A sad tale of Shetland

[voicebox]

The sad tale of the Shetland islands in the North sea.

 

"There is a small uninhabited, group of islands in the North Sea called The Shetland Islands, it was once a thriving community, it's occupants were spread far and wide across the land but in truth it was a small community compared to the large cities and towns on the mainland of the UK. It had several lifelines it relied on to keep going, a large connecting ferry to get to the mainland UK, several smaller ferries to reach the smaller Shetland islands, a power station to provide electricity and a sea nearby rich in oil supplies which gave jobs to the people and monetary wealth. It was good times for all. The striving was over. Money was aplenty and everyone was benefitting from its rich resources"

 

Sandy switched off the TV. She didn't get many visitors these days, sure, folk would come but somehow it wasn't the same. Of course she grew up in a different age on these islands, that oil wealth wasn't there then, they used to do things together, live together, work the land and be glad of a house to come home to. She remembers when we didn't have electricity, and no running water. But now she is not wanting for anything, she knew that. She just missed that 'something' that life did not provide now. You might call it a sense of belonging, after all when you do things together it brings a feeling of having a place in society. She particularly loved anything to do with working the land whether it be sowing seed, or herding sheep. In her old photos she looked contented. She smiled back at her photo and she and a friend smiled back, the friend long gone from cancer some twenty years before. Her life was so different now. She missed the wind (she never thought she'd say it) and she missed the clean air, the wonderful views, the slow pace and the feeling of space that was never far from your front door.

 

She sat back, put her feet up and remembered those final years. We had a mixed society of Shetlanders and incomers who felt as passionate about Shetland as we 'home grown' Shetlanders did. But I blame the money in many ways, it made folk lazy it did. Everything was available and money was flowing in the seventies and eighties, this carried through and changed folk in many ways. People were not quite so content with working so hard, why bother? We had grants coming out of our ears, we were fat cats and nothing could touch us. This went on on for decades. Where did it lead us? She got up to stretch her legs, pulled back the curtain to look at the street outside, she wasn't used to living in a flat, it was nice an all, but the upstairs flat was noisy and she missed the tirricks. She sighed and sat back down. Yes, we didn't see it coming. 

 

She lived on one of the outer islands of Shetland, part of the North Isles. She'd never knew any different, she was born two houses down from her house she got married in. She lived there all her life. The islands were divided and had been for quite a while, she always thought that was daft! She shook her head, we didn't stand together, even on an island of a 1000 people, it was divided. She still blamed the money. What else could it be? We had a shock you see, that year, when the Shetland Council told us that they had overspent and at the rate they were spending money, the Shetland Islands would be broke in a few years. We didn't believe them at first. We had many questions that needed answering. How would we be affected? Surely they couldn't close these islands? With a history of clearances on these lands she was sure it would not happen again. Like the Holocaust. It would never happen again.

 

She sighed and considered putting the TV back on. Why upset yourself? This was the past now, you have to make the best of things. The biggest question she had was, why didn't we stand together, us folk on these outer islands? Many people tried to tell them that we could do much more together, us on Yell, Unst and Fetlar. After all, those on the mainland of Shetland didn't understand what us was like to live apart from the mainland, we had longer journeys, missed events, had fewer facilities and generally were almost not considered part of the Shetland Islands, that was what most of us felt. When they threatened us with the loss of the inter-island ferries we were still divided. Every island had its own way and its way was the only way. They cut the ferries heavily and many folk lost their jobs. It was awful. Some youngsters protested, they stood at the ferry terminals in the cold but folk just turned away. That didn't last long. She took a big intake of breath. It was awful, it got real nasty too. Everyone started blaming everyone else. I didn't know if the mainland Shetland was as divided as we were in the North Isles?

 

When the Shetland Island council eventually rehoused us, we just couldn't believe it, most of us didn't say anything for months. I got rehoused near my family in Aberdeen. It was good to see my extended family more regularly and Doreen only lived 5 miles into town. I got on the local bus to see her twice a week, she's not that well though.

