Cianalas ’s Dòchas | Homesickness and Hope
Stories of Hebridean Emigration
Two new exhibitions exploring the theme of Hebridean emigration are being held at Museum nan Eilean venues in summer 2025, ahead of the Emigration Conference in the autumn.
Museum nan Eilean has been fortunate to be able to borrow a number of striking objects from National Museums Scotland. These loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund.
Artefacts from National Museums Scotland Americas Collections – including snowshoes, firebags and an Inuit Chief’s coat – will be shown for the first time in the islands. These help tell the story of the interactions between Hudson’s Bay fur traders and the Indigenous Peoples of the region. Several have an intriguing connection to a fur trader from the Outer Hebrides.
The exhibitions also feature two stunning iconic paintings, on loan from the Fleming-Wyfold collection, on the theme of the Highland Clearances, which have not been shown in the islands for almost forty years:
- Lochaber no More by John Watson Nicol (at MnE Lionacleit)
- The Last of the Clan by Thomas Faed (at MnE Stornoway)
Other loan objects from The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry and the National Mining Museum Scotland, as well as important items from Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean collections, help to tell emigrants’ stories, and to highlight this important aspect of Hebridean history. The exhibitions also consider the impact on the Indigenous Peoples whose lands were settled.
Please see the links below for further details about each exhibition:
Museum nan Eilean Lionacleit 31st May until 29th November 2025
Museum nan Eilean Stornoway 14th June until 29th November 2025
Exhibition Resources
Please see the links below for further information and resources relating to the history of emigration.
Resources in progress – please check back soon for updates
Activity Programme
Please check back soon for updates
Emigration Conference
Saoghal Mòr Farsaing 30 Sep – 1 Oct 2025
A three-day conference on the theme of emigration will be held at Lews Castle, Stornoway in autumn 2025. The conference programme offers a wide and varied consideration of the topic, which is so significant to the history of the islands. Delegates can attend in person or online. The full programme and booking information is available here.
Hebridean Homecoming
The Emigration conference and exhibitions are part of the Hebridean Homecoming 2023-25 initiative. For more information on this, and other events and resources related to emigration, please visit our Hebridean Homecoming page.
Acknowledgements
Museum nan Eilean gratefully acknowledges the support of the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local-authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections. This funding has also enabled us to deliver a programme of activities associated with the exhibition.
