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In this episode, This Is Islay's Richard Mansbridge is in conversation with David Protherough, a Senior Coastguard Operation Officer with responsibility for Islay, Jura and Colonsay. We learn what happens when the call comes, and the role of the Coastguard working in conjunction with RNLI and other emergency services, to perform critical work in the waters around Islay and beyond, and support emergency calls on land as well. References: "Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard" About what3words: https://what3words.com/about More about HM Coastguard: https://hmcoastguard.uk/about-us Acknowledgments: Guest: David Protherough, Senior Coastguard Operation Officer, HM Coastguard This Is Islay: Host: Richard Mansbridge Production: Gordon Bermingham, Jolyon Thurgood

Continuing our collaboration with Islay primary schools, this episode features the students across Port Ellen Primary discussing their favourite fact-finding books, as well as characters from their most-loved storybooks. Students also offer their reading recommendations to their friends and classmates. Recorded in April 2026. (Part 2 of 2) Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Amy Hannett, and other staff and students of Port Ellen Primary School who contributed to this episode through recordings made at the school. Music :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - 335607-Happy Kids Cartoon This Is Islay production: Gordon Bermingham

Marking the new school year, and continuing our collaboration with Islay primary schools, this episode features the students across Port Ellen Primary discussing their favourite fact-finding books, as well as characters from their most-loved storybooks. Students also offer their reading recommendations to their friends and classmates. Recorded in April 2026. (Part 1 of 2) Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Amy Hannett, and other staff and students of Port Ellen Primary School who contributed to this episode through recordings made at the school. Music :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - 335607-Happy Kids Cartoon This Is Islay production: Gordon Bermingham

Discover what makes the Islay Book Festival unique.  In this episode, This Is Islay's Jolyon Thurgood chats with Charlène Busali, Creative Director of the 2026 Islay Book Festival, We learn about the book creators and special guests who make up the festival and how its events engage the Islay community and visitors alike. The 2026 Islay Book Festival takes place 27-30 August. We also feature introductions from three book creators who join the Festival this year: - Polly Pullar, author of In Company of Sheep - Louise Welsh, author of The Cut Up - Eilidh Muldoon, illustrator For more information visit islaybookfestival.co.uk or find "Islay Book Festival" on Facebook. Acknowledgements:Guests: Charlene Busali, Islay Book FestivalMany thanks to Eilidh Muldoon, Polly Pullar and Louise WelshHost: Jolyon Thurgood Production: Gordon Bermingham and Jolyon ThurgoodMusic : Pixabay 323343 – Ikoliks (Jingle by IslayStudio for This Is Islay)

In this episode, a group of students from Islay High School have created their own podcast. They did so as part of their journalism and media studies, as a result of a two day Media Skills programme sponsored at the High School by the National Union of Journalists and led by Fiona Macdonald, a well known BBC broadcaster and journalist with the World Service. During the workshop, she worked closely with all attendees, who included a couple of This Is Islay podcasters, but this episode is largely a result of the students who participated. These students chose to debate the impact of both the current global downturn in the whisky market and the advance of AI in terms of their future employment prospects. Acknowledgements: Special thanks to the high school students who participated in the media skills workshop and provided their consent to the development and release of this podcast episode. Many thanks also to BBC Senior Journalist Fiona Macdonald for leading the two-day workshop at Islay High School and supporting our budding journalists, and the NUJ for supporting the programme which brought her to Islay. Thank you to Islay High School for sponsoring the workshop and allowing use of its facilities. This Is Islay: Jean MacLellan, Richard Mansbridge (workshop participants), Jolyon Thurgood (introduction) Production: Gordon BerminghamMusic by Suno.com https://suno.com/song/d9f55fd3-5c28-416f-807f-c1776465f6eb DISCLAIMER It must be stressed that what we did together was a role play which does not necessarily reflect the views of those of us who participated. Some content is consciously more provocative to make the dialogue more stimulating.

This episode launches a new four-part series on Caring for Older People. Part 1 – Policies, People & Partnerships - lays out the care framework by providing an overview of how national and local policies and services impact our lives as we get older, through Scottish Government policies for older people and the role of the local Health and Social Care Partnership. Acknowledgments: Hosts: Jean MacLellan and Tracey Hunter Production: Gordon Bermingham

In this episode, This Is Islay's Jean MacLellan is in conversation with Mairi McCuaig, manager of Argyll College on Islay, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands and offering further and higher education across Argyll. The conversation also include Andrew Davis, a Social Sciences lecturer at Argyll College, and student Angela. Acknowledgements: Host: Jean MacLellan For UHI Argyll: Mairi McCuaig, Andrew Davis and Angela. Music:

