The Kintyre Forum

Have any of you seen this? I am halfway through reading it, and find it a wonderfully nostalgic and informative read.

Forgive me if you are aware of it, I just hadn't noticed any mention of it anywhere on the site.

http://www.dkeith.clara.co.uk/campbeltownlife/

What an excellent site and a wonderful story - I wish my recollection was as good as Donald Keith's. Well worth a read - thanks for bringing this to our attention Chris

I've only read a little but it makes fascinating reading.

Thanks for the link.

Cheers
Gary

I am utterly amazed by the comments I have read here on 'Campbeltown Life'. In my opinion this publication is nothing more than rubbish and worse still, it attacks the reputation of people, especially teachers, who are no longer with us and who are therefore unable to defend themselves against these cowardly, sneering and snide remarks! In most cases they are total fabrications, written in an attempt to portray a town that is populated by congenital idiots!
That Mr.Keith was unable to write anything good of his teachers tells me more about him than he would wish to disclose. Furthermore, his grasp of the English language is tenuous, to say the least - he should have tried to pay more attention to Mr. Banks when he sat in this gentleman's class, or he should make sure that the 'spell checker' on his computer is switched on.

" pinch " ? Shovel mair like ! But remember that the cretur is jist tryin his best lik yon Lilian Comber ( Beckwith the Pariah )

I saw this a few years ago and only read so far. What rubbish.

I read it once years ago, and in full agreement with Tommy and Bill
it portrays an entirely unfocused and inaccurate picture of Campbeltown
and it's people.
I showed a section to a friend whose long dead grandfather was basically
ridiculed in Donald Keith's story. All I can say is that it's just as well Mr Keith
lives many miles away.
Anyone from outside the area who wants to gain any information about Campbeltown
should ask anyone from there or who still has a live connection with the town rather
than read some long since lived here individuals selected fantasies!

It says it all when the town motto is erroneously given in the introduction as "Fortuna Favitus Republica" instead of the correct motto "Ignavis Precibus Fortuna Repugnat" (Fortune repels idle prayers)

Apart from that, the characterisations and descriptions of some local people, teachers etc. that I, and probably many other forum members can still remember, are almost verging on defamatory, and do not represent a true picture of their memory.

So far as the local dialect used in this collection is concerned, I don't know where it came from, but it certainly wasn't Campbeltown.

I reckon it's just a pity, Mr Ducca Rat never got his hands on him.
What kind of twisted personality would allow for a young kid, to approach an Adult, and dare question his name, well not his name, rather a negative term. The move from London to Campbeltown was obviously a dramatic experience.

ionnsaigh wrote:I reckon it's just a pity, Mr Ducca Rat never got his hands on him.
What kind of twisted personality would allow for a young kid, to approach an Adult, and dare question his name, well not his name, rather a negative term. The move from London to Campbeltown was obviously a dramatic experience.

Just to clarify one of the many errors in that piece of rubbish written by Donald Keith.

He was known as "Ducha the Rat" The "ch" as in Loch. Not Mr Ducca Rat. I think it is also worth mentioning that there are relatives in the town who may be offended by that article.

I don't have relatives in the town, and I find the article offensive.

My mother read a little of this and said it was complete rubbish.

Another 'by the way' comment - Ducha the Rat, as he was known got his name - or so I was told, by being the only survivor from a herring skiff which capsized (was it near Carradale?). He had, I was told, been below in the wee cuddy when she went over and the nickname referred to the old adage of the rat being the first to leave a sinking ship.
Does anyone know if this is true?
TR

Well Tommy, that is the first time either Catherine or myself have ever heard a reason for his nickname.Certainly don't know if there is any truth to it,but it's as good as story as any.