Strathnaver Museum undertakes many projects. Some are linked to the Clan Mackay and Museum and Galleries others are to raise awareness and increase knowledge of the Museum. All are fun days and result in new exhibitions and assets. Invite people to participate and add to the wealth resources we have at Strathnaver.
Recent News
Cenotaph Service, Bettyhill
November 14, 2018
by Jim A. Johnston A larger than usual crowd, boosted by the national centenary activities and by the beautiful weather, turned out at the Bettyhill War Memorial at 10.45 this Sunday morning for the annual Remembrance Service. Officiating was the Reverend Dr. Beverly Cushman, Church of Scotland minister in the recently linked parishes of Altnaharra […]
The Burr family in World War One
November 14, 2018
by Jim A. Johnston The great conflagration of World War One with its high casualty rates, particularly on the Western Front, affected families across the whole UK. Some suffered more than others as was the case with the Burr family of Dunvarrich, Tongue. Head of the family, Peter Burr, hailed originally from Aberdeenshire but had […]
Join our team!
October 29, 2018
Volunteer Coordinator An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our small but enthusiastic team! We are looking to recruit a Volunteer Coordinator to help support and expand our wonderful team of volunteers. You will be responsible for supporting Strathnaver Museum to meet the challenge of volunteer management. The job holder will manage volunteers and their […]
Preparing for Remembrance at Strathnaver Museum
October 19, 2018
By Jim A Johnston Strathnaver Museum continued its four year programme of remembrance events on Saturday with a gathering at the Museum to publicise the Poppy Wall it has been creating in memory of the 216 men, and one woman, from Mackay Country who gave their lives for their nation in the Great War. The […]
Donald MacKay donates some of his work to Strathnaver Museum
October 16, 2018
This summer Strathnaver Museum received a generous donation from American author Donald MacKay of some of his extensive collection of short stories, essays and poems. Drawing from a wide range of influences from ancient philosophy and theology Donald’s work explores the all encompassing and age old question of both life and death. Donald explains “For […]
Celebrating Rob Donn Mackay
October 15, 2018
Last weekend saw the culmination of the Mackay Country Trust and Strathnaver Museum’s most ambitious project to date with a two day extravaganza of cultural activities related to the much acclaimed 18th Century Gaelic bard, Rob Donn Mackay. These kicked off on Friday night with a ceilidh in Strathy Hall where Mackay Country Trust organiser, […]
Broadsword by R W Hughes
September 12, 2018
Rodney Hughes has published his third novel which is interwoven with the battles of the clan MacKay both before and after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Rodney explains that “during the research of my family History on my father’s side, whose mother’s maiden name was Mackay, motivated me to write my third novel which […]
An older kind of identify politics
August 27, 2018
By Ronnie Smith My grandparents brought me up as a MacKay, that’s where they told me that everything should start from; not from being a Scot or from being British or European, male or white, big or small or smart or dim. Being a MacKay should be the first point of reference in understanding who […]
Launch of ‘The Real Mackay’
August 17, 2018
By Jim A. Johnston It was standing room only in the Mackay Room of Strathnaver Museum on the evening of Friday the 3rd August as clansmen and women from all over the Mackay Country crowded in to hear Charlotte Fairbairn, cousin of the Chief of the clan, give an illustrated talk on the research that […]
This Land is Ours – a new book based on a true story
August 3, 2018
Smuggling, ship wrecks, rustling, bush rangers, political intrigue, boom and bust, and bloody resistance by indigenous Australians Based on the true story of a MacKay family, a new book called This Land Is Ours has just been published by a descendent, Jonathan Rush. Fearing correctly that their clan chief would betray his people, the MacKays […]