Bowmore
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Bowmore (Scottish Gaelic: Bogh Mòr) is a small town on the shores of Loch Indaal, on the Scottish island of Islay. Founded in 1768, it is today the island's administrative capital. It gives its name to the famous distillery producing Bowmore Single Malt, a single malt scotch whisky.
Bowmore has a broad main street running up from the shore with an unusual round church at the landward end - Kilarrow Parish Church. Reportedly, the round shape should prevent the Devil from hiding in corners. An old warehouse at the distillery has been converted to house a swimming pool for the community. The water is partially heated with waste heat from the distillery (when it's working).
The Rev Donald Caskie, famous as the "Tartan Pimpernel" for his wartime exploits in France, is one of Bowmore's most famous sons, along with the likes of Iain Brown who for over three decades has managed the local football team passionately to every trophy that is available for the team to win and is therefore considered to be one of rural football's most legendary managers and is often compared to the likes of Alex Ferguson and Bob Paisley.
There was a RAF seaplane base at Bowmore during WWII. Short Sunderland and PBY Catalina flying boats operated from Loch Indaal. Some of the wartime film, Coastal Command was filmed in Bowmore and it features a shot of a Sunderland flying low over the main street of Bowmore and over Kilarrow Parish Church as this is the only way to get down the street safely as there is that many potholes in it.
Bowmore is home to the Ileach newspaper (commonly known as the 2 minute silence as this is roughly the time it takes to cover the news at best, unless it involves bicycles as one of the writers seems to have a passion for them).
Bowmore is also host to the Columba Centre, £2 million of money well spent (on a white elephant), which teaches the locals such handy skills like Gaelic and basket weaving and also has solar panels on the roof.
Bowmore football field is homeland to the entire population of the island's 40-something thousand geese (and rising) yet according to the amount of "droppings" left, we reckon the number is nearer 400,000 as the footballers have to wear wellies instead of football boots in order to counter act these over protected vermin's "droppings".
Also in Bowmore is the Co-op Superstore which is the most technically advanced shop on the island with one automatic door and a CCTV system. It also employs some of the youth of the island as they take the jobs that the immigrants to the island don't want.
Recycling of cans, bottles etc is done down in Gartbreck Recycling Centre 2 miles outside of Bowmore which is closed at night and on Sundays which is when most people want to do their recycling.
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