What’s New at Machrihanish

"I'm only outside..." t-shirt
Fear the outside world? Make sure they know that when you’re forced away from the net.

Welcome to the Machrihanish Online News Page.. here we will try to keep you up to date with news on events at Machrihanish and the surrounding South Kintyre area as well as changes to our website.

Our Facebook Page is a lot more up to date folks. Click HERE to join us on Facebook

 
 April 2017: Website refresh.

 


Opened June 2015:
Campbeltown Marina
is a brand new facility situated in the Town Centre at the head of the deep, sheltered waters of Campbeltown Loch on the Southeastern aspect of the Kintyre Penninsula. It is within easy reach of the Antrim Coast, Ayrshire and the Upper Clyde.
 

Subscribe to the Machrihanish Online YouTube Channel for videos from the area.

https://youtu.be/Epys0Ye9AhY

Arrival at the White Hart Hotel, Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland.*
Filmed on July 19th 1914 – Soldiers from the 6th, 7th & 9th Battalion’s Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders arrived on Clyde Steamers SS King Edward, SS Kylemore and SS Queen Alexandra. They were bound for their annual camp at Clochkiel, by the Machrihanish dunes.

 

MACC Challenge Logo


MACC Challenge – Community spirit at its finest
 

The first ever MACC Challenge took place at Machrihanish Airbase on Saturday 29th November and was a massive success, thanks to the help and support from the local community.

One hundred brave participants tackled a 4 mile obstacle course spread across the former RAF airbase in Kintyre, consisting water slides, mud runs, spiders webs, hay bales, cargo nets and much much more. The event was non-competitive, with organisers keen to encourage fun and camaraderie.
MACC Challenge Start Line

Those taking on the Challenge rose to the occasion, dressing up in military costume on the day and many diving head first into the mud and water obstacles (literally).

Three hardy participants travelled all the way from Fife on the morning of the event and thoroughly enjoyed themselves, impressed by the friendly reception they received and the encouragement from the marshals throughout the course.
MACC Challenge competitors getting a wee bit wet

A number of local groups, businesses and individuals made the MACC Challenge possible by volunteering their time and donating materials to help build the course in the weeks leading up to the event.

Fifth year pupils from Campbeltown Grammar School played a huge role, spending a number of Friday afternoons setting up.

Volunteers from the Kintyre Dialysis Campaign served up soup, refreshments and home baking for all on the day. Profits from the event will be donated to the group, who have been campaigning for a dialysis unit in Campbeltown Hospital from July this year. This is a hugely worthwhile cause and something that means a lot to many individuals and families in Campbeltown.

Organisers would like to thank everyone involved on the day including helpers, marshals, spectators and of course, participants. A true example of Campbeltown’s community spirit.

Drawing inspiration from increasingly popular Obstacle Race events, the idea for the MACC Challenge came from Campbeltown Running Club’s Elaine McGeachy and James Murdoch, who thought the land and unique buildings at Machrihanish Airbase were crying out for an obstacle course.

Elaine said: ‘We knew there was scope for an event like this in Kintyre but we really have been blown away by the response we have had. The event sold out within one week and the feedback from Challengers has been amazing. Everyone keeps asking us when the next one is!’

A spokesperson for Machrihanish Airbase Community Company said: ‘MACC would like to thank James Murdoch and Elaine McGeachy from Campbeltown Running Club for bringing the idea to us and working tirelessly to pull it all together in such a short space of time. These events usually require months and months of planning but we only sat down with James and Elaine in August. To pull this off is a great achievement. The MACC Challenge is yet another thing that showcases the unlimited potential that lies at Machrihanish Airbase. We will definitely be bringing the MACC Challenge back next year!’
A very happy competitor

See you in 2015!

Thanks to Claire for the Press release and a huge well done to all involved 🙂

2014: Website Refresh.

Icom to support ‘‘Fessenden’’ Special Event Station — Honouring the First Century of Broadcasting
Click here for the Press Release. (PDF File)

The first extended broadcast of the human voice was transmitted through the air on December 24, 1906 from Brant Rock, Massachusetts. A Canadian engineer, Reginald Fessenden, had worked for Thomas Edison in his New Jersey Laboratory, and later became a professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

Fessenden was convinced that the “wireless telegraph”, which then carried only the sputtering dots and dashes of Morse code, could carry the human voice. The most common use for wireless at that time was communication with merchant ships at sea, directing them to ports where the cargo would bring the best price. The shipboard wireless operators were called “Sparks.”

An account by Fessenden’s wife Helen reports his historic transmission, as the Sparks on ships across the Atlantic heard what they had dreamed about – and thought impossible.

“…a human voice coming from their instruments – someone speaking… Then a women’s voice rose in song. It was uncanny! Many of them called their officers to come and listen; soon the wireless rooms were crowded. Next someone was heard reading a poem. Then there was a violin solo; then a man made a speech.”

