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The Silent Weaver               9/12/11

Raasay-based writer and journalist Roger Hutchinson will be talking about his new book The Silent Weaver: The Extraordinary Life of Angus MacPhee in two forthcoming events in the Uists.

South Uist man Angus MacPhee returned from the Second World War bearing, as many young men did, invisible scars. At the age of twenty-four, and in chronic mental pain, he was referred to Craig Dunain Hospital in Inverness where he would spend the next fifty years of his life.

Angus retreated into his own silent world, never speaking, but creating wonderful works of art, usually clothes, hats or caps, using organic matter – grass, wool, leaves – which he would allow to decay or even destroy himself.

It was only when an art therapist discovered him and his creations did some of them begin to be preserved and Angus begin to talk again. His story is fascinating, and movingly told by Roger who also wrote the story of Calum MacLeod, the builder of Calum’s Road on Raasay.

Roger will be appearing on Sunday from 2pm at Gerinish Taigh Ceilidh in South Uist. The event is free. On Monday he will be at another free event at  Taigh Chearsabhagh at 7.30pm.