Comann Each nan Eilean celebrates the history of the Eriskay pony
The Eriskay Pony Society will celebrate its 50th year anniversary with a Michaelmas event on Saturday, 24 September, in Eriskay Community Hall.
The Society preserves and promotes the Eriskay Pony and was founded in February 1972 when concerns were raised that the native pony breed was in danger of being lost. The society changed its name to Comann Each nan Eilean (The Eriskay Pony Society) in 1978, and 50 years on, the Society is run by the second generation of the original members.
A native pony breed and listed as a priority breed by the Rare Breed Survival Trust, the Eriskay Pony is considered to be the last remnant of Scotland’s native horse, with an estimated population of less than 300 remaining. The breed has long been a welcome sight on these islands and has been of great utility to numerous generations of Èirisgich.
Latha Fhèill Mìcheil, or Michaelmas, remains one of the focal points in the traditional Gaelic calendar. In Uist, horses were closely associated with the holy day, when ‘odaidhean’ races were held on beaches throughout the islands.
Comann Each nan Eilean’s Michaelmas celebrations will include talks from Prof Domhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI, and Donald John MacInnes, the Society’s Registrar, who will provide a personal insight into his family’s work to maintain the Eriskay-based herd.
Pony owners and society members will be invited to take part in a panel discussion about the history, heritage, and prospect of the breed, especially in relation to the Society’s new home within the new Eriskay Heritage Centre.
A new packsaddle pad, known as a plàda, will be woven to replace the Society’s existing piece used for carrying creels, which is overdue for retirement.
The day will finish with a dance in the Eriskay Community Hall with the Islands Cèilidh band, who have strong ties to the society.
The event is supported through the Sealladh na Beinne Mòire community fund. Entry during the day will be by donation.
Liam Alastair Crouse, who is helping to organise the event, said: “Michaelmas remains a popular festival in Eriskay and South Uist. Over the last century, however, the customs associated with the ponies grew less significant. We’d like to change that and help revive the equine aspects of the Michaelmas tradition and reroot the Eriskay Pony within its cultural setting.
“We would also like to use this opportunity to hear what the community wants to see the Society doing in the future, especially within the context of the new heritage centre. What better way to celebrate the pony and these upcoming developments than with a tea, a piece of strùthan and maybe some Swedish baking.”
