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The Stella Maris of Campbeltown in the sea-lock at Crinan as the fishermen prepare to leave their boats for a weekend at home. |
TO celebrate the life of ring-net fishing in the Clyde, which ended in 1970s, the Campbeltown Branch of Clyde Fishermen’s Association will be holding an event that will see those who were involved across Kintyre gather in the Masonic Hall.
Ex ring-net fishermen from Tarbert, Campbeltown and Carradale are being invited to join in what will be an unforgettable night of nostalgia.
In the 1950s, ring-net fishing was in its heyday in Campbeltown with about 40 boats working from the harbour, each giving employment to six men, but after mid-water trawling and purse-seining took over, ring-netting died out.
The concept of ring-netting, also known as herring fishing, was for a boat carrying a net on the port quarter, which was operated during darkness in pairs, and when a shoal of herring was detected, the net was shot in a wide semi-circle.
The neighbour boat picked up the end, which was identified by a ‘winkie; a buoyant light attached to a rope extension from the end of the netting.
Both vessels then towed the gear slowly through the water for a few minutes before turning towards each other. Once this operation was completed, the crew of the neighbour boat jumped aboard with the end and hauling by hand commenced.
In the last two years the Clyde connection with the ring-net fishery ended totally with the retrial of Lawrence Robertson and brothers, Robert and Willie Gillies. They were the last men fishing, who had served their apprenticeship at the ring-net.
The Spawny Ball was one of the biggest events in the calendar for ring-net fishermen and used to take place in the Victoria Hall in early Spring.
The event which has been organised for March 22, is aimed at the ex-ring-net fishermen and will see a celebration of ring-net fishing with a one-man play, a display of photographs and rendition of poems taking place, and is sure to be a memorable night for all involved. The idea is to have something similar to the Spawny Ball, the last one taking place many years ago.
The Ball got its name from the fishing that took place at the Brown Head, on Arran, and the Ballantrae banks, for herring that spawned there. This fishery took place in the months of February and March and the conclusion marked the end of the years fishing.
Boats then were beached and scraped and varnished in preparation for the following year. The Ball was run by the Campbeltown Branch of the Clyde Fishermen’s Association, and was attended by guests from the other Clyde ports, including Carradale, Tarbert, Dunure, Maidens and Girvan.
Ring-netting was practiced by Campbeltown fishermen for generations and though the method basically remained unchanged, nets and boats increased in size and nylon eventually substituted cotton.
Those men are still alive today who took part in this fishery, and one of the sad things about their lives is that they can no longer, in some cases, get around easily and so have little contact with others who were their companions.
One of them stated, some years ago to a fellow fisherman that he never saw another fisherman except when he attended the funeral of another, and that ‘They canna get a yarn wi their old pals!’
This night out has been organised with such men in view. It will take place in the Masonic Hall in Campbeltown on Saturday, 22 March, at 6.30 pm. A meal will be provided and buses will run from Tarbert and from Carradale.
The event has been extremely well supported financially by several organsations, so the price of tickets will be very reasonable indeed.
As well as the entertainment, and perhaps more importantly, the event will allow men to meet others who are of the same background.
As the event cannot be called a Spawny Ball, for most of the men concerned are past their dancing days, it has been suggested it should be called ‘Seeker, Reaper‘, which will be borrowed from George Campbell Hay’s epic poem about the ring-net art.
Tickets for this event may be purchased from Robert Gillies, 015865 552547, Lachie Paterson on 01583 431570 and Kenny McNab on 01880 820601.
It is being staged primarily for old exponents of the ring-netting era, and the organisers hope for a full house.
