Rally - The Gathering

Tobermory was quiet this morning. Little knots of people standing around. Heads bowed, hands in pockets, chattering intensely. The occasional peal of laughter suddenly cut short when they realised what they had done. It's always difficult at times like this. But they were gathering for a reason.

Instead of the traditional mid-afternoon outdoor prizegiving after the rally there was a rather more silent procession behind two rally cars along Tobermory Main Street to assemble on Ledaig Pier where tributes were paid to Andrew Mort and Chris Lawson. There were around 1200 there, a mixture of local folks and rally people.
 
For those of you who don't know, Calum Duffy is widely renowned as a man of words in these parts and has written many beautiful pieces of poetry over the years. He wrote something this morning and read it out at the gathering. I have asked him to email me a copy.
 
And you know what? The Island of Mull had the final say. Just as the last words were uttered at the gathering, it started to rain. Lightly at first, then as folk scattered it turned into a short, sharp shower. Typical - and somehow, entirely fitting.