I thank Alasdair Allan for bringing this timely debate to the chamber. The Iolaire disaster was an unequivocal tragedy of returning servicemen lost in sight...
Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP) SNP
I thank Alasdair Allan for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I am sure that each and every resident of Lewis and Harris appreciates such a traum...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab
I thank Alasdair Allan for securing the debate. In a year that has marked the centenary of the end of world war 1, we are fast approaching the last commemor...
John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Green
Mòran taing, Presiding Officer. Gabhaibh mo leisgeul. Chan eil ach beagan Gàidhlig agam. Mar as àbhaist, feumaidh mi Beurla a bhruidhinn. “Bidh dùil ro fear...
The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP
I remind members that we are very tight for time. 13:26
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) SNP
The sinking of the Iolaire with its loss of life on that night in 1919 must be one of the cruellest events in Scottish history. I thank the constituency MSP ...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con
I am conscious that we have heard a lot this afternoon from people who are very closely related to this incident, and I do not want to add very much more, ex...
The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP
Thank you, Mr Mountain, for giving us some time back. 13:32
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP
I, too, pay tribute to Alasdair Allan for securing this debate. It is fitting that, almost a century after a disaster that took 201 lives, our Parliament giv...
Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab
I was a child in Stornoway in the 1960s, years after the Iolaire disaster. Many women of the Iolaire generation were still alive when I was a boy. I saw them...
The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP
In order to hear contributions from the final two speakers and the cabinet secretary, I am minded to accept a motion without notice, under rule 8.14.3 of the...
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP) SNP
I thank my colleague Alasdair Allan for bringing this important debate to the chamber. For those who are listening from outwith the Western Isles, this migh...
Johann Lamont (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab
I feel greatly privileged—if a little hesitant—to participate in this debate, in which we are remembering a tragedy the cruelty and impact of which are almos...
The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop) SNP
I, too, thank Dr Alasdair Allan for lodging his motion and giving the Parliament the opportunity to record our recognition ahead of the commemoration of the ...