In June 1947, George Orwell and his family almost drowned in the Corryvreckan whirlpool between Jura and Scarba. In 1981, his brother-in-law, Bill Dunn (61) became the first person to swim across the whirlpool. Dunn lost his right leg at the hip in WW2.
Jura man, Gillouir MacCrain saw 180 Christmasses in his own home.
Was he 180 years old when he died in 1645? Was he just *really* into Christmas?
Most likely, the Diùrachs were playing a trick with the traveler, Martin Martin when he visited in 1705. Gaels celebrated “Big Christmas” (An Nollaig Mhòr) and New Year, “Little Christmas” (An Nollaig Bheag). Gillour was probably 90 or so.
Gillouir’s niece Mary has a headstone near his and was thought to have died at age 128 in 1856. In reality she died in December 22nd 1855, and was *only* 118.
In 1813, the Campbells of Jura set about removing all eagle nests from the island after a swaddled newborn was snatched from nearby Scarba, carried over the Corryvreckan, and put down on Jura. The child survived with only minor injuries.
