Whisky Galore

Mary and Alistair Johnston pictured in the Am Politician pub, Eriskay. They were born in Eriskay and moved to Clydebank. They return to Eriskay every summer.

Alistair says, “Mary and I were born in Eriskay. In 1944 we moved to Glasgow with my mother and father because of the lack of work. The fishing industry had died because of over fishing, so there was basically no work in Eriskay. Every summer we used to come back to my auntie’s house. At that time, in the early 50s we would come back here for work. We would look after the cows… cutting peat and carrying peat, cutting hay and carrying – very hard work.

Eriskay at that time didn’t have a pub. Occasionally, when we became teens, we used to go and beg the school master for the use of the school for a dance! And we used the old gramophone –it was probably one of those windup ones. That’s how I met my wife, Mary, during a holiday. Eventually we got married and built a house in Clydebank. We had six children.”

“They came with us here every summer,” says Mary, “and now they come as here as young adults and they love the place.”