THE tragic loss of 14-year-old Eilidh MacLeod, who was found dead in a hospital after a 20-hour frantic search following the Manchester Arena terror attack, has left a “dark cloud” over the close-knit community on the Isle of Barra.
Eilidh’s heartbroken family paid tribute to the “vivacious” teenager who was “full of fun”, and spoke of the anguish her death had caused them, saying in statement: “Our family is devastated and words cannot express how we feel at losing our darling Eilidh.”
Eilidh was at the Ariana Grande concert with her close friend and classmate Laura MacIntyre, 15, who remains in hospital. The statement from Eilidh’s family went on: “Eilidh was vivacious and full of fun. She loved all music, whether it was listening to Ariana or playing the bagpipes with her pipe band.
“As a family we would like to express our thanks and gratitude for the support and kind messages we have received at this difficult time.”
Eilidh, a Castlebay Community School pupil and huge fan of US singing star Grande, was delighted when she got tickets for Monday night’s Manchester concert as a birthday present. She asked Laura, who had never been to a concert before, to join her.
Eilidh’s mother Marion travelled to Manchester with the excited girls and was due to meet them outside the arena after the concert. The last text she received from her daughter was to say the singer was playing her final song.
Other family members of both girls flew to Manchester on Tuesday after appealing on social media for help to trace the youngsters, following the suicide bombing. Laura was found in a hospital in Manchester suffering from serious injuries, while Eilidh remained missing. Her death was announced yesterday.
Eilidh’s great uncle, Donald Manford, described the girls as “two wonderful children” and “treasures”
who had contributed to the community since early childhood.
Manford, the local councillor, said: “The community are pulling together as this community does. Their thoughts are for the family and with the family and they are hurting for them.”
Nicola Sturgeon revealed that educational psychologists are being sent to Barra to support Eilidh’s family and friends.
The First Minister said: “I understand the director of education, who is himself an educational psych- ologist, is currently on Barra and a further educational psychologist and NHS clinical psychologist are travelling there today. Between them they are going to be focusing on the support that the families and those that were closest to those two girls will need.”
Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil, whose daughter is close friends with Laura, said she and Eilidh were “sleepover buddies”. He added the younger girl even referred to Laura’s grandmother as “granny”.
He said: “We are all simply heartbroken but thankful for the kind thoughts of so many people across the islands and beyond.”
Local MSP Alasdair Allan said: “The island of Barra has had to face an unimaginable tragedy as news is confirmed that Eilidh MacLeod died as a result of the appalling crime in Manchester.
“I cannot begin to imagine the devastating consequences this will have for her family, and can only offer my condolences.”
The girls’ headteacher Annag MacLean said the incident has left everyone stunned. She added: “Our school and island community are in shock, feeling numb and struggling to come to terms with it. Our thoughts and prayers are with Eilidh and Laura, their family and friends as they struggle to cope.”
Barra’s Catholic priest Father John Paul Mackinnon said he was very upset and the news of Eilidh’s death and Laura’s injuries.
He said: “The community have felt a dark cloud has come down on the island. A real dark cloud. People are weighed down. This dark cloud is just pushing down on all of us and we are trying to lift ourselves up. It’s difficult.”
The Bishop of Argyll and the Isles, Brian McGee, travelled to Barra to visit the families and joined Mackinnon at a mass for the families.
“This is a time of terrible anguish for the MacLeod and MacIntyre families. Spending time with the relatives of both girls was a reminder of the human cost of acts of terror,” he said.
Church of Scotland minister the Rev Dr Lindsay Schluter, whose parish is made up of Barra and South Uist, said no-one on the island had been unaffected by the terror attack.
“People have been numbed by what has happened to the two girls,” she said.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel