Black Highland Cow
The Uist Strands came together with a common goal: to stitch a panel of the tapestry to represent their area and to have good fun with new friends while doing so!
This is their story.
Gaelic is rich in terms of endearment. From a’ ghràidh, for ‘my dear’, through mo leannain for ‘my sweetheart’ to the warmest, the most intense, what is used only for someone with whom the speaker is deeply in love is m’ eudail. Usually translated as ‘my treasure’, it actually means ‘my cattle’.
The historical and cultural reality is that cows were indeed treasured, fought over, stolen and were often the sole source of a cash income. Most townships and crofts raised cattle on summer and winter grazing to which they had customary rights, and many were driven south to the great markets at Crieff and Falkirk to be sold.
The Highlands is patterned with old drove roads, some of them dyked as they reached Lowland farms, and herds of small black cattle, and the more recognizable hairy breed, were driven down them each autumn.
Droving only ceased when the railways reached the north in the second half of the 19th century.
The Black Highland CowImage provided by The Uist Strands
The Uist Strands met together regularly as a team to exchange ideas, skills and lots of stories. Their experience working on the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands brought new friendships and lots of laughs. Listen to their stories, they are sure to inspire your creative spirit too!
Uist Strands StitchersImage provided by Smartify
Discover more stories from the panel
WITH THANKS TO THE UIST STRANDS
This panel was stitched by Diane, Anne, Christine, Màiri, Tina and Matthew who gave their time, skill and energy to completing a fantastic artwork for their area. They were ably assisted by their group mascot, Chelsea, a chihuahua from Alaska!”
If you would like to see the panel up close and admire the detail of their work, please look out for the panel at an exhibition near you soon. To find out more, follow Inverness Castle Experience on Facebook for all the latest updates on the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands and the new visitor experience in Inverness, open 2025.
