OBITUARY: David Mackay, Skerray
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His numerous friends and neighbours on the North Coast and far beyond were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of David Mackay at his home in Skerray on January 6.
Eskie, as he was universally known, was born at 1 Rosal Place, Bettyhill, on January 11, 1964; the fourth of Mabel and the late Teedie Mackay’s six sons.
This lively entourage moved to Mabel’s family croft in Torrisdale, Skerray, when Eskie was a toddler and, though they initially had neither electricity nor piped water and times were hard, it was a happy home with Teedie’s wages as a labourer supplemented by the resources of the surrounding environment including the occasional salmon.
Eskie, so nicknamed because, with his black hair, dark complexion and a parka with fur round the hood he wore when he was little, was deemed to closely resemble an Eskimo, began school at Skerray Primary but had to go back over the hill to Farr Secondary to finish his education.
Now school was not usually Eskie’s favourite place but, in his senior years, he became caught up in Rundown, a musical entertainment with a serious message penned by then music teacher John Barlow which, in addition to touring numerous venues throughout the Highlands, became the first school production to play at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness.
When Eskie trod the boards he did it in style playing no less than six parts – Bobba Mackay, Black Murdo, the Duke of Sutherland, the local Minister, a Judge and a Japanese tourist! No wonder he recalled it all so vividly.
The versatility and aplomb displayed on stage was evident throughout Eskie’s life as, though he didn’t settle for very long to any specific job, he never had an idle day.
Even before he left school he was at the sweep net fishery on the Naver mouth and, once he had escaped from the confines of education via a summer job as pony man on Altnaharra Estate, went off aged 16 to join the army.
He would have made an ideal soldier but exited the ranks at the earliest opportunity and set off for Livingston to join Tarmac.
This was just a bit too far from home for him and he was soon back in the North again as a barman, ghillie, builders’ labourer and, for 20 years, as a driver with Highland Council. Latterly he returned to the labouring and was still picking up work to the day he died.
Of course there was a great deal more to Eskie than work.
He enjoyed family life with his wife, Linda Wilson, and rejoiced in the company of their two boys, Daniel and Harris, whom he kept well in touch with though his marriage did not last.
Later, when his path entwined with that of Susan Macleod, his partner for the past 26 years, he was delighted to become dad to her son, Jamie, and to build and maintain a happy paternal relationship with all three boys in the home Susan and he built for themselves at Hillside.
He was always ready to help his Mum out with her chores or to engage happily with his wider circle of siblings and their offspring.
Eskie’s funeral, complete with plentiful music and tributes from friends, was conducted at Hillside on the January 14 by Linda Smith of the Humanist Society of Scotland and his remains were conveyed to Skerray Cemetery in a convoy of his favourite vehicles driven by Daniel, Harris and Jamie, passing many members of the Skerray community who lined the roadside to pay their last respects.
And on a personal note: quite a few years ago I was caught out in the snow following a meeting in Inverness and ended up stuck firmly in a drift about three miles north of Lairg with the night coming on.
I could see a car about half a mile behind me but nothing in front except snow with more continuing to fall and the wind picking up as the wreathe in which I was embedded grew steadily.
After about two hours a large vehicle emerged suddenly from the white-out and there was Eskie, on his own in the plough. He leapt from the cab with a big smile on his face, brandishing a rope and, within a couple of minutes, hauled me out and set me on my way.
And that was him as he almost always was – happy to get stuck in regardless of the circumstances and wearing the broadest of smiles. JAJ
