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Ribhinn Donn SY 371


Ribhinn Donn SY 371

The first Nobles built Ribbhin Donn, later renamed Ribbhin Bhan, steaming. Photo Per Alasdair MacLeod, Scalpay



    a classic shot of a classic boat. I think this was the one feature in a gaelic t.v. production about the herring fishing in scalpay and eriskay a few years back. She was clamming and was filmed leaving to be de-comm'ed! O0

    johntar tt10
    Oct 05 2009 03:03 PM
    Was at prawns in Portavogie, then at mussels down at Warrenpoint, sold to Tarbert and used as a dive boat, still had her B reg, think she was then sold on to Southern Ireland 3 or 4 years back
    I thought that this was an earlier boat than the one that came to Tarbert from N.I!?  (Green hulled boat 4/5 years ago) O0
    The same boat whilst she was still ring netting from Scalpay. Maybe Bobe can fill us in on her history??
    would that boat in film maybe regina maris she was still in eriskay at prawns early ninties

    johntar tt10
    Oct 05 2009 11:21 PM
    Seen her at the sprats at INS in a threesome with Fair Morn of Mallaig and the MacMillan's of Carradale Ocean Maid? that was Skye owned at the time, mid 70's, no long after that she was in TT on her way to Portavogie after being sold
    Iain Noble at Isle Oronsay on Skye had bought the Ocean Maid and renamed her Mhaigdean Bhan. The first time that I saw the Ribhinn Bhan as she was later called was along side Isle Oronsay Pier in the early 70s. I was sure that she was still prawning in the Minch in the early 80s and thought that we may have come across her at Canna with the Eriskay boats including the Majestic. Vague recollections mind!

    johntar tt10
    Oct 06 2009 04:54 PM
    Think she might have been Skye owned also Dunard, remember a fellow aboard askin after Alex MacFarlane "maha" and think he said he was from Skye, too long ago and too much water under the bridge, old brain memory  cells are shrinking fast  O0
    I think you might be right John, I now have a vague recollection that she was also owned by Iain Noble. Isle Oronsay pier is tidal and not the place you would even just go in to shelter, so she must have been based there.
    Ribhinn Bhan was owned by Iain Noble and was skippered by a Donald Macsween from Scalpay.He fished out of Isle Ornsay for two years while he trained up a few Skye boys,after that he bought the boat himself and went back to Scalpay where he fished for prawns and scallops .Think she was still fishing out of Scalpay until the mid or late 80s.