Old Arinagour

Betty MacDougall

Donald MacFarlane's house Dunara on Main Street was completed in 1879. It was purpose built as a carpenter's shop and dwelling.

The first occupant was Charles MacDonald from the West End, an Elder and Treasurer in the Free Church. His mother was of a MacLean family who claimed descent from Iain Garbh, the first MacLean of Coll. He also officiated as Beadle owing to failing health and died a comparatively young man in 1891. The house was then given over to the shopkeeper at the time and remained as the 'shop' house till perchased by Captain Donald MacFarlane. The north gable of the house shows the line of the large doorway that gave entrance into the former work-shop.

The old smithy building was completed in the same year, 1879, and the first smith to operate in Arinagour was a James Smart from Campbeltown. His sister was already living in the island, married to Donald Kennedy, estate shepherd. The smith's house was the one on Shore Street known until recently as Limetree. Three sons were born on Coll but one died tragically at the age of five and Mrs. Smart, saddened by this loss, wanted to leave the island. A treasured memento of their stay on Coll was a clock still in the family possession. A brass plaque bears the inscription - "Presented to Mr James Smart, Blacksmith, by his friends in Coll as a token of their esteem on the occasion of his leaving the island, 9th November, 1888."

James Smart was followed by a Coll man John Kennedy. It was said that he could shoe six cart wheels before breakfast. He was succeeded by Donald Sutherland who married a local girl Rachel MacDonald and their descendants still live at Caolas an Eilean. Despite their often straitened circumstances, the Coll people were very generous in showing their appreciation of good neighbourliness and service. In 1886 when Dugald, eldest son of Duncan Macorkindale, Estate Clerk, decided to emigrate to South Australia the young people of the village presented him with a purse of sovereigns.

When Captain Charles MacKinnon of the Dunara left Cornaig Mhor Lodge with his family to farm at Lochnell in Benderloch, he was presented with a mantlepiece clock and matching ornaments in recognition of his untiring efforts in supporting his neighbours. Another example of memorial generosity is the grave stone that stands in the old cemetery at Cill Ionnaig commemorating Neil MacPhail, West Coast Missionary, erected by his friends in Coll.