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Honouring the Iolaire: the terrible New Year tragedy that claimed the lives of 201 men returning home from World War One

30 November 2018

For residents of the Isle of Lewis, the tragedies of World War One did not end with the signing of the Armistice.

As the men from the Western Isles returned home to their families, their ship – the Iolaire – ran aground on the approach to Stornoway harbour.

Over 200 men perished in the icy waters of the Minch — an event which has haunted Lewis ever since.

To mark the centenary of the shipwreck, local artist Margaret Ferguson painted 100 portraits of the men who lost their lives.

"You've brought him home at last" 鈥� The artist honouring the 201 Hebridean men who were lost in a shipwreck

Painting 100 portraits to honour 201 men who lost their lives in the 1919 Iolaire Disaster

Margaret explained, “It’s so important to commemorate them now. I feel I’m honouring them in a way, what they went through.

“When people look at these paintings I want them to make a human connection, whatever that is. And to feel moved, of course.”

The value of the project became clear when a relative of a man whose body was never recovered viewed Margaret’s portrait of him and told her ‘I feel you’ve brought him home at last’.

“It struck a chord,” said Margaret.

Why did the accident happen?

The Iolaire approached Lewis in the early hours of 1 January, 1919.

The ship took the wrong approach to Stornoway harbour and was wrecked on a reef called the Beasts of Holm.

Many men attempted to swim the short distance to shore but perished in the rough conditions.

79 men survived, while 201 lost their lives.

Illustrations of the Iolaire disaster

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