Following the official business of the Annual General Meeting on Saturday October 27th, 21 years of the Ross of Mull Historical Centre was celebrated..  Rosie Burgess, whose father Jimmy McKeand founded the Centre was invited to cut the anniversary cake and speak about the vision and motivation of her father.

Rosie said “My father had empathy for all those families who had had to move away from their homeland, whether by choice or enforcement.  He established contact with people locally, on the mainland and worldwide with a shared interest in the history of the Ross of Mull.  Between 1993 and ’95 he visited Australia and New Zealand, contacting and visiting many with Mull connections.  He also travelled to Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and Prince Edward Islands, following the trail of emigrants from the Ross.  His photographic records of those trips are in the archives here at the Centre.”

The Ross of Mull Historical Centre was formally convened in 1997, by Jimmy and other local folk, in particular his Bunessan School contemporary, Attie MacKechnie .  Jimmy passed away in 2001,but the momentum which had been created was enough to motivate others to carry on to establish a lasting venue which continues to welcome those from all over the world back to their roots. Read more about founder Jimmy McKeand>

The AGM also formally launched the new website, to reach a global audience of anyone wishing to trace their roots in the Ross of Mull. RoMHC are grateful to the Waterfall Fund for supporting the new website.