Religion is a matter upon which I am not going to express any opinions. People have differing religious beliefs, of different intensity and my personal view is that everybody is entitled to their own opinion providing that it is not a danger to life and limb.
At one time, religious observance on Skye was extremely strict.
Derek Cooper, writing in the early 1970s said, in his (excellent) guide to Skye,
"In Skye today, apart from a small Catholic community mainly composed of incomers, there is the Church of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland, the Free Presbyterian Church and the Scottish Episcopal Church. In Portree on a Sunday between them these five Christian churches offer nine or ten services in both English and Gaelic. On a Sunday evening in Portree about 400 people attend the two Free churches. The respect for Sunday is deeply and entrenched and strong enough for a group of Church goers to have issued a communique in 1968 which read:
We residents of Skye are happy to extend a cordial welcome to tourists to visit our island and enjoy its beauty and peace. We shall be still happier if you join us in seeking the more enduring peace which many of those enjoy in these days of stress and uncertainty. It will give us a great pleasure to have you worshipping in the House of God, for we are persuaded that we have a message which alone gives a real aim and purpose in life, and is the only answer to a man's many problems. In Skye, we cherish the Christian way of life which formerly made our nation great. An integral part of our Christian heritage is a deep respect and love for the Lord's Day. We therefore appeal to all not to desecrate God's holy day by travelling to and from the island on the Sabbath."
In the past, when Caledonian Macbrayne announced that it was going to operate a Sunday ferry service between the Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin, there were public disturbances.
That was before my time as a visitor
to Skye, but I can well remember when bed and breakfast signs
were covered up on a Sunday, because it was not thought
proper to do business on the Sabbath day.
Similarly, pegging washing out to dry on the Sabbath day was frowned upon.
I make no comment on the wisdom of these practices. I simply record than as a matter of history.
Nowadays religious observance is a much less strict on Skye. There was always a Sunday ferry service from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin as long as I can remember. Nowadays of course there is the bridge which never closes.
The ferry service from Uig on Skye to Tarbert on the Outer Isles still does not run on a Sunday. When Caledonian Macbrayne proposed to do this, it was blocked by the people on the Isle of Harris who have not been affected by the less strict views which are now held by some people on Skye.
Nonetheless, many people on Skye it still do observe the Sabbath day in a very strict and traditional manner. If you are travelling about the island on a Sunday, please remember this and be prepared to accept and respect a point of view which may not necessarily be your own.
That old time religion. Was its passing a good or bad?
It all depends upon ones personal beliefs, so respect those of others.
Copyright © Gareth Boote 2000