By Jamie McDonald
New venison processing facility planned for Raasay
A disused ferry store on Raasay is set to be transformed into the island’s first venison processing facility after receiving almost £129,000 in government funding.
The former East Suisnish ferry store will be converted into a solar-powered processing hub
The project is one of several initiatives receiving support as part of the Scottish Government’s Carbon Neutral Islands programme.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs Gillian Martin (left), Councillor Chrissie Gillies (right)
The facility will allow deer carcasses to be processed on Raasay, ending the need to transport them elsewhere. It is also expected to support local jobs.
The funding package also includes £78,000 for habitat restoration work on the island, including the removal of invasive species and the planting of 4,000 native trees.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs Gillian Martin said:
“Island communities face real challenges such as cost of living, higher energy costs and the growing impacts of climate change.
“This investment will help thousands of residents build stronger, more self-sufficient communities fit for the future. These projects show how tackling climate change can create jobs, grow local economies and keep more money in island communities.
“Across the five islands, the funding will support solar power, battery storage, low-carbon heating, habitat restoration and local food production. These represent practical, community-led action designed to reduce reliance on imported fuels and help islands become more self-sufficient ahead of a 2040 carbon neutral target.”
Tom Lusink, Community Development Officer, Raasay Development Trust said:
“We’re grateful to be awarded this funding, which is essential for Raasay to continue its net zero journey. The island’s most significant carbon levers lie within its natural environment, and if the island is to reach net zero, sustainable deer management will need to be part of it. Building the venison processing facility builds on the crofting community’s legacy of taking ownership for its deer management, and we will continue to support community stewardship of the island.
“The habitat restoration – which focuses on controlling an invasive plant species that threatens these natural carbon stores, and restoring these habitats through active planting — now has a proven track record, but requires a long-term approach. Nature works on a timeframe beyond funding cycles, so it’s great to see this project receive its second round of CNI funding. High-impact projects need long-term funding that works to local timescales.
“It’s vital these projects also serve the community, which is why they’ve been designed to offer diverse employment and skills opportunities, with nearly all funds being invested within the island.”
Councillor John Finlayson, Chair of Highland Council’s Eilean a’ Cheò area committee, added:
“It is excellent to see Raasay securing this significant investment through the Carbon Neutral Islands programme. This funding is a strong endorsement of the vision and ambition of the island community and will deliver lasting economic and environmental benefits.
“As well as reducing carbon emissions and supporting Scotland’s net zero ambitions, the investment will help create training opportunities, strengthen community wealth building, support local contractors and retain more economic value within the island. This is the kind of targeted investment that can help our island communities thrive while building a more sustainable future.”
Raasay Raiders cairns unveiled
Two cairns commemorating the Raasay Raiders have been unveiled at a special event held on Friday 22 May, attended by members of the local community and visitors from further afield.
The cairns are located at Eyre and Fearns in south Raasay. The two villages were the scene of a dramatic land raid more than a century ago.
In 1921, seven men living in neighbouring Rona sailed south and landed on Raasay, occupying land from which their ancestors had been cleared in the 19th century. Many of the men had fought in the First World War.
Dr Christine Anne MacLeod
There was a quiet intimacy to the day; families pointing out names in old photographs, neighbours sharing stories passed down through generations, and visitors pausing at the cairns to read the inscriptions more than once.
Speeches were given at both cairns to mark the occasion. Dr Christine Anne MacLeod, whose grandfather was one of the raiders, wrote a poem especially for the event:
In this distant place, that we call home,
there are pearls of wisdom to explore.
Returning to our ancestral shores
Today…their dignity to restore.
Let us make the world a fairer place,
Each other’s gifts to embrace,
No matter what our creed or race,
But to live eternity…with grace.
And thanks, to God for all who chase.
With love…for future generations’ space
The cairns are engraved with the words “We were promised” or “Chaidh gealltainn dhuinn”, in reference to commitments made to those who fought in the war.
Life on Rona was extremely difficult. The Napier Commission had identified overcrowding and hunger there nearly 40 years before the raid. Reform eventually came in the late 19th century through the Crofters Act, but it offered little help to families who had already lost their crofts.
Following the raid, the seven men were arrested and imprisoned in Inverness, sparking a national campaign. Donald John Graham’s grandfather, John MacKay, was one of the raiders. He told Radio Skye they were looked after in prison.
“They were well treated. They (the prison guards) knew their cause. They were put in different uniforms to everybody else and given strips of tobacco to keep them going.”
Donald John Graham
Among the speakers at the event was Donnie MacLeod, who still keeps cattle on the land his grandfather reclaimed. He said:
“If it wasn’t for these guys, there would be virtually nobody living on Raasay. It would probably be a big old estate, a play thing for the rich and famous. We owe them a big debt of gratitude for the sacrifice.”
Donnie MacLeod
Piper Angus MacDonald provided music on the day, including a special reel composed for the raiders, performed as the cairns were unveiled. Listen below:
Piper Angus MacDonald of Braes performing at the unveiling
The cairn at Fearns was built by Donald John Graham and stands on a hill close to the ruined houses where the raiders once lived.
The cairn at Fearns
A special exhibition was also held at Raasay Community Hall, featuring photographs, newspaper articles and other related artefacts.
Raider John MacKay and his wife Catherine
Raider Malcolm MacKay
More than a century on, the story of the Raasay Raiders continues to resonate deeply with those who live on and beyond the island. It is no longer only remembered and spoken about, but set in stone in the very landscape they reclaimed.
Radio Skye’s Jamie McDonald spoke to those involved on the day, including direct descendants of the raiders. Listen below:
- Wilma Duncan, organising committee member and granddaughter of Donald “Beag” MacLeod.
- Kathleen Park, organising committee member and granddaughter of John M MacLeod aka ‘the shoemaker’ discussing the exhibition.
- Dr Christine Anne MacLeod who is a direct descendant of one of the raiders and who spoke at both cairn unveilings.
- Donnie MacLeod, who continues to work the reclaimed land
- Donald John Graham, descendant of the raiders and builder of the Fearns cairn
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Skye and Raasay could face new controls on holiday lets under Highland Council plans
People are being asked for their views on plans to introduce new controls on short-term holiday lets across parts of the Highlands.
Highland Council has opened a six week consultation on proposals for two Short Term Let Control Areas (STLCAs), including one covering Skye and Raasay, Lochalsh, Lochaber, Wester Ross and Sutherland.
If approved, homeowners would need planning permission before changing a residential property into a secondary short-term let, such as an Airbnb, where the owner does not normally live in the property.
The council said the move was aimed at balancing tourism with increasing pressure on local housing.
Figures released as part of the consultation show that 13.6% of homes sold in Skye and Lochalsh between 2019 and 2024 were later converted into short-term lets.
Highland Council also said more than 38% of homes sold across the proposed rural control area during the same period were bought by people from outside the Highlands.
Portree has the highest concentration of anywhere in the Highlands, with more then 30% of homes operating as licensed short-term lets as of July 2025.
The authority said housing pressure in rural communities is contributing to wider issues including depopulation and falling school rolls.
Council convener Bill Lobban said tourism remained “vital” to the Highland economy and stressed the proposals would not amount to a ban on holiday lets.
He said: “What they allow us to do is balance tourism growth with local housing need by managing concentrations of short-term lets in areas where housing availability or neighbourhood amenity is adversely affected.”
The consultation runs until 23 June, with a drop in event due to take place in Portree on 25 May.
A separate proposed control area would cover parts of Inverness, where the council said large numbers of city centre flats had been converted into short-term accommodation.
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