 

Then we watched the great upheaval on the news. It was just heartbreaking. It was like watching a load of refugees not the people of Shetland. We were the first to go on the North Isles of course, but I somehow wondered if things could have been different if we had stuck together, you know, all pull in one direction. Maybe we could've thought of a way to start building our own energy resources, we could of told the Lerwick planning people to get stuffed, we all wanted to provide our own energy solutions TOGETHER, using the minds and resources of all the North Isles folk, let Lerwick stew in its own juices, they were cutting our resources so we have to now pull together and work this problem out for ourselves. But we didn't did we? 

 

Bang, bang, thump! The upstairs flat had visitors again, usually the young childrens friends, but they were so noisy, still, it could be worse, her friend has a horrible time at weekends as the young folk like their loud music. They were at least nice folk upstairs and they cared about her. She missed the other Shetlanders talking about the weather.

 

She got up and put on the kettle, still, it'll be Christmas in two weeks. She put the TV back on, a familiar background noise at least and thought about a Shetland sunset at Simmerdim.

The Shetland Islands have gone back to nature now. A few folk reside at Sullom Voe but not many. What with the oil and economics not flowing as freely as it once did, no-one could afford to live there anymore. The cuts continued to come and what with a double dip recession Shetland just couldn't keep its head above water.

 

It was all a big mess and a shame. She sipped her tea, it was nearly time for her programme, she wouldn't miss it for the world but she would give it up tomorrow to walk the shores near her old house once more, pick up the odd stone and stare at the craggy shores of Shetland.

[Infiltrator]

The Shetlands

 

Hang your head in shame

[Hector's House]

Do you think the North Isles should all pull together?

I don't understand what you're getting at. Pull together? Rowing in what direction? Norway... Faroe... Oblivion?

 

 

we could of told the Lerwick planning people to get stuffed

Tsk, that should be "could have" ... Oh hang on, is that a subtle link to the school closures?

[Ghostrider]

No argument with the anaylsis/forecast, but definitey with the conclusion. Folk aren't all helpless or materialistic.

[Mattie]

What a load of nonsence you write..

Doubt you will get a book deal?

[Scorrie]

What a load of nonsence you write..

Doubt you will get a book deal?

 

Nonsense.

 

Tut.

[madmandy]

Nonsense you say. Replies would be appreciated from those in Unst and Fetlar. Closing the islands would make financial sense. Ok through birth or incomming we choose to be here. Its not easy. A trip to Tesco is a day trip as is the hospital. secondary school is boarding or a long trip daily.If the North Isles don't stand together there will be no schools, no ferries to get anywhere and so no future. This black story is not a fiction, its a possibility.

Perhaps it wont win any writting contests but that is not the point. When it happens its too late to say ohI wish. I do not wish to end up in a flat anywhere-not even Lerwick. Read the message not the writing style.

[Kavi Ugl]

I've heard Yell and Unst, in particular Setters Hill, is now just filled with dole moles from south.

 

There's progress........

[unlinkedstudent]

Nonsense you say. Replies would be appreciated from those in Unst and Fetlar. Closing the islands would make financial sense. Ok through birth or incomming we choose to be here. Its not easy. A trip to Tesco is a day trip as is the hospital. secondary school is boarding or a long trip daily.If the North Isles don't stand together there will be no schools, no ferries to get anywhere and so no future. This black story is not a fiction, its a possibility.

Perhaps it wont win any writting contests but that is not the point. When it happens its too late to say ohI wish. I do not wish to end up in a flat anywhere-not even Lerwick. Read the message not the writing style.

 

It is fiction. What gets me, given the writing style, is whether or not the OP based it upon speaking to older Shetland residents who were born here or just waxed lyrically?

 

Jobs lost through ferry cuts? Isn't it the case that the 'commuter ferries' will remain but others crossings will go? (And apologies if I've misunderstood that)

 

Day trip to hospital? Well, that can be said for folks living in North and South without cars, depending on the time of your appointment.

 

Noisy neighbours? Hate to break it to the OP, but that scenario already occurs here.

 

Replies from those in Unst and Fetlar appreciated? On the contrary, I'd say replies from all should be appreciated and welcomed - or has everyone on the outer isles decided that those living on Shetland don't give a stuff and you don't need our input/influence?

[mikeyboy]

To keep the Northern Isles going we should encourage loads of retirees and people on disability benefits to settle.

That will sort things out.

