Tràth sna ficheadan, dh’ adhbhraich uabhasan a’ Chiad Chogaidh agus buaidh sgrios na h-Iolaire anns na h-Eileanan an Iar eilthireachd mhòr gu taobh eile an t-saoghail ’s daoine a’ sireadh beatha na b’ fheàrr agus toiseach tòiseachaidh ùr.

Ach mun aon àm, thachair eilthireachd de sheòrsa eile beagan nas fhaisge air an dachaigh – a’ chiad eisimpleir den eilthireachd as motha agus de sgeama suidheachadh fearainn air a’ Ghaidhealtachd agus anns na h-Eileanan.

Eadar naoi ceud deug fichead ’s a trì agus naoi ceud deug fichead ’s a ceithir, dh’ fhalbh dà fhichead ’s a trì teaghlaichean às na Hearadh agus fichead ’s a dhà às an Rubha ann an Leòdhas – timcheall air ceithir cheud neach uile gu leìr - tarsainn a’ Chuain Sgìth dhan Eilean Sgìtheanach, an dèidh do Bhòrd an Fhearainn trì fichead mìle acaire a cheannach bho oighreachd MhicLeòid Dhun Bheagain. An sin, rinn iad an dachaigh le trì fichead ’s a naoi croit air a chruthachadh anns na trì bailtean a steidhich iad – Port nan Long, Fearann an Leagha agus Fiosgabhaig. Bliadhna an dèidh seo, thàinig teaghlaichean Hearach eile gu baile Shatrain.

A’ comharrachadh ceud bliadhna bho dh’ fhalbh na daoine, tha e cudromach a bhith a’ cuimhneachadh air na tùsairean ’s an càirdean agus sgeulachdan an turais eachdraidheil seo fhoillseachadh.

In the early years of the 1920s, the horrors of the First World War and the devastating tragedy of the Iolaire disaster in the Western Isles led to thousands setting off on a journey across the world in search of a better life and a new beginning. But at the same time there was a mass emigration much closer to home, in what was to be the first and largest government land resettlement scheme anywhere in the Highlands and Islands.

Between 1923 and 1924, 43 families from Harris and 22 from Point in Lewis, a combined total of almost 400 people, made the journey across the Minch to Skye after the Board of Agriculture (BoAS) purchased 60,000-acres from the Macleod of Dunvegan estate.

They made the empty region their home with 69 crofts created in the three townships built by pioneers - Portnalong, Fernilea and Fiscavaig. A year later, more families from Harris moved to the village of Satran. More than a centenary after this migration, it is important to recognise those pioneers and their descendants and tell stories of an historic journey and lives lived less ordinary.

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