In this episode, we meet with Malcolm Ogilvie, Deputy Chair of the Museum of Islay Life, and the Museum Manager, Christine McPhie. We learn about the origins of the Museum in Port Charlotte, and take a tour of its highlights. Find out more at https://www.islaymuseum.org Acknowledgments: Many thanks to Malcolm Ogilvie and Christine McPhie of the Museum of Islay Life for spending time with us to share the history of the Museum and highlights of its unique collection from the people of Islay, collected and curated since 1978. For This Is Islay Host: Jolyon Thurgood Production: Gordon Bermingham

Continuing our collaboration with primary schools on Islay, this episode features the students of Primary 1 and 2 and their older students of Primary 6 and 7, together with staff at Port Ellen Primary School, discussing the Vikings. What did we know before and what did we learn? One thing we know for certain: helmets worn by Vikings did not have horns. Acknowledgements: Many thanks to the staff and students of Port Ellen Primary School who contributed to this episode through recordings made at the school. Music :⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠ - 335607-Happy Kids Cartoon For This Is Islay production: Gordon Bermingham

Continuing our collaboration with primary schools on Islay, this episode features students and staff at Port Ellen Primary School discussing "Marvellous Materials". Acknowledgements: Many thanks to the staff and students of Port Ellen Primary School who contributed to this episode through recordings made at the school. Music :⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠ - 335607-Happy Kids Cartoon For This Is Islay production: Gordon Bermingham

Continuing our series on housing on Islay, Tom, Russell and Jean review our coverage to date, and discuss in more detail current housing demand on Islay and recent allocations at the new Port Charlotte housing development, using the results of a Freedom of Information Request from HomeArgyll.  Hosts: Jean MacLellan, Tom O'Farrell and Russell Pollock Production: Tom O'Farrell

After six years, This Is Islay has reached 50 episodes. To mark the occasion, Tom O'Farrell assembled the team in the studio where we discussed our journey to become Highlands and Islands Media Awards Podcast of the Year, how we've grown, and our plans for the future. Acknowledgements: The This Is Islay team would like to offer our listeners, guest hosts, guests, and the people of Islay and Jura, heartfelt thanks for their support over 50 episodes. Host: Tom O'Farrell This Is Islay Podcast Team: Greig Barker, Gordon Bermingham, Tracey Hunter, Jean MacLellan, Richard Mansbridge, Chinh Nguyen, Tom O'Farrell, Russell Pollock, Glen Roberts and Jolyon Thurgood.

This is the second of two episodes based on a conversation with Dr Margaret Storrie recorded in October 2025. In this episode, Margaret reveals how she first discovered Islay as a student, and recalls the path which led her via London back to Islay, and then to the publishing of her first book "Islay: Biography of an Island" in 1981 - currently available in its third edition. Margaret Storrie is a longtime resident of Port Ellen. Featuring Guest: Margaret Storrie Host: Jolyon Thurgood Acknowledgements Many thanks to Margaret. "Islay: Biography of an Island" is available from ⁠The Celtic House⁠ in Bowmore, and other good booksellers. Music :  Kaazoom Pixabay 447800 Production Team: Gordon Bermingham and Jolyon Thurgood

In this episode, Dr Margaret Storrie talks about her latest book, focussing on the unconventional life of Lady Charlotte Bury Campbell, who was known as a notorious diarist (think Lady Whistledown) in the time of George IV, a popular novelist and mother of 11. Lady Charlotte's oldest son was Walter Frederick Campbell, who became Laird of Islay and named Port Charlotte after his mother. Margaret is a long-time resident of Port Ellen and is the author of "Islay: Biography of an Island". FeaturingGuest: Margaret StorrieHost: Jolyon ThurgoodAcknowledgementsMany thanks to Margaret. and is availableMusic :  Kaazoom Pixabay 447800 Production Team: Jolyon Thurgood and Gordon Bermingham

At the end of November 2025, Beth Newman returned from her second visit to Lviv, Ukraine in support of Pickups For Peace, a charity initially organised by Scottish farmers to support Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion. Beth, Islay's local vet whose practice is based in Bowmore, tells Glen and Jolyon about her experience driving from Islay to western Ukraine in a used pickup (trip 1) and a used van (trip 2), each packed with vital supplies and heading to provide urgently-needed support to the front lines in eastern Ukraine. She also explains how we can each support this charity. For more information, visit https://pickupsforpeace.co.uk Or contact the Islay Vet Surgery by email at [email protected] Acknowledgements Guest: Beth Newman Many thanks to Beth for sharing her thoughts about her trips to Ukraine with the Pickups 4 Peace network and the support she received from Islay and Jura residents. Hosts: Glen Roberts and Jolyon Thurgood Music :  Carol of the Bells - This version is from White_Records on Pixabay 171731 This song is derived from a traditional folk song celebrating New Year, which kids used to sing while walking around the village from one house to another collecting presents and lollies. The original name of the song is "Shchedryk" - generosity in the Ukraine language. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OUJLYLtqSs for a traditional version of this song. Production: Jean MacLellan, Greig Barker, Gordon Bermingham and Jolyon Thurgood