Edited as comment was a wee bit unfair and it was obvious who I was talking about.

[voicebox]

Quoted...Ok It is fiction. What gets me, given the writing style, is whether or not the OP based it upon speaking to older Shetland residents who were born here or just waxed lyrically? End quote

 

Yes this is currently fiction. This story was written to make a point about disunity in the North Isles, currently we have no idea how far these cuts will go and how much 'freedom' will be curtailed in the North Isles.

 

The whole of the Shetland Islands is under a cloud of uncertainty, not just the North Isles but for goodness sake, let's face these troubling times together, let's at least be a united front FOR the North Isles, the North Isles must speak with one voice, so that we can then have a DIALOGUE with the Mainland of Shetland. How can we do this when Yell has its ideas, Unst has its ideas and Fetlar has its ideas? I appeal to all three islands to put any past differences aside and start working together for a change.

 

We MAYBE have only one chance to do this in the current climate.

 

I remember a Catholic priest friend of mine saying once, talking about Protestants...

"We burned them, they persecuted us, let's just put this all all behind us and move on, only then can progress and dialogue be possible"

 

I apologise for spelling mistakes or poor writing but please let's try and look at the bigger picture.

[Ghostrider]

^ Theory is good, reality is that you're proposing a Herculean task, rivalries between Shetland communities and by extension isles, are so deeply entrenched and long-standing that little short of a sustained barrage of dynamite will shift it.

 

Shetland's downfall almost every time is that whatever the issue the population is almost always split right down the middle on it, and then further complicated by a few in an advantageous positions being on the make and only looking after their own greed. Just look at Mareel, VE, etc. Most of the isles are simply a microcosm of the Mainland when it comes to that.

 

Everyone hauling together for the greater good is an admirable philosophy, but it will take much preaching over an extended period to ever make happen. I could speculate on numerous historical reasons why "divide and conquor" is so often Shetlander's default setting when en masse, but how it became really matters none, its where we've been for a very long time, and is now complicated further due to the levels of transplant residents integral to all Shetland communities.

[voicebox]

@ghostrider

 

In that case it's R.I.P. Shetland.

[crofter]

^ Theory is good, reality is that you're proposing a Herculean task, rivalries between Shetland communities and by extension isles, are so deeply entrenched and long-standing that little short of a sustained barrage of dynamite will shift it.

 

In times of adversity, folk might be more inclined to put perceived differences aside. Also, the "rivalries" you suggest between communities are perhaps not as strong between separate Isles; in the 80s in the North Isles there was a community enterprise company buying boatloads of bulk animal feed, fertiliser, firewood etc and marketing isles lambs. Also a community magazine, "The Bluemull Triangle"

 

The plan of 1983

 

With Christmas fast approaching I got to wondering what was uppermost in the minds of North Isles folk at yule time 25 years ago.

 

Delving into the collection of Bluemull Triangles, the local magazine current at the time, a number of interesting issues emerged.

 

A series of public meetings had been held all through the North Isles to discuss the SIC’s North Isles Plan. Highlighted were concerns over the lack of employment opportunities, lack of housing, transport issues and the need for recreational facilities.

 

According to the Triangles it was the meeting in Fetlar that brought matters to a head. It was feared that, under the plan, as much as 70 per cent of Fetlar could become Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and the reaction to this was clear and concise.

 

A joint statement from the grazings committee and Fetlar Community Council declared the proposals to be totally unacceptable.

 

“Economic activity on the island is almost entirely agriculturally based,†the statement read. “This means that any proposal to restrain agriculture is a threat to the island’s viability – which might lead to depopulation.

 

“On the other hand, Fetlar provides an internationally recognised habitat for rare birds and plants. In the past crofting activity and birdlife have co-existed more or less in harmony. It must be possible for this situation to continue and it is essential that proposals to protect wildlife do not threaten the only economic activity on the island.â€

 

I wonder, what happened to the plan?

 

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2008/12/12/isles-views-25

[voicebox]

in the 80s in the North Isles there was a community enterprise company buying boatloads of bulk animal feed, fertiliser, firewood etc and marketing isles lambs. Also a community magazine, "The Bluemull Triangle"

 

Why did the community enterprise stop?