The broadcast historian Eric Barnouw in, A Tower In Babel: A History of Broadcasting in the United States, reports that Fessenden himself played Gounod’s “O, Holy Night” on the violin. He also read from the Christmas story from the Bible book of Luke and played a phonograph recording of Handel’s “Largo.”

August 2007:A very worthy cause for Kintyre, come on folks help raise funds for a new sports minibus:
Please support the Sports Council and these articles by donating to our Mini Bus Appeal by visiting our website – http://www.southkintyresportscouncil.com/minibusappeal/index.htm
July 2007:
 

Machrihanish Dunes….the way golf began…
Click here to follow the development of the first new links course in Scotland for 100 years.

April 2007:

New product added to Machrihanish Online Cafepress Store:
Davaar Cave Painting US Postal Stamps available now !!!

April 2007:
Some minor updates and link fixes. Please email the webmaster if you find a broken link.
 
Dec 2006:
Icom to support ‘‘Fessenden’’ Special Event Station — Honouring the First Century of Broadcasting

Click here for the ICOM Press Release. (PDF File)April 2006:
January 2006:16th January 2006 – News from the Grab Trust
Machrihanish Bay retains it’s Bathing Water Status

Dec 2005:
Updated the McTaggart Page with more info.
 
NEWS!!!!
More info on the planned celebrations of the Machrihanish  Fessenden Transmission…

“By his genius distant lands converse and men sail unafraid upon the deep”

To commemorate the occasion we have included two new items in our online store, a pack of Radio Machrihanish Buttons and a Radio Machrihanish Journal…Click HERE for more info.

BEACH NEWS!!!
August 2005: GRAB a Beach and Help Machrihanish Bay…
Do you think the status should be retained? Have your say and contact the GRAB Trusts Beaches and Marine Litter Officer. Even if you think not, gathering information on beach usage will still be useful.
Click HERE for the Press Release or HERE to download it in Adobe PDF format.
 
July 2005:
Was ‘Nessie’ on holiday at Machrihanish ?

Exclusive picture of the what could be the famous monster apparently enjoying the delights of Machrihanish Bay.
The picture was taken from the Beach at Machrihanish…looking towards Jura.
July 2005:
News Release.
Click HERE to read the release or click HERE to download it in PDF format.
You will need a PDF Reader to open the PDF Release/
June 2005:
Updated Links and Fessenden Page
April/May 2005:
Website given new look and re-launched.

April 2004:

New Machrihanish Online Store added, various products using all exclusive Machrihanish Online Photo’s. Click HERE for details.

 

December 2003:

Added page on Davaar Island and the Cave Painting

November 2003:
Machrihanish woman Mary Sinclair has been presented with a long service award for her sterling work with the Kintyre branch of Cancer Research UK.

 

October 2003:
A statue of Sir William Mackinnon has been erected in Kinloch Park thanks to the local Rotary Club and funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund

The statue has been brought from Keil School in Dumbarton which was closing down.
Sir William Mackinnon was obviously a man of great vision, his company objectives included: the elimination of the slave trade, the prohibition of trade monopoly, and the equal treatment of all nations…
Click HERE for a brief Biography of Sir William

 

September 2003:
Added Music page, info & links on music related sited and pages relevant to the area.


August 2003:
New pictures added to Fessenden Pages >HERE<
Sunsets & Seals Galleries added.

July 2003:
Breaking News that the organisers of the  Campbeltown airshow have confirmed that this year’s event is definitely going ahead at the airport at Machrihanish on Saturday August 16


June 2003:

A website from  Brant Rock, Massachusetts, USA is looking for local Radio Hams, check out their site for contact details: http://www.radiocom.net/Fessenden/ 


April 2003

Machrihanish is to get a Royal Visit next month when HRH Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, opens the new cod hatchery at Machrihanish Marine Farm (the old lifeboat slip). She will also be visiting Vestas-Celtic wind turbine factory.

 

March 2003

Added link to Crown Crew site. See the links page

Coming soon, Music Pages and links to Artists/music inspired by the area.


October 2002 Added more helpful links for visitors;

Village Key – For news, village and family searches, discussion forums, polls and surveys .. packed with features specifically targeted at those who choose to live in UK villages, complete with all the daily links you 
need.

Trossachs and Callander Tourist Information and others. see the links page for details

 

October 2002 Added Kilkivan, Campbeltown & Gauldrons pages, also added a few more pictures. Also added banners page for those wanting to link to this site. Please use the banners on this page.

October 2002 Added Google Search Facility for Web & Machrihanish Online Site

October 2002 Added FREE Machrihanish Sunsets Screensaver

October 2002 Added Downloads Page

October 2002 Updated Links Page

October 2002 Added a Joke and Riddle search engine to home page, courtesy of www.riddlesandjokes.com 

July 2002 Updated Links Page

July 2002