Sorry that should have read November 1966 letter from the college of piping - (It was enclosed with a January 1967 letter written by the MCPS to Music shop owner Captain N. D. Henderson, who earlier published sheet music of the Stewart Ross lyrical version (..lovely dark island where memories stray). The MCPS were trying to establish whether it was a trad. piping tune. One of the other parties involved was W.Gordon Smith who wrote his own set of lyrics. "Dear Sirs, thank you for your letter of 26th October. It so happens that I know quite a bit about the tune now called 'the Dark Island'. Its original name was was 'Doctor MacInnes's Farewell to South Uist', and it was composed about 7 or 8 years ago by Ian Maclachlan of Benbecula. There is no question of its being a traditional tune. Mr. W. Gordon Smith is totally mistaken in thinking that any piper knew this tune earlier than about 1958.   To my knowledge there about three sets of lyrics at present being sung in Scotland to the melody and perhaps one of these that I have heard belongs to W.Gordon Smith. Yours sincerely... (photo copy signature unclear... E M (?) Laughlin pp Seumas Macneil College of Piping Glasgow.
Received by MCPS 23 November